What if I Don’t Feel Forgiven? - The Crosswalk Devotional - September 23

PLUS...5 Fall Traditions for Married Couples to Start This Year  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ &zwnj [Crosswalk.com Logo]( The Crosswalk Devotional  [Devotionals](        [Newsletters](        [e-Cards](      [The Crosswalk Devotional updated banner logo] What if I Don’t Feel Forgiven? By Rev. Kyle Norman Bible Reading “If you O Lord kept a record of our sins, O Lord who could stand. But with you there is forgiveness, so you are to be feared.” ([Psalm 130:3-4]( Forgiveness is one of the benchmarks of Christian faith. The Christian life doesn’t make a whole lot of sense if we have a faulty or unbiblical understanding of forgiveness. Forgiveness is fundamental to our faith, and one of the prime characteristics of God’s nature. Yet, according to a 2018 survey by the Barna Group – close to 40% of practicing Christians don’t believe they have ever felt forgiven. There are two main reasons why someone might struggle to feel forgiven. First is they may have a faulty depiction of God. See, for a lot of people, even those who go to church, God is an angry cop in the sky who is out to catch us in our wrongs. Heaven contains a large filing cabinet containing our spiritual rap-sheet; if we step too far out of line, then the Lord will dole out some form of divine retribution. We may not even know we think that, until something unplanned or unwanted happens in our life, and our first thought is “is God punishing me?” Somewhere, there is a belief that mistakes and sins completely invalidate God’s love and grace.  [CONTINUE READING →](            You May Also Like:        [5 Fall Traditions for Married Couples to Start This Year](  Jessica Kastner If summer is the season of adventure, fall is definitely the season of romance. Even most die-hard summer lovers admit there's something sweet and cozy about the crisp, cooler air breaking through the mugginess, breaking out the blankets, and getting the wood delivery for indoor fires again. But before settling into this season, consider mixing things up a bit with some new fall traditions that often get overlooked or regarded as just something to do with the kids.  [CONTINUE READING →](       [7 Ways to Love Your Family When You Disagree Politically](  Whitney Hopler In today's polarized world, political differences often create significant family divides. You may be stressed by conversations at the dinner table or by what your family posts on social media if they're pushing political candidates or agendas you don't support yourself. Differing political views can feel like insurmountable obstacles to family unity. However, God's love is much greater than political opinions. God – who far transcends the politics of any place and time in history – calls you to love others unconditionally. Jesus says that the two greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbors as yourself (Mark 12:30-31). These commandments apply equally to your family members, regardless of their political affiliations. Loving your family through political disagreements is not just about maintaining peace; it's about living out your faith in a way that honors God and reflects his love to others. Download the PDF below to read seven ways you can love your family even when you disagree politically. ©GettyImages/AntonioGuillem  [CONTINUE READING →](            [Dancer Who Lost Leg to Cancer Gets Standing Ovation For Stunning AGT Audition](  GodTube.com One young man, a dancer who lost his leg due to cancer, received a standing ovation for his stunning audition on America’s Got Talent.  [WATCH NOW →](        [6 Ways We Can Know We Are Appointed by God](  Clarence L. Haynes Jr. The good news is there are indicators that can give you confidence that you are in the place God wants you to be.  [CONTINUE READING →](                            Bible Trivia Question of the Day                                           What does `Boanerges` mean? A. Sons of laughter B. Sons of thunder C. Children of Boaz D. House of light [ANSWER THE QUESTION →](     [Crosswalk.com Logo](  [Read about Salem Web Network](  |  [Unsubscribe](   [Email Preference Center](  |  [View in Browser](   © 2024 Salem Web Network. All rights reserved. 111 Virginia Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23219. This email is never sent unsolicited. You are receiving this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive newsletters, updates, and special offers from Crosswalk. Â