Treasured Times

Victory Tabernacle was blessed this weekend with a special guest - Elder Vaughn Morton.  He preached our Jubilee service (combined service with our three daughter churches) on Saturday and was with us in service on Sunday.  Les and I were also blessed to go to lunch with Pastor and Sister White and Elder Morton yesterday.

I've written many times about the impact Elder Morton has had on my life.  My pastor for 19 years and my boss for 10 of those years.  His preaching has inspired and convicted.  His teaching laid a foundation that I still rely on today.

Elder Morton preached a message last night that I have heard countless times.  He told me he preached it before becoming pastor in Fresno, so I'm sure I heard it for the first time before I was 10.  It is one that has helped me so many times.  As soon as he read his text I told Les the title, "Forgive Yourself."  This beautiful concept is one that we all need to learn and embrace.  A victorious Christian life happens when we really understand the forgiveness of God and the power of the blood.

The key verse is 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  We just have to do one thing and God does four!  When we confess our sins, God:

1. is faithful
2. is just
3. forgives our sins
4. cleanses us from all unrighteousness

It's the best four to one exchange around.  There's nothing more for us to do.  We don't have to pay any penance.  Where many people go wrong is when they go back to the cemetery of their past.  We will never forget all our sins, but we can know they when they are forgiven God has forgotten them.  Since He forgives us, we need to forgive ourselves.  We closed the book on the past last night.

After service, Elder Morton had his book "The Road Called Life," available.  Pastor White asked me to sell them.  While I was sitting on the pew with the books, Elder Morton sat and visited for a while.  He also gave me a beautiful new pocket knife, because "every lady ought to have a pocket knife!"

I'm so thankful for this special man in my life.  A hug, an "I love you," and "I'll see you in the rapture," and he was off to his next destination!