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One of the most frequent issues I deal with as a pastor is the issue of forgiveness. There is so much hurt among people and the tendency is to bottle it up in an unforgiving spirit. It would be easier to hold a grudge, but Scripture is clear we have an obligation to forgive…just as we have been forgiven.
Whenever I address this issue, I get push back from those who say they can’t get over what was done to them. I remind them that the Bible doesn’t say we must forget, but to forgive. There’s a huge difference. It doesn’t even say we should allow forgiveness to be an open door for continued abuse by someone. The goal is to free our hearts by letting go of the anger, bitterness, and frustration with the person who wronged you.
This is not only because God commanded it, but practically speaking, the emotions brought on by failing to forgive begin to control you and serve no purpose to repair the relationship or you. Holding onto the pain certainly doesn’t teach the other person a lesson or make them a better person. Of course, when the other person keeps causing new injury it makes it even tougher, but it doesn’t release us from an obligation to forgive.
Forgiveness brings much to a person’s life:
Too many people shy away from what God has called them to do…
They run because of:
- Fear…
- Uncertainty…
- Past mistakes…
- ???????
I’ve learned, however, that the sweetest days of life are when you are found within the center of God’s will for your life...
Even as scary, unknown, and risky as living that will may appear…
So…let me ask you…
Are you doing what God has burdened your heart to do?
If not, what’s your next move?
I hope you are continuing to memorize these verses. Â About this time, gyms empty out because many with a resolution to exercise have fallen out of the habit…or never gained a habit…as the case may be. The same is true here. Now is not the time to give up, but to press forward until a habit fully forms.
Here is this week’s memory verse:
I hope you and I will like by this verse this week and always…
When your “Gospel” is the risen Christ…you can face anything that comes your way.
We have had an incredible journey these last five years as a new church. God continues to amaze us. I am consistently asked the story of starting Grace Community Church. Specifically other planters want to know what we did prior to launch. I’ve been asked enough that I thought it was worth sharing here.
The vision for Grace was placed on my heart 10 years before this process began. There were three of us sharing the vision, but the other two moved, I wasn’t in full-time ministry at the time, so the dream basically died…at least to me.
That’s when our timeline begins in May of 2004:
There is often a difference in…
Knowing…
And…
Doing…
When it comes to right things…things we should know and do…
You can know the right things to do…and never do the right things…
In my experience, not doing is often a bigger problem than not knowing…
Many people who know never do…
Yet…
The margin between knowing and doing may determine the degree of success you attain…
What is the current margin between your knowing and your doing?
But even if my life is to be poured out like a drink offering to complete the sacrifice of your faithful service (that is, if I am to die for you), I will rejoice, and I want to share my joy with all of you. Philippians 2:17 NLT
Would you be willing to die for another person’s spiritual growth? I’m not sure I’m with Paul on this one yet, because as much as I like to see people growing spiritually, I don’t know if sacrificing my life for their growth is yet an option.
Paul, though, was seeing life through an eternal perspective. Remember he said earlier in the same letter, “for me to live is Christ and to die is great gain.†He recognized that the purpose of his life was to encourage others in Christ.
I’m reminded of an old song. Perhaps you’ve heard it. I don’t think it is copyrighted, but here goes:
In our series called Modern Family, I opened with a message on the purpose of marriage. I’m not certain most couples fully understand why God created marriage…and I’m especially not sure we often live according to those purposes.
Feel free to dialogue with me after the message:
Did you know Compassion International connects with the local church? Through their child development program and child sponsorship program, Compassion runs its ministry through a local, Bible-believing, Christian church. Â I never knew that.
This week I’ve been with a group of pastors learning more about Compassion International in Ecuador. With every project we visited we went to a local church, met the pastor, and saw firsthand the impact the church and Compassion are having on the community. We saw adults who were children in the program, who now are reinvesting into other Compassion children…through the local church.
As a local church pastor, I love that vision! Â Did you know that? ]
Learn more about Compassion International HERE.
Okay, I admit, this week is a tough one…
Here is this weeks Bible verse to memorize:
What if we all lived by that verse this week? What difference would it make in the world around us?
Are you naturally a complainer…or do you just tend to comply?
If you’ve been following my blog this week, I’m in Ecuador with a group of pastors on behalf of Compassion International.
We were blown away today as we entered a village in the mountains of Ecuador. It took an hour to drive the curvy dirt road, our bus got stuck, and we walked a short distance to the village. Upon rounding a corner, we saw a crowd waiting for us. Hundreds of children from the village had formed a receiving line where they gave us a rose (Ecuador is famous for their roses) and a homemade card welcoming us to their village. It was slightly overwhelming.
Have you ever received an overwhelming undeserved show of affection?
I can’t help but share this picture. This little boy warmed my heart (as did many others). I’m not sure he knew how cute he is!
It’s Friday discussion time!
Let’s discuss spiritual growth…specifically yours.
I’m always interested in spiritual growth, because…well…that’s kind of what I do!
Help me by telling me some of your spiritual growth process.
To help you think, consider answering some or all of these questions:
Are you closer to God today than you were a year ago?
If not, what changed?
Is yes, what did you do differently?
What helps you most to grow spiritually?
Was there a time in your life where you felt the closest to God?
Who is mostly responsible, in your opinion, for your spiritual growth?
Do you practice any spiritual disciplines, such as Bible reading, prayer, fasting, tithing, etc.? If so, what do you do?
What changes would you need to make to grow more spiritually?
Help me out…tell me about your spiritual growth…
Discuss…engage…Go!
Day 2 of visiting Compassion Projects in Ecuador was my favorite so far, and it happened because of one little boy. He’s one of the boys in this picture. When I went to take his picture he asked if his “best friends” could be in the picture too. I loved that!
Anyway, this little boy was asked what he liked best about Compassion International sponsorship program and he said, “God blessed me with the opportunity to meet my sponsors.” Wow! That’s the part about Compassion I like the best! It’s an open book. Today I saw the records…I saw the documents…I saw the paperworks side…but more than that…I saw the kids who many people sponsor. If you sponsor a child with Compassion International, you can make a visit to that child…and they feel “blessed by God” when you do.
By the way, if you do sponsor a child…
During the 1950’s, Evangelist Everett Swanson traveled to South Korea to preach the gospel to the troops in the Republic of Korea army. During his visit, he encountered children orphaned by the war hanging out in garbage dumps. They were searching for food, shelter, and hiding from the reality of their existence. Sometimes the garbage trucks would avoid them…sometimes they wouldn’t. Obviously, it burdened Swanson’s heart, but not knowing how to solve a mammoth problem, he headed home to the United States.
Soon after his return, Rev. Swanson was challenged by a missionary friend with a haunting question.
“What are you going to do about the orphans?â€
He couldn’t continue without doing something, and from that burden, Compassion International began.
Today, Compassion International is changing the lives of children around the world. I love that Compassion connects to a local church and does ministry through that church. Compassion focuses on four aspects of the child’s life; social, physical, emotional, and spiritual. It is estimated that every child helped impacts 30 other people around the child.
Amazing what a small monthly amount can do!
This week I’m in Ecuador with a group of pastors and ministry leaders, including our family pastor Michael Bayne, and my good friend Casey Graham.
We are here on behalf of Compassion International seeing the work they do to improve the world of children around the world.
We will see first hand where an individual’s monthly dollars to support Compassion children goes. I look forward to reporting to you what I see. I’ve never been to Ecuador, but so far it looks much like countries I have seen, such as Costa Rica, Brazil, and Mexico. I have learned, however, that there is a rich uniqueness about each people group and I’m excited to explore this one.
Please pray for our team and check out the ministry of Compassion International.