forgive me

 This has been placed on the heart for a couple days and today GOD put the last piece into view.

Some are going to be offended and that is not the purpose, the purpose is to edify, to build up and to clear the path for believers and non believers alike. To often we as Christians get caught up in pointing out sin in others and with that we forget that as we point with one finger three more are pointing back at us, we are less than perfect. We need to stop condemning and bringing shame to people for mistakes. What we need to do is show love, forgiveness, humility and remember that all sin is sin in GOD's eyes yet HE (GOD) does not want to condemn us, if HE did it would have been done in the beginning, HIS son JESUS would not have been sent to light the way to a renewed relationship … yes relationship one not unlike any parent would want with a child who was continually going down the wrong path and when we discover that we were so wrong we swallow that pride go back home and what happens? Does mom and dad kick you back out or do they welcome you with open arms and loving hearts?

Forgiveness, when we judge we are holding that sin to a person, it makes it so they can not let go and it eats at them through guilt and makes it easier for them to fall back into it. We must forgive so we can be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15)

14 "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

When we sit back and point out those sins rather than showing the love CHRIST showed us, we are holding those sins to a person rather than forgiving, with the woman caught in adultery JESUS did not point out her sins, no he showed her compassion, love and forgiveness and she walked away from the sin … forgiveness is more powerful than shame, while shame has power to hold you in the bondage of sin, forgiveness can wipe it away in a blink and lift them from darkness into light.

1 John 1:5-10

5 This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Pay attention to verse 10 a moment, if we point out another's sin instead of allowing GOD to do so through our compassion, humility and forgiveness we are basically saying we are sinless. Are we sinless? Of course not, so how can we ever feel it is alright to make others feel like they are condemned . We need to watch how we approach not only each other but how we approach the world and people around us, we can not 'act' better because we are actually no better than any around us.

I am flawed, you are flawed and I forgive you of the flaws you have, can you forgive me?