JOURNAL=6-5-15=FREELY GIVEN

JOURNAL=6-5-15=FREELY GIVEN “Who made heaven and earth The sea and all that is in them Who KEEPS FAITH forever Secures justice for the oppressed Gives food to the hungry The Lord sets captives FREE” Psalm 146:6-7 We ALL KNOW that we are supposed to FORGIVE-but we all know-WHEN we have been hurt deeply-GIVING FORGIVENESS does not come easy-but until we give it freely-we become SLAVES to ourselves-and slaves to our FEELINGS BUT even once we get to the point that we are able to FORGIVE-the PROCESS of letting go-and moving on-CONTINUES to jab at us-OFTEN TIMES-we cannot find justice-fairness-and equality in this world-SO what can we do-WE CAN TRUST in the Lord-we can forgive-and we can BEGIN the process of letting go-we can TURN OUR PROBLEMS over to God HOW LONG it takes is up to God-but we know: “THE LORD SETS CAPTIVES FREE” SO FORGIVE 70 x 7 as Jesus told us to do-and ask GOD “TO FORGIVE us our trespasses as we forgive others who TRESPASS AGAINST US”-FOR we know that the only way for us to be FORGIVEN is for us to forgive others and ONLY GOD CAN SET US FREE HOLDING on to bitterness-TAKING justice into our own hands-or remaining VENGEFUL KEEPS us prisoners of the person or situation that is the ORIGIN of our pain LET GO-AND LET GOD And God will take care of things-TAKE CARE OF US-and truly SET US FREE it is a great day to be ALIVE in GOD'S LOVE for us-and a great day for setting someone else-and ourselves-truly FREE FREELY GIVEN I think Sometimes we forget That we cannot EARN God's FORGIVENESS It is FREELY GIVEN “If you Oh Lord Kept a record of sins Oh Lord Who could stand But with you There is forgiveness Therefore you are feared” Psalm 130:3-4 We still Get it wrong At times Don't we friends We think We must somehow EARN GOD'S FORGIVENESS WE think We must earn God's LOVE too BUT his forgiveness And his love ARE FREELY GIVEN “But now That you have been Set free of sin You have become Slaves of RIGHTEOUSNESS” Romans 6:18 God's forgiveness IS FREELY GIVEN There is a great story In Luke chapter 7 That illustrates this ONE of the Pharisees Has invited Jesus To have dinner with him In his home A “sinful” woman From the town Learns of this And shows up at the dinner “She stood behind him At his feet weeping And she began to wet His feet With her tears Then she wiped them With her hair Kissed them And poured perfume on them” Luke 7:38 The pharisee said to himself: “IF this man Were a prophet He would know Who is touching him And that the woman Was a sinner” Luke 7:39 And Jesus- As if reading the pharisees' mind Tells a parable about DEBT To Simon And asks Simon Which one of them Will LOVE their master more Simon says: “I suppose The one Who had the bigger debt canceled” Luke 7:43 Then Jesus Turned to the woman And said, “DO you see This woman I came Into your home You did not GIVE me any water For my feet But she wet My feet With her tears And wiped them With her hair You did not Give me a kiss But this woman From the time I entered Has not stopped Kissing my feet You did not put oil On my head But she has Poured perfume on my feet Therefore I tell you HER many sins Have been forgiven- For she has LOVED MUCH But he who has been Forgiven little LOVES LITTLE” Luke 7:44-47 THE POINT IS: ALL of our sins Are FORGIVEN FREELY By God We are to do likewise To our brothers and sisters LOVE AND FORGIVENESS Are the ESSENCE of Jesus' teachings and his actions WE are to do the SAME For one another Because LOVE AND FORGIVENESS are to be FREELY GIVEN Robert P. Wallman 9-30-14 6-5-15