"Forgiveness is more than the remission of penalty; it should mean the restoration of a broken fellowship." - Anonymous
The story is told of a father in Spain who was estranged from his son for many years. His father searched constantly for him but always came up empty. Finally in a desperate attempt to find him the father put an ad in the Madrid newspaper that read: "Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon. All is forgiven. I love you, your father." The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office, more than 800 "Paco's" showed up, all seeking forgiveness and love from their fathers.
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. All this is from God who reconciled Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them." - 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
We have all probably heard the phrase, "To err is human, to forgive, divine." But the Bible will not stop that short. God gives believers the power of forgiveness too. But to forgive is only one step in the process. The next step is reconciliation, that is, putting back together the relationship that was broken. Few Christians seems to be willing to go the extra step.
So what does God say about this? Is forgive and forget the minimum standard by which we can get by or does God expect more than a minimum of effort? Let's see what Scripture has to say about it. Enjoy!
Matthew 6:9-15
Matthew 18:21-22
Matthew 5:23-24
2 Corinthians 2:5-11
Sneak peek into next week - Unjust death
February 22, 2010
February 16, 2010
Unanswered Prayer
"Some of God's greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers." - Country singer, Garth Brooks
"God answers prayers; sometimes when hearts are weak. He gives the very gifts we seek. But often faith must learn a deeper rest, and trust God's silence when He does not speak." - M.G. Plantz
"The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective." - James 5:16
Some people believe, like Garth Brooks, that God does not answer some prayers but allows us to wrestle out solutions on our own. Others believe that God answers all prayers; sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it is no and other times the answer is yes, but not right now. Still others say that God answers prayers but because the answer is different than what we expect, we actually miss the answer.
Are there prayers that God will not answer? And what do we do while waiting for an answer? How should our faith respond when we fervently pray but appear to receive no answer? Check out some of these Scriptures and your own search as well. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Hebrews 5:7
Proverbs 1:24-29
Hebrews 11:13 & 39
Luke 2:25-32
Psalm 27:13-14
Sneak peek for next week - Forgiveness AND Reconciliation
"God answers prayers; sometimes when hearts are weak. He gives the very gifts we seek. But often faith must learn a deeper rest, and trust God's silence when He does not speak." - M.G. Plantz
"The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective." - James 5:16
Some people believe, like Garth Brooks, that God does not answer some prayers but allows us to wrestle out solutions on our own. Others believe that God answers all prayers; sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it is no and other times the answer is yes, but not right now. Still others say that God answers prayers but because the answer is different than what we expect, we actually miss the answer.
Are there prayers that God will not answer? And what do we do while waiting for an answer? How should our faith respond when we fervently pray but appear to receive no answer? Check out some of these Scriptures and your own search as well. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Hebrews 5:7
Proverbs 1:24-29
Hebrews 11:13 & 39
Luke 2:25-32
Psalm 27:13-14
Sneak peek for next week - Forgiveness AND Reconciliation
February 8, 2010
Asking for Signs
A sign outside a church in Wisconsin reads, "You aren't too bad to come in and you aren't good enough to stay out."
There was a woman who had worked hard all her life as a teacher, but lately she had been feeling a call from God to go into the mission field. After much prayer she asked for a sign - but not just any sign. Her request was very specific because she did not want there to be any doubt. So she asked God that if He wanted her in missions, that Sunday morning at worship the old hymn, Peace Like a River, would be played at the normally contemporary service. She waited all through the service and at the very end the recessional hymn was indeed, Peace Like a River.
"...this salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to His will." Hebrews 2:3-4
I cannot tell you how many times parishioners of mine have asked me about some decision they were about to make in their lives and whether or not it was alright to ask God for a sign. Somewhere our culture has picked up the idea that asking for a sign is a demonstration of a lack of faith. Or they have been taught that asking for signs is forbidden by God. At the same time, however, asking for signs can be done rather flippantly without regard to serious prayer and meditation.
So - when, what, how and where is it appropriate to ask for signs from God? Check out some of these Scriptures and let me know what you think! You can even share your personal stories if you would like. Enjoy
Genesis 9:8-17
Judges 6:36-40
john 2:1-11
Mark 16:14-20
sneak peek for next week - Unanswered Prayer
There was a woman who had worked hard all her life as a teacher, but lately she had been feeling a call from God to go into the mission field. After much prayer she asked for a sign - but not just any sign. Her request was very specific because she did not want there to be any doubt. So she asked God that if He wanted her in missions, that Sunday morning at worship the old hymn, Peace Like a River, would be played at the normally contemporary service. She waited all through the service and at the very end the recessional hymn was indeed, Peace Like a River.
"...this salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to His will." Hebrews 2:3-4
I cannot tell you how many times parishioners of mine have asked me about some decision they were about to make in their lives and whether or not it was alright to ask God for a sign. Somewhere our culture has picked up the idea that asking for a sign is a demonstration of a lack of faith. Or they have been taught that asking for signs is forbidden by God. At the same time, however, asking for signs can be done rather flippantly without regard to serious prayer and meditation.
So - when, what, how and where is it appropriate to ask for signs from God? Check out some of these Scriptures and let me know what you think! You can even share your personal stories if you would like. Enjoy
Genesis 9:8-17
Judges 6:36-40
john 2:1-11
Mark 16:14-20
sneak peek for next week - Unanswered Prayer
February 1, 2010
Faith and Doubts
"...if we begin with doubts, and are patient with them, we shall end in certainties." Francis Bacon
The renowned lawyer, Clarence Darrow, was once invloved in a public debate with a certain Mr. Roy L. Smith. Darrow proclaimed, "They tell me there is a God; but I have never seem him, I have never touched him, I have no personal acqaintance with him." To which Mr. Smith replied, "It is credibly reported that Mr. Darrow has a mind; but I have never seen it, I have never touched it, I have no proof of it at all."
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
No matter where you are in your faith-walk, you have experienced doubts somewhere along the path. Some people see this as an indication of a lack of faith and are embarrassed by it. In Greek the word for doubt is an antonym for the word for faith. But Francis Bacon saw doubt as nothing more than a place where faith had not yet developed to maturity. So is doubt the opposite of faith or a prelude to it? Let me know what you think! Here are some Scripture passages to help you along the way. Enjoy!
James 1:5-8
Mark 9:14-29
Matthew 14:22-33
John 20:24-29
Sneak peek at next week: asking for signs - okay or not?
The renowned lawyer, Clarence Darrow, was once invloved in a public debate with a certain Mr. Roy L. Smith. Darrow proclaimed, "They tell me there is a God; but I have never seem him, I have never touched him, I have no personal acqaintance with him." To which Mr. Smith replied, "It is credibly reported that Mr. Darrow has a mind; but I have never seen it, I have never touched it, I have no proof of it at all."
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
No matter where you are in your faith-walk, you have experienced doubts somewhere along the path. Some people see this as an indication of a lack of faith and are embarrassed by it. In Greek the word for doubt is an antonym for the word for faith. But Francis Bacon saw doubt as nothing more than a place where faith had not yet developed to maturity. So is doubt the opposite of faith or a prelude to it? Let me know what you think! Here are some Scripture passages to help you along the way. Enjoy!
James 1:5-8
Mark 9:14-29
Matthew 14:22-33
John 20:24-29
Sneak peek at next week: asking for signs - okay or not?
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