Forgiveness and Mercy #5

If you want to help us with the construction of the hospital or the expansion of the visitor’s dorm please contact Tim at timothyruthjr@yahoo.com so he can coordinate your timing to best coincide with when we are ready for your particular skill.

The four days we took off were the best gift we can give each other. I slept through the coming of New Years. Again the Lord blessed and every bill was paid and every need was met. Twenty-six year and nearly 5,000 children later God has and is meeting very need.

Luke writes in Hebrews 12:14-15 that we should seek pece with ALL men because if we don’t then we will allow a root of bitterness to enter our lives and produce.

An example of this is when David was king and at his height one of his sons, Aamon, raped his own sister, Tamar, and David did nothing. Another son, Absalom, became filled with anger and bitterness at his father’s lack of discipline. He further hated his brother, Aamon, and eventually killed him.

Since David took no actions at all to punish Aamon his other son did it. But Absalom lost all respect for his father and there would be a struggle between father and son from that point on and would eventually result in the death of Absalom.

But the real story is that Absalom did not kill Aamon immediately. He waited two years and seethed with anger until the bitterness in his heart took root and murder was the result. It was not a crime of passion. It was pure revenge birthed out of an angry, bitter and unforgiving heart.

You and I have a tendency to fall into the same sin. When we are offended by another person we often want that person to pay in some way. However, since we do not strike out and murder the offender we allow bitterness to grow. This leds to gossip and bad-mouthing and we desire to MURDER the other person’s character and reputation.

Be careful as to what you allow to grow in your heart.