MEDITATION MONDAY
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I went to bed at 10 p.m., last night, which is very early for me. With only two and a half hours sleep the night before, a full day on Sunday, and Life Group at our house last night - this girl was beat. As I sat at the computer trying to finish today's post, I knew it would just have to wait until after deep needed sleep. So, what's with God waking me up at 3:30 a.m.??!!!? Oh, I've seen it many times before! I immediately went into my "Okay, God, what's happening? What are you wanting me to pray for?" I started going down the list of things and began pouring my heart out to our God.
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I came into my office (which is across the hall from our bedroom) and in my email INBOX I found a 15 paragraph note from a friend in another state which toward the end used the first step in the AA format to say: "My name is ____ ____, and I can't forgive myself!" God's Holy Spirit is working on my friend's heart! Again, the Holy Spirit connection! Do you see the title of today's post? God has something powerful for us to meditate on today! I'm praying that my friend joins us in reading this post today and uses the notes below as a guide to listen to Steve's sermon from yesterday (at the link on the right sidebar).
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At Winterfest this year, teens were challenged to:
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L1 - Love God!
L2 - Love others!
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We've heard our teens, at church, share their desire to do just that. Steve made another Holy Spirit connection after the teens "Winterfest Presentation" a week ago. As Steve prayed, studied for, and prepared for the next lesson, "BREAKING FREE", in the FIREPROOF sermon series, he pondered what the teens had shared and re-read the scripture from last week, highlighting different words:
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Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore,
since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us,
let us also lay aside every encumbrance,
and the sin which so easily entangles us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus..."
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Lay aside every encumbrance?
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LA 1
LA2
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What gets in the way of living THE BLESSED LIFE that Jesus has called us to live?
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For Steve's lesson yesterday: FORGIVENESS!
For this blog this week: FORGIVENESS!
For those reading this: FORGIVENESS!
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It is convicting to make the FORGIVENESS CONNECTION with the "9th Be-attitude". In order to REJOICE in tribulation, I must allow myself to:
- "Forgive God" for allowing difficult circumstances in my life
- Forgive others for their insults, lies, mistreatment, and even for having no clue ("Father forgive them for they know not what they do!")
- Forgive myself of past and present sins
"BE-ATTITUDE #9:
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Matthew 5:11-12
"Blessed are you when men cast insults at you,
and persecute you,
and say all kinds of evil against you falsely,
on account of Me.
"Rejoice, and be glad,
for your reward in heaven is great,
for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
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Steve's sermon was powerful! (not just because he's my husband:) Here are some things he shared for us to meditate on today:
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1. TWO THINGS THAT HAVE SIMILAR GREEK ROOTS:
- Lay Aside: (apothemenoi/apotithemi) (Hebrews 12:1-3)
- Forgive: (aphiemi) (Matthew 18:21)
2. FOUR TRUTHS ABOUT FORGIVENESS:
- It's not easy to Lay Aside someone's sin against us.
- Laying Aside other's sin helps keep Satan from getting a foothold in our heart.
- Laying Aside sin of others is a "grace".
- TRUST and FORGIVENESS are NOT the same! FORGIVENESS and FORGETTING are NOT the same! TRUST is earned! FORGIVENESS is given - a decision!
3. PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT (Matthew 18:23-35)
- God has a forgiving heart!
- We desperately need forgiveness! Bad News: We have all sinned! Good News: Eternal Life is a free gift through Jesus Christ!
- Being unforgiving is unGodly!
- Being unforgiving will damn us!
4. TWO QUESTIONS
- Can I be saved if I am UNFORGIVEN? NO! - see Acts 2:36-40
- Can I be saved if I am UNFORGIVING? NO! - see Matthew 6:14-15
5. HOW DO I FORGIVE?
- Make a decision to forgive!
- Say the words!
- When you forgive, FORGIVE!
- Forgive completely!
- Forgive repeatedly! (Satan will keep tempting you to take back in your hands what you have already chosed to Lay Aside - don't pick it back up again... choose to forgive repeatedly...70 x 7)
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LOVE DARE CHALLENGE:
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LA 1 - Lay Aside My Sins
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(God forgives me! I forgive myself!)
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LA 2 - Lay Aside the Sins of Others
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(Forgive others completely -
see above 1,2,3,4,5)
Welcome to the new normal!
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L 1
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L 2
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LA 1
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LA 2
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Whether or not you have seen FIREPROOF, here is a powerful clip about TRUST and FORGIVENESS. If your time too short to watch it all, slide the bar over to 1:20 and start there. Be blessed!
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FIREPROOF:
In this clip, Caleb is up to Day 43 on the 40 Day Love Dare to love Catherine. Why would he want to go past the required days of daily decision making to do loving deeds for his wife?
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FIREPROOF:
In this clip, Caleb is up to Day 43 on the 40 Day Love Dare to love Catherine. Why would he want to go past the required days of daily decision making to do loving deeds for his wife?
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