Psalm 130:1-8 KJV
1 A Song of degrees. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

If we only see God has an angry revengeful God, then we fail to see his mercy and his grace for man. We live in a world where revenge is often seen more often then grace. People revenge people over the slightest infractions without being a just reason for it, for it is often something they do themselves. It is the revenge like mass suicide, and mass killings, murder, and rape that causes street gangs to formed and then cause a power struggle in the streets. The legal law is forgotten that and the fact there is a just and humane way to deal with crime of destruction, rape, and mental anguish. Yet is our American laws stiff enough to stop crime, the answer it depends on who you ask. Ask the legal team that deals with criminals on first name bases or the victims of crime. Jesus died for Barabbas who was a murder, for just reason of protecting the temple, but at the same time guilty of sin.

Jesus died for a just man by defense, not a criminal of sin in the since of human justice, for this man defending the Temple. We stop and we look around us and what is justice won by protecting what rightfully his by law or is it down right murder. The Priest looked to the one that cause all the trouble with the turning over the money changers. The only way to release Barabbas was by a social custom by Roman Government, of one prisoner being released during the feast days. Barabbas went home and the one that start the trouble would be crucified by the crowd despite the fact Pontius Pilate washed his hands of the whole mess.

What is forgiveness? Christ in Luke 23:34 says Father forgive them they know not what they do. Yet with forgiveness for killing his Son we still gained his mercy and grace as well not just a the birth of Jesus. God instead of revenge gave everyone that chance to become Sons and Daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

We live in nation that is governed by many faiths whether we want to admit it as Christians. That our nation is less a Christian nation then ever before and yet, there many Christians in governmental places. We need Christians in places teaching forgiveness. When I tell you God has me beat every day of the week concerning forgiveness, I telling you, I do not seek revenge, but by legal law if possible, but forgiveness is sometimes spiritual work in a person's life. If Christ can forgive you of all your sins, then can you forgive others the same way, at the least.

The Psalmist seen his own sin, the sins of Israel and knew God was a forgiving God, but one to be feared. Sometimes talking about faith in Christ we become complacent, to what is forgiveness entails. First God promises not to destroy his children if they repent, then he allows them to run free to get into everything one might imagine in our world. Knowing full will they will fall. No one is perfect. No one can stand in the presents of God because of their sin, but with his forgiveness and mercy we not only find ourselves prostrated before the throne but standing in his presence. God's forgiveness was for the whole world. However Israel was a chosen Priesthood before Christ to be example of godly people and they failed. However God had to show them first they could not be the Messiah to the world or for themselves, but had to learn to forgive, love and offer the hope of faith to the world. When the Messiah came, he demonstrated his love to all people, Jews and Gentiles alike. Yet his redemption would still come through the people God chose to be example of his mercy and grace. Israel at the time of Christ had stopped showing mercy to the gentiles but continued to shun them and did not welcome them into the house of God beyong the gentile sanctuary. They were not allowed in the Jewish sanctuary. Yet God came to redeem all people not just his own. He came to set them free by showing them how to be example of faith.

Disciples were Jewish by faith, but followers of Christ, and believe he was the Messiah, upon his resurrection, there was no more doubt of this by any apostle. The sacrifice for sin was abolished, and the redemption through Christ as redeemer and Lord was seen in the eyes of those that would believe, confess their sins and turned from their wicked ways. It took away the authority of the Priesthood of Israel and laid it all on the shoulders of Jesus.

When we read Psalms 130 we see God's grace and mercy extended to his people, it is still being extended to his people through Christ Jesus. We can not deny God ability to forgive a people that repent, to a people that seek him. It seeing God mercy and grace to not only "his people" but to whole world that is in need of a Savior to stand before God on the day of judgment. If we only extend mercy to those that are like us, then we fail to reach beyond the open door of the world that needs Jesus. The world needs to know of God's mercy and grace. People need to know without confess and repentance their is no remission for sin. In times past there was no remission for sin without shedding of blood, but today we need no more sacrifice or shedding of blood because Christ paid it all through his blood and cross at Calvary.

The revenge we see in the world today is not of God that is coming from man and the devil. There revenge that is done in revenge a crime done to them, but are done because of mental illness, demon possession and/ brainwashing to believe what they are doing is okay. It not okay to take another person rights away in America, through killing and so forth. Our world is grief striction this year with those lives loss once more, but it does not prevent the Gospel from continuing to be spread. What it reminds us we still have a lot of work to do. As long as hate is trying to reign then we must have more compassion and find it in ourselves to forgive with God's grace, it definitely in our own grace. Meaning what we forgive with no revenge with no retaliation and in truth not without what common in nation has far as the legal system of justice and allow God to revenge his way. We do not want to be like the Hatfields and McCoys has far as feuding as years gone by, who are no longer the mountain people that shoot their guns in a feud match.

God's forgiveness is far greater then man, and when I realize some of the things I have had to forgive as well as be forgiven of, I see God's grace in it all. Can you see God's available grace he gives all of us. Then receive Jesus as Lord and Savior today by asking him into your heart to teach and enable you to walk the road of faith in Him. You need Jesus to walk the road God has given man to walk.

Dear Heavenly Father thank you for being a good God that loves all the children of the world. Open the hearts to receive your Son as Lord today. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

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Continual Scripture Study: Matthew 27:15-26 KJV
15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.