Matthew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you.
Oh Friends, morning has broken once again, just like that first morn. The birds, the bees and all God’s creatures are excited, cause it means another God-given day filled with LOVE, peace and happiness is before us. Okay, so I’m losing some of my marbles, but I have to be optimistic when I keep saying and believing that while there is life on this planet, the possibility of hope exists for those positive emotions of peace, LOVE and togetherness to someday blossom in the souls of men. And if you think otherwise, then please forgive me for believing it. Now that serves as a good jumping off point for the final definition of Uncle Charles’ (Charles Stanley) that I want to share with you. We’ve already talked about Anger and Unforgiveness. This is the big one; Forgiveness, that many of you will dislike, but if you want to be a true follower of Christ, then you’ll just have to embrace it, no ifs ands and buts. Now, per Uncle Charles, ‘Forgiveness is giving up resentment against someone, and our right to get even no matter what has been done to us. It is the surrendering of my right to hurt you back.’ What? Surrendering my right to revenge, no matter what’s been done to me? You must be crazy! No, I’m not. It’s what Jesus meant when He replied to Peter’s question about whether forgiving seven times was enough. ‘I say not unto thee, until seven times: but until seventy times seven.’ (Mat.18:21-22) What’s 70 times 7? 490! So we should be willing to forgive someone up to at least 490 times. Wow! So you see Friends how strongly Jesus felt about the principle of forgiveness. It’s the foundation of the Christian Faith. The Father forgives us through sacrificing His Son, because He LOVES us deeply. The Son comes to earth and teaches us of His Father’s abiding, unconditional LOVE, and if we want to be in the Father’s good graces, we have to LOVE and forgive each other too. Now doesn’t that sound logical? If the Lord wanted us to live like Lucifer and his heathen cronies, He wouldn’t have sacrificed Jesus’ innocent life. But because He desired what was best for us, He made Him pay the expensive price for our freedom from the bondage of sin. And now we expect to go back and live the same old way; and eye for an eye, tooth for tooth nonsense. Oh mih people, that gets us nowhere! It angers God and only brings negativity and senseless destruction into our lives. Just look at the conflict in the Middle East. It’s been going on in some form before Jesus’ time, and there still doesn’t seem much hope for a decent resolution any time soon. And would you believe they are all descendants of our father Abraham, from Ishmael and Isaac. But such an intense hatred and anger has flourished over the years with unceasing violence, causing nothing but useless bloodshed and destruction, that now selfish pride doesn’t allow them to forgive each other. And it will never end until some sort of forgiveness is forged. Oh my people, Jesus didn’t die so we can destroy each other over what are usually petty grievances and jealousies. To be a true follower of Christ we must be big enough to let everything go. To give up the right to get even, in spite of how hurtful the wrong done to us might be. And note Friends, it has to be more than just a superficial forgiveness, for Jesus specified in Mat.18:35 that the Father won’t forgive us, ‘if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ The important part of that sentence is ‘from your hearts.’ That means it must be true, it must be real. Yes my people, I know that our fellow man is more steeped in negative things like hatred, anger, violence and greed, than peace, LOVE and the many fruits of righteousness, which is the main cause of our world being so fractured, in constant turmoil and conflict. But to change it we’ve got to start somewhere, and Jesus decided long ago that His followers would be the ones to turn the violent, negative outlook of the world into a positive, peaceful vibe. I know it’s not always easy to turn the other cheek when we’re hurt, but it’s something we have to learn to do. Thankfully I can say that forgiveness has never been a big problem with me. I get angry, curse and carry on, which seems to help by getting the venom out of my soul. Oh, let me knock some wood here yes, be thankful that I haven’t been as sorely tested as many others have. Ah Friends, I know at times forgiveness can be exceedingly difficult, seemingly impossible, but remember with God’s help, anything is possible. It will take time, patience, prayer, fellowship, encouragement, and above all your willingness, your overwhelming desire to please Christ. And remember too, we are the biggest beneficiary of forgiveness. It frees us from the negative emotions that only make an already hard life, harder. Listen to Bruh Paul mih people, and ‘Recompense to no man, evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.’ (Rom.12:17-18) Oh Friends, that’s some of the best advice we’ll ever get, so let’s heed it nuh. Let’s get on the forgiveness train with Jesus, our conductor, who laid the tracks we’re rolling on, by being the first to forgive so many. Let’s give up the senseless anger, greed and jealousy that only create a serious brouhaha in our souls. Unforgiveness is not worth the hefty price it demands. Forgiveness demands a hefty price too, surrendering our rights, but remember God says He will repay any wrong done to us, in His own way and time. And as a believer, there’s no reason to doubt Him. And as always, the best way to start is small, and in your own backyard; charity begins at home. So let’s get on the forgiveness train, ask Jesus to help, and start forgiving small, right where we are, amongst our friends, families and neighbours. We’ll be surprised at how much better, how much lighter our souls will feel. We’ll be happier; the world will be a happier place, and Jesus will be happier too. So let’s do it nuh; let’s learn to FORGIVE! Much LOVE! … ….remember…to err is human…to forgive is divine…
Oh Friends, morning has broken once again, just like that first morn. The birds, the bees and all God’s creatures are excited, cause it means another God-given day filled with LOVE, peace and happiness is before us. Okay, so I’m losing some of my marbles, but I have to be optimistic when I keep saying and believing that while there is life on this planet, the possibility of hope exists for those positive emotions of peace, LOVE and togetherness to someday blossom in the souls of men. And if you think otherwise, then please forgive me for believing it. Now that serves as a good jumping off point for the final definition of Uncle Charles’ (Charles Stanley) that I want to share with you. We’ve already talked about Anger and Unforgiveness. This is the big one; Forgiveness, that many of you will dislike, but if you want to be a true follower of Christ, then you’ll just have to embrace it, no ifs ands and buts. Now, per Uncle Charles, ‘Forgiveness is giving up resentment against someone, and our right to get even no matter what has been done to us. It is the surrendering of my right to hurt you back.’ What? Surrendering my right to revenge, no matter what’s been done to me? You must be crazy! No, I’m not. It’s what Jesus meant when He replied to Peter’s question about whether forgiving seven times was enough. ‘I say not unto thee, until seven times: but until seventy times seven.’ (Mat.18:21-22) What’s 70 times 7? 490! So we should be willing to forgive someone up to at least 490 times. Wow! So you see Friends how strongly Jesus felt about the principle of forgiveness. It’s the foundation of the Christian Faith. The Father forgives us through sacrificing His Son, because He LOVES us deeply. The Son comes to earth and teaches us of His Father’s abiding, unconditional LOVE, and if we want to be in the Father’s good graces, we have to LOVE and forgive each other too. Now doesn’t that sound logical? If the Lord wanted us to live like Lucifer and his heathen cronies, He wouldn’t have sacrificed Jesus’ innocent life. But because He desired what was best for us, He made Him pay the expensive price for our freedom from the bondage of sin. And now we expect to go back and live the same old way; and eye for an eye, tooth for tooth nonsense. Oh mih people, that gets us nowhere! It angers God and only brings negativity and senseless destruction into our lives. Just look at the conflict in the Middle East. It’s been going on in some form before Jesus’ time, and there still doesn’t seem much hope for a decent resolution any time soon. And would you believe they are all descendants of our father Abraham, from Ishmael and Isaac. But such an intense hatred and anger has flourished over the years with unceasing violence, causing nothing but useless bloodshed and destruction, that now selfish pride doesn’t allow them to forgive each other. And it will never end until some sort of forgiveness is forged. Oh my people, Jesus didn’t die so we can destroy each other over what are usually petty grievances and jealousies. To be a true follower of Christ we must be big enough to let everything go. To give up the right to get even, in spite of how hurtful the wrong done to us might be. And note Friends, it has to be more than just a superficial forgiveness, for Jesus specified in Mat.18:35 that the Father won’t forgive us, ‘if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ The important part of that sentence is ‘from your hearts.’ That means it must be true, it must be real. Yes my people, I know that our fellow man is more steeped in negative things like hatred, anger, violence and greed, than peace, LOVE and the many fruits of righteousness, which is the main cause of our world being so fractured, in constant turmoil and conflict. But to change it we’ve got to start somewhere, and Jesus decided long ago that His followers would be the ones to turn the violent, negative outlook of the world into a positive, peaceful vibe. I know it’s not always easy to turn the other cheek when we’re hurt, but it’s something we have to learn to do. Thankfully I can say that forgiveness has never been a big problem with me. I get angry, curse and carry on, which seems to help by getting the venom out of my soul. Oh, let me knock some wood here yes, be thankful that I haven’t been as sorely tested as many others have. Ah Friends, I know at times forgiveness can be exceedingly difficult, seemingly impossible, but remember with God’s help, anything is possible. It will take time, patience, prayer, fellowship, encouragement, and above all your willingness, your overwhelming desire to please Christ. And remember too, we are the biggest beneficiary of forgiveness. It frees us from the negative emotions that only make an already hard life, harder. Listen to Bruh Paul mih people, and ‘Recompense to no man, evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.’ (Rom.12:17-18) Oh Friends, that’s some of the best advice we’ll ever get, so let’s heed it nuh. Let’s get on the forgiveness train with Jesus, our conductor, who laid the tracks we’re rolling on, by being the first to forgive so many. Let’s give up the senseless anger, greed and jealousy that only create a serious brouhaha in our souls. Unforgiveness is not worth the hefty price it demands. Forgiveness demands a hefty price too, surrendering our rights, but remember God says He will repay any wrong done to us, in His own way and time. And as a believer, there’s no reason to doubt Him. And as always, the best way to start is small, and in your own backyard; charity begins at home. So let’s get on the forgiveness train, ask Jesus to help, and start forgiving small, right where we are, amongst our friends, families and neighbours. We’ll be surprised at how much better, how much lighter our souls will feel. We’ll be happier; the world will be a happier place, and Jesus will be happier too. So let’s do it nuh; let’s learn to FORGIVE! Much LOVE! … ….remember…to err is human…to forgive is divine…
SCRIP-BITS 