1x13 - Walking in forgiveness and overcoming offenses

May 31, 2010

Tom references Lazarus, Mary, and Martha in the bible and states that sometimes love doesn't necessarily look like what we think it should look like and what Jesus was doing in Lazarus' situation is he was creating an environment for God to be glorified and faith to be built.Mary and Martha had an opportunity to become very offended at Jesus to look and say we need you now by putting an expectation on Jesus that wasn't supposed to be put on him because what is supposed to be put on him is "I trust Jesus no matter what". We live in a place of selfishness and of not trusting people as we have been let down and held back by offense and un-forgiveness. Melissa points this out as a faith statement. We can look to Jesus knowing he will be trustworthy, with his integrity, and for the fullness of who he is because if we question that we are not reading his word enough. Pastor Josh Jamison references Matthew 13:57-58 so they were offended at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." Now he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Offense created a place of unbelief which even stopped Jesus from doing many mighty works in the midst of them and miracles weren't done in this area because of offense. When we are offended at God and his people we have to make a gift of forgiveness to overcome these offenses it is a key to getting answered prayer.