The Process of Forgiveness

Ephesians 4:30-32 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. All of us have, at some point, been hurt by someone we love and trust. When that happens, we have a choice: to wallow in self-pity and anger or to forgive. Forgiveness means giving up both the resentment you may have and the desire to retaliate. Doing so involves three important steps. 1. Surrender the general attitude of resentment. That is, make a decision not to languish in your pain. This can be hard! Many people almost seem to enjoy a mindset of self-pity or martyrdom. But you can choose a different posture and move past your suffering. 2. Give up specific feelings of resentment toward an individual. It is important to let go of the anger that was brought on by hurtful actions—and to try to restore the broken relationship. 3. Lay down all claims to retribution. You cannot forgive someone with your words while secretly wishing him or her harm. True forgiveness seeks the other person’s good, not punishment. Forgiveness says, “Though you hurt me, I choose to pardon you. I won’t dwell on this, nor will I allow it to destroy my life or attitude. I won’t spend one minute plotting revenge. You are God’s precious child.” Truly forgiving another person is difficult, but the rewards are worth it.

Getting to Know You

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18 Most people go on reality TV shows to find love or win money. But twin sisters Emily and Molly, who recently competed on The Amazing Race, had another reason for being on the show. Born in South Korea and separated at birth, the sisters were both adopted by families in the United States. Thanks to DNA testing, they found each other at the age of 36. One year later, they were traveling the world together on The Amazing Race. As Molly said in an interview, “It was a really nice way to get to know each other in a very unconventional setting. We would have never gotten this close had we not been able to spend time without phones or away from family, just one-on-one together.”[1]

We might know about God, just as the sisters eventually knew about each other, but we should seek to know Him on a far deeper level. As we run the Christian race, are we looking to get to know God more, or are we distracted by our phones and the busyness of life? Take some time today to step away from the distractions of everyday life and spend time getting to know your Heavenly Father more. We are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it. J. I. Packer David Jeremiah

Knowing the Heart of God

1 Corinthians 13:11-13 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Most of us long to feel truly known by those we love. That makes sense because we were created in God’s image—He also desires to be intimately understood and loved by us. Just as you don’t want to be known for only the superficial details of who you appear to be, it’s not enough to simply know about the Lord. He wants us to learn how He thinks and feels, what’s important to Him, and what His purposes are. Of course, it’s impossible for us to completely know His mind. In Isaiah 55:9, He tells us, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” The depth and breadth of His mind is so great that we will never be able to fully grasp it in this lifetime. However, we can better understand God’s heart by seeking Him and learning from His Word. If we desire to walk in His ways, we must first genuinely know Him. Just as we come to know our friends better by sharing experiences together, we’ll also understand God better the longer we walk with Him. God wants you to seek Him with all your heart, and He promises that when you do, you will find Him (And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jer. 29:13). So, the next time you’re feeling a need to be better understood, turn to the One who understands you perfectly. Even more importantly, ask Him to help you know Him better.

Jesus’ ‘triumphal’ entry on Palm Sunday in Matthew 21

It is always a relief when we celebrate Palm Sunday from Matthew (as we do in this Year A in the lectionary) or Mark’s account (next year). Luke 19.36 in his account talks only about the garments, and does not mention palm branches, so in those years we have to call it Garment Sunday (which doesn’t have the same ring about it). In fact it is only John, the supposed ‘spiritual’ gospel, who specifies the palms. But if you are reading or preaching from Matthew’s account, what stands out? Matthew’s account of the events leading to the entry into Jerusalem is slightly briefer than Mark’s or Luke’s; the inclusion of the fulfilment of prophecy in Matt 21.4–5 replaces the narrative detail about the collection of the donkey(s). Matthew, and to a lesser extent Luke, omit some of the ‘eye-witness’ details found in Mark’s account—the exact question the disciples will be asked (Mark 11.3), the asking of it (Mark 11.5), the fact that the branches were ‘leafy’ (Mark 11.8; Mark uses the word stibas suggesting leafy palms, rather than Matthew’s more general klados). Matthew’s account is more ‘stream-lined’ in order to make the points that he thinks are significant. Continuye reading at: https://psephizo.msnd34.com/tracking/lc/06f3999d-6ae5-49d3-b7da-f2988f176b16/49df29a5-3379-4eca-8840-762fbb7d21fc/51508623-9306-41e3-9618-78f1d5f09177/

The Measure of Our Love

John 14:15-24 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you. 21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. 24 The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.   It’s easy to say we love God, but are you showing by your deeds that you love Him? The old adage is true: Actions speak louder than words. The measure of our love is obedience to God’s commands and principles. In fact, Jesus stressed that very point three times in today’s Bible passage (vv. 15, 21, 23 above). This wasn’t a new concept for the disciples either. They would have been familiar with the scriptural connection between love and obedience (I said, “Please, Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments: Neh. 1:5;  I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed, and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, Dan. 9:4). In fact, God has always emphasized that the way to show our devotion is by doing what He says (Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God by failing to keep His commandments, His ordinances, and His statutes which I am commanding you today; Deut. 8:11; And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, Deut.10:12; 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.Deut. 13:3-4). Halfhearted commitment can look pretty good to others, but God knows the difference. A preacher could preach a thousand sermons without loving God. And as believers, we may lift hands in worship, support missions, and say the right words. But unless we’re following the commands from God’s Word, the most we’re showing Him is lukewarm affection. Works prove nothing. Loving the Lord means obeying Him. We are wise, therefore, to follow the Lord’s instructions to Joshua—that is, to meditate on Scripture day and night (This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve success. Josh. 1:8). Reading from the Bible daily helps us know how to obey—that is the only way to stay faithful and show the Father our love.

The Struggle With Unforgiveness

Hebrews 12:14-15 14 Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; Yesterday we discussed forgiveness and how to incorporate it into our relationships. Now, let’s look at its opposite. Unforgiveness is the deliberate decision not to let go of resentment toward someone else or of your rights to get even. Unfortunately, this attitude is common. Both outside and inside the church, people seem to enjoy nursing a grudge. They broadcast their hurt and focus their energy on retribution. What a waste! In Hebrews 12:14-15, we see a warning against the “root of bitterness” that springs up and causes trouble. Bitterness may start with a simple grievance because of a person’s actions, but then that little seed of resentment begins to grow. And what happens at the root impacts everything else: If love and peace are your foundation, then you will produce loving and peaceful fruit. If unforgiveness is your foundation, you’ll find a crop of anger, malice, hostility, and bitterness. The sooner you deal with it, the less that bitter fruit will spoil your life. How can we accomplish God’s will while harboring an unforgiving spirit? How can we grow in Christ when we willfully let bitterness erode our heart? Uproot the unforgiveness in your life today, and offer the Lord your finest crop of spiritual fruit (22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Gal. 5:22-23).

Lord of All

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 (NIV).

 Stress. Discouragement. Sadness. Fear. These and many more have the power to make us feel as if God has completely abandoned us to our own fates. They attack our joy, our home, and our self-esteem, BUT God is present in every one of our darkest circumstances; leaning in to comfort us and be our strength. In this season of Lent, as we seek God’s face and learn to rely on Him a little more, we have but to look up and see Him in all His wondrous Creation!

Uncertainty has been the new stress in many of our lives in the last few years as we have seen an increase in pandemics and natural disasters. I have heard more “end time” conversations out of church than before. Christians and non-Christians alike are fearful of what disaster may come next. They nervously watch the news wondering if our country will be struck with the next devastating earthquake, or if the tsunami waves across the pacific would be strong enough to reach our shores. I, too, have been among that audience and have found myself drawn into the worry of unpredictable weather and precarious illnesses. If you find yourselfamong the fearful and uncertain, then I pray that Psalm 46 can be a source of encouragement for you today.

This Psalm is a song praising the Almighty; God in all His glory! Our Lord who controls the wind and the seas obey His voice; our God who moves the mountains with His mighty hand says,“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  I believe that all that is happening in our world today is God trying to call us back to Him; that we might allow Him to be our refuge in times of trouble. Know that our God, in all His power, wisdom, and love, is the Lord of all and He will give you the strength you need to face all the uncertainty today might bring.

Suggested Prayer: Lord Almighty, you are with me in the ugliness of this world just as you are with me in the beauty of your creation. Walk with me through the uncertainty and be my strength. Make my heart be still and know that you are in control. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Tis thought is from Daily Encounter. Comment at their site: Lord of all

7 Things You Need To Stop Doing Right Now

https://thepreachersword.com/2023/03/10/7-things-you-need-to-stop-doing-right-now/#more-24849

Hope in the Storm

Matthew 8:23-27 23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, a violent storm developed on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He *said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Many people in the world—maybe even you—are facing terrible storms in their life. Broken homes, joblessness, loneliness, loss, financial struggles, and world crises slash at the very fabric of hope. Some may even feel as though they’re lost, adrift at sea in a small boat during a hurricane. And many wonder, How on earth will we be able to reach the shore safely?  The disciples faced this fear as well. While they were crossing the Sea of Galilee in their boat, the weather took a frightening turn. In desperation, they woke Jesus and cried, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” (Matt. 8:25). He rebuked them for their lack of faith and proceeded to calm the storm, showing Himself to be Lord over all creation. This story teaches us where we should turn when storms arise in our own life. Sometimes people interpret challenging events as an indication that God isn’t paying attention. That’s what the disciples thought until Christ calmed the turbulent waters. But even when the world seems out of control, remember that Jesus is in the boat with you, and He’s still Lord of all.

A God of Grace

James 1:17-18 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. God’s character is misunderstood and distorted by the world, but even believers can have the wrong perception of Him. Some see our loving Father as authoritarian, harsh, or stingy, but every good gift we have comes from Him. God has freely given us forgiveness, redemption, righteousness, providential care, adoption into His family, and a glorious inheritance in heaven. It’s all ours at salvation, yet there is a misguided notion among some believers that the Lord’s grace to us varies according to our behavior or level of spiritual maturity. But this can’t be true, because the Lord never changes. His boundless, unmerited favor is lavished on all His children whether they’re aware of it or not. And spiritual growth will broaden their capacity to recognize and enjoy it. Our heavenly Father is not tightfisted. He opens His hand wide to pour out grace upon us. Instead of sampling meager bites of His Word, we ought to devour whole “meals” every day. Follow the psalmist’s advice: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8).