OCTOBER 2017 EDITION

In the early fall, I am obsessive about leaves on my yard.  I am meticulous in removing every single leaf! I fight a constant battle to keep leaves off my yard, which has been newly aerated and overseeded. The tender new grass plants are particularly vulnerable to harm when leaves remain on them. Leaves block the sunlight and do not allow the plants to use it to convert chlorophyll to energy for growth. Grass that is covered eventually will wither and become unhealthy.

Similarly, as unforgiveness covers our hearts, if left to fester for too long, smothers the life of Christ in us. It has the possibility of doing irreparable harm to any possible reconciliation with that person, Also, it makes us virtual prisoners of that person, whether he knows it or not , whether he cares or not!  Scripturally, it can also have terrible consequences for you and me: 

Matthew 6:12 (NIV)

12. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Matthew 6:14,15 (NIV)

14. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Mark 11:25 (NIV)

25.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Luke 6:37 (NIV)

37.  "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Note here the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant:

Matthew 18:21-35 NIV)

21. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"

22. Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23. "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26  "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27  The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.

33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'

34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

(NIV)

These verses are a stern warning about the consequences of not forgiving others. Are there leaves of unforgiveness in your yard? Don’t let them sit there and fester and consequently destroy both you and the relationship.. Only the Sonlight of forgiveness can revive this unhealthy state and restore us to healthy growth in our Christian life. Please, I beg you, if there is anything to forgive between you and another person forgive them and you too will be forgiven.  Repeatedly, we are commanded to forgive others. When we think how much God has already forgiven us, how can we not forgive others?

SEPTEMBER 2017 EDITION

Last Sunday, our pastor gave one of those, “Now you’ve gone from preachin’ to meddlin”  sermons.  After the service, I approached him saying, “Craig, I have a complaint, would you mind removing the hidden microphones from our house!”   You seem to know everything about the week I had last week, according to your sermon!”

The passage of Scripture he used was John 3:30, “I must decrease that He might increase.” He asked how we would feel if a friend left our church for the church that was really growing fast. How would we feel if a friend left our tennis group to play with players that were better than we were so that he could improve his game? John’s disciples approached him saying Jesus, the man you were testifying about, was baptizing people in the Jordan and that everyone was going to him. John responded, “A man can only receive what is given to him from heaven… I must decrease that He might increase.”

I have experienced this with my men’s group that I have facilitated over the years. Some of the men have left the group because they needed something different in order for them to grow spiritually.  At times, my pride got in the way of my accepting their decision to leave as gracefully and humbly as John the Baptist did.

Our pastor gave us six challenges to consider this week:

Yikes! Talk about going from “preachin’ to meddlin’.

1.    Give up having to have the last word.

2.    Surrender the right to be right

3.    Entrust the outcomes to the work of the Holy Spirit.

4.    Pursue “ downward mobility”. (He humbled Himself and took the form of a servant)

5.    View, hold, and steward everything (everyone) you have “as given from Heaven above.”

6.    From Henri Nouwen, “We must die to needing those we serve in order to survive.”

Anyway, the sermon once again hit home. Boy, do I fight the feeling of needing to be right and to have the last word! Do I steward my marriage as given from Heaven above at all times? Do I seek the highest good for Peggy no matter the cost to me and my foolish pride?

Then, our pastor even went further when he quoted James 1:20,

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

Last week, Peggy and I engaged in some “intense fellowship” (Christian term for a strong argument) Oh, I know you are shocked that a couple who has been married for fifty years has arguments! Yes, it is true we did and do.  I think, most of the time, I am ashamed to say, I do the opposite. I am slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry!

I pray that I may learn, to listen to the Holy Spirit for His promptings, checks and teachings more often. I am thankful for the way the Holy Spirit worked this week in my life. I hope this may help others of you, my dear friends.

Blessings and Love

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