11 Letter Word

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Hey don’t tell anyone but I am going to use a “dirty”word in the DISPATCH today. Now before we get there if you think you will be offended, I encourage you to stop reading right now. And for any of you “tattletales”I encourage you to read on so you can catch the Pastor being "naughty" and tell all your friends about it.

Here it comes…our DIRTY word… (Drum roll please…)

FORGIVENESS!

What?

That’s right FORGIVENESS!

What do you mean FORGIVENESS isn’t a dirty word?

Are you sure?

Recently it seems as if maybe it is.

“He doesn’t deserve forgiveness after what he did Pastor”

“Forgive her? You must be joking. If you were in my shoes you would take that grudge to the grave.”

“Say I AM sorry? Have you gone back to drinking Pastor; you are off your rocker if you think that is happening.”

Forgiveness MUST be a dirty word because it seems no one wants to use it.

But forgiveness is NOT a dirty word. In fact it is one of the most beautiful, freeing and revelatory words in the language.

But boy oh boy do we struggle with it huh?

I think it is a tough word because we don't understand it. So let's clear up the misperception.

Forgiveness is an expression of love by us and FOR US! Forgiveness is a gift given to us by CHRIST and it is to be shared by us with others!

Matthew 6:12

12 Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

Yet often when we are hurt we opt for un-forgiveness rather than quickly forgiving. We allow the hurt to take root, hunker in and marinate in our minds and hearts until it blooms into bitterness.

However, we need to remember, Jesus wasn’t a fan of bitterness, resentment and un-forgiveness.

Matthew 6:15

If you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

So if we are going to walk as Jesus walked, live as Jesus lived, and be His representatives, FORGIVENESS can't be a dirty word.

Maybe today you have got a little bitterness stored up, maybe there is a co-worker who did you wrong, maybe there is an old relationship that went sour or an old hurt that needs some healing.

Don’t make FORGIVENESS a dirty word. Go ahead USE it!

Remember we have been FORGIVEN so much...

Colossians 2:14

…When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross.

...let’s do our best today to exercise some of our own.

Have a blessed day.

I love you all.

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney