Tag: Forgiving one another in obedience to God

An Onesimus In Us!

In reading Philemon, I realized that we all have an Onesimus in our lives. And we are an Onesimus to some people too! How you may ask? We do not own slaves anymore! This is modern times! Absolutely!

An Onesimus is someone that have stolen something from us! They may have stolen ideals, money, or precious moments from us.

They may have stolen a piece of our trust in people, system, or relationships due to betrayal. They may have stolen our self esteem by emotional, and psychological abuse.

An Onesimus is someone that has chipped away some of our social perception by spreading untruth, gossips, bad-mouthing us or speaking ill of us in our community.

As Paul appealed to Philemon, we must forgive such. Perhaps the reason they were separated from us for a little while was that we might have them forever as brethren, said Paul in verse 15.

Friends, the truth is that we hold grudges against all that have stolen from us. There’s a part that thinks we have forgiven but then, when we remember the action, the pain they have caused us, we realize we still hurt.

The people that we have helped in the past, been a friend to, a confidant, been close to, housed, been kind to, intimate with, when they turn their backs to us, and stab us in the back, it hurts!

Apostle Paul says we should forgive this debt, debt of apologies and restitution that we may never get. This is for our own good. They may have met Paul, Christ Jesus and are on the narrow path while we are still slugging with us the pain they caused us!

Jesus Christ also thought us in the Lord’s prayer to forgive so we can be forgiven Matthew 6:9-15.

This season, I implore us to make up our minds and ask God for grace to forgive all debt so all ours will be forgiven too!

We need clean slate to run this race! May we all find it in our hearts to forgive and receive forgiveness in Jesus mighty name Amen.

Shalom! Shalom!

Malleable Hearts! Touched By Fire!

Let the fire fall Oh Lord! Let your fire consume every hardness out of our hearts. 

Open our hearts Oh Lord! Enlarge the place of our tent – heart, and mind! Let every unforgiveness be removed, that our hearts might be malleable to receive of thee. Matthew 18:35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

 

Let our hearts capacity increase to see a glimpse of your awesomeness so we may receive all that you have for us this season.

Oh, Lord! Let your fire fall! Let your glory fill your house – our lives  – 1Kings 8:11. Let every veil covering our eyes fall off, the web of deceit causing us to stumble be licked up by your fire, and refocus our gaze on you, so we may be strengthened in Jesus Mighty name. Amen

Father, let fire fall! Let it consume everything in our lives that is not of you. Every obstacle to the manifestation of your promises in our lives, seed of unbelief, every form of opposition, oppression, and condemnation, and all the errors of our ways. 

As you have spoken with your mouth this season Lord, let your hand fulfill it that we may bless your holy name like King Solomon did in 1 King 8:15 and 20.

Glory, honor, and adoration to you who sits upon the circle of the earth – Isaiah 40:22

Shalom! Shalom! Shalom!

Forgiveness! Peace! Growth !

2 Corinthians 2:1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.2:2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 2:3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.2:4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more 1 sam2 30abundantly unto you.2:5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.2:8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things:10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

Friends in the household of God, what we have all failed to realize is that hurting one person ultimately hurt many. Treating an individual as a scum bag sends a signal to others that it could be me next.  When one person is hurt in a group, that person becomes a loose screw, the group becomes disjointed just like pain on a thumb affects the whole body.

We should let healing begin right within us so that those other souls Christ is bringing into our midst find a vibrant abode to be nurtured rather than an infected and cantercarous community.

We need to affirm and reaffirm love for Christ by loving, caring and respecting eachother. It is the right thing to do! This is the only way of peace, joy and prosperity- by prosperity I mean growth- spiritual snd physical, fruitfulness and vibrancy in our community.

Oh Father, how you must have looked upon our ignorance.  If only we knew what you have in store for us! The growth in all spheres, peace, joy, signs and wonder. The heavens you have opened above us, Lord help us in your mercy to discard every weight of disobedience so we can receive that which you have given to us. Dear Lord our Father, we are your children, help us, help us to know the right thing to do and grant us the grace to do it. Let your agape love reign supreme in our hearts in Jesus mighty name Amen.