Poetry: Forgiveness In Haiku Form

 The brook is babbling,

"Let it go, let go now!"

Water under bridge.

***

Forgiveness is often not easy at all. Because of what many of us have endured, we feel like we just can't. Our hearts and minds are not able to forgive what we may feel is unforgiveable or is a long-standing hurt. 

Those who love the Lord know that our power to forgive comes through our determination to walk in the light as he is in the light, to seek his face daily and to draw nigh to him. When we purpose daily to glorify God, uplift Jesus and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit, there is nothing that we can't come to forgive. Notice the word come. 

The ability to forgive a hurt(s) may not come immediately. It may take delving into the scriptures, several prayer and fasting sessions or some laying on of hands, anointing with oil and prayer by more advanced Christians. It may take any combination of these, or none of these. We know that some Christians are delivered from unforgiveness upon choosing to forgive and believe God. 

Whatever it takes and however long, it is our choices to believe that will allow the Holy Spirit to work. Forgiveness is a choice. When we choose it, the Holy Spirit can then soften and heal our hearts and lead us to do what Christ died to give to us. We are forgiven of all, past, present and future. We believe that. We must learn to forgive. 

Ephesians 4:32

Matthew 6:14

Philippians 4:13

Psalm 147:3

***

(c)Sandra Johnson/Draw Nigh To Hope

Letter Of Love To The LGBTQ+ Community

You want to be a Christian but you are scared because of other Christians? You've been attacked with hatred for who you are? You have cried because you have been treated so viciously? You want to be a Christian but you don't feel accepted for who you are? Some Christians want you to think that God hates you and that you are going to Hell? You have read some in the Bible and you just want to love God without being in constant fear that God hates you and won't accept you? 

Don't be afraid. Christians are just humans. Haters will always hate at the drop of a hat. This is because many Christians don't grow in God's love for themselves, so they can't love anyone else. There are many Christians, however, who love you because they have accepted the Love of God into their hearts. God loves you just as you are. He is not surprised by who you are. He knew long before you were born what was going to happen. He doesn't judge any of us by sexual orientation. 

You want so badly to be a Christian? Being a Christian is based in Christ you know, right? Christian = Christ-Centered. You have just as much of a right to The Son Jesus and The Father God as any one else.

God has only one requirement for you to get to him. It's to accept his only son as the only way to him. You don't have to clean up your life first, or change yourself or anything. God Our Father knows everything about you already. All the whys, hows, whens and whats about you are known already by him who loves you.

Jesus The Christ is the only bridge from God to man, Once you accept Jesus as your Savior you become a Christian. You become saved despite your LGBTQ+ status or anything else about you. You are moved into position to begin to know God personally, through the sacrifice of his Dear Son. All because of Jesus. I understand why you want to know God so badly. It is truly wonderful to be in the Kingdom of His Dear Son. 

I hope that this has helped. Just remember that Our Father is not an unfair God and it would be unfair for him to reject you because of who you are. He's a just God but most of all, he's a God of unrelenting, immeasurable love. Nothing can separate you from his love, except rejecting his Precious Son Jesus. 

Love in Christ. 

Forgiveness Gives Us Power

It feels better to forgive than to be angry, frustrated and resentful. We who love God forgive because we can, not because we have to. Because of Our Lord and Savior's sacrifice, we can choose the power of the Holy Spirit in our everyday interactions. Forgiving is a powerful tool of the Holy Spirit and that power can be felt! 

They say that unforgiveness hurts us the most, but that truth is not enough for us to claim the power to forgive. We are used to hurting ourselves in subtle and non-subtle, covert and overt ways. Our society promotes and applauds it. The power to forgive at every turn comes through the fact that Jesus Christ has provided a way out for us.

~ Worry is the root of all unforgiveness. ~  

We don't have to bear the burden of unforgiveness as the only solution to hurts, afflictions and the wicked intentions of others. Forgiveness is the answer to the pain of worry, which is the root of all unforgiveness. We have an answer. That answer is that God truly knows, sees and hears all and it is going to be ok. 

~ Unforgiveness is seeking an answer to fix what we can never fix through our flesh. ~

We don't have to find an answer to what has happened to us. Forgiveness removes the burden from the shoulders of our minds to have to fix things. That is what unforgiveness is, seeking an answer to fix what we can never fix through our flesh.

Forgiveness gives us the power to rest and to move on, in a Godly direction, to other things.    

Mistakes Now Serve A Purpose

Was listening to R. C. Blakes, Jr. recently at Youtube and he made a profound statement which blessed me. His message was about how difficult it often is for us to forgive ourselves. His message encourages us to allow the shackles of guilt and shame to be broken off of us. He ministers to help us to step into that place of the forgiveness of the Father towards us and the forgiveness of ourselves from within.

At a point about 3/4 of the way he said, We are not defined by our mistakes. We are refined by our mistakes. That statement caught more of my attention. As I pondered it, it seemed to be saying that the things for which I am sorry for in my recent and distant past are helping to mold and shape me into someone who is useable by God. My mistakes are not the end. They don't have the last say-so.

You can listen to his message here:

FORGIVE YOURSELF AND MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR LIFE by RC BLAKES

His statement reminded me of another one from the website Homeword.com about grace.  

HomeWord shares this about their mission: 

HomeWord seeks to advance the work of God in the world by educating, equipping, and encouraging parents and churches to build God-honoring families from generation to generation. At HomeWord, we believe in STRONG MARRIAGES, CONFIDENT PARENTS, EMPOWERED KIDS and HEALTHY LEADERS. We exist to strengthen and equip parents, couples, families and leaders. 

God already loves us. He loved us from the beginning. He commended his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). When we did not know God and did not care about his only, precious Son, he sent him to suffer and die so that we can be whole and have our souls redeemed.  Since God did that for us when we could not have cared less, we know that he is always willing to take our blunders, errors and slip-ups and turn them into good. He works our sorrows out for good to bless us and glorify his name.

We should work to forgive ourselves. We should not worship God with shallow and ineffective babblings which make Jesus' precious blood to none affect in our lives (Galatians 2:21, 5:4, I Corinthians 17). Accept God's forgiveness and grace today. We are worthy, because of Jesus Christ.

How Can You Forgive The Unforgivable?

There is no trespass, debt or transgression that we cannot choose to forgive through the power of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The operative word is choose. When forgiveness is difficult or next to impossible, we have to choose it. 

When we come to understand just a little of what Jesus did for us, we then get the power to forgive anything and everything. It takes a revelation of Christ's sacrifice. We will never understand, in this earthly life, just what He did for us. We can grow into a better understanding of this Perfect Gift. 

Our Holy Spirit-given knowledge of the obedience of The Lamb of God will begin to give us the Heart of God. Why is this important? Because God's love covers a multitude of sins. (I Peter 4:8) His love can't cover our sins and not the sins of those who have hurt and damaged us. His love given to us through the shed Blood and the broken Body of his precious Son covers all sins. 

Now, the Bible speaks of a sin against the Holy Spirit that cannot be forgiven but that is another issue. For our understanding of forgiveness towards others, Jesus paid it all. There is nothing that we cannot forgive because of His total sacrifice.

We can be proud and grateful of our ability to forgive through God's provision of his only Son, Jesus, Our Lord and Savior. Ask God today for a revelation of what Jesus did for you so that you can soon start your new, holy journey of forgiveness.

One Of These Is You. Start Your New Journey Of Forgiveness Today. Ask Our Father To Give You A Revelation Of Christ's Sacrifice For You.

• There are some things that you feel you just can't forgive and never will be able to.
• You've told someone that you will never forgive them.
• You've said "I forgive you," but in your heart you are secretly unforgiving.
• Something so unfair, so devastating, so tragic happened to you and that is why all of these years, all of these decades you have not been able to forgive those involved.
• You want to forgive but you don't know how.
• You have forgiven but you still feel weighed down and you do not feel free.
• You can't forgive what the adult(s) who raised you did to you or did not do for you in your formative years.
• You know that you're weighed down with so many grudges but can't shake them.

Showing Compassion For Others

The World Accepts Whom The Church Rejects

His phone rang in church by accident during prayers.
The Pastor scolded him.
The worshippers admonished him after prayers for interrupting the silence.
His wife kept on lecturing him on his carelessness all the way home.
You could see the shame, embarrassment and humiliation on his face.
He never stepped foot in the church again.

That evening, he went to a bar.
He was still nervous and trembling.
He spilled his drink on the table by accident.
The waiter apologized and gave him a napkin to clean himself.
The janitor mopped the floor.

The female manager offered him a complimentary drink.
She also gave him a huge hug and a kiss while saying, "Don't worry man. Who doesn't make mistakes?"
He has never stopped going to that bar since then.

Lesson:
Sometimes our attitude as believers drives souls away from Church. Our attitude breaks our relationships, destroys our families.
You can make a difference by how you treat other people, especially when they make mistakes.

(author not known)

Our Heavenly Father is The God of Compassion.

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior Compassionately pleads our cases before his Father.

The Holy Spirit Compassionately comforts us.

Let us likewise be always quick to show compassion towards others.

Praying For Those Who Irritate Us

Do you ever have annoyed, frustrated or angry thoughts about anyone? Do the attitudes or behaviors of some people send you into a fit? Are you tempted to have ill will towards those who have misused or mistreated you? 

Have you ever had fleeting or lingering thoughts of wishing problems or misfortune on others? Do you ever find yourself fussing and arguing with yourself about the life that someone lives? I could go on and on and if you profess to have never had any of these types of thoughts or feelings, then you are probably not human. 

I have been on a track for a couple of years now where the Holy Spirit reminds me to stop and pray for these persons. You see, it's not just a matter of us crushing the offending thoughts. While that is an intense and worthy process, it's not enough.

Crushing these thoughts essentially buries them but they are not dead. They are like seeds that can sprout again. God gets to the root of the problem so it can be killed. He wants us to do more than bury unpleasant thoughts about others and generate benign thoughts about people who incense us. 

Our Father God does not want us to suffer any more thoughts that sprout from roots of malevolence. He wants us to be free of malignant thoughts, no matter how mild or fleeting they are. It's a matter of immediately confessing and accepting forgiveness through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, and then stopping to pray for the person. It doesn't have to be a long, intense prayer. It can be brief but it should be heartfelt.

When we turn our growth over to God we begin to recognize opportunities to grow. The Holy Spirit prompts, prods and pricks us when a chance is available to do it God's way. It begins from within, where the roots that need to be purged are. God is precise. He wants it all dug out, every offensive thought that hinders. That still, soft voice of his Spirit will remind us. All we need to do is obey, like I did this morning.

The way that God does it for me is to say in my spirit, Did you pray for her?, during or after a hostile thought. He'll say in my spirit, Have you prayed for him?. He won't say I'm wrong for the thought or that I know I should not have been thinking that.

My Father understands why I had the thought and I sense his loving kindness and his mercy. Now, when thoughts like that come, I end up stopping what I'm doing and praying for the person. If I can get on my knees I do. I offer a quick prayer of forgiveness for myself and blessing for the person.

We should forgive the persons for whatever it was that made us offended, vindictive, judgmental. They may not even know us but we know of them and God is not pleased with our thoughts. He wants better for us. Sometimes, the source of our rancor is in our minds or we are just in a bad mood. At other times, our spiteful thoughts can be justified because of real, hurtful events and experiences. 

Whatever the source of these types of troubling thoughts, we don't have to suffer brushing them under the rugs of our minds where they can trip us up later. We can go further and be cleansed of them. Rather than pretend that you never have thoughts like these, submit to God and allow His Holy Spirit to help you. It will make all of the difference in your spirit, attitude and growth. Be pruned! Be purged! Be strengthened!

 

How Can I Forgive II?

Forgiveness Is A Choice

You can forgive by saying to yourself and to God,

I forgive her, I forgive him, I forgive them. 

Forgiveness is a choice that we make, just like the choice we can make to be happy against all odds. 

Just choose to say to yourself that you forgive someone, even though you feel you can't. Choose to say it to God even if you feel like you hate the person. When we are obedient, the heart feeling eventually comes.

Our job is to be obedient. God will do the rest in our hearts and spirits.  

This guidance does not include actions after forgiving, such as,

• what you should do regarding those that you forgive,
• whether or not you should approach the person(s) and tell him/her that you forgive them. Often we don't have that option, so it's a different subject than forgiveness between you and God.

For now, just focus on the basics of confessing forgiveness to yourself and to God. Don't bite off too much. God is not trying to burden you. God is leading you to a place where sincere forgiveness will be not traumatic but automatic, no matter what the offense. He want you to become strengthened to where you will not allow the flesh to afflict you about forgiveness.

In 2 Corinthians 2:8-11, Paul talks about forgiving through obedience and how Satan can take advantage of us if we refuse to understand.

8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.

9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.

10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Take baby steps and just say it. No one has to know at this time when you find it so very difficult to forgive. You don't have to try to say it to anyone else at this time. When we are obedient in private, God always rewards us in the open. He is always faithful to strengthen us.

 

Problems With Forgiveness?

Keep trying forgiveness until you succeed in speaking it.

Forgiveness is a choice, just like happiness, love, faith, etc. No matter how we feel, if we confess to God that we forgive someone(s), God will do the rest.

God focuses on our hearts, not our feelings. He knows why we feel the way that we do, why it is hard to forgive that person or those people. Never give up on trying to utter words of forgiveness. Say what little bit you can to God about forgiving someone. Keep trying forgiveness until you succeed in speaking it.


Keep launching your kite of forgiveness until it catches the wind and flies high!

Obedience is to say to ourselves and to God "I forgive _________," even when we may feel that we shouldn't have to, that it's unfair, that it hurts too much, that God doesn't care. It is the honest effort that God honors. He will help you as you try.

Keep trying to launch your kite of forgiveness. It may take several tries. Your kite may take a nose dive several times and may even crash to the ground a couple of times. Pick it back up and launch it again.

Keep launching it until it catches and flies high into the sky with success. In a similar way, you will become adept at forgiving, with sincerity.

God honors us greatly when we obey in the name of righteousness! Over time, we will see great changes in ourselves and our lives when we choose to just obey and forgive. 

 

 

How Can I Forgive?

How to forgive when it is so hard.

Forgiveness is in the realm of your possibility.  Yes, you can forgive anyone and everyone by just speaking the words.

How to forgive when I don't feel like it.

You don't have to feel it or understand how you could ever possibly do it. All you have to do is make a decision to speak the words I forgive. Speak them to yourself and God.

How to forgive when I'm still angry or hurt.

Read the Word that says don't repay evil for evil, but overcome evil with good. Forgive those who despitefully use you. Pray for your enemies, and the Word will do the rest in you. 

Matthew 5:44

1 Peter 3:9

Romans 12:21

 

WHY Am I Blamed For What Adam And Eve Did?

When I was a teen, I didn't want to have anything to do with the things of God. It began to infuriate me when I heard the story of Adam and Eve. Why am I being judged for something that two people did eons ago, I thought angrily! What they did was just not my fault! I felt an unfair, unjust burden hanging over my head.

Because I was repeatedly warned about sin from the standpoint of The Ten Commandments, and how Hell would be my eternal home if I made any slip-ups, I felt hounded and blamed for something that I did not do. 

I would ponder with disgust, Is that ALL that this Jesus and God stuff gave me? Is that all that the Bible gave me to look forward to was eternal punishment for someone else's wrong turn? 

My adult life took damaging twists and destructive turns and having no one else to help me, I turned to that God that I'd learned about. Why I turned to someone whom I did not trust, and through whom I felt condemned is a story for another time.

I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart. I wanted to be saved, to live as a Christian. As I grew in the Lord, I began to understand more about what Jesus did for us at Calvary. 

It is true that the failure of Adam and Eve is not our fault. It has just not been explained in that way. That is the reason that God provided a way out of the unfair condemnation. No matter how much we hate it and don't want it to be that way, it is a sentence passed on to us through the continuance of human life. 

What that errant couple, who possessed free wills, did when they made the poor choice, horrendously affects our lives today and eternally. God loves us so much that he determined that this will not stand. Though the human life that he created will live on, the evil that influenced the downfall will not.
 
In his love for us, he provided a plan of redemption, a way to restore the connection to him that Adam and Eve's choices severed. Because it is not your fault nor my fault, he provided a way out of the sentence that no one likes to hear about. He sent a Savior, someone to right the wrong done by evil spiritual beings. 

That Savior is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Through the bloodline of Adam, we all inherited death or separation from God. Alternatively, Sacred Blood had to be given to restore our inheritance of life or connection to God.

The only thing that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, what God offers through his Son, takes away from us is that unfair condemnation that we inherited by being born into this world. We all are descended from that tainted bloodline of the original, fallen couple. 

Alternatively, we each have the equal opportunity to have our bloodlines restored to purity by receiving God's provision for redemption. It's as simple as that. We each can go from an inherited darkness and eternal death to a restored light and eternal life. 

God is a good Father and a wonderful God! What loving father would let his children live in eternal darkness for something that is not their fault? If he could in any way prevent it he would. God is the ultimate loving Father. He recognizes our unfair condition. Afterall, he is the owner of creation. 

He is the Most High God, the Only Wise God and the One True God. He asks for one thing from any who wants the unfair judgment lifted: 

• confess that we are born into sin,
• that we can't help ourselves, 
• accept that we need to be saved, 
• and accept that his Son is the only Savior.

The condition that we find ourselves in when we learn about God is certainly unfair. That God, in his love, has provided a way out. Adam and Eve had a choice through their free wills. They made their choices. You, who have a free will, have a choice. You don't have to stay with theirs. You don't have to stay with the darkness that you were born with. 

Do what they didn't do. Choose life. One day God is going to restore it back to the way it was meant to be on the original Earth. It's there in the Bible! Read it! Read about the upcoming New Heaven and the New Earth. There will be no more evil influence either. Don't you want to be there? Don't you want to walk in the light with God and reign with Jesus, His Son?

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not die

but have eternal life.

John 3:16 GNT

 But God put his love on the line for us

by offering his Son in sacrificial death

while we were of no use whatever to him.

Romans 5:8 TMB

If you would like to be sure that you are Saved, say this simple prayer:

Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God and that you died for me so that I don't have to live in darkness anymore. Save me so that I can live in the light of Our Heavenly Father. Help me to understand and grow as a Christian. I know that I don't have to fear death anymore. I have moved from darkness into the light. Thank you, Jesus, for Eternal Life. 

Now tell someone about what you have done.

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

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Scriptures: BibleStudyTools.com
Image: Pixabay.com

The Rock That Is Higher Than I

When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock

that is higher than I. For thou has been a shelter for me,

and a strong tower from the enemy.

 (Psalm 61:2-3 KJV)

Trust Jesus today to place you in a position to receive all of the help, provision, support and assistance that is available to all who love God with their hearts, minds and spirits. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, but by Him.

You can live by that same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, for He is alive today. He is even now at the right hand of his Father, our God, continuously interceding for us, until all evil will be done away with for good.

You don't have to be afraid. You don't have to be alone. You don't have to be defeated.  The God of all Hope will fight battles for you, and set your feet upon high places. 

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.

He cares for those who trust in him.

(Nahum 1:7 NIV)  

If you want to be sure that you are saved for Eternity, and that you have all of the help that is available to those who love God, accept Jesus, His only Son, as your Savior today. There is no other. Say a simple prayer to Jesus. Use these words, or use your own words:

Jesus, come into my heart now and save me. I believe that you are God's Son and the only Savior of the world. I want to be a child of God and to live for Eternity with you. Show me how to live a new life for the rest of my years here on Earth, and to care about the things of God. Thank you for breaking the hold over me of everything that is not good. I believe that I am in God's kingdom now, that old things have passed away for me, and that all things have become new. Thank you for showing me how to receive all that God has for me, and how to be a blessing to others. Amen.  

Image Credit: Pixabay.com
Text On Image: Artsy Craftery Studio

 

The Pocket Power Prayer

The effective prayer that Jesus modeled has traditionally been seen as The Lord's Prayer. It's actually a prayer model that Jesus suggested to his disciples to use when they prayed (Matthew 6 NKJV). He also admonished them to not use vain repetitions, which raises a question. If we pray this prayer regularly, aren't we using repetition?

_________________________________☼______________________________

The answer is in Verse 9, where Jesus encourages them to pray "in this manner."

_______________________________________________________________

He does not tell them to pray that prayer. In this manner means that he was providing a template, a format for them to use in creating their own prayer to God the Father

It is easy for man to get in a rut and to perform actions without thinking or feeling. Man also faces the danger of performing to receive glory from others, and to make a good impression. Jesus says that the only value that is received for that kind of behavior is what is gotten from others at that moment. There is no long term, spiritual benefit from performing vain repetitions to impress others. If we perform for others, it is easy to use vain repetitions because there is no heart in our display.

_________________________________☼______________________________

If we pray in private, making our prayer session between us and God alone, it is easy to use his prayer model to construct our own prayer, because our innermost feelings are drawn out.

_______________________________________________________________

It would be beneficial for you to create a prayer in your own words, using Jesus' model. I call it the Pocket Power Prayer, because it packs a lot of power in its small size. You would then pray it often, adding extra thoughts and feelings to it whenever they come up in your spirit. In this way, you will reduce the chance of making it repetitious.

This prayer model is useful when we don't know what to pray, but want to commune with God. I was on my knees and wanted to pray once, but just felt tired and uninspired. I decided to pray The Lord's Prayer, because I had heard that it covers everything.

_________________________________☼______________________________

I prayed it from the heart, carefully pronouncing each word and thinking deeply about the meaning of each phrase.

_______________________________________________________________

The most interesting thing happened! When I finished, I wanted to continue praying, adding more to cover all of my concerns of that moment, but I could not pray anything else. When I began to say a statement, it felt like I'd already prayed it. I felt that it was already covered. So it is true that when Jesus spoke this prayer model to his disciples, he presented a perfect prayer format.

This is my prayer rewrite. You are welcome to use it whenever you would like, but I encourage you to write your own. Just rewrite each phrase of The Lord's Prayer in your own words. There are no perfect or right words or sentences. Just follow Jesus' format. As long as it makes sense to you God will understand and commune with you, because as Jesus said, "For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him" (Matthew 6:8 NKJV). This does not replace our open lines of communication with God, or our short or long prayers to God at any time.  It's an additional tool. If you look closely, you can see how I have followed Jesus' model for praying to God.

Dear Father, who lives in heavenly places that we can't yet see. May we respect your name continuously. May your inner glory fill us and your outer glory consume the world in due time. We embrace your daily plan in our lives and all around us, and throughout the world, just as your plans are carried out in the heavenly places. Thank you for providing food today, in whatever way it shall come.

We choose to forgive everyone who has misused, damaged or failed us. We know that in return we have your forgiveness, through your Son Jesus' sacrifice, for our sin state and all that it entails. Thank you for providing a way out of cowardice when we are tried, so that we can hold on and endure the testing. In this way, we know that we will be delivered from the evil of faithlessness and fear.  We know that you own everything, Father. You possess power over all things, and all glory belongs to you. Amen

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Image Credit: Wallpapers Wide
Scriptures Taken From: Bible Study Tools

The Fullness Of All Three: Don't You Want It?

No matter what you call them, we need all 3.

There is great debate about whether or not there is just one God, or three beings, and whether or not the Godhead should be called a Trinity. No matter what you call them, we need all 3. Many of us need strong comfort, and we need it everyday. God sent His Holy Spirit into this lost and dying world to comfort us. (John 14:16, 26). He fills us positionally, and additionally whenever we ask for a fresh refilling. Without the ever-abiding work of the Holy Spirit, there would be much more worldwide chaos and suffering than there is.

Paul, that great converted Christian-hater, said that he kept nothing back "that was profitable" from those whom he taught. He testified equally to the Jews and the gentiles that we should have "repentance towards God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:20-21).

Some declare that they worship God, but vehemently reject Jesus Christ of Nazareth as the only avenue to God, and label Him as just a prophet and a good teacher. Jesus said, "He that hates me hates my Father also" (John 15:23). In the 14 and 15 chapters of the Gospel of John, Jesus talks extensively about His position as being the One through which we are able to reach, connect with and commune with God. He establishes that He is the way through which God has chosen to forgive each individual who chooses to walk through that door.

Some swing in the far opposite direction, choosing to idolize Jesus when Jesus himself declared that only God is good. Jesus consistently pointed to God as the source of love, and the provider of The Comforter and The Sacrifice, which was Jesus. Jesus sacrificed His earthly life for us because God provided Him as a sacrifice. Jesus' sacrifice is Our Hope. Sure we have a lot to be thankful to Jesus for, but Jesus was obedient to God. Jesus also said "the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works" (John 14:10). Additionally, he did not say no man comes unto himself, but "no man comes unto the Father but by me" (John 14:6).

Repentance to God puts us in a position of forgiveness. Faith in the atoning Blood of Jesus puts us in a position of remission. Receiving the Holy Spirit puts us in a position of reception. God forgives us. The Blood of Jesus releases us. The Holy Spirit helps us to receive the goodness of God, and comforts us each day as we wait for God's avenging of our Savior Jesus Christ.


Don't be taken in by the battle over words and titles. God is in Heaven. Jesus is at his right hand. The Holy Spirit is in this world. Decide for yourself that you will live in the fullness of the Godhead. Give them a name, or not. Receive all that God has to give, through all of His avenues. He loves us so much. Love originates with Him. Don't forget WHO it was who gave us Jesus.

_____________________________
Scriptures taken from the KJV.
Image Credit: joahkim2375

Reject Revenge, Receive God's Blessings

Taking revenge cheats us.

Have you ever thought about what scathing comments you would return to make to someone who angered you? Ever planned what to do to someone who hurt you? Do you entertain thoughts of revenge, because of mistreatment, unfairness and maliciousness? Do you replay the imaginary scenes of revenge over and over? In your anger and suffering, you have no difficulty justifying these thoughts and plans, right?

The truth is, revenge is never justifiable, because God said in his Word, Vengence is mine. I will repay (Rom. 12:19 KJV). When we reject meting out revenge, and even go so far as to repay evil with good, we heap glowing coals onto the heads of those who spitefully use us (Prov. 25:22 KJV), especially for those who are not repentant and who continue in their behavior. But God's revenge and the heaping coals should not be our focus. They are facts that give us comfort, as we choose a higher path.

God is grieved, not because we plot revenge, but because in doing so, we cheat ourselves out of his blessings. This is what taking revenge, whether physically or mentally, does. It's based in the flesh, and we know that in fleshly behavior dwells NO good thing (Rom. 7:18 ESV). To be carnally minded is death. There is no useful thing in thinking on revenge. To be spiritually-minded is life, and peace.

When we are wronged, our battle is not with flesh and blood, or persons, groups, companies, etc. These are the entities that we see when we plan revenge. Spiritual thinking and taking on the spiritual weapons of God causes us to look past these entities, and see our real enemies, principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:11-12 ASV).

When we take our pain, our suffering, our fears, our angers and channel them through the spiritual principles in God's Word, we become empowered to receive His blessings. His blessings, while they manifest in the physical world, originate in the spiritual world. If we don't choose the spiritual path when we are treated unfairly, we cheat ourselves out of spiritual blessings. We receive from God by relating to him in spirit and in truth. The truth is that the warfare is spiritual, not physical, not fleshly, not carnal.

I know that it is hard. It is difficult. It is not easy to not at least think on revenge, if not being determined to do it. When we can't change our situations, and are subjected to unfairness and hostility, revenge seems the only way out, at least temporarily. While we receive temporary, fleshly relief when we choose revenge, it has no lasting significance. It also eats away at self-esteem and we really don't feel good about ourselves. Don't do it. Don't think on revenge at all, if you truly want and need help and blessings from God.

If we deal in revenge in any way, God won't be cheating us, we will be cheating ourselves. We can't walk in the flesh and receive from the spirit. Oil and water don't mix, and we can't plant orange seeds and harvest apples. We can receive the strength and courage to turn away from relying on the flesh to make things right. All things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23 CEB).

Reject revenge and choose God's spiritual weapons, directed at the real enemies. When we do, all things work together for good, we are kept in perfect peace, the Lord becomes our light and our salvation and we don't fear anyone (Psalm 27:1 KJV), and we overcome the world. As Max Lucado said recently, when he was speaking on Daystar, You can make it through this. If we actively take on God's weapons of warfare against spiritual wickedness, we will win God's blessings, with flying colors.

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Image Credit: sringler

sringler

sringler

sringler

Scriptures Taken From: BibleStudyTools

Praying For Thieves

I found myself in front of the church gazing at the roses, which led me to think about the stolen rose bushes. Someone(s) had pilfered three new rose bushes from a street side median. They had been placed there to beautify the old, eclectic neighborhood, and now that spot of arid dirt was once again barren. I can't understand how someone could plant stolen rose bushes in their yard and look at them with appreciation everyday. Maybe they were stolen and sold. Roses are so beautiful and stand for so many beautiful things.

My thoughts drifted to the consistent theft that I experienced while working in a department store. The same group of family and friends, in various numbers or singly, would regularly steal throughout the store. They would shop each holiday, sports event and season, stealing housewares, clothing, children's items, costumes and anything else they could conceal. They stole at Easter, and they stole for Harvest/Halloween. They stole before game day, and at Christmastime. I can't imagine how it feels to laugh and play and enjoy life in a home filled with stolen items, and to care for children whose every item of apparel has been stolen.

We know that there are many types of theft in many different circumstances. When we pray for thieves, we are praying for ourselves as well. We can be stealing, pilfering, pinching, cheating, misrepresenting and misappropriating, and not recognize it, denying it, hiding from it, justifying it and whitewashing it. It is not so much the act as the tiny thought in the heart.  We know about the heart of man, don't we? (Jeremiah 17:9)

So let's pray for thieves and most of all, for the thoughts that lead to chronic and acute thieving and dishonesty. Let's pray for the healing of hearts with a propensity towards stealing. Pray for thieves, and let us pray for each other, while we're at it.
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Image Credit: Eric K Washington, flickr

Forgive With Cheerfulness? Is That Possible?

Do you ever find yourself choosing to forgive someone(s), and then resenting that you have to?  I may have not felt that at the beginning of some decisions to forgive, but maybe later.  Forgiveness is not forgetting. Because of the nature of some experiences, forgetting is not possible without having a lobotomy.  Forgiveness is.  I don't know where it originated, but the dogged promotion of the saying forgive and forget has left many of us crippled in the ability to enjoy forgiving.

None of us have to forgive ever, for anything.  Forgiveness is a choice, but not choosing to does not seem to do anything constructive.  Forgiveness does not mean having to continue to accept abuse, or mistreatment, or unfairness or anything that hurts or destroys the human spirit.  Removing ourselves from toxic circumstances and people, whenever possible and as soon as possible, and permanently if necessary, is the choice and right of every human being.

Being able to forgive starts with having mercy.  Being able to do that with a cheerful and peaceful inner spirit can happen by understanding that forgiveness stands alone.  Choosing to forgive is not dependent upon forgetting or remaining.  It's dependent upon and beneficial in itself.

....the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:8 English Standard Version )
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Image Credit: Public Domain Images: Leaf fall by Leon Brooks
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