39 results for tag: forgiveness

Unforgiving Living is No Life At All -Stuart Segall

Living with unforgiveness can have a profound impact on both our emotional well-being and physical health. When we hold grudges or harbor resentment, it can lead to negative consequences. Forgiveness is an active process where and when we consciously decide to let go of negative feelings, whether the other person deserves it or not. It involves empathy, compassion, and releasing anger and hurt. When it comes to forgiveness, I ask myself the question in the mirror.  “Who are you? Who is your true self”?   Consistently behavioral health studies show that when you hold onto unforgiveness, it can debilitate you and prevent ...

Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word – by Greg Albrecht

What've I got to do to make you love me? What've I got to do to make you care?—Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word, Elton John, 1976

I’ll Forgive You If…

There are times when we secretly take delight in other people's sins -- it gives us something on them.  We don't want to forgive them and lose our advantage.  Greg talks about forgiveness.  Don't miss it. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0163.mp3

The Suffering Judge – by Greg Albrecht

    … If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.—Romans 8:31-34   You probably have heard of honor killings. An "honor killing" is the term used to describe a practice in which one or more males murders a female relative who, according to their perspec...

Forgiveness

Do you believe that you're beyond God's forgiveness?  In this first program of a four part series called "Four Words that Changed the World", Greg assures us that God is waiting with the message, "All is forgiven, I love you.  Your heavenly Father." https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0098.mp3

Q&R: What does “the blood of Jesus” mean? Brad Jersak

Question: What does "the blood of Jesus" mean? Response: "Jesus Blood Never Failed My Yet" was recorded by Gavin Bryars in 1971 for a documentary. One day Gavin left the studio for a cup of coffee while the song played back in a loop, and when he was back, he noticed that people around were moving slowly, some sitting alone, weeping. He realized the emotional power of this music and added orchestral accompaniment to it.  "Tramp" died before he could hear Gavins' work. Gavin said: "... the piece remains as an eloquent, but understated testimony to his (Tramp's) spirit and optimism." In 1993, he added Tom Waits' voice for the ...

December 2023

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Greg Albrecht: Not What Religion Expects – pg. 2 Kenneth Tanner: One-Sided God – pg. 6 Brad Jersak God in Our Image – pg. 7

Forgiven to Forgive

"Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive,..." (C. S. Lewis). Yet Jesus said we're to forgive seventy times seven. What was he saying? https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0064.mp3

Forgiveness — A New Beginning

In WWII both Corrie ten Boom's father and sister died in concentration camps.  Just two years after the war one of the most cruel guards from the Ravensbruck concentration camp asked Corrie for forgiveness.  She forgave him.  Could you?  Greg talks about the healing power of forgiveness. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/PTR0053.mp3

Have You Forgiven God? – by Greg Albrecht

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither areyour ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than theearth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than yourthoughts."—Isaiah 55:8-9 A few years ago I officiated at a funeral service for someone I hadnever known. I interviewed people who had known the deceased, and in theprocess I found out some dark and disturbing things. What do you say at a funeral when you can't find anyone who ever knewthe person who has anything good to say about them? What can you say ata memorial service when surviving friends and relatives are having adifficult time forgiving ...

Forgiveness is Scandalous Again – Brad Jersak

The Scandal...  Over several years, I have been tracking the results of a rolling survey by a Christian teacher, Dan White Jr. Although we've never met, I would call him an online friend. As Dan visits faith communities across America, he invites Christians to follow Jesus. But wait, isn't following Jesus the very definition of a Christian? You would hope so, but Dan's survey explores that question. Throughout his journeys, he presents active claimants of the "Christian" label with passages from Jesus' own "Sermon on the Mount" (from Matthew 5-7). Then Dan surveys the reaction of Christians to the very words of Jesus Christ, ...

Giving and FOR-Giving

God's forgiveness means that we have been forgiven once and for all. Once we have received his forgiveness, there is no need for us to feel un-forgiven until we formally ask God to forgive us again. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/RCWR452.mp3

Christ Followers Cannot Not Forgive

C.S. Lewis insisted "If God forgives we must forgive. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than him." A Christ follower in whom Jesus lives cannot not forgive. https://www.ptm.org/mp3/FreeDwnld/RCWR447.mp3

Forgiveness Is a Journey

Mother's Day is a perfect time to focus on forgiveness! Forgiveness is a day by day journey with and in Christ. It's a life-long process, an attitude, a way of life we lead that is produced in and through us by our risen Lord.

Forgiveness – The Rubber Hits the Road!

C.S. Lewis once observed that everyone thinks forgiveness is a good idea until they have someone to forgive. That's when the rubber hits the road.

Confessions of a Write-Off by Brad Jersak

I was a write-off - I know, I know. We don't like to descend into the dehumanizing "worm theology" of those degrading faith traditions that spout our "total depravity." I firmly believe we're all precious children of our heavenly Father and no matter how disordered, we still bear the image of God. By using the term "write-off," I'm not talking about our identity in Christ. I'm describing my subjective experience... how I have often felt in times when the human condition gets the best of me. In those periods of cloudy introspection, it's easy enough to conclude, like David (in Psalm 22), "I'm a worm and not a man." It's not a statement of reality but ...

Forgiving Others Because God Has Forgiven Us

Join Greg as he explains that God's forgiveness is not conditional on our forgiveness of others, as many believe. God's forgiveness goes far beyond the absence of a penalty - God's forgiveness is his presence.

Q&R with Brad – “Why pray for forgiveness if we’re already forgiven?”

Question: The sin issue is cropping up again. I lose my temper.  I get stressed out.  I am short with my family... but I have gotten to the point where I feel as though Christ once and forever dealt with sin (alienation, darkness) at the Cross and my constantly asking Christ directly for forgiveness (again and again) for the same sins seems hopelessly pointless. Response: The reason why I regularly pray, "forgive us our trespasses," is first of all, because Jesus taught us to do so. He quite literally says, "When you pray, pray this: Our Father,..." And while some folks dismiss this prayer as "pre-cross" and "old covenant" ...

February 2023

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Greg Albrecht: How Sorry Are We? – pg. 2 Ed Dunn: Our Choice of Words – pg. 5 Brad Jersak: Zaccheus Makes Amends – pg. 6

Praying the Lord’s Prayer in Violent Times – Brad Jersak

You've noticed that we're living in very violent times. At home, abroad ... to the point of exhaustion, hopelessness and/or numbness. I see no reprieve in sight and every reason to expect further escalation. I find myself in daily need of prayers that guard my heart and mind from both despair and the vengeance fantasies of repressed rage.    In that context, I have begun to pray the Lord's Prayer in a focused way on a daily basis with some new (to me) understanding about Christ's strategy in ordering the phrases in series as he does. Here is the part that seems super-relevant to us all right now:   Forgive us our ...