3/27/22 Offenses and Forgiveness

Scripture: Acts 15:36-40
Evangelist: Bro. Ian D. Nickerson, Sr.

1. There is nothing Godly that comes from holding to anger or resentment.
2. Learning to forgive is a critical commandment from God for our lives
3. Live above the offense and develop a heart that is forgiving
4. After some offenses, some relationships will never be the same
5. You can forgive and not go back to how things were
6. Just because a relationship looks good on paper doesn’t mean it is ordained by God
7. 2 Categories of people: 1. People God has assigned to your life 2. People you allow in your life
8. God orchestrates an offense to get people out of your life he never ordained to be there Genesis 12
9. You can’t force a partnership God hasn’t ordained in providence
10. You can’t rush reconciliation. Sometimes, it takes time.
11. If you do go back to some relationships, it can’t be rushed.
12. An unforgiving heart will cause you to lose other productive relationships in your life
13. Unforgiving hearts make you an unattractive person.
14. You are the most productive when you have a forgiving heart. When you have an unforgiving heart, you cannot foster productive relationships
15. You can close your spirit A Rev 3:20, 22 M Proverbs 18:14 E Proverbs 17:22 N Proverbs 15:13
16. Offense-it’s a trap! It’s a stumbling block! A trigger! Something that ensnares you; to bend you out of your original shape and possibly break you
17. Example-Sapling tree used to make bows and arrows. A tree that is easy to bend; but if it is bent to much, it will either get stuck in the bent shape or break in two
18. When the “pain” of your offense snaps and bends you out of your original character you can’t be your true self.
19. What is a closed spirit? When a hurt, or damage, or an offense or pain, bends you out of your original self, your personality or your character. When your spirit closes you literally cease being who you really are. When your spirit is closed, it’s not just closed to the other person but also to God
20. An unforgiving heart is also an ungrateful heart
21. When you don’t forgive you are saying you’re not grateful
22. Don’t let your bitterness of what they did to you cause you to be ungrateful for what God has done for you
23. In spite of what they did, has the Lord been good to you?
24. Walk around grateful because God blessed you in spite of your hurt