Shepastor: "The Delicate, Bumpy and Sometimes Messy Path to Forgiveness..."

Matthew 18:21-35King James Version (KJV)
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

The path to forgiveness can be delicate, bumpy and very, very messy. After being brutalized, despised and rejected by humanity, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ willingly hung His head and gave His life…not, however, before uttering the words, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23: 34, KJV).

As humans, we wrestle to be as gracious and merciful. Forgiveness for us is not an event, it is a process…a delicate, bumpy and at times a very messy process. It is delicate because it involves matters of the heart…sometimes deep, painful, searing wounds inflicted for various and sundry reasons. For those who have experienced deep wounds for no justifiable reason, the road to forgiveness can be very bumpy and messy. Just when you thought you were done, the smell of a meal, the subtle rustle of leaves, the sound of graving being crushed beneath the feet of someone passing by, a television program, the first snow fall of the season, the song on the radio, etc., can resurrect deep dark memories and the scab seems to lift off of the wound.

The road can be bumpy and messy towards forgiveness because you may not want to forgive…you may feel that the individual(s) doesn’t deserve forgiveness. Yet the Lord calls us to do what He did on Calvary…forgive. But how? One may be asking, “How Lord, how can I forgive…do you see what they did to me? Do you see how I’ve been left broken and wounded and scarred? Do you see how my heart, my hopes, my dreams, my life has been ravaged?” The Lord does not require us to subject ourselves to repeated acts of injustice, abuse and or disrespect. When Jesus hung on Calvary, God the Father did not require Him to come back and be abused by humans again! God does call us, however, to release the anger, bitterness, vengeful thoughts and behaviors to Him.

The Lord, who is merciful, kind and just has given us marvelous examples of “how.” In addition to His great example of Jesus, God provides metaphors to help us understand that the process will take time, struggle and yes some pain. But if we will yield to it and start with “yes,” the results will be beautiful:

…Flowers blossom into gorgeous fragrant bouquets but only after being planted in the deep, dark dirt and pressing their way upward towards the sun…

…Beautiful and beloved Babies emerge from their mother’s womb at first wrinkled, covered in blood and amniotic fluid, inflicting much pain and struggle

…Delicious meals whether baked or grilled, or boiled, or fried are first washed or whisked or mixed or pounded and then placed in or on something very, very hot. Raw, dry or wet, squeezed, filleted, cut, bound, whipped, creamed, frozen, thawed etc., all on the path to deliciousness!

…Healing from diseases may involve the messy process of our flesh, and muscles being cut open, sterilized instruments delving deep into our bodies being guided by the skillful hand of the surgeon on the way to removing that which is threatening our lives. Painful stiches, sutures or staples may follow all on the path to healing.

If you will submit your heart to the process of forgiveness, it may not happen over night. You may wrestle to keep moving forward, but you will not have to wrestle alone. As you surrender your heart to the Savior, Jesus, He who has forgiven us all will give you the strength, the will, the desire to release the hurt and will give you what you need to overcome.

Allow the Lord to plant the seed, to birth “the baby,” to “prepare the table” to heal your diseases, so that beauty instead of ashes may spring forth in your life. Remember, the Lord has shown us great mercy, forgiveness and love while we were yet sinners.

May we, by the power of the Holy Spirit resist the temptation to make our debtors pay “to the uttermost farthing.” May we remember that we too must give an account.
May you and yours have a peaceful, joy-filled, “forgiveness-filled” heartfelt Thanksgiving Season.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com.
Until next Wednesday,

In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Shepastor: "What Shall We Say to These Things?"

Romans 8: 31-39, KJV
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are living in some perilous times…Over 120 people killed this past weekend in Paris, France. Islamic terrorists…ISIS raining bullets upon innocent, unarmed people…walked up into an arena of people enjoying a concert and just started spraying bullets upon the unsuspecting crowd. Hundreds of young girls kidnapped in Nigeria. 147 students Massacred in Kenya... What shall we say to these things? We have our own “ISIS” attacks right here in the Greater Cleveland Area and other parts of the United States…senseless drive by shootings killing 5 and 3 and 6 month olds. We’ve seen violence over these last few months like we’ve not seen in a very long time. There used to be “honor among thieves.” But those days are gone. Killings are happening everywhere in most brutal and inhumane fashion.

What shall we say then to these things?
Sometimes we wonder why…sometimes we wonder if we’ve been forsaken…sometimes we wonder if God has forgotten us…sometimes we wonder why these persecutions and tragedies have to happen…why we have to face all of these problems. Unfortunately the shallow theology being espoused by many tele-evangelists and churches today don’t prepare God’s people for the living of these days…being a Christian does not exempt you from pain. Being a Christian does not exempt you from persecution. Being a Christian does not guarantee that you won’t face some pain, some sickness, some disease, some death, some brokenness. No, no…being a Christian sometimes places a bulls-eye and target upon your back!

The enemy of our souls seeks to wound, and break, and crush and beat down and discourage the man of God, the woman of God…but listen to how Paul responded to “these things…”

>35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Are you persuaded? Are you persuaded? Have you made up your mind that no matter what comes you are going to serve the Lord? Are you persuaded? Are you determined to walk with Jesus? Are you persuaded? Even when you see the righteous being slain, even when you yourself have to face principalities and powers? Nothing can separate you from the love of God! God will never leave you or forsake you. Through Christ we are more than conquerors because He loves us! We are more than conquerors over sin, more than conquerors over sickness, more than conquerors over mean spirited people…more than conquerors over ISIS…more than conquerors over gang bangers….more than conquerors over enemies…more than conquerors over folks acting crazy on the job…in our homes WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS!!!

If God be for us, who can be against us?
Don’t allow yourself to be governed by fear. Tell yourself, “God is for me!” Don’t allow yourself to be governed by defeat…tell yourself, “God is for me!
Don’t allow other people to condemn you and beat down your esteem. Tell yourself, “God is for me!”

Keep on walking with the Lord. Keep on talking with Him. Keep on letting Him tell you that you are His own! He will give you joy, He will give you peace…He will give you blessed assurance. When you are tempted to give up, to fall prey to the discouraging voices from within and without, remind yourself the God is for you!

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Shepastor: "Do We Really Have to Wait Until Then?"

Mark 4: 35-41 NLT
Jesus Calms the Storm
35As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
38Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
39When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

There is a common acronym that is written upon tomb stones and in obituaries…R.I.P… It stands for, “Rest in Peace.” The hope for those who use this phrase is that those who leave this world will somehow find some rest, some relief, some escape, if you will, from the toils and the struggles and the pain and the cares of this life. But must we wait until then to get some rest…some relief…some freedom…some peace? This passage of Scripture may give us some insights into Jesus’ example. Consider the dynamics of what was happening in this text…

Jesus was tired…tired from a long day of teaching, tired from having the religious leaders look as his miracles and ascribe God’s work to the devil, tired from healing and performing miracles and teaching people about faith…Jesus was tired! And when you get tired enough, you can sleep through almost anything!The disciples were thinking that they were about to have a calm 2 hour trip in a boat across the Sea of Galilee. They too were probably tired, but respected the fact that Jesus probably needed the rest more than they did. So Jesus went and lay down in the back of the boat.

As Jesus lay resting, sleeping, they probably were enjoying the cool breeze, reminiscing about the activities of the day and anticipating what would happen next. A storm, however, was probably not in their view. Isn’t that like life? You’re going along, trying to take it easy, making your plans moving ahead…anticipating that this or that will happen in such and such a time frame and BAM… life happens…all of a sudden what was supposed to take 2 hours ends up taking all day…what was supposed to take one week turns into 5, what was supposed to take 2 years ends up taking 10…what was supposed to be smooth sailing ends up being a storm!

The disciples are literally “taken by storm!” The waves are crashing up against their boat…water is starting to fill up the floor. The wind is violently tossing them to and fro and Jesus is sleeping! WHAT IN THE WORLD!!! They are horrified and Jesus is sleeping… “Jesus, don’t you even care that we are about to drown?” How did Jesus sleep through all of that? Now before you rush to the conclusion that because Jesus is God, He had no reason to fear…listen to how Jesus responds to them…

39When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

A few years ago when Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast, we felt the violence of that storm here in Ohio. I remember that particular day COYO (Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra) had a concert at Lorain Community College. I had to drive our son Caleb to Lorain – about 45 minutes away. His dad was at work, the other kids were at school and it was just me and Caleb.

At that time I had my old truck that was working on a wing and a prayer! The winds were blowing fiercely, the rain was coming down in torrents…the sky was dark, the air was cold, I was praying and driving…Caleb was fast asleep! I looked over at him and thought to myself, “Boy, how could you be sleeping so sound? Don’t you feel this car rocking and bobbing?” He wasn’t the least bit concerned. He felt completely safe because his mother was driving…he was tired and let his body fall asleep.

Even in the midst of a violent storm, Jesus was “resting in peace.” How did he do that? How did he do it? And why did he ask the disciples why they were afraid? Yes he rebuked the winds and the waves. Yes he ultimately caused all of that to stop…but if we focus on that portion of this story only, we will miss a profound lesson that Jesus was teaching his disciples and subsequently us today.

Jesus wants us to learn how to “rest in peace” while even the storm is raging. He wants us to develop the kind of faith, the kind of trust, the kind of peace that says, “I can rest in peace because my Heavenly Father is driving this car, is sailing this ship… is holding me in the midst of it all and when He gets ready, He will make this storm cease!”

You and I can find rest in the midst of the storm. You and I can lie down in safety. You and I can lay our proverbial heads down on pillows of ease and rest in peace when we train our minds to remember who is driving. Yes, that is easier said than done. But we must learn how to rest by trusting that the Lord our God will see us through! We must learn how to rest by believing that God will make a way somehow.

We must learn how to rest and trust by releasing all of our fears, all of our anxieties about things that we ourselves cannot fix, all of our worries about children and people and relationships that we cannot change…We must learn how to rest and trust…doing what we can and leaving the rest to God… “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference!”

We too can move to the back of the boat and get some rest…even when the storms of life are raging, even when it feels like we are drowning…even when our plans are drastically changed, even when it takes longer than we could have ever imagined…we can find rest like Jesus…we can find rest in trusting our faithful and trustworthy God. We can find rest by releasing our toil, struggle and pain at the feet of Jesus and He will rebuke the winds and the waves…he will cause the storms to cease…and he will carry us over to the other side...Not just heaven, but to the other side of our fears, the other side of our darkness, the other side of our billowing waves…the other side to our victory. God will carry us over, God will sustain us, God will make a way for us…God will carry us through.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Remember to pray for and honor our Veterans today!

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Shepastor: "Are You a True Friend?"

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Proverbs 18:24 (NRSV)
24Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin.

In today’s society, we use the term “friend” rather loosely. Often we say "friend" when we really should use the term, "acquaintance." The term “friend” connotes something much deeper than a casual relationship. To be a friend means some very important and specific things…

The Biblical concept of friendship is lifted up through out the scriptures. God called Abraham his friend. Saul’s son, Jonathan and David were the best of friends. The Bible even gives a negative example of friendship when it speaks of how Herod and Pilate became friends when they joined together in a decision to try, abuse and eventually crucify Jesus. (Luke 23:11-12 states: And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends, together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.)

The scriptures are filled with examples of real friendship. Consider the following verses:

Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)
24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

The New Revised Standard Version declares:
Proverbs 18:24 (NRSV)
25 Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin.

Sometimes God places people in our lives that can relate to us, support us, love us, encourage us, and through their prayers, faith and witness, empower us even more than our own flesh and blood relatives. For many, the Church… the people of God are those which stick closer than flesh and blood.

Some people have never had a true friend. They are hungry for real friends.
There are many people who are “play friends…” those who want to stand with you in the good times, but not the bad…those who want to hang around you as long as it is advantageous for them. There are those who are interested in what you can do for them and not necessarily what you all can share together – you’ve seen them, “play friends.”

Proverbs 17:17 from the NRSV states
17 A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.

God’s Word states that “a friend loves at all times,” which means that godly friendship endures and the love is unconditional. None of this, “I’ll be your friend if…” There may be times when we must love someone from a distance. Times change and people change, but love remains.

In true friendship, time, space and distance don’t change the love shared. Situations, circumstances and difficulties in real friendship don’t change the love shared. A friend loves at ALL TIMES.

The following verses further describe friendship:
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
13 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

True friends hold one another up. Human beings were made to be in fellowship with one another. God’s words concerning Adam, that it’s not good for him to be alone, extend beyond the husband and wife relationship. Human beings are meant for fellowship. We are like burning coals. As long as the coals stay together, they remain hot, they glow and produce heat. But if you take one coal away from the bunch and set it off to itself, the coal will soon go out.

God new that if we did not have fellowship our coals would go out. There is something sweet about the sincere fellowship of God’s people. We lift one another up. We encourage and inspire one another. We give one another hope. We strengthen one another’s faith. God uses the testimonies of the saints to build up the body of Christ.

"Two are better than one. Woe unto him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up again." We all trip now and then. But if we are standing close enough, we can catch one another before we hit the ground! And that’s what so special about the next verse:

Proverbs 27:6
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Real Friends will tell you the truth in love. It’s important to have friends that will tell you the truth. So many of us walk around like the king in the “Emperors New Clothes…” with no one to tell us that we are not fully clothed, but in fact naked! Real friends will tell each other when they are “naked,” even if the world is declaring that their “new suit” looks fabulous. Sometimes when we share the truth with our friends, they will be hurt or might even become angry, but in the long run, those “faithful wounds” will heal and the individual will be made whole.

Allowing a friend to go in the wrong direction while we remain silent is tantamount to knowing a person has a time bomb in his or her house and not warning them to get out! Real friends will take the risk of being misunderstood, and share, in love that which may hurt for the moment, but bring healing ultimately.

Finally, consider what Jesus said about friendship:

John 15:13 (NRSV)
13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.

True friendship is sacrificial. True friendship is willing to put self aside for the benefit of another. True friendship is willing to acquiesce or in other words, step back and allow your friend to be blessed. True friendship is willing to be the wind beneath another’s wings. True friendship rejoices with the one rejoicing and weeps with the one weeping. So often people can “weep” with you, but they struggle to “rejoice” with you! True friends strive to do both.

Jesus exemplified true friendship when he sacrificed his life for you and I. Jesus desires that we love each other as He loves as and also as we love ourselves.

Biblical friendship may be summarized as follows:

True friends love at all times
True friends hold one another up
True friends tell the truth in love
True friendship is sacrificial in nature

Are you a true friend?

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until Next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org