Latest / The Woman at the Well Ministries Podcast / 639 | Living In Peace Requires Forgiveness

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639 | Living In Peace Requires Forgiveness · The Woman at the Well Ministries Podcast

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  Hello, friends, and welcome back to another podcast of Woman at the Well Ministries.
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  Where we believe that all of us have to come to Jesus like the woman at the well in John chapter 4.
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  Our highest priority is making God real in your life. Whether you are listening
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  in our app, in your favorite podcasting app, or on our website at watwm.org,
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  we invite you to sit down with us as we look to the scriptures to learn more
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  about God and to strengthen your daily walk with Jesus Christ.
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  God commands us to live peaceful lives with all people.
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  It is difficult to get along with everyone, but you are required to do your
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  part to sow peace and not discord.
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  You are to strive to diffuse a hostile or volatile situation.
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  People may not respond the same way, but you will know that you have done everything
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  you can to live peaceably with all men.
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  This difficult task is in accordance with the commandment we are given in Hebrews
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  12, 14, which says, follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.
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  Living a life that promotes peace is the godly way and you will find that it
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  is the only way to enjoy peace yourself.
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  Join us in this podcast of Women at the Well Ministries as Kim takes us on a
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  journey through the scriptures, revealing God's commandment to live peaceful lives with all people.
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  Hello, and thank you for joining us
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  in this podcast of Woman at the Well Ministries. It's a difficult topic.
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  Forgiveness itself is something that many people, if not most people, struggle with.
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  And that's because we have such a self-centered preservation type of outlook on our own lives.
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  And we don't want to depend upon the Lord for all things. That's just not our tendency.
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  And we often aren't in agreement with the length of time or the consequences,
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  if any, that we see God inflict upon those who have hurt us.
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  In other words, we don't like how God handles our situations So we tend to forget
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  about forgiveness and go straight for punishment and consequences.
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  And we do this sometimes in the disguise of accountability.
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  And I do want you to hear me when I say that accountability is not only important, it is necessary.
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  But accountability is not unforgiveness.
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  Accountability means that you as a person are responsible for your actions,
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  your thoughts, your behaviors, and yourself.
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  And unforgiveness is when we don't forgive someone, and too often we say it's
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  because, well, we're just holding them accountable.
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  And God says that every one of us shall give accountability for ourselves.
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  Let's not twist the scriptures in this instance or in any instance.
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  The Lord is clear when he tells us that if we want his forgiveness,
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  we are going to have to give forgiveness out.
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  Let's also be clear that it would be hard-pressed for anyone to do anything
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  that is even remotely close to what we do to the Lord on a daily basis,
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  for anyone to do that to you.
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  Yet we not only ask the Lord for forgiveness, we fully expect the Lord to forgive us.
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  And why is that? It's because he said it.
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  He said if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins
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  and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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  He tells us that if we repent from our sins, we turn away from our sins and
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  move towards him and his ways, that he will save us.
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  He also says again if we don't forgive others he won't forgive us so why is
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  it that we do not forgive others it's.
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  Because we forget what we have been forgiven from,
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  and way too often we come at our situations with a you'll pay for that kind of attitude,
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  but where would each of us be today, if the Lord came to us with any of our
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  transgressions and said,
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  you'll pay for that.
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  Now he does say, be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap.
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  But he also paid a sin debt he didn't owe for you and me who had a sin debt we couldn't pay.
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  So where would we be?
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  We would be lost. We'd be hell bound. We'd be hopeless. And we would be helpless.
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  And so I believe there's a piece of us as born-again Christians who has been
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  washed in the blood of Jesus, that has been soaked in his love,
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  his grace, and his mercy, that fully understands,
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  we need to forgive others.
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  And so I believe that is the very reason why, if you're going to live in peace,
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  you're going to have to forgive.
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  Peace requires that we forgive others and i would like to remind you that in
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  hebrews chapter 12 verse 14,
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  we are told these words follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the lord.
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  In this particular verse, God is connecting holiness with peace, peace with others.
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  Now, I am human just as you are, and I live in the world too.
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  And everybody in my life has not treated me the way that I wish I had been treated.
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  Not everyone in my life has wanted what was best for me, has loved me for who
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  I am, but God has, God does, and God will continue to do so.
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  And he commands us to follow peace with all men.
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  I told you that i believe there's a peace inside of us a part of us
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  that wants to have peace with all people because i believe god placed that in us
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  and i believe that's why when we don't have resolution with those in our circle
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  and those with whom we come into contact with that we have an unrest,
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  because our soul is seeking peace Yes.
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  Now, it's absolutely true that there are just some people who are not going to like you.
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  But God instructs us to live our life in a way that promotes peace.
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  That's the godly way to live.
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  It's also the only way that you're going to enjoy a day filled with peace.
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  And there are some things about how you live and how you speak and how you talk to others
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  that's going to facilitate whether you have peaceful relationships with others
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  or whether you are constantly in chaos, turmoil, arguments,
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  and in negative situations.
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  So what are you sowing with your mouth and your deeds in your relationships?
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  My mother used to have a saying, and I didn't understand it at all until I was much older.
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  And she used to say, Kimmy, you don't have to be right.
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  You have to do right. And it took me a little while to understand what she was
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  saying. You don't have to have the last word in every conversation.
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  You don't have to win every argument.
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  And Kim everything doesn't have to go your way you don't always have to win.
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  See, that's the fleshly, worldly, natural way.
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  But the godly way, the one that promotes peace with others, is to do the right thing.
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  And oftentimes, the right thing is going to coincide with Jesus' words that
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  says that daily we are to pick up our cross, deny ourself, and follow him.
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  Sometimes, you just have to close your mouth.
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  Don't add fuel to an argument with words, even if they're factual and true.
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  You know when you say them why you're saying them.
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  Are you saying those words in order to bring peace and resolution and to get
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  harmony between you and the person with whom you're having this discussion?
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  Or are you saying it to hurt? Are you saying it to win?
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  Are you saying it to overcome? Are you saying it to defeat?
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  What are your words doing the scripture tells us that we are to use our words
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  to edify and comfort and exhort and help one another
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  in romans 12 18 he says if it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men.
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  What are your actions contributing to in your relationships?
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  Do you know how difficult it is to deeply dislike someone you are praying for?
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  It's nigh unto God impossible.
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  So if you find yourself in constant situations with a particular person,
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  I would suggest not that you limit your time with them completely, maybe you can't,
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  but that you increase your time around the throne praying for them.
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  Not that God would take care of them or do something to them,
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  but that God would help you with the situation, that God would bless them,
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  that God would get a hold of your heart and show you things that are good and right about them,
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  that God would correct certain things in their life that are causing you trouble and issues.
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  But praying with the intent for a resolution that is harmonious,
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  one in which you can turn enemies into friends.
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  If we look at Hebrews 12, 14, which says that without holiness,
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  none of us will see the Lord.
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  Holiness is what God gives us as he cleans us from the inside out,
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  as he teaches us and instructs us and the Holy Spirit enables us to follow and
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  to submit to the Lord the things that don't belong in the life of a believer.
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  Sowing peace is a prerequisite for holiness.
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  You cannot be holy and hateful.
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  You can't be holy and harsh.
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  But you can be holy and helpful. You need to be humble to be holy because you've
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  got to allow the Lord to clean you and change you and transform you.
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  And sometimes that's going to require a readjustment to your thoughts.
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  In Romans 12, verses 1 and 2, here's what we read.
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  I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, That you present
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  your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
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  service, and be not conformed to this world.
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  But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
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  that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
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  I believe from the depths of my heart. That's what my mom was saying when she
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  said, Kimmy, you don't have to be right. You gotta do right.
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  Arrogance of being right will move you as far from God as you can possibly be.
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  Self-righteousness is never what God has asked of any one of us,
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  because we cannot be righteous in our own self.
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  We are as filthy rags. It is the blood of Jesus that washes us white as snow.
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  It is the instruction and the transformation of the Holy Spirit inside of us
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  that makes us righteous.
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  Is the renewing of our mind as God changes us from fleshly to holy.
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  He says that, behold, all things are passed away and all things have become
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  new, that we are new creatures in Christ Jesus.
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  This concept of living in peace requires forgiveness could easily say that forgiveness
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  requires living in peace.
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  It's difficult as a child of God to be peaceful and joyful inside when you have
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  a problem with a brother or sister.
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  And sometimes it isn't your fault.
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  And sometimes you just have to
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  do your part and hope and pray that they listen to God and do their part.
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  But when you come in front of God and you pray and you say, Lord, I've done all I can.
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  If there's something else I can do, show me, let me know.
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  Help me be who you want me to be. And if you're meaning that and you still can't
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  get a resolution, that isn't your fault.
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  God will provide the peace and comfort that you need.
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  You're not responsible for other people's actions. You're only responsible for your own.
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  And so you don't want your good to be evil spoken of.
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  You don't want someone to have an occasion against you to say that you use your
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  words, you use your position, that you did things to harm instead of help.
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  Jesus wants us to spread his love, his goodness, and his mercy.
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  That's how we're going to attract people to the family of God.
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  If we live like the world, why would the world want what we have?
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  We are a walking billboard, and we have the Holy Spirit living in us.
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  Therefore, our life, our words, our actions, our thoughts, they should be different
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  because we have the Holy Spirit in us.
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  How could someone that does not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit exhibit the light of God?
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  But in Matthew 5, verses 14 through 16, he gives us this beautiful picture of
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  how we're not to hide our light under a bushel, but we're to put it on a candlestick so everybody can see.
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  And then he says to us in verse 16, let your light so shine before men that
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  they may see your good works and glorify your father, which is in heaven.
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  They see your actions, and they see God in you.
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  When you walk into a room, it shouldn't be your pedigree, your vidite,
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  your titles, your positions, or your bank account that people see or think of.
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  It should be the love and mercy and grace of God. It should be the resemblance of the Father.
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  His light should shine through you well before you get into the room.
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  Too often what is happening is we're so big on promoting ourself that self gets in the way.
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  And if we're promoting ourself, we have to win. We have to be on top. We have to be the best.
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  And that in itself will cause chaos. Are you choosing peace over chaos,
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  or are you stirring the pot every chance you get?
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  Friend, it's better to do right than be right.
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  There will be times in your life where you don't have peace.
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  But there is never a time I can't follow peace with all men.
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  There will be times that chaos and troubles and tribulations are in my life.
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  But according to Romans 12, 18, there can't be a time when I'm not offering
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  peace, when I'm not looking out for the other's best interest.
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  He says to love others as you love yourself.
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  He tells us in Leviticus 27, to sanctify yourselves therefore and be you holy,
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  for I'm the Lord your God.
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  So we've been commanded in Leviticus to be holy, and we're told in Hebrews that
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  we have to follow peace in order to be holy,
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  and we're told in Romans that we need to live peaceably with all men as much as possible.
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  God understands you are responsible for another's actions, but you cannot react.
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  You have to be proactive.
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  You don't get a pass that tells that person off because they told you off.
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  You don't get to punch that person either physically or symbolically because
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  they punched you you don't get to intentionally hurt someone because they intentionally hurt you.
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  You don't get to seek revenge the lord says vengeance is mine the sea of the lord.
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  There's a place we get to in our lives. There's a crossroads.
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  And you have the opportunity to react in a godly manner or just move forward in a godly manner.
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  Moving towards the Lord, bringing people there, sowing peace,
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  or you can demand your moment to speak your peace.
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  You can demand that someone pay, but when it comes down to it,
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  when you stand your ground seeking revenge and negative consequences for another,
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  you won't get the satisfaction you think you're going to get.
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  And you won't feel good about it at all. Because we were put on this earth to
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  get along. We are communal people.
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  We are people who do need each other, whether we want to admit it or not.
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  And if you're throwing out chaos and negativity, you're going to be finding
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  yourself isolated and alone.
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  And you say, but, but, but, but there is no but to it.
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  He was on the cross. You were on his mind.
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  He was shedding his blood to pay for your sins because you couldn't pay them.
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  And who knows the story that each of us have and how long it took us to receive him.
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  But regardless of whether we were saved at 5, 55, or 105, or any other time
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  in between or before, we have failed him daily.
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  We have rejected his goodness, his grace, and his mercy.
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  But he always forgives the repentant heart.
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  And who are we to throw the stones?
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  We can't get mad at someone because they sin differently than we do.
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  Friend, if you think you're living perfectly and that there's no sin in your
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  life, I've got news for you. You're wrong.
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  We are fleshly people that live in this world, but our home is not here.
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  We are pilgrims on a journey, seeking a city whose builder and maker is God.
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  We are striving towards the prize of the high calling. And the difference between
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  me, when I do something wrong and sin, and someone who is not a child of God,
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  is that the Holy Spirit convicts me and I have remorse and I am sorry.
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  Before you were saved, you weren't sorry. You didn't feel like that.
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  Because you were who you were living for. You were the only one that mattered.
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  You're the most important thing to you when you don't have Jesus.
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  Your self-preservation pretty much trumps everything.
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  But when we're new creatures in Christ, when the Holy Spirit lives in us,
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  when we understand that what our job on this earth is, is to,
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  help other people see and know Jesus when we understand that.
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  And what we really want to do in every situation and in all circumstances,
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  hurt or not hurt, we want to show them Jesus.
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  I've been hurt too. I've been betrayed as well.
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  But Jesus never hurt me, and Jesus never betrayed me.
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  And because of who Jesus is in my life, those people have no power over me.
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  But if I take my eyes off of Jesus and I forget that the battle's not mine,
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  it belongs to him, as David showed us in 1 Samuel 17,
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  and I go to try to take things in my own hands, I not only make matters worse,
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  I have no peace at all.
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  Unforgiveness is.
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  Like a cancer to your soul, because unforgiveness keeps you buried,
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  in sinful, wicked thoughts 180 degrees from what God wants you to be thinking about.
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  Unforgiveness puts you in the center of your life.
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  When Jesus said, lift me up and I'll draw all men, Jesus said,
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  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
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  And my friend, I submit to you today, unforgiveness is a wicked God that will
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  control you, it will lead you astray,
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  and it will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want
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  to stay, and cost you far more than you want to pay.
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  Follow peace with all men as far as you can don't give anyone a reason,
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  to sin because you've provoked them and don't miss an opportunity to show jesus,
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  to the one who hurt you because they need it perhaps more than most and if you
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  really love the lord and you understand that the lord saveth not with spear or sword.
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  But he saves just the same.
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  And he will deliver your enemy into your hands, not because you are wishing, praying, or wanting it,
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  but because evil never triumphs over good when it's all over.
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  Friends, you don't need to be right, but you gotta do right.
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  Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.
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  Remember you are loved. Jesus loves you.
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  Today's podcast. You can visit the show notes for quotes from today's podcast
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  and scripture references.
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  a daily devotion written by Kim and delivered Monday through Friday by text message.
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  our Heavenly Father, and it is through your loving and generous support that
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  Thank you to the Gospel Group Fudge Creek for letting us use their hit song, Happy Girl.
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  We greatly appreciate your prayers. We are praying daily for our listeners.
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  Remember that God loves you. You are loved.