Light beyond the storm.
""He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
"yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11
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Monday, November 19, 2007 I must blog about today. Today's sermon was on the 10th blessing, forgiveness. Pastor Eugene preached on mat 18:21-35. It's the exact same passage he preached on 30 oct 2004 in TC, same explanation of the parable, same 2 steps on how to forgive: Receive His forgiveness - be grateful n understand the magnitude of His grace. Release His forgiveness - be grcious n unplug the blessings of His grace. So familiar... deeply etched in my mind cos that sermon impacted me deeply. Today was like dejavu.... Pastor Eugene did add new points which caught my attention too.. 1) Salvation is unconditional; fellowship with the Father is conditional. 2) Justification before God is unconditional;the anointing of the Spirit is conditional. 3) Our status in the family is unconditional;our intimacy with Christ is conditional. 4)Our eternal destiny - whether we go to heaven or hell - is fixed;but receiving a reward is conditional. Set me thinking... Unforgiveness will affect our relationship with God, causing us not to be able to hear Him, fellowship with Him, receive His anointing and growing close to Him. I sure dont want to be obstructed from coming to Him and growing in Him. But i sat there, not as affected as in 2004, guess i have released unforgiveness and is handling things much better now. What almost threw me off my seat was when pastor E shared abt how to forgive, by being grateful and understanding the magnitude of His grace. God suddenly reminded me of that night. After going forward for altar call, pastor laifun prayed for me. Was deeply ministered... it was one of the first, if not the first time, i release forgiveness for the people who have hurt me. It wasn't easy, of course.. i rmb crying badly. but pastor just guided me through and God comforted me. Felt very light and relieved after tt. Of course min and peggy comforted me too. Then it was Fever 04 meeting. Watched the video of children in cambodia. I still can rmb how they walked among the rubbish to pick up things, sat by the road to beg.. i rmb i saw this scene of a girl looking at the camera, and i was so moved.. i could be that girl, suffering in cambodia. But here i am blessed, yet sometimes unsatisfied and complaining about things. I felt the love of Jesus extending to them too. and gave $200 to sponsor xiang n dora. I just checked. my sermon notes for 30 oct 2004 and blog entry 31 oct 2004..... 2004. Today, 2007, God brought me back to then, and told me again, i could be that girl. And dear sheryl reminded me of the meaning of my name subsequently. 26 jun 2004, I was baptised with the name charis - God's grace. And suddenly she just say out of the blue, maybe God is rounding up everything. Suddenly, i came to realisation that over these 3 years, God has been moving in my life. After 30 Oct 2004, there are times i was irritated, angered, things happened that pain me. I just looked back on my diary for 2005.. God has worked so much from 2004 to 2005, even more in 2005, then 2006, now 2007. As i read, i saw how sometimes i struggled so hard, sometimes i felt like giving up. the agony, the emotions, the thoughts... wow. So much... I dont know if it will be a closure, but i am very sure, looking back, i see God's faithfulness in following me through everything. I see His power and ability in helping me overcome my fears, pains, pride, resistance, struggles... I see how He has changed me. I am here, changed because i serve a faithful and almighty God! =D Share what vanessa told me over msn: this forgiveness thing always boils down to gratefulness and thankfulness. itz bcos we fail to rem what God has done for us....tt's y we think tt we ourselves are ok and good...then we start to point fingers at other ppl..finding fault with them abt this and that, forgetting that we have flaws and faults too..and yet God has forgiven us the steps are easy to know...hard to follow...tt's y ppl need reminder....actually everyone knows wht we shd do..but juz dun wan/can't do it God, help me to remember what You have done for me everyday of my life, so that I will always be grateful n thankful, not to point finger and find fault in others, but to forgive and love. I may forget along the way, please remind me always. When i dont want to or cant do it, help me.. give me all that I need, so that i can forgive and love, and walk in Your ways. Amen Labels: Christ in me, In the mirror, Sharing with you -The Princess Jesus Loves- 12:48 AM
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