Sunday, August 05, 2007

LISTENING TO THE HEART OF THE MASTER: Part 10

August 5, 2007
The Discipline of Forgiveness

Matthew 7:1-5
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye."

FORGIVENESS BEGINS
…when we stop looking at another’s sin.
…when we let God take care of other’s sin.
…when we start looking at ourselves closely.
…when we let God get close to our sin.

SCRIPTURES
Matthew 7:1-5 Focusing on your “planks” is going to be a painful process for us.
John 15:1-17 The Master’s pruning will be painful, but fruitful.
We DO NOT want the Master to cut us off completely.

THE PRACTICALITY OF SELF-EXAMINATION
Have an accurate view of God: Judgment is His alone!
Have a healthy view of others: We are all in this together.
Have an honest view of self:
**Do you need to apologize?
**Do you need to forgive others?
**Do you need to forgive self?
**Do you need to repent?

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