February 5, 2006 The Power of Forgiveness
February 12, 2006 The Power of Love
February 19 Tools that Shape

February 5, 2006
The Power of Forgiveness

Be … quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 The Message

David Models Forgiveness
I Samuel 24

1. Entitled to an offense
2. Encouraged to retaliate
3. Elected to forgive
Nobody can take away your ability to do the right thing

God Requires Forgiveness

This, then, is how you should pray: … Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. … For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you…. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:9, 12, 14

1. Forgiveness is a gift to be given
2. Forgiveness is a benefit to be received

The Kingdom of God Runs on Forgiveness

Psalm 103
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits —
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

1. Forgiveness allows you to see the good

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

2. Forgiveness breaks your bondage

The Fruit of Unforgiveness is Bitterness

The Fruit of Forgiveness is Reconciliation

February 12, 2006
The Power of Love

Love never fails. … And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:8, 13

Love revolutionizes cultures The murderous slope
Anger
Contempt
Assessment
Appraisal
Conclusion
Decision
Act of murder

If you stop loving, there is nothing holding you back from murder
Rabbinic saying in Jesus day

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us …
Titus 3:3-5

“ We acted badly, badly, killing each other and living angrily, until they brought us God’s Carvings, now we walk his trail.”
Mincaye, one of the Waodani who speared the missionaries

Love is the only adequate guide for relationships

…serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:13 – 14

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16

Love transforms me

Learning the way of love will enable me to …
1. Never give up
2. Care more for others than for myself
3. Overcome jealousy
4. Stop bragging
5. Live humbly
6. Be courteous and gracious
7. Act selflessly
8. Control my temper
9. Forget other people’s sin
10. Be unhappy with evil
11. Always celebrate truth
12. Put up with anything
13. Trust God always
14. Be very optimistic
15. Endure everything

I will learn the way of love if I …

1. Get and remain connected to God

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. … No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-8, 12

2. Spend time with loving people

3. Intentionally do loving things

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. … Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:8, 12-14

Q: How many know life can be….shall we say….challenging?

o Truth be told…there are times when life is just plain hard.
o Struggles, Challenges, Hardships, Sufferings, Disappointments…and the list goes on.
o Why? Why do I have to go through this stuff?

I will try to offer a little perspective to help us through tough times…

Why God allows difficulties, hardships, sufferings...?

Gaining the Proper Perspective

Its Not About Me

Max Lucado writes…
“ When God looks at the center of the universe, he doesn’t look at you. When heaven’s stagehands direct the spotlight toward the star of the show, I need no sunglasses. No light falls on me. Lesser orbs, that’s us. Appreciated. Valued. Loved Dearly. But central? Nope. Sorry.
The World does not revolve around us. Our comfort is not God’s priority. If it is, something’s gone wrong. If we are the primary event, how do we explain challenges like death, disease, or rumbling earthquakes? If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased?”

The Fact remains that life is not always easy, comfortable & easy-going.

Its About Him!

Col 1:15-17
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. 16 Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see — kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. 17 He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.
NLT

We exist for his glory. We live for his purposes. We were created for him.
Sometimes our comfort is not the top priority.

The Tools that Shape Us

Once a wood carver was asked how he could create such beautiful sculptures out of a block of wood.
“It’s easy. You just cut away the stuff that doesn’t belong.”

Tools labeled Disappointment, Hardship, Difficulty, Suffering.

We are a work in progress

Eph 2:9-10
10 For we are God's workmanship , created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Heb 5:7-8
8 So even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
NLT

2 Cor 12:7-10
But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
NLT

Sometimes its for God’s Glory
Job 1:6-21
One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan the Accuser came with them. "Where have you come from?" the LORD asked Satan.And Satan answered the LORD, "I have been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that's going on." Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth — a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil." Satan replied to the LORD, "Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!""All right, you may test him," the LORD said to Satan. "Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically." So Satan left the LORD's presence.One day when Job's sons and daughters were dining at the oldest brother's house, a messenger arrived at Job's home with this news: "Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you." While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: "Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you." While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: "Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother's home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the desert and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you." Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground before God.
NLT

And there are times when our comfort in life is not God’s top priority. He has something larger & greater in mind.

Look at Jesus…
Matt 26:36-39
Then Jesus brought them to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, "Sit here while I go on ahead to pray." He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me."He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine."
NLT
And Joseph…
Beaten up by his brothers.
Thrown into a well.
Sold as a slave.
Exiled from his homeland
Unjustly accused & thrown into prison.
Eventually God places him as the second-in-command in Egypt.
Was able save his forgive & save his family from severe famine.
God had a greater purpose in mind!

Gen 50:20
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

And You…

We are placed here for a reason, for God’s purpose. We can be part of something bigger, greater, more wonderful & glorious than we could imagine.

We must decide to live the God-Centered life and be used for his glory.

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