YOU ASKED FOR IT
Forgiveness
My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:20-23
SPIRITUALLY, OUR HEARTS REVEAL THE HEALTH OF OUR LIVES.
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23
Surely resentment destroys the fool. Job 5:2
Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Hebrews 12:14-15
ROOTS ABSORB, STORE, AND GROW.
THE TWISTED TRUTHS OF UNFORGIVENESS:
IF YOU FORGIVE, YOU’RE SAYING THAT THE OFFENSE WAS NOT WRONG.
IF YOU FORGIVE, YOU’RE JUST MAKING EXCUSES FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
IF YOU FORGIVE, IT WILL MINIMIZE THE HURT YOU FEEL.
IF YOU FORGIVE, THERE WILL BE AN INSTANT RESTORATION OF TRUST.
IF YOU FORGIVE, THE RELATIONSHIP WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT CHANGES.
THE TRUTHS OF FORGIVENESS:
1. I NEED FORGIVENESS.
My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart. Psalms 38:4-8
YOU CANNOT PERSONALLY BURY YOUR PAST AND THINK IT WILL JUST GO AWAY.
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13
When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Psalms 32:3;5
2. FORGIVENESS IS NOT EARNED.
THE ROOT OF UNFORGIVENESS IS UNBELIEF.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” Acts 16:30-31
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9
IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE TO EARN GOD’S FORGIVENESS, YOU WILL MAKE OTHERS EARN YOUR FORGIVENESS.
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
3. FORGIVENESS MUST LEAD YOU TO BLESS.
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God…. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:17-21
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8
Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this weeks episode. You can find us on social media, instagram, and facebook @churchbloom.
Pastor Mike Carlton speaks on how to deal with difficult people, giving practical steps for a person to use.
YOU ASKED FOR IT
Depression
WOUNDS LEFT UNADDRESSED WILL BECOME INFECTED.
- ✓EMOTIONAL PAIN
- ✓FINANCIAL PAIN
- ✓PHYSICAL PAIN
- ✓RELATIONAL PAIN
- ✓SPIRITUAL PAIN
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Exodus 33:11
“I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” Numbers 11:14-15
“Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died” 1 Kings 19:4
“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.” 2 Corinthians 1:8
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES DEAL WITH YOUR MIND, BODY, & SOUL.
"We were never designed for the sedentary, indoor, socially isolated, fast-food-laden, sleep-deprived, screen-addicted, frenzied pace of 21st-century life. And the result is an epidemic of clinical depression." Dr. Steve Llardi
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:1-2
- UNREALISTIC PACE.
THE BIBLE CALLS THOSE WHO WILL NOT WORK LAZY, BUT IT CALLS THOSE WHO WILL NOT REST DISOBEDIENT!
On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. Genesis 2:2-3
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. Psalms 127:2
- UNREALISTIC EXPECTATION OF OTHERS.
IT IS EASIER TO BELIEVE IT IS SOMEONE ELSE’S FAULT THAN TO ACCEPT THAT THERE IS A DEEPER PROBLEM.
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord. Proverbs 19:3
- UNREALISTIC EXPECTATION OF OURSELVES.
And they have defeated him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. Revelation 12:11
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16
- UNREALISTIC VIEW OF LIFE.
A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. Proverbs 25:28
WE WILL NEVER OVERCOME OUR TRIALS UNTIL WE ALLOW THE FACTS OF WHO GOD IS, NOT OUR EMOTIONS, TO SHAPE OUR MINDS.
“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! Psalms 139:17-18
TAKE HOME
- BALANCE YOUR LIFE.
- MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO SPEAK VICTORY.
- DESTROY ISOLATION WITH COMMUNITY.
- LIVE FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOUR PROBLEMS.
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Follow us on all social media platforms @churchbloom
Pastor Tyler Long speaks on growing through trials and low times