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Category Archives: Sanctification

Is your repentance true or false?

18 Aug

When someone lets you know that you have offended them in some way, how does that make you feel?  Do you get feelings of sorrow because of what they say you did to them? Most people would answer this in the affirmative; they truly are sorry for hurting someone.  BUT, here is the crucial question you must consider:  Have you repented of what you did? 

Most people understand repentance from its mental aspect.  That is, making the decision to “turn away” or ”turn from” a particular behavior or pattern of thought.  This is the foundational platform that repentance rests on, but it is not the ratifier of your decision.   What is needed is proof or “fruit” of your repentance.  You see, anyone can “SAY” they repent but the “proof is found in the pudding”;  what they “DO” is the evidence that repentance has occurred.   

Therefore, true repentance is evidenced by that particular behavior or pattern of thought never being seen again with respect to the one you offended.  False repentance would mean that you continue to demonstrate it over and over again.  Consequently, repentance can only be affirmed ”over time” and never in “word” only.  How well do you do with repentance?

 
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Posted by on August 18, 2011 in Christian living, Forgiveness, Sanctification

 

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21 Principles that will free you…

29 Jun

Forgiveness is a spiritual dynamic that affects the lives of every human being, but more so the lives of all born again believers in Jesus Christ.  Whether you find that you have been the victim of someone’s transgression or you are the one who transgressed someone else, youwill find that you will eventually have to deal with forgiveness at some point in your life. 

Take time and adopt some of these principles into your life and you will find that you can free yourself from bitterness and resentments you may be harboring:

  • Principle (1):      Make allowances for others’ faults.         Colossians 3:13
  • Principle (2):      You must always forgive.                       Luke 17:4
  • Principle (3):      Extend mercy to your offender.              Matthew 18:33
  • Principle (4):      God delights in showing mercy.             Micah 7:18b
  • Principle (5):      The Spirit of God is who directs you.      Galatians 5:17
  • Principle (6):      Don’t repay evil for evil.                          1Peter 3:9
  • Principle (7):      It’s not in you to continue sinning.          1John3:9
  • Principle (8):      Love covers a multitude of sins.             1Peter 4:8
  • Principle (9):      Forgiveness must come from the heart.  Matthew 18:35
  • Principle (10):    You decide your fate.                            Matthew 6:14,15
  • Principle (11):    Love God and man.                              1John 4:21
  • Principle (12):    Compassion rules the day.                    Luke 6:36
  • Principle (13):    Stand firm against the devil.                  James 4:7
  • Principle (14):    Any amount of faith works.                    Luke 17:6
  • Principle (15):    Do what is right.                                   Matthew 5:24
  • Principle (16):    Live to please Christ.                            Colossians 3:12, 13
  • Principle (17):    Duty calls.                                           Luke 17:9, 10
  • Principle (18):    God chooses to forget sin.                    Hebrews 10:17
  • Principle (19):    Live through the Holy Spirit.                  Galatians 5:25
  • Principle (20):    All sin opposes God.                            1John 3:4
  • Principle (21):    Confession must be made for sin.          1John 1:9
 
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Posted by on June 29, 2011 in Christian living, Forgiveness, Sanctification

 

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For those who have an ear, let them listen to what the Spirit of the Lord says…

26 Nov

Christmas is the time of year when Christians remember and celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a remembrance of the beginning of the manifestation of Old Testament prophecy of the coming of the Messiah; the Savior of the world. It is a sacred time of reflection; a time of worship and praise of the faithfulness of the promises of God the Father. So, be careful.

Everywhere you look and listen (television, billboards, newspapers, internet, radio etc.), you see a different gospel being spoken of. It is a gospel that isn’t focused on the birth of Christ. It is a gospel of fulfulling personal desires and wants; of pleasing others; of commercialism. You have to look extemely long and hard if you want to find anything that speaks of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection; if you find it at all. Even our churches are moving away from this focus through the utilization of “non-traditional” Christmas plays. Be careful that you are not someone that would fall into this snare.

Our salvation from the wrath and condemnation of God is the reason for Christ’s birth. If He never was birthed into history, all would still be condemned to the lake of fire and the second death. But because He came, He provides a way for all to be saved from this punishment; for all to have a way to receive eternal forgiveness and have eternal life with the Godhead. This is what we are to be thankful for during Christmas. This is what needs to be remembered. This is what is meant by the saying “Christ is the reason for the season”. By the season it is meant when in human history Christ entered the realm of time; when He took on human flesh to complete the will of God the Father.

Be wise in how you govern yourself during this time of year. It is easy to fall victim to apostasy; to respond to a different “gospel message”, if you stop listening to the Spirit of the Lord who resides in you. Christ deserves your worship, praise, time, attention and gift during this time. Tell those who do not know Christ that the greatest gift they have to give is their life. This is more important than any gift they could give to anyone. Tell them to give their life to Christ; ask Him to come into their heart and be their Lord and Savior.

For those who have an ear, listen to what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to you…

 
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Posted by on November 26, 2010 in Christian living, Salvation, Sanctification

 

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Evangelize vs. Witness

19 Nov

Today, it is extremely critical that every born again believer be literate of the distinction between evangelism and giving personal testimony (better known as witnessing).

The definition of witnessing is to testify to one’s religious convictions. This usually takes the form of explaining to someone what the Lord Jesus Christ; the Holy Spirit or the Father have done in one’s life or in one’s circumstances. This is witnessing to the goodness of the Lord, or the deliverance one experienced from the hand of the Lord. It is testimony that affirms the presence of the Lord in one’s life and how that has caused changes in one’s behaviors, attitudes, thoughts, etc. It acts as an “advertisement” so to speak to the one hearing the testimony. It sturs awe, amazement, hope, anticipation and desire in the hearer to seek the Lord for themselves. “If He can do it for me, He will surely do it for you”.

The definition of evangelize is to preach the gospel to. This pertains to telling someone specifically about Jesus Christ – not you; His mission, purpose, life, death, burial, resurrection and provision of eternal salvation. It is the gospel message that convicts, softens hearts, brings contrition and repentance. It is through the gospel message that one understands how to secure eternal forgiveness and eternal life. So remember to ask yourself the next time you are having a discussion with an unbeliever if you are witnessing or evangelizing. Both are beneficial but they are not synonomous. Remember that it is only through Jesus Christ that one is saved – not through your personal testimony.

If you can attest to the fact that you are a sinner who has been saved by the grace of the Father through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you should have a desire to share this provision of eternal forgiveness and salvation with other sinners. In order to do that you have to evangelize not just witness to someone. Remember, you were once where they are and someone shared this evangelistic message with you.

Query: Just how literate are you in presenting the gospel message of Jesus Christ?

 
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Posted by on November 19, 2010 in Christian living, Salvation, Sanctification

 

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A promise to be fulfilled…

15 Aug

Isaiah 61:1 contains a promise for all who are brokenhearted.  The promise is that Jesus Christ is anointed, appointed and sent to heal your broken heart. 

This is a wonderful, hope-filled promise that so many Christians let slip by when they are offended by someone.  Instead of them allowing Christ to invoke his blessing of healing upon them, they fall victim to the desires of their flesh and waddle in anger, rage, and a desire for revenge and payback.  They let bitterness and resentment build a wall between them and their offender which keeps them in the shackles of an unforgiving spirit.

For those of you out there who have an ear that is sensitive to Jesus’ voice, let them hear and act accordingly.  Cast your care upon Him and let Him fulfill His promise to you.  Honor Him in that way and free your heart from the shackles of unforgiveness.

 
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Posted by on August 15, 2010 in Christian living, Forgiveness, Sanctification

 

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The battle is more real than you think…

02 Aug

To forgive someone is an act of your will.  It is releasing someone from the guilt of the offense they did to you and bringing restoration.  But before one can come to this point of resolve, one must overcome the battle that rages inside of themselves.  The battle is with their flesh; for the flesh wants payback, revenge, justice and punishment to come upon the offender.  One must win this battle in order to succeed in the area of forgiveness. 

Understand, your flesh “talks” to you very convincingly about keeping alive your resentment and anger.  Even though you plead the blood of Christ over your mind, thoughts and emotions, the flesh perseveres.  You can find yourself having a verbal debate with your flesh about what you should and should not do to your offender even when you have made up your mind to forgive that can go on for days at a time if you have not learned how to crucify your flesh.  You can find yourself cyclically going in and out of forgiving someone. 

So know that the battle is a real live battle that goes on in your mind.  But  also know the Lord has given you the means to defeat it.  In 2Corinthians 10:5 you are told that “we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”. 

You see, the battle is won by not allowing the thoughts of revenge, payback, punishment, etc. to run wild inside of your thinking, but to capture every one of them and make them obedient to what Christ has told you to do toward your offender.  He will bring those thoughts  into submission and you will find victory over them.  So don’t get frustrated if you find yourself battling with thoughts to forgive or not.  Follow 2Corinthians 10:5 and watch the Lord fight for you.

 
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Posted by on August 2, 2010 in Christian living, Forgiveness, Sanctification

 

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Forgiveness is inevitable…

07 Jul

It really does not matter where you find yourself on the proverbial “coin of offense”; as the offender or the offended, you will inevitably have to deal with issues of forgiveness at some point in your life and the question is whether you will respond in the way the Lord has commanded you to.  You see the Lord knows that people have a proclivity to sin against one another so that means that no matter how much you try to avoid the issue it is impossible for you not to experience an offense or to avoid offending someone in your lifetime.

So, when you find yourself in that kind of situation how well do you do what the Lord has told you to do? 

If you offend someone how receptive are you at asking God to forgive you of your sin?  How receptive are you at repenting of your sin?  How receptive are you at seeking reconciliation from the one you have offended? 

Likewise if you are offended how receptive are you at asking the Lord to heal you of your hurt?  How well do you do with forgiving your offender? 

Well, the Lord has given us instructions to follow regardless of what side of the coin we find ourselves on.  He loves us so much that He does not leave us clueless as to how to respond if we offend someone or if we have been offended by someone. 

Listen to His instructions:

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar.  Go and be reconciled to that person.  Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”  Matthew 5:23-24 NLT   (This is for someone who has offended someone).

“So watch yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent’, forgive him.” Luke 17:3-4 NIV (This is for someone who has been offended by someone).

Now all that is left for us to do is to follow His instructions, no matter what side of the coin we find ourselves on.  You see, He has covered all the bases and we have no excuse to offer Him if we choose not to listen or follow His instructions other than we chose to be disobedient.   Selah

 
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Posted by on July 7, 2010 in Christian living, Forgiveness, Sanctification

 

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Kingdom Language – Volume Two – Forgiveness

01 Jul
 
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Posted by on July 1, 2010 in Christian living, Forgiveness, Sanctification

 

Repentance is still needed in our daily lives…

25 Jun

This message might conflict with your theology but it is on point biblically.  Here’s the point:  Forgiveness rides on the heels of rebuke and repentance.

There is an interplay that has to happen in the life of the offender if he/she is ever going to be forgiven of an offense.  That interplay is between being rebuked and responding in repentance.

Rebuking someone is a “taboo” nowadays.  Many people feel it is a form of judging and therefore shy away from it.  Well, this only shows the extent of their illiteracy as it pertains to kingdom dynamics.  To rebuke is to criticize adversely or sharply.  It brings the person face to face with the wrongness of their words, actions or motivations and opens the door to conviction.

Without conviction concerning the wrongness of one’s actions there can be no desire to change.  No desire to repent.  Without conviction an offender could believe that their wrongful actions are fine and acceptable behaviors.  Conviction of conscience, mind and heart are what brings about change or repentance in the life of an offender.

Going a little further, this rebuking process happens on three different levels.  It can happen within the person’s conscience; it can come from the presence of the Holy Spirit residing in the person; or it can come from another person.  Regardless of where it originates from, it does go on, everyday, in every person.  Most people just don’t want to admit to it.

So, after being rebuked and having been convicted of wrongness the offender realizes that they have offended God first, not the person.  Why? Because any and all sins against our neighbors are violations of God’s commandment.  That being said, the offender repents to God initially.   He/she confesses their waywardness in this situation and asks to be forgiven of God.  According to 1John 1:9 we know that God will forgive the offender and purify him of all unrighteousness. 

The next thing for the offender to do is to address the person he offended.  This is where the command in Luke 17:3 comes into play:  …if thy brother trespass agaist thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. (KJV) 

The last point that needs to be made is that man can only affirm what has already happened in heaven.  Forgiveness happens there first by God and then through the authority He has given to man (John 20:23) it is carried out here on earth.

So you see forgiveness happens only after repentance has occurred in the life of the offender; and that repentance is the change in moral reorientation of the soul where the offender acknowledges the error of his/her ways and turns toward the divinely prescribed wayof truth and righteousness of God.

 
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Posted by on June 25, 2010 in Christian living, Forgiveness, Sanctification

 

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If the truth be told…

25 Jun

There are many people in the kingdom of God who “front” forgiveness.  They claim to have forgiven a person for an offense committed against them but still hold some kind of aught deep down inside.

Who are they trying to impress?  Why not just be truthful?  This kind of behavior only backfires in the end.

Remember the only person you have to please is Christ the Lord.  When you “front“ you dishonor Him, not to mention the devastation it has on your character and integrity. 

Learn to fear the Lord and sincerely live life the way He commands.  Forgive from your heart and not your head.

 
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Posted by on June 25, 2010 in Christian living, Forgiveness, Sanctification

 

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