Rodney Howard Browne shares a teaching on Forgiveness

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”– and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. 11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! Psalms 32:1-11 NIV

Rodney Howard Browne teaches that according to the Amplified Bible, when you are blessed you are happy, fortunate and to be envied. The most wonderful thing that can happen to us is to have our sins permanently washed away by the blood of Jesus and to know that we have God’s forgiveness permanently exercised upon us. It is awesome to know that any sins – past, present and future – are not held against us as long as we confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness. By rights, we should all pay for our own sins and transgressions with our lives, but thank God, Jesus paid the price for us.

Rodney Howard Browne shows us that nothing in the whole world can compare with the joy of a heart that is at peace with God because it is forgiven! No money, alcohol, drugs, fame or power can compare with the experience of the favor of God together with the joy of a clean heart. When we have sin in our lives, we cannot be truly happy until we confess it to God. The most unhappy situation we can be in is to be living with unconfessed sin. We must be sorry for our sin, admit that we are wrong and ask God to forgive us. God is just waiting and longing to forgive us – He is just waiting for us to take a step toward Him. He took the first step – He offered Jesus up as a guilt-offering on our behalf. The next move is ours. We can live in great peace, in spite of our outward circumstances, as long as we know that we have the favor of God upon our lives.

Rodney Howard Browne explains that we must acknowledge all our sin and not try to hide anything from Him and He will instantly forgive us. When you walk in the knowledge of the total and complete forgiveness of God on your life, the waters of adversity are not able to overwhelm your spirit. When we are stubborn and unteachable, we will have many troubles and problems, but if we walk in God’s ways, we will also walk in His protection and guidance.

When we trust God with our lives enough to lay down what we want and to bow our knee in repentance, then we will experience His preservation and His joy. The wicked have no peace, but the righteous walk in continual peace and joy.

1 Peter 1:15-19(NKJ) says, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”God judges us impartially according to our works. It is up to us to see that we live in a manner that pleases our Father God. God is a holy God, and as His children, we need to walk holy and talk holy and act holy. We can walk in holiness because the precious blood of Jesus has redeemed us. The blood of Jesus has washed away our sins, stripped sin of its power over us, and caused us to be able to continue to walk free from sin.
John 3:16-18(NIV) says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” God does not judge us according to some standard that we know nothing about and that is out of our control. He judges us according to our own choices and actions. In other words—we choose our judgment—not God. He offers us the choice of life or death and then acts according to what we have chosen. It is not up to God—it is up to you and me. God did His part—He sent Jesus as a sacrifice to cut a covenant between God and us, so that life and blessing would actually be one of our choices. Without Jesus—there is no choice—death and cursing would be our destiny.
Isaiah 11:1-4(NIV) says, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.”God judges in righteousness and justice. To “judge” simply means “to make a decision”. God makes a decision concerning us according to the decision we make for and about ourselves.
Romans 2:4-11(NKJ) says, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” God is not partial. He does not like one better than the other. He does not have “favorites”. He treats everyone the same. Whatever we sow—we will reap.
Acts 10:34-35(NIV) says, “Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right

Foundation Scriptures: Psalms 1:1-4 (Amp.) Vs. 1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. Vs. 2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. Vs. 3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. Vs. 4 Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away. Blessing and prosperity come to those who delight in God and His Word and who meditate in it all day, every day. Notice the downward progression of the person who does not delight in God and His Word, as described in verse one. First, he walks in the counsel of the ungodly, following their advice. Then he stands, submissive, in the path of the sinners. Then he sits down, resting and relaxing, with the scornful and the mockers.

You cannot counsel with the ungodly. If you listen to them and take their advice, before you know it, you will be submitting to sinners and soon you will be joining in with the mockers, and you will be lost. You will begin to make decisions that send you on a downward spiral. For example, we know people who were once saved and excited about the Lord who began to fellowship with so-called Christians who criticized the church. Then they started in on the minister, then the move of God. Before long, they all were totally backslidden, and acting and living like the world. Be careful who you listen to—it is a slippery slide! When you delight in God and His Word, you make a habit of reading, studying and meditating on His Word. The Hebrew meditate does not mean just “to think about it.” It has to do with speaking (muttering) to yourself. You need to take the scriptures and think on them, speaking them over and over to yourself. When you hear your own voice speaking the Word, it be comes reinforced in your heart. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 (NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Meditating on the Word of God is profitable. It may bring correction and discipline, but if you will receive it, you will be made whole. When you receive God’s instruction, you will become thoroughly equipped to do what God has for you. Jeremiah 17:7, 8 (NKJV) Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. When you delight in God and His Word, you are blessed and prosperous in all seasons and at all times, no matter what happens to those around you. Trees do not produce leaves or fruit in drought, but when your roots are deep in the river of God, you never experience the drought or the killing heat. Your blessings are not dependent upon your surroundings, but God’s power is constantly at work in you. You will be fruitful constantly and consistently. Thank God for His Spirit and His Word.

Foundation Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-10(NIV)

1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person– such a man is an idolater– has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord.

Little children are born imitators. It is in their make-up. It comes naturally. In fact we often see ourselves reflected in our children and we are not always pleased with the results, because they don’t always imitate only the good things we do and say! It is in our spiritual nature to follow and to imitate and the one we should be following and imitating is GOD.

3 John 1:11(NAS)

11Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

We have spiritual parents and leaders and we should follow them as they follow the Lord. Do not make the mistake of following someone who is only pretending to follow the Lord. The Lord is your example and the one you should look up to and the one you should try to be like.

Hebrews 13:7(NIV)
7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

God is love and the first thing we must do is become filled with the love of God and let His love flow through us every day. This is not an optional thing. You don’t walk in love only on the days you feel like it and be mean and selfish whenever you want to. You walk in love, even when you don’t feel like it, because God walks in love every day. Aren’t you glad that God does not only love us on the days that He “feels like it”! No, He loves you every day, even when you act in an unlovable way.

We should keep ourselves from all sexual immorality and impurity of thought, word and deed. Sexual impurity is sin against your own body. It causes wear and tear on your body. It will also affect your heart and your spirit. Sex is a spiritual thing, not only a physical thing. You become forever spiritually linked to the person you join with, physically, whether it is your spouse or someone who is not your spouse. Adultery and fornication (sex outside of marriage and God’s parameters) will destroy you physically and spiritually if you continue in it.

James 3:2(NAS)
2For we all stumble in many {ways.} If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. If we are going to imitate God, we must put a guard on our lips. The man who can control his lips can control his whole body. People excuse their sinful behavior by saying that they could not control their mind or body, but the control of your body and mind begins with the control of your mouth! Do not be a greedy, covetous person, because this kind of person is an idolater! Money is their idol and God is relegated to second place.

2 Timothy 2:20-22(NAS)
20Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these {things} he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love {and} peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Follow after that which is good. Follow after righteousness, faith, love and peace. You are not children of darkness – you are children of light. Fellowship with those who walk, not in darkness, but in the light of God, imitating Him as dear children.