"I forgive you"...
Have you ever found yourself inexplicably able to speak these words with honesty, more easily than you would have ever imagined you would be capable of doing? It's that moment when God loves the person who has offended or wronged you, through you. And every ounce of your being believes it and means it.
But what of the occasional moments that take you by surprise with a sudden and unexpected burst of anger or revulsion for the one you've forgiven? Where does that come from and why? When once forgiveness is offered, why are there times when emotions and remembrances drag us back to the place of bondage to bitterness?
These are questions for which I've yet to find answers...at least answers that satisfy. The best I've known so far is that forgiveness is not just a one time deal, but a continual offering of love and grace. And when I let my guard down and dabble in remembering a record of wrongs, my heart is easily drawn to the wounds and the hurt caused by others. But love keeps no record of wrongs. And though I am tempted from time to time to dwell on things past, and reopen wounds healed and forgiven, I can still be an overcomer of this temptation when I call to mind that Jesus also paid for every sin ever committed against me. And in dwelling on His grace and love, it once again becomes easier to offer the same grace and love to others.
Matthew 6:12 "and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us."
Friday, February 14, 2014
Whoever Hates
Proverbs 26:24-26 "Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart. When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. Though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly."
These verses suggest that in the assembly of God's elect, though hateful people disguise themselves with lies and gracious speech, their wickedness will be exposed. How?
"there are seven abominations in his heart".
What are the seven abominations that would expose the wickedness of hateful people?
Proverbs 6:16 says, "There are six things that The Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him;
1).haughty eyes
(surmising, hostile, unkind, jealous, envious, mean, nasty, condemning or indifferent)
2).a lying tongue
(or even one that merely suggests or insinuates false things about others)
3).hands that shed innocent blood
(Jesus said if you hate your brother you've committed murder in your heart already)
4).a heart that devises wicked plans
(planning anything outside of God's will)
5).feet that make haste to run to evil
(they long for and look forward to the next opportunity to indulge in wrong doing of any kind)
6).a false witness who breathes out lies
(also includes gossip, malicious talk, surmising, one who leaves out the truth)
7).one who sows discord among brothers
(inspiring disharmony, distrust, anger, defensiveness, hostility, uneasiness or sorrow)
These markers are fairly straight forward. Consider, Are you like this? Do you hang around anyone like this?
Jesus was willing to walk with many sinners. But He never spent time validating or bolstering the confidence of unrepentant people who continually run back to their sinful ways and then try to justify or down play it.
These people desire to indulge in wickedness. Their hearts beat faster at the thought of it, and their ears tingle with wicked glee when they hear tidbits of gossip. They delight to know it and seek it out. And they delight to spread it around. They don't care who gets hurt. They actually desire to hurt the reputations of others with their lies and half truths.
But they know that such behavior is unacceptable for God's people so they use language that would deceive others in order to blend in with them. They often manipulate those in the church and play upon their sympathy, but though their speech may be gracious, but do not believe them. Consider their reputations and their habits, the "fun" they seek out, including the kind of conversation they engage in both publicly or privately. And consider what they do to others. Do they build them up, or tear others down? Are they forgiving or do they harbor bitterness and condemnation for those whom they feel have hurt them?
It is good to consider the Psalmists words in Psalm 1:1
"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers".
These verses suggest that in the assembly of God's elect, though hateful people disguise themselves with lies and gracious speech, their wickedness will be exposed. How?
"there are seven abominations in his heart".
What are the seven abominations that would expose the wickedness of hateful people?
Proverbs 6:16 says, "There are six things that The Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him;
1).haughty eyes
(surmising, hostile, unkind, jealous, envious, mean, nasty, condemning or indifferent)
2).a lying tongue
(or even one that merely suggests or insinuates false things about others)
3).hands that shed innocent blood
(Jesus said if you hate your brother you've committed murder in your heart already)
4).a heart that devises wicked plans
(planning anything outside of God's will)
5).feet that make haste to run to evil
(they long for and look forward to the next opportunity to indulge in wrong doing of any kind)
6).a false witness who breathes out lies
(also includes gossip, malicious talk, surmising, one who leaves out the truth)
7).one who sows discord among brothers
(inspiring disharmony, distrust, anger, defensiveness, hostility, uneasiness or sorrow)
These markers are fairly straight forward. Consider, Are you like this? Do you hang around anyone like this?
Jesus was willing to walk with many sinners. But He never spent time validating or bolstering the confidence of unrepentant people who continually run back to their sinful ways and then try to justify or down play it.
These people desire to indulge in wickedness. Their hearts beat faster at the thought of it, and their ears tingle with wicked glee when they hear tidbits of gossip. They delight to know it and seek it out. And they delight to spread it around. They don't care who gets hurt. They actually desire to hurt the reputations of others with their lies and half truths.
But they know that such behavior is unacceptable for God's people so they use language that would deceive others in order to blend in with them. They often manipulate those in the church and play upon their sympathy, but though their speech may be gracious, but do not believe them. Consider their reputations and their habits, the "fun" they seek out, including the kind of conversation they engage in both publicly or privately. And consider what they do to others. Do they build them up, or tear others down? Are they forgiving or do they harbor bitterness and condemnation for those whom they feel have hurt them?
It is good to consider the Psalmists words in Psalm 1:1
"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers".
Friday, January 31, 2014
Not to Fear But to Trust
Ok, so I'm running on fumes. Let me tell you why.
It isn't that I've got a million (well, ok nine) mouths to feed. And it isn't the amount of work there is in running a house occupied by nine.
I awoke several times last night and each time my heart was crying out to Jesus for my children. I so desperately want them to know The Lord and His mercy that I think about their faith even while I sleep. I dream about it and hope for it even when my mind is supposed to be resting. So at 4:30 this morning I was up and slicing tomatoes as I prayed, because I couldn't get back to sleep.
Every day I have to commit my children to The Lord. It is a discipline of my heart not to fear, but to trust in the One who loves them even more than I love them. He is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. So I wait. And I trust. And I do my best to do more than the little "heart checks" that flit by through out the day.
These little "heart checks" are good, but they are just not enough. They do not take the place of teaching them to fear The Lord. They do not take the place of praying with them, teaching them Truth, correcting them or shepherding their little hearts through life or into a deeper understanding of God's word. For all these things I look to Jesus. When I awake in the night, my heart is asking Him for these kinds of moments. And I also pray that He will cause their hearts to be soft and receptive to His leading and guiding.
Deuteronomy 6:7 "Teach them (God's laws) to your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
It isn't that I've got a million (well, ok nine) mouths to feed. And it isn't the amount of work there is in running a house occupied by nine.
I awoke several times last night and each time my heart was crying out to Jesus for my children. I so desperately want them to know The Lord and His mercy that I think about their faith even while I sleep. I dream about it and hope for it even when my mind is supposed to be resting. So at 4:30 this morning I was up and slicing tomatoes as I prayed, because I couldn't get back to sleep.
Every day I have to commit my children to The Lord. It is a discipline of my heart not to fear, but to trust in the One who loves them even more than I love them. He is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. So I wait. And I trust. And I do my best to do more than the little "heart checks" that flit by through out the day.
These little "heart checks" are good, but they are just not enough. They do not take the place of teaching them to fear The Lord. They do not take the place of praying with them, teaching them Truth, correcting them or shepherding their little hearts through life or into a deeper understanding of God's word. For all these things I look to Jesus. When I awake in the night, my heart is asking Him for these kinds of moments. And I also pray that He will cause their hearts to be soft and receptive to His leading and guiding.
Deuteronomy 6:7 "Teach them (God's laws) to your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
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