The Power of Prayer (Forgiveness)

Recently I found myself very disappointed in someone I considered a good friend. They did something to me that I felt (and still feel) was totally unacceptable and it was hard for me to swallow. I knew that I needed to forgive them and let it go but I just couldn’t wrap my head around it at the time.

Not wanting to hold a grudge, I began to quote any and every scripture I could remember (and maybe a few I made up) on forgiveness. But it seemed the moment I stopped quoting scripture, I got mad all over again.

Throughout that week, I kept rehearsing what happened and when I shared it with my husband and my sister, I got even angrier – it was like every time I told the story, the fire was being fueled. So I decided that I needed to stop talking about it because that was not helping the situation.

I’m sure you have all been there before …maybe it wasn’t a friend, perhaps it was a sibling, a co-worker, a neighbor or even someone at church. Whoever it was, they crossed you in some form or fashion and raised your blood pressure. You found yourself on this never ending cycle of anger because you couldn’t quite let it go.

In time, I realized that forgiveness is very hard in our own power… and at some point, I cleared my head and took it to God in prayer …and yet again, God amazed me with his ability to bring an inner peace in the midst of any situation.

Prayer is by far the greatest weapon we have. Prayer causes you to change your perspective on things.

While in prayer, God reminded me of the many times I had turned my back on Him. The many times I had disappointed Him. Yet, not once has He held back his forgiveness towards me.

He also reminded me that no one except Him is flawless, so I must not put people on a pedestal or expect them to never let me down. Yes, we expect certain things like respect from our friends, however at some point, we have probably all disrespected someone we cared about. How is it that we expect people to always be willing to forgive us but when the tables are turned – watch out!

Through prayer, I realized it was alright for me to be hurt by the situation, but it wasn’t alright for me to dwell there. God healed my wounds and gave me the courage to step back out and not allow this situation to dictate my mood, attitude or behavior towards the person who offended me.

There is something to be said about the power of prayer …next time I won’t wait so long to use it!

Written by Tanya James, Founder and president of The Master Plan. Tanya James is the author of From Promiscuity to Proverbs 31: Getting Off the Fence of Sexual Immorality. For more information about Tanya, log onto www.armedanddangerous.biz or www.themasterplan.biz.

Accept One Another

 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7

 Acceptance sets the tone in a trusting relationship. It ascribes value by making a friend feel special, especially if someone struggles with wounds from past rejection and hurt. Acceptance is an antidote for guilt and regret. It looks to bring meaning in the moment, not dwelling on former failures. It creates a non-judgmental, safe environment. Like a sympathetic nurse, it listens with empathy. Acceptance feels no discrimination or bias.
 
Who is hungry for your approval and acceptance? Is it a child, a parent, a friend, a co-worker or fellow Christ follower who needs to feel your warm words of delight in them? To not be an included team member is emotional torture. Passive rejection can be worse that blatant rejection.   Indeed, an accepting attitude says, “I believe in you”, “I need you”, “I am for you”. You give others the benefit of the doubt. A person who feels your approval has nothing to prove.

“To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:6 NKJV

Acceptance from Almighty God is found in Christ. He accepts the rejected. He invites those who wander from the faith to come home. Christ calls His children back from embarrassing situations and embraces them with open arms. His acceptance is unconditionally based on His love and grace. The Lord is looking for those in need of approval. He can’t wait to bless and believe in His own. Jesus accepts back those who have turned their backs on Him.

Therefore, accept others as Jesus has accepted you. Even sinners, you may ask? Yes, you can accept the individual without compromising your integrity. You grow in Christ’s character when others, who are unlike you, know you like them. You love those who love the world, without your loving the world. When you serve someone with competing standards, they tend to ask “why me”. Lovingly say, “why not you”–in order to bring praise to God!

“The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.” Romans 14:3

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for accepting me in Christ, so I can accept others in the same way.

Related Readings: Psalm 101:3; John 6:27; Acts 15:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:13 

Renewing Your Mind For Relationships

One of the ways that I healed from an emotional unhealthy mindset was listening to messages and mini sermons several days throughout the week. Sunday is a great blessing and all, but when it came to feeding my spirit and renewing my mind I needed more.

My favorite place to go on-line and get information that pertained to me and my personal issues and situations was OnePlace.com. There are so many different ministers there and so many different ways to listen, learn, and grow. You can search through the archives and find topics that relate to what you are going through at any given moment, that is what I did and still do til this day. It’s so helpful! Especially when your Pastor doesn’t talk much about Parenting, Friendship, or Marriage. Or it may just be that you are having some major issues with your in-laws and for that whole month at church you guys are reading the book of Revelation.

With all that being said, I’ve listed a few places that I think can be helpful to anyone if they open up and allow it.

With Dennis Rainey you get something like a teaching interview.

Family Life Today

With June Hunt you get something like a counseling session.

Hope for The Heart

And with James McDonald you get brief 30 minute sermonets that bless your soul!

Walk In The Word

It’s doesn’t do us any good to come up with excuses like “I don’t have time” because the messages can be downloaded and listened to in your car while you are driving or on your iPhone or Pod while you ride the bus, work out, get your nails, hair and toes done. We find time to watch our favorite T.V. Shows, go to the movies and out to eat, I’m sure we can find the time to feed our souls. It’s when you are really hungry for change that you will eat.

Most of the times people find a bunch of other unhealthy people to talk to and they validate what they are feeling and they think they are ok. But if people lie to you or just can’t give you the truth because they themselves don’t know it, you can’t grow as an individual.

It takes a lot to find a great person to hook up with forever when you are jacked up yourself. Inside you say “I want someone who will treat me good, not beat or cheat. Provide, protect, love, respect, submit, honor,” and on and on the list goes. But if you are emotionally damaged and refuse to admit and then take actions to change, more than likely you won’t attract that type of person.

Recognize, realize, and then renew!

Shared by The Relationship Stuff

LIP SERVICE

Do you remember what you told me? How you confessed your love for me! Do you remember what you said in the middle of your trial? Do you remember how you cried out and said, “If you help me, I will serve you” and like a mighty warrior I stepped in and saved you. You praised me for the valiant act and now I hear only your lips.

You continue to tell me about your love for me and yet you don’t attend my house. You blame others for your attendance and yet my promise was with you and I alone. How come all of a sudden others are involved in our relationship?

You lift up both your hands in surrender and sing “I Surrender All,” but the moment I ask for your service, well maybe next time.

How long shall I receive lip service? How long? When your spouse asks for attention, you say you love them and yet when asked for service, well maybe next time.

How long shall your spouse receive lip service? When the divorce decree is being drawn up by the lawyer? When the home and children are being taken? How long?

Let’s declare today to end lip service. Speak the truth. Your actions will always reveal it. Telling someone you love them and not demonstrating it with actions, is like a glazed Krispy Kreme donut. I see the surrounding goodness, but where is the center where the heart should be.

Post shared via Roger Tharpe

Karma…does it always apply?

Post shared via The Heatblast

This week’s topic of the week…Karma…does it always apply?

I mean…negative things happening…does that always bring negative things back around?

I read this story in Cosmopolitan about four best friends…one was about to get married…they had a bachelorette party. At the home the girl grew up in. There was a pool in the back yard. All four of the girls grew up playing in this pool. Their favorite thing was to push each other in the pool and splash water on each other when someone was trying to stay dry for whatever reasons.

Anyway, at the bachelor party they had fun with each other as always, but this particular time, when the girl who was getting married the next day, got slightly nudged into the pool…she fell awkward and hit her head. Her body went numb. She floated to the surface and realized she could not feel anything. She was paralyzed. She missed the wedding, because she was in the hospital for the next five months. Ten years later she is still in a wheelchair, but she got married anyway and is celebrating the tenth anniversary of marriage and the accident.

I wanna know if you could forgive your best friend? You know the push was innocent. You know it was no harder than you all had done a hundred times before, but that one time…changed your life forever. I don’t mean forgive her, because you know it’s the right thing to do…but, forgive her because you know it hurt her just as much as it hurt you. It changed her life…just as it changed yours. Will you secretly hate her in the back of your mind when you have to summon help…just to wash yourself?

Even more so, if it happened to your husband or wife, to be…would you still marry them? Would you love them the same? Could it be…still, to death do us part? No matter what changed or how hard it got…would you stand by their side?

Tough…huh? Karma

IT FALLS WHEN YOU NEED IT

The treasures of heaven fall upon the body like a mantle when you need it. Your position must be one of movement. We find the Lord moves after you. How else can David write in Psalm 23 that goodness and mercy would follow him all the days of his life?  If you are bound by present fear let this encourage and empower you.

I am an introvert and public speaking produces for me a great fear, but I am here to tell you, It Falls when you need it. In the last few weeks, I have had many speaking engagements and each one was not without fear, however I can tell you, It falls when you need it and the peace of God that passes understanding and the wisdom of God produces the required fruit.

Some may say “Lord I am waiting for your power.” It falls when you need it. Not a moment sooner. While I am in the chair waiting to speak, I am afraid. While walking to the platform and then right before I speak, the mantle falls. It falls when you need it. Do not fear today. God will show up, you only have to move first to see his power.

Single person waiting on the Lord? God moves after you. Struggling married person waiting on the Lord? God moves after you. It falls when you need it, but only after you move first.

Walking in Christ is no different than receiving salvation. For one only receives salvation after they confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in the their heart that God raised them from the dead. It falls when you need it, only after you move first.

Post courtesy of Roger Tharpe

Scripture Meditation ~ Breaking The Chains

Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. (Psa. 107:10,11,13-16 NIV)

Questions:

What grips you?

What has seized you?

What has you in its grasp?

Is there anything that makes you do what you do not want to do? 

Prayer:LORD, not all chains are made of iron. The pit of depression, the grip of addiction, or the pain of heartbreak and loss can be as strong as any chain of iron. I am grateful that You are able to deliver out of any kind of prison or break away any chains, no matter what they are made of. You can set me free anytime, anywhere, from anything that holds me in bondage. Give me courage to cry out to You and faith to believe that You hear me and will help me. Thank You that no matter how I feel, I am not alone, because You care about everything that concerns my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Suicidal or Homicidal

Pain has a way of scaring people into hiding behind their wounds. They either become suicidal or homicidal. The suicidal people tend to believe that every person they encounter will cause them the same pain, using that as an excuse to isolate themselves from the rest of the world. This makes it impossible to get over the initial pain that causes this negative perception in the first place.

The homicidal people will continue to interact with people, but be cold and distant in their delivery, punishing everyone they encounter to assure that this pain will never happen again. They have become so self-centered that they do not realize that they are inflicting the same pain, spreading to same mentality, until it becomes an epidemic.

The only cure to making sure these wounds heal bacteria free is to understand that the damage is inside-out not outside-in. It’s important to understand that though the pain was caused by another person, it’s up to you to nurse it and make sure it doesn’t affect your mobility.

Post courtesy of AmazinglyBrash

Scripture Meditation

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. (1 Pet 4:7 NKJV)

There are many scriptures that will back up a praying life style such as this one: 13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. (1 John 5:13-15 – NLT)

Ever tried to have a relationship with someone you never talk with?  That’s never worked for me. How about for you?

Prayer: 
LORD, with so many things demanding my time every day, I fail to make time to pray as I should. Help me quiet the shouts for attention in my mind and do what I must do to maintain our relationship. I want a strong, dynamic relationship with You, and it begins with prayer. You are available, so it is up to me. Help me make it happen. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Know When to Turn Away

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE 
 
“It is an honor for a man to cease from strife…” (Proverbs 20:3, KJV)
 
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria 
 
In life, many of the challenges we face are simply distractions from the enemy to keep us from pursuing our destiny. Maybe someone in the office isn’t as friendly to you as you’d like. Maybe you have a neighbor who always parks in front of your house and blocks your mailbox. Those things may be frustrating, but they have little significance when you look at the big picture of eternity. You can’t allow the little things to cause strife in your life.

In scripture, just before David fought the giant Goliath, his brother Iliab tried to confront him. But David knew that arguing with Iliab wasn’t even worth his time and strength. He knew his real battle was with Goliath, and he didn’t want to be distracted. He simply “turned away” from Iliab and kept his focus on what he was called to do.

Let’s follow the example of David and keep our eyes on what’s most important in life. Instead of being led away by frustrations, let’s focus on the big picture. Know when to turn away from strife and receive the mark of honor the Lord has for you!
 
A PRAYER FOR TODAY 
 
Father God, thank You for Your hand of victory in my life. Give me the wisdom and courage I need to walk away from strife so I can focus on the destiny You have prepared for me. I love You and bless You today and always in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 
— Joel & Victoria Osteen