Forgiveness

Chris Ward, Campus Director for LHM Houston

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 (NLT)

On Monday morning, October 2, 2006, a gunman entered a one-room Amish school in Pennsylvania. Thirty-two-year-old Charles Roberts ordered the boys and the teacher to exit, leaving ten frightened girls in the room. After tying their legs, he prepared to shoot them execution style with an automatic rifle and four-hundred rounds of ammunition.

The oldest hostage, a thirteen-year-old girl, begged the man to, “shoot me first and let the little ones go.” Refusing her offer, he opened fire on all of them, killing five and leaving the others critically wounded. He then shot himself as police stormed the building. 

This story captured the attention of broadcast and print media in both the United States and around the world. The blood was barely dry on the schoolhouse floor when Amish parents brought words of forgiveness to the family of the gunman. The outside world couldn’t believe that such forgiveness could be offered so quickly for such a heinous crime.

In the media, the topic of forgiveness dominated discussions about the massacre. Forgiveness, in fact, was talked about more than the tragic event itself, with Amish forgiveness the central theme in more than 2,400 news stories around the world. Fresh from the burial of their own children, grieving Amish families accounted for half of the seventy-five people who attended the killer’s funeral. The widow of the killer was deeply moved by their presence as Amish families greeted her and her three children. The forgiveness went beyond talk and graveside presence; the Amish also supported a fund for the shooter’s family.

 “[Forgiveness,] all the religions teach it,” said an observer, “but no one does it like the Amish.”

When Jesus delivers his teaching on love in John 13, he simultaneously offers an important lesson on forgiveness. He sets his own love as the example for us to follow, with him later stating, “There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.” (John 15:13 NLT) Jesus lives out this sacrificial love through his crucifixion. When Jesus hung on that cross and died for you and me, he canceled our debt, provided a way to be forgiven, and offers us the power to do the same, to cancel the debt of those who have hurt us.

As a Follower of Christ, unforgiveness begins with a simple statement: I refuse to give to others what God has given to me. When we say this in our minds, we out rightly deny the teaching of Paul in his letter to the Ephesians: “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:32 NLT) While we must be sure to maintain healthy boundaries with those around us, harboring unforgiveness in our hearts will only lead to bitterness, which Luke links with being “captive to sin” in Acts 8:23. (NIV) We can begin to practice forgiveness in the following way:

     1. Identify the person who has hurt us.

     2. Determine what we expect of them to make things right.

     3. Understand that even if they never make things right, we must cancel their debt.

      

Who do you need to forgive? What hurts have you let fester in your heart and develop into bitterness? Are you willing to come to Jesus and give him all of the wounds that you have held onto? Jesus gives us a simple command with huge implications to change the world: “Love each other.” (Jn. 13:34 NLT)

Where Do You Stand?

By Samuel Parrish, Campus Director, LH Charleston, SC

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 ESV)

When the enemy has beaten you down with the same sin strongholds for decades, when the flesh will not relent from offering a seemingly unending fountain of desires, when the world continually offers up unending opportunities to choose something other than God’s best, Paul’s teaching that indicates God will always “provide the way of escape” from temptation can sound more like a fairy tale than the gift of the Holy Spirit. For those of us who have been walking with Jesus with regularity, these verses can even become so cliché that they actually serve to help us discount the dangers of sin and temptation rather than keep us from falling. Within the context of his letter, we see that Paul intends to do more than share a great word of comfort to those burdened by sin. Instead, he calls the complacent to not merely walk in the protection and blessing of the Holy Spirit, but to overcome sin by the power of the cross.

To drive home this point, Paul begins this section of the letter by reminding the Corinthian church of the journey Israel took from captivity in Egypt to the Promised Land. Beginning with the account of Moses parting the Red Sea so that Israel could escape through the waters on dry land, Paul reminds his readers of how God repeatedly provided for both the physical and spiritual needs of His people, feeding them with manna—or “bread from heaven”—and twice bringing water forth from a rock. Additionally, God physically joined them on this journey, allowing His children to rest securely in the shadow of the pillar of fire at night while simultaneously receiving direction by following the cloud during the day.

And yet, there were those who experienced these blessings, but did not follow Him as Lord. They turned to sexual immorality when Moses spoke with God on the mountain. They turned to grumbling when God’s sustaining grace became mundane. They turned to disbelief when they saw the “power” and “strength” of the people inhabiting the land God promised them. Because of their choice of fear over faith, the Lord judged the entire generation, prolonging their time in the desert forty years.

Paul’s text says plainly that his words were recorded for our instruction. We, as those who live on this side of God’s work on the cross, stand to make the same kind of mistakes as the people of Israel. Paul warns that these errors can be just as costly for us as they were for God’s people thousands of years ago. We are cautioned to take care and search for the “way of escape” God provides whenever tempatations come our way. Thus, we are not passive in the process of our sanctification. Instead, as God grants us the faith to believe in him, and the grace to obey him, we have the responsibility to follow His commands.

Paul continues in the chapter with a command for us to “flee from idolatry.” His verb choice in this command—φεύγω, or a legal term meaning to run in order to save one’s life—reveals that our sin is not simply a bad habit we hope to grow out of. Rather, it is an enemy to flee, albeit a defeated enemy. Because of Christ’s work on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we can stand confidently as long as we stand on the truths of who we are in Him. We do not have to fear sin and temptation because we know He will never leave us or forsake us.

As you pray this week, ask the Lord to show you where your confidence stands. Are you resting merely on His blessings, or on an identity named and shaped by God? When has He sustained you in a way you never expected?  What two specific aspects of that experience can you use to remember his goodness in the future?

God Didn't Remove the Tree

By Bruno Borges – Director of Men's Ministry

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:15-17 ESV) 

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite moments in a church service is the time designated for worship and praise through song. I am always so moved by the beautiful music, as well as the idea of coming together as a group to raise up our voices in worship of the Lord our God. This time offers us a dedicated space to reflect, pray, repent, or just be still before the King of Kings.  

Although these times of song and verbal response play an important role in our praise of God, many people tend to associate the word “worship” solely with this particular moment in a church service. However, I would argue that worship—or rather "true worship"—cannot be confined to a Sunday service, but instead should be defined as the action of choosing God as the best response to our temptations. 

In my walk with those who seek to be healed from their same-sex attractions (SSA), I am repeatedly asked, "Why won't God just take these feelings from me?" I myself asked this question numerous times at the beginning of my journey with Jesus. Could He not simply reach inside of me, yank these feelings out, and wipe my memories clear forever? Absolutely! We know that He can do anything. However, the bigger question is why would he choose to do it? 

In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve everything they could possibly want, and a whole lot more. They had dominion over the whole garden, as well as every living creature. Additionally, they possessed an unending supply and variety of food. This would be the equivalent of being able to eat out every day, at any restaurant, for. God placed only one limitation upon them, they could not eat from one particular tree that God Himself placed in the garden, or else they would die.  Wow! Talk about temptation!

Some have argued that in placing this prohibition on Adam and Eve, God acted out of a vindictive spirit, setting up our first parents for failure despite his foreknowledge of the fall. Even when accounting for God’s foresight, I would argue the complete opposite. He both created us and equipped us for complete success. The following, although not exhaustive, are some of the ways He prepared Adam and Eve to triumph over the temptation of the tree: 

1.   As He created our world, and everything in it, He declared that, "it was good." He created a paradise, essentially giving Adam and Eve the keys to this real estate with the mortgage, utilities, and property taxes already paid for life.  

2.   He made humanity according to His image. Not just any image, but His image (Genesis 1:27). The implications of this one verse are staggering. God made us with amazing attributes and potential, and thus there are no limitations to the wonderful things God can do in and through those who are truly seeking Him with all their hearts.  

3.   He then gave Adam dominion over everything and authority to establish order over all living creatures (Genesis 1:28-31). (I don't know about you, but I think I would have loved to come up with crazy names for all the animals, plants, and objects around me.)  

4.   When Adam felt lonely, God decided that it was not good for him to be alone. In response to Adams need, God creates an amazingly beautiful woman and tells them to "be fruitful and multiply."

Dwell for a moment on the significance of these four truths about the creation. In his goodness, God provided for every need and desire that Adam and Eve could have ever possibly felt. To put it simply, God told Adam that he did not have to work in order to live in what was essentially an all-inclusive resort, nor would he ever have to pay any unexpected bills. To top it off, Adam was commanded to have sex.  

However, amongst all this amazing provision, God places the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, a huge temptation, in the midst of this paradise. Genesis 2:9 says:  

"And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."  

Genesis goes on to describe the tree God forbade as “a delight to the eyes.” This description begs the question, do the other trees in the garden pale in comparison to this one? Given God’s declaration of goodness over the rest of creation, I would venture to say no. Yet, is this not exactly how sin works even today? The other trees of the garden were just as beautiful, just as pleasant; however, they were not as desirable as the one they could not have. We exhibit this same logic in our own struggles with sin. Are we not typically blinded by prohibited desires with such veracity that we simply no longer see or recognize the amazing provision that we already have access to? This way of thinking poses such a danger to us. If we follow this logical strain, we find ourselves in moments where we are willing to risk everything that God has already given us for seconds of pleasure.  

So, if this tree was so dangerous, why did God not simply remove it? Why could He not prevent the fall of men from ever happening in the first place?  

The reason is that he did not plant that tree (our temptation) in order that it might be taken away. He planted it, rather, that we might humble ourselves and choose Him. He planted it as a reminder that we do not live by our feelings or desires, but only by the truth found in His Word. He planted it that we might know His true definition of Worship, that we choose Him, and everything He's already done for us, over our temptations. 

So, it's about time we stop asking God to cut down whatever trees we have in our lives. The reality is that He placed that tree where it is. Now, it’s our choice to recognize it as sin—however it may manifest in our lives— and run from it by digging deeper in our relationship with God through Christ, His Word, and Holy Spirit. 

As we seek a more intimate relationship with Christ, and healing in areas where trees have been planted, We must keep in mind what Ricky Chelette, LHM Executive Director oftens says, “Healing is not the absence of temptation, but rather the ability—through the power of Chrsit—to choose God.” Now that's true worship!