Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 69

March 10;    Ephesians 4:32;    69/260(II);    ‘You Can Do It’

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

The Bible teaches us that love never fails.  Kindness is surely an attribute of the love of God.  The Lord is telling us through Paul to be kind and forgiving.  That means we can be if we choose to be.  The Lord would never ask us to do something that He did not enable us to do.  Walking in love is the best indicator of maturity in the things of God.  Making the decision that you will be kind and forgive everyone is your key to freedom.  Being able to want the best for everyone, even if they have done you wrong, is a powerful freedom for you and an equally powerful witness to others.  Resentment and bitterness is what the Lord has set us free from, we never have to repeat our pre-Jesus behavior, since we have the love of God in our spirit and the fruit of the Spirit in our spirit as well.  Forgiving others is Christ like.  The Lord Jesus forgave each of us from everything we did prior to becoming a Christian.  As you remind yourself of that, it makes it much easier to do what your mind, that is being renewed by the Word, really may not want to do.  As Spirit filled Christians, sensing the anointing of the Holy Spirit on us when we share the scriptures or when we lay hands on someone for healing, is an incredible ‘rush.’  That same anointing is felt when we, based on the love in our spirit, choose kindness and forgiveness to another, who may not deserve it based on what they have done.  The Lord is well aware of the damage to our health grudges and unforgiveness do.  Jesus came to give us an abundant life.  Doing things His way, according to the Word of God, makes that possible.