Month: December 2013

Posted in FORGIVENESS

Seventy Times Seven

Posted on by Uplifting Christ

cant forgive“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

Matthew 18:22

People find it hard to forgive those who deliberately sin against them. That person (your friend, brother, sister, mother, father, colleague at work, etc) knew it was wrong yet he/she did it. In the scripture, Peter came to Jesus one day and asked him a question about the number of times he should forgive those who sin against him? He thought up to seven times were enough but Jesus replied “No, not seven times but seventy times seven”

Jesus told Peter to forgive 490 times. In other words, Jesus told him to be ready to forgive each time his brother sin against him. In Luke 17:4, Jesus added “Even if that person wrong you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive”

Someone may ask “what if that person is conscious of what he/she is doing and keeps on repeating the same mistake every day, week, month, or year. Must I forgive him/her?” The answer is Yes.

Forgiving your brother’s mistake(s) must be something you do every day because human beings are people, and they are going to hurt you in one way or the other.

Do you know that God doesn’t answer your prayer for forgiveness when you don’t forgive people who sin against you?

Jesus told his disciples in Mark 11:25 that “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you failings and shortcomings.”

Friend true love overlooks a person’s failings and shortcomings. God shows us this kind of love daily. The scripture says while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He bought us with his precious blood and the least, I believe, you can do to show your love for him is to look around you today, pick up your phone to call the person who hurt you or  sinned against you in the past. God will bless you as you choose to forgive all who have sin against you today. The Right Time is Now!

“Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him. Even if it’s personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4, MSG)

 

 

Posted in GIVE THANKS, THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Thought for the Day; December 30, 2013

Posted on by Uplifting Christ

“Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:21 NIV)

Posted in SOUL FOOD, Uplifting Christ

ARE YOU PLANNING FOR 2014?

Posted on by Uplifting Christ

don't waste your seedWe humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails. (Proverbs 19:21, MSG)

As 2013 is coming to an end, people all over the world are making plans for the coming year. We are making plans for our lives, families, businesses, job(s), friends, vacations, etc. It is very important to plan but the mistake some believers make is they fail to consult God, their maker, before planning. They omit God at the planning stage. The wise man said in proverbs 19:21 that “We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails”

My question for you as 2013 comes to an end is DO YOU KNOW GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE?

Psalm 33:10-11 says “The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the Lords plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.” (NLT)

God’s plans for your life stand forever; his intentions can never be shaken. I believe some of us couldn’t achieve the plans they made for 2013 because they were not in line with God’s purpose for their lives.

God has plans for everybody; his plan for me is different from his plan for you. In the same way, his plan for you is different from his plan for your mother, father, siblings, and friends. But we tend to align our plans with that of our family and friends. Thus we miss God’s purpose for our lives. It is high time we went to God in prayer to inquire about His plans for our lives.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God said “For I know the plans I have for you, they are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope.” And in Jeremiah 33:3, He said “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.”

What must we do to see our plans come to pass in 2014?

Only I can tell you the future before it happens. Everything I plan will come to pass… (Isaiah 46:10, NLT)

God knows our future. The scripture says He saw us before we were born. Every day of our lives were recorded in His book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:16. The future we seek is God’s past therefore before we make any plan about our lives for the coming year or years, we must know God’s purpose for our lives. The truth is when you know his purpose for your life, your plans will be in line with His will. He will tell you what would happen in the future. And whatsoever you pray for in Jesus’ name, you shall have it. God will reveal His purpose for your life through the Holy Spirit when you ASK in prayer.

I see 2014 to be the best year in your life. God has so many good things coming your way; good health, promotion, increase in all you do, divine protection, power over your enemies, good relationship with people, etc. So instead of saying “Father this is what I want to do in 2014”, ask him “Father what do you want me to do in 2014 in order to receive your BEST for my life?”

We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails. (Proverbs 19:21, MSG)