Forgiveness is the key!

I was reading my devotional today, and this scripture came up talking about obedience and forgiveness. I know that we are to forgive those we have things against, and that Jesus said in his prayer example, that we should forgive so that we can be forgiven.

2 Corinthians 2:9-11 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

So often I have made so many excuses about forgiving people that have hurt me, and in particular one situation where I blamed someone for changing my whole life that I’d had planned out. It took me a long time to realize that even if I didn’t FEEL like forgiving them, like in this verse, I HAD to forgive them to be obedient to God. 

It had become a habit after so many years to go over the bad things whenever the name came up in my head/heart, and I had to make it a HABIT to NOT go over the bad things, but to pray to God for help to forgive, and to pray for God’s Blessings on them, knowing only He can heal my hurting heart.

This scripture goes on to say to me that God forgives them AS I forgive them, and then it goes on further and says that it is for OUR OWN SAKES that He has forgiven them, because Satan can take advantage of us through our anger… at least that is what I believe this is talking about. 

At the time, I prayed and prayed for what I wanted to happen, but it didn't.  It wasn't that God didn't listen or answer my prayers, it was that He knew best and said, "No." In other situations, He has said "Wait."

As to that other situation, over the years, that person and I have again become friends, AND God has shown me that HE had a different plan for my life, for I wouldn’t have met and married Mike or had my wonderful kids and grandkids if things had gone according to MY plan… 

(Pic. from 1995)

The Truth Shall Set You Free..

I’ve heard this verse before MANY times during my life... and learned about it... and it has given me hope, etc. but I heard someone on TBN talking about it in a different (for me) way that gave me something to think about.

“You shall know the Truth, and the truth shall set you free…” One BIG truth that I need to remember is that God loves ME AND, has a PLAN for MY life.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NKJV) says:

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.


God wants to be MY Father… my DADDY, and ADOPT me which makes me a daughter of the God of the UNIVERSE! A much loved Princess (somehow, I have a hard time seeing myself in that position.)

When I choose to follow Him and grow spiritually, THEN He will make ALL things work together for good… HE will help ME to grow because He has put HIS Holy Spirit within me and made me a NEW creation. As I am faithful in a little, and prove I can be trusted with that “little” (following His Word more and more) then He will add the MUCH—the POWER to do more and more to bring glory to Him and happiness and fulfillment to me!

How’s THAT for Truth that will set you FREE! Now… if I can just keep that in my MIND, heart and soul…

This Little Light of Mine...

While studying for my Proverbs blog today (Proverbs 11: 10 & 11), which was about the effects of people and their way of life on their towns and cities, I thought about the verses and what they had to say.

I took a break, in the middle of my research, to listen to the President speak about his healthcare program. One thing he said really caught my attention, in light of what I had just studied. He mentioned that the healthcare programs in Utah and in Pennsylvania were doing so well and he felt they needed to be studied to find out why.

I thought about that and the fact that so much of Utah is strongly of the Mormon faith, and many of them LIVE a Godly faith in most of what they do and in the way they run their cities and healthcare systems. The area of Pennsylvania that was mentioned is strongly Quaker, and they, too, life their faith. I hope that they DO research the reasons these places have wise healthcare systems that work, but it really made it clear to me that God’s Word has so much to say for every area of our lives.

Those verses say that if I am living righteously and following Godly ways, then I will be blessed, and be able to bless those (even my town/city) around me. It reminded me of that little song I sang in Sunday School… This little light of mine…I’m going to let it shine!

One of the verses said, “Shine all over my neighborhood, I’m going to let it shine…” I think that I need to remember that this is exactly what I can do in my words, my smiles, my service to others… I think that this would make my God happy, and after all He has done for me, I want to do whatever I can for Him that will bring Him happiness and joy. I want to remember, each day, that ALL I do, should be done to HIS glory…