Forgiveness

 

 

The other day I was talking to someone and they said something along the lines of, "it's just so hard to forgive." I have heard that numerous times but at that moment I knew just what to say.

 

I replied. What I told them was that God bestowed mercy and grace upon us, every day of our lives He does. He forgives when we wrong Him and others. He doesn't hold grudges when we say we are truly sorry.

 

 

I read this morning with Grant some great verses out of Acts. The one that stuck out to me the most was Acts 7:60.

 

 

Stephen was being stoned to death by the people in Jerusalem for preaching the Gospel.

 

 What amazes me is what he said...

 

 

 

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.

 

 

 

He probably was hurting worse at that moment than any of us have in our lives.

 

 

The next sentence says...

 

 

And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

 

 

 

Well, bless the Lord, we all know where he went and where he is!

 

 

 

 

Stephen died with no malice towards his murderers!

 

 

 

I am sure if you are reading this, you have been wronged.

 

 

On many levels and in several situations. You've been wronged.

 

 

Some say, "how could God allow this?"

 

Well, sin allows it. We have a free will. You are for God, or you are against God.

 

The other night WSU was playing. I wanted them to win being that I am a Kansas girl born and raised... but it wasn't the end of the world to me if they lost. Life goes on in my humble opinion.

 

 

It isn't like that with serving God. You are all in. Or all out.

 

 

Those who killed Stephen and those who persecute Christians are not for God.

 

 

But you don't have to be stoning somebody to death to be in the wrong...

 

 

 

 

You have forgiveness that is due to someone in your heart.

 

 

 

 

If we want God to forgive us of our sins, and expect Him to do just that and not hold it against us any longer, what makes us any different in the way we chose to forgive others.

 

 

There may be a person who comes to mind. Just the thought of them makes a knot in your stomach.

 

 

Ask God to release the hatred and anger you have towards them and replace feelings of love and peace.

 

He will do that if you ask Him to.

 

 

Life is too short to die bitter. God is coming back for those without spot or blemish.

 

Clean your heart up. Clean your mind up.

 

 

Make it right with others.

 

 

 

Maybe it's you who needs to say you're sorry.

 

 

 

Whatever the Spirit is telling you to do, do just that.

 

 

 

Please don't waste any more time.

 

 

 

Run to the Father. He will set you free today.

 

 

Today is YOUR day!

 

 

Take some time and read Matthew, chapters 24 and 25.

 

Life changing stuff...

 

Have a blessed Palm Sunday!



Get Ready

I feel such an urgency to write today.

RSV, pneumonia, bronchitis and sinus infections have all been circulating through our home for two weeks now.

Somehow, the mother, (me), has not got any of it! I truly believe God knows I need to be healthy to keep this place running and take care of my family who has been ill.

I was having a great talk with my sister in law last night about our relationship with the Lord.

I expressed to her how I fear at times that we as good, holy living Christians don't get or understand how NARROW the pathway really is that leads to heaven.

Well, let me tell ya this.

I know people like to throw around the word judgmental, dogmatic, and legalistic. And believe you me, I am none of those words. I come from a home where my dad used to be an alcoholic. I ran around with the wrong crowd until I got saved in high school. I didn't get saved at four years old and I can't say the worst thing I ever did was steal a cookie from the cookie jar. Sin is sin though, and I don't look down on people who are in sin or who have sinned or whatever. I simply hate sin. I have been asking the Lord lately to reveal to me anything in my life that isn't pleasing to Him. I ask Him, "Lord, will you show me what needs to be taken out of my life? Will you show me if something is hindering my walk with you? Even if it's just a little bad, like 1% bad, will you show me that?"

I seriously want God to say "COME IN THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT," more than anything in the world.

I am NOT a know it all... Only God knows who is and isn't going to heaven.

But, hear me out for a second.

I believe firmly that you don't just barely get into Heaven.

 I believe God sent Jesus Christ, His Son to this Earth through a virgin birth to die on the Cross for your sins and for mine and that if we grasp that, if we grasp the fact that he bled and died a horrible death for you and me, willingly, that when you repent of your sins, your fowl mouth, your druggin' or drinkin' habits, your hatefulness towards others, your immodest dressing, your gossiping tongue, your jealous spirit...

that will go away pretty quick because you have passed from death unto life!

 I realized I was a sinner when I accepted Christ and I realized that He loved me enough to save me from Hell and all He asks of me is that I SEPERATE myself from the darkness of this world and be a light for Him. That's it.

If you are saved, TRULY and REALLY born again, it needs to hurt you to hurt Him.

If it doesn't, check yourself.

Only you know if you are backslid or even really saved.

Hell is going to be a bad, bad place. It isn't some big drinking party like I have heard people joke.

It is full of torment and pain. And separation from God, forever. Separation from any form of peace.

I don't want you to go there. I don't want anyone to go there. I don't want the ISIS group to go there. I don't want the guy who molested his little girl to go there. I don't want the woman who drowned her own kids to go there. I don't want the person who gossips and tears others down constantly to go there. I don't want anyone to go there. And God for sure doesn't either.

He gave you and I what I call a FREE WILL to do as you please. You have the power to turn away the Creator of the Universe. You also have the power to accept Him and live in peace and with Him for eternity.

Is your phone keeping you from where you need to be with God? Are you too caught up in social media? How about porn? How about texting people of the opposite sex when you're married? Hey, if they aren't your relative and if your spouse doesn't even know you're texting the person, that's a no brainer to not text them. I don't care the age or the situation. That goes for Facebook messaging as well... a ton of affairs start on social media.

Is your television keeping you bound? Get rid of it or burn all your bad movies.

Are you in a relationship with someone that you know isn't even a Christian? Dump them. They probably only want one thing from you anyways...

Do you have revealing clothes? Trash them.

Just pretend Jesus is fixing to come over for dinner. Clean out your closets, under your bed, your kitchen, your living room...

This advice is obviously to those who want to please God.

You can take it or leave it. You aren't going to hurt my feelings. But, you will God's.

PLEASE, I beg of you.

GET READY.

Get your soul ready. Your home ready. Your heart and mind ready. Get your family ready.

Time is ticking...