We often find ourselves struggling and wonder why. I am going to share with you six of the main reasons. First and foremost, we struggle because we haven’t been taught
Spiritual Warfare – The Grace Way!
I have a true confession. Though I am blessed to lead an awesome ministry and share with people about victory in Christ, there are still times when Satan kicks my
Do Christians Have a Civil War Raging Inside
Do you ever feel like there are two equal powers inside you with completely opposite desires? One part of you wants to serve God and love other people. The
Passionate Dating: Are You Ready?
Are you ready to date? Is your teen or single ready to date? Here are some practical thoughts on dating from the perspective of grace for you to consider
How Christ Esteem Can Replace Your Low Self-Esteem
How Christ Esteem Can Replace Your Low Self-Esteem How to Replace Low Self-Esteem With High Self-Esteem Researchers tell us that over 80% of people around the world suffer from
Freedom: Charleston Victims’ Relatives Forgive Shooter
Last week, I wrote challenging myself and the rest of us with opportunities to live the New Covenant in the area of racial reconciliation. This week, I want to let two of the relatives of the victims who were slain, challenge all of us to forgive those who hurt us. These two of the nine, allowed Jesus to live through them to forgive the shooter face-to-face, though he did not ask for it, nor deserve it.
Nadine Collier, daughter of victim Ethel Lance
“I forgive you. You took something very precious away from me. I will never get to talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you, and have mercy on your soul. … You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people. If God forgives you, I forgive you.”
Relative of Myra Thompson
“I would just like him to know that, to say the same thing that was just said: I forgive him and my family forgives him. But we would like him to take this opportunity to repent. Repent. Confess. Give your life to the One who matters most: Christ. So that He can change you and change your ways, so no matter what happens to you, you’ll be okay.”
These are taken from an online article written by Elahe Izadi in the June 19th edition of the Washington Post online.
In a similar article in USA Today, Susan Miller writes “No words are as compelling as those from the people of Charleston, who refuse to let their city be defined by this massacre. Forgiveness, faith, and mercy: Virtues of those who live and breathe what they learn at a weekly Wednesday night Bible study at the AME church.
This is what it takes for good to overcome evil.”
From People of Charleston, Lessons for All, Susan Miller, USA Today, Tuesday, June 30, 2015, News 2A
You’ve just read about Jesus living through our sisters in Christ. Yet, they don’t try to hide their immense feelings of grief, loss and pain nor their desire for the legal justice needed.
Do you think they felt like forgiving? Absolutely not! But they chose to anyway, accessing the grace they already had in Christ to make this choice. In Christ, we are forgivers and we are told to live like who we are in Ephesians 4:31-32.
It is the beginning of our own healing when we do.
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
As we approach our celebration of the 239th year of the USA’s freedom, why not go deeper in your own personal freedom by asking God if there are people He wants you to forgive. Then sit down before Him, alone preferably, and tell Him out loud:
- Exactly what they did to you.
- How you feel about it.
- Then say, “I forgive _________.” (call their name)
● We’ve discovered at GLI that the more specific you are in all three, the deeper your healing will be.
Do they deserve your forgiveness? No more than we deserved God’s forgiveness.
Forgiving someone is not saying you are OK with what they did. It’s saying the opposite. “It was wrong but I choose to forgive you anyway.”
Should you go tell them? Forgive them before God first, and then ask Him if He wants you to talk with them about it. He will make it clear to you. And if you do, it’s most likely for the purpose of reconciliation which is different than forgiveness.
After you forgive, give God time to heal your damaged emotions. It may not be instantaneous. Also, if it comes back up in your mind, remind Satan you already forgave that person.
Forgiving them will free you more than you know from the weight of pain you have been carrying.
Happy Freedom Day!
Believe it! It’s the Gospel.
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!
Freedom: Charleston Victims’ Relatives Forgive Shooter
Last week, I wrote challenging myself and the rest of us with opportunities to live the New Covenant in the area of racial reconciliation. This week, I want to let two of the relatives of the victims who were slain, challenge all of us to forgive those who hurt us. These two of the nine, allowed Jesus to live through them to forgive the shooter face-to-face, though he did not ask for it, nor deserve it.
Nadine Collier, daughter of victim Ethel Lance
“I forgive you. You took something very precious away from me. I will never get to talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you, and have mercy on your soul. … You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people. If God forgives you, I forgive you.”
Relative of Myra Thompson
“I would just like him to know that, to say the same thing that was just said: I forgive him and my family forgives him. But we would like him to take this opportunity to repent. Repent. Confess. Give your life to the One who matters most: Christ. So that He can change you and change your ways, so no matter what happens to you, you’ll be okay.”
These are taken from an online article written by Elahe Izadi in the June 19th edition of the Washington Post online.
In a similar article in USA Today, Susan Miller writes “No words are as compelling as those from the people of Charleston, who refuse to let their city be defined by this massacre. Forgiveness, faith, and mercy: Virtues of those who live and breathe what they learn at a weekly Wednesday night Bible study at the AME church.
This is what it takes for good to overcome evil.”
From People of Charleston, Lessons for All, Susan Miller, USA Today, Tuesday, June 30, 2015, News 2A
You’ve just read about Jesus living through our sisters in Christ. Yet, they don’t try to hide their immense feelings of grief, loss and pain nor their desire for the legal justice needed.
Do you think they felt like forgiving? Absolutely not! But they chose to anyway, accessing the grace they already had in Christ to make this choice. In Christ, we are forgivers and we are told to live like who we are in Ephesians 4:31-32.
It is the beginning of our own healing when we do.
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
As we approach our celebration of the 239th year of the USA’s freedom, why not go deeper in your own personal freedom by asking God if there are people He wants you to forgive. Then sit down before Him, alone preferably, and tell Him out loud:
- Exactly what they did to you.
- How you feel about it.
- Then say, “I forgive _________.” (call their name)
● We’ve discovered at GLI that the more specific you are in all three, the deeper your healing will be.
Do they deserve your forgiveness? No more than we deserved God’s forgiveness.
Forgiving someone is not saying you are OK with what they did. It’s saying the opposite. “It was wrong but I choose to forgive you anyway.”
Should you go tell them? Forgive them before God first, and then ask Him if He wants you to talk with them about it. He will make it clear to you. And if you do, it’s most likely for the purpose of reconciliation which is different than forgiveness.
After you forgive, give God time to heal your damaged emotions. It may not be instantaneous. Also, if it comes back up in your mind, remind Satan you already forgave that person.
Forgiving them will free you more than you know from the weight of pain you have been carrying.
Happy Freedom Day!
Believe it! It’s the Gospel.
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2015 Mark Maulding but feel free to pass it on!
The Freedom of No Condemnation
Not too long ago, my flesh jumped up and down with its dastardly desires. When it did, my emotions took a nose dive and before I knew it, they were on the floor getting stomped on. I wasn’t having much fun, to say the least.
That is the way our flesh works. It jumps up and down inside of us trying to control us and when it does, it makes us feel miserable. And sometimes, it makes the people around us feel miserable!
I was crying out to the Lord off and on during this time. Finally, I said, “Lord, please help me with your life in me.” After a while the Holy Spirit reminded me of Romans 8:1-2 but He did it in reverse order starting with verse 2. “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” I rolled that over and over in my mind and as I did, the peace that passes all understanding began to cut through all the negative feelings.
Let’s think about it together for a minute. The law of the Spirit is the new law which operates in us in the place of the Old Testament law. What is that new law? It is this: we have the life of Christ Jesus operating inside of us to overcome and free us from another law, the law of sin and death. The law of sin and death is what we inherited from Adam. This is not the old nature because it was crucified with Christ. (Romans 6:6). It’s sometimes called the power of sin which is an unholy force in me but it is not me. It’s like having a splinter in your finger. The splinter is inflicting pain in me but it is not me. To make it clear, trying harder is not more powerful than this power of sin. Only the life of Christ in us is more powerful.
Next, the Holy Spirit reminded me of verse one. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” He was saying to me that He knew how much I was being defeated but there was still no condemnation from Him. He also reminded me that this verse comes after Romans 7:15-24 where the Apostle Paul shares in detail his own story of devastating defeat sin.
What freedom! No matter how much sin defeats us, there is no condemnation! It took a while for my emotions to come up from the floor. The reason is that our emotions follow our thoughts much like a train caboose follows the engine. Your emotions may take some time to line up with the truth of the Gospel as well.
Have you ever heard of preaching the Gospel to yourself? That is what my story is really about. The Holy Spirit wants all of us to preach the Gospel to ourselves often- the complete Gospel. This is where our freedom is in Christ.
Believe it! It’s the Gospel!
Live Free In Christ, Mark Maulding, President and Founder www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding
The Freedom of No Condemnation
Not too long ago, my flesh jumped up and down with its dastardly desires. When it did, my emotions took a nose dive and before I knew it, they were on the floor getting stomped on. I wasn’t having much fun, to say the least.
That is the way our flesh works. It jumps up and down inside of us trying to control us and when it does, it makes us feel miserable. And sometimes, it makes the people around us feel miserable!
I was crying out to the Lord off and on during this time. Finally, I said, “Lord, please help me with your life in me.” After a while the Holy Spirit reminded me of Romans 8:1-2 but He did it in reverse order starting with verse 2. “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” I rolled that over and over in my mind and as I did, the peace that passes all understanding began to cut through all the negative feelings.
Let’s think about it together for a minute. The law of the Spirit is the new law which operates in us in the place of the Old Testament law. What is that new law? It is this: we have the life of Christ Jesus operating inside of us to overcome and free us from another law, the law of sin and death. The law of sin and death is what we inherited from Adam. This is not the old nature because it was crucified with Christ. (Romans 6:6). It’s sometimes called the power of sin which is an unholy force in me but it is not me. It’s like having a splinter in your finger. The splinter is inflicting pain in me but it is not me. To make it clear, trying harder is not more powerful than this power of sin. Only the life of Christ in us is more powerful.
Next, the Holy Spirit reminded me of verse one. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” He was saying to me that He knew how much I was being defeated but there was still no condemnation from Him. He also reminded me that this verse comes after Romans 7:15-24 where the Apostle Paul shares in detail his own story of devastating defeat sin.
What freedom! No matter how much sin defeats us, there is no condemnation! It took a while for my emotions to come up from the floor. The reason is that our emotions follow our thoughts much like a train caboose follows the engine. Your emotions may take some time to line up with the truth of the Gospel as well.
Have you ever heard of preaching the Gospel to yourself? That is what my story is really about. The Holy Spirit wants all of us to preach the Gospel to ourselves often- the complete Gospel. This is where our freedom is in Christ.
Believe it! It’s the Gospel!
