Forgiveness

Luke 7:47 (MSG) Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.

Have you ever heard those stories of people that were addicted to drugs? Alcoholics? Gamblers? Sexually impure?

THEN-they have a GOD MOMENT-like Paul in the Bible-on their face blinded before God?
And everything changed.

OR-they have a God MOMENT-like 9 lepers in the Bible-healed from their disease and didn't even say thank you.

So what was the difference? How is is that people that have been forgiven and healed act like nothing ever happened?

1. They are not thankful.
SO many times in the Bible, it talks about giving thanks, being thankful, in all things bring praise, let everything that has breath praise the Lord. YET-time and again, we forget what God has done for us.

2. We focus on what we don't have instead of what we do have.
How much easier is it to write out a list of things that you need instead of things what you have? Our prayers usually are more requests than praises. Lord, I need this. Lord, give me this.
1. Asking for things is NOT wrong.
2. Asking for things without being thankful IS wrong.
3. Asking for things with a bad attitude IS wrong.

So-how do you become like Paul? How do you become thankful and full of gratitude?

1. Change your attitude.
Yes-be positive. Yes-be thankful. Yes-stop complaining. Yes-stop acting like everything in your life is wrong.

No-I am not saying that your life is perfect. No-I am not saying that life is easy. No-I am not saying that your challenges are more than I can even begin to comprehend.

Yes-I am saying that GOD KNOWS! Yes-God has a plan. Yes-God will see YOU through! Yes-You have the strength through Christ! Yes-all things work together for good. Yes-You can trust God with everything.

2. Stay in His Word.
Nothing and no one will fill your need except Jesus Christ. Matt 6:33 Seek Him and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.


3. Stay on your knees.
Phil 4:6-7 Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything...with prayer and thanks...present your requests to God...and He will give you peace!

Thank God. Stay close to God. Live for God.

Forgiveness

I have heard it said that bitterness is like drinking from poison and expecting the other person to die....watch this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv50xrsFNdU&feature=player_embedded
Link about Forgiveness

Everyone has their stories of sadness and sorrow. Some more than others. Some of those decisions have shaped us. Maybe for the good. Maybe for the worse.

But the fact of the matter is that there are many times we forget Jesus in our lives. There are times when we neglect what He says and we do not follow Him.
We run from Him.
We question Him.
We get angry with Him.
We reject Him and His Word.
We despise Him.
We use Him for the good but curse Him for the bad.
We don't want anything to do with Him.


And yes, after all of that, God still loved us enough to send His Son to die for us. Jesus forgave the sin and shame we carry. Even when we neglect, curse, question, or run from Him. He still and always will have open arms to take us back.

He decided to forgive us, knowing our past, present, and future sins.

If Jesus can forgive us, why do we struggle to forgive others? Let Go. Let God take care of it. He knows what you are going through. Trust Him. No one else understands what and why you are going through this. He is the only one that can give you the strength to forgive. He is the only one that can give you the courage to trust Him.

Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

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