Today's Passage - Col 2:13-15

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 2:13-15   When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.   God's forgiveness is different from the world's forgiveness.  The world's forgiveness is one of "filing away", as people will say "forget it this time, but if you do it again I won't let you go that easily," the trespass is then filed away.  Some have larger capacity for files and it takes longer for them to get mad, but for some who have smaller file capacity, they are constantly angry.  Either way, people reach their capacity sooner or later and will get mad.   God is different though, for His forgiveness is one of "wiping away," which means He no longer remembers.  The piece of paper that has all the accusations against us written on can instantaneous become blank because of the blood of Jesus!  The enemy can no longer accuse us because God has completely forgiven us.  Such forgiveness is certainly not without condition, as 1 John 1:9 says that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  We must come before God to admit our sin, to die from our trespasses, and God's forgiveness will come upon us.   Repenting for our sins before God is important.  Some people pray for repentance in very general terms, saying "Lord, please forgive me of all my sins."  God is certainly capable of forgiving all the sins, but if you've never seriously confronted the sins inside you, the authority of sin can still rule over you.  You may still be stuck in the constantly cycle of trespasses and repentance, because you've never brought all your sins before God for His cleansing.  When we are willing die to the sins in our heart, God can seize the enemies that seized us before, and let us be freed and released from the authority of sin.  By the cross we can claim victory against the devil and authority of sin that ruled us before.   Are you still living in the authority of sin?  Are you willing to seriously acknowledge your sins before God, and experience God's grace is wiping away your sins?  I hope you will spend longer time to pray for yourself now, and ask God to reveal all the sins and carnal desires that you need to confront with, and then ask Him for forgiveness.  He will wipe away your trespasses and enable you claim victory against the enemy by the cross.      Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, I once again bring all brothers and sisters before you, and ask the Holy Spirit to shine in their heart, to see the sins that are ruling them from inside.  I ask that you give them a spirit of repentance, because you do not overlook a heart of sorrow and repentance.  You will forgive their sins and cleanse their unrighteousness, so that they can once again claim victory before the enemy.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!