Sweet Little Lily

Sweet Little Lilly
By Bob Valleau

Little Lilly’s Sunday school teacher had his five-year-old students bow their heads and say a one-sentence prayer at the end of every class. For several weeks, he would hear Lilly pray the same thing: “Lord, please make my mommy feel better.”

The teacher wondered what could be afflicting Lilly’s mother. Then, one Sunday, when it was time for Lilly to pray, she was silent.

“Are you okay, Lilly?” asked the teacher.

Lilly mumbled, “Yes.”

“Is there some reason you don’t want to pray?”

“Well, I want to say more.”

“That would be fine. And the reason why?”

Lilly raised her head and said with the biggest grin, “Because Jesus made my mommy feel better.”

“Oh? How so?”

“He took her away to be with Him in heaven.”

The teacher gasped and was astonished at Lilly’s perspective about her mother’s death. Not wanting to dampen Lilly’s happiness that her mother was no longer suffering, the teacher said, “In that case, take as much time as you need, Lilly, and use as many words as you want to say.”

That day, the teacher learned a valuable lesson from sweet little Lilly: It matters not what happens in life that affects us. It is how we see things that determines our joy or sadness.

Copyright 2010 by Bob Valleau. Bob has over 25 years of writing experience for the Christian market. He was once named Christian Writer of the Year by the American Christian Writers Association. Currently, he freelances and lives in Texas.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS-MAKE A WEBSITE

What’s with the Eggs and Bunnies?

Pastel colored, cute, fuzzy, big, small, caramel, peanut butter and chocolate flavors will fill Easter baskets everywhere. Hats, gloves, shawls and shirley temple curls will be must have accessories.  This Sunday pews everywhere will be  filled with the best dressed bottoms they will be graced with all year long.  Family members and friends will make cameo appearances bright and early Sunday morning as if they were in a music video giving Jesus a shout out.  The occasion …Easter of course.

We love Easter because it is not only one of the most spiritual holidays, but a time for reflection and family to come together. It is the remembrance of Jesus’ rising from the dead, known as His Resurrection.  If you are anything like me, having grown up in church, you knew early on the significance of the resurrection and why Jesus rose from the dead.   I only knew that I was getting dressed up for Jesus and I would say a nice speech to let everyone know I knew what he had done for us all.

What I did not know however, was exactly where the bunnies and eggs came in.  Why and how did the eggs become pastel colored and how did they relate to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection?  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed each and every Easter egg hunt and the Cadbury bunnies that I got to enjoy.  My cousin even penned a song about the Easter bunny that over 20 years later, I can’t forget the lyrics to.  Was the Easter bunny good to you?  Was he good to your mama and your daddy too?  Was he good to your sister and your brother too?  Was the Easter bunny good to you? Catchy isn’t it?

A Little History Lesson

Easter is named after Eastre, a pagan Saxon goddess!  Eastre (earlier, Eostre, derived from the Saxons’ Germanic heritage) was the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of dawn, spring and fertility. Our word, “east” is related to this deity’s name.   Her male consort was the Sun god, and the sun does rise, after all, at dawn and in the east.   Rites of spring were celebrated in her honor at the vernal equinox (first day of spring). The first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox was also sacred to her, and this pagan holiday was given her name — Eastre.   The full moon represented the “pregnant” phase of Eastre — she was passing into the fertile season and giving birth to the Sun’s offspring.

Eastre’s symbols were the hare and the egg. Both represented fertility and rebirth.  Rabbits are more common in various parts of the world than hares so, over time the rabbit has been substituted — not without merit, since rabbits are notorious for their fertility. This is where the  “Easter Rabbit” or “Easter Bunny”  tradition comes from.

Dyed eggs were already being used as part of pagan rituals at the dawn of history in the Near Eastern civilizations. These were the first “Easter eggs.” As the traditions of the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs evolved, they were lumped together. As a result, in our modern Easter tradition, although the Easter Bunny is sometimes thought of as laying the Easter eggs so eagerly sought by children, the Easter Rabbit is usually regarded as male.   Since rabbits don’t lay eggs there isn’t much point for us to debate over its gender.

When the emerging, Christian religion, with its emphasis on rebirth (through the Resurrection), found it expedient to continue celebrating Eastre’s holiday. The focus simply switched to Christ — and the spelling, eventually, to “Easter.”

It is now, in retrospect that I caution parents to not allow the commercialism of this most sacred of celebrations to overshadow the message that we need to convey to our children and to anyone that has not been introduced to the Messiah. Galatians 2:20 reads: “I am crucified with Christ. I no longer live but Christ lives in me, the life that I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” NKJV It was not the Easter Bunny that bore our sins and suffered the shame of the cross for us.  This most selfless of acts deserves our undivided attention and it our responsibility to share with the world the truth about the greatest of love stories.

Let us not get so caught up in all of the images that we are literally being force fed.  Chicks emerging from their shells and chocolate bunnies emerging from eggs are just a couple of the ways the world celebrates the birth of spring as opposed to the resurrection of the Son of the true and living God.  Is it not God who creates all things and gives them life?  Even if we wanted to just celebrate the season it would still point to Him because we are surrounded by His handiwork continually.  He created it all!    Psalm 24:1  The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  Psalm 19:1-2 While you’re searching for eggs don’t forget to seek first the kingdom of God and all of its righteousness.  Moreover, in all thy getting, get understanding.

Follow Me

Many people often compliment my husband and I in regards to the eating habits of our children, especially our three year old.  She doesn’t eat candy.  In fact, she refuses it!  She has just begun to experiment with very small pieces of chocolate but, that’s it.  She prefers carrots, celery, apples and grapes, etc.  Of course, we don’t mind, its good for her.

But, when and how did this happen?  How did we do it?  She simply mimics the behaviors modeled before her.  We don’t really do junk food.  Yes, we have the occasional dessert but, it is not an every evening event.

Just as she mimics or rather imitates our good eating habits I have also noticed her exhibit some of our areas of opportunity (that’s the PC way to say negative).  She watches us even when we are unaware and we have an indelible effect on her.

As believers we must recognize that we are always on display before the world.  We have an effect on their attitudes toward salvation.  If we really think of every unbeliever as potentially part of the harvest what kind of believer would they become if they imitated you?  Would they be Christlike?  And what of our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those that are babes?  We can easily cause them to stumble because of our behaviors and attitudes.  It should be our goal to exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit and not be a stumbling block in their way.

Some of us actually desire that people follow us–mimic our behaviors.  Such desires should be put in check immediately and we should lay hold to the position of our brother Paul when he said, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.“ (1 Cor. 11:1)  Paul was encouraging us to follow his example of imitating Christ’s behaviors, not his own.  Paul’s one desire was to walk a path that would lead others to Christ, even at the risk of forfeiting personal satisfaction. (1 Cor. 10:33)  He didn’t want any detours that would cause himself or others to lose their way. In fact, in Phil. 3:17 Paul encouraged the Phillipian Church to take note of those who lived according to the pattern he had given them.  So, if they felt they might be losing their way they had already noted examples of those who were truly following Christ.

Take note of those around you and ensure that you are following Godly examples.  More importantly, ensure that you are being a good example yourself.  If we allow our steps to be ordered by the Lord and stop leaning to our own understanding we will not have to worry about who is following us–it won’t be us they are following at all.  They will be following Christ as we imitate Him.

Missed Opporunities: MJ

Humanitarian, philanthropists, singer, dancer,father, brother, son and friend.  These are just some of the titles that the King of Pop had. I never saw MJ in concert.  I never got to meet him in person and most of all, I never went to Neverland Ranch.

Initially, I believed that it was sincere compassion for the soul of the individual that had touched so many peoples lives that prompted me to write the MJ post. Did he have a chance to make it in?

For as many posts that have been written on this site none have garnered more attention than the Michael Jackson post.  We have been rather suprised because the the purpose of this site is to glorify God. Delighted with the “hits” we allowed the dialogue to continue believing that individuals would be drawn to the cross. Yet, we find those that profess to be “believers” are glorifying a broken soul that no one wanted to help heal when he was alive.  So I asked myself, are the comments focused on the man or his soul?

I thought long and hard about this.  I prayed and sought Godly counsel about how to address my concerns. Micheal’s humanitarian works nor his meek and even keeled nature are evidence of being a Christian. As much as MJ may have said or done for people the world over it was not a declaration of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, as being the lover of his soul.

Jesus warned that many people who think that they are saved will be shocked at their judgment.  There will be those who mistakenly trust that their works will merit them salvation.  Yet there will also be those who know well that salvation is received by faith alone, but whose faith is void of the holiness that Jesus said marks every true Christian.  Numerous scriptures indicate that multitudes of people who think they are born again; their ‘assurance of salvation’ is actually deception.

God expects His children to obey His will once they know what he expects.  People who have been truly born again yearn to be holy.  That holiness increases through the process of sanctification or increasing in holiness.  In short, when we know better, we do better.  There is no such thing as justification that is not followed by sanctification.

If you do not have a heart for God you are of no use to the kingdom of heaven. Period.  The ordinary just won’t do.  Good deeds are not good enough.  So the question would be, why would true believers spend so much time in admiration of the life of an individual that did not use his life to glorify God?   If Christ is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle why are we not praying for those ordinary individuals like our neighbors or the doorman in our building just as much as one prays for those of influence that are yet living?

Believers should always be on guard and give no place to the devil.  That includes being distracted by a false sense of mourning.  Many were commenting about how they were so hurt about the speculations and accusations people were making about MJ.  Well, they talked about Jesus so, should we expect any less?

Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 NIV

Additionally, let me just clarify that Sisters of the Faith is a vessel inspired by the Holy Spirit to assist believers in living more abundant lives. John 10:10 It is our mission to provide support, information, and resources for believers and their families with our first source being the infallible Word of God. We are dedicated to kingdom building as we are called to present the Gospel to the lost. Matthew 28:18-20

In sports, they call it dropping the ball.  The time spent lamenting over a soul that is already lost could be used to save that one little lamb that maybe only you could reach.  (I am not suggesting that Michael did not make it in.  Besides, none of us will know anyway if our names are not in the Lamb’s Book of Life.)

Beloved, I encourage you to take the passion and zeal with which you so vehemently defended your convictions and redirect them.  Just as you have shared links and videos to comfort one another and sought out information about MJ, delve into the scriptures or share new methods of evangelizing to those that are yet outside the arch of safety.  Dare I say, even read some of the devotionals or explore some of the Bible Study tools available on the site as well.  In short, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.  The break is over.  Its time for some kingdom building.

May the peace and favor of the Lord rest upon you all.

The Test

The Test
By Sherrie Coronas

The stunning, unexpected words ricocheted through my mind like a bullet in a tin can. Bursts of unwanted adrenalin made it difficult to think straight and impossible to form complete sentences.

“Uh ha.,” I said with air that just barely escaped from my throat as it slowly swelled to a close. “I see,” I continued in anguish. “Uh ha,” I repeated because I could no longer think of other words from the English language. “OK. Yep,” I said before I slapped close my cell phone completely perplexed.

I stared blankly at the cell phone that only a week earlier had delivered fantastic news that I was certain would change my life forever. I was asked to consider coming on board the church staff to fill a writing position being created for our flourishing website. I was absolutely thrilled.

Until that time, volunteer writing for the site was squeezed in at the end of a long day at work or in between the errands of a busy weekend. Now, I believed, God would get the best of me. I was told that paperwork for the new job should be in place in about a week. Surprisingly, I didn’t ask for any further details.

The pure elation of the opportunity lasted for about one day before the enemy’s attack ensued. Really, I should have seen it coming. It was that old, worn out issue of money. “Would this job pay enough?” asked the enemy.

You see, my “love of money” had never been in the form of greed but in the form of equally destructive fear. Growing up in a family that survived just above the poverty line, I pledged long ago to work as hard as I could to earn as much money as possible and doing so quietly dominated my young adult life.

Worrying about money was as easy as breathing for me. At age 39, I found myself making a more than sufficient amount of it but with very little peace in my life. The fear of insufficient funds gripped my soul and served as a constant source of tension within my family.

Completely worn out with the struggle, I decided to cast my life-long burden of money upon of the Lord and trust that He would sustain our family as He promises in the Bible. Despite that school tuition would be due soon, the price of gasoline was on the rise and the car was in the shop for repair, I would take the church job that would likely pay half of what I was earning at that time and prove, once and for all, that God is my true master. I was completely unaware as to how we would pay all the bills but I was ready to take the leap of faith.

Thus, when the bad news arrived a week later that the new writing job was not funded by the church’s board of directors and there was no place for me on the church staff after all, I was simply bewildered and devastated.

“What’s going on, God?” I questioned out loud when my head started to clear and my throat began accepting air once again. “I was ready to do this for YOU. I’d give up the salary and the title to serve you Lord,” I reminded Him with increasing vigor.

Then, God spoke these words to me. “Now, here is the good news. You’ve passed the test. Remember, I didn’t really need Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac on that alterI just needed to know that he would.”

Sherrie is a believer in Jesus Christ, a website writer for her church, a wife of 25 years and a mother of two teen sons. She resides with her family on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, where she was born and raised.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS-MAKE A WEBSITE

Faith and Magic

Faith and Magic
By William Ryzek

Faith and Magic
I’m assuming everyone that’s reading this wants to please God and knows that without faith it is impossible to do that that. (Heb. 11:6) All of us, then, must learn as much as we can about faith so we can please Him. This, of course, is a huge topic and the space of this article is far too short to discuss all the nuances of what faith means. But what we can do is consider one thing that faith is not: faith is not magic.

Now, on the face of it, this claim that ‘faith is not magic’ seems obvious, almost not worth mentioning. But in fact a rather large number of Christians in many different traditions treat faith more like a magical spell than the key to understanding the true nature of all creation, our purpose in it and discerning what pleases God. I’ve known some who conduct their affairs as though God’s Word holds magical power over objects, people or circumstances and frequently quote “ask whatever you will in my Name…” as an example. The condition is “if you have faith…” and, assuming you have it, ask away and ‘poof’ whatever your heart desires comes to pass, so they say. Of course, if it doesn’t, that means you have no faith, or at least not enough of it, and must try harder to get more. It is as if the promise is greater than the Promise-Maker, and He is bound, or obligated, by the “ask whatever you will in my Name” as though He were a genie in a bottle. And that’s the whole appeal of magic: it is something we control.

Confusing faith with magic is due in part to the common error of thinking faith is a possession, like a car or a home or that it is something that can be weighed, like a pot roast at the market. Not only does this mistake of quantifying faith make it like a magical charm to be used as needed (we think its it is ours to do with what we want) but it also creates a great deal of anxiety about whether we ‘have enough’ faith, how to decide when enough is enough and whether our faith is ‘bigger’ than someone else’s. I think this is why Jesus used the example of a mustard seed to encourage us all by suggesting that ‘size’ (read quantity) doesn’t matter as much as using what we have.

Another way turning faith into some kind of perverted magic is making it a matter of propositions rather than a way of living. By this I mean reducing faith to a list of “I believe such and such”, then going merrily along life’s way and never allowing the ‘such and such’ to actually change the way we live and think in our day to day affairs. Consequently, we can be quite orthodox in our faith and be very clear on our doctrine and then think that, since we have the formula’s right, God should respond favorably to our requests. Again, this is like magic; just learn the right formulas, say them in the right order and God will, or must, act.

I must point out that there is what might be regarded as a common faith that is part of our experience as human beings because of our limited knowledge and shortsightedness. We believe everyday, for example, and really without any evidence other than it happened yesterday, the day before and so on, that the sun will rise, that the world will still be here and that we will be alive to see it all. We don’t stop and check to see if we have enough faith to really believe this but just go about our business. The obvious difference between this kind of faith and Biblical faith (the one with which we are concerned) is the object towards which it is exercised; i.e. the former is part of our nature, directed towards the natural world and our own concerns while the latter is a gift directed towards God and has to do with the supernatural world. The point is that if faith is not an unusual part of everyday life in the natural world, and certainly not magic, how much more like the air we breathe should faith be in our walk with God?

Given this propensity to turn faith into magic at least one important thing about faith can be learned: spiritual faith, the faith that really counts, is always submissive to God and is concerned only with pleasing Him. Anything else, including faith so called, is an attempt to manipulate God and reflects the ages old tactic of bringing God down to size so He can be tamed and then used for our own ends.

So much more needs to be said, but we can at least take this with us: the moment we want nothing else than to do His will and please Him, then we can, and should, ask for whatever it is in His Name and it will be done. Then, not only will our faith in God be pleasing to Him but even the natural kind of faith I mentioned earlier, the kind we share with all human beings, will take on the character of something so wonderful it might seem almost ‘magical’!

William Ryzek, PhD has been both a pastor and academic for several years. He has published articles in various magazines and newspapers and is in the process of writing a book entitled “Faith for a Doubting Thomas”. Dr Ryzek can be reached at drwryzek@faithwriters.net

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS-MAKE A WEBSITE

Spit

Spit
By Lynda Schultz

Two and a half acres in a brand-new developmentit was a gift from God. The Mission’s congregation, thrilled with finally being able to build a church of their own, put their backs and their pocketbooks into the project. The neighbourhood was just beginning to grow, and the demographics experts guaranteed that the city was moving out to meet them. The new church, clearly seen from the highway, was the first driveway off the main road into the subdivision. No one could miss it.

The experts were right. Houses began to pop up all over. The congregation built the first stage of their multi-phased project and eagerly looked forward to filling their auditorium. The leadership sat down and made plans. Parents move to the suburbs to provide a healthy environment for their children. So, The Mission planned for summer programs and after school activities. A new community meant people looking for new relationships, new ties. The Mission worked through the possibilities of a Welcome Wagon program. It would be easy to watch out the church windows in eager anticipation of the next moving van rolling down the main street. Then, of course, there were Men’s Breakfasts, Mother’s Mornings Out, concerts, and barbeques on the grass beside the parking lot. The Mission decided it might even give door-to-visitation a shot. Reaching the lost became top priority, especially since the lost would soon be right on the doorstep of the church.

The community around the property began to grow. So did The Mission. The shiny new pews began to fill. Unexpectedly the growth did not come from within the community but from others outside the area. Disgruntled believers from other congregations in town saw The Mission as a place to do things righttheir way. The “upwardly mobile,” came looking for something as new and shiny as their ambitions. They also liked to be, well, mobile, moving from church to church as their spirits demanded to be replaced by others of their species. There were even a few who, burnt out by too many years being the ten percent who did the work of the other ninety percent, came looking for some place where it was possible to say “no.” Everyone came with his or her agenda. The original members of the congregation happily received all who entered and busied themselves with assimilating the newcomers. Or was it more like being assimilated by the newcomers?

One fateful evening, at a business meeting, someone suggested it was time to change the church’s name. After all, he argued, the congregation was no longer a “mission,” was it? It was firmly embedded, financially prosperous, and elegantly located. The pews and the coffers were full. Everyone was happy and comfortable. It was decided by an almost unanimous vote to rename the congregation, The Retreat. The few holdouts looked longing out the windows and prayed.

The community around the new “retreat” exploded. New streets were carved out of the bush. Almost overnight, more houses sprang up. Across the highway, a school was built, and right beside it, the glory of all suburbia a strip mall appeared. Behind the mall, rows and rows of low-income housing mushroomed.

Every Sunday the parking lot of The Retreat filled with cars. Except, of course, in the summer when everyone was at the lake. Easter was also a little slim. The great exodus to some warm, exotic winter watering spot took its toll. Christmas likewise. The current ten percent only had enough energy to minister to the other ninety. Those early plans for outreach turned brown with age, left behind in a battered filing cabinet in the furnace room. Who had time to look for moving vans?

The church put up a chain link fence around the property. The delinquents-in-formation from across the highway surely could become a threat to the congregation’s personal security, not to mention to all the expensive equipment and furnishings cherished within the building’s four walls.

The idea of building a community basketball court to reach the youth was buried under the asphalt of a bigger parking lot for the commuters. Several members complained to the municipality about the noise from lawnmowers on Sunday mornings. The stutter and roar was disturbing their worship. The band cranked up the volume, much to the annoyance of the neighbours who apparently could sleep through the sound of the lawnmowers, but had a hard time with drums, guitars, and two trumpets. The resulting bylaw served to encourage relationships in the community as well as electrifying the fence would have.

However, The Retreat remained content with itself. Eventually, no one in the community bothered it, and it didn’t bother the community. Both went their separate ways: one towards an eternity without Christ and the other ? Well, it’s not for me to say, but if you listen carefully, you might hear a voice from heaven saying: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm neither cold nor hot I am about to spit you out of my mouth”*

*Revelation 3:15, 16 NIV.

Lynda Schultz is a freelance writer currently serving with FEB International, the overseas arm of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada. She works in resource development and discipleship in Caracas, Venezuela.

Website: http://web.mac.com/lyndalee1

2006

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS-MAKE A WEBSITE

The Good-O-Meter

How good do you have to be to get into heaven?

Forgiveness: How to Forgive Yourself

Forgiveness: How to Forgive Yourself
By Robert Moment

No matter what the occasion, we often find ourselves looking for the best gift possible to give those we care about. We want to find some token of our affection to give them that says, “I care about you.” Of course, the best gifts to give those around us aren’t those that can be bought in any store. To show how much we love others, we need to let go of the hurt and pain that they have caused and forgive them. Love and forgiveness along with second chances are the best gifts we can possibly give to others.

But what about yourself? Have you thought about giving yourself the gift of forgiveness this year? Are you ready to be free and ready to move ahead into a life of graciousness and love in the future? If you are, you must forgive yourself for the mistakes you’ve made and that can be a difficult thing to do! It’s easy to try and hide our mistakes and not think about them, but what we hide has power over us; it can sit there in the back of our minds and fester, eating away at our self-assurance and our sense of God’s love for us, making us wonder if we are truly worthy. We have to let go of our mistakes and forgive ourselves just as God forgives us. And He does forgive us, completely and with no reservations!

“You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful.”

Nehemiah 9:17

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Luke 6:37

When you are ready to forgive yourself, there are six steps that I’ve found very helpful in helping me on the path to self-forgiveness. Perhaps they will help you in your struggle to let go of you past mistakes and embrace forgiveness:

Six Steps Toward Forgiving Yourself

1.Take out a sheet of paper and write your name at the top. Now take some time to think about all of those things you’ve never let go of in your past that you haven’t forgiven yourself for.

2.Write down what those transgressions are and who you hurt; how you hurt them, etc. Was it verbal or physical abuse? Dishonesty? Neglecting someone you cared about? Betrayal? Rejection? Theft? Rape? Lying? Addiction? Adultery?

3.Write down how you feel about yourself because of these unresolved feelings over your past mistakes. Be very honest with yourself. Although you may have made amends or been forgiven by others, do you still feel unworthy? God knows how you feel and He sees your heart. Express on paper how you feel and let the emotions flow release them!

4.Decide to forgive yourself. Forgiveness is not a feeling but a decision of the will and one of the greatest Gifts from God. He has told us to forgive and that He will give us the power to do so but it all begins with the decision to do so.

5.Take your list to God and acknowledge your forgiveness to Him. “Lord, I come to You today and give up my unforgiveness. I forgive myself for ____________________. At this moment, I choose not to hold these offenses against myself, but put them into Your Hands. God, heal my emotional wounds and help me to be able to move forward without regrets and help me to let go of the past and start fresh. God give me the ability to offer upliftment and comfort to someone else with the same comfort you have given me. I release my past sins of ____________into Your Hands.”

6.Destroy the list in private. This visual exercise can be very freeing. Whether you decide to shred it, burn it or tear it up and scatter it in the trash, imagine your past mistakes being destroyed and floating away in the same manner.

This is what it means to be “born again.” The Lord doesn’t want us to dwell on what has happened before our lives as Christians are about who we are now and in the future, walking in forgiveness and love. So give yourself a wonderful gift that is free of charge and yet priceless this year forgive yourself!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Alone with You in this moment of meditation and prayer, I release any unresolved feelings of resentment or regret.

Help me through this process of healing.

I release to you any unresolved feelings that I have toward myself. I understand that not forgiving myself is disobedience toward you.

Forgive me for any pain that I have caused in the lives of others. Forgive me for not letting go of the past and moving forward in love.

I experience now the relief of forgiveness to the depths of my being.

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge and give thanks for Your love that strengthens me, comforts and soothes me emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.

In the complete fullness of Your Love, I can and do forgive myself.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for healing my heart and bringing Joy and Meaning back into my life.

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
This is a new beginning releasing the past and embracing forgiveness. Forgiveness opens the door to the enrichment of all our relationships so that they flourish with understanding and love. With the forgiveness we express today we open the way to a brighter future.

Robert Moment is a Christian business coach, speaker and author of newly published book, God Will Always Be There for You. Robert is passionate about empowering individuals on how to experience God’s love, power, joy, peace and prosperity. Visit http://www.ChristianInspirational.org

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS-MAKE A WEBSITE

Related Blogs

• Related Blogs on Foregiveness
• A positive psychology approach to foregiveness

• Related Blogs on Relationships
• relationships in the church or relationship with the church …

Let Us Remember

 ⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities
       and carried our sorrows,
       yet we considered him stricken by God,
       smitten by him, and afflicted.

 ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,
       he was crushed for our iniquities;
       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
       and by his wounds we are healed.

 ⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
       each of us has turned to his own way;
       and the LORD has laid on him
       the iniquity of us all.

 ⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted,
       yet he did not open his mouth;
       he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
       and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
       so he did not open his mouth.

 ⁸ By oppression ^[a] and judgment he was taken away.
       And who can speak of his descendants?
       For he was cut off from the land of the living;
       for the transgression of my people he was stricken. ^[b]

 ⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
       and with the rich in his death,
       though he had done no violence,
       nor was any deceit in his mouth.

 ¹⁰ Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
       and though the LORD makes ^[c] his life a guilt offering,
       he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
       and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

 ¹¹ After the suffering of his soul,
       he will see the light of life ^[d] and be satisfied ^[e] ;
       by his knowledge ^[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
       and he will bear their iniquities.

 ¹² Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, ^[g]
       and he will divide the spoils with the strong, ^[h]
       because he poured out his life unto death,
       and was numbered with the transgressors.
       For he bore the sin of many,
       and made intercession for the transgressors. 

                                                                                   Isaiah 53

As we celebrate this Easter season let us truly take the time to remember who Jesus is, how He suffered for us,  and why he came.  Spread the news.

Next Page »