To Err is Human, To Forgive is Divine
Inspirational message given to Rev. Revita DeChalus and inspired by God
12/26/02
God is a healer.
Jeremiah 30:17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast …
This is where the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet and told him to talk to the Jews
About what would happen after they were captured.
Wounds that come as a result of being captured can be physical, mental, and emotional.
Another way of saying captured is to be held by something (whether you chose it or not).
Someone who is captured is bound. There are so many things one can be bound to: alcohol, drugs, sex, lying, physical abuse, sexual abuse, the list goes on…
Someone who is bound may feel alone and ashamed, like an outcast.
An outcast may feel that no one cares and that no one loves them.
They’re wrong!
God loves them, God loves you.
John 3:16For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
You are not the outcast that other people would say you are. You are a new creature.
2Corinithians 5:17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
What has happened does not define you now, you are a child of God and you are precious in His sight.
2Corinthians 5:18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
What is reconciliation? It is to make friendly again or win over to a friendly attitude, to settle or to bring into harmony.
God, through His Son Jesus Christ, has brought us into harmony with Him if we allow Him to work in and through us. He has also given us the tools to have us forgive those who have hurt us and to have us in harmony with ourselves; no longer fighting with our
bad attitude about ourselves.
When we think we are fighting with people, we are fighting with Satan.
Ephesians 6:12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds;
Strongholds are the areas where we are bound, but God can release us from these areas.
2Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Many times what binds us or keeps us captive are our thoughts(or imaginations). God lets us know that if it is not what He would want us to think, we need to ask God to take away that thought and replace it with a thought that would please God.
We need to focus on forgiving.
2Corinthians 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
Even though it may sound strange to forgive someone who has hurt you, we are asked to do so we do not carry the bitterness in ourselves. This does not mean that you forget or that you should not be cautious with this person. You may need to be cautious for the safety of yourself and others.
2Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his
devices.
Satan looks for any way to steal or destroy the good God has for you. If Satan can keep you focused on anything but God’s way of living, Satan will do it.
Let’s go back to the earlier verse of Jeremiah 30:17, For I will restore health unto thee and will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord, because they called thee an Outcast..
You are not an outcast, and God has said in the Bible that He will heal thee of thy wounds, if you let Him.
Why don’t you let Him heal you? You’ve been bound for such a long time. Give it to Jesus, who died for your sins, and to set you free from bondage. If you know Christ, tell him of your burdens. If you don’t know Christ, or it’s been a long time since you’ve spoken to Him, let us help you to connect to Him.
Tell God that you know that you are a sinner, that you are tired of carrying these burdens.
Say that you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from your sins and to set you free. Tell Him that you want Jesus Christ to be the head of your heart and your life from now on.
If you told God those last words through Jesus Christ, congratulations. You have joined the community of believers. Let us know of your decision so that we may help you in your journey.
We conclude this message with “The Lord’s Prayer”
Our Father,
Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever
Amen.
May the Lord richly bless you.