Love, Be Kind, Forgive

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 John 4:8

I used to have a hard time telling my friends I loved them. Not sure why but now it is done easily. It is simple to love when love is returned but difficult to do when you know the other person may not like you. Also it sometimes is hard to love an individual who is a tyrant, bully,  or just plain evil and mean. But the Bible tells us to love. 

An exercise in love would be to pray for your enemies and those who do evil and even curse you. It tells us that in Matthew 5:44. It is hard as I well know. Somehow when you do this you feel better. Maybe a hard relationship at work. Perhaps tension in a relationship married or otherwise. God has a way of setting you free when you are able to love, show kindness, and forgive. 

Whether you feel like it or not in your quiet time think of those people hard to love or those you need to forgive and release to God. 

PRAYER: Thank you for the power to love through you and in turn share kindness. It is hard so give me your strength. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Dig Deep

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

Forgiveness is a hard thing to do. Sometimes it is necessary to forgive people even when they are unaware they have hurt you or are at fault. You can dwell on issues and things that have been done to you or you can choose to move on and open your heart and allow God to transform you. It is hard to not forgive and to walk with the Lord at the same time. 

In order to truly forgive you have to purpose in your heart that you will not allow past problems to fester and if a person does not even know they are wrong forgive them in your heart anyway. Ask God to help you mend relationships and not harbor bad feelings.  You have to move on beyond hurts and pains and let Jesus have them.

Today whatever it is that has been bothering you first pray and ask God to help you release this person to Him and let you move beyond resentment and ill will.

PRAYER: I have been hurt by people, sometimes people very close to me who do not even realize it. I need to get beyond the feelings of anger and hatred to showing love and forgiveness regardless.Teach me your ways Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

GRACE

What does it mean to have "grace"? I once heard it means "God's riches at Christ expense". That catchy acronym may be a good way to understand it. The dictionary defines it as "free and unmerited favor of God." It is also kindness we do not deserve because all of us are sinners. 1 Corinthians 6:11(NIV) says 'And such were some of you but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.'

In the movie "Amish Grace" which is based on the true story of the Amish School shootings in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania back on Palm Sunday, March 28,2010. When we hear of school shootings it is shocking enough and we can be flooded with all sorts of emotions. When I learned of the Amish School house shootings it was hard to imagine who would go into a one room school house and target only Amish girls. Most people would want revenge, lawsuits, and hate to be shown to this man and his family. Instead with the news media present these Amish dealing with their own loss and pain forgiving this man and his family. They held no grudges. And they went to the funeral of the killer when no one else cared to.

I guess we could certainly learn a lesson from the Amish. Humanly we may want to strike out and get back at people who have hurt us or killed a family member or friend but God's way is always greater and higher than that. These hurting grieving people reached out and forgave. Forgiveness is the quickest way to healing.

What are you dealing with in your life today? Maybe there was a wrongful death? Perhaps no one has murdered a family member or something that drastic but is there someone you feel does not deserve forgiveness? You will feel better if you can genuinely let go of your hatred and give it to God. Even try praying for your enemies. It says we are to do that in Matthew 5:44. 'But I tell you , love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' I didn't say it, God did.

PRAYER: Father sometimes I find it hard to let go and forgive. I know through you I can learn to do this. I know your son Jesus died on the cross and said to "forgive them for they knew not what they did" so help me Lord to be able to do this if I have to or need to. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click link below for a powerful song of praise to start your Sunday!

http://youtu.be/ObynvvZiUZY

MERCIFUL GOD

What exactly is mercy? Webster's defines it as "compassion shown especially to an offender. A blessing that is an act of divine favor. Compassionate treatment of those in distress.".

Our  God is like that. Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery? In John 8:7-11 he tells people who are without sin to cast the first stone. Then Jesus tells her to go and sin no more. Basically the 'Becky paraphrase' of what he is saying is "Hey there, you think you are perfect and without fault? Well hey guess what? You are not."

Humans may treat people poorly and show rejection to sinners but we all have fallen short of the glory of God it says in Romans 3:23. It saddens me when a parent kicks a child out of the house for telling the parents they are pregnant out of wedlock or something deep like that. Parents are supposed to represent Christ and show love and mercy not tell their own flesh and blood to get out of their sight. They may not like what they did but they are to be there with open arms. Romans 2:4 reminds us that "kindness leads to repentance". Beating up on a person will not win them to the Lord.

Lamentations 3:23 is comforting as it says "Great is his faithfulness. His mercies begin afresh every morning." Luke 6:36 says "Be merciful just as your Father is merciful."  Finally in Ephesians 5:1 it tells us to "be imitators of God therefore as dearly loved children." You know what that means? Work on your mercy meter.

PRAYER: Give me your strength to show mercy and kindness to others. We all need mercy at times and Lord I am thankful you are merciful to us when we have messed up. Thank you. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on link below to praise God in song. May his name be lifted higher.
http://youtu.be/-6GfXa5Ixhw

DON'T BREAK GOD'S HEART

Do you break God's heart?  Do you continually practice sin and ignore Him and His word? Are you ashamed of Him? If Jesus were to walk in where you are right now would you have to stop what you are doing so as not to be embarrassed? Something to think about isn't it?

I just finished reading a book by Dr. David Jeremiah entitled 'Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World' and on page 228 he has a prayer that goes a follows: "Lord help me to live my life from this moment onward in such a way that I never do anything to hurt You or to break Your heart. Not after what You have done for me."  And oh what He did for us,  experiencing a cruel and painful death on a cross so that we might be saved and he took the punishment for our sins past, present, and future.

In our Moms in Prayer group we sometimes pray for our children the following prayer: "Lord break their heart by what breaks your heart."   When praying we believe God hears and will honor that prayer and we do not lose hope even though we may not see a change or get an answer right away.

Are you doing something that breaks God's heart? If so confess and repent and turn away from the sin that separates you from Him. 1 John 1:9 tells us that "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Now go and do the right thing.

PRAYER: Father in heaven I am sorry when I have done things I know displease you. Forgive me when I put other things before you. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on link and listen to an awesome praise song:
http://youtu.be/PzIgOG8lKYY

ARE YOU A SINNER?

You betcha, we all are. The fact is we need to recognize no one is perfect but we also need to not purposely sin when we know something is against what the Bible says. The Bible says in John 8:7 "let he who is without sin cast the first stone".

Many try to talk themselves out of sin by changing what the Bible says. I have heard some say "Well sex before marriage is not a sin if the couple is going to get married", but wait, they are not married yet. (See Hebrews 13:4). Drinking is itself not a sin but drunkenness is.(See Ephesians 5:18). Lying is a sin.(See Colossians 3:9). Cheating is a sin. (Income tax time ring a bell?) Stealing is a sin, such as even office supplies you may innocently take home,

See we are all sinners. "All have sinned and fallen short of God's Glory" it says in Romans 3:23. Some people may like to put some sins into the five 'worst' categories but there is no such thing. Sin is separation from God and doing things against his word, period!The good news is God forgives. 1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

"All of us like sheep have gone astray" it says in Isaiah 53:6.  All of us have! No one is perfect. You point your finger in judgement at someone there are three more pointing back at you so get down off your 'holier than thou' pedestal because pride is a sin too. "But wait that guy on television in the orange jump suit and handcuffs did a much worse sin that what I did." Whoops. There you go again. Judging and classifying right and wrong. That is not our job. Our job is to love, show mercy and grace and be ready to forgive. Can you do that? If not clean up your own act first then ask God for the power to love others despite their shortcomings, as we all have them.


PRAYER: Thanks Lord that you forgive us when we mess up and do things that displease you. Help me Lord stay on the straight and narrow path. I want to walk with you and serve you .Help me see clearly the difference in good and evil and follow after the truth .In Jesus Name. Amen.


Click on link and worship the Lord in song.
http://youtu.be/eNhz8BMTqsk