God Is

 

                In today’s time it is often said that a person should have a balanced lifestyle, which includes family, work, and leisure time.  Now this is contrary to the motto used in the old days where work was the priority, family was on the back burner, and leisure was a question of what and not when.  Having a balanced lifestyle is good for your health.  You won’t get mentally or physically drained for doing too much of one thing (we’ll touch more on that in a moment).  Studies have concluded that if you work too much it may start to affect your work negatively, you’ll believe you’re not working hard enough, and as a result you work even longer hours.  It’s a vicious cycle.

                Now there are those who add religion to that equation of a balanced lifestyle.  The norm is to attend church on Sundays to keep everything balanced.  You feel as though you are doing your civic duty by attending Sunday worship service.  You took care of religion for the week.  It felt good.  You fulfilled your quota for the week. 

                Many believe that you need God to be a part of your life in order to make it in this world.  Many believe you need God to be a part of your life because that has what’s been passed on from previous generations.  If this is your balanced lifestyle, you are not alone.  This is the lifestyle fitting to our culture of today.  It is a lifestyle that people are now getting accustomed to – a lifestyle of a “Christian”.

                Unfortunately, this lifestyle is not balanced.  This lifestyle is not in line of what God wants you to do.  So you ask, “What is wrong with this lifestyle”?  The answer….. God isn’t a part of your life, He is your life.  God isn’t the final piece of some intricate mathematical equation, He is the equation.  God is our everything.  What we need to understand is that everything that we do, whether it’s work, family, church, must be done to glorify God.  There is no separation between secular and spiritual of what we do for God.  Just because our main job isn’t in the church doesn’t mean it doesn’t have meaning to God. 

                In Deuteronomy 6:5, Moses said to Israel to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  And just for confirmation, Jesus also said this very same statement to the Pharisees in Matthew 22:37.  We are to give our all to God, not a part.  We must let go of our selfish desires and our pursuit of self-fulfillment and surrender our lives to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  So, now that you know this, what are you going to do?  There are three categories of people in this world:

 

Ø      Spiritual (1 Corin. 2:13-14), believers in Christ who have been born of the Spirit and in whom the Spirit of God lives and is producing growth;

Ø      Unspiritual (1 Corin. 2:14), those without Christ still living in the lost condition in which they were born;

Ø      Worldly (1 Corin. 3:1), believers who remain immature in the faith because they don’t allow the Spirit to work in their lives

We must transform our lives to become spiritual believers.  Romans 12:1-2 states, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

This is the absolution of God.  Once we put God first and foremost in our lives, He will take care of everything else.  You won’t get burned out when you are truly living your life for the Lord.  The Lord revealed to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9a that “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  So let God take control of your lifestyle, and you’ll see the joy that He brings.  God is our only absolution.

 

God, How Can I Love Them,

When I Don’t Even Like Them?

 

Is there someone in your life that just makes you cringe every time you see them.  Does the words that come out of their mouth make you ask yourself, “Really, are they serious”?  Are you asking God the question above about someone you have to be around?  Well, God has the answer to your questions on how to deal with that person who always seems to work your last nerve.

 

As always, let’s go to the Word to see what God has to say.  In the book of 1 John 4:7-21, God explains how we can love one another, even people we don’t like. 

 

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in loves abides in God, and God in him.  Love has been perfected among us in this:  that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us.  If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him:  that he who loves God must love his brother also.”  (emphasis mine)  

 

As we can see from this Scripture, God is a God of love.  He loved us so much, that He sent His only begotten Son to satisfy our sin debt.  If God loves us this much, the least we can do is love one another.  This can only be accomplished by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us.  He can do what we are incapable of doing. 

 

If we say we love God and can’t love that person who is working our last nerve, the Bible says we are a liar.  There is no way we can love God, and not love that person.  Ask yourself this question, “How loveable am I?”  Remember when you didn’t know the Lord, how loveable do you think you were?  Now that you’ve accepted Christ, you believe you have the right to pick and choose who you will love.  Unacceptable!!!   

 

God is “no respecter of person”.  That means He doesn’t play favorites!  And if we are to follow the example of Christ, then we can’t play favorites either.  If we allow the Holy Spirit to change our eyesight and see people as He does, we will be able to love the unlovable.  So many times, we focus on the natural temporary things instead of the eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal”.  Stop focusing on how that person makes you cringe and ask God to change your vision to see them as He does.  And while you’re asking God to change your vision, ask Him why He is allowing this person in your life who is working your last nerve.  Just maybe, He wants to burn off of you some more flesh of bad attitude, impatience, ego, self-righteousness, etc…

 

Remember God is working out His character in us--from the inside out.  And He will allow people and situations to expose our ugliness so that it can be crucified.  So, when that person begins to drive you crazy, pray and ask God to change your attitude, so you can show them the love of God.  Then an amazing thing always seems to happen, that person who got on your nerves will bother you less and less because God is working on you.  You will be able to exhibit a Godly love that will confound that person.  He’ll deal with the other person in His time and His way.

 

 

 

 

 

FULLNESS OF JOY

 

“…In Thy presence is fullness of joy…”  (Psalms 16:11)

 

What is “fullness of joy” and how can you obtain it.  Fullness is the same as completeness.  You do not need to add anything else to it.  And joy is an intense, ecstatic or exultant happiness that is not based on your circumstances.  The “fullness of joy” has a source; an object of pleasure.  The “fullness of joy” comes from God.  It is a grace gift from Him.  It is something we don’t deserve, yet something He promises all of us can receive.

 

The joy the people of God should have is holy and pure because it’s source is Holy and Pure.  It can only be produced by the Spirit of God.  This joy will always rise above our circumstances, so we can focus on the very character of God.  If you desire this joy, you must abide in His presence.  John 15:1-11, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away:  and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  Now ye are clean trough the word which I have spoken unto you.  Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches:  He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:  for without me ye can do nothing.  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:  continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” 

 

To receive the joy God has for us, we must abide in Him.  In other words, dwell, persevere, or remain in God’s presence.  We can only accomplish this through fellowship of prayer and His Word.  We as followers of Christ must make a concerted effort to stay in the presence of the Lord.  It should not be drudgery to spend time with Him.  It should be our heart’s desire because of our love for Him and His love for us.  If a believer does not have joy in their life, you can bet they’re not spending time with God.  They have allowed their circumstances to take over their focus.  They have lost touch with the One who has the answers to every problem or concern.

 

In the Scripture above, Jesus gives us a blueprint for “fullness of joy.”  He uses the example of the vine and it’s branches.  Jesus states that He is the vine and we His followers are the branches.  God the Father is the husbandman or farmer.  In order for us to be fruitful, we must abide in Him.  If not, the Father will remove us because we are of no use.  When we think of abiding, we should think of surrendering or yielding to His will.  Once we have surrendered, we then become dependent on Him for everything.  Next, we find rest in His presence because we are no longer focusing on our circumstances, but focusing on the One who can take care of it.  And if we are resting, we are at peace, which makes it easier for us to obey His commands.  We won’t question why because we trust Him.  We will just obey God immediately.  Finally, if we are doing all of those things, we will be able to rejoice in the midst of our circumstances.  And people will be amazed and confused at the joy you have.

 

Are you walking in the “fullness of joy”?  Are you someone who looks like the definition of ‘Devastation’?  You don’t have to go through life this way if you’re a believer.  You are living beneath your means.  God has so much more to offer you, but you have to desire Him more than anything else in your life.  Jesus must be your first love.  Abide in Him!  Dwell in Him!  Walk with Him!  Submit your will to His and rest in His  presence and you will have “fullness of joy

WHAT KIND OF LOVE IS THIS???

 

How can you explain The Love of Jesus?  You can try but it will never be fully understood unless you experience it. 

 

What kind of Love is unconditional? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love is sacrificial? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love is unique and personal? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love touches the deepest part of you? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love can mend all of your broken pieces? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love can deliver you from the hand of the enemy? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love can bring spouses back together? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love can bring home your wayward child? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love is all forgiving? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love can free you from all addictions? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love can cure your loneliness? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love is endless? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love is timeless? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love cannot be measured? 

The Love of Jesus

What kind of Love is not based on my feelings? 

The Love of Jesus

 

“And to know the Love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:19

 

What kind of love cannot be explained?

THE LOVE OF JESUS

PRAYING HANDS OR PREYING HANDS

 

When we are on our walk to be Christ-like we must remember that it is a non-stop progression until our bodies become glorified.  And that moment won’t be reached until we get to heaven.  In the meantime, we must always seek God’s guidance and direction to stay on the right path.  We must be praying without ceasing to stay in constant communication with God and to have a closer relationship with Him.  And every day we must put on the whole armor of God to defend ourselves from the devil’s attacks. 

Because we are God’s children, the devil is out to get us.  He is out to destroy us spiritually, physically, mentally, financially, and emotionally; by any means necessary.  For 1 Peter 5:8 says to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”.  On our own the devil will succeed, but through Jesus Christ the devil is defeated.

We must be aware and alert to the fact that the devil will use anyone and anything to get us to lose our focus on God.  He knows what we like and will use that to his advantage.  He will attempt to manipulate any situation to shift our focus for just a second.  Keep in mind the devil is rarely over-the-top with his manipulations and his influences.  He is, however, very subtle in what he does.  Think about it, if the devil is attempting to influence you to do something wrong do you think he will bring along a total stranger or someone you don’t particularly like to aid in your wrong decision?  No!  Instead, he will use those close to you, such as friends and family.  He will use those close to you because in your mind you think they have your best interests at heart.

But remember, it is not your friends and family that you have to look out for; it’s the devil.  He is just using them to get to you.  It says in Ephesians 6:21 that “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  Now, at the same time, you must be aware and realize who the devil is using to get to you.  And the only way to figure that out is to pray and ask God for discernment.  Ask God to open your eyes and your mind to see who the devil is using to get you off track.  You heard that old saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”; well the enemy is the devil.  And if you keep him around long enough you will start doing the wrong things.

Again, the devil is very subtle in his manipulations, and he will use those close to you to knock you off track.  The question is, are you able to see when someone is preying on you rather than praying for you.  Will you be able to see it when someone invites you to a get-together at their house with friends/family you haven’t seen in year, but in doing so you will miss Bible study that same evening?  Will you see it when a family member is constantly asking you to borrow money because some emergency came up?  Yes you are able to help them and it’s the right thing to do, but when will you see that you are becoming a crutch for this individual and that by continuing to cater to their needs you are not allowing God to work His wonders through them.

Those are but a few examples of someone preying on you rather than praying for you.  They are not looking out for your best interests but rather their own.  That is where selfishness comes into play and that is the devil’s playground.  Until we grasp the concept of the devil’s subtleness towards manipulations we will continue to fall prey to his ways.  We must ask God to give us the wisdom to combat these attacks.  Proverbs 2:12-15 says that “Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.”  Therefore, ask God to give you wisdom and He will show you who is preying on you, and who is truly praying for you.

Why should you go to church?

You have heard me speak about the people who attend “Bedside Baptists” on Sunday mornings. Some think it to be a joke; however, many people refuse to get near a church unless their nephew is playing the role of a wise man in the Christmas pageant! They claim they can get more out of having a cup of coffee on the front porch, playing a round of golf or going to the park than from the typical sermon.

The Bible says that we should not forsake "our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near," (Heb. 10:25).  It is wise to go to church because that is where we can go to hear the word of God preached and to experience the friendship of other believers.

The church is described as a body in I Corinthians 12, and Paul explains that each part of the body exists to meet the needs of other body parts. In the same way, God intends each of us to meet the needs of other believers, using our strengths to help in their areas of weakness. I Corinthians 12:21 expresses it this way: "The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you." Neither can a Christian claim to be self-sufficient today.

The New Testament is full of “one another” commands. We are to comfort one another (I Thessalonians 4:18), build up one another (I Thessalonians 5:11), confess our sins to one another (James 5:16), pray for one another (James 5:16), and many more. How can we obey these directives if we stay away from the gathering of believers?

God designed the church as a place where spiritual leaders could watch out for our welfare, as a shepherd guards the sheep (I Peter 5:1-4; Hebrews 13:17). A Christian who answers only to himself can easily rationalize sinful attitudes or actions; regular contact with other Christians can keep us sharp.

So, why should you go to church, because that is where you can hear God’s word explained and how that word can be applied to your life, you can see how God works in other people's lives, and experience the fellowship of others.

Lord, Why Can’t I Change?

 

First, ask yourself:  Do you want to change?  If you don’t want to change, stop reading now because the following message will mean nothing to you!  If you do want to change, read on.

 

·        Why do you find it difficult to change for the better? 

·        Why do you continue in the same habitual sins, even after you have confessed and repented?

 

The Apostle Paul describes this dilemma in Romans 7:14-25, “We know that the Law is spiritual. But I am merely a human, and I have been sold as a slave to sin. In fact, I don't understand why I act the way I do. I don't do what I know is right. I do the things I hate. Although I don't do what I know is right, I agree that the Law is good. So I am not the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them.

I know that my selfish desires won't let me do anything that is good. Even when I want to do right, I cannot. Instead of doing what I know is right, I do wrong. And so, if I don't do what I know is right, I am no longer the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them.

The Law has shown me that something in me keeps me from doing what I know is right. With my whole heart I agree with the Law of God. But in every part of me I discover something fighting against my mind, and it makes me a prisoner of sin that controls everything I do. What a miserable person I am. Who will rescue me from this body that is doomed to die? Thank God! Jesus Christ will rescue me.  So with my mind I serve the Law of God, although my selfish desires make me serve the law of sin.” (NIRV)

Have you ever felt like that?  Most of us who are attempting to live a godly lifestyle have gone through this battle of the flesh.  The more you try to do right, the more you fail.  Sometimes you feel like you’re going around in circles on a merry-go-round and you don’t know how to get off.  You go to church some Sundays when you feel like it, you pray sometimes when you find the time and you try to read your Bible, but it doesn’t make any sense to you and feel like you’re in a losing battle!  You wonder what you are doing wrong.  Why can’t you have a victorious life like other Christians you see and hear about?  What do they have that you don’t? 

 Here’s the reason you can’t change:  You don’t have the power to do so on your own!!!  If you continue reading further in Romans 8:1-13, Paul has the solution to your dilemma.  “Those who belong to Christ Jesus are no longer under God's sentence.  I am now controlled by the law of the Holy Spirit. That law gives me life because of what Christ Jesus has done. It has set me free from the law of sin that brings death.

The written law was made weak by our sinful nature. But God did what the written law could not do. He made his Son to be like those who have a sinful nature. He sent him to be an offering for sin. In that way, he judged sin in his Son's human body.  Now we can do everything the law requires. Our sinful nature no longer controls the way we live. The Holy Spirit now controls the way we live.

Don't live under the control of your sinful nature. If you do, you will think about what your sinful nature wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.

The way a sinful person thinks leads to death. But the mind controlled by the Spirit brings life and peace.  The sinful mind is at war with God. It does not obey God's law. It can't.  Those who are controlled by their sinful nature can't please God.

But your sinful nature does not control you. The Holy Spirit controls you. The Spirit of God lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ.

Christ lives in you. So your body is dead because of sin. But your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God.  The Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. So the God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your bodies, which are going to die. He will do this by the power of his Spirit, who lives in you.

Brothers and sisters, we have a duty. Our duty is not to live under the control of our sinful nature.  If you live under the control of your sinful nature, you will die. But by the power of the Holy Spirit you can put to death the sins your body commits. Then you will live.” (NIRV)

So, as you can see, it’s the Holy Spirit that has the power to change us, not us changing ourselves!  If you could win the battle of the flesh on your own, you would have no need for God.  Realize that you cannot do this thing called life on your own.  Our minds need to be transformed.  Our way of thinking needs to be submitted to the Spirit of God.

Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  This means that you no longer live the way the world lives.  You don’t want to become so comfortable to the culture of the world that you fit right in without even thinking.  Don’t become so shaped by the world’s values that you begin to compromise the Word of God and allow sin in your life and in the church.  Sin is still sin in God’s eyes.  The sins of the Old Testament are still sin today!!!  “For I am the Lord, I change not;” (Malachi 3:6a)

If you belong to Christ, the way you think has been completely changed by the Holy Spirit.  (If not, maybe you don’t belong to Him.)  Your attention is no longer fixed on your own selfish desires and the desires of the world.  Your attention is fixed on God.  When your mind is stayed on Jesus, you will be changed from the inside out.  You will no longer desire to live a fleshly life every day except on Sunday. You will want to go to church because You love Him.  You will desire to fellowship with Him in prayer.  Reading and studying the Word will not be drudgery; you will look forward to it.  Not only will you have a new way of thinking, but a new attitude.  Then you will be able to recognize what God wants from you and quickly respond to it.  You will become a mature disciple of Christ and live a life that is good and pleasing to Him.  You will accept and submit to God on His terms.  Not on yours!  Then He will bring out the best in you and then you will experience victory over sin and abundant blessings.  Remember that God’s plans are always good and perfect.  "I know the plans I have for you," announces the Lord. "I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)

There is hope my friend.  God is on your side.  And if you allow His Spirit to rule and rein in your heart and mind, there is nothing you cannot accomplish!  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”  (Romans 12:1 KJV)

 

 

 

 

It is not too late; there is room at the Cross for YOU!

I recently learned that our President of the United States issued the 2011 proclamation recognizing June as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.  Congress approved a law signed in December 2009 that legalized same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia.  The Bible tells us not to learn to follow the ways of the world.  This is sin and an abomination against our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Deuteronomy 18:9 says, “When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.”  This learned behavior of lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transgender will be destroyed just as Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed in Genesis 19.  When we refuse to repent of our sin, we tend to get self-righteous and easily offended when someone suggests we are in the wrong.  But if we sow to our flesh, we will reap nothing but judgment and destruction.   Charles Stanley’s life principle says, “You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow”   It is not too late; there is room at the Cross for You.  The Bible says to acknowledge your sin and repent.  Mark 2:17 says that Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, that which we all are because we have all fallen short of the Glory of God.  But when we confess our sin to Jesus, and ask for forgiveness, He will forgive us.  Thank You Jesus!  Forgiveness means that we should not return to the same behaviors that are not of Jesus Christ, or make the same mistakes.  Being forgiven renews and restores our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Therefore we should not dwell on our past mistakes by continuing to live in sin.  We may get off track, but God’s word will get you back on track.  The Bible is our instruction for Godly living.  2Timothy 3:16 tells us, All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.  Doctrine tells us which road to travel; reproof tells us when we are off the road; correction tells us how to get back on the right road; instruction in righteousness tells us how to stay on God’s road.  It is not too late; there is room at the Cross for You.  Remember we are to live in this world; we are not of this world.  I don’t understand why one would want to follow the ways of this world, which is following the devil, when God is all Powerful.  God can supply all your needs and bless you with your wants, if the want, is according to His Will. 

Remember, Remember, Remember sin is a choice.  You can choose to follow Jesus Christ or you can choose to follow the devil.  We and other fellow believers in Jesus Christ are praying that you make the right choice to turn from sin.  We all know right from wrong and we know that sin is not of Jesus Christ.  It is not too late; there is room at the Cross for You!  1 John 1:9 says, “We often fail, but if we confess our sins, He Jesus Christ is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”   For all you selfish people out there, it starts with you.  You have to ask God to change you.  You have to ask God to change the way you think.  You have to ask God to change the way you talk.  You have to ask God to change the way you act and ask that all these things be according to God’s Will and not your own.  In JESUS’S NAME AMEN!

FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE

 

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”  (Colossians 3:13)

 

·        How can you forgive someone who has hurt you deeply? 

·        Why does God demand that we forgive people who have wronged us? 

 

As always, we must define forgiveness and see what the Scriptures tell us about forgiveness.  Forgiveness is the act of excusing or pardoning another’s sins against you.  Forgiveness is not something that comes easy to anyone, even Christians.  When someone has hurt us deeply, it is our natural instinct to want to take revenge or want some kind of ill-will to come upon them.  But, as followers of Christ, we must make the choice to forgive them of their trespasses as God has forgiven us of ours. 

 

Jesus Christ is always our ultimate example to follow.  When Jesus was being crucified, He asked the Heavenly Father to forgive them because they did not know what they were doing.  (Luke 23:34)  He is a man who was God in the flesh, who took on every sin burden of the world, who was mocked, spat upon, tortured and more and still had compassion upon those who didn’t accept Him as the Savior.

 

Well, I can hear some of you saying, “I’m not Jesus, so I can’t  forgive them for what they’ve done to me!”  “I don’t understand how God would want me to forgive them.”  Forgiveness is not a feeling or an emotion, it is a willful act of faith and obedience unto God.  Under our own power, we do not possess the ability to forgive.  It is through the power of the Holy Spirit and our personal relationship with Jesus that we can forgive the most hurtful and unspeakable acts committed against us.  And in turn, God will honor our commitment to obey Him and our desire to please Him when we can forgive those who have wronged us.  Our job is to forgive by faith (believing that it is already done) and God will complete the work of forgiveness in our hearts.  Isn’t that amazing?!  God will enable us to supernaturally forgive others who seem to be unforgivable by our faith and trust in Him.

 

“How can I experience true forgiveness?”  First, make the decision that you will forgive that person because God commanded you to.  (Remember the Lord’s Prayer?  Matthew 6:9-13)  Second, pray your way through it.  Continue to pray until the matter is settled in your heart.  (Matthew 18:21-22)  Third, try to see the person who wronged you as God sees them.  (John 3:16)  Remember, before you accepted Christ as you Lord and Savior, you were unlovable too!  Everyone is precious in God’s sight and He does not desire to see anyone perish.  (2 Peter 3:9)  This should be your attitude when you pray for them.  When you experience true freedom, then you will know that the work of forgiveness is complete.

 

If you choose not to forgive, you will suffer greatly. You are the one who  go through the most when you choose not to forgive.  You will experience emotional pain such as anger, bitterness and frustration.  You will experience physical pain such as headaches, backaches and other ailments.  There will also be spiritual consequences.  You will find it very difficult to communicate with God, to study His Word and to fellowship with His people.  You will become isolated and resentful with nothing more than an afghan and a cat to keep you company.  The Bible says in Matthew 6:14-16, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

 

Don’t be that bitter, angry, resentful afghan wearing person that nobody wants to be around.  Ask God to give you a forgiving spirit that will show the world that you are a true follower of Jesus Christ.  (Matthew 5:43-48)  Make the choice today to forgive and experience God’s true freedom and blessings!

BOW DOWN

 

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.  For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.”  (Psalm 95:6-7)

 

When was the last time you physically bowed down to pray?  Have you ever got down on your knees and prayed to the Lord?  If it’s been awhile or you’ve never done it, you should ask yourself why?

 

Bowing or kneeling down to pray is a position of submission or surrender.  When you see the police about to arrest someone, they usually tell you to get down on your knees and put your hands up.  This is an act of surrender.  The person under arrest is forced to surrender to authority.  God doesn’t force us to surrender.  It’s our choice.

 

If you really desire to experience the presence of the Lord, you must learn to surrender physically and spiritually.  To surrender physically, bow down and worship the Lord.  Yes, you can pray standing, sitting and even laying down.  God is not that concerned about our physical posture, but He is concerned about our inner posture.  Physically kneeling down to pray helps us take a position of humility.  We are not putting ourselves on equal footing with a Holy God.  When you can bow down to pray, your heart will follow.  It will surrender to God and then you will hear from heaven and experience God’s glory.  When you bow down before God, you are acknowledging that He is Divine, Holy, Sovereign, Righteous, and Omnipotent.  That He is Supreme and Mighty and you should be in awe of Him.

 

If you have never bowed down to God, why not?  Don’t you believe He’s worthy of your submission?  Maybe you just have trouble submitting to authority.  If that is it, then you need a heart check-up.  Maybe you believe to worship God it doesn’t take all that.  But what are you losing by bowing down to the One who saved you from hell.  I know a lot of “Pastors” are claiming there is no hell, but that is a subject is for another time.  Believe me, hell is real and Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected on the third day for you and the entire world.  And if you say you’re a believer, then why can’t you get down on your knees.  Jesus was spat upon, whipped, mocked and crucified for you and you can’t bow before the King of Kings?  Really?!!! 

 

If you don’t bow down now, you will have to bow down later.  “For it is written:  ‘As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.’  So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”  (Romans 14:11-12)  Do you want to have to explain to God why you couldn’t bow down and worship Him???

 

“HEY, YOU!  STOP RIGHT NOW, GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES, RAISE YOUR HANDS AND WORSHIP

THE LORD YOUR GOD!!!”