We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

There is no office so honorable as that of the preacher. There is no work so important to the souls of men. It is an office which the Son of God was not ashamed to take up. It is an office to which He appointed His twelve apostles. It is an office to which Paul in his old age specially directs Timothy's attention. He charges him with almost his last breath to "preach the word." It is the means which God has always been pleased to use above any other, for the conversion and edification of souls. The brightest days of the Church have been those when preaching has been honored. The darkest days of the Church have been those when it has been lightly esteemed. Let us honor the sacraments and public prayers of the Church, and reverently use them. But let us beware that we do not place them above preaching.

J.C. Ryle

We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

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A Way of Choice

#1 · January 30, 2004, 5:19 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on January 30, 2004, 5:19 pm
Posted by: Asn <Asn@...>

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. Mark 11:25 Amplified

The quotation on my desk is challenging, to say the least. In all honesty, I too often fail miserably at achieving its direction, yet I cherish it nonetheless. It speaks to the person I want to be; the person I strive to become through God's grace. It is prized as much for the perspective of the person who said it as for the words themselves. The man was Victor Frankl, and the credit line reads simply, "survivor of Nazi concentration camp" - certainly one of the (if not the exemplar) worst era of human history. The quote is this: "The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."

Much too often we react to the moment instead of choosing. Someone hurts us and we lash out in anger. Our trust gets shattered and we vow never to be so vulnerable again. Our dreams get crushed and* well, you get the picture. Feelings get hurt and walls go up. We've all been there, done that, got the T-shirt. But much like Victor Frankl's quotation, Jesus offers a different way - a way of choice. I can choose to forgive. I can choose to release the evildoer from the consequences of his wrong. Quite honestly, I don't want to. Everything inside of me screams, "They're guilty!" Jesus softly whispers, "Yes. Forgive them anyway." Unforgiveness is a ball-and-chain that restrains the unforgiver rather than the unforgiven. Set yourself free!

Father, I admit that it's difficult to forgive and even harder to let it go. But you have called me to forgiveness not with a suggestion, but a command. Please, Father, help me to choose to forgive those who have hurt me and to release them so that I can walk in the freedom Jesus purchased for me on the cross. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Posted by: Asn <Asn@...>

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. Mark 11:25 Amplified

The quotation on my desk is challenging, to say the least. In all honesty, I too often fail miserably at achieving its direction, yet I cherish it nonetheless. It speaks to the person I want to be; the person I strive to become through God's grace. It is prized as much for the perspective of the person who said it as for the words themselves. The man was Victor Frankl, and the credit line reads simply, "survivor of Nazi concentration camp" - certainly one of the (if not the exemplar) worst era of human history. The quote is this: "The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."

Much too often we react to the moment instead of choosing. Someone hurts us and we lash out in anger. Our trust gets shattered and we vow never to be so vulnerable again. Our dreams get crushed and* well, you get the picture. Feelings get hurt and walls go up. We've all been there, done that, got the T-shirt. But much like Victor Frankl's quotation, Jesus offers a different way - a way of choice. I can choose to forgive. I can choose to release the evildoer from the consequences of his wrong. Quite honestly, I don't want to. Everything inside of me screams, "They're guilty!" Jesus softly whispers, "Yes. Forgive them anyway." Unforgiveness is a ball-and-chain that restrains the unforgiver rather than the unforgiven. Set yourself free!

Father, I admit that it's difficult to forgive and even harder to let it go. But you have called me to forgiveness not with a suggestion, but a command. Please, Father, help me to choose to forgive those who have hurt me and to release them so that I can walk in the freedom Jesus purchased for me on the cross. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.