Forgive Them

     Forgive them, Jesus said in Matthew 18:21-22 "Then Peter came up and said to him. "Lord how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times." Even when he was on the cross, Jesus said to his Father in heaven in Luke 23:34 "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do..." These are the scriptures I think about when someone that I am close to or that I know may say something very hurtful to me and I see it as a very different kind of verbal attack. They did not do it in anger but in a very causal way showing to me that it was not a purposeful attack on me. It did not really mean much to them when they said it. They even forgot what they said to me. However to me it was like a gut punch that took my breath away and I needed sometime to recover. They could sense my distress but they did not know what caused it. I just tell them that I am not feeling well and need sometime to rest.
     I knew exactly what it was as soon as my friend said those hurtful words to me. It was not a personal attack by my friend instead it was a well place attack by Satan to test me. He wanted to see how I will react and how much damage he can do to my friendship and to my relationship to God. I have experienced these kind of attacks before and they are so unexpected and they hit so hard. I usually need a few hours of prayer asking God for his strength and protection to recover. I will also use distraction like reading and watching television to get my mind off what was said. After a few hours of praying and using distraction I will start to feel better. I did not yell at my friend or caused him distress in anyway because I knew that Satan was just using him to get to me.
     Jesus went through something similar with the apostle Peter. Matthew 16:21-23 "From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord. This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." Satan was using Peter to get to Jesus. Satan wanted Jesus to doubt his mission and not go through with it. However Jesus saw that Satan was using Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan!" He did not get angry at Peter but at the one that was using him.
     I find these verbal attacks by Satan so tiring to me. The more older I get the more more tiring they become. I sometimes think that Satan is trying to wear me down. These attacks can be designed to attack your faith, your self-worth and it can create doubts that you are even loved. Satan will use someone to attack any of your weaknesses and this attack will usually be from someone that you are close to so to make it unexpected and more damaging to your mental state. If it breaks up your relationship then so be it he is more than happy that it did. He wants to separate you from your friend and from your friendship with God. This is why you must use forgiveness for your friend because he was not the one that was verbally hurting you but being used by Satan to test your faith, your forgiveness and your love.

Everyday

      Everyday I give him praise. Everyday I give him thanks. Everyday I feel him standing with me. In the hardships of my life I draw strength from him to carry on. Are you there Lord I asked and yes he is, everyday in my life. Where I am running to but to him. Everyday I bow to him in worship. Everyday, I need Jesus in my life.
     When I am hurting and feeling sad, I find comfort in the Lord. The Sun my not shine everyday but Jesus shines everyday in my life. He shines even at night and on the darkest days. He knows my heart and he knows my soul. He knows where I am weak and where I am strong. Everyday he watches me and guides me to where I must go.
     Pitiful man that I am but Jesus still loves me and cares. I depend upon the light of his words. I need the hope that his words bring. Everyday, I seek out his instruction. Everyday I am awake and I am aware because of the Holy Spirit's discernment within me. It keeps me from doing nothing and sleeping my life away. Even though there is a haze of darkness over the world, the words of Jesus clears it away for me to see. Everyday I am grateful and humble before the Lord.
     Everyday I can feel the fear within the world but Jesus says do not fear. His love chases the fear away. The world has fear but Jesus has love so everyday I choose love over fear. Fear will paralyze us but the love of Jesus will free us.
     Everyday I will walk the path that Jesus wants me to walk. I will do my best to serve Jesus and be pleasing in his sight. Everyday I want to pray and give thanks to God. Everyday I want my faith to be strong and my worship to be without an end. 

Death To Life in God's Kingdom

     Before Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, we were bound by death. A death that we inherited that was caused by the devil deceiving Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve sinned and passed down that sin and death to us. The bible said in Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." We were lost in our sin and helpless to save ourselves.
     Satan is cruel and heartless, he not only brought down Adam and Eve into sin and death but accuses their descendants of sinning before God. Revelation 12:10 "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God." Zechariah 3:1 "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him." Satan uses accusation to create condemnation and shame, making us feel that we could never be forgiven. He creates a feeling of hopelessness that we will always be sinners deserving of death. Even before Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, Satan tempted people into sinning and then accused them of it. He was trying to keep them in an unforgiven state of mind. 
      God saw what Satan was doing to his people. He saw that his people needed a redeemer. They needed to be freed from the sin and death that Adam and Eve brought upon them. God sent Jesus Christ his only begotten son so to free us. Romans 5:18-19 "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many will be made sinners, so by the one's obedience the many will be righteous." 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."
     Even though Satan may still try to accuse us, we now have Jesus Christ to intercede on our behalf. Romans 8:33-34 "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised-- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." Jesus Christ sacrifice justified us before God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Romans 5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
     Satan accusations against us are being brought to nothing before the throne of Christ. God as forgiven our sins so the devil cannot not use our sins against us. Jesus Christ has release us from the fear of death by opening up the gates of heaven. We have hope and we have salvation. Our future is secured in our belief in Jesus Christ. One day we will all be standing in God's kingdom.