“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Col. 3:13 ESV)

Forgiving others always

Forgiveness is a serious subject, and the Bible has a lot to say about it. Christians must forgive others as Christ has forgiven us. We must even forgive others sacrificially, if it becomes necessary. We see an example of this when Stephen asked God to forgive those who were stoning him to death. (Acts 7:54-60).

Warnings about not forgiving others

·      God won’t forgive you - “… if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:14-15)

·      Sickness, weakness or death - Don’t take communion without first forgiving others. “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” (1 Cor. 11:28-29 ESV)

·      Stirred up trouble –“Hatred stirs up trouble, but love forgives all wrongs.” (Prov. 10:12)

Keep on forgiving

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:21 ESV)

Jesus taught to pray this way…

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Natt 6:12-15 ESV)

Therefore

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you…” (Matt. 6:14 ESV)

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:2 ESV)

Quote

“I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.” - Henry Ward Beecher

“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.” (Titus 3:9)

Avoid foolish arguments and strife

In the early church, religious people found many things to disagree on and to argue about. Two examples mentioned above were hot issues of that day: genealogies and the law. The passage warned to avoid arguing about such foolish things, describing them as “unprofitable and worthless.” Not much has changed over the following centuries! Today, people still argue over many unprofitable and foolish controversies. Christians should never partake in vitriolic matters, yet they do! Social media is rife with it! The Bible contains numerous, serious warnings on the subject.

Be on guard!

“O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’.” (1 Tim. 6:20)

Refuse foolish and ignorant speculations

“But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.” (2 Tim. 2:23)

Turn away from those who cause dissensions

“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” (Rom. 16:17) 

Avoid worldly empty chatter

“But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,” (2 Tim. 2:16)

Therefore

“But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.” (1 Tim. 6:11)

“Avoiding strife brings a man honor, but every fool is quarrelsome.” (Prov. 29:3) 

Quote

“Blessed are the peacemakers, and one sure way of peacemaking is to let the fire of contention alone. Neither fan it, nor stir it, nor add fuel to it, but let it go out by itself. Begin your ministry with one blind eye and one deaf ear.” - Charles Spurgeon

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:2-3 NIV)

Grow in faith from start to finish

Some people get stuck in their faith. They reach a plateau and just remain there. That shouldn’t be so! The Christian life should be one of steady growth forward and upward and continue to mature and expand from start to finish as it becomes more perfected in Jesus. This is an ongoing process and not completed until the day we meet Jesus. 

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6 ESV)

How to grow up in your faith

·      Read and listen to the Word of God - “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17, NKJV).

·      Be a doer of the Word - “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22 ESV) 

·      Have faith: Believe that God  exists and rewards - “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 ESV)

·      Constantly train and practice - “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb. 5:12-14 ESV)

·      Be rooted and grounded in love - So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:17-19 ESV)

Therefore

“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,” (Heb. 6:1 ESV)

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” (2 Thess. 1:3 ESV)

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18 ESV)

Quote

“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” - Billy Graham

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27 ESV)

Hearing the voice of God

Occasionally I hear someone say, “God spoke to me and said...” And then they proceed to tell what He said to them. This practice used to bother me because I’ve never heard God speak to me in an audible voice. I don’t doubt that God has spoken audibly to people on occasion. There are many examples of it in the Bible, such as when God called out to Adam in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:9), called audibly several times to Samuel (1 Sam. 3:8), and spoke to Moses from the burning bush (Exo. 3:1-4:17). However, I believe it is more usual today for God to speak to us through His written Word. That’s how He often “speaks” to me. As I read the Bible and meditate (think deeply) on what I have read, Scripture comes to my mind as I make daily decisions. Recently, a salesman at an auto parts store gave me too much money back at the sales counter. I caught the mistake and handed him back the overpaid amount. The clerk said, “Wow! Thank you! You are a very honest man!” I said, “Thanks, I am a Christian, and God would never allow me to cheat you.” I’m familiar with what God’s Word says about dealing honestly with people.

“But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” (Luke 11:28 ESV)

God’s people hear His words

“Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” (John 8:47 ESV)

Hearing the Word of Christ

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 ESV)

God’s Words are spirit and life

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63 ESV)

The Holy Spirit brings God’s Words to your remembrance

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 ESV)

Therefore 

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12 ESV)

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20 ESV)

Quote

“One of the greatest benefits of our salvation has to be that of hearing God speak to us personally. There can be no intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father without it. But, as easy as it is for us to speak to Him, the average Christian has a hard time hearing His voice. This is not the way the Lord intended it to be.” - Andrew Wommack

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 ESV) 

The Worst Day of My Life, when everything looked impossible!

It was the winter of 1967, and I was living in Sitka, Alaska, where I worked at a grocery store. One day, I was scheduled to work the late shift, but when I arrived, the store manager called me into his office and accused me of doing something the previous day that I absolutely had not done. It was his word against mine, and I could not prove my innocence. He angrily fired me and ordered me to leave the store. 

I Did Not See It Coming

In complete shock, I headed home to my apartment. When I arrived, a group of my friends was there having a party. Usually, I wouldn’t have minded, but I wasn’t in a party mood. When I insisted they leave, they beat me up and threw me outside into the snow. I pulled myself together and walked to my landlord’s home nearby, telling him about the drunken people in my apartment. I asked him to help me get them out, but he just yelled profanities at me and said he was going to call the police. I quickly left the scene because I didn't want to be there when the police arrived. 

I Didn't Know What to Do or Who to Turn To

It was a bitterly cold Alaska night, and I was freezing. I walked to my parents' house and knocked on their door. My dad answered. I told him what had happened and that I didn’t know what to do or where to go. I asked if I could come in and sleep on their couch for the night. But he angrily told me to grow up, take responsibility for my own problems, and go away. He shut the door in my face and turned off the porch light.

I Thought Suicide Was My Only Answer

I walked along the dark street, feeling panic-stricken, confused, rejected, and very cold. I tried hard to figure out what to do next, but I couldn't think of any answers. I felt completely out of options. At that moment, I decided that suicide was my only answer. I had some money in my pocket, so I would get drunk and then end my life.

I went to a nightclub and began to drink one drink after another. At the back of the room was a small dance band. During one of their breaks, the band leader came to the bar near where I was sitting. As he waited for his drink, our eyes met. He smiled and asked, “How are you?“ I replied, “Do you really want to know, or are you just saying that?“ He responded,  “Of course I want to know how you are.”

“Well,” I said, “today has been the worst day of my life! I lost my job, got thrown out of my apartment, and was beaten up by my friends! My landlord wouldn’t help but instead called the cops on me! Even my own parents won’t let me sleep on their couch. I have nowhere to go, so as soon as I finish this drink, I’m going to end my life!”

Without hesitation, he said, “No, please don't do that! My family and I live nearby. We have a couch you can sleep on. Come stay with us!”

His instant kindness kept me from the worst possible outcome. This person, Jean Dawkins, and his wife changed the course of my life.

Shortly after I went to live with them, he lost the bass player in his band and immediately offered me the position as a replacement. It was a dream job for me. I had a place to stay, wonderful, kind people to live with, and I got to play music. I really loved it. I played with them for several months while they finished their contract in Sitka.

Then they decided to move to a town I had never heard of—Lynden, in the state of Washington—and they brought me with them! It was in Lynden that I heard about Jesus Christ, received Him as my personal Savior, and met and married Susan, the woman of my dreams. I also began attending classes at Vancouver Bible College and became an ordained minister. As part of my training, I learned how to do advertising, publications, and direct mail marketing. I became very successful at it and started helping others advertise their businesses. This eventually led me to specialize in advertising and marketing for the automotive recycling industry for nearly 40 years, where I have met so many dear friends. And today, after retiring, it is my privilege and honor to continue in this industry as chaplain. Looking back, I can plainly see God’s hand was in it every step of the way. 

God does the impossible

Many times, in life, we may face situations that look impossible. Like I did on what felt like the worst day of my life, it can be hard, even impossible, to see a way through it. But God is never taken by surprise and often turns what looks impossible to us into His perfect plan for us. Nothing is impossible for Him!

“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt. 19:26 ESV)

“Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jer. 32:17 ESV)

“Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Gen. 18:14 ESV)

“And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” (Mark. 9:23 ESV)

Therefore

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” (Eph. 3:20 ESV)

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Eph. 4:13 ESV) 

Quote:

“Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don't. You are in good company... You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.” - John Piper

“He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” (Luke 24:27 ESV)

Dr. George Sweeting tells of an incident in the early 1920s when Communist leader Nikolai Bukharin was sent from Moscow to Kiev to address an anti-God rally. For an hour he abused and ridiculed the Christian faith until it seemed as if the whole structure of belief was in ruins. Then questions were invited. An Orthodox church priest rose and asked to speak. He turned, faced the people, and gave the Easter greeting, “He is risen!” Instantly the assembly rose to its feet and the reply came back loud and clear, “He is risen indeed!”

And yes, He is risen indeed, and it was God’s plan for many good reasons.

• By His resurrection from the dead He was declared to be the Son of God in power

“And was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.) Rom. 1:4 ESV) 

• He was raised from the dead so we could be born again

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3 ESV)

“Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (Rom. 4:25 ESV)

• He was raised from the dead to provide eternal life to whosoever believes in Him

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25-26 ESV) 

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9 ESV)

Therefore

“More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Rom. 5:11 ESV)

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 6:8-11 ESV)

“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Rom. 8:34 ESV)

Quote

“Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection.” - Watchman Nee

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24) 

The wages of Adam’s sin brought death to all humanity

“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” (Rom. 5:12)

“For the wages of sin is death…”

Because of Adams sin in the garden (Gen. 3:3), all humanity was infected thereafter with a sin nature that they cannot personally do anything about. No matter what they do, they will always fall short!

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23a)

Jesus died on the cross to pay for Adam’s sin and He made it a free gift

“… but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23b)

Jesus’ death on the cross was voluntary

“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” (John 10:17-18 NLT)

“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Heb. 9:14 ESV) 

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ESV)

Jesus death on the cross was God’s free love gift of salvation to the world 

“That whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:15-16 ESV) 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 ESV)

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8 ESV)

Therefore

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:10 ESV)

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21 ESV)

Quote

“The purpose of the Bible is simply to proclaim God’s plan to save His children. It asserts that man is lost and needs to be saved. And it communicates the message that Jesus is the God in the flesh sent to save His children.” - Max Lucado

“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (Isa. 46:9 ESV)

Forget someone's name? Misplace your car keys?

Lapses in memory happen to all of us. It seems like I’m always looking for something. I often find myself holding my car keys or the TV remote while going to get something in another room, only to absentmindedly set them down while reaching for something else. Later, when I need them, I spend frustrating minutes retracing my steps to find them.

A certain amount of absent-mindedness usually occurs when we aren’t paying close attention to the task at hand. As we get older, it also becomes more challenging to remember things.

The Bible reminds us to remember important truths and not let them slip away

“Then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deut. 6:12 ESV)

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” (Heb. 2:1 KJV)

Remember the works you did at first

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Rev 2:5)

God will help you remember

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 ESV)

Therefore

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them” (Eccles. 12:1)

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.” (Psalm 77:11)

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.” (Psalm 143:5)

Quote

“Next time God teaches you something during a sermon or a devotional time, write it down. Give it “earnest heed” so that it doesn’t slip away.” – Rick Warren

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:14 ESV)

• God formed you

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” (Jer. 1:5 ESV)

• God made you in His own image

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27 ESV)

• You are God’s created masterpiece

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Eph. 2:10 NLT)

• God knows the number of hairs on your head

“But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matt. 10:30 ESV)

• God loves you

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8 ESV)

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1 ESV)

• You are valuable to Him

“Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matt. 19:31 ESV)

Therefore

God’s has good plans for you.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:11-13 ESV)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Pet. 2:9 ESV)

Quote

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” – Jesus Christ  (Matt. 6:25)