Tag: forgiveness
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Faith through Disappointment (the one about bitterness)
Consider the alternative When we feel disappointment sometimes we give ourselves permission to be angry for a while. That’s actually okay. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging how someone has hurt us. In fact, it is healthy to be honest about our feelings. However, there are enough scriptures that warn us about holding onto our hurt to make…
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Faith Through Disappointment (part 2)
Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” (emphasis mine) Hosea 3:1 Remember what we learned a couple of weeks ago: God knows disappointment.…
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Faith, Grace, and Real Life – Forgiveness
“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:35 Words have power. They do not have the power of magic, but the meanings of words can change our lives. We see this any time we talk to someone and they…
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Grace, Meant to Be Lived Out
Grace. We hear the word in church. Hopefully, we understand that the grace of God is what has saved us. God’s forgiveness offered to us through Jesus is glorious! Have we thought about what that word is supposed to mean to us every day? Is it a religious term that stays in our Bibles and…
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Embracing God
What does God care about? How does a person receive eternal life? What must I do to be saved? I find it ironic how often the answer to these three question will contradict each other even when you are asking the same person. For example, a person like me who has been saved through Christ’s…
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The Christian Atheist – A Scary Thought
Today we think about one of the oddest actions in the world. No, it isn’t when people who don’t believe in God act like they don’t believe in Him. It isn’t when people who are iffy about God act like they don’t believe in Him. No, the oddest action to me is when those who…
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The Mystery of Knowing God
Mysteries. They catch my fascination. I love a good who-done-it. They stretch my mind. They capture my imagination. They make me want to solve the puzzle before it is revealed. Have you ever thought of the wonderful mystery of knowing God? I mean, He is there – the King of the universe – and He…
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The Power We Have (encouragement)
This week I am thinking about God’s uncommon faithfulness. He was faithful to Paul when he was heading to Rome. Paul’s relationship with God tells us much about God’s relationship with all of His people. God is faithful. He encourages. He works when we cannot see Him. He cannot be stopped! (See Acts 27-28) This…
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Forgiveness – What we want, we should give
There is nothing so nice as an encouraging verse. However, thinking deeply and carefully about those encouraging verses can be equally challenging! For example, consider the Scripture that invites us to forgive… Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 This verse, and many…
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Following the Master – The Need for Forgiveness
How are you at following the Master? Do you always succeed? Have you reached a level of perfection? I know… that is funny. It’s funny because only the very proud would claim such a thing. However, it is sometimes hard to admit that we stumble even when we are trying to follow Jesus with our…
Pastor John D Jakes 