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There are so many people in this world who keep in remembrance the things that were done to them 10, 20, 30 years ago or longer. They hold on to grudges as if they happened yesterday without realizing that tomorrow is not promised to them. When we continually keep in mind our past hurts, we are poisoning our today's and more importantly our tomorrows. What we must realize is that this life is short no matter how long it may seem right now. We will all be a distant memory not too long from now and that is why we should do our best to live in peace within ourselves and with others. We can't expect to live a victorious life without being peaceable with everyone. We have to put on the righteousness of Christ and lead by His example. We must love all, forgive all and forget all of our past hurts so that we may be able to move forward better, wiser and stronger than we were before. (Philippians 3:13-14) (Isaiah 43:18-19)
When our time on earth comes to an end and we stand before the Lord giving an account of our life how foolish will we feel when we answer the question why did we not forgive? Why did we hold on to the past hurts? Why did we not let it go? If the Lord Jesus as our example said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" when He was on the cross being crucified for our sins, then how much more should we be forgiving even to the worst offenders? I say every day, every time and every chance we have. It is not for their sake that we forgive, it is for our sake. It is so that we can look past their offense and move forward towards victory. It is so that we can make God proud with our life and make it significant upon this earth realizing that no man is without offense and forgiveness brings love and mercy with it. (Luke 23:34) (Ephesians 4:31-32)
What we should remember and keep in mind is that forgiveness isn't for the other person, it is for us. It is so that we may be able to love unconditionally, without motive and without pretense. Think of your life and how much better it can be if you looked past your past. You will have more joy, more peace, more love. All of these things are within your grasp, but you must make the first move to forgive and allow the Lord to mend your hurts. Think of all this time that you have wasted in unforgiveness. Has it helped you? Has it made you a better person or has it made you more cynical and more suspicious of others? I ask that you take God's recipe and offer love for hatred, forgiveness for pain, mercy for being wronged and grace for people's shortcomings. Just as we have received mercy for our many shortfalls, let us offer mercy for the many shortfalls of others. (2 Corinthians 5:17) (Romans 12:1-2)
You will soon find healing, restoration, strength, joy, peace and love overtaking your life, and the Lord will show you His ability to make you forget your past and reinvigorate your hope towards your beautiful and bright future. God is able to take our little and multiply it into much, but we must be willing to let Him do it on our behalf and when we do, we will wonder why we did not move so many years sooner. Always remember and keep in mind that God loves you with an everlasting love. The Lord wishes to add to your life and not take away from it. God is a lover of our souls. He is plenteous in mercy, filled with grace and His love for us could never be measured by our finite minds. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) (1 Peter 2:1-25)
I pray that you will take this message to heart and let it convince you to forgive, to love, to hope anew and to see that your life isn't over until you breathe your last breath. You always have a chance to become better, wiser and stronger. You always have an opportunity to call upon the Lord and share with Him all that is on your heart and you always have the chance to call upon Jesus and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior from this day until you meet Him face-to-face. (Colossians 3:13) (Philippians 3:15)
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Ephesians 4:31-32 "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Galatians 5:22-26 "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."
1 John 4:10-12 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us."
Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Colossians 3:12-15 "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today's Selected Poem: LIFE WITHOUT PURPOSE
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem57.htm
Today's Selected Testimony: OUT OF DARKNESS
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony103.htm
In Christ's Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God's Work Ministry |
