“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) We have all been wronged at some point and felt the desire to get even. But what is forgiveness? In the Bible, forgiveness means releasing charges against someone—letting go and canceling a debt. It is not an easy thing to do. A person may feel ready to forgive, but true forgiveness involves certain important elements. First, forgiveness must be a choice. It must be voluntary, not forced. It must be intentional—a decision to let go of pain. And it…
I’m okay, we often tell ourselves, but are we? We tend to put on a fake facade when we come to church because we don’t want people to see who we really are. After all, we have a reputation to uphold. We want others to see us as being all put together, a perfectly wrapped package with a beautifully tied bow. Inside, however, we are lying to ourselves and to others. Nor are we being truthful with God about our struggles. We’re not telling God that we’re hurting, struggling, and that the battle we’re fighting is becoming too much for us. We do not admit to God that we’re fighting so much and feel we’re one step away from waving the white flag of surrender. Instead of giving the battle to God, we continue to fight alone, knowing that the end will only mean a casualty—our casualty. Once again, the enemy wins because we are more worried about how people see us than we are about admitting we are struggling. We put on the fake facade of “I’m okay” and refuse to give the battle to God, even though He said it was His (II Chronicles 20:15). At some point,…
Second Timothy 3:16 tells us all scripture is “God-breathed.” The Greek word in this passage is theopneustos. It is the living, breathing, active Word of God that brings life and truth to all those who read it. When you open your Bible, you’re not reading words meant only for an ancient civilization. You are actively becoming part of a never-ending story that God began long before you came into existence. There is incredible power when you take those words, spoken and inspired by God over thousands of years, and repeat them back to Him in prayer. You pray not your own thoughts, priorities, and desires, but you become an active participant in bringing God’s plan and kingdom to earth. So many times, we look at prayer as something separate from reading the Bible. It’s something we do before or after we read His Word. But what if instead, we look at them together and consider prayer as an extension of our Bible reading? As we study the Word of God, it reveals His heart to us. The things that He cares about, the things that move Him, should also be what move us when we know His heart. Often, our…
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you,” John 14:15-18 Sometimes I find myself trying to figure out how the Lord can be everywhere at once. With the millions of people in this world, it is hard to understand…
“But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:3-4 The last post was about letting the Holy Spirit guide us in our giving. I received a comment with the question: “How do you see that playing out in everyday life?” So, I will try to answer that question in today’s article. I want to emphasize that we are all different and have different incomes and obligations in our lives. God does not expect the same commitment from you as He does from me. So, I can only speak from my own experience. Here are some ways that I have felt the Lord wanted me to give beyond my tithes and offerings to my local church. Missions –send an offering to a missionary or the Pastor of a small church that may be struggling. Let the Spirit lead you. You may be the answer to a specific prayer. Homeless – a group in our church takes a day to deliver food and supplies to homeless people in our city. When you are out…
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38 At our Seniors’ Fellowship a few months ago, the subject of using cash arose. Most people said they did not carry cash. They rely on credit cards or online banking to pay bills and buy supplies. I asked them what they did when the Holy Spirit prompted them to give money to someone. One replied that they would go to the ATM and take out some cash. But that is not always possible. Each month when my pensions are deposited in my account, my first step is to pay my tithes and offerings to the church. I pay my rent and other monthly bills. Then I ask the Lord, “To whom can I be a blessing this month?” Then I go to the Bank and withdraw some cash. I am thankful for the way God has blessed me abundantly with everything that I need. And I want to share what I can with others. It seems the more I…