Thoughts for Life: When Others Won't Forgive

Randy Kilgore has good advice about
someone's forgiving us: "I was having lunch
with two men who had opened their lives to
Christ while they were in prison.

The younger man had been discouraged by the fact that the family from whom he had stolen would not forgive him.

'My crime was violent, the older man said. 'It continues
to haunt and affect the family to this day. They have not
forgiven me...the pain is just too great.

At first, I found myself paralyzed by this longing for
their forgiveness.'

He continued his story:

'Then one day I realized I was adding selfishness to
my brokenness. It's a lot to expect that the family
forgive me.

I was focused on what I felt I needed to heal from my past.
It took some time to realize that their forgiveness of me
was a matter between them and God.'

'How can you stand it?' the younger man asked.

The older man explained that God did for him what he didn't deserve and what others simply can't do: He died for our sins, and He keeps His promise to move our sins...

'as far as the east is from the west' (Ps. 103:12) and 'will
not remember [our] sins' (Isa. 43:25)

In the face of such great love, we honor Him by accepting His forgiveness as sufficient. We must forget what lies behind and keep pressing forward" (Phil.3:13-14). —Randy Kilgore

Our prayer today:

"Thank You, Father, for the work of Christ on the

cross. Help me to understand and accept what

it means for me, and to be a messenger of that

forgiveness to those I meet along the way.

The work of Christ is sufficient for every sin."

Our Daily Bread 1/23/15

Today’s Bible verse: Matt. 21:22 "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

Today’s quote: Max Lucado - "You don’t pray just to let God know what’s going on. He’s way ahead of you on that one. You pray to transfer “my will be done” to “God’s will be done.” And, since he’s in charge, he knows the best solution. Prayer transfers the burden to God and He lightens your load. Prayer pushes us through life’s slumps, propels us over the humps, and pulls us out of the dumps. Prayer is the oomph we need to get the answers we seek. So, pray…today!"

From Max on Life

Some thoughts today: When we have a relationship with Christ through His sacrifice, we are transformed over time into the Father's image.

- The first Adam (Gen. 3) brought sin, death, sickness, and suffering through his disobedience to God, the Creator.

- Jesus, the second "Adam", the man of righteousness, brought life, health, wholeness (see 1 Corinthians 15:45-50).

17th- Tuesday’s post: #41 The Underlying Issue
C. Peter Wagner

19th- thursday's post: #42 Demons and Idols
C. Peter Wagner

21st- Saturday's post: Habits of a Healthy Mind
David McCasland

22nd- Sunday's post: When I go to Heaven
Debbie McEwen

A popular post: Be Still Gwen Smith tells us, “There was a crisp chill slipping through the window as I headed to the couch to get with God before rushing into my day. I filled up my coffee mug, lit a cinnamon bun scented jar candle and nestled into my corner spot."

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Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse

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