“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:26-28 NKJV

When we partake of communion together—the bread and the grape juice—we are celebrating the price Jesus paid for us to be free—free from sin, sickness, disease, poverty, fear, torment and death. It is not just a mere ritual —we don’t do it just to do it—rather it is an opportunity for us to remember and to remind ourselves what great things He has done for us. If nothing else, just the mere fact that we are forgiven of our sins and that when we stand before the Lord, we stand there pure and righteous, washed in His blood, is a reason to celebrate and rejoice and praise, bless and thank Him! Because we have repented of our sins, He has forgiven us and He will never, ever bring our sins up again to us—they are gone forever. How grateful we should be that He does not hold the many things we have done wrong against us! How grateful we can be that, in His eyes, we are made perfect and pure!

Thus David congratulates the man and pronounces a blessing on him to whom God credits righteousness apart from the works he does: 7 Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried. 8 Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him.
Romans 4:6-8 AMP

The most marvelous feeling in the world is the feeling of being forgiven of sin and having a heart that is right with God! How wonderful it is to know that our sins are dead, buried and forgotten, never again to be resurrected! How blessed we are, that when the Father looks at us, all He sees is His righteousness, blood-washed child.

For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He will save us.
Isaiah 33:22 AMP

Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal), [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God].
Romans 4:25 AMP

We are forgiven because of the goodness and graciousness and mercifulness of God! God is not a Judge to condemn us, but a Judge to execute righteousness. He Himself has intervened to save us!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

Thank God for Jesus! Thank God that He sent Jesus to die to purchase our freedom and our peace! When you ask Jesus into your heart and to forgive your sin, something wonderful happens! God gives you a brand new heart! He forgives all your sin and removes it as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12). Your burdens are lifted and peace floods your heart—a peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Nothing in the world is better; nothing can compare with a heart that is at peace—at peace with itself and at peace with God. None of the wealth and fame and power in the whole world can bring peace to a human heart like God can.

If You, Lord, should keep account of and treat [us according to our] sins, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You [just what man needs], that You may be reverently feared and worshiped.
Psalms 130:3-4 AMP

If God had to deal with us on the basis of what WE have done, we would have no chance for redemption. Forgiveness is just what we all need. That is why Jesus had to come and take our place, bear our burden of sin, die for us and be raised up again into newness of life for us, His life in exchange for ours, so that we could take our place with Him on the right hand of the Father on high! We should never take it for granted—we should always remember and appreciate the great price that was paid for our forgiveness—it is not a thing to be taken lightly! When you truly get a revelation of how high a price was paid for you and how great your salvation really is, you will not be able to stop praising and worshiping and glorifying God for it! Christians, who continue to sin and live a compromised life, obviously have no respect for the blood that was shed for them and have no clue how valuable and precious their salvation is.

Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Because of the Father’s great love for us, He is patient with us and extends to us His grace even though we don’t deserve it. He forgives us every time we repent and ask for forgiveness. How wonderful it is to know that even if I make another mistake today, I can once again ask for and receive His forgiveness, for His mercies are new every morning!