|
A Morning
Devotion
From Bro. Bob
II Corinthians
2:1-11
Do What You Need
To Do and Forgive
Dear Family
of God;
Someone,
perhaps the man living in very serious sin in I
Corinthians, had been of great concern and hurt
to Paul. Paul's concern was that this going
back and forth between the two of them and in
the church only caused more hurt. Thus Paul made
a profound statement to them...if every time I
come to you or write to you it is to bring hurt
to you or to chastise you...not that it is not
needed at times...then the very ones who are to
be lifting each other up in joy becomes the ones
who bring sadness.
Let me
regress here to discuss this exact issue in
many, many, many churches. There is an offending
party...perhaps they didn't do something you
thought they should had done...or perhaps they
did something or said something they shouldn't
have said. Perhaps Satan really got a hold of
them and they were involved in some really bad
things...such as the man living with his step
mother....Every Time you come into the house of
the Lord or go to Sunday School, or go to that
church fellowship...you see this one and you
have a heart ache of hurt or anger, or even just
disgust.
Paul says the
very place where I am supposed to be lifted up I
am made sorrowful.
What are you
to do? Go to the one...use God's word as a
guide to how you are to confront this
one...write a note of apology...keep ministering
to the one...when they are in need keep going
and loving. And then Paul states this ...
forgive the one...
This is not a
word of saying just sweep their sin...if it was
a sin...under the rug...but this is to say that
if this person has shown a move to repent and
get right...then don't hold their past against
them. The church is to judge and discipline
fellow believers...do this and rid the church of
hard feelings...then move on...Holding grudges
and not forgiving ... even when the one has
repented and moved on... this is a sin also and
can only hurt the Body of Christ...
Get over
it...and move on to bringing Glory to God.
In Jesus'
Care, Always,
Bro. Bob |
