"To Live You Must Forgive"

By Pastor Patricia Reeves

Today is International Forgiveness Day, the first Sunday of August. 

Global Forgiveness Day began in 1994 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The holiday was created and sponsored by Christian Embassy of Christ's Ambassadors.

Unforgiveness has been a leading cause of illness and death, more than attacks from a gun or knife. Unforgiveness can cause illness in your body without warning or an explanation.  In the medical world, tumors are said to be a cause of stress and worry and in the spiritual realm, we call it unforgiveness.

When you don't forgive you develop a stressful life and you create a lifestyle of worries about someone or something that offended you and it occupies your time and mind 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can’t pray and you can’t get into good praise and worship because you are thinking about how someone offended you and it overtakes you in thought and deed. This is not a healthy lifestyle for anyone, especially Christians and God does not honor it.  His Word says to forgive “70 x 70” and then He asks the question: “If you don’t forgive your brethren, how can your Father which is in heaven forgive you?” Still people don’t get it, complete healing comes with forgiveness.

God is Here to Calm Our Fears!

With all that is going on around us in the world, we have much to fear. Yet, one announcement that appears many times in the Bible is "fear not"! The words were spoken to someone who was afraid of the Divine Presence of God or an angel. God also encouraged His people with these words as they were about to go into battle or carry out His directive. 

Second Timothy 1:6-7 (The New Living Bible), says that "…God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline." What is a spirit of fear? It is a something within us that causes us to lack confidence. It changes our behavior so that we are not willing to carry out God's directions. 

If God did not give us a spirit of fear, then where does it come from? A spirit of fear comes from our lack of faith and trust in God and in His ability to help us. When we do not place our confidence in God, fear takes hold of us and we  become vulnerable to, Satan, who wants to make us useless and ineffective in doing God's work (1 Peter 5:8).

We must be on guard and not allow a spirit of fear to take hold of our lives. But, it's not as easy as it sounds. Every time you turn on the television and hear the news, or pick up your phone and talk to someone who is hurting, it's hard not to become afraid. Nevertheless, we must remember what Nehemiah said when Israel's enemies threatened to stop them from rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem: 

"… Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and awesome…"

God is still telling us today: "Fear not! No matter what you are going through, I AM with you."  Whether you're facing an illness, a financial crisis, or a divorce, God is helping you through the difficulty. During these times, we must take advice from Nehemiah and "remember the Lord."

In Psalms 56:3 (NIV), David confessed to God: "When I am afraid, I will trust in You." David was hurt and betrayed by people who were close to him. He faced near-death experiences, as well as suffering for the wrongs he committed. Nevertheless, no matter what David went through, he turned to the Lord for help. And, the Lord helped him in every situation.

God is still the Solid Rock of support for His people. He will give us the strength that we need to face any adversity, if we ask Him for help and turn our worries over to Him.

The antidote to fear is placing your faith in God. In doing so, you will "have no fear of bad news: (for your) heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord " (Psalm 112:7, NIV).

While you may be going through a difficult time, do not panic or else you will miss the voice of God who is saying: "Trust me, no matter what is happening around you. I am with you" (Isaiah 41:10). 

Pastors Steve and Pattie Reeves Wish You A

Hearing From God Through Prayer

By Pastor Patricia Reeves

Many years ago I often called my Mom and asked her to pray for me concerning different issues in my life, such as jobs, finances, and travels. I waited for her to call and give me "a word" she had heard from God. 

My mother was my "knees and my ears" (the one who prayed and heard from God on my behalf) and I saw no real need to develop a personal prayer life. I was content and trusted her to be the vessel God would use. However, it all came to a sudden halt when God called my mother home suddenly in 1982. It shook my world. As a result, I came to the realization that I needed a personal prayer life. I needed to tune my own ear so I could hear from God. This was rather frightening because my mother had been my crutch for so long and I was very comfortable with it. 

As my world was turned upside down, Romans 8:28 came to reality; …and we know that all things work together for good to them  that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. I set out to find the good in my Mom's passing and joined a local Wednesday night prayer group for answers. 

I went in seeking comfort and was trained to be an intercessor. I learned how to intercede on behalf of others and not just pray for my needs. I enjoyed praying as much as I did worshipping. There was nothing that hindered me from my Wednesday night prayer meetings. This was my lifeline. Week after week I communed with God and felt His love draw me closer and closer. I began to understand that prayer sets the atmosphere over things, and worship brings the presence of God. I also learned that you receive supernatural impartation (divine grace to be able to do in the natural what humanly can't be done) when you obey God in prayer. I now know the prayer is the key to heaven, and faith unlocks the door. 

I began to yearn for the voice I so often heard my Mom speak of. When I first began to hear God's voice when in prayer, I hesitated to repeat His Words. I longed for God to speak to me, not understanding the many times He had already done so in the form of a song, a scripture, a sermon, or through a passing stranger. I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but now I know. I had heard the authentic voice of God.

God's River of Revival is Flowing Your Way

By Sonia Green

Founder, Outside the Camp Ministries

Chad Pregracke has a passion for cleaning America's rivers. For the past 15 years, Pregracke has been pulling out tires, refrigerators, washing machines and more out of the Mississippi River and other rivers across the country.

As a native of East Moline, Illinois, Pregracke grew up near the Mississippi River, which supplies drinking water to millions of people. In an interview with news station CNN in 2013, Pregracke said he consistently saw trash in the Mississippi River while working as a commercial shell diver when he was a teenager. 

Unable to shake the desire for cleaning the river, Pregacke obtained a grant from Alcoa in 1997. He began that summer to clean the Mississippi River, and has been pulling out trash ever since, but now he does it with help from other volunteers who share the same passion. 

Pregacke wants to see the waterways clean and flow unhindered across the country so that millions can have the drinking water they need to survive. 

Just like Pregacke has this natural passion, God has a spiritual passion to rid people of the debris and trash that clog them up and hinders them from experiencing the flow of God's Spirit. 

God, and only God, can cleanse us from the inside out by His Spirit so that we can experience a revival – a new beginning – in our lives. When we experience spiritual revival in our lives, God's "river" flows through us and purges out of us all that is not of Him – envy, selfishness, hatred, jealousy and other soulish sins.

What is God's River of Revival?

Revelation 22:1 (MSG): Then the Angel showed me Water-of-Life River, crystal bright. It flowed from the Throne of God and the Lamb, right down the middle of the street. 

Revelation 22:1 describes the Water-of-Life River, also called "the River of Life," as "clear as crystal" which means its waters are not muddied; they do not mix with the earth along the river basin. Because God's River is pure and refreshing; it cleanses us and causes us to experience revival.

A river must have a source that is higher than itself. Usually, a river originates in the mountaintops and flows downstream to reach the valleys. God's River of Revival, when flowing freely, joins our relationship with Him (the mountain) to the place of our need (the valley).  The higher the mountain, the greater the flow. The deeper the valley, the greater the flow, the stronger the power of the current.

21 Days to More Godly Communication

By JoJo Tabares

The Lord talks about communication HUNDREDs of times in His Word. As we read the Word of God, we understand the power and impact of the tongue. He cautions us and instructs us in its use, not just for making speeches, but for everyday life.

They say it takes 21 days to make a habit so, over the next 21 days, I am going to share a few of my favorite verses and the importance of applying them today.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” -Proverbs 25:11

This is my signature verse so I thought I’d start with it. I love this verse. It reminds me that our words are precious. We shouldn’t just throw them out there and hope they stick. We should take care to choose our words wisely and craft our conversation with wisdom, tailoring it to the unique individual and particular situation at hand.

Being an effective communicator is more important today than it ever was before. WHY?

* We are now communicating with the world.

Technology has given us the ability to communicate with people around the world. With one click of a mouse we can send our words anywhere. We need to remember that these unseen people are human beings from different cultures, backgrounds and experiences who see the world in a unique way.

God doesn’t make Cookie-Cutter People and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to communicating effectively. It is critical that our words are a good “fit”.

* Misinformation abounds.

Precisely because it is so easy for someone to express their opinions to the world, it is equally as simple to express misinformation. We have come to understand that, just because it is written in the paper or reported by a newscaster, doesn’t necessarily make it true or accurate. The media is famous for twisting the truth and reporting whatever serves its agenda. We need, also, to understand that whatever is typed into a blog or article on the internet may not be “the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

In today’s society, it is often necessary to explain or clear up misunderstandings people have. This isn’t as easy to do these days because there are more “hot topics” than there used to be. Politics and religion are no longer the only topics to “stay away from in polite company”. Today’s society has an emotional reaction to many topics including homeschooling, evolution, gun control, global warming, vaccinations, etc.

Today’s discussions require much more communication skill to overcome the knee-jerk emotional reactions that inevitably follow any mention of many of these topics.

* People are busy.

I remember watching a documentary from the 1950′s that depicted what society would look like in the 1980′s. I think I watched it in the 1990′s so it was quite humorous to me. It showed the wife as the lady of leisure. Due to the technological advances, she was able to get her housework done in a fraction of the time leaving her rested and able to pursue more of her interests.

Today’s woman is busy! Aside from the housework and children, she is usually working as well (outside or inside the home). Today’s husband may have to work more than one job to make ends meet. People no longer have the time to investigate issues thoroughly. They rely more and more on the media and, as I said, the media has their own agenda to promote. They no longer give you, as Sgt Friday used to say, “Just the facts, Ma’am.” The media infuses their “truth” with opinion, sound bites and misinformation.

It takes much more communication skill to respectfully break through some of these deeply held, accepted beliefs. It also takes more time. Time people generally don’t have to wade through all the information out there and discover the truth. They’re busy keeping their family together and making ends meet.

* Respectful discourse is no longer in fashion.

If you read the words of our forefathers, you will notice that, although they may have disagreed vehemently with someone, they usually did so with respect and in grace. Not so these days.

Because there is so much information (and misinformation) thrown at us when we are busier than ever, there is more of a frustration with life today. Because much of the information we get is from faceless sources (TV, internet, email, billbaords) we are no longer coming face-to-face with a human being. There is a justification, or even almost an entitlement, to respond to someone out of frustration with disrespect.

I remember waiting in line behind a red light in the left turn lane a few years ago. The woman behind me got out of her car, walked around to my driver’s side window and began screaming her head off at me! I remember her being behind me for several blocks prior to that. She came into view when the car in front of her changed lanes. I had no idea what she was so upset about and I dared not open my window to find out! When the light changed to green, she got back in her car and went on her way.

Road rage is only one of the many ways in which society has come to express their anger and frustration. It is much less common for someone to do something so violent in person, but over the internet where you don’t need to look into the eyes of your victim, people are much more likely to “fly off the handle”.

It takes much more communication skill to handle the typical “Nasty Grams” we get today.

* Anti-Christian bias is.

More and more each day, Christians are told to sit down and be quiet about Jesus. Just the mere mention of the name of our Lord and Savior brings anger to some. More and more college professors and even high school teachers feel justified in spouting hatred of Christians, our beliefs and our Lord. More and more God is being taken out of our society in the name of “separation of church and state.”

Even young Christian children may have to handle a question or negative comment (in school or even on the playground) about their faith. It is no longer a matter of if a Christian will be asked to defend his faith, but when God tells us to share the Good News, we can’t do that without communicating. 

When we communicate, whether it be to share or defend our faith, express our political ideas or even just to have a conversation with someone in line at the grocery store, we cannot just throw our words out there and hope for the best.

The Lord tells us how we are to use the power of the tongue. Throughout the Bible, He shares how we are to speak with one another. Each of us is a unique creation of God who sees the world from a different perspective. It takes much more skill to communicate than it used to. We need to learn to share our thoughts and ideas in today’s world. The first step is to understand that our words are precious.

A word fitly spoken can be a gift we give to others as we share our lives and experiences with them.


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