Friends,
In our new series "Help" I talked about guarding your heart – that led to a discussion about forgiveness. We learned that God may be merciful, but doesn't put up with his kids harboring unforgiveness in their hearts, regardless of the offense.
Jesus warned us that if we don't forgive, God won't forgive us. Paul told us that it would disconnect us from the Grace of God, obviously something that we need!
If you want to get the whole message please go to www.IAmCornerstone.com, launch the Media Player and watch, listen, and/or download the podcast!
(This lesson will be available starting 8-11-09)
Suffice it to say again that God doesn't put up with us as Christians hanging on to our offenses!
Here's the thing, as I reflected on the message I really don't want anyone to think that forgiveness automatically demands that you continue relationship with the offender. Jesus doesn't have an issue when we love from a safe distance.
We have all been offended by people, it's a given, so I am interested in some of your thoughts. I hope we can stay Biblically-based and not get too much into the emotional side of this.
But how have you dealt/dealing with this very important issue in your walk with God!
Waiting to hear your thoughts! Love ya...
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MATTHEW 7:1-2 "DO NOT JUDGE, OR YOU TOO WILL BE JUDGED. FOR IN THE SAME WAY YOU JUDGE OTHERS, YOU WILL BE JUDGED, AND WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE, IT(FORGIVENESS) WILL BE MEASURED TO YOU."
LUKE 6:37-38"DO NOT JUDGE, AND YOU WILL NOT BE JUDGED. DO NOT CONDEMN, AND YOU WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED. FORGIVE, AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN. GIVE, AND IT(FORGIVENESS) WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU. A GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER AND RUNNING OVER, WILL BE POURED INTO YOUR LAP. FOR WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE, IT(FORGIVENESS) WILL BE MEASURED TO YOU."
MARK 11:24-25 "THEREFORE I TELL YOU, WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER, BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT, AND IT WILL BE YOURS. AND WHEN YOU STAND PRAYING, IF YOU HOLD ANYTHING AGAINST ANYONE, FORGIVE HIM, SO THAT YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN MAY FORGIVE YOU YOUR SINS."
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANY OF YOU, BUT, I WANT TO USE A BIG MEASURE OF FORGIVENESS TO OTHERS.
I, LIKE MANY OF YOU, HAVE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF MANY MANY OFFENCES INCLUDING SEXUAL ABUSE. IT TOOK TIME, BUT, I HAVE LEARNED TO FORGIVE ALL WHO HAVE HURT ME. FORGIVING, YOU SEE, IS NOT EXCUSING THE OFFENDER, BUT, RATHER FREEING YOU FROM THEIR TRAP. FORGIVENESS IS FOR YOU. JESUS ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE THOSE WHO CRUCIFIED HIM. WHY?? HE HAD DONE NO WRONG BUT, IF HE WOULD HAVE DIED WITHOUT FORGIVING, HE WOULD HAVE SINNED. ALL THE WAY JESUS WAS OUR PERFECT EXAMPLE. YOU SEE FORGIVING IS A PART OF LOVE, DOING UNTO OTHERS ETC. FOR ME TO BE FREE OF THE ABUSE, I HAD TO FORGIVE. THAT EVENTUALLY INVOLVED LETTING GOD REMOVE THE MEMORIES SO I COULD NOT GO BACK AND "LOOK AT MY MEMORY BOOK" I HELD INSIDE. GOD TORE THOSE PAGES OUT AND REPLACED THEM WITH CLEAN PAGES TO BE FILLED WITH GOOD MEMORIES. YOU MAY BE THINKING YOUR PAIN IS TOO DEEP. "THERE IS NO PIT SO DEEP THAT GOD'S LOVE IS NOT DEEPER STILL." CORRIE TENBOOM.
It is amazing how unforgiveness and offense in your heart can tear you down. The pain can be so great, I believe it could litterally kill a person. Hopfully knowing this is God's command can make it quicker and easier for us to forgive.
I have been wondering lately...when do you forgive someone's monetary debt to you. We are clearly commanded to do this, but does the bible give us any indication at what point? Right now, I am feeling like it should just be a judgement call, based on the debtor's resistance to pay you back. In my case,the person has shown resistance to paying me back by avoiding me, but the ability to pay is there. Any thoughts?
Good word Pastor Dan and Lord knows I needed it! As I sat and listened I knew who it was that I was harboring the bitterness toward. My baby daddy. I'm not going to go on and on about his faults but lets just say that having to forgive him will be considered a constant job as he is constantly offending my family in a major way. I sat and thought "OK, I CHOOSE to forgive him but I don't know HOW" The things he is doing to us are consistent, regular, ongoing HOW do I forgive him when he keeps hurting us? Hmmmm... I was feeling quite frustrated with the teaching. I WANT to forgive, HOW do I forgive??? Then toward the closing Pastor gave me the answer. Ask the Lord to reveal to me what he has forgiven ME for. MY transgressions. I know some of the things I have done that I am not worthy of being forgiven for and STILL I am forgiven. Where I have been that is wiped from my slate. Praise God. SO I am on my way to forgiving. Praying for revelation - and receiving. I am also glad Pastor has P.S.'d this teaching with its ok to love from a distance. I needed that too. On my way...
Your message was straight to the point and the lessons thereof very clear.One point that intrigued me the most was the fact that we are bound to offend and be offended in our attempt to do life together.So long as we don't live in isolation this is bound to happen and for that matter we need to arm ourselves with 2 things:Giving and Forgiving.
Secondly,God is conforming us to the nature of his son Christ and for that matter we need to learn to carry our cross daily and follow him.When you feel the need to revenge,hold your breath,take your cross and say i crucify this temptation to revenge.The world expects you to revenge or you are week but then bible says in Hebrews 10:30-It is mine to avenge.Life is too short and we cannot continue to carry the weight of unforgiveness on our shoulders-AN EYE FOR AN EYE leaves the whole world blind.
There are several discussions one could launch from this message but i may want to pick up on the main theme:Guarding your heart.
I think guarding your heart means that you don't have to allow anger to breed in your heart.Paul said in the book of Ephesians:do not allow the sun to go down on your anger.At the end of the day and before going to bed, ask yourself who am i holding any grudge against;what am i angry about and who do i owe any forgiveness.When we do this we stand the chance of ridding our hearts of any tendency to hold anger,bitterness and unforgiveness against anybody.
God bless
There is so much that can be gleaned from this message but I mainly want to say that I have watched bitterness and unforgiveness destroy my family for years. It has a devastating ripple affect if someone doesn't stand up and stop it. I first heard about bitterness and unforgiveness through the Pure Hearts class that Cornerstone offered several years ago and it changed my life forever. I am very thankful for these messages that remind us not to hold on to offenses, not to hold grudges - to be quick to forgive. God has forgiven us for so much, how can we not forgive anyone for anything they do to us? I have had some awful things happen to me over the course of my lifetime but they are nothing compared to the price my savior paid at calvary. I can forgive anything. I especially grabbed hold of the part of the message where he told about the unsaved family members. Pastor Dan, I have many unsaved family members but I know that there are others in my family who no longer communicate because of offense. I pray that God will help me to know what part I play in helping to bring healing to my family. Thank you so much for obeying God and bringing such a wonderful, timely message!
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