The River Church Community

Hello River,

David gave some really helpful application points on his message about forgiveness this Sunday.  They went by pretty fast, so I've attached them to the end of this post.

The Small Group leadership (staff and coaches) are gathering for an all-day meeting on Saturday.  This is the first "summit" that we have had in a long time - please pray for us.  We will be visioning together and mapping out next steps.

Brad will be on a short retreat for Christian leaders on Friday and Saturday.

Healing Path is underway!  David reported a good first night last night.  Please pray for the fifty participants, group leaders, teachers, and David.

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Announcements from Sunday 1/4/09

- Parent Morning Retreat 2/7/09

- Financial Update

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Application Points from David's message this Sunday 1/4/09:

Forgiveness involves getting in touch with what needs to be forgiven. I find too often that many Christians I know minimize the sin done against them or whitewash it as “It wasn’t that bad.” I’m doubled over in pain at the sharing of the trauma and their downplaying it.

Secondly, we allow the Lord access to our hearts. Because Jesus final words in the parable are, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Under the power of the Holy Spirit the reality of the hurt incurred by the sin becomes present to us. We begin to feel the heart’s legitimate response to the offense. This allows us to honestly offer up our hurts to God. Our God is a God of truth and light, not of the darkness and denial.

If we rush forward to forgive without knowing our hearts, we can fail to obey Christ’s command to forgive from our hearts. Years ago when I first started the process of forgiving my father for years of abuse all I could do was grieve. I had not reached a place where I could forgive him from my heart.

Third, I confess the sin done against me and I bind that sin away from me. And I’m very specific in my confession. I physicalize the binding away of the sin by placing them into a cross. The sin is bound away from me and into the crucified Christ. He absorbs the darkness that entered into me through the other’s sin.

I then speak forgiveness towards the one who sinned against me. In this I give up my right to vindicate myself, to get even, and to stand as the others judge. I’m allowing Jesus to prevail as Lord and Judge over him or her. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:14 that “Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.” It sounds to me like Paul felt hurt yet he chooses to forgive, and let the Lord handle it.

Lastly, I ask the Lord to release and cleanse me from the bitter effects of unforgiveness that have accompanied my wounds. In my wounding I had sinned against others. My heart had harbored anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, and even murder towards my father.