Friday, November 21, 2014

Finding The Power To Forgive

My Utmost For His Highest
 
“God forgives sin only because of the death of Christ. God could forgive people in no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior because of His death. […] Anything that lessens or completely obliterates the holiness of God, through a false view of His love, contradicts the truth of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus Christ stands with us, and against God, out of pity and compassion, or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy for us. Jesus Christ became a curse for us by divine decree. Our part in realizing the tremendous meaning of His curse is the conviction of sin. Conviction is given to us as a gift of shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.” CHAMBERS
 
Have you ever said or thought “I just can’t find it within me to forgive him or her”?  Our strength to forgive does not come from our sense of doing what is right, but from Jesus on the cross.  When we read the Bible we must remember that it is a spiritual book, not a secular self-help book. To obey the Word requires the Spirit of God.  Be careful that you don’t slip into the thinking that what you could not do on your own before you were born again, you can now do on your own.  To live the obedient Christian life requires the power of the Spirit of God.  Your ability to forgive someone is supernatural ..
 
I often tell people that you know that you have forgiven someone when you think about the person or the act and you no longer are angry or upset by the thought. Jesus is the propitiation for us … Romans 3:23-25  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement (propitiation), through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”   He satisfied God’s wrath on the cross for us … In the same way, we are to forgive others … just as we have been forgiven … not by willing it … not by trying to forgive .. or worse .. refusing to forgive … but showing grace and mercy toward others, just like God showed to us … that takes the power of the Spirit my friend.  Ephesians 4:32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.ELGIN
 
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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