Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
Paul Boese
He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.
George Herbert
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.
Lewis B. Smedes
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1st John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
As we continue our series on forgiveness, today’s lesson will be on forgiving ourselves. I feel sure that we all at one time or another have struggled with this. Our tendency is to think we have messed up so badly that God could never forgive us. We beat ourselves up over something that we have done that we knew was wrong to do, or maybe it was something we simply failed to do, only later to feel disappointed in ourselves, and possibly even experience embarrassment before others and certainly shame before God.
Matthew 6:14-15ML
“For if you forgive others their offences, your Heavenly Father will forgive you also; but if you do not forgive others their offences, neither will your Father forgive yours.
Many years ago, I received what I consider the ultimate in betrayal from someone I truly trusted. The painful blow left me reeling. I was hurt beyond anything I had ever experienced. I remember feeling every emotion that was possible, from sadness to anger, back to sadness and on to disappointment and even grief.
It was so unsettling I began to doubt and question myself. It really threw me off course. I knew only God could give me the strength to keep my thoughts and my emotions in the right place, so that I could continue to treat this person as I should.
When I was a young child, I remember that my grandmother created Hidden Pictures for Highlight’s Magazine. She is a talented artist and was able to hide everyday objects in the lines of drawings of cute mice or squirrels. It was always an adventure to try to find all of the hidden pictures. Do you remember trying to solve those kinds of puzzles when you were a child or maybe even with your own children?
Matthew 28: 5-8
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, who hath been crucified.
He is not here; for he is risen, even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
And go quickly, and tell his disciples, He is risen from the dead; and lo, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
Little girls will wear big pastel colored hair bows and little boys will be chased and wrestled to the floor just for dad to get their neckties on. Some moms and daughters will even wear matching outfits, hats and all. Afterwards there will be Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets, candied Easter eggs, pretty bunnies and oh I almost forgot the cute little baby chicks (yellow ones of course). And don’t forget the annual Easter Feast; some will have fried chicken or ham, may be even turkey, potato salad, green beans, rolls, cake, pies etc. Sounds wonderful!
I’m so thankful for the active obedience of Christ.
No hope without it.
John Gresham Machen
Psalms 107:1
(KJV) O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalms 69:30
30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Oh how it would please our God if we came before Him just to say thank you. If we came just to express our gratitude for how he provides and takes care of us in every way from our spiritual needs to our physical needs. He has carefully thought of and provided everything according to what he knows is best for each of us individually and as a whole. The very air that we breathe is a gift from Him. Our salvation of course is His greatest gift to us.
Many times we fill our days with complaints of this or that. We grumble not realizing that we are so, so very blessed.
The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others.
Albert Schweitzer
Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.
Henry James
We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.
Dwight L. Moody
The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless.
Billy Graham
A women’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.”
Max Lucado
Matthew 25:35-46
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
There are two kinds of people: those who say to God,
“Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says,
“All right, then, have it your way.”
C.S. Lewis
God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.
Jim Elliot
Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson