Oatmeal isn’t the only right thing to do… forgiveness is the ultimate right thing to do!
"The king summoned the man and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn't you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?' The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that's exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn't forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy."
Matthew 18:32-35 [MSG]
We apologize for the less than optimal sound quality on this series... but we hope the messages will touch your hearts.
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On a snowy day, an altrusitic act is appreciated. On a sunny day, a simple greeting is ignored. The temptation comes to get offended. We must not give in to that temptation!
21 Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? [As many as] up to seven times? 22 Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven! 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a human king who wished to settle accounts with his attendants. 24 When he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents [probably about $10,000,000], 25 And because he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made. 26 So the attendant fell on his knees, begging him, Have patience with me and I will pay you everything. 27 And his master's heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him [cancelling] the debt. 28 But that same attendant, as he went out, found one of his fellow attendants who owed him a hundred denarii [about twenty dollars]; and he caught him by the throat and said, Pay what you owe! 29 So his fellow attendant fell down and begged him earnestly, Give me time, and I will pay you all ! 30 But he was unwilling, and he went out and had him put in prison till he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow attendants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and told everything that had taken place to their master. 32 Then his master called him and said to him, You contemptible and wicked attendant! I forgave and cancelled all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 And should you not have had pity and mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity and mercy on you? 34 And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed. 35 So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses.
Matthew 18:21-35 [AMP]
We apologize for the less than optimal sound quality on this series... but we hope the messages will touch your hearts.
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Why is it some people seem to go out of their way to make you feel bad? Human nature would say to strike back... to do something mean and nasty back to them as revenge. But the Bible tells us that Good Sense dictates that we restrain our anger... that we overlook the offensive things that others do. This opens the door for love to come in.
Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.
Proverbs 19:11 [AMP]
8 Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others].
9 Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him).
1 Peter 4:8-9 [AMP]
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God will see your righteous behavior and defend you. Unfortunately, people sometimes see your righteous behavior and accuse you of being unrighteous.
We see an example of that in the Old Testament. A woman who wanted to have a baby prayed to ask God for a blessing. The man of God saw her and assumed she was drunk.
And as she continued praying before the Lord, Eli noticed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.
1 Samuel 1:12-13 [AMP]
In the Bible, Hannah (not to be confused with Hannah Montana) was falsely accused by the prophet of being drunk when, in fact, she was praying to the Lord. And would you believe that this Old Testament faux pas is repeated today in the 21st Century? But just as He did in the olden days, God still protects those whose hearts are right in His eyes.
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Our friend Charlie Peacock wrote a wonderful song called “Monkeys At The Zoo” to describe those things in our lives that can wreck our personal walk with The Defender.
You may be a perfect Christian, but I definitely am not. I know what it is like to catch yourself (or to be caught by The Spirit) acting like a monkey in the zoo. Fortunately, we can repent... receive forgiveness... and continue to live within the protection and defense of the Lord.
My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:17 [AMP]
If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
1 John 1:9 [AMP]
God is our Defender. He will send His hosts to deliver you from those who rise up to destroy you. What a wonderful promise. However, it is important to remember that, in order to be a recipient of His protection, we must live the type of life that honors Him.
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A favorite TV show from our childhood was The Equalizer, a master spy who would be your personal defender in times of trouble.
That show has since been canceled. The star of the series is now deceased. And worse of all... this was fiction and not real life. But there is a Defender Who is real, Who will never go away, Who will be quick to defend you... and He is always there!
For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service].
Psalm 91:11 [AMP]
God will defend and protect you. He will send His angels to accompany and defend and preserve you. He does this because He is a loving Father. Part of the requirement for receiving His protection is when we obey and serve God. As you walk with Him, you will grow to know Him more.
God will defeat your enemy (satan) and hold off all who would work against you… and he will discipline you when you screw up. He is your Father. He is your defender.
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What is the worse sin? Is it lying? Murder? Adultery? The Bible lists seven things that God hates. If God hates something, then logic and reasoning would say that you ought not to do such a thing. What are those seven things that God hates?
16These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:
17A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,
19A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.
Proverbs 6:16-19 [AMP]
This week’s podcast is seven minutes of wisdom on those things that God hates. Don’t do those things!
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A mature Christian is one who walks the Love Walk...
As a spiritual baby, you just cry and mess yourself (and others) a lot. But as you mature in your spirituality... you make the right decisions. And the best decision is to let the Love of God flow through you into the lives of others.
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If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
John 3:16-18 [MSG]
4 But God--so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, 5 Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation).
Our long-form audio teaching Forgive Me, Forgive You is available for on-line listening... free of charge.
