Faith In Forgiveness

"And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you." (Luke 17:5-6) 

Prior to what Jesus says here in our text, the issue addressed was forgiveness. Does it take faith to forgive? I believe it does. The desire of our heart should be to have our faith increased. Especially in regards to forgiveness. To place the offense in the Lord's hands, and say; "I do not want to hold on to the bitterness any longer." I do not want to hold this person (who hurt me) responsible any longer", would take a lot of faith.

Of all the things that people (including myself) have a tough time doing, is forgiving. We would rather hold on to the hurt, and think of ways to get revenge. Many times, hurt people have committed, to never having anything to do with the people, or party, that hurt them.

Faith is the key, in our relationship with the Lord. Just as we trust Him to get us through the storms of life, we need to trust Him in dealing with our relationships to others. Even our mustard seed faith in the Lord, will go a long way in accomplishing forgiveness.

Just as Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish (Luke 9:10-17) Jesus can do plenty in bringing peace to our hearts, if only we will exercise our faith, and forgive, as He forgave us.

So, Lord please "increase our faith" and show us what you can do, to help us forgive! GP

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When We Are Most Like God

"...Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." 
(Colossians 3:13) 

William Arthur Ward said this: "We are most like beasts when we kill, We are most like men when we judge. We are most like God when we forgive."

 Of all the responses of the human heart, forgiveness is one of the hardest to implement. We would rather find ways to get even, or show a cold shoulder. We would rather determine to never have anything to do with the individual, or party that hurt us, than to forgive, and work on reconciliation.

 The blessing of forgiveness is that it gives one who is hurt a release from anger, bitterness, and despair. When we choose not to forgive, we are the ones who will carry this negative baggage with us. And it can get very heavy to carry.

 If we as Christians are to be like Christ, than the Apostle Paul's statement should really open our eyes to the need of forgiveness.
Paul said: "even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." 

We need to remember that as Christians, we are forgiven people.
And if it were not for that forgiveness, there would be no hope for us in the future. (Matthew 6:14-15)

What peace will come when we choose to be like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and forgive those who have hurt us. We hope that those who we have hurt will forgive us, so that we can have the love and the unity the Lord wants us to have! GP

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The World Has Turned Too Many Times

"But when he came to himself, he said, "How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger." (Luke 15:17) 

A vow we take when we say forever 
Left unattended just dies on the vine 
Now I wonder if forever wonders ever 
if the world has turned too many times. 

(A line from a song recorded by Earl Thomas Conley 
& Anita Pointer entitled:"Too Many Times" 
Lyrics by Tony McShear, Scott Page, Michael Smotherman) 

 A selfish senseless severe word or action, puts too much time between family members and friends. The prodigal son had done this to his father, and to his family. He had acted selfishly, and in the process of time, it had cost him dearly. It brought him to a place of hunger, and possible death. As you read the parable, you will find that the story has a happy ending. But there are those, with similar stories, where as the song says: "The world has turned too many times" They couldn't make things right again. The distance they put between those who they hurt, or of those who hurt them, was too long, and it was too late.

 It doesn't have to be that way. The Lord wants us to take advantage of those opportunities to make things right, and to have renewed relationships. It is a miserable feeling to live with, when the words "I'm sorry can be said, but never heard!" GP

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Forgive The Mule

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:18) "But as touching brotherly love you need not that I write to you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 
(1 Thessalonians 4:9) 

This is one of the hardest disciplines in the Christian life. Love is not just something we say, but something we do. And in our difficult relationships, we are taught by God (Through His Son) to love one another, in spite of the differences, and difficulties.

The story is told of a man who stood watching an old farmer plowing with his mule. After a while, the stranger said to the farmer, “I don’t like to tell you how to do your job, but you could save yourself a lot of work by saying, ‘Gee’ and ‘Haw’ to that mule instead of just tugging on those reigns.”The old farmer pulled a big handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat from his face.Then he said, “Reckon you’re right, but this mule kicked me five years ago and I haven’t spoken to him since.”

When the world is in such need to see an example of genuine love and forgiveness, how can we the church of Jesus Christ act the way we do, towards those who hurt and harm us? As someone has written:
"How can we teach all nations, if we haven't learned the lesson at home?"

Our love will be tested, and the fruit of the Spirit "Long Suffering" must be exercised. (Galatians 5:22) Only then will we develop the unity and stability the family of God must have.

Love is not just a feeling, it is a principle that we are commanded to obey, even when our heart would rather do the opposite. GP

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The Greater Issue

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15) 

It must be established that our eternal salvation is based on the grace of God shown to us, at the cross of Calvary, when Jesus died to pay for our sins. And in faith we accept this free gift of grace for our souls.

In our text, Jesus is teaching His disciples and us, how we should pray, and what our attitude should be towards Him and others. As we begin our Christian walk, The Lord, is working in our lives, and helping us to have a healthy relationship with Him, and with others. The greater issue in our Christian walk. is the attitude of being unforgiving.

If we forgive others, than we will be showing the right act in our Christian walk. If we don't forgive others, than we damage the relationship we have with the Lord, and with others. And instead of forgiveness shown to us, we may receive discipline from Him, as the Hebrew writer brings out in (Hebrews 12:7-11)

When we place ourselves - In Christ- We place ourselves in His Grace. And apart of that grace, is allowing Jesus to show us the right way to think, and to act. And if it means being disciplined for our unforgiving spirit, than so be it! GP