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Upcoming Sermons & Devotional Message
January Sermons 2026
1-18 - The Hardening of the Heart
Ezekiel 11: 17-21 Matthew 13:15
1-25 - The Power of the Holy Spirit
Isaiah 44: 1-3 Galatians 5: 16-17
Devotional Message : These will change 1-2 times a week. Stop by often to read the new message.
Some Thoughts on the Necessity of Forgiveness
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in life is the need for and power of forgiveness.
The Apostle Paul repeats the teaching of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount when he writes:
“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)
An elderly woman was delightful in her youth—but became bitter with age. As a young woman, she was engaged to be married—but three days before the wedding, her fiancé ran off with her sister. The pain was overwhelming, and she never recovered. She could have recovered, however, if she had followed the way of Jesus and forgiven those who hurt her.
From the cross, Jesus prayed,
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
It’s easier to forgive others after they stop hurting us, but Jesus forgave His killers while they were still killing Him. God may allow us to be deeply hurt so that we can learn to forgive deeply because His purpose is to make us like Christ (Romans 8:29).
Forgiveness is choosing not to punish the person who hurt you, but Jesus taught us to do even more. He said,
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:28)
This is the best and surest way to recover from an offense—to turn it into an opportunity to bless in forgiveness.
Whenever the offending person comes to mind, we can choose to pray like this:
“Father, bless my friend financially; make all their dreams come true. Also bless them spiritually with a deeper love for You. And make their relationships a source of blessing, too. And while You're at it, Father, bless me twice as much. Amen.”
By asking a double blessing for us, we’ll be able to pray sincerely for the offending person’s good. When the offending person no longer comes to mind, we’ve recovered. The most beautiful people in the world aren’t those who've never been hurt, but those who’ve been deeply hurt and learned the art of forgiveness.
Are you bitter? Forgive and bless those who hurt you, my friends!