August 22, 2009 forgiveness and grace

Bible verse of the day(How about week):

Ephesians 4:17-32 (New American Standard Bible)
The Christian's Walk17So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
18being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
19and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
20But you did not learn Christ in this way,
21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
22that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
25Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.
26BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27and do not give the devil an opportunity.
28He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
29Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
30Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

This weeks celebrations:17th Belinda Doyles' daughter Bridgett Huckabee...19th we remember the birthday of Ogden Nash... 21st is a tribute to Kenny Rogers and I know that a few of our young mothers at church celebrated a birthday but when I went back to retrieve that information it was gone. Sorry. Happy birthday, girls.

Random thoughts:This week has been very active. Monday night Bruce Raley was our guest preacher for Sunday night on Monday. The scripture reference he used was Ephesians 4:32. Forgiveness. A very simple subject that we tend to forget about from time to time. Very good sermon.

Tuesday was an evening of working on photos on the computer. My new computer needs my forgiveness cause it sure makes me mad from time to time. Like any time I try to work on a program. Uuuuurrrrrrggggghhhhh! It did like me Tuesday night. On top of that Tuesday night was not one of my better sleep night. Lack of sleep makes me grumpy and I don't want to forgive any body when I am grumpy. Just get our of my way and you will be okay.

On Friday Doug took me to work then forgot me when it was time to go home. Should I forgive him? Still thinking about that one. BUT, since he did cut me out 21 Christmas ornaments Friday maybe I could cut him a little slack.

I am so ready for Christmas to get here this year. I cannot wait to have Christmas with my two grand boys. My first Christmas to be a Nana. What joy. But the way, I guess I should forgive my sons of everything I have held against them since they have given me a couple of sweet little cherubs to love. (And spoil)

Think back and see if there is something that burdens you because you have never forgiven some one for something they did to hurt you. When we are hurt we don't want to forgive some one but it is scriptural. We want revenge. It's human. As Bruce pointed out Monday night, forgiving someone is not for the other person's benefit. It is for our own. So we can lay the past to rest. If we have something that keeps boiling up in our mind for days gone by that someone has done to hurt us, we have not let go. We have not forgiven them. We haven't prayed for God to help us put it in the past.

Do you know anybody that brings up stories from the past about how someone mistreated them. As they recant the story they get mad all over again. Well, they haven't put it to rest. Haven't forgiven the person. Haven't made peace with themselves about it.

Take it from experience, you can get an ulcer or work yourself into a physically distraught state if you don't find peace. The other party could care less if you are hurt. They could care less if you forgive them or not. Don't do it for them. Give yourself peace of mind. Be the person God wants you to be. If you are at odds with someone else you cannot go about doing the work of the Lord and be productive for Him.

I choose not to be out of grace with God. I had rather He be pleased by my actions than disgusted at my reactions.

Still striving,

Vera