Only God could come up with such an outrageous, unthinkable, counter cultural idea to forgive anyone who would trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
All of us need forgiveness. All of us need His grace. All of us have sinned. All of us fall short.
We all need an open door and a pathway to walk through to experience the wonderful joy of being forgiven.
There is a nothing like being forgiven. There is nothing like having all the barriers that block us from experiencing the fullness of God demolished when we are forgiven.
There is nothing like experiencing love in its purest form, which never happens until we are forgiven. Those that have been forgiven much love much.
Forgiveness clears the darkness of a hard heart and gives us the ability and capacity to love others in the same way Jesus loves us. Forgiveness frees us from the bondage of hate and chains that keep us shackled by our bitterness.
Forgiveness opens up the airwaves to prayer knowing that through forgiveness that only Jesus offers, our prayers are getting to the Father. John 14:6 I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Forgiveness settles our eternal destiny. Restores our relationship with the Father. Defeats death, and gives us resurrection power to do the same things that Jesus did but even greater.
You will never know how God is going to use something done against you, how God can take whatever was meant for evil, until forgiveness has occurred.
Forgiveness makes all that possible.
What a great plan to restore humanity! What a plan from God! Thank God for His grace, mercy, and forgiveness!!!
Without any hesitation, I would say it is the greatest plan and idea God ever came up with until we are asked to do it ourselves.
C.S. Lewis said it best; “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.”
Anchor 7 compels us to close our accounts with other people by forgiving them and be willing to make amends by becoming a peacemaker.
Come join this Friday for this critical teaching on forgiveness. We have a great worship set planned with Sarah Lynn from Discovery church leading us in worship.
Please mark your calendars for our next Encounter training this coming Sunday at the UTURN building from 3-5pm. This is going to be a great opportunity to get an update on the vision and mission of Encounter. It is also a great opportunity to get plugged into service and get better connected with other awesome Encounter volunteers.
Be Blessed and Encouraged
Bill Rieser
Encounter Pastor