When God has called you to be part of His called remnant, you have to realize that in order to be in the center of His will, we have to look to Jesus as our example, we have to walk in forgiveness.
We are called to forgive.
We live in a day and age where forgiveness is something that is scoffed at, we live in a time where the spirit of entitlement is ramped. People are grudge holders, easily offended and quick to retaliate. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1-5:
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
This really describes the times we are in, yet the Bible tells us in Romans 12:2:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16:
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Jesus also said in Matthew 5:13:
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
If you have made Jesus Christ Lord OVER your life and also your Savior, Holy Spirit will fill you with a hunger to draw closer to God, and the way that we do that is to ask God to help us to die to ourselves. Jesus gave Holy Spirit to us prior to His ascension to direct, teach and guide us and to fill us with His Spirit. Romans 12:2:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
This is one of the hardest daily parts of our walk as we choose to allow our mind to be renewed of all the junk that has been put into us prior to coming to Christ. As someone who has been saved for 34 years, I can tell you that God IS still working on me. As long as we have breath in our bodies, we are being transformed by allowing Holy Spirit to renew our minds. Sometimes it is harder than others. One of the things Jesus has called us to do IS forgive, in Matthew 18:21 the Bible tells us:
“Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times.”
This is not “some of the time” or just when we feel like it, this is ALL the time and it is something that when we need to ask God to help us do, we should. In Matthew 6:14-15 it says:
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
He didn’t say it would be easy, but He did say it would be worth it. Everything that God asks us to do is ultimately for our own good. We need to forgive much because we have been forgiven much. Pray with me:
“Father, thank You that You sent Jesus to die on the cross for forgiveness of OUR sins. Help us to forgive as Jesus forgave. If I am having trouble with pride in doing so, I pray that you would change my heart and help me have the same heart for others that Jesus has. I know that I have a higher calling and I am not called to the pettiness that the world walks in, I am called to walk in love and forgiveness. Please help me to be transformed by the renewing that Holy Spirit is doing with my mind and do ALL things according to Your good will and purpose in my life so that YOU may be glorified. Help me to look BEYOND my circumstances right to the cross at Calvary and all Jesus’ did to forgive ME. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Father, Thank You Holy Spirit. Be glorified in this life which I have chosen to give to You. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. Amen.”
9
0
20