FORGIVINGLY RESTORE

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.

Galatians 6:1-3 (MSG)

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

This passage was referenced yesterday in Lancaster while a group of our dedicated leaders were meeting.  It is a powerful passage.

The circumstances that raised the discussion was around a “brother” who had fallen. It was shared by a brother who also at one time HAD fallen himself.

He was so appreciative of being "forgivingly restored".

But aren’t we all when we are the one who has made the mistake, tripped up or who has fallen. 

I believe that is why the Bible is so clear.

We are to FORGIVE for we have been forgiven…

…be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ. (Ephesians 4:32 LB)

“You don’t have to live with a dehydrated heart. Receive Christ’s work on the Cross, the energy of his Spirit, his lordship over your life, his unending, unfailing love. Drink deeply and often. And out of you will flow rivers of living water.

Interestingly enough as Beth and I were catching up on things this morning she shared an encounter with a young man yesterday that also need to forgive.  The un-forgiveness in his heart was blocking the healing that GOD had for him.  

Beth could sense it as could other members of the prayer team. 

“Never allow unforgiveness to rule your heart. Let go of your hurts. Embrace healing.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita…

Ask yourself this morning.

Is there a relationship that could use some forgiveness in order for you to move forward?

If you would extend some grace and forgiveness could a tense situation experience some much needed peace?

Is un-forgiveness dehydrating your heart?

I understand it is hard to extend forgiveness when we have been “wronged or hurt”.  But bitterness is a pill that WE swallow and when un-forgiveness is given fertile ground in our minds and spirit to take root it most certainly will.

Charles Stanley offers us this:

“Hebrews 12:15 describes bitterness as a “root.” Think about that. Where do you find roots? That’s right—they grow underground, sitting beneath the surface and siphoning off nutrients from the ground around them. Whenever you see a plant, flower, or tree, you can be sure that just below the peaceful façade is a root that is sucking life from the soil and pushing it up through the plant’s foundation. Without the root, the vegetation would collapse and die.

Can you see how this image parallels your spiritual life? Perhaps you have a root of bitterness that is sitting just under the surface, practically invisible to anyone who walks by. Does the fact that the bitter root is barely noticeable mean that it is inert and harmless? Absolutely not! Instead, you can be sure that the root is doing its job—sucking the life from you and using it to nourish a weed of hatred, impatience, or discontentment.

A root of bitterness will never produce healthy fruit. When the root is harmful, it is senseless to expect anything other than bad fruit and a tangle of weeds.

The good news is, there’s a remedy to the problem. All it takes to kill a weed is to unearth and dispose of the root. Pull the source of your resentment out of its hiding place. Expose it and give it to God, who knows how to cultivate the heart.”

And that more times than not begins with the action... “forgivingly restore”.

Have a blessed day…

I love you all!

FREEDOM CHURCH (CHAMPIONS NETWORK)