Forgiveness - an unnatural act

Philip Yancey says that like Helmut Thielickle, all too often he drifts back into a tit-for-tat struggle that slams the door on forgiveness. Why should I make the first move? I was the one wronged. So I make no move and cracks in the relationship appear, then widen. In time a charm yawns open that seems impossible to cross. I feel sad, but seldom do I accept the blame. Instead, I justify myself and point out the gestures I made toward reconciliation. I keep a mental accounting of those attempts so as to defend myself if I am ever blamed for the rift. I flee from the risk of grace to the security of Ungrace.
Philip Yancey - Whats So Amazing About Grace ?

Cracks Of Ungrace

Ungrace causes cracks to fissure open between mother and daughter, father and son, brother and sister, between scientists, and prisoners, tribes, and races. Left alone, cracks widen, and for the resulting charms of Ungrace there is only one remedy: the frail rope-bridge of forgiveness.-Philip Yancey

A Bridge to pass

He who cannot forgive another breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself. - George Herbert

Defination Of Grace

Philip Yancey says the following about grace in his chapter on The New Math of Grace:

Grace makes its appearance in so many forms that I have trouble defining it.  I am ready, though, to attempt something like a definition of grace in relation to God. Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more - no amount of spirituality, calisthenics and renunciations, no amount of knowledge gained from seminaries and divinity schools, no amount of crusading on behalf of righteous causes.  And grace means that there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.  God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love.

Pst Onesmus Kibera

Mt. Kenya Baptist Church, Kenyatta Drive

PO Box 483, Nanyuki 10400

Tel. 254733600213, 0724626720

OKibera@gmail.com

God Has Forgiven You!

Matthew 18:21-27  

21* Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

 24* And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

 26* The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

This parable above all should determine our attitude toward others: a humble awareness that God has already forgiven us a debt so mountainous that besides it any person's wrongs against us shrink to the size of anthills.  How we cannot forgive each other in light of all God has forgiven us? - Philip Yancey

Pastor Onesmus Kibera

Mt. Kenya Baptist Church,

Kenyatta Drive

PO Box 483, Nanyuki 10400

020 3580010, 0733 600213

Pastor@mountkenyabaptist.org

What About Prayer

James 4:2 ....ye have not, because ye ask not.

In my last post we shared that the origin of fights is our own desires. Sometimes we even claim necessity, " I had to do that, or else... would have happened!"

What about Prayer?

1. You do not have because you do not ask.  Prayer reveals our consistent reliance on God.  It shows we yearn for God's grace in our lives. v 2
2. You should not expect God's answer to prayer when your motives are evil. v 3  We are warned against asking wrongly or wickedly with wrong motives.  In other words asking to spend on our pleasure THAN for God's will.

Conclusion
Our fights reveal that we have a wrong relationship with God which is manifest in our prayer lives.  Either we do not pray because we do not trust in God's grace or we pray with the wrong motives.

Avoid Self-justification

James 4:1 ¶ From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

Tear yourself away from self-justification.  Fights are bottomline personal desires
James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

We get into fights because we have pleasures we desire for ourselves.  An important question we should ask in conflict is: "What personal desire am I trying to gain or protect?"

It could refer to: conflict in group relationships, inflexibility about issues (from a desire to have one's way), manipulative maneuvers for position of authority/position, criticizing others (to look good).
In marital conflicts it could refer to: use of hurtful words (to get even), infidelity for selfish pleasure.

These desires battle within you - it is a continuing problem.  Listen to Peters admonition in 1 Peter 2:11. This battle wages a war against the Christian's own soul.  Those who wage such wars do so at their own peril - their own self-destruction.

So what is going wrong?  Let us see this in the next post.

False Wisdom - Shun It

False wisdom comes that comes from envy and selfish ambition produces disorder - James 3:16

Bluntly put it leads to fighting.  What causes fighting? This depicts armed conflict as in Hebrews 11:34. This verse in James 3:16 is carrying the image of violence. What causes quarrels? This is referring to angry disputes.  James uses both words in this question to make it inclusive and pointed.

Fighting among Christians is an outrageous evil! We should not accept conflict among brethren complacently.  It is a tragedy that cripples the church's internal ministries and the external testimony and witness of a ministry before measurable healing and purification is evident. Why not avoid conflicts while you have opportunity! NOW!

James is not talking about disagreements and differences of opinion or healthy conflicts that should be expected in a church whose ministries are expanding.  He is talking of fighting that is earthly, unscriptural and of the devil in origin - James 3:15. He calls the perpetrators adulterous people!

Such a serious crime calls for a serious response.  When a Christian finds themselves embroiled in fights with each other, they (we) should examine what we are doing in the light of James 4:1. We will look at what we should do in the next post.

Wisdom From Above - Lovely Picture

WISDOM FROM ABOVE - EMBRACE IT
James 3:17,18 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

True Wisdom is God's gift, not gained by conversing with men, not a College certificate or an University degree BUT it comes from above.

1. It's Pure - without impurities of sin.
2. It is Peaceable - Peace follows purity and depends on it. Those who are truly wise do what they can to PRESERVE peace - that it may not be broken.  Peace in the country, the church, in our homes in society at large.  HEAVENLY WISDOM MAKES MEN PEACEABLE!
3. It is Gentle - Do not stand upon extreme positions! Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
4. Easy to be Entreated to what is good! In Swahili it translates ready to listen to peoples concerns! Sometimes we are so preoccupied in our own agenda and overlook the entreaties of our brethren around us!
5. Full Of Mercy and good fruit - Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship created for goodworks! Titus 3:8b that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. Remember that you and I have received God's mercy freely we are to be merciful to others as well! Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Without Partiality
7. Without Hypocrisy - Romans 12:9,10