Good Friday

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does Jesus love me, free gift of salvation, Good Friday, Jesus became flesh, Jesus loves you, jesus sacrifice, what did Jesus do for us, what Jesus did for us

John 19:1-42 (HCSB)
¹  Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
²  The soldiers also twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and threw a purple robe around Him.
³  And they repeatedly came up to Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and were slapping His face.
⁴  Pilate went outside again and said to them, “Look, I’m bringing Him outside to you to let you know I find no grounds for charging Him.”
⁵  Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
⁶  When the chief priests and the temple police saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate responded, “Take Him and crucify Him yourselves, for I find no grounds for charging Him.”
⁷  “We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”
⁸  When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever.
⁹  He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus did not give him an answer.
¹⁰  So Pilate said to Him, “You’re not talking to me? Don’t You know that I have the authority to release You and the authority to crucify You?”
¹¹  “You would have no authority over Me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
¹²  From that moment Pilate made every effort to release Him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”
¹³  When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha).
¹⁴  It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning. Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!”
¹⁵  But they shouted, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?” “We have no king but Caesar!” the chief priests answered.
¹⁶  So then, because of them, he handed Him over to be crucified. Therefore they took Jesus away.
¹⁷  Carrying His own cross, He went out to what is called Skull Place, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.
¹⁸  There they crucified Him and two others with Him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.
¹⁹  Pilate also had a sign lettered and put on the cross. The inscription was: JESUS THE NAZARENE THE KING OF THE JEWS.
²⁰  Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
²¹  So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”
²²  Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written.”
²³  When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took His clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top.
²⁴  So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it.” ⌊They did this⌋ to fulfill the Scripture that says: They divided My clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for My clothing. And this is what the soldiers did.
²⁵  Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
²⁶  When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing there, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.”
²⁷  Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
²⁸  After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, He said, “I’m thirsty!”
²⁹  A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it up to His mouth.
³⁰  When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
³¹  Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special day). They requested that Pilate have the men’s legs broken and that ⌊their bodies⌋ be taken away.
³²  So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with Him.
³³  When they came to Jesus, they did not break His legs since they saw that He was already dead.
³⁴  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.
³⁵  He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.
³⁶  For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of His bones will be broken.
³⁷  Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the One they pierced.
³⁸  After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took His body away.
³⁹  Nicodemus (who had previously come to Him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes.
⁴⁰  Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the aromatic spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews.
⁴¹  There was a garden in the place where He was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it.
⁴²  They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation and since the tomb was nearby.

*image by Urdu Bible

 

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Seeking Freedom…Still!

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being free, free indeed, freedom, freedom for all, freedom in Christ, freedom in Jesus, how to keep the chains off for good, how to live in freedom, how to live without fear, keeping the chains off, living chain free, my chains are gone, no fear, no fear in Christ, no longer a slave to fear, no more chains

On Sunday, I had the privilege of singing No Longer a Slave to Fear with my congregation. It is such a beautiful proclamation, one that makes me lift my hands in praise every time. As I was singing though, I had to ask if what I was singing was true. Fear is such an issue with me. There are seasons in my life when I have allowed God to truly break me from it, and other seasons when it is a struggle. It is so frustrating to know that victory is possible, but to somehow have ended back in defeat. It reminded me of a blog I had written several years back, so I thought I’d share it once again. Enjoy!

So, there I was Sunday morning singing, “My chains are gone. I’ve been set free. My God my Savior has ransomed me…” You all know the song and chances are you are singing along by now. I must confess though, I’m a little tired of it. It’s been around for years now and at one convention when it was the new and upcoming worship song, I bet my husband and I sat through five renditions of it…no joke. Sometimes you can only take so much of a good thing.

On this particular Sunday though, I was sitting by my oldest who usual attends college in another part of the state. He was harmonizing so beautifully, and it really made me hear it again in a fresh way. Tears came to my eyes as I realized that my chains really were gone. I knew without a doubt that I was free in Christ! I knew that He paid the price for my chains to be gone completely, and I felt as light as a bird. I was free!

 But, did you see me Sunday night? Did you see me skulking in the corner putting my chains back on? Throughout the day I must have decided that I liked the heaviness of them. Somehow, I must have come to the conclusion that my fetters had not chafed my skin enough.

Between the two Sunday services, I re-shackled myself! I snuck away and decided to put the chains of unforgiveness back on. They were as heavy and as cumbersome as ever. I guess I decided I liked the weight.

I also fastened back the grip of arrogance. You know, sitting and deciding what others should be doing.

Oh, and did you see that I took that old habit of complaining and decided to wear it like a cloak once again? The heaviness of it almost broke me, but it was familiar. I must really like the familiar.

What in the world?! Am I free, or not? Are my chains really gone, or was it a delusion? Where is the sustaining power of freedom? Where are these shackles coming from? The apostle Paul proclaims in I Corinthians 10:1, “Am I not free?!” and I find myself asking the same.

The Word tells us in Galatians 5:1, “Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” This verse tells me that I’m not the only one who has put their chains back on after finding freedom. The people of Galatia apparently had the same issue.

Once again though, I must ask myself the question, “How do I stop?” Scripture tells me that Christ wants me to be free, so there must be a way. In John 8:32, I am reminded that the “truth will make you free.” So, what is the truth about freedom?

Leviticus 26:13 says, “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, so that you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to live in freedom.” I love where it says that God “enabled us to live in freedom.” The truth is that living in freedom is possible through the enabling of Christ. After all, “all things are possible through Him”, right? So, we discover God enables us to live in freedom. It’s so encouraging to know He understands we cannot do this without Him!

Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;” This Scripture is talking about Jesus. It says clearly that Jesus came to “proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners.” The truth is that Christ did not come to shackle us with expectations and burdens. He came to set us free from those expectations and burdens. Why do we keep forgetting what Jesus says in Matthew, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light”? Jesus came for freedom, not burdens!

Jeremiah 34:17 says, “Therefore, this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed Me by proclaiming freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. I hereby proclaim freedom for you”—⌊this is⌋ the LORD’s declaration—“to the sword, to plague, and to famine…”

Wow! This Scripture tells us that the Lord Himself proclaims freedom over us because we wouldn’t do it for ourselves. He has given us freedom over the sword, plague and the famine. I don’t know about you, but I need freedom from a famine right now. I have been in a desert for some time simply going from “strength to strength” (Psalm 84:7). I need the chains of my famine to be gone, and I see that in the book of Jeremiah the truth is the Lord has already proclaimed it!

I now know that God has given me freedom and declared liberty over every part of my life, but how do I enjoy that freedom? What must happen?

II Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

So, the truth is we must be where His Spirit is to enjoy freedom. When we have trusted Christ as Savior, His Spirit is inside of us already, so we must be ever-listening, ever-conscious and ever-submitting to His presence. That’s true freedom. No worries about others; He has it handled. No concerns over daily strife; He has that as well. No frustrations, because He is not surprised. That’s peace. That’s freedom. Life in general often causes us to forget this, but we can rest assured that when we are where we are supposed to be, (in God’s presence), there is freedom. The truth is, if we are not free, we are not in the right place.

We also need to be aware that Galatians 2:4 gives us a clear warning. It says, “This issue arose because of false brothers smuggled in, who came in secretly to spy on the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.” The truth is I have an enemy who wants my freedom. He hates that I am free. He will use whatever means necessary (including other people) to steal my freedom. So, I must remember that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12). The truth is I need to be so focused on Christ that others around me do not have the ability to steal my freedom.

II Peter 2:19 is another great reminder. It says, “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them.”

I must remember the truth that I am only enslaved to whatever defeats me. Nothing is worth that. Nothing is worth re-shackling myself in those chains, no matter how familiar it may feel. If I am being defeated, I am not free.

Now it’s our choice. We know that our freedom depends on allowing God to enable us to live in the liberty that He has given to us. We know that we are indeed free in Christ because God Himself has proclaimed it and we also know that “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” May we truly live in that freedom. May we also remember that our enemy is after our freedom, and when we are defeated by anything, we are chained to it, just like a prisoner.

Prayerfully, the next time we sing “My chains are gone, I’ve been set free…” may it be a reminder of what God has already done in our lives. May it remind us of what used to be, and not what still needs to happen. May the freedom of Christ encompass our lives in such a way that the weight and scars of old chains are long forgotten.

The truth is God has proclaimed our freedom. Let’s live it!

Seeking Hearts Ministries

*photo from Clipart collection

Meet a Friend Day

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Christianity, faith, focusing on God in hard times, focusing on the Lord, God never lets go, God's faithfulness, how to have faith in difficulties, never failing God, reflections, trust, trusting God, trusting god in the pain, truth

This blog is from a friend of mine that I had the privilege of serving with at a conference in Ohio over a year ago. She recently started a blog and this particular one really touched my heart…so I had to share it with you all.  Click on the link below and enjoy! I know you will be blessed.

Leah’s blog 

** Photo by clipartpanda

 

Can God be Trusted?

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a great way to live, am i really trusting god, can God be trusted, Can I trust God, daily trust, dependence on God, does god ever fail, does God fail people, encouragement, encouragement to keep hanging on, is depending on God worth it, is God worth trusting, living in trust, trust, what does trusting God look like, will God fail me

This week’s blog is a video I made over a year ago, but God kept bringing it to mind once again. What a beautiful reminder to keep us going this year…our God can be trusted.

Can God be Trusted?

Just Go a Little Farther

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a better view is coming, being sure of God's faithfulness, certainty of God's goodness, encouragement, encouragement to keep hanging on, encouragement to keep walking with Jesus, faith, faith in the Lord, faith the size of a mutard seed, going a little further for a better view, hanging on, hope, how to keep hope alive, how to keep trusting God when things seem hopeless, just keep going, keeping the faith, trusting God, trusting God when things are tough

A friend of mine on Facebook posted this beautiful picture with this caption: “Sometimes you have to walk a little farther to get a better view.”

Isn’t that so true? Oftentimes, I’m in a place of discouragement, but as I keep hanging on to my Savior’s hand, I eventually end up in a place of beauty. I don’t know why it surprises me. After all, this is exactly what He says will happen in His Word. Isaiah 61:1-3 says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the LORD to glorify Him.”

When we go a little farther, our God exchanges a bad view for a great view, a muddled outlook for clarity, mourning for festive oil, captivity for freedom. The list goes on and on. All we have to do is just go a little farther.

As many of you know, my husband and I love to hike. Put some dirt under our feet and we are happy people. I especially love when our destination includes a waterfall.

This past summer, my man and I decided to take a 9 1/2 mile hike that included a massive waterfall. Trekking in, all became worthwhile when we started to hear the roar and then see the utterly spectacular view of this incredible creation. Going out however, well, that didn’t hold the same appeal. Going in, we could say, “Just a little farther and we get to see the Falls.” Going out, all we would see was the parking lot…which eventually began to have its own appeal.

On life’s journey, we don’t know what’s around the bend. We don’t know what the year, or even next month will bring, but when we are abiding in Christ, we know that sometimes we have to walk a little farther to get a better view. We know that when we hold the hand of Jesus, whether it’s the waterfall, or the parking lot, an even better view is coming.

Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.”

Psalm 27:13 says, “I am certain that I will see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living.”

How could the Psalmist be so sure? He was sure because he had walked just a little farther. He was certain that he would see the Lord’s goodness on this earth because he simply kept taking the next step of faith. He was hand in hand with His Savior, straining to see the better view that he knew was coming. He had faith that God had come to him to set him free and change all his despair into realized hope. He just had to walk a little farther.

So, if your year is starting out great, or not so great, you can know that when you go a little farther with Jesus the view will always get better. Keep hanging on to Him, dear one, strain to see the better view, knowing that you “will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.”

** Thank you Cindy Osborne for the picture and caption.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

Great Start for the Year – Part 2

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bible to back up your vision, do i have a purpose, don't stop praying, fulfilling God's purpose in your life, great start for the year, how to find hope, how to find joy, how to fulfill my purpose, how to keep new years resolutions, joy for the new year, new beginnings, new years resolutions, scripture to meditate on for hope, starting the new year right

Don’t you just love this picture? This is the way I want to be this year…knowing that God has great things for me, believing Him for those things, and moving forward in joy.

Psalm 1:1-3 says, “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” – When I remember that We Are Planting Trees, Not Wheat I can focus on God, and not results. His instruction is my delight. Fellowship with others is my delight. This results in joy that is contagious because I am happy. What a great way to live! 

Romans 8:31, “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” – Is Paul saying that no one is against him because God is for him? No, but he is putting things in perspective. When the very God of the universe is with us, in us, and all around us working on our behalf, what does it matter when a mere person turns their nose up at us? When we remember, truly know, that our God is for us, we can walk in strength and joy this year.

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” – One of my all time favorites because it reminds me that everything that is accomplished is due to His strength working in me. It has nothing to do with me and my maturity, or how much I have it “all together”, it is completely about Him. He is the Vine and I am the branch. (see John 15). The branch only gets its life from the Vine.

James 1:17, “Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.”  – Our God is the greatest gift-giver of all time. He gave us Jesus! Pray that you have hands open to receive the generous, abundant life that He has for you. Pray that your hands are not only open to receive, but to give as He calls.

II Timothy 1:6-7, “Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you…For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” – God has gifted you for service. Ask Him to give you clarity about how and where to use that gifting, and then pray for Him to keep that gift ablaze in you. Ask Him to move you forward in His power, His love, and His sound judgment. Ask Him to break those chains of fearfulness for good. This world needs you to be ablaze for the Kingdom.

Choose one, or two of these verses that really resonate and write them out. Repeat them throughout the day (especially right before bedtime). When doubts creep in, go back to the verse from last week’s blog (Mark 9:23-24) and pray as the father in this passage did, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Then, continue praying your verses.

There is hope in our God. There is peace. There is joy. Let’s choose to live in it this year.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

*image by Mother Nature Network

A Great Start for the New Year

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blessed by God, does god really want me to have an abundant life, does god want my good, encouragement, God's faithfulness, good start for the new year, good start for the year, hope, hope for exhausted people, hope for the disheartened, hope for the hurting, hope for tired people, hope that can be counted on, how to remember god's goodness, my good God, new year encouragement, new year promises, new year reminders, our good good father, remembering god's faithfulness, remembering who God is, starting the new year right, truth, truth from God's Word

Hey Guys!

Sorry that it’s been so long that I’ve blogged. Things always get out of hand in December, don’t they?

As I was praying about the best way to start our year together off right, I couldn’t help but be reminded that the best words are God’s Words, not mine. So, that’s what we are doing. We are going to delve into the Word together, remembering that He is faithful, He is true, and He is our very best Friend who wants us to have an abundant life this year and in the years to come. Speak the following verses out loud over your life today, knowing that, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue…” – Proverbs 18:21

“Then Jesus said to him, ‘If You can? Everything is possible to the one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, ‘I do believe! Help my unbelief.’ ” (Mark 9:23-24) – I so relate to this father. I want to believe. I know I should believe. I say I believe, but then I realize I need God’s strength in me to believe. Help us to believe You this year, Lord. 

“…For I [Jesus is speaking] assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20) – Notice that Jesus says “tell this mountain”. He wants us to be specific, not general. He wants us to concentrate on one mountain at a time. Ask Him what mountain He is calling you to move in this season, and then ask for His faith to empower you to believe and act on it.

“I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) – Didn’t get all your goals accomplished last year? Don’t give up. Trust that God is completing that good work in you.

“For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) – You have a purpose! Believe it. Receive it. Walk in it. Thank Him for it and trust Him for the results.

“I am certain that I will see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13) – Think all you have to look forward to is in Glory? This verse tells us that we can see God’s goodness “in the land of the living”. How amazing is that? Ask Him for the eyes to see His goodness this year.

“A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I [Jesus speaking] have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10) – Pray for God’s amazing abundance over your life this year.

Meditate on these beautiful promises of God this week. More’s to come…

Seeking Hearts Ministries

*image by zedjams.com

 

Let’s get Salty this Season

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adding joy, adding light, adding salt, adding salt to a tough situation, being a joy to be around, being an encourager, daily christianity, encouragement, how to be light, how to be salt, living christianity

As I was reading a book by Neta Jackson a few weeks ago, I came across an explanation that I’ve pondered for quite a while. In her book series, Souled Out Sisters, one of Ms. Jackson’s characters describes “salt people” as people who make a situation taste better and “light people” as people who bring clarity and not confusion. I liked that…a lot.

In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

If you know me at all, you know I love my salt and if you have been around me enough, you also know I love windows because I adore light. Both salt and light add joy to my life. So, why I’ve had trouble with being salt and light in this world is beyond me! I think I’ve tried to make it more difficult than it really is. If salt is simply making a situation more palatable, (as Ms. Jackson’s character explained) we can all do that. It’s not as complicated as I’ve thought.

If attitudes are going south, we can express an encouraging word. If everyone is exhausted, we can be the wise one and suggest a breather, or offer a bag of almonds to help energize the situation. If fear is invading, cover the situation with prayer. Such simple things make life more appetizing, and that’s being salt in this world.

Same with light. If being light in a situation brings clarity instead of confusion, then we can pray for wisdom, and know we will receive it because James1:5 says, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.”

How neat is that? Jesus didn’t just give us a command and leave us to figure out how to fulfill it on our own. He tells us how to receive the clarity we need in each situation in order to be light. It’s called wisdom. How do we receive the wisdom we need for clarity? The book of James tells us we ask God for it. Simple stuff. He gives us the needed wisdom, which gives us the needed clarity, which gives us the needed light to share. Love it!

Oftentimes, I feel like I’ve been more pepper than salt, and more darkness than light, but I’m encouraged by this simple way of looking at being children of light and salt-a-holics in this world. Through Christ, we can bring clarity. Through Christ, we can make life full of flavor for those around us. So, let’s do it. Let’s be salt and light wherever we go.

*image by bbc.com

Seeking Hearts Ministries

 

Forgiveness During the Holidays – Part Two

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being free, dealing with unforgiveness, forgiveness, forgiving, forgiving others, how to be free of unforgiveness, how to forgive, how to have peace, trusting God, trusting God with your anguish

This week’s blog is part 2 on the subject of forgiving and how to come to a place of forgiveness. If you missed part 1, be sure to click the following link (Part 1) because we are jumping off the deep end into point number three today.

Step Three in how to get to a place of forgiveness is that you know God is going to get ‘em. (I warned you we were jumping off the deep end.)

This is something that we all feel funny thinking, but you need to know that forgiveness is not about letting people off the hook. Forgiveness is actually placing people who have wronged you into the hands of a mighty, powerful God who is crazy about you and wants the best for you. He’s a little prejudice when it comes to you and that’s who you want taking care of your situation!

Here are a few examples of what God says about people who have tried to harm you:

Deuteronomy 32:35, “Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay. In time their foot will slip, for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”

Vengeance means – “infliction of punishment in return for a wrong; retribution.” So,God is not saying people haven’t harmed you. He is just telling us that He will take care of the punishment. You can be free and go on living your life while He remembers the wrong and pursues justice for you.

Psalm 18:47-49 says, “God—He gives me vengeance and subdues peoples under me. He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; You rescue me from violent men. Therefore I will praise You, Yahweh, among the nations; I will sing about Your name.”

So, again we see that He frees us and allows us to praise Him daily while He is handling those who have wronged us.

Just a quick side note here – Does God expect us to keep our mouths shut and not be able to be heard?

This has almost killed me in some of the circumstances we have been in lately…knowing that God wanted me to be quiet and not “speak my mind”… not because He didn’t want me to be heard, but in order to protect me in ways I didn’t understand at the time. The really awesome thing though is we can ALWAYS pour our heart out to Him even when He is telling us not to “speak our mind”. He is always with us wanting us to tell Him how we feel and what we are struggling with. There is such an amazing release when we lay it all out before Him. Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge.” The God of the universe is saying, “I want to hear from you.”

Several months ago I was in my car travelling replaying a situation over and over again in my mind. Instead of a release, I just kept getting madder and madder and madder. It finally dawned on me that I needed to talk to God and not just myself, so I poured it before Him. Instead of replaying it to myself, I spoke it out loud to Him. It was an incredible experience! You wouldn’t think it would help that much, but it does. So, I encourage you to verbally release it all to Him. Tell Him how mad you are and what people have done to you. Name names! It really does help.

Here is a great example in Scripture where David is pouring his heart out to God: “LORD, God of vengeance— God of vengeance, appear.
Rise up, Judge of the earth; repay the proud what they deserve.
LORD, how long will the wicked— how long will the wicked gloat?
They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.
LORD, they crush Your people; they afflict Your heritage.
They kill the widow and the foreigner and murder the fatherless. They say, “The LORD doesn’t see it. The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.”
Pay attention, you stupid people! Fools, when will you be wise?
Can the One who shaped the ear not hear, the One who formed the eye not see?
The One who instructs nations, the One who teaches man knowledge— does He not discipline?
The LORD knows man’s thoughts; they are meaningless. LORD, happy is the man You discipline and teach from Your law
to give him relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked.
The LORD will not forsake His people or abandon His heritage,
for justice will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.
Who stands up for me against the wicked? Who takes a stand for me against evildoers? If the LORD had not been my helper, I would soon rest in the silence ⌊of death⌋.
If I say, “My foot is slipping,” Your faithful love will support me, LORD.
When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.” – Psalm 94:1-19

David was genuine in his feelings and in his thoughts, and we know from Scripture that God calls him a man after His own heart. We can know from the example of David that not only is it just acceptable to pour out our hearts to God, but He wants that intensity with us. He wants that honesty.

David was also truthful about the fact that his foot was starting to slip in this matter. I take that to mean his mouth was getting the better of him, or his thoughts were running away from him, but he knew that His God was there supporting him with His faithful love and was not only helping David get through the situation, but was also in the process of taking care of the ones who had hurt him.

Okay, so I hope you see that God does want you to be heard. He just wants to be the One doing the listening.

So, back off the rabbit trail and back on to point three which reminds us that God will get those who try to harm us.

Psalm 94:20-23 says, “Can a corrupt throne— one that creates trouble by law— become Your ally? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection. He will pay them back for their sins and destroy them for their evil. The LORD our God will destroy them.”

Do I know why God doesn’t punish those who have wronged us when we think they should be punished? No, but I do know that our God is worthy of our trust. We can trust His timing because we know He loves us. The Bible assures us that His thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts and His ways are so much better than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), so we know that His timing and His ways are best because He sees the whole picture.

When you think you have to take care of things yourself, that God doesn’t care, or doesn’t see what’s happening in your life, when the devil has made you forget how much your God woos you like we discussed in Session One of God’s Love (YouTube Session), this is your verse to hang on to:

Isaiah 35:4- “Say to them that are of a fearful heart [that’s why we run out and get into trouble a lot of times…because we’re fearful ; we’re afraid that God isn’t seeing what people are doing to us and saying about us], Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; he will come and save you.”

Isaiah 35:5-6 says, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”

Sometimes, unforgiveness makes us so hard hearted that we simply can’t see anything around us but how we were wronged. We can’t hear anything but what they said to us. We can’t think about anything but what we should have said back, or what we will do the next time we have to see them, but forgiveness…leaving the situation in God’s capable hands… opens our eyes and allows us to hear. Isaiah 35 says that we will be able to sing and be refreshed. Forgiving people allows the Spirit to pour Living water over our dry, parched places.

 I’m not saying that God doesn’t use the court system, or other people to right a wrong, but I am saying that it’s up to Him, not us, and not the way we can manipulate things.

Forgiveness is not about letting someone off the hook, it’s about being free.

We are not stupid when we forgive. We are super smart because we are allowing the God of the universe to handle things for us. It’s like He steps in front of us and says, “I’ve got this.”

Micah 7:7 says, “But I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”

Step Four to forgiveness is knowing that your relationship with God is worth more than whatever you have to forgive. Our beautiful Savior who covers you with His wings every day and night is worth anything.

Psalm 18:16-20 says, “He reached down from heaven and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out to a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.”

Being clean before the Lord is so much better than hanging on to any un-forgiveness. Keeping our Robe of righteousness on (which is Jesus Himself) is so much better than remembering wrongs that seem to be forgotten by everyone but you. Nothing is worth harming our walk with God.

Step Five to forgiveness is trusting our God to be the Judge.

Psalm 75:2 says, “‘When I choose a time, I will judge fairly.’”

Lamentations 3:59-62 says, “LORD, You see the wrong done to me; judge my case. You see all their malice, all their plots against me. LORD, You hear their insults, all their plots against me. The slander and murmuring of my opponents attack me all day long.”

Be assured Your God sees and hears everything! You can rest in His judgment because He already knows all the testimony and all the facts. You don’t have to worry about being heard. He hears you. He wants you to pour your heart out, but not because He doesn’t know what’s going on, it’s because of His love for you. Song of Solomon 2:14 says, “My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”

That’s why God wants to hear from you. He just loves the sound of your voice.

Do not think that your God does not know what happened to you. Do not listen to that voice in your head that says God will not repay the person that hurt you. Do not believe that you have to be the one to repay, or punish, but do remember that it is in His hands, in His time and needs to be in His way so that you can be free.

Forgiveness is not about being tricked into letting someone off the hook. It’s about being free.

So, as you are surrounded by people this Holiday Season that you can usually avoid remember that forgiveness is about being free. Forgiveness can only come through the Holy Spirit and He wants us to forgive not to let people off the hook, but to rely on Him and trust Him completely with the outcome knowing that we are loved more than we ever realized. Enjoy this Season knowing that even though forgiveness is not easy it’s always worth it.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

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Things we can Always Know

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In a hymn by William Fullerton we see these words:

“I cannot tell how silently He suffered, as with His peace He graced the place of tears, or how His heart upon the cross was broken, the crown of pain to three and thirty years. BUT THIS I KNOW, He heals the broken hearted, and stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear, and lifts the burden from the heavy laden, for yet the Savior, Savior of the world is here.”

This beautiful hymn reminded me that even if life is intense and confusing, even if things around me are murky and unclear, there are many things that I do know. Many things that I can still trust. Many things to be encouraged by. Here are just a few:

God is love.

1 John 4:16 – “And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.”

Jeremiah 31:3 – “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.”

God is good.

Psalm 136:1 – “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love is eternal.”

God is light. No darkness dwells in Him.

I John 1:5 – “Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him.”

God is my protection.

Psalm 36:7 – “God, Your faithful love is so valuable that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.”

God is my sanctuary.

Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

Psalm 71:3 – “Be a rock of refuge for me, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and fortress.”

God is my portion.

Psalm 16:5 – “LORD, You are my portion and my cup ⌊of blessing⌋; You hold my future.”

Psalm 119:57 – “The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.”

God is faithful.

Psalm 36:5 – “LORD, Your faithful love ⌊reaches⌋ to heaven, Your faithfulness to the clouds.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 – “Know that Yahweh your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.”

God is present.

Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

God is glorious and righteous.

Psalm 97:6 – “The heavens proclaim His righteousness; all the peoples see His glory.”

God is sovereign.

Psalm 138:8 – “The LORD will fulfill ⌊His purpose⌋ for me. LORD, Your love is eternal; do not abandon the work of Your hands.”

God is kind.

Romans 2:4 – “Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

God is peace.

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.”

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Philippians 4:9 – “Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

God is Healer.

Psalm 103:3 – “He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases.”

Luke 6:17-19 –“After coming down with them, He stood on a level place with a large crowd of His disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. The whole crowd was trying to touch Him, because power was coming out from Him and healing them all.”

God is trustworthy.

Romans 4:20, 21 –  “He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

God is incomparable.

Psalm 40:5 – “LORD my God, You have done many things— Your wonderful works and Your plans for us; none can compare with You. If I were to report and speak ⌊of them⌋, they are more than can be told.”

God is greater.

1 John 4:4 – “You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

God is FOR me.

Psalm 56:9 – “Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call. This I know: God is for me.”

God is worth it.

2 Samuel 22:4 – “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.”

Revelation 4:11 – “Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.”

So, be encouraged. Even when life is bombarding you with situations out of your control and you are struggling to keep your head afloat, cling to what you know. Cling to the God you know. He will not fail.

Fullerton went on to write in his hymn:“I cannot tell how He will win the nations, how He will claim His earthly heritage, how satisfy the needs and aspirations of East and West, of sinner and of sage, BUT THIS I KNOW, all flesh shall see His glory, and He shall reap the harvest He has sown, and some glad day His sun will shine in splendor when He the Savior, Savior of the world is known.”

Trust that today. Trust what you know. Trust in the One you know. God has never failed anyone throughout all eternity and He will not fail you!

Seeking Hearts Ministries      My Story