HHT-3: Don't be "J"

Yesterday Bishop Woods explained how we can Overcome the Negative Emotion of Jealously. His scripture text, found in I Samuel 26:18~21, revealed the story of King Saul's jealousy toward David . Saul was jealous of David for reasons that he may not have fully understood, but in retrospect we see that God had rejected Saul and anointed David King over Israel. The more that Saul witnessed David's promise coming to pass the more Saul wanted to destroy David. Perhaps in his mind he reasoned that if David were out of the picture, God would return to him, but Saul's issues with God were based on his own blatant disobedience to God's commands. It really had nothing to do with David at all. David had not harmed Saul in any way. He never spoke an ill word against him. As a matter of fact he worked--in the beginning to please Saul. In other words, David had done no wrong to Saul and the scripture text even finds David trying to comprehend why Saul hated him so much. David was the object of Saul's jealousy even though he wasn't the root of it. Wikipedia defines jealousy as: [a] secondary emotion and typically refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something that the person values, particularly in reference to a human connection. Jealousy often consists of a combination of presenting emotions such as anger, sadness, and disgust. It is easy to spot Jealousy because where jealousy exists there is no love or forgiveness. There are only feelings of bitterness. Also, jealousy is totally a one-sided situation. The jealous person wants the innocent party to go away, never really understanding that even without that person in the picture their life experience will continue to be miserable. They will continue to be unfulfilled, angry, disgusted and stuck. The interesting thing about jealousy is that the person who is experiencing feelings of jealousy knows that he is wrong, but he can't seem to help it. In Saul's case in the scripture text above he even apologizes to David, but in the end Saul's jealousy beat him. As Bishop Woods put it yesterday, Saul patronized his flesh. He gave in to his irrational and unfounded feelings toward David. As you self-reflect today do you find that you have feelings of jealousy? If so dump them quickly. Ask the the individual and God for forgiveness. Jealousy is destructive and means you no good. It is a distraction from your promise and your purpose and as we see in the story of Saul it really the person who has become the object of your jealousy really isn't the cause or root of it at all. Go to God with a humble heart and a contrite spirit and find out the root so that you can dig it out. Don't spend your precious life chasing fleas. If you are the victim and someone is jealous of you pray for that individually continually and sincerely. Pray for peace, restoration and reconciliation. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. Stay away from the "J"!

HHT!-2: Have You Canceled the Debt?

Forgiving is an essential and necessary Christian attribute. It is so important to our discipleship that Christ portrayed the ultimate example. At the same moment that forgiveness is at the pinnacle of the important characteristics that we should possess; most might say it is one of the most difficult virtues to learn and to practice consistently and wholeheartedly.

Forgiving requires that you cancel the debt of another and treat that individual as if they never owed you anything. That is unnatural. In fact is is supernatural. It is spiritual. Forgiveness requires maturity, acceptance and trust in God. Forgiveness is another chance. Which means that you entreat the individual who you feel wronged you and you restore them to the place they were before the harm. Forgiveness is a by product of love and usually accompanies sincere self reflection. When we look at what God has to forgive us for regularly, our inconsistency, our unwillingness to change, our behavior, our iniquities and sins, our actions in spite of knowing better; when we look into ourselves and see all that God has forgiven of us, then to forgive each other should result. Restoring one another should become a duty. Consider the scripture below and ask yourself if you've canceled the debt.

Matthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" (22) Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (23) "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. (24) As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. (25) Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. (26) "The servant fell on his knees before him. `Be patient with me,' he begged, `and I will pay back everything.' (27) The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. (28) "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. `Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. (29) "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, `Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' (30) "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. (31) When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. (32) "Then the master called the servant in. `You wicked servant,' he said, `I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. (33) Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' (34) In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. (35) "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."