Forgiveness

(Matthew 6:14-15 NLT) "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

In the same chapter Jesus teaches us how to pray – in verse twelve He says something that reveals the Father’s heart about forgiveness. “…and forgive our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” Think about what that means. Do I want God to forgive me a little or do I want Him to forgive me of all my wrongs? This life is, at times, difficult. Those who say otherwise either are hiding their true feelings or have disconnected themselves from real relationship so long ago that they forgot how to truly love and thus go through life unaware of God’s purpose. If the enemy has his way the attacks come during childhood through a parent, usually the father because he is the instrument God has ordained to lead the family. By attacking through the father the enemy’s attack is two fold. He reinforces the lies the father was told in his childhood and he deals out the same tricks on the next generation behind the mask of the faults of the father. The child then makes a vow to protect their tender heart by building walls around it. As an adult he or she reasons away the pain (as the enemy interjects) by either thinking it was their fault or hating the parent but never coming to terms with the weight of the wrongful pain and thus never seeing it for what it is – a very specific attack on their heart by the enemy of God. Why does the enemy do this? Because he hates God, he knows he cannot win and he wants to turn as many people away from God as possible but there is another reason. The enemy knows that if he can derail God’s plan for your life you will miss out on God’s purpose and it is God’s purpose working through your life that the enemy fears! Jesus promises us much but we can’t hold onto unforgiveness and expect His blessings and His purpose to be fulfilled in our lives. The problem with the “wall around the heart” theory is that it only appears to keep pain out but it ultimately keeps love out and the individual who takes this rout never experiences the depths of God’s love. In the end the choice is ours to make – do we continue to guard our hearts with the wall we’ve built around it or do we trust God to heal our pain by revealing our hearts to Him and trusting that He is big enough to make something beautiful with this broken vessel we lay at His feet?

Shout to God in praise

Have you ever noticed in Leviticus and through out the Old Testament how Israel was instructed to offer praise to God regardless of circumstances – remember they were homeless and had many enemies? Knowing this it almost seems mechanical at first glance but there is a reason for it. You see if we are truly God’s children then like children the ways of the father are higher than the ways of the child. Today even though we are educated and experienced as adults in a technically advanced world we are still only children to God and His ways are beyond our comprehension! There are many reasons to rejoice in Him continuously – because first of all only He is God and only He is holy and worthy of all praise but also because of His goodness towards us, His patience and unending love which has called us out of our world of striving and not being good enough. God is calling out His children to be witnesses to a world that is lost and to people who are unaware of what He has sacrificed to be with them while they (we) were still sinners. Like Israel, God wants us to understand His ways and through obedience, though far from perfect, we get glimpses of whom He is (this is relationship). Because of this relationship His Holy Spirit then compels us to be like Him. Through our steps of faith we understand more about His love for us. As we step out to love others unconditionally we understand better the love He has for us and the price of such a great love. In Him we find freedom, mercy, and grace! Only when we recognize our own deliverance can we point the way to others – through rejoicing in the Lord we are called to a life of victory even though that victory cannot be seen all the time. The Spirit of the Lord brings us to a place of freedom through worship but worship is not just song but serving and loving others – we worship God by the way we live our lives! Only by allowing the Father to use us to minister to others can we experience His fullness! (Deuteronomy 12:7 MKJV) “And there you shall eat before Jehovah your God, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households in which Jehovah your God has blessed you.”

Teacher and student

Sometimes I find myself surprised at circumstances, things that seem to be opposing me through no fault of my own. Recently I have been growing though some things like this but God reminds me that He is with me and somehow I know there is purpose to all of it. My mind returns to what I’ve read about Jesus during His time here on earth, how there were those who set themselves against Him for no apparent reason. Then I am reminded again how the enemy had his hand in it, Satan sought to destroy Jesus’ ministry and ultimately His life but all of it happened according to Father God’s plan. As you watch Jesus through these situations you begin to understand what great trust He had in the Father and ultimately the same thing is being asked of us. Regardless of circumstances, are we going to trust God and continue to serve Him? In Matthew chapter ten we see Jesus giving authority to His disciples to minister and instructions about what to expect in return. Then in verse (24) Jesus says, “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. (25) “Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of My household will be called by even worse names!” But then Jesus gives them (us) a great promise and warning… (Matthew 10:26-33 NLT) "But don't be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows--one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But everyone who denies Me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in heaven.”

To follow righteousness

How easily the flesh falls in line with the wicked, left unchecked disobedience becomes the norm while we wait for the right time to spend with the Savior of our souls. Truth is that time never comes but is only available through righteous decisions. Almost as if we expect God to move our hands to open His Word we wait but like a traveler who becomes weary and in need of a drink of refreshing water our souls long for time with God. (Psalms 1:1-2 NLT) “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.”

While in His presence the striving stops and the weight of making decisions, things that we carry while away from His presence, become easy. What was little become abundant and that which was much fades away. Those who find the council of the righteous and delight in the law of the Lord (Psalms 1:3 NLT) “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

Being His doesn’t mean we’re perfect but things that have eternal value become highlighted and things which are not become distasteful and displeasing to the righteous. When this happens we know that the Creator of Life is guiding us in His loving ways. (Psalms 1:6 NLT) “For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.”

Lord, be blessed by your people today! Help us to be led by your righteousness and not by our selfish desires. Place your fire within our hearts so that we may be compelled to a life of worship. Forgive us when we turn our faces from you and help us to see who we are through your eyes. May your love and mercy guard our steps as we follow after you, for we are as children seeking to please their father. Finally, Lord encourage us by your Holy Spirit to do your work for this life is as a race and we don’t only want to start well but finish in even greater measure, help us to multiply those talents you have given us for we want to be faithful and pleasing to you! Give us dreams and place with in our hearts your vision so that we might be passionate about increasing the borders of the righteous! Help us to wait upon you through serving, in Jesus name amen.