"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." - Matthew 6:14-15
Let's start with this most obvious lesson in our verses today: we must choose to forgive. Forgiveness is a decision I'm making. In Matthew 6:14–15 Jesus said, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But, (don’t miss this) if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Now, sometimes a passage of scripture seems complicated as soon as you read it. That's not the case when we realize what Matthew 6:14–15 says. Jesus’ words are stunningly clear. Read them again above.
Do you get it? I mean, those are pretty serious verses, right? Not hard to understand - just hard to undertake. You read them and think, "that’s gonna leave a mark! I’m going to have to look again at how forgiving I am." That's nothing you want to be messing around about, or sort-of getting it right. The verses aren’t complicated - but they will definitely complicate your life if you are an un-forgiving person!
And it's not saying that you get saved by forgiving. It is saying that people who are really are saved are forgiving people, increasingly so. Not perfectly, not entirely, but increasingly we are more and more forgiving. As the love of Christ penetrates our hearts more and more deeply and more and more genuinely, we just become more forgiving people. Forgiveness is one of the expected bi-products of genuine salvation.
You ought to be the most forgiving person that you work with. Out of all the people, when they talk about you, they're like, "Man, he's not a guy who holds grudges. He's just not someone who finds fault." "She doesn't try to make people pay, she just lets it go. She just moves on. She's not petty." "He's not a scorekeeper. He's just not like that. He's forgiving, that's what he is." That's what people ought to be saying about you. The more you get to know Jesus, the more it ought to be true in your life that you choose forgiveness.
James MacDonald – walkintheword.com
In 2007, God called us from a fifteen year history in manufacturing to Life Action Ministries to help support the message of revival. It is our desire and passion to see personal revival transform lives in order that we may become a nationwide community of believers who are loving, Christ-like, and committed, so that Christ’s redemptive purposes can be accomplished in the world.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Family Update March 2011
A Note from Jennifer…
As winter slowly recedes, and spring confidently emerges, I can’t help but be amazed at how quickly time continues to go by. We’re in the final months of our fourth year traveling with Life Action. Less than twelve weeks left in our eighth year of homeschooling. Ben and I move into our forties this year. And it’s over twenty years since the Lord placed a handsome, blond Dutchman into my life, blessing me with the only man I will ever do life with. Truthfully, this journey with the Lord just keeps getting better. God loves us too much to stop refining us. He’s so powerful, He’s not content with letting us attempt only what’s humanly explainable. And that, my friends, is exciting!
So what’s been happening over the last couple of months? We have had the privilege of ministering in seven different churches since we left Holland on January 1, 2011: Okeechobee, FL, Dothan, AL, Dalton and Savannah, GA, and Conover, Rocky Mount, and Kinston, NC. While in Conover, our team lead an 11-day Summit where Ben taught nightly on Biblical truths related to marriage and family. The Lord has placed such a burden on our hearts for not only the preservation of marriages, but also that husbands and wives would be passionately pursuing the Lord and being obedient to what He commands in order that Christian marriages would truly be a reflection of Christ’s love for His people. Each week, we ask the Lord to use us however He desires, and whether it’s through Ben teaching, Jennifer teaching at the weekly ladies’ luncheon, mentoring team members, or relationships with church staff and the church body, God continues to use us, imperfect vessels, to accomplish His perfect plan.
This has been such a sweet season with Christian and Elizabeth as well. To see their hearts continue to mature in the Lord is an encouragement as well as a challenge to us to continue investing in them. Christian is excelling in his school work, taking guitar lessons from our Tupelo, Mississippi team member Jonathan Becker, putting lots of miles on his long-board, and loves anything related to the military. The Lord orchestrated a meeting with a West Point couple, TJ and Jennifer, while we were in Savannah, Georgia that resulted in a visit to the Hunter Army Airfield where TJ currently serves as a Chinook tandem rotor helicopter pilot. Before we knew it, TJ and Jennifer were helping the kids work through part of the Army Rangers’ obstacle course and answering any questions Christian had about life at West Point and in the military. What a blessing to see how God continues to use this couple as a light within the military.
We continue to see Elizabeth’s creative side develop through her writing, drawing, and excellent progress in learning to play the piano. Sasha Shubert, our team member from Hull, Georgia, faithfully works with Elizabeth weekly to teach her piano technique and theory. What a joy it is to hear Elizabeth’s sweet voice as she sings along to whatever song she is playing on the piano. One of our school highlights with her this year is our study of Anatomy and Physiology. She is not only thoroughly enjoying science this year, but also has a keen interest of this area of science. Amazing how God has given us the opportunity to learn more about our brilliantly designed bodies and how they work during the same stretch of time that Mom and Dad Rogers have dealt with heart surgery and double knee replacements. The energy and sparkle we see in Elizabeth brings sunshine to our home!
Along the way, we have also been able to experience a gator farm in Florida, the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, and more sunshine than any Michiganders should be allowed in the winter! As for Ben and I, we’re daily celebrating the “oneness” God continues to solidify in our marriage. We love ministering together, parenting together, and just doing life day to day together. Ben is my best friend, and I am thankful for every day the Lord gives us.
Last spring, we ministered at First Baptist Church in Enid, Oklahoma. This congregation has a 100+ year tradition of taking a special offering for the wives of the men who minister to their church body. This gift comes with a stipulation: it may not be used for practical things like groceries, kids’ clothes, etc. It must be used for something fun and special…at the wife’s discretion. What an amazing surprise that gift was! Because of their generosity, our family was able to experience what is probably my favorite vacation spot…Disney World! On our way to our first church in Okeechobee, FL this January, we spent a couple of days at the KOA in Kissimmee, FL and spent the day at the Magic Kingdom. It was the BEST day together as a family! We rode Space Mountain three times, screamed riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the dark, fought the evil emperor Zurg in Buzz Lightyear Spin, and ate funnel cakes overlooking Cinderella’s Castle. The next evening, we introduced the kids to a wonderful dinner show at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground that Ben and I went to on our Disney honeymoon back in 1994: the Hoop Dee Doo Revue! It’s an old-fashioned dinner show with Wild West singing, dancing, and family-friendly vaudeville comedy. We ate delicious food and laughed like crazy! As I’ve been working on scrapbooking pictures from our time at Disney, I can’t help but smile, remembering what a wonderful time we had and how much we enjoy spending time together as a family. Thank you, FBC Enid for making Disney possible for us.
Well, that’s a snapshot of our family for now. We’re eagerly anticipating what God has for us as our journey continues!
As winter slowly recedes, and spring confidently emerges, I can’t help but be amazed at how quickly time continues to go by. We’re in the final months of our fourth year traveling with Life Action. Less than twelve weeks left in our eighth year of homeschooling. Ben and I move into our forties this year. And it’s over twenty years since the Lord placed a handsome, blond Dutchman into my life, blessing me with the only man I will ever do life with. Truthfully, this journey with the Lord just keeps getting better. God loves us too much to stop refining us. He’s so powerful, He’s not content with letting us attempt only what’s humanly explainable. And that, my friends, is exciting!
So what’s been happening over the last couple of months? We have had the privilege of ministering in seven different churches since we left Holland on January 1, 2011: Okeechobee, FL, Dothan, AL, Dalton and Savannah, GA, and Conover, Rocky Mount, and Kinston, NC. While in Conover, our team lead an 11-day Summit where Ben taught nightly on Biblical truths related to marriage and family. The Lord has placed such a burden on our hearts for not only the preservation of marriages, but also that husbands and wives would be passionately pursuing the Lord and being obedient to what He commands in order that Christian marriages would truly be a reflection of Christ’s love for His people. Each week, we ask the Lord to use us however He desires, and whether it’s through Ben teaching, Jennifer teaching at the weekly ladies’ luncheon, mentoring team members, or relationships with church staff and the church body, God continues to use us, imperfect vessels, to accomplish His perfect plan.
This has been such a sweet season with Christian and Elizabeth as well. To see their hearts continue to mature in the Lord is an encouragement as well as a challenge to us to continue investing in them. Christian is excelling in his school work, taking guitar lessons from our Tupelo, Mississippi team member Jonathan Becker, putting lots of miles on his long-board, and loves anything related to the military. The Lord orchestrated a meeting with a West Point couple, TJ and Jennifer, while we were in Savannah, Georgia that resulted in a visit to the Hunter Army Airfield where TJ currently serves as a Chinook tandem rotor helicopter pilot. Before we knew it, TJ and Jennifer were helping the kids work through part of the Army Rangers’ obstacle course and answering any questions Christian had about life at West Point and in the military. What a blessing to see how God continues to use this couple as a light within the military.
We continue to see Elizabeth’s creative side develop through her writing, drawing, and excellent progress in learning to play the piano. Sasha Shubert, our team member from Hull, Georgia, faithfully works with Elizabeth weekly to teach her piano technique and theory. What a joy it is to hear Elizabeth’s sweet voice as she sings along to whatever song she is playing on the piano. One of our school highlights with her this year is our study of Anatomy and Physiology. She is not only thoroughly enjoying science this year, but also has a keen interest of this area of science. Amazing how God has given us the opportunity to learn more about our brilliantly designed bodies and how they work during the same stretch of time that Mom and Dad Rogers have dealt with heart surgery and double knee replacements. The energy and sparkle we see in Elizabeth brings sunshine to our home!
Along the way, we have also been able to experience a gator farm in Florida, the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, and more sunshine than any Michiganders should be allowed in the winter! As for Ben and I, we’re daily celebrating the “oneness” God continues to solidify in our marriage. We love ministering together, parenting together, and just doing life day to day together. Ben is my best friend, and I am thankful for every day the Lord gives us.
Last spring, we ministered at First Baptist Church in Enid, Oklahoma. This congregation has a 100+ year tradition of taking a special offering for the wives of the men who minister to their church body. This gift comes with a stipulation: it may not be used for practical things like groceries, kids’ clothes, etc. It must be used for something fun and special…at the wife’s discretion. What an amazing surprise that gift was! Because of their generosity, our family was able to experience what is probably my favorite vacation spot…Disney World! On our way to our first church in Okeechobee, FL this January, we spent a couple of days at the KOA in Kissimmee, FL and spent the day at the Magic Kingdom. It was the BEST day together as a family! We rode Space Mountain three times, screamed riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the dark, fought the evil emperor Zurg in Buzz Lightyear Spin, and ate funnel cakes overlooking Cinderella’s Castle. The next evening, we introduced the kids to a wonderful dinner show at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground that Ben and I went to on our Disney honeymoon back in 1994: the Hoop Dee Doo Revue! It’s an old-fashioned dinner show with Wild West singing, dancing, and family-friendly vaudeville comedy. We ate delicious food and laughed like crazy! As I’ve been working on scrapbooking pictures from our time at Disney, I can’t help but smile, remembering what a wonderful time we had and how much we enjoy spending time together as a family. Thank you, FBC Enid for making Disney possible for us.
Well, that’s a snapshot of our family for now. We’re eagerly anticipating what God has for us as our journey continues!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
What is Forgiveness?
"Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" - Colossians 3:12-14
Forgiveness is a decision. It's an act of will to release a person from the obligation that resulted when they injured you.
Unforgiveness sounds like this: "You owe me! I'm going to make you pay by hating you, by slandering you, by returning in kind, by recruiting other people to my bitterness. I'm holding this over you!"
Here's forgiveness: "You don't owe me. I'm not trying to get even. I'm not looking for a chance to pay you back. God didn't make me that way. I choose to forgive."
You say, "James, I can forgive today, but I know by Thursday I'll have that thing back on my back again." I understand that. Get this: forgiveness is a crisis and a process. The first thing you have to do is see your unforgiveness as sin. You have to acknowledge that God's not going to forgive you if you don't forgive others. You've got to have that crisis. You've got to stop explaining, defending, holding onto it, cherishing, and reviewing it. You've got to say, "I don't want this for my life."
The crisis means, "I choose to forgive. I'm letting it go." But the process means, when the painful matter comes into your mind again, you promise yourself to maintain the following process: "I won't bring it up to the person; I won't bring it up to other people;" and most hard by far, "I won't bring it up to myself anymore."
Someone said to me, "James, I can't help myself. As soon as I see the person, Bam! My mind goes right to that thing." That's why forgiveness is a crisis and a process. In the crisis you decide, in the process you live it out.
Now, here's a key: When you fail in the process you have to return to the crisis. When you find yourself flashing back to unforgiveness, realize you failed in the process. You've got to return to the crisis. You've got to get before the Lord and say, "God, forgive me. I want to be a forgiving person and here I'm holding this again, Lord. Help me again. I commit afresh to let it go."
Crisis/process. Over time you'll let it go and you'll be a lot happier because of it.
James MacDonald http://www.walkintheword.com/
Forgiveness is a decision. It's an act of will to release a person from the obligation that resulted when they injured you.
Unforgiveness sounds like this: "You owe me! I'm going to make you pay by hating you, by slandering you, by returning in kind, by recruiting other people to my bitterness. I'm holding this over you!"
Here's forgiveness: "You don't owe me. I'm not trying to get even. I'm not looking for a chance to pay you back. God didn't make me that way. I choose to forgive."
You say, "James, I can forgive today, but I know by Thursday I'll have that thing back on my back again." I understand that. Get this: forgiveness is a crisis and a process. The first thing you have to do is see your unforgiveness as sin. You have to acknowledge that God's not going to forgive you if you don't forgive others. You've got to have that crisis. You've got to stop explaining, defending, holding onto it, cherishing, and reviewing it. You've got to say, "I don't want this for my life."
The crisis means, "I choose to forgive. I'm letting it go." But the process means, when the painful matter comes into your mind again, you promise yourself to maintain the following process: "I won't bring it up to the person; I won't bring it up to other people;" and most hard by far, "I won't bring it up to myself anymore."
Someone said to me, "James, I can't help myself. As soon as I see the person, Bam! My mind goes right to that thing." That's why forgiveness is a crisis and a process. In the crisis you decide, in the process you live it out.
Now, here's a key: When you fail in the process you have to return to the crisis. When you find yourself flashing back to unforgiveness, realize you failed in the process. You've got to return to the crisis. You've got to get before the Lord and say, "God, forgive me. I want to be a forgiving person and here I'm holding this again, Lord. Help me again. I commit afresh to let it go."
Crisis/process. Over time you'll let it go and you'll be a lot happier because of it.
James MacDonald http://www.walkintheword.com/
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