Category: Unforgiveness

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Forgiveness Joseph Unforgiveness

Unveiling Unforgiveness

“Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.” Genesis 37:28 (ESV) If anyone ever had reason to be infused with the bile of bitterness, it would have to be Joseph. His brothers were void of mercy and full of hatred and jealousy to the point of selling Joseph into slavery. The brothers even deceived their father, Jacob, by tearing Joseph’s coat of many colors and dipping it in blood to portray the possibility of Joseph being devoured by a ferocious animal. We would call this a genuinely dysfunctional family. The truth is that every family is dysfunctional at some level. Every family has allowed the sewage of unforgiveness to seep into their home for a season and perhaps for a reason. Unforgiveness can quickly become toxic, acidic, corrosive, and radioactive. Many families have been destroyed by the venom of unforgiveness. Salvation is an event, followed by a process. The event of your conversion took place at the moment you confessed your sin and trusted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. Your name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you were adopted into God’s family, and you were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since that moment, you have been involved in the process of growing spiritually. You have been working out what God has worked in. The process continues until you go to Heaven! Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. God does a work in you to give you understanding about the unforgiveness resident within you. How will you respond to unfair treatment? Will you become bitter or better? Unveil unforgiveness and extend forgiveness to bring honor to God. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Forgiveness Joseph Unforgiveness

The Poison of Unforgiveness

“So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.” Genesis 37:28 (NIV) If anyone ever had reason to be infused with the bile of bitterness, it would have to be Joseph. His brothers were void of mercy and full of hatred and jealousy to the point of selling Joseph into slavery. The brothers even deceived their father, Jacob, by tearing Joseph’s coat of many colors and dipping it in blood to portray the possibility of Joseph being devoured by a ferocious animal. We would call this a genuinely dysfunctional family. The truth is that every family is dysfunctional at some level. Every family has allowed the sewage of unforgiveness to seep into their home for a season and perhaps for a reason. Unforgiveness can quickly become toxic, acidic, corrosive, and radioactive. Many families have been destroyed by the venom of unforgiveness. Salvation is an event, followed by a process. The event of your conversion took place at the moment you confessed your sin and trusted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. Your name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you were adopted into God’s family, and you were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since that moment, you have been involved in the process of growing spiritually. You have been working out what God has worked in. The process continues until you go to Heaven! Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. God does a work in you to give you understanding about the unforgiveness resident within you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Forgiveness Prayer Unforgiveness

Facets of Forgiveness

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 (NIV) Forgiveness is always the best decision. The Bible teaches us multiple facets of forgiveness. We have the privilege of receiving God’s forgiveness provided by the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. This vertical forgiveness initiated by God allows us to be in a right relationship with God. We also have to come to the place of forgiving ourselves. Once we have received God’s forgiveness for our sins, we need to forgive ourselves so that we can walk in the freedom Christ provides. Another facet of forgiveness is that of extending forgiveness to others. In teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus included the discipline of extending forgiveness to others. Before asking God to forgive us of our sins, we are to have already forgiven those who have sinned against us. In order to have a proper vertical relationship with God, we must ensure a proper horizontal relationship with others. When it comes to extending forgiveness to others, you never have to wonder if God wants you to forgive someone. God expects you to extend instant forgiveness to others. To harbor bitterness or resentment breaks the heart of God. To fail to forgive others is to disobey God. Spend some time in prayer asking God to search your heart. As God reveals fragments of unforgiveness in your life, deal with them before God in prayer. The more specific you are in prayer the more dynamic your experience in prayer will be. Forgiveness is always the best decision. Honor God by extending forgiveness to others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Forgiveness Joseph Unforgiveness

Unveiling Unforgiveness

“Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.” Genesis 37:28 (ESV) If anyone ever had reason to be infused with the bile of bitterness, it would have to be Joseph. His brothers were void of mercy and full of hatred and jealousy to the point of selling Joseph into slavery. The brothers even deceived their father, Jacob, by tearing Joseph’s coat of many colors and dipping it in blood to portray the possibility of Joseph being devoured by a ferocious animal. We would call this a genuinely dysfunctional family. The truth is that every family is dysfunctional at some level. Every family has allowed the sewage of unforgiveness to seep into their home for a season and perhaps for a reason. Unforgiveness can quickly become toxic, acidic, corrosive, and radioactive. Many families have been destroyed by the venom of unforgiveness. Salvation is an event, followed by a process. The event of your conversion took place at the moment you confessed your sin and trusted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. Your name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you were adopted into God’s family, and you were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since that moment, you have been involved in the process of growing spiritually. You have been working out what God has worked in. The process continues until you go to Heaven! Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. God does a work in you to give you understanding about the unforgiveness resident within you. How will you respond to unfair treatment? Will you become bitter or better? Unveil unforgiveness and extend forgiveness to bring honor to God. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 25: Genesis 38-40) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Forgiveness Joseph Unforgiveness

The Poison of Unforgiveness

“So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.” Genesis 37:28 (NIV) If anyone ever had reason to be infused with the bile of bitterness, it would have to be Joseph. His brothers were void of mercy and full of hatred and jealousy to the point of selling Joseph into slavery. The brothers even deceived their father, Jacob, by tearing Joseph’s coat of many colors and dipping it in blood to portray the possibility of Joseph being devoured by a ferocious animal. We would call this a genuinely dysfunctional family. The truth is that every family is dysfunctional at some level. Every family has allowed the sewage of unforgiveness to seep into their home for a season and perhaps for a reason. Unforgiveness can quickly become toxic, acidic, corrosive, and radioactive. Many families have been destroyed by the venom of unforgiveness. Salvation is an event, followed by a process. The event of your conversion took place at the moment you confessed your sin and trusted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. Your name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you were adopted into God’s family, and you were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since that moment, you have been involved in the process of growing spiritually. You have been working out what God has worked in. The process continues until you go to Heaven! Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. God does a work in you to give you understanding about the unforgiveness resident within you. I will explore this concept in tomorrow’s devotional. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Forgiveness Prayer Unforgiveness

Facets of Forgiveness

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 (NIV) Forgiveness is always the best decision. The Bible teaches us multiple facets of forgiveness. We have the privilege of receiving God’s forgiveness provided by the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. This vertical forgiveness initiated by God allows us to be in a right relationship with God. We also have to come to the place of forgiving ourselves. Once we have received God’s forgiveness for our sins, we need to forgive ourselves so that we can walk in the freedom Christ provides. Another facet of forgiveness is that of extending forgiveness to others. In teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus included the discipline of extending forgiveness to others. Before asking God to forgive us of our sins, we are to have already forgiven those who have sinned against us. In order to have a proper vertical relationship with God, we must ensure a proper horizontal relationship with others. When it comes to extending forgiveness to others, you never have to wonder if God wants you to forgive someone. God expects you to extend instant forgiveness to others. To harbor bitterness or resentment breaks the heart of God. To fail to forgive others is to disobey God. Spend some time in prayer asking God to search your heart. As God reveals fragments of unforgiveness in your life, deal with them before God in prayer. The more specific you are in prayer the more dynamic your experience in prayer will be. Forgiveness is always the best decision. Honor God by extending forgiveness to others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Bitterness Conflict Resolution Family Unforgiveness

Family Spats (3)

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV) Families that resolve conflict together stay together. If the devil came to you for counsel on how to destroy families, what would your advice entail? Perhaps you would recommend the weapon of mass destruction, unforgiveness. Unforgiveness poisons harmony and erodes trust. Unforgiveness perpetuates suspicion and fertilizes bitterness. As a result of living in a fallen world among fallen people, conflict is inevitable. In other words, motion causes friction. It is not a matter of “if” conflict will happen, but a matter of “when” conflict will occur. Conflict is a natural part of life on a broken planet. Conflict is the normal confetti of living in a fallen world. Every relationship at some point will hit the wall of conflict. As my pastor, Dr. David Fleming says, “Every wall of conflict has a door which leads to conflict resolution, meaningful conversation, and intimacy.” Unfortunately, we often react to the wall of conflict by withdrawing or attacking. Instead of patiently pursuing the door of conflict resolution, we take a short cut and forfeit the potential on the other side of the wall of conflict. What if we were willing to risk the pursuit? What if we were willing to allow God to navigate us through the process of locating the door positioned at every wall of conflict? What if we decided to resolve conflict together as a family? Could it be that revival would come to the home through the doorway of conflict resolution? Forgiveness unlocks the door! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor