Proverbs 8:33-35 – “Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD;” NKJV
When I first became a Christian and acknowledged God’s call to preach, I had an elder statesman in the Kingdom tell me, “Son, you need to read on Chapter in Proverbs every day for the rest of your life.” He went on to tell me that it would be in those daily readings that I would gain more wisdom and knowledge about life than I would in any other endeavor that I could engage in. I have concluded that he was right because I have found answers to so many questions in life and relationships in Proverbs that I never cease to be amazed at the wisdom compacted into such a small portion of writings.
Here we find a nugget that is incredibly powerful and beneficial. It is true wisdom to “hear instruction” providing you do not “disdain or ignore” it. The Lord, speaking through the writer probably Solomon, informs us that we are Blessed if we Listen to Him and that our daily objective should be to Watch at the Gates and Wait at His Door. He tells us that whoever finds Him (GOD) finds life and obtains favor from the LORD!
FINDS LIFE – -The most critical thing for any of us spiritually and eternally is to “find life.” We will either Live Forever in Heaven with God or we will Die Forever in hell with the devil.
OBTAIN FAVOR WITH GOD – -In living that life here in the natural it is difficult enough doing so “knowing God” but to live in the Favor of God is most important and powerful. That places us in a position where when things go sour for others around us, we can Hope in God because He is our Refuge and our Fortress. We can live life without Fear and in Perfect Peace no matter what storms may come our way.
The key to this is “Listening to the Lord.” If we diligently Watch for Him and Wait on Him, we will Hear Him and as we Hear Him, we are to Heed Him. In that condition, we not only draw near to Him, but we find His Spirit leading us in the paths of righteousness and we find the Divine Favor of God resting upon us and what He has placed in our hands to do. That is a place that we should all desire!
John 14:1-6 – “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” NKJV
As Jesus was preparing His disciples for His death and departure they were perplexed and confused. Their thought processes up to that point had been that He was the Messiah and would establish an earthly kingdom and they would be part of the inner circle of the administration of that kingdom. Now He throws them a curve and they have some significant questions and were troubled in their hearts.
Jesus perceived this and spoke specifically to it to bring peace to their hearts and to ours as well. He turned their attention from the immediate and temporal to the eternal and heavenly. He spoke of “faith” and the “prepared future” that was in store for each of them. He reminded them of His trustworthiness and assured them that His departure was not a bad thing but a good thing because of what it meant for them and for us ETERNALLY!
Thomas, who represents more of us than we like to admit, was still troubled and had more questions. He addressed the reality that He did not know where Jesus was going because his mind was still locked into the temporal. Jesus answered him with one of the most powerful truths that have ever been spoken – “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Thomas, I am going to the Father and you too will come to the Father but to do that you have to gain access through Me. That access can only be gained if I “go away” speaking of the Cross.
It is only through the sacrifice that Jesus paid that we have access to the Father. Had it not been for Calvary we would still be in our sins, lost and undone without God or His Son. Had it not been for the satisfaction of Divine Justice through the sacrificial death of the Lamb of God none of us would have hope. But, because of His sacrifice, we can take His words and banish our “Troubled Hearts” forever!
In His Father’s House, there is a place waiting for each of us. I don’t care if it is a Mansion, a dwelling place, a room, a cottage, or a tent it is in the presence of God Almighty and that is good enough for me.
Psalm 90:12 – “So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” NASB
As the song of years gone by says, ‘Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.’ We often live our lives with a sense of permanence that is deceptive. Most people I have dealt with or worked with in my years of ministry seem to believe that they will have ‘more than enough tomorrows’ to do the things they either did not do or did not want to do today. Too often people neglect the vital, focus on the important or trivial, and demonstrate little concern because they believe that they will have time to do it later. We call that Procrastination!
Every student of the Bible knows that there are promises from God in His word that are seldom claimed, appropriated, and stood on in individual lives. It has been my observation that too many live ‘beneath their privilege’ in God. I’ve had people tell me that I focus too much on God’s Promises, but I fully believe that God gave them because He wanted us to enjoy, appropriate them, stand on them, and live them in this present world. I believe that each step closer to becoming ‘like Jesus’ we find more Spiritual Power in our lives, touch more Souls of men, and experience more Victory in our daily lives!
This Psalm is attributed to Moses. He was interceding for God to remove the curse that every Israelite over the age of twenty would die before the nation could enter the Land of Canaan. He acknowledged that most are dying at seventy though some are reaching eighty years of age. If verse 10 could somehow be attributed to us as a gauge of longevity it would produce an interesting possibility. [80 years or 16 – 5-year segments]. I wonder how we would live if we evaluated our lives in 5-year increments? How many have you lived? How many do you have left? (Please understand I do not believe that this means we only can live 70-80 years, but I use it as an illustration).
Time is either the greatest asset or enemy that we have. Paul urged his listeners to ‘redeem the time.’ Time is one thing we must learn to use effectively if we are to become the most effective in our lifespan. We are notorious ‘time wasters,’ at least most of us are. In order to tap the resources available to us and utilize the ability and power, God has given us there are three things that must take place.
PERCEPTION – – – We must Perceive.
We must perceive ‘who we are.’ Initially, we were sinners in need of God. We are created in the image of God and as John 1:12 tells us we are sons/daughters of God. Romans 8:17 identifies that we are ‘heirs of God’ and Galatians 3:29 that we are ‘heirs according to the Promise.’ We read of the Promises of God in Deuteronomy 28 and find in Hebrews 8:6 that we have a ‘better covenant established on better promises.’
We must perceive ‘where we are.’ Or the condition or level of maturity we find ourselves. Some of us are like the little boy that fell out of the bed and when asked why he replied, ‘Because I stayed to close to the edge.’ Some of us have stayed to close to the condition we were in when we first came to Christ.
We must perceive ‘where we are going.’ That applies both spiritually and in this natural life.
PREPARATION – – We must Prepare to get where we are going.
It is vital that we know the promises of the Book (Bible). It is imperative that we understand that the Bible is a tool, a weapon, a light, and a resource.
It is vital that we know our inheritance as children of the Most High God. We must prepare mentally, physically, and spiritually.
PROCEED – – We must Proceed on the Planned and Purposed way.
It is important that we see our potential in God, understand and believe the possibilities, and trust God! If God says we are to be a Moses, Elijah, Paul, John, Peter, or Daniel why can’t we? The thing that made them unique was that they were fully surrendered and teachable.
It is important that we believe we can be an overcomer because God says we already are in Jesus. It is important that we believe that God can work miracles through us. Remember who God says you are – – ‘A Child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.’ Remember that His charted destiny for you is to ‘do His will in this generation.’ Therefore, it is important that we allow God to guide and guard our hearts, thoughts, and lives. Remember, ‘except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.’
So, as you go through the rest of your life will you go as a POSSIBILITY or PROCRASTINATOR? The choice is yours.
2 Timothy – 2:1-2 – “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” NASB
Over the past couple of days, we have considered some aspects of what Paul was telling his son in the faith, Timothy. The charge was for Timothy to find, teach, train, and impart that which was in his heart, received from the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul. This was critical to the founding and grounding of the New Testament Church.
There are Three Critical Areas in which Faithfulness is Key:
Faithfulness to God is Absolutely Essential.
Faithfulness in Relationships is Vital.
Faithfulness in Service is Indispensable.
FAITHFULNESS TO GOD.
This needs little explanation or discussion as most would readily acknowledge the need and essentiality of this. However, if we are genuinely faithful to God it will be manifest in the other areas or dimensions as well.
FAITHFULNESS IN RELATIONSHIPS.
It is an area that most Christians do not work on and need to give attention to! Remember Timothy’s mistake or potential mistake – ‘Choosing people who were possibly qualified and influential but Unfaithful.’
FAITHFULNESS IN SERVICE.
Faithfulness in Services is Indispensable! We must learn to be Servants. We must learn and become willing to do what is asked when it is asked and how it is asked even when the flesh rises and resists or the ego says that is beneath me. Even when your ego raises its ugly head and declares that is not using my gifts or abilities to the fullest. Even when you feel that you are not appreciated and recognized as you should be.
God’s way is to first ‘make the man’ then He ‘releases the ministry’. Tragically, the Church has gotten the cart before the horse too often. We recognize ‘gifts’, ‘charisma’, ‘talent’, and ‘ability’ and immediately Send Forth into ministry!
PERSONAL TESTIMONY.
I was released wrongly but God taught me the necessity of Serving. I was almost immediately sent out because people could see the hand of God on me and God gifted me with passion and ability to convey the message, so the response was Go Out! I should have been sitting and being nurtured but within weeks after my conversion, I was sent out. I saw that truth in Bible College and have observed it in my 40 years of ministry.
Frequently when someone is called or God uses them to some degree or measure of success and instills a vision in their hearts along with His promise and we respond with bad timing. Many who have been called develop the mistaken idea that they should be immediately released to pursue that vision, but they are not ready.
They are overcome with the VISION.
They expect to be RECOGNIZED.
They become more SPIRITUAL than anyone.
They make sure everyone knows they are ANOINTED, APPOINTED, CALLED, and COMMISSIONED.
They demonstrate an inability or unwillingness to listen to others without a CRITICAL ATTITUDE believing in their hearts they could do a better job, or they just know better.
They have not learned one of the key traits for Leadership is rooted in a Servant’s heart! If we do not learn how to Serve, we are not qualified to Lead!
2 Timothy 2:1-2 – “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” NASB
Making disciples, as seen in verse two ‘commit to…’ is essentially ‘making a deposit’ in their lives. It is like putting money in the bank. You drive alongside or go inside and deposit the money and the money is there when you need it. But, what about the times when you do that with people and they quit on you, betray you, hurt you, leave you, abandon, you in the time of heated battle?
You may say, ‘that deposit didn’t work am I supposed to do it again?’ YES! Everyone’s been hurt or will be hurt. If ‘fear’ grips your heart you dare not go back into isolation and refuse to risk being hurt again. If you do, then the devil’s plan is succeeding. The temptation is always there to protect your heart from hurt but when you realize that you cannot if you are to continue in the ministry and fulfill the commission the Lord gave us you will press on. Always remember you cannot function in battle alone and be effective. This is a Body Ministry. This is an Army! This is a Family! This is not a bunch of isolated individuals or body parts trying to be the whole for that is certain defeat!
In making disciples we quickly learn the power and importance of Forgiveness! We must determine that we will forgive, forgive, and forgive. That will prevent a root of Bitterness from springing up in our hearts and defiling us and others. It is necessary to maintain order and keep the battle moving forward. If we have been ‘abandoned’ in the war zone we need to be ‘healed’ and ‘restored.’ Refuse to allow wounds to fester and become infected. Healing comes by allowing the wound to be opened, the blood to flow to it and life to be administered.
A word of wisdom and warning – “Pick the right friends this time!” Do not be too quick to lay hands on people. How do you pick the right ones? Discernment and testing! I’ve had people want to be friends and comrades in arms as the battle began only to find that they quickly became disillusioned and disappointed. They had expectations of me that I could not fulfill and therefore they turned on me. Some have been offended that I would joke, laugh, enjoy recreational sports, etc. They expected me to be, as they stated “different” which really meant ‘abnormal’ and ‘weird’. They had not learned that we are all human and even Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows.
It would be easy to say, “Never again. I won’t risk being hurt.” That attitude and approach will seal the deal, making failure certain and limit any effectiveness we might have in the kingdom. Too many pastors have allowed the wrong people to be made ‘elders’ and ‘deacons.’ We do that in our churches and our lives too frequently. That is why it is vital that we exercise the ‘discerning of the Spirit.’
Always remember that the qualifications for leadership are not ‘community influence’, ‘financial status’, ‘charisma’, or ‘perceived leadership potential.’ It is Commitment! We all have the capacity for a great number of friends but only room for a few close intimate relationships. You are to ‘deposit’ a portion of your life into that person or persons and that deposit is precious so guard it with your all. You are going to war with this individual so you must Know Them! In war, you must “know” your fellow soldiers will stand and do their jobs. Your life may and probably will depend on it. I am not talking about preferences I am talking about War! Once you have committed your life to Jesus you are a candidate for Font Line Duty!
There is nothing more destructive to a local fellowship than misplaced leadership. Likewise, there is nothing more destructive to an individual life than misplaced friendships or relationships. 1 Corinthians 15:23 tells us that “bad company corrupts good morals.” Proverbs 25:19 teaches that “confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint.” It is painful and can be quite harmful.
In your enlistment in the Army of God, I pray that God not only equips you for battle but enables you to equip others and to have the spiritual insight and discernment to recognize the ‘right people’ to stand with.
Exodus 17:8-13 – “Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 And Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus, his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” NASB
I love accounts in the Bible that reveal that our victory as the Body of Christ and the Army of God is never solo. We need each other in life and in our spiritual warfare. Yes, we are individually responsible for our actions and individually accountable for what we do or do not do, but we are not islands in the ocean of life. We need each other to fully become what we can be and to achieve the victory that can be ours.
One of the greatest tragedies in churches, especially smaller churches is adopting the mentality, “let clerical George do it.” What I mean by that is the pastor is viewed as a one-man show. He is the jack of all trades. He is not only the overseer but expected to do virtually everything. I know too many pastors who have become so accustomed to that mentality that they are terrified in relinquishing any control and delegating any authority to others. They burn out while to burn the candle for the Lord. That is tragic and not what God intended.
I refer to Moses’ father-in-law’s advice. He instructed his son-in-law that what he was doing was bad for himself and the nation. He gave him a plan that was in the heart of God and demonstrated by Jesus and the early church. He was to select capable men or women in our day, teach them and then release them to function. If a leader assigns responsibility without releasing with the authority to carry out that function, failure is guaranteed.
Here, Israel was fighting Amalek, which is used in the Bible as a type of the flesh. They were fighting Amalek at Rephidim, the place of no water. That is a very powerful picture if we use the typology of Amalek being representative of the flesh and Rephidim being representative of drought (spiritually). Get the picture in your mind and you can see a powerful victory in unity and unified efforts.
We need to look no further than the words of Galatians 6:1-2 – “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burden’s, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” Paul addressed this reality in Romans 14:7 when he called to our attention that we are not islands. Jesus called us His Body and the Bible makes it clear in the Scripture that the body needs all its parts to function fully and efficiently.
When we are struggling, we need to reach out to those who are walking in victory. Do not reach out to someone who is in the muck with you, they will bring you down. Reach out to someone on the mountaintop not someone in the lowest of the valley. When we reach out to those who are struggling, we are to do so with the view of restoration in mind and share with them how the Lord brought us to victory. Share comfort, hope, and expectation.
When the church adopts a view of genuinely caring for each other and becomes a body not just a gathering of people, we will see incredible victory over the darkness of the devil. We will see an influx of souls into the kingdom because hurting people will gravitate to where there is real help. If the church presents an image to the world that we are in the same condition they are, hopeless, depressed, defeated, and isolated, why would they want what we have?
Remember the promise of scripture, “We are more than conquerors through Him that loves us.” Remember the promise, “All things are possible to them that believe” and “All things are possible with God.” If I can encourage one heart, my day is filled with joy. If I can break the power of darkness in one life, I am overjoyed. If I can be a shoulder to lean on to any brother or sister or anyone, I am thrilled. My purpose is Christ’s purpose and that purpose is “destroying the works of the devil.”
God bless you as you enjoy this day in Him, and may your day be filled with joy and victory!
Matthew 6:1 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” NASB
Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” NASB
This has always been a bit of a troubling reality for me. All of us, whether we admit it or not, like to be noticed and given appropriate accolades. You may argue that you do not, and I won’t argue with you, but I would ask that you carefully consider that position in the light of God’s full knowledge of our hearts. Most people enjoy a certain amount of flattery, even those who are truly self-effacing in most things and most of the time. It is part of our human DNA.
Jesus, in this passage and in other places, warns against doing what we do for recognition of man. Man is not the one we need to impress. Man has the power to kill the body but not the soul. Man has the power to make our lives miserable or pleasant but cannot determine our eternity. Man, no matter how powerful or resourceful is not our source, God is. The warning of our LORD is powerful.
The warning is ‘beware’, but beware of what? Beware of practicing your righteousness or religion before people so that they notice you. The implied is that they notice, recognize, and praise you. They deem you a very pious person. That became the pursuit of the Pharisees in Jesus’ day. They prayed long prayers in public and the suggestion is those prayers were not grounded by earnest prayers in private. They dressed in a manner as to appear more pious and righteous than others. They gave to be noticed.
Jesus’ warning includes the explanation, “otherwise, you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” Here and other places, our LORD instructed those hearing His words, “If you do what you do for pretense or recognition, that’s all you get.” How warm are you in the cold, with the recognition of others? How full is your stomach when you are hungry, with the platitudes of others? How able are you to defeat the devil when he comes in like a flood, with the accolades of people?
In Luke 6:38 Jesus gave a powerful discourse on this very principle and reiterated the powerful Law of Sowing and Reaping and the Law of Harvest. He said, “Give”. That alone would be enough, but He said more, much more in the instruction and revelation. He said, “Give and IT shall be given…” (Emphasis mine). That is the word that transformed my understanding of giving and living – IT!
In keeping with the thought of being noticed by man and rewarded by the Father, this verse is uniquely appropriate. The giving is IT and the “It” is whatever you give. Therefore, I suggest that our giving and living should be to please the Father but also with a specific object or goal. The passage in Luke is not about money only, it is about Life. In the Law of Sowing and Reaping and the Law of Harvest, we understand the farming principle that we Reap WHAT we so, we Reap MORE than we sow, and we Reap LATER than we sow.
Reaping WHAT we sow is incredibly important in learning to live so as to please God rather than winning the recognition of men. If we need Love and give Love out of Love for God and for people, we receive a harvest of love both from God and people. If we need understanding and we give understanding out of a genuine concern for others and a love for God, we receive a harvest of understanding and compassion.
We can live in religious pretense or out of sincerity with our focus on being recognized as a righteous man or woman and our reward is only their words and thoughts. But if we live focused on God and truly become one who ‘seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness we will find favor with God and God’s favor opens the storehouse of heaven for us.
I want people to like me, but I refuse to live my life with that as my primary objective. I want to be a man after God’s own heart. I want to become the righteousness of God in Christ. I want the mind in me that was also in Jesus. I want to love as Jesus loves or better Have Jesus love and live through me.
Refuse to let what people say about you determine how you live. Learn to live with God, His will and purpose at the center of your daily pursuit. He will never fail you and will never leave you.
God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!
Genesis 3:1 – “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” NASB
The word is “subtle” in the KJV, but other versions use the word “crafty” and both are incredibly accurate and applicable in describing the wiles and schemes of the devil in his dealings with man. He is the master of deception and uses the tactic that some have become quite proficient using, “Answering questions with questions to create doubt or confusion.”
The word is ‘aruwm’ (aw-room) in the Hebrew and means cunning, usually in a very bad sense. The word God uses to describe the serpent is that he was more devious than any of the other animals. He is cunningly deceptive, and the New Testament refers to him as we are told in 2 Corinthians 11:14. We discover that the devil masquerades as an angel of light or as the KJV renders it “transforms himself into an angel of light.” He is not but pretends to be.
Deception is never what it appears and the deceived never realize they are being duped until the trap has been sprung and the prison doors slam shut. The deceiver must have a willing audience to succeed in deception. That is why it is powerfully important that we are attuned to the Holy Spirit and learn to test the spirits to discover their source and intent.
I have had the sad responsibility of dealing with marriages that have been crushed due to one or the other being deceived and falling into the trap of adultery. It usually begins so innocently and even playfully, but the power of deception and flattery weaken even the strongest hearts if we do not keep our commitment fresh. It is devastating to tell the wife or husband, “He/She meant nothing to me.” I had a session once when the man told his wife that and she said, “I’d feel better if she did mean something to you because when you say she meant nothing, that means you value me even less than I had hoped.”
The devil usually attempts his crafty deception by creating doubt as to God’s Word. He does not immediately come in a frontal assault and question God’s character but suggests that we have misinterpreted what God said. The deception is, “You just misunderstood God. Did He really say?” If he manages to gain a foothold and engage us in conversation and we demonstrate even the most remote tendency to question what God’s Words says, he takes the next step.
In step two, the devil begins to cast aspersions on God’s goodness and even suggests that God might be menacingly withholding something good from us. He will add to the Word of God, something we are warned against in the Bible. He suggests that God might be holding something back that would be good for us and that brings God’s character and goodness into question. If he succeeds in drawing us into that conversation and thought, he takes the final step.
He then contradicts the Word of God as we see in Genesis 3:4, completely contradicting what God said about disobedience and death. God made one prohibition in the Garden. You can call it an apple if you please. The prohibition was to achieve obedience and the sin was not the fruit it was the rebellion against the directive of God.
God could have said, “Don’t cross the bridge over this stream” and it would have been the same thing. However, the fruit affords us the opportunity to see how the devil uses things that are revealed in Genesis 3:6, good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and conveyed the idea of inherent wisdom hidden in it. We see this powerfully in 1 John 2:16 – “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Beware the craftiness trap and anytime anyone or any spirit suggests that God’s Word does not say what it says, or that God does not mean what He says, or questions God’s character – SHUN IT! Jesus’ promise regarding the Holy Spirit is that one of His ministries is that He will “guide us into all truth.” (John 16:13).
If you are tempted to question God, don’t. If you feel God is withholding something good from you, ask Him about it. If you entertain the devil’s suggestions, you will fall prey to his deception and his craftiness will rob you of your peace. Therefore, I pray that God will help you to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves through the Gift of Discerning of Spirits.
Matthew 18:35 – “So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” NASB
The question of how much and how often do we forgive is an issue that has troubled believers for a very long time. It is argued and debated, frequently out of a self-justifying mindset. The argument, “But you don’t know what they did? You don’t know how much the did? You don’t know how often they did what they did?” You are right, I don’t but I do know what God says about it and that is far more important than what you or I experienced in the situation.
This truth is illustrated powerfully in Peter’s question in Matthew 18:21 – “Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Peter, like most people, was looking for a numeric specific or a tally sheet. We often argue that we don’t keep them, but my experience is WE DO! Jesus’ response was not a numeric specific in saying “70 times 7” but a Hebraism that meant ENDLESSLY or WITHOUT NUMBER! We never hide, justify, or excuse their sin, that is not forgiveness it is enabling and pacifying. We love them and endeavor to lead them to the Light of God’s Love.
Let me offer this word of caution for anyone having difficulty forgiving others and I believe it will be beneficial. I suggest that you purpose in your heart and commit yourself to pray for them daily. I do not believe that we can honestly and from the heart pray for people and continue to hate them. It may take weeks, months, or even years but there will be a change in our attitude toward them and our desire for them. I did not say, pray for God to GET THEM but pray FOR THEM!
We see the immense peril of unforgiveness illustrated in Proverbs 17:13 – “He who returns evil for good, evil will not depart his house.” Who wants that? I would hope, nobody. It is a good thing to forgive and a bad thing to refuse to forgive. It is detrimental to everyone to withhold forgiveness.
There is a distinct difference between Forgiveness and Judgment. For example, if somebody lies to me ten times, I may forgive that person each time, but in my heart, I make a judgment. In my heart, I see that person as a liar. I may have taken care of the individual incidents, but I have rendered a judgment that he/she is a liar and therefore, I see them as a Liar. I have forgiven the sin, but I am still judging the person! God is the God of Restoration and bringing Wholeness.
Let me suggest that you do not say, “I’m sorry” when you ask for forgiveness. What? That doesn’t sound right, so what could I mean. I suggest that you say, “Will you forgive me?” At that point the person that I am confessing to and asking forgiveness of can truly release what is in their hearts and both free me and themselves, at the same time.
I also suggest that you don’t rush out to everyone you have ever harbored an ill-thought toward or held a grudge against and tell them everything that you thought or felt. Why? You should forgive them BEFORE you tell them all the nasty details. I had a person come to me wanting to tell me all they had ever felt negatively about me. I said, “I forgive you and I do not need to know or want to know the details of how you felt. I ask you to forgive me for what I did to cause you to feel that way.” There may need to be some detailing so that the air can be cleared, and true forgiveness can ensue, but often it is not only unnecessary but unwise.
Some people want you to know, not because they are repentant but because they believe that through their revealing their pain to you and your ugliness, they can change you. When I perceive that is the intent, I frequently stop them and say, “I forgive you and ask that you forgive me.” There will be some things that need to be confessed in detail to a counselor in a time of ministry in order to become free, but it should never be a forum to dump or trash another person.
Forgiveness is a very important and misunderstood key to freedom as believers. We need to identify any and all areas of unforgiveness in our lives. We need to repent of those areas and ask forgiveness both of God and the one offended and the offender. We need to release all bitterness and judgments. We need to receive forgiveness. I hope these sessions have been beneficial and resonated with you in your pursuit of wholeness and freedom in Jesus.
God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in His Love!
Matthew 18:35 – “So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” NASB
You cannot simply decide to repent and find true repentance or forgiveness. It requires the conviction of the Holy Spirit brings to light your condition. Acts 11:18 amplifies that reality, “God has granted to the Gentiles also repentance that leads to life.” The simple truth is that if a person is not repentant it is impossible to minister life to them. That being said, it has been my experience that most people are, at least somewhat, repentant.
A non-repentant person is usually filled with ‘self-justification.’ That is one of the reasons that people grow angry and remain angry over what someone has done, they have accepted the devil’s deliver that they are the victim! Some truly are, but most simply see themselves as the victim rather than a participant.
It is necessary that we confess our sins. Some people are far more interested in broadcasting what has been done to them, than repenting of any sins on their part. Once we have repented, there is a clear biblical directive as to what must come next. We, must forgive! We must forgive all those people who wronged us, and we must repent of receiving the anger, making it our own, and allowing the heartache, anger, and rejection that were the fruit that incident bore. We must repent of believing the lies of the devil.
I call to remembrance the directive of our LORD in Luke 6:41-42 – “And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”
The first seven verses of Psalms 32 are powerfully descriptive of our Covenant Promise and the Process to remove sin. There can be no deceit or hiding, but we must become fully transparent and open. Bitterness causes physical problems such as arthritis and more. It is healthy to Confess it and allow the Holy Spirit to do the spiritual surgery needed to remove it.
Then we have the dire warning of our Lord in Matthew 18:34-35 that if we do not forgive them from our hearts, the tormentors will come. Therefore, confession and forgiveness frees from guilt and allows us and them to enjoy God’s wonderful grace, love, mercy, and freedom. This will never happen without the conviction of the Holy Spirit and our laying our cares and hurts at the feet of Jesus at the Cross.
There is another area that is frequently missed and terribly misunderstood by most evangelical believers. That is the area of ‘pronouncing forgiveness’. Before you insist that ‘only God’ can do that, let me ask that you examine some pertinent passages and thoughts from scripture. God does forgive, but we become the vehicles through which the offender and offended receives forgiveness and enjoy the fullness of pardon.
I would ask that you ask yourself, why does James 5 instruct us to confess our sins to one another? Then, ask yourself, what do we do after we have confessed to another? Do we share those juicy tidbits we heard in confession? No, we can pronounce forgiveness and watch them experience powerful deliverance and freedom.
Why Confess? I believe there are two basic reasons that are germane to our discussion. First, it breaks the power of the fear of exposure and second, it frees from condemnation. One of the first gifts associated with receiving the Holy Spirit according to John 20:22-23 was pronouncing forgiveness. “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” Our great need is to be forgiven. We need to be forgiven by God and by others, it is liberating.
Matthew 6 teaches that if we do not forgive others God will not forgive us. The sad reality for many is that we try and try but find it virtually impossible to forgive from our hearts. There is a residue that keeps hanging on through the years. I suggest that it is a supernatural thing not a willpower thing. Ask God to help you to forgive. Repent and be honest with Him and He will help you and set you free and enable you to set others free.
I want to talk about forgiveness in the light of how many times and how much we are to forgive? We will address that in the next session.
May the LORD bless you richly as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him, forgiven and forgiving.
