Talk Tuesday-Forgiveness, What's Love Got To Do With It?

When others wound us it often feels unforgivable. It depends on who is doing the wounding and how deep the cut goes. Wounds from those closest to us hurt deeply yet even superficial paper cuts tend to produce a sharp, constant burn. There is one certainty about pain; how we handle it determines the impact is has on us spiritually, emotionally and physically. 

Jesus teaches us that if we want to be forgiven then we must first forgive:

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15

It is hard to love our enemies and bless those who curse us , yet the Bible instructs us to do so (Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:14). How can we do something that seems so opposite to our nature? When we are hurt our instinct is to protect and defend. We are often enticed to exact revenge. Revenge itself deceitfully masquerades as a healing balm, while it sinks our souls into the pit of despair and loneliness.  

Listen to the Son's heart. 

"Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' " 

Luke 23:34  He said this as He hung on a cross to die for us-so that we could be forgiven. 

Love is the key to unlocking the prison doors of unforgiveness. 

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

Jesus' death on the cross meant that our sins could be forgiven for the asking. Love motivated both the Father and the Son. 

"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

God offered up His Son out of love and Jesus laid down His life out of love. Forgiveness is the fruit of love. 

Have you ever been so hurt that you thought it impossible to forgive? Has the pain of unforgiveness caused you anguish and hurt? Have you struggled with forgiveness? How has the love of the Father and the Son changed your outlook on forgiveness? Can we harbour unforgiveness in our hearts yet expect to be forgiven? What does forgiveness look like to you?

We at BGO are blessed by your faithfulness in sharing your testimony, words of encouragement and thoughts with us. Please click on the comments link below to respond. 

Movie Monday - Take Risks!

Talk Tuesday-A Call To Persevere

For many years as a young adult I struggled to find meaning. Life seemed to consist of an inevitable cycle of stages that couldn't be avoided. I remember sitting at a restaurant window looking out at the people downtown, rushing about with what appeared to be vacant looks in their eyes. Perhaps what I perceived in them was only a reflection of what was going on in my own heart. I was in my early twenties, in university. There was no lack in my life that I could detect, yet there was a void-a yearning that I did not quite understand.

I witnessed the conversion of my family. They became 'born-again' believers in Jesus Christ. It did not involve a change of church denominations but a change of heart.

Jesus tells Nicodemus, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." John 3:3

Nicodemus does not understand this and questions Jesus, to which Jesus replies,

"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.'" John 3:5-8

No one prepared me for what would transpire when I asked Jesus into my heart and truly surrendered my life to Him. Even though I witnessed the most profound change in each one of my immediate family members' lives, I still was not ready for what came next!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

It happened one night in June of 1996. I experienced staggering loss in my family and, as death often does, it makes you question life. I felt the tug of God on my heart for so long but the comforts of the world seemed more enticing. When I finally decided to try Jesus, I simply knelt down and said the 'Sinner's Prayer' in the quiet of my bedroom. It went something like this,

"Dear Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that you died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day. I am sorry for all my sins. Please come into my heart as Lord and Saviour of my life. Dear Jesus, I do not know how to walk as a Christian, so please make my steps very clear. Amen."

The most amazing thing happened to me that night. As I lay in the throes of sleep, I heard two words whispered to me, 'PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE.' I sat up, looking around for the voice. Then I heard it again, 'PATIENCE and PERSEVRANCE.' The next morning I awoke a completely new person. How could I explain it? I had the joy of the Lord. I was an avid party-goer and could not imagine life without it. Yet, that morning, not only had my appetite for partying left, but I had a vision of a fountain with water spouting upwards...it was my call to worship. That fountain was the joy of my praise to the One who had saved me. I became a different person from the inside out. What a phenomenon! The clothes I wore, the things I watched, the thoughts I had and the things I did all seemed to change. All of sudden, my life became Christ-centered. I cannot claim praise for the change, Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross two thousand years ago did this for me, in 1996!

Today, my husband and I are still serving Jesus. We have endured trials that we never imagined possible. Yet, I remember these words, PATIENCE and PERSEVRANCE.'

Jesus warns us, "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 10:22

Are you being persecuted for your the name of Christ? Do you refuse to live as the world does while others around you mock you for your difference? Do you ever feel alone in the work place as you try to live out your faith? Do you feel pressure to bow to society's ever changing norms and fickle 'moral compass'? Are you aspiring towards purity and holiness, while it seems that others are putting stumbling blocks in your way? Do the trials of life seem to test your faith?

We at BGO want to encourage you to persevere! Please share your testimony, thoughts and even struggles with us by clicking on the comments link below. It will bless and encourage others as they read! Let us aspire towards this call to persevere. I leave you with the words of the the apostle Paul;

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing." 2 Timonthy 4:8

Movie Monday - GFA continue....

Talk Tuesday-Hell, Is It For Real?

Is Hell For Real?

It is described as a place of "...outer darkness;there is weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12, 22:13 & 25:30)

It is also a place where "..their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched"
Mark 9:49

Matthew Chapter 18 vs 8 & 9 uses the words, 'everlasting fire' and 'fire of hell'.

Hell is also a place of permanent separation from God.

".... He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." 2 Thessalonians 8-9

K.P Yohannan, Director of Gospel for Asia, makes an impassioned plea for missions. He states that he wishes hell were not real, so he would not be so consumed with the idea of millions of lost souls going to hell (see Movie Monday's post).

Are you consumed with the thought of those around you perishing or are you living for today's pleasure and comfort?

In his book, Revolution in World Missions, K.P Yohannan unequivocally states that the mandate of the church is the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16

So I ask you, as I have been asking myself repeatedly, do I really believe in hell? If Hell is real and the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ, shouldn't I be more loving, caring and more urgent to share the good news? If I truly believe, shouldn't I channel my abundance and gifts into areas of evangelism? Intercession, active participation, submission to God's call and material possessions are required of us. Have we, as North American Christians or Christians in any part of the world, heard and understood the call to urgency clearly? Think of those in our lives who don't know Jesus Christ.

John 12:48 " There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words, that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that this command leads to eternal life."

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

We, at BGO, want to hear from you! Let us encourage, inspire and edify one another, spurring one another on to the call of Christ. Please click the comments link below to add your thoughts. What you write may just be what another person needs to hear!

Jesus says "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." John 20:21

Movie Monday - Must see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you think that you need to go on a missions trip for God to change your outlook on life take a look at this video first. The speaker is K.P. Yohannan of Gospel for Asia. If you want to know more about his minsitry check out gfa.org for more information or get his free book, Revolution in World Missions, by clicking on the link on the lower left of this website. Prepare to be challenged.

Talk Tuesday- The Art of War

As Christians, we are engaged in a battle that is spiritual in nature.

Ephesians 6:12 " For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

The cleverest of enemies is the one who attempts to convince us that he doesn't exist or that he isn't who he seems to be.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 "...for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness."

How do we stand against an enemy that is unseen yet highly present in our daily lives? The apostle Paul offers some insight in the book of Ephesians Chapter 6.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:10

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have doen everything, to stand. Stand firm then, wit the belt of truth bucked around our waist, with the breastplate of righteous ness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that conmes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."
Eph 6:13-18

Interestingly, much of the armor is protective. The Sword of the Spirit- which is the Word of God- is the only part of the armor that is a weapon of offense and defense. It is vital to know the Word of God and apply its truth to our hearts. Knowing the WORD of God has a dual concept. Firstly, in order to know the Word of God we must first KNOW the WORD of God. The Gospel of John, Chapter 1 states, 'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God," & "The Word was made flesh and made His dwelling among us." John 1:14. Jesus is the Word made flesh.

His work on the cross, accomplished atonement for our sins and grace for the duration of our lives: "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! " Hebrews 9:14

Secondly, Jesus himself demonstrates the power of the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This is seen in Matthew Chapter 4. With each temptation, Jesus responds to Satan with the following words, "It IS WRITTEN.." (Matthew Chapter 4, verses 4, 7 & 10). He quotes from Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16 and 6:13. It is important to know the Word, even Satan knows the Word (ref:Matthew 4:6)

Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the word of God is living and active, that it is sharper than any double edged sword.

Have you ever tried to obey the Lord and found stumbling blocks in your way? Have you purposed in your heart to walk uprightly yet heard lies goading you to believe that you are unworthy, incapable and such a lost sinner that you were beyond redemption? Have you been holding on tightly to His promises, striving in obedience, yet those around you who do not know or care for Him seem to prosper while your life seems to be going nowhere? Are you walking in faith yet feel like you're in the same spot from when you started your journey?

How can taking up the Sword of the Spirit-the Word of God- help us in our battles?

This is a vast and important topic. We want to hear from you! Your comments, insights, thoughts and testimonies strengthen many within the BGO community. Please click on the comments link below. We'd love to hear from you!

Movie Monday - Desert Song

If you are going through a storm you have to look at this video from Hillsong.