Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Jason Upton - Freedom Reigns Where the spirit of the Lord is Thereis freedom Where the spirit of the Lord is There is freedom
If you're tired and you are thirsty There is freedom If you're tired and you are thirsty There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Jesus reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Jesus reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Jesus reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Where the spirit of the Lord is There is freedom Where the spirit of the Lord is There is freedom
We lift our eyes to Jesus There is freedom We lift our eyes to Jesus There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Jesus reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Whatever you're burdened with tonight Whatever you struggle with tonight There is Freedom There is freedom
Nobody is looking at you tonight Nobody is looking at you tonight The eyes of the Lord is moving to and fro throughout the Earth Seeking an heart that's completely his
Jesus you reign in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place Showers of mercy and grace Falling on ev'ry face There is freedom
This video contains the Jason Upton's song Freedom Reigns and the best scenery in the world
Romantic novels have their place in enabling us to draw comfort and joy from a well-told happy-ever-after drama. But Romance of the Hebrew Calendar does much more than that.
In his meticulous way, South African-based author Raphael Ben Levi has shown us just what an immense treasure we have in the Hebrew scriptures, and in their fulfilment by Jesus (Yeshua HaMeshiach) – an eye-opener for Jews and a hugely enriching feast for Gentiles.
This is a beautiful book which will help light up our paths (Psalm 119.105) as we are led through the true meaning of the biblical feasts and much of the Bible’s teaching, while also gaining a better understanding of the trials and tribulations of the Jewish people through millennia, with commentary and stories from the Holocaust and other dark periods of their history.
But through it all they kept the Sabbath, they gave us the Bible and now its light has reached every corner of the globe. Composed by 40 different authors over thousands of years, it is nevertheless “an integrated message system”, he writes, quoting Dr Chuck Missler. “Every detail, every number, every place name and every allusion is there by careful design and is significant.”
In this respect he also quotes Richard Wurmbrand, a Jew who suffered years of torture for Christ in a Rumanian prison, explaining the significance even of the 153 fish the disciples caught after Jesus had instructed them to cast their net on the other side of the boat – the catch was a sign of grace, a word that occurs 153 times in the New Testament.
The point being made here, and throughout this wonderfully researched treasure trove of precious biblical jewels is that, as Wurmbrand put it, “every word in the Bible has a deep meaning. Nothing is superfluous.”
With a foreword by Richard Harvey, director of training at All Nations Christian College in the UK, the book also shines a light on the dark days of ‘Christianity’ responsible for spreading the lie that God’s promises to the Jews now apply only to Gentiles which in turn fanned the flames of anti-Semitism and made the chosen people understandably wary of Christian mission.
But it is also made perfectly clear that Jesus, the Jew, was the fulfilment of over 300 prophecies in the Jewish Tenakh (the Old Testament) – the author includes references to all of them – and still has a special place in his heart for his ‘brethren in the flesh’ as he waits with outstretched arms to welcome them back.
Raphael Ben Levi is the son of Holocaust escapees from Vienna. He was born and educated in the UK but later emigrated to Israel where he spent several years teaching. He is married, with one son, and now lives on the beautiful South Coast in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He can be contacted at roger_lenk@yahoo.co.uk
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We are coming to a tipping point that will be here from August through September. Over the next few months, things will be established in your life even though it may not be crystal clear just yet. God is revealing His hidden plans for you.
Expect to see rapid changes begin to take place. You will need to battle through discouragement, attacks against relationships, and your health. The enemy is continuing to overplay his attacks against many people. This is because there is a powerful breakthrough coming for those who stand through the storms.
There will be a greater level of repayment coming for those who make it through the season. Prophetic dreams will continue to increase. An unusual amount of wisdom and favor is being released right now.
Humility is a Key
There is power in being humble. The spirit of pride has been disguising itself as righteous anger in many people. As you humble yourself (even if you were right), God will defend you and lift you up.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time."1 Peter 5:6
Attack on Strategic People
If you or someone you know has been under attack by the enemy then there is a good chance that you are a strategic person in the Kingdom of God.
The enemy is trying to take out those who will be a part of this new move of God that's coming. Those on the front lines have been suffering from burnout, repeated attacks from the enemy, sickness and discouragement.
The enemy is trying to take out those who have been battling and doing the work for the kingdom. The only way to get through this attack is to pull back and get a new strategy.
Those who stay on the front lines right now in the midst of this battle are in danger of being taken out. It does not mean you have to step out of what you are doing. Instead, step back and regroup. Increase your intercession, get a new plan and in many cases people need to establish new associations.
Five Months of Grace
There is a release of five months of grace to get into God's timing. Starting now through the first part of the 2016 God is releasing His timing and He is repositioning people for something bigger that is coming.
The source of the enemy's attacks is going to be revealed over the next five months. God is going to reveal the strategic attacks from the enemy that have been holding people down and keeping them from advancing. If you have been seeing a repeated cycle of defeat or discouragement in your life, then this prophetic word is for you.
You will need to exercise God's wisdom. There is power and favor in resting and regrouping. The next five months will be a strategic time to gain deeper understanding about your situation.
In October there will be a release of new assignments, and angelic help will come to move you swiftly into your calling. Destinies will be revealed. This is a time to plan long.
Flashlight Angel Dream
I had a prophetic dream that a silver glowing flashlight appeared in midair right before me. In the dream I knew it was an angel being assigned to shine the way through this dark season that many people are going through. I was jumping up and down rejoicing because of the angelic assignments that were happening.
Expect to see deeper insight into your situation as God assigns angels to shine His light and guide you during this season.
Swim Shorts Sale Dream
I was in a store that was bright white and an angel was there with me. There was a sale on swim shorts. They were a two-for-one deal and I saw a blue pair that I had owned years ago that I really liked. But there they were brand new.
The meaning of this dream is that God is bringing back gifts, anointings and callings that we have had previously. It is an invitation to go deeper into the spirit right now. Water represents the spirit and swim shorts represent our ability to go deep. That two-for-one means God is doubling what he has previously given to you.
Shark Turns to a Seal
I had a dream that I was standing on a deck that overlooked the most beautiful crystal clear blue ocean. Suddenly, I could see a very large black shark coming towards the deck. It jumped up out of the water and lunged at me. I ran back in the house where I was staying, and the shark slid across the floor towards me. But then it turned into a seal.
This dream indicates that the enemy is trying to attack us with fear, but God is going to turn that around and reveal something positive from it. Seals can represent fun and a good time, as well as God's seal upon you. One of the keys for now is to break through fear and not let the enemy intimidate you.
Dreams and Uncommon Favor and Wisdom
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52
God will be speaking through dreams over the next few months. It will require wisdom not only to understand the dreams, but to know how to respond. As you get into God's timing, an uncommon amount of God's favor will begin to flow in your life.
Get ready for dreams and supernatural encounters. Expect wisdom, revelation and strategies. Watch how the plans of the enemy are revealed, while God releases strategic alignment into His timing for your life. Prepare yourself for unprecedented amounts of grace and favor!
Things are going to heat up in a good way in the spiritual realm. Grace, hope and love to you.
August 25, 2015 - Important Repost from April 2, 2015:
"I Am Releasing the WHISTLE BLOWERS
Throughout the Earth!"
Steve Shultz, Albany, OR
From the desk of Steve Shultz:
In light of many recent events in the media and news, some of our readers have written to me about this prophetic vision and word I posted on April 2, 2015 about God releasing "Whistle Blowers" throughout the earth... and as you can all see, it's been happening, BIG TIME!
Because of that, some have written to me asking if I would re-release (or repost on Facebook) this word because it's been coming true in a big way, even in recent days!
We are in a season of seeing more and more whistle blowers... and hidden things all over the earth have been or are about to be revealed.
Many of our readers know that I am a grace-filled messenger and I continually talk about God's amazing, life-giving GRACE.... and for that reason I believe He is giving a message to the Church at large about this as I share in this word:
"...He is going to release the whistle blowers, first a few at a time and then more, and finally a massive release of whistle blowers will be released on the earth, such that the hidden corruption many are playing with – "FROM THE AVERAGE HOUSE to the CHURCH HOUSE, from the STATE HOUSE to the WHITE HOUSE" – will be revealed to all.
"...this is a good time for EACH OF US to walk circumspectly, living a life of repentance, being faithful in the small things..."
I encourage all of us to read this word again and ask the Lord if there are any areas in our own lives that need a healing/transformation, etc.
Enjoy! And thanks for forwarding this to your friends! They can subscribe just below... Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News http://www.elijahlist.com
P.S. – Oh, and a Quick Note to our readers: To have daily, encouraging prophetic emails from The Elijah List sent to your inbox, just CLICK HERE or go to: http://elijahlist.com/subscribe. PLUS: HEY! Please EXPLORE our more than 4,000 Christian Prophetic books, CDs, and gifts at: elijahshopper.com.
Important Repost: "I Am Releasing the WHISTLE BLOWERS Throughout the Earth!"
This week (in a vision), I saw a football field that looked more like a college field with the bleachers on only one side of the field. Both teams were playing on the "Left" and the "Right."
As the teams played, all seemed normal. From time to time, the refs would throw down a penalty flag, as one team or the other was caught in an infraction of both the letter and spirit of the rules. The crowd watching had no inkling that much more was going on, which was "illegal or improper" within the game – but the refs would only call the normal or rare penalty.
On the opposite side of the field was a large rectangular, plain brown building, with no apparent reason for it being there. Suddenly the door was quickly opened, and a man in a business suit and a nicely dressed woman came running out onto the field during the game. Each threw a penalty flag down and blew a loud whistle. The field refs were confused, as was the crowd. These "trespassers" were ushered off the field by security and the game proceeded.
Suddenly a large door opened in the same brown building and 4-5 people, dressed in various ways, from a plumber and a baker to a doctor and a nurse, ran out on the field in the middle of the game, throwing down penalty flags and all blowing whistles at the same time.
Finally, they too were cleared and the game continued one last time until suddenly, multiple doors were flung open from the brown building and hundreds and hundreds of men, women and children ran onto the field, throwing down penalty flags and blowing whistles. The sound was deafening. The game had been overwhelmed and had to be cancelled.
The official refs were left clueless as to what to do. Their day was finished as well. Their own GAME WAS OVER!
WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING:
I heard the Spirit say, "I AM releasing the WHISTLE BLOWERS throughout the earth! Prepare, for everything hidden will be revealed!"
Then the Spirit began to lay out God's plan:
He is going to release the whistle blowers, first a few at a time and then more, and finally a massive release of whistle blowers will be released on the earth, such that the hidden corruption many are playing with – "FROM THE AVERAGE HOUSE to the CHURCH HOUSE, from the STATE HOUSE to the WHITE HOUSE" – will be revealed to all.
I knew in my spirit that since the Whistle Blowers are being released, this is a good time for EACH OF US to walk circumspectly, living a life of repentance, being faithful in the small things, because God is about to BLOW HIS WHISTLE and RELEASE THE WHISTLE BLOWERS – and END THIS GAME.
Blessings,
Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News
Steve Shultz is the Founder of The Elijah List, the largest online publication focused on the prophetic ministry. Steve Shultz had his first prophetic dream in 1984 and spent much of the 1980's and 1990's learning to hear God's voice. His first book, "Can't You Talk Louder, God"details a lot of his prophetic journey. In 1994, God released him to prophesy to others and he's been doing it ever since. He began publishing The Elijah List in 1997, which now goes to many hundreds of thousands of readers daily through the web, emails, Facebook, and Twitter.
When Steve ministers on the prophetic, his purpose is not only to encourage others with this prophetic gift, but to train them on the lavish grace and mercy given to us by Jesus Christ. "Ministry to others without really stretching them regarding the PROPHETIC GRACE and THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD, would be no fun at all!" he says. Steve has been married 37 years and he and his wife, Derene have 3 grown children and one grandchild.
7 Reasons Why Christian Leaders (and Christians) Fall
How can you avoid falling as a Christian? (Flickr/Creative Commons)
Recently, two of my heroes have fallen from grace, and some of my friends in pastoral ministry have taken detours in their destiny as well. Moral failings among leaders are becoming an epidemic. No one is beyond the reach of Satan's grasp. Although I'm disappointed, my faith is not shaken because only Christ should be placed on a pedestal.
Why do they fall? They fall for the same reason that all Christians fall. Each of us are drawn away by our own evil desires and enticed. When these desires are acted upon, they lead to sin (cf. James 1:14-15). Sin has a life cycle—it either grows or withers depending on whether we feed or starve it. John Owen, the prolific Puritan author wrote, "Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you."
Consider the following ways that sin gains entrance:
1. "It will never happen to me." 1 Corinthians 10:12 reminds us that if we think that we are standing firm, we should be careful that we don't fall. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18). Pride says, "I've never committed adultery. It will never happen to me." Humility says, "By the grace of God, I haven't, but I can." Strength is found in admitting our weaknesses: "For when I am weak I am strong" (2 Cor. 12:10). Pride opens the door to compromise and unwise decisions; it ignores conviction. Conviction is not always a hammer to the head, it's a still small voice to the heart. Many confuse God's patience with His approval. C.H. Spurgeon rightly noted, "We are never, never so much in danger of being proud as when we think we are humble." As notoriety increases so must humility. Sadly, the opposite often happens.
2. I'm "too busy." We are all susceptible to putting God second and ministry first. If we're too busy to cultivate a prayer life that places God first—we're too busy. Men would live better if they prayed better. We're often too busy because we're doing too much. "When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live" (E.M. Bounds). It's hard to fall when you're always on your knees. Moral failing cannot gain a stronghold in a broken, praying heart that spends time in the Word and obedience to it (cf. James 1:22). Nine times out of 10, when a person falls, he or she has no meaningful prayer or devotional life. It's impossible to spend extended time with God and not be changed and challenged.
3. Holiness is compromised. The enemy attempts to draw us away from God's holy standard. I vividly remember a story of a young boy who kept falling out of his bed. He finally asked his mother why he kept falling. She wisely answered, "It's because you don't stay far enough in." In the same way, many of us fall back into sin because we don't get far enough into God's framework of safety and protection via holiness. In the words of Isaac Watts, "True Christianity, where it reigns in the heart, will make itself appear in the purity of life."
Holiness must come from brokenness and humility, not legalism. A low view of holiness always damages morality ... we rationalize instead of repent. I'm convinced that today's media plays a significant role in the decline of holiness. Sadly, Hollywood, not the Holy Spirit, influences many. We cannot fill our mind with darkness all week and expect the light of Christ to shine in our lives. Before a person falls their mental diet is very unhealthy. They simply act on what they've been feeding their mind. "Take every thought captive to obey Christ" is not a recommendation, its vital to victory (see 2 Cor. 10).
4. Many build unhealthy relationships with the opposite sex. We must be on high alert in this area and have tremendous steps of accountability in place. The devil doesn't show those involved in counseling appointments, inner office meetings and private "fellowship" the pain and anguish and the years of regret that moral failure brings; he deceives them with a false sense of freedom in ministry ... that we are simply "helping" the other person.
If you are married and attracted to another person, or if the potential is there, take steps now and remove yourself from the environment. I'd rather be called "un-approachable" than "flirtatious." Adultery begins with small compromises. We're often too smart to take deliberate plunges, but we're easily enticed to take one step at a time, one compromise at a time, one bad choice at a time until we're at the bottom. Don't fight sexual desires and don't entertain them ... flee (cf. 1 Cor. 6:18).
5. We fail to strengthen weak areas. We all have cracks in our armor. The demands of life often tempt us to seek gratification in unhealthy ways. The enemy uses "opportune times" to draw us away from God. (cf. Luke 4:13.) The line is so thin that it is often hard to determine when we cross over. Weak areas such as drugs, alcohol, pain meds, sex, anger, marriage issues and so on are "opportune times" for the enemy to strike. We must expose these areas through repentance, and install safeguards and accountability. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
6. Accountability is often breached or minimized. Accountability is a safeguard, but its not bullet-proof. Accountability, by itself, doesn't work—it's not realistic to ask others to hold you accountable. Your heart must be focused on honoring God's Word. Accountability simply adds another level of security in the battle against sin. It's healthy to say to those we trust, "I'm struggling in this area. Can you pray with me and ask the hard questions from time to time." The enemy loves to work in darkness and deceit. Exposing cracks in the armor helps others keep an eye on them as well.
I have accountability software that sends all websites visited to my wife's email every week. This is a major deterrent and it makes me very conscious of even seemingly innocent sites. To some, this may seem extreme, but we need to be armed for the enemy who steals, kills and destroys. The greater our influence, the greater the need for accountability: spiritually, financially and relationally.
7. A sense of entitlement. Feeling a sense of entitlement is often the beginning of justifying wrong choices and can lead to "the King Syndrome." As popularity increases, we begin to follow our own set of rules. We can easily become jealous and judgmental of those who seem to have "all the fun."
As Oswald Chambers states: "God buries His men [and women] in the midst of paltry things, no monuments are erected to them; they are ignored, not because they are unworthy, but because they are in the place where they cannot be seen." Luke 16:10should be a great encouragement, "So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty'." Sin can be silenced in a thankful heart set on worshipping God. God has given us the privilege to serve Him, proclaim His truth and help others. Don't allow frustration and negativity to lead you down the wrong path. We are not "entitled" to anything ... it is by sheer grace that we are blessed.
If you are on the cliff or have already fallen ... take time now and repent. It will hurt, but the fruit of repentance far outweighs the fruit of exposure that will surely come (cf. Num. 32:23). God's grace will see you through. A penitent person turns from sin. They accept full responsibility for their actions without blame, resentment or bitterness. They seek forgiveness without conditions and stipulations. They take full (not partial) responsibility for their actions.
There can be no "buts" when repentance is genuine. "I am sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me," are often (although not always) healing words and signs of repentance. Excuses need to stop before healing can occur. There are consequences for past mistakes, but it's best to live in God's healing arms of forgiveness, rather than to live broken outside of His will. Which way will you turn?
Pockets of true revival are breaking out across America. Want to know more about the next great move of God? Click here to see Jennifer LeClaire's new book, featuring Dutch Sheets, Reinhard Bonnke, Jonathan Cahn, Billy Graham and others.
Shane Idlemanis the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, California, just North of Los Angeles. He recently released his 7th book, Desperate for More of God atshaneidleman.com. Shane's sermons, articles, books, and radio program can all be found atwcfav.org. Follow him on Facebook at:facebook.com/confusedchurch.
Jesus gave us an example of how to be a peacemaker in the middle of conflict. (Charisma archives)
That familiar sick feeling sank in my stomach. Actually, it felt more like someone had just punched me in the stomach and then sent an elephant to sit on my chest.
My shoulders sank under the weight that I had felt so many times before.
It seemed to me that the very moment I thought I had moved on from the hurt and disappointment, something would propel me back to square one where I was forced to work through it all over again.
Will this ever stop? Will this person ever stop hurting me?
To find answers we have to ask the right questions.
"Will this ever stop? Will this person ever stop hurting me?" aren't questions that can be answered. However, we can answer the question "How many times do I have to forgive?"
Actually, this question has been both asked and answered before. Peter asked the question, and Jesus answered him in Matthew 18. Actually, the whole chapter is worth examining because the entire chapter deals with how we resolve conflicts.
Most people skip past verses 1-14, focusing only on verses 15-17 for biblical conflict resolution. But that is step 4. If you skip steps 1-3 and fail to do step 5, you will have the whole process out of balance!
5 Things Jesus Taught Us About Conflict Resolution
1. We need humility.Matthew 18 opens with the disciples asking Jesus about who will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus' answer likely surprised them—maybe even disappointed a little—when He told them that they had to have the humility of a little child.
Oftentimes, when people talk about this familiar passage, they stop there. But Jesus went on to say that if anyone causes a child to sin, it would be better for that they be drowned in the sea. What is He saying?
He is saying that the kingdom of heaven first of all requires humility. This is a basic requirement for living the Christian life! When we fail to walk in humility, many of our actions, choices and words will not only be offensive, they will cause us to stumble in our own walk with the Lord.
Proverbs warns, "Pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Pride is what caused Lucifer to be cast from heaven. It is dangerous to the believer!
2. Offenses will come.If we suppose we can walk through this life and never be offended, we are living in a fairy tale. The question isn't whether or not we'll ever be offended, but how will we deal with that offense. However, Jesus warned us that it is a serious and dangerous thing to offend someone. He said, "For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes."
While He was talking within the context of children, there is a broader context that we see in this whole chapter—and that context is the body of Christ. Believers.
Dear saints, we must remember two things:
a) We will be offended. It will happen. We shouldn't be surprised when it does.
b) We must live our lives in a serious manner because it is a serious thing to offend another believer or cause them to fall!
3. Jesus still loves the believer who has fallen and we need to love them too. The parable of the Great Shepherd who searches for the lost sheep is most often shared in context of Jesus searching for lost souls. But this is an incorrect context! The sheep was already part of the fold, but became lost.
Jesus shares this story in context of a believer who has fallen away!
The sheep wandered off and got lost, just as believers sometimes wander off into sin. It's painful to the whole body when a believer falls into sin! But what should our response be?
Many times the response is gossip thinly disguised as a "prayer request." Other times, for whatever reason, we fail to reach out them and try to restore them. Yet this is our responsibility as the body of Christ, to restore a fallen brother.
How do we do this?
4. There is a biblical approach to offense and restoration.One thing that often disturbs me is how often conflict is aired over the Internet, on blogs and social media. What is worse is Christians' response. It's like they grab a bowl of popcorn and enjoy the show. This is not only a bad testimony, it is a destructive to the body!
Jesus said that there is a 4-step process:
a) Go to him alone and confront him. Don't tell anyone else! Not disguised as a prayer request or in any other way. Jesus said, "go and tell him his fault between you and him alone."
b) If he won't listen, take with you one or two more. Don't slander him. Don't write him off. Try again, and this time with one or two trusted believers who know how to keep a confidence and intercede for a lost soul.
c) If he still won't listen, tell it to the church. Why should we tell it to the church? The body needs to know how they can intercede on behalf of one of their own to see healing and restoration. This isn't about shaming a member. It is about giving the whole body an opportunity to pray and intercede for a member who has fallen away. It is about love and grace!
d) If he stubbornly refuses to listen to the church, he must be a heathen and tax collector. This final step is a drastic measure that is taken in hope that by being cut off from the fellowship two things will happen. 1. The rebellious man in his sin will not infect and defile the body and 2. This separation will be a strong enough move to bring him to a place of broken repentance.
e) The body continues to intercede. Many times churches stop at the 4th step and never move on. But Jesus never gives up on looking for the lost sheep, so the body should not give up on interceding for the member who has fallen into sin!
5. Forgiveness is bottomless, grace is endless. We cannot neglect this final instruction by Jesus about conflict, but sadly we often do. A believer, or group of believers, fall into sin or initiate conflict in the body and the Matthew 18 principle is followed to resolve conflict, the offending member or members are removed from the body and those who are left are hurt and wounded because a part of the body has had to be cut off.
It's painful!
And many times that pain is felt over and over if the offending party continues in their sin, fights back, or if the body refuses to forgive and makes an example or subject of gossip of the fallen brother.
The only way to move past that pain is continue reading to the end of the chapter.
Peter approaches Jesus with a question that most—if not all—have asked at one time or another. "But what if this person just keeps offending me over and over and over? At what point am I no longer obligated to forgive?"
Jesus' answer is simple: "You're always obligated to forgive ... from the heart."
He goes on to share a sobering story about the servant who had been forgiven an amount that he would never be able to repay in a whole lifetime, but in turn refused to forgive someone else a paltry sum of money.
The master who had forgiven him said these important words that Jesus says to us today: "Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant [fellow man], just as I had pity on you?"
Dear saints, we must, must, must forgive fully.
We must, must, must forgive every time.
We must allow the grace of Christ to come and so fill our hearts with love for those in the body who have offended us that the pain, judgment, negativity and condemnation toward them are removed ... and in place of that is a deep, deep supernatural love and compassion!
If we have not come to this place, we have not yet forgiven.
And if we fail to complete step 5, we are in violation of step 1.
We are walking in pride. Our pride will lead us to violate step 2. We will become an offense to the body! Our pride will lead us to fall ...
... and the judgment with which we judged when we failed to forgive fully and from the heart will be turned against us.
This is why full and complete forgiveness is so important to the body!
Rosilind Jukic,a Pacific Northwest native, is a missionary living in Croatia and married to her Bosnian hero. Together they live in the country with their two active boys where she enjoys fruity candles, good coffee and a hot cup of herbal tea on a blustery fall evening. Her passion for writing led her to author her best-selling book The Missional Handbook.
At A Little R & R she encourages women to find contentment in what God created them to be. You can also find her at Missional Call, where she shares her passion for local and global missions. She can also be found at on a regular basis. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest and Google +.
We are coming to a tipping point that will be here from August through September. Over the next few months, things will be established in your life even though it may not be crystal clear just yet. God is revealing His hidden plans for you.
From the desk of Steve Shultz:
Finally, they too were cleared and the game continued one last time until suddenly, multiple doors were flung open from the brown building and hundreds and hundreds of men, women and children ran onto the field, throwing down penalty flags and blowing whistles. The sound was deafening. The game had been overwhelmed and had to be cancelled.
Then the Spirit began to lay out God's plan:
