FATHER'S DAY

This Father's Day, we focused on healing broken relationships. It is impossible to travel through life without some kind of trouble coming into relationships, bringing hurt and pain, but God has given us ways through these moments so we are able to see the relationship healed.

Prov 17:9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends. 

Here’s a brilliant piece of advice in friendships. When someone has done wrong we need to cover their wrong rather than exposing and reminding them of it. If we remind people of their failures and sins, we will separate them from us. We instead need to cover their failures, just as God has done with us. He is not about to repeat our failures back to us. The devil is into reminding us of our sins, failures, and disappointments. God is into covering them, because he is seeking love.

Matt 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

At this point I feel that it’s completely impossible to be a follower of Christ. There’s no way I can ever be perfect. However, after studying this word I discovered that it doesn’t mean we are expected to be flawless and never ever do anything wrong. Rather it means we have the ability to ‘repair and adjust’ This is absolutely beautiful because this tells me God knows I’ll make mistakes and I’ll need adjustment, and that if I’ll do those things that repair and adjust, then I’m what he calls ‘perfect’.

Repairing a broken relationship calls for two things to happen;

1. An apology

2. Forgiveness

Our ability to say sorry, and our ability to forgive is what Jesus called perfect.  Even though I’ve listed the apology first and forgiveness second, forgiveness actually needs to come first.  When we do not forgive but bind someone’s sin to them, both them and ourselves will be tormented with sickness or spiritual enemies of our souls. The enemy operates in negative atmospheres and negative attitudes. Hatred, bitterness and a thousand other related dark attitudes and lifestyles are born from this root.

However, forgiveness breaks the power of this atmosphere setting the soul free and bringing peace where there was torment. A life unforgiven is under punishment. The punishment continues until the person is forgiven. When they are forgiven, whatever punishment was due, whatever penalties, debts had to be paid are expunged. Forgiveness is linked with healing many times throughout Scripture. Unforgiveness sometimes lies at the base of sickness. What healing is to the body, forgiveness is to the soul.

The parable of the lost son found in Luke 15 is one of the most incredible stories of forgiveness the bible has to offer. There is no announcement of forgiveness, just simple actions. This is how God shows forgiveness, with actual real events, like healing or deliverance. Just as sin has consequences, so does forgiveness. To say that a person is forgiven but still needs to suffer the consequences of sin is folly. When Jesus healed the palsied man, he announced him forgiven, adding that one was the same as the other. Forgiveness has been extended by God to the entire human race. However, to receive that forgiveness we need to come to God with a repentant heart, a willingness to forsake sin and faith in His Word.

This needs to be a daily experience so our hearts don’t become hardened. When we break up our heart and apologize to God for our wrongs, our heart is softened. When we refuse to break to God and become contrite we only reinforce a hardness that keeps us away from the Lord. Today be reconciled to God. Christ is the Way!

See you in church!