Grace To Do Things Well

When Is It RIGHT to forgive a WRONG?

Dear Friends,

The way people treat you should never be the standard by which you treat them or others. Pray through the hurt. FORGIVE. Then live!  God doesn't show us people's true colors so we can brood, live wounded or turn bitter. He does it so we can FORGIVE them.  Sure, you could shout from the mountain top all that you know...but what good would that do? It's not even necessary...because God has you in the palm of His hand and in Him there is protection, purpose and promise!  Stay focused my friends...your FAVOR will attract opposition...expect it...and also expect God to give you more than you could ever IMAGINE!  

#YouGotThis!

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice."

Paul was in prison when he wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always." AROUND him was the cruelty of men, but WITHIN him was the Kingdom of God.  

How is such joy possible?  Paul gives us the key: "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18). Child of God, there are things we see that the world doesn't.

Paul was saying, 

"You can lock me up, but you can't keep me in.  Outside these bars Caesar rules, but in here Jesus is Lord, and when my assignment is complete, I'm out of here. Go ahead, take your best shot.  Beat me, imprison me, lie on me, false accuse me, behead me, but one second after the axe falls I'll be more alive than I am now."

There's nothing you can do to a man like that.
He's beyond your reach.

Paul was saying, "This is the best it will ever be for you, but you ought to see where I'm going!"

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved  we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1).

That's a God-altered perspective!

When you praise God, not because of what you FEEL, but because of what you KNOW, you'll have joy that transcends anything that comes against you!

Sometimes you don't FEEL like praising God.  However, we don't live by FEELINGS...we live by FAITH.

• You won't always FEEL like loving people.
• You won't always FEEL like forgiving people.
• You won't always FEEL like praising God.

I think of JOSEPH (one of my hero's) and the great injustice that was done to him.  He chose to FORGIVE a great WRONG...and likewise we are to do the same.  Is it easy?  NO!  But if God has forgiven us...we have the responsibility to forgive others too.

1. His brothers had DRIVEN him AWAY; he calls them to come near. (Genesis 45:4)
2. His brothers had LEFT him without comfort or home; he encourages his brothers and comforts them. (Genesis 45:5)
3. His brothers had been willing to ALLOW HIM TO DIE of starvation and thirst in a pit; he gave them provision for their trip home to Canaan. (Genesis 45:21)
4. His brothers SENT HIM AWAY on the back of a mangy camel; he sends them home on fine Egyptian carts. (Genesis 45:21)
5. His brothers had RIPPED THE COAT of many colors off his back; he gives them the expensive garments of Egypt. (Genesis 45:22)
6. His brothers SOLD HIM FOR SILVER; Joseph gives them silver for their trip. (Genesis 45:22)

For Joseph to do this...is a picture of GRACE.

Have you ever been hurt by someone?

Have you ever been offended?

Have there been times when people have wronged you?

What do you do when that happens in your life?

We have the example of Joseph.  He forgave his brothers.  We also have the example of Jesus. When He was hanging on the cross, about to die for sin, as the religious leaders and the crowds passed by mocking Him, He prayed for their forgiveness.

When we are wronged, and it WILL happen, we are to forgive to the same extent that we have been forgiven.  In fact, we are to go the extra mile in our forgiveness of others. That is not an easy requirement, but it is the will of God for our lives, and it is the only attitude that pleases God.

The key is to return "good for evil." (Romans 12:17-21; Matthew 5:44-48)

How could Joseph forgive his brothers like he did?  Joseph could forgive because...

• He could see the hand of God in everything that happened to him.
• He knew that God was behind every disruption in his life.
• He knew that even his brothers sins against him were part of God's plan for his life.

If you and I are going to get past the hurts we experience, we must adopt the same attitude. If something takes place in your life or mine, it does so only because God gave it PERMISSION to occur.  He is behind every single event that takes place, even the HURTS we experience.  

If He has allowed it...then He will use it for my good and His glory in His time.  My responsibility is to accept the things that come my way and trust Him to work out His will through it.  If I can see His hand in the hurts I experience, it will make the hurt easier to bear.

Forgiveness

Does that word stir up some strong emotions in you?

I remember in the 2nd grade a kid named Richard who was always getting in trouble.  In fact, his desk was either at the front of the class next to the chalkboard or right next to the teachers desk.

One day, we had spaghetti and meatballs for school lunch. After lunch was over, our teacher, Mrs. Henderson turned the lights off and started a film - I believe it was "Curious George." 

That's when the great injustice happened!  Richard (who apparently had hung onto a meatball) threw a meatball across the room and hit me in the side of the face.  It really hurt! I was so startled and in pain that I yelled out loud and stood to my feet.  Mrs. Henderson told me to sit down and gave me a stern warning to be quiet.  I raised my hand and tried to explain to her that Richard had threw a meatball and hit me in the face.  It's as if she didn't care.  

I was so upset!  Richard just sat there laughing!  It made me so angry!  I shot him the dirtiest look that I could and envisioned beating him up after school that day.  However, after the bell rang, Mrs. Henderson told me to stay in my seat so she could speak with me.  Richard was out the door and long gone by the time I got done cleaning the chalkboards.

From that point forward I literally daydreamed about how I could get even with Richard.  He had hurt me...someone needed to make him pay...and that someone was going to be me!  I found myself HATING him because he had caused me some pain and he OWED me big time!

I never got the chance to get even!  Richard and his family moved away that summer and I haven't seen him since!  I look back on this and LAUGH now!  I was so focused on getting revenge.  I wanted him to HURT because he HURT me...and because of that I wasted a lot of time.

How about you?  Is there a "Richard" in your life?  Is there someone who has caused you pain, someone who hurt you and all you can think about is hurting them back?  Seriously, is there someone you just hope you can see coming towards you on their knees one day, begging your forgiveness and you just laugh at them?  Is there someone who you actually want to see suffer?

If so...then you are way off base and definitely not Christlike.  If you claim to be a Christian then this is an attitude that you and I simply cannot have.  Check out this passage...

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

Have you ever had a conversation in your mind where you see yourself winning and your enemies losing and you're feeling better about yourself?  Is that what a walk with Christ is all about?  NO!

We are called to FORGIVE!!  I know the argument, "Hey...they don't deserve to be forgiven!" Well, neither did you!!!  We don't EARN God's forgiveness...He gives it to us...it's called GRACE...and just as we are quick to receive God's grace - we need to be quick to extend it as well.

Perhaps this is hard for you to hear right now.  You have some serious situations in your past in which someone caused you some SERIOUS pain...but you can't continue to hold onto bitterness and anger because it's KILLING your JOY!

Being mad at someone and expecting it to hurt THEM is the same as drinking poison and expecting it to kill someone else!!!

How do you let go of anger?  It's a daily decision!  I have had people in my past that I have had to forgive...and the enemy will often bring that person back up in my mind - and so there are times when I literally have to say out loud, "That person does not owe me...I have forgiven them."

As long as you feel like someone owes you something due to the pain in your past - you will always be frustrated and miserable in your walk with Christ.  

Jesus said in John 19:30, "It is FINISHED!"  We need to follow His example by saying the same thing about those who have hurt us - "It is finished, you don't owe me anymore...I am letting the debt of wrongdoing go!!!"

Anyone you need to forgive?

If God Allowed It, God Will Use It

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice."

Paul was in prison when he wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always." AROUND him was the cruelty of men, but WITHIN him was the Kingdom of God.  How is such joy possible?  Paul gives us the key: "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).  Child of God, there are things we see that the world doesn't.

Paul was saying, "You can lock me up, but you can't keep me in.  Outside these bars Caesar rules, but in here Jesus is Lord, and when my assignment is complete, I'm out of here. Go ahead, take your best shot.  Beat me, imprison me, lie on me, false accuse me, behead me, but one second after the axe falls I'll be more alive than I am now."

There's nothing you can do to a man like that.
He's beyond your reach.

Paul was saying, "This is the best it will ever be for you, but you ought to see where I'm going!"

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved  we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1).

That's a God-altered perspective!

When you praise God, not because of what you FEEL, but because of what you KNOW, you'll have joy that transcends anything that comes against you!

Sometimes you don't FEEL like praising God.  However, we don't live by FEELINGS...we live by FAITH.

• You won't always FEEL like loving people.
• You won't always FEEL like forgiving people.
• You won't always FEEL like praising God.

I think of JOSEPH (one of my hero's) and the great injustice that was done to him.  He chose to FORGIVE a great WRONG...and likewise we are to do the same.  Is it easy?  NO!  But if God has forgiven us...we have the responsibility to forgive others too.

1. His brothers had DRIVEN him AWAY; he calls them to come near. (Genesis 45:4)
2. His brothers had LEFT him without comfort or home; he encourages his brothers and comforts them. (Genesis 45:5)
3. His brothers had been willing to ALLOW HIM TO DIE of starvation and thirst in a pit; he gave them provision for their trip home to Canaan. (Genesis 45:21)
4. His brothers SENT HIM AWAY on the back of a mangy camel; he sends them home on fine Egyptian carts. (Genesis 45:21)
5. His brothers had RIPPED THE COAT of many colors off his back; he gives them the expensive garments of Egypt. (Genesis 45:22)
6. His brothers SOLD HIM FOR SILVER; Joseph gives them silver for their trip. (Genesis 45:22)

For Joseph to do this...is a picture of GRACE.

Have you ever been hurt by someone?

Have you ever been offended?

Have there been times when people have wronged you?

What do you do when that happens in your life?

We have the example of Joseph.  He forgave his brothers.  We also have the example of Jesus. When He was hanging on the cross, about to die for sin, as the religious leaders and the crowds passed by mocking Him, He prayed for their forgiveness.

When we are wronged, and it WILL happen, we are to forgive to the same extent that we have been forgiven.  In fact, we are to go the extra mile in our forgiveness of others.  That is not an easy requirement, but it is the will of God for our lives, and it is the only attitude that pleases God.

The key is to return "good for evil." (Romans 12:17-21; Matthew 5:44-48)

How could Joseph forgive his brothers like he did?  Joseph could forgive because...

• He could see the hand of God in everything that happened to him.
• He knew that God was behind every disruption in his life.
• He knew that even his brothers sins against him were part of God's plan for his life.

If you and I are going to get past the hurts we experience, we must adopt the same attitude. If something takes place in your life or mine, it does so only because God gave it PERMISSION to occur.  He is behind every single event that takes place, even the HURTS we experience.  

If He has allowed it...then He will use it for my good and His glory in His time.  My responsibility is to accept the things that come my way and trust Him to work out His will through it.  If I can see His hand in the hurts I experience, it will make the hurt easier to bear.

If He Allowed It...He'll Use It!

God has forgiven us, now we have the responsibility to forgive others to the same extent.  Joseph is an example of that kind of forgiveness.  He forgave a great wrong, and we are to do the same thing.

1. His brothers had driven him away; he calls them to come near. (Genesis 45:4)
2. His brothers had left him without comfort or home; he encourages his brothers and comforts them. (Genesis 45:5)
3. His brothers had been willing to allow him to die of starvation and thirst in a pit; he gave them provision for their trip home to Canaan. (Genesis 45:21)
4. His brothers sent him away on the back of a mangy camel; he sends them home on fine Egyptian carts. (Genesis 45:21)
5. His brothers had ripped the coat of many colors off his back; he gives them the expensive garments of Egypt. (Genesis 45:22)
6. His brothers sold him for silver; Joseph gives them silver for their trip. (Genesis 45:22)

For Joseph to do this...is a picture of GRACE.

Have you ever been hurt by someone?

Have you ever been offended?

Have there been times when people have wronged you?

What do you do when that happens in your life?

We have the example of Joseph.  He forgave his brothers.  We also have the example of Jesus. When He was hanging on the cross, about to die for sin, as the religious leaders and the crowds passed by mocking Him, He prayed for their forgiveness.

When we are wronged, and it WILL happen, we are to forgive to the same extent that we have been forgiven.  In fact, we are to go the extra mile in our forgiveness of others.  That is not an easy requirement, but it is the will of God for our lives, and it is the only attitude that pleases God.

The key is to return "good for evil." (Romans 12:17-21; Matthew 5:44-48)

How could Joseph forgive his brothers like he did?  Joseph could forgive because...

• He could see the hand of God in everything that happened to him.
• He knew that God was behind every disruption in his life.
• He knew that even his brothers sins against him were part of God's plan for his life.

If you and I are going to get past the hurts we experience, we must adopt the same attitude.  If something takes place in your life or mine, it does so only because God gave it PERMISSION to occur.  He is behind every single event that takes place, even the HURTS we experience.  

If He has allowed it...then He will use it for my good and His glory in His time.  My responsibility is to accept the things that come my way and trust Him to work out His will through it.  If I can see His hand in the hurts I experience, it will make the hurt easier to bear.