Job 18: 4: "You who tear yourselves to pieces in anger..."
Scanning through some old work I came across this article I had saved on forgiveness:
The Times - January 3, 2008 - To err is human, to forgive good for your health by Rebecca Newman
"What could you never bring yourself to forgive – some transgression so heinous that the very idea of forgiving the treacherous toad responsible makes your blood boil? But what if forgiveness were good for your health? Forgiveness is, of course, a tenet central to most religions. Every Christian knows by heart the lines “forgive those who trespass against us . . .”
But it is not just balm for the soul. A ten-year research project reveals that “forgiveness interventions”, where patients are guided into forgiving thoughts, benefit their well being. Even one or two “interventions” can improve cardiovascular function, diminish chronic pain, relieve depression and lower blood pressure.
At the same time, the study found that an inability to pardon can raise a person’s risk of heart disease and mental illness.
Happily, for those to whom forgiveness does not come so easily, the researchers assert that it is behaviour that can be learnt, like eating well and taking exercise."
We must forgive for our own physical and spiritual well-being.
Sometimes we as Christians can simply forgive others because the Bible teaches us we must. Other times we need to ask God to help us forgive others, and He does. God may give us someone to help us on the pathway to forgiving. Through whatever means - FORGIVE.
Who do you need to forgive?
18 August 2009
7 August 2009
Eat This Book!
I love this quote I read recently in ‘Life With God’ by Richard Foster, taken from ‘Eat This Book’ by Eugene Peterson. I also love the title ‘Eat This Book’!
“Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus’ name, hands raised in adoration of the Father, feet washed in company with the Son.”
Do we see the Bible in this light? I know when I spend time reading the word of God my spiritual heartbeat picks up, there is an alertness in me, I know what I need to do, how I need to live.
Hebrews 4:12 - “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
How often are you eating this great Book?
“Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus’ name, hands raised in adoration of the Father, feet washed in company with the Son.”
Do we see the Bible in this light? I know when I spend time reading the word of God my spiritual heartbeat picks up, there is an alertness in me, I know what I need to do, how I need to live.
Hebrews 4:12 - “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
How often are you eating this great Book?
2 August 2009
Refreshment and Restoration
Acts 3:17-26 - Read about times of refreshing which we can access now (v.19) and a time of restoration which is to come (v.21).
Be Filled With The Holy Spirit
Acts 4:8 -10 - "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed."
Acts 2:4 - "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
Acts 4:31 - “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
Points to remember:
1) Prayer can precede being filled with the Holy Spirit. . When we step out to witness we can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Why only ‘can’? We have to have the knowledge of this and the desire to be filled. We need to ask. When we ask and we receive these times of prayer and witnessing are powerful.
2) We can be filled individually and we can be filled corporately. In Acts 2:4 and 4:31 the corporate infilling came after a time(s) of prayer.
3) Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit more than once. He was present in all three situations mentioned in the Bible verses above. Ephesians 6:18 tells us that we need to be continually filled: “…be filled with the Spirit.” It is not clear in the Bible as to why (unless someone can enlighten me), but many a great man and woman of God have said in the past that we ‘leak’ as we sin (light and darkness cannot dwell in the same place) or as we minister and witness to others.
Acts 2:4 - "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
Acts 4:31 - “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
Points to remember:
1) Prayer can precede being filled with the Holy Spirit. . When we step out to witness we can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Why only ‘can’? We have to have the knowledge of this and the desire to be filled. We need to ask. When we ask and we receive these times of prayer and witnessing are powerful.
2) We can be filled individually and we can be filled corporately. In Acts 2:4 and 4:31 the corporate infilling came after a time(s) of prayer.
3) Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit more than once. He was present in all three situations mentioned in the Bible verses above. Ephesians 6:18 tells us that we need to be continually filled: “…be filled with the Spirit.” It is not clear in the Bible as to why (unless someone can enlighten me), but many a great man and woman of God have said in the past that we ‘leak’ as we sin (light and darkness cannot dwell in the same place) or as we minister and witness to others.
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