"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."~from ISAIAH 61 Bible verse for this Blog

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On July 18, 2017, I drafted almost 3000 blog posts that I had published since 2008 when I began blogging, rather than edit each one. So if you clicked here from somewhere else and ended up with the post unavailable or error, I am sorry but this is why. It'd be too much work for me to go back and fix them. There's an explanation on 7/19/17 as I'm still learning.

Monday, April 15, 2024

Focus: FORGIVENESS


The Weekly One Word is:

FORGIVENESS

I love this book with just One Word a Week

and Bible Hub, which is where the link goes above 

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The book's chosen verse for "FORGIVENESS" is: 

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11 ESV

By now, you must be familiar with the repeated fact that the author of FOCUS does not use verses that contain the FOCUS One Word that I am accustomed to for One Words, but her verses always go with the content of her devotional message. This is why I choose to search the One Word at Bible Hub or online or Bible Gateway or at You Version. Yet I am very thankful for the beautifully written devotionals - this time focusing on "offense" with FORGIVENESS (and that One Word of "Offense" is in the Bible verse) - 4 wonderful paragraphs that end with her FOCUS TIP (that she has each week). Her conclusion for this week stands out to me:

" This week, let's look for opportunities to forgive rather than opportunities to be offended. What a games changer that will be!"

I couldn't agree more!

The problem for me is that part on the other person,

who always believes that they are in the right.

I try to move past it, go around it, overlook it.

Even forgive it so I can go on.

Yet I'm consistently

reminded

by

that other person

of the past and offenses in the past

that I want to be done with and move on from

which is why I am so grateful that

I AM FORGIVEN

by

Jesus Christ

once I confess my sin, He is faithful & just

to forgive me from my sin & cleanse me from  all unrighteousness

(1 John 1:9)

Now that's

FORGIVENESS

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If you get a chance, follow that link to the Bible Hub and look at the definitions from Easton's Bible Dictionary and Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, or wherever you have Bible tools to look at the One Word: FORGIVENESS. 

"Jesus Christ taught that FORGIVENESS is a duty."

[further down on that page #3 from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]

under the "Teaching of Christ" & read on in the "Conditions of Forgiveness"

{I actually find all 12 parts to be a week & more worth of study & reading but worth it}

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Oh and before I leave this portion,

I'd like to add my most valuable lesson on

FORGIVENESS

"Forgiving does not mean Forgetting"

but it does mean

"letting go of the offense"

not repeatedly reminding the offender or the forgiven

and that 

"we must forgive in order to be forgiven"

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Verses given by the author, Cleere Cherry Reaves in 

FOCUS ... for the One Word FORGIVENESS

Proverbs 19:11 ESV;
Matthew 18:21-22 NLT; Ephesians 4:2-3 ESV;  1 Peter 2:23 ESV; Galatians 6:1-3 ESV

I look at One Scripture from these each week day and sometimes compare in other versions.

At times, I select a few of the other verses that have the One Word

FORGIVENESS

in the verse

such as

Matthew 6:14

(but I noticed that when I looked through the verses, it most often just had FORGIVE)

So I imagine many of the verses just have some form of the One Word like FORGIVE.

{which makes my choice not a good example}


"Jesus, I let go of all my offenses & pick up Your grace instead,"

After all - it's

aMazing Grace

and

Your FORGIVENESS is just as

aMazing!!!

because

YOU ARE AMAZING!






3 comments:

  1. I liked this part in the book:

    “When we choose to focus on the grace that we have been offered, our hearts are more apt to offer grace to others. Since we know that injustice and sin will always be a part of this world, we also know that offense will always be an option. But that is the beauty: we get to choose”.

    May we choose wisely, Lord, even when dealing with those who choose to hold on to offenses and rehash the past with no forgiveness. We all have those types in our lives, unfortunately.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen! Thanks for the reminder and pointing out what you liked. That is a key part!

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    2. So thankful for the grace I've been given! Now to choose to FOCUS on that and offer His grace to others rather than any more offense. I guess I'm just trying to be offensive rather than defensive. FORGIVENESS is the key. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one with those types. I will honor God over my feelings. Quite often I do not bother with proving a point anymore, so now I will work on pointing to Jesus, which is better ... though so far it's been seen as "holier than thou" (recent comment at end of Holy Week; not really how I hoped to end that weekend) so I keep praying & forgiving. Now to be better at offering Grace! After all, it is so aMazing!

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Bless you for your visit and encouraging words! I thank you and I am humbly blessed by YOU and the time you spend with me... Peace, "Mazmagi" Peggy


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