MATTHEW 18: 21-35

FOR FOLLOWER OF CHRIST: the goal is to become increasingly like Him, and one of the best ways to reflect His character is through forgiveness. Yet sometimes this is a quality we are reluctant to demonstrate because it seems so unfair, especially if the wrong done to us is ongoing or particularly painful. To forgive appears to diminish the offense and counteract justice.

" Let's correct several misperceptions about this aspect of our faith" 

THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS IS GOD'S FORGIVENESS OF US. Today's passage contains a parable in which a man is forgiven a sum to exorbitant to repay. Yet he turns around and demands immediate payment from someone who owes him a small amount. That's what we are like when we think other's wrongs against us must be avenged even though God has forgiven us.

UNFORGIVENESS TORMENTS US, NOT THE WRONGOER. It's a caustic poison within us that corrupts our emotions, stunts us spiritually, and stresses our bodies. When we don't release the offender, we end up imprisoned in bitterness, resenment, and hostility - and that is sin.

FORGIVENESS DOESN'T NEGATE THE WRONG DONE TO US. It doesn't deny the offence or the resulting pain but lets go of the right to get even. Vengeance is God's responsibility, not ours (Rom. 12:19). We don't have all the facts, nor can we know the offender's true motive. Only God can judge accurately and fairly. When Jesus suffered the ultimate injustice of the cross, He entrusted Himself to the Father (1Pet. 2:21-24). Can you follow HIs example and trust God with wrongs done to you?

One Thing Common To Everyone: is the experience of going through storms. Whether these are literal weather events, personnal trauma, or the turmoil caused by war and social unrest, we all face circumstances over which we have little control. Some strorms are over quickly, whereas others seem unending. Some tempests cause little damage, but others leave great devastation in their wake.

1.) Where do these storms come from? At times we bring them into our own life through choices we make, but other times they're caused by someone else's actions. It may even be that the devil has stirred up some adversity to distract or hinder us. And there are occasions when God's work in our life requires a storm to fulfill a special purpose.

2.) Why does the Lord allow storms in our life? Difficulties tend to turn our focus toward God. We either start questioning Him or go to Him for help and strength. He may want our attention because there's a sin we need to deal with. Or perhaps He wants us to let go of something we need to surrender to HIm. It could be that He wants to conform us to His image (Rom. 8:29) or equip us to serve Him.

3.) How do we respond to storms? When we struggle against God because we don't like the hardship we're going through, that's an indication we don't trust Him. Instead of trusting that He is working good in our life, we may wrongly believe He's trying to hurt us. At such times knowing Scripture is crucial for the believer. His Word is the immovable anchor in our storm. We can trust the Bible because, like God, it never changes!

So as we race around preparing for Hurricane Florence's remember that GOD IS THE ANCHOR WE NEED IN STORMY TIMES

Good Morning Reader: Are you happy where you are? Happy with your job and your prospects for growth? Happy with your home life, whether married or single? Happy with the house you live in? Happy with the car you drive? Happy with much of anything right now in terms of where you'd like to be?

When God allowed a Babylonian King to swoop into Israel and cart the Hebrew off into exile, you can be sure they weren't very happy. They'd lost their homes, lost their security, lost their ties to everything they owned. But as a way of further growing their character and painting their future with promise, God gave his people these instructions: Build houses there. Start a family there. Work for the good of your neighbors there. Make the most of this unwanted season by bearing fruit in an unhappy place.

"For I know the plans I have for you, "God told them, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). But don't expect these promising days just to kick in as payback because you've been suffering for a while. Don't expect to build much on the backs of your constant complaining. Commit to doing something special even in the midst of your current situation. And you'll find that those 'plans' for a "hope and a future" required the relationships you built, the work you invested, and the contentment you chose in the present. Dig in to dig out.

Because we all want to LIVING IN TRIUMPH in God's plans for our life. Amen

Pray this prayer: Lord, you know I'm not very happy right now. But I'm going to take you advice and let you grow me here. Thank you for not letting me waste my experiences..... even these experiences.

Read: Deuteronomy 32: 1-4

Can You Think of A Situation in Your Life: the Lord allows each of us to face some trails that we won't understand to our satisfaction this side of heaven. Our jobs is not to comprehend everything He does and permits in ours lives, but to know how to respond. He'll make all things right in eternity. In the meantime, trust the solid Rock when all else is shaky.

Their was many times in my life that I felt like an exceptation to the promises of Scripture? The Scriptures are filled with examples of godly people who faced hardships that seemed totally unfair. For example, Joseph was sold as a slave, David was hunted by King Saul, and Paul suffered with a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor.12:7-10). Moses declares that the Lord is faithful and all His ways are just, but we have all been in circumstances that seemed wrong and unfailr to us. And because God did not intervene, we've struggled to reconcile our experience with Moses' statement about Him, I know at one time I did myself. 

Situations like these can cause us to question whether God is good and just. If left to fester in our minds, these doubts may give way to discouragement. Believe me I know because alot of times I feel like Paul with the thorn in my side that continuously tortment me. We can easily start thinking, What's the use of serving the Lord? Look at what it's gotten me-- suffering!

It's important to remember that what we know about God from His Word is more accurate than what we feel. Scripture tells us that God is good and just, so we can know with certainty that He has a fantastic purpose for us in whatever we experience.  

To God Be The 'Glory'

Colossoans 1: 10-14

That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good, work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks

to the Father who has qualified us in be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has

delievered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (MLSB)

PAUL FERVENTLY DESIRED: that the body of Christ individually and corporately, become spiritually mature. Knowing the Lord had planned for such growth to impact the world, the apostle asked that believers would know God's will and then...

LIVE A GODLY LIFE: (Col. 1:10). Paul prayed for our character, conversation, and conduct to be consistent with the Lord's. Christians are Jesus' representatives, so our lives ought to be an extension of His with eyes that look compassionately at ohers, hearts that offer forgiveness and love, and hands that are engaged in service. A believer's character, while imperfect, should increasingly reflect Christ's righteouness.

MAKE OUR LIFE COUNT: (v.10). In God's eyes, not everything we do is fruitful much of our activity stems from a desire to please self or others. All that truly matters is what's done in obedience to our Father. Jesus spoke about the importance of bearing much fruit, which is possible only when we stay connected with Him (John 15:5).

EXPERIENCE GOD'S POWER: (Col. 1:11). Through the Holy Spirit's presence, we have all we need for carrying out our Father's will.

REMAIN COMMITTED AND GRATEFUL: (v. 12). God answers according to HIs perfect timing. We must be steadfast in prayer and thankful for everything He's done. Whether we pray these verses for ourselves or for others, we can know that our petitions are in accordance with the Lord's will. And 1John 5:14-15 tells us praying in this way carries the wonderful assurance that God is going to respond affirmatively.