Forgiving an offender does not dismiss the "wrongness" of what they did. It was wrong; and it is still wrong. Forgiveness does not say that what was done to you was ok. Most importantly, forgiveness does not belittle the pain & misery you went through.What forgiveness DOES Do is take away the "wrong" your enemy would use against YOU to make you miserable, sick, afraid and angry. Your Savior has made the way for you to be free of the misery, the fear, the anger and weight of the offense. The way He has made does not cost you anything. He has paid in full to take away that very offense that is weighing you down and wearying you. The word for the way He has made for you to be free is the Greek word "teleo". It has a several meanings that are very important to you, but the meaning I would like to share with you today is "paid in full". John 19:30 says that at the cross, Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" It is "teleo"-paid in full!
Most of us have accepted that Christ "paid in full" for ALL of our sins (past ones, present ones, AND future ones)-that is the "good news"...that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, Christ paid for MORE than just your sins. He also paid for ALL the sins that have been done against you! He paid to carry away from you the burden of that hurt. He "bore/carried" our sins 1Peter 2:24 and the "our" includes yours and theirs). He bore these in His own body on the cross when He "was made to be sin" for you so you could be made righteous.(2Cor5:21) He paid in full for the sin they did against you so you would not have to pay for it OR exact payment from them. You can be out from under the burden this very moment; and you don't have to wait until they have apologized or changed or made it right with you.
You can accept Christ's payment for the wrong done to you and go free from the prison and burden of carrying those offenses yourself! Freedom is YOURS!- bought & paid for by Christ Himself!- the offenses carried & borne AWAY from you by your Savior. Let Him carry the burden, accept His payment in full for the debt owed you. Declare along with Christ, "It is finished!" Say out loud, "It is paid in full and I accept Christ's payment for that debt. I give over to Him the burden of that debt, the care of it, the anger & resentment, the hurt, the fear, the ugliness of it. I accept the freedom to walk out from under the Enemy's plan to snare me & weigh me down with that person's sin against me. Never again will I let my enemy talk to me about that debt, I will simply remind him & myself.."teleo"paid in full!
Tomorrow tune in to find out the "device" your enemy has crafted to talk you out of your freedom and lead you back into the prison of offense. Learn how to stay free!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Still loved in the pigsty
This is a very important realization for each of us: The prodigal son was every bit the beloved son of the father even while he was in the pig sty. The Father loved him even during the squandering, the pride, the famine. His love did not start at the point of the son's return. He did not wait and withhold affection or acceptance until after he heard the son's confession. No! The scriptures say the Father was looking for the son and RAN and fell on his neck and hugged him. Now that's love!
When you "see" sons in those various stages of pride, foolishness, deception, squandering, famine, pigsty - do not judge them unworthy of the Father's love or of your compassion. Your prayers may be the VERY THING that "brings them to their senses" and reminds them of their Father's love.
There is a scripture that is an absolute goldmine regarding just such situations. It's found in 1 John 5:16, "If you see your brother sinning a sin not unto death, you shall ask (prayer) and God will for you give life to the one who is sinning." Notice the person IS sinning. Note that they have not yet repented (changed their mind), but God instructs us to ask for life to be given them. Father is ALWAYS seeking ways to get life to us even when we are dead in our trespasses and sins.
Christ laid down His life for us even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins so instead of criticizing and judging the person in the pig sty, open up your mouth and ask life for the one and soon you will see the results. They WILL come home - they WILL be restored and you will have been the conduit for grace and the Father's love to reach them even in that pig sty.
When you "see" sons in those various stages of pride, foolishness, deception, squandering, famine, pigsty - do not judge them unworthy of the Father's love or of your compassion. Your prayers may be the VERY THING that "brings them to their senses" and reminds them of their Father's love.
There is a scripture that is an absolute goldmine regarding just such situations. It's found in 1 John 5:16, "If you see your brother sinning a sin not unto death, you shall ask (prayer) and God will for you give life to the one who is sinning." Notice the person IS sinning. Note that they have not yet repented (changed their mind), but God instructs us to ask for life to be given them. Father is ALWAYS seeking ways to get life to us even when we are dead in our trespasses and sins.
Christ laid down His life for us even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins so instead of criticizing and judging the person in the pig sty, open up your mouth and ask life for the one and soon you will see the results. They WILL come home - they WILL be restored and you will have been the conduit for grace and the Father's love to reach them even in that pig sty.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Pow wow - WOW!
Imagine the power and fruit that would flow in your life if every morning you and Christ Jesus had a pow wow; He would tell you how much He loves you and how precious you are to Him & Father. Then He would impart strong, pure, unadulterated faith to you so you could believe Him and walk by faith instead of sight. After that would come might in your inner man - the might to overcome evil with good - the might to stand against the wiles of the enemy.
Strength would flow into your inmost being affecting your body, restoring your soul and certainly your spiritual disposition. That strength flowing into your inner man means you are NOT tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.
During the conversation, He would help you make a list of what your day's activities would be and how to handle them. He would flow wisdom to your thinking and understanding to your heart. Next would come a dose of discerning of spirits so you would recognize the masquerades and disguises of your enemy and quickly "see" through the subtle devices and snares of your foe.
To top off the conversation, Christ would give you love for His brethren and compassion to deal with the humans wisely and patiently. That same love would bring boldness and courage "to loose the bands of wickedness and to undo the heavy yokes of the enemy - to allow the oppressed to go free and to break every yoke" {Isaiah 58:6] Plus, that same love would give you power and confidence to stop the enemy's plans, to "wrestle against" and win!
"For God did NOT give you a spirit of fear / timidity, but He HAS given you the spirit of love and power and a sound mind (the very mind of Christ)."[2 Tim 1:7] That love, that power, that mindset of Christ would cause you to overcome and more than conquer the kingdom of darkness that is trying to come against your loved ones. Use Christ's power and victory to vanquish your spiritual foes.
As the conversation ends, your Savior would pronounce a benediction over you. "Bene" = good, "diction" = speech / words. This GOOD word He pronounces over you would bring refreshing and rest to you - peace to guard your heart and mind. You would go out equipped for anything - for everything.
Wouldn't you just love to have that pow wow with Christ your Savior?!?!
Well that is EXACTLY what happens when you pray in tongues!
Do you see why your enemy fights tongues so much?!? Your enemy uses your flesh, some religious churches, the winds of doctrine to belittle this hugely important gift of God! Christ died to give us this gift! Father GOD has given you the very Spirit of Christ to abide in your earthen vessel! The Holy Spirit has agreed to never leave you, to teach you, to guide you, to help you, to comfort you, to make Christ known to you, to bring to your remembrance what Christ has said, to be be YOUR sound mind, to be the Love of GOD shed abroad in your heart, to give wisdom to your thinking and bring understanding to your heart. But, in order to do this, you have to let Him talk!
So, exercise that great & important gift today! Get the WOW pow-wow going with Christ your Savior this very instant. Pray in Tongues right now and let Him talk to you and tell you "great and mighty things "! He is willing to impart these gifts and more. All it takes is to simply yield that little member (your tongue) and let Him do the talking.
Strength would flow into your inmost being affecting your body, restoring your soul and certainly your spiritual disposition. That strength flowing into your inner man means you are NOT tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.
During the conversation, He would help you make a list of what your day's activities would be and how to handle them. He would flow wisdom to your thinking and understanding to your heart. Next would come a dose of discerning of spirits so you would recognize the masquerades and disguises of your enemy and quickly "see" through the subtle devices and snares of your foe.
To top off the conversation, Christ would give you love for His brethren and compassion to deal with the humans wisely and patiently. That same love would bring boldness and courage "to loose the bands of wickedness and to undo the heavy yokes of the enemy - to allow the oppressed to go free and to break every yoke" {Isaiah 58:6] Plus, that same love would give you power and confidence to stop the enemy's plans, to "wrestle against" and win!
"For God did NOT give you a spirit of fear / timidity, but He HAS given you the spirit of love and power and a sound mind (the very mind of Christ)."[2 Tim 1:7] That love, that power, that mindset of Christ would cause you to overcome and more than conquer the kingdom of darkness that is trying to come against your loved ones. Use Christ's power and victory to vanquish your spiritual foes.
As the conversation ends, your Savior would pronounce a benediction over you. "Bene" = good, "diction" = speech / words. This GOOD word He pronounces over you would bring refreshing and rest to you - peace to guard your heart and mind. You would go out equipped for anything - for everything.
Wouldn't you just love to have that pow wow with Christ your Savior?!?!
Well that is EXACTLY what happens when you pray in tongues!
Do you see why your enemy fights tongues so much?!? Your enemy uses your flesh, some religious churches, the winds of doctrine to belittle this hugely important gift of God! Christ died to give us this gift! Father GOD has given you the very Spirit of Christ to abide in your earthen vessel! The Holy Spirit has agreed to never leave you, to teach you, to guide you, to help you, to comfort you, to make Christ known to you, to bring to your remembrance what Christ has said, to be be YOUR sound mind, to be the Love of GOD shed abroad in your heart, to give wisdom to your thinking and bring understanding to your heart. But, in order to do this, you have to let Him talk!
So, exercise that great & important gift today! Get the WOW pow-wow going with Christ your Savior this very instant. Pray in Tongues right now and let Him talk to you and tell you "great and mighty things "! He is willing to impart these gifts and more. All it takes is to simply yield that little member (your tongue) and let Him do the talking.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Take up your cross - right? Not what you think...
"Take up your cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24. Have you ever heard someone say a particular hardship was their cross to bear? Arthritis - stomach trouble - not making ends meet - whatever hardship that seems to be persistently constant in their life. Almost saying that God would want them to suffer that way. Guess what?!? That could not be further from the truth.
Here's the truth according to the Scriptures.
The Greek word for our phrase "take up" is airō which means to take upon one's self and carry what has been raised up. What has been raised up - what is that? It is Jesus Christ's finished work on Calvary. We take upon ourselves the finished work of Calvary.
When we are facing sickness, we DO NOT take up the sickness as our "cross to bear". We take up the finished work of Calvary by remembering Jesus took stripes for our healing. [Isa. 53:5] When we experience a situation that threatens our peace, we take up His finished work and say, "Jesus was chastised for me to have peace." [Isa. 53:5]. When we come across something that "runs in our family", instead of just allowing it to climb up on our shoulders to settle in for a ride, we remember the finished work of Calvary that He wore a crown of thorns (thorns are a picture of the curse). The curses fell on His head INSTEAD of our head. [Gal 3:13]
So take up the finished work of Calvary and "follow me". Follow Jesus where? What does He lead us in?
THE TRIUMPH! His triumph!
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ." [2 Cor 2:14] The Greek word for triumph is thriambeuō which means to triumph, to celebrate a triumph, cause one to triumph. The only other place in the New Testament where this word is found in Col 2:15, "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
Our cross to bear IS Jesus' finished work on Calvary and we follow Him in His triumph over the kingdom of darkness.
Now with confidence and hope we take upon ourselves the finished work of Calvary and follow Jesus in His triumph over the kingdom of darkness.
Guest blog by Arin Rentz
Pat and Arin enjoying lunch together!
Here's the truth according to the Scriptures.
The Greek word for our phrase "take up" is airō which means to take upon one's self and carry what has been raised up. What has been raised up - what is that? It is Jesus Christ's finished work on Calvary. We take upon ourselves the finished work of Calvary.
When we are facing sickness, we DO NOT take up the sickness as our "cross to bear". We take up the finished work of Calvary by remembering Jesus took stripes for our healing. [Isa. 53:5] When we experience a situation that threatens our peace, we take up His finished work and say, "Jesus was chastised for me to have peace." [Isa. 53:5]. When we come across something that "runs in our family", instead of just allowing it to climb up on our shoulders to settle in for a ride, we remember the finished work of Calvary that He wore a crown of thorns (thorns are a picture of the curse). The curses fell on His head INSTEAD of our head. [Gal 3:13]
So take up the finished work of Calvary and "follow me". Follow Jesus where? What does He lead us in?
THE TRIUMPH! His triumph!
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ." [2 Cor 2:14] The Greek word for triumph is thriambeuō which means to triumph, to celebrate a triumph, cause one to triumph. The only other place in the New Testament where this word is found in Col 2:15, "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
Our cross to bear IS Jesus' finished work on Calvary and we follow Him in His triumph over the kingdom of darkness.
Now with confidence and hope we take upon ourselves the finished work of Calvary and follow Jesus in His triumph over the kingdom of darkness.
Guest blog by Arin Rentz
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