The Power of Forgiveness - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, to find out how to know God personally go to know God.org K NOW know God.org it would you do me a favor sure this message was someone who needs to hear it. One thing is sure all of us have been wrong. Pastor Greg Morey points out today, only some of which granted knowing what these days of my heart. You need to do it this day.

One of these days in your heart will you need to do it is as if you're feeling just doing because it's the right thing to do. The offender you are letting them off of where's the justice in reality.

Forgiveness is more of a healing ball giver kind today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie shows an example of a great Bible will consider the example of the Old Testament, Joseph Pastor Greg's inspiring series called world that was talking or clots about the topic of forgiveness and she said she would conclude you know kids. What does a person need to do to receive forgiveness from God is a moment of silence, a little boy but is evidently said you have to sit that's pretty true. You have to sit and most of us qualified well let me restate that all of us qualified. Most of us as believers understand that he graciously gives his forgiveness to us. Though we don't deserve it and he tells us in first John 19, we will confess our sin, he is free will and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all the righteousness of that's amazing. We understand that for the most part we accept it.

But here's where it gets tricky for some forgiven people should be forgiving people. We have received the forgiveness of God. Therefore, we should extend that same forgiveness to others, especially those web wronged us why you talking about forgiveness will because word part three of the life of Joseph and before is now in the book of Genesis is one of the most amazing examples of forgiveness and all of the Bible. The only story that really eclipses it in my estimation is Christ thinking on the crossing father forgive them for they know not what they do. Here is Joseph a man who is been so wrong in life extending forgiveness to his brothers very brothers who abandoned but trade for all intents murdered him.

This would've been a great moment in the narrative for him to deal in a little bit of payback with one word.

He could've had them all executed because it comes into a position of great prominence as will see what he didn't do that instead he for gave more first introduced to the young Joseph that we find a young boy 17 years old with a supercooled called his dad made for him and that his father favored him above the other brothers.

This stirred resentment. Joseph made matters worse by tattling or ratting out his brothers when they were misbehaving.

Also, Joseph had these amazing dreams of other people bowing before him, though, are in reality from God. But as I said earlier, sometimes it's best to keep your dreams to yourself because of brothers just thought it was kind of a braggart a bit spoiled and maybe he was but that he certainly didn't deserve the treatment that they gave him because section number two of his life as struggle.

They sell their 17-year-old brother to a group of slave traders for 20 pieces of silver probably never thinking they would see him again while he is purchased by a guy named Potter for part of her had a wife who put her lustful eyes and young Joseph to the Bible tells us was very attractive, handsome, well-built, and she started hitting on him day and night, and he resisted her advances, and finally one day she just got tired of being subtle and grab them and yank them down on the bed and basically just said have sex with me and he ran out of there as quickly as he could and she falsely accuses him of rape so is now is in a dungeon worse situation imaginable enter the Butler and the Baker they work for the Pharaoh. So he's talked with these guys and they both had these dreams. What were your dreams okay well one of them says I dreamed this is the Butler.

Now he says I dream of a vine growing up with three branches in the three branches were clusters of grapes and and so I took the wine from the grapes that I put them in the Kings cup and serve them to the king what is I dream me… It is good dream buddy the Lord to show me that that means you're going to get out of here before you know it to be serving wine to the king, yes. Remember, your buddy Joseph when you get out okay and the Butler said yeah I'll never forget you. You never heard from and so now he's just sitting there for two more years.

He was forgotten. In fact, the Bible tells us in Genesis 4023. The Butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot.

Meanwhile, the most powerful man on the face of the earth, the Pharaoh of Egypt has a troubling dream and in his particular dream he sees seven that helping cows in front of the Nile River and then after them came seven scrawny shriveled up cows in the seven skinny cows ate the seven fat cows will come with voice and not to be met.

Egyptian pizza last night. What is this me. Then he falls asleep and he has another dream. This time it's 70 heads of grain, strong and healthy growing from a single stock and then seven heads of grain also scrub at their sort of scorched and withering and the scorched once ate up and hopefully one of the Whigs of what is this mean we calls in all of the astrologers and the wizards in the experts in advisor cc he had them on staff. They were on the payroll. But these guys had no answers they could make sense out of Pharaoh's dreams.

And then there's a button to restart the very thing it all. Why, I remember that Joseph guy so he says in the Pharaoh.

I met this guy in prison and I believe God's given him disability the process get them up here right now. The next thing he knows he's in the present of the Pharaoh Genesis 41 verse 14 Pharaoh sent for Joseph in one city was brought quickly from the dungeon. After a quick shave and a change of clothes. He went in and stood in Pharaoh's presence. I had a dream last night. Pharaoh told in none of these men can tell me what it means, but I've heard that you can interpret dreams and that's why I have called for you. I love Joseph response for 60 it is beyond my power to do this the Pharaoh's are probably some with anyone on the safe. But God would tell you what it means it will set you at ease. Now that took courage. And so now the Pharaoh tells him his dream and Joseph says okay I got it where Joby is. Are the meat was fat cows get eaten by the skinny cows that's talking about seven years of planning another word. You do really well and grain reserves in food for seven years which have seven years of famine.

Following that better stock up now to get some reserve in place.

So when the famine comes, you'll survive it. By the way, you got to get a really good person over this to administrate it all the Pharaoh soothsayers, wizards or magicians or save me me me, the Pharaoh looks at Joseph and says, next thing you know, Joseph is the second most powerful man in the world had gone from the prison to the palace had gone from rags to riches so many years have passed.

The famine is in full swing. People are coming from around the world to get food because Egypt is the only one that is prepared for the future because of Joseph's interpretation of the Pharaoh's dream one day a Jewish family shows up now. They don't recognize Joseph for starters, they never thought they'd see McGinley thought he was dead. Secondly, he's an older man. Now he's changed. And thirdly, he doesn't have his hair longer. His beard grown out like he used to.

His head was all shave you probably were eyeliner like they do in those old Egyptian drawings. He can move around like this all the time and does so they never thought they'd see Joseph again so they didn't recognize him, but he recognize them encompasses family and he's looking at them in his heart is beginning to just burst. It's been so long is thought of them so many times in this amazing scene unfolds. He has to tell them who he is. Genesis 45 verse one reading from the new living translation. Joseph could stand it no longer get out of here. All of you. He cried out to his attendance. He wanted to be alone with his brothers when he told him who he was. He broke down and wept aloud his sobs could be heard to the palace and the nuisance quickly carried the Pharaoh's palace.

I am Josep.

He said to his brothers. Can you imagine how they felt when they realized he was alive and powerful. I am Josep probably a good thing get it. We are so I'm Josep goes on the things my father still alive. The brothers are speechless.

They were stunned to realize Joseph was standing there in front of them. Come over here you said they came closer and he said I am Josep, your brother, whom you sold in the Egypt all she remembers don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to me. For God did it to me that underline for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your life way I would've understood it.

If Joseph said don't be angry with yourselves because God allowed, but Joseph didn't say God allowed it.

Joseph said God did it were to define the grace and the mercy and the perspective to see such a thing.

Couple of things you might want to write down Joseph understood number one God is sovereign God is sovereign, not the fancy theological word we are thrown around a lot and you know people know to me Joe God sovereign. What is that mean I'm going to you sovereign will he say God is sovereign. Here's what were saying were saying God is in control of all things. God is aware of all thing. What we are saying we as a Christian for God is sovereign were saying God is in control of all circumstances surrounding my life and I'm saying there is no mere lot or chance in my life. God is firmly in control. That's good. But if you think God is angry or God is against you. It's kind of scary to know he's in control, but that's true, that he is sovereign but it's also true God is good he is good.

That means that things he allows in my life are ultimately for my benefit and the benefit of others.

Joseph said to his brothers, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, because Joseph love God no matter what came his way. No matter how wicked its origin, God turned around for good. And then he extended his forgiveness to that event a lot about stuff to they sold him as a slave number two. He was falsely accused by the wife of Potter for number three, he was forgotten by that stupid Butler affair whole set there for another two years.

That's a lot to forget what he didn't hold grudges, let alone can you let alone in just a moment. Pastor Greg describes a modern-day example of great forgiveness.

It's beyond words. That's coming up in just a moment. We love hearing from listeners from every background and each guy things on her thinking great insights from an 11-year-old. Do you have a story that you like to share with Pastor Gray. If so, would you take a moment to write a letter, email you can email him at great@harvest.org that's great@harvest.org regaining important insight on forgiveness today.

Pastor Greg is helping us learn from Joseph, one of the Bibles great for givers. It is message the power of forgiveness is or someone you can think of right now that is hurt you, someone who is wronged you, someone who is harmed to you or someone that is said something cool about sheep and it hurts and it makes you angry and you would like to see them destroyed. In fact, at times you find yourself thinking about ways to get back at them to remember that some of forgiveness is forgiveness is for giving forgiveness is forgetting.

Forgiveness is canceling a debt. One image given in Scripture. Forgiveness is like taking a clay pot and smashing it into a thousand pieces or more.

That's what it is put it behind you. I don't even think about it any longer. I told you the story before Corrie 10 boom, a remarkable lady.

She is now with the Lord, but she survived the concentration camp during World War II. Corey and her family. The 10 boom family lived in Holland and when the Nazis began to persecute the Jews. This wonderful Christian family took these folks into their home and hid them from the Nazis and the Nazis were aware of this and warm the 10 boom family if they continued to do this they would be sent to a concentration camp. But they continued to protect these Jewish people that were being persecuted so one day the Gestapo showed up arrested all of Corey's family.

Her father cast for an older man was sent to a concentration camp and there he quickly died, her sister and her. Her sister was Betsy were sent to Robbins Brook and there they suffered greatly. Watch people around them died with the reached out to the other prisoners sharing the gospel with them, having a Bible study for them.

But then Betsy heard very godly saintly older sister also died in Corey was freed on a clerical error was actually a mistake but as we said God sovereign. He was in control.

She got out, so she said the rest of her life traveling around the world as a self-described tramp for the Lord and her message was there is no PIP so deep that God is not deeper still and she would tell her audiences about all that she had gone through and how she was able to forgive.

Well, one night after a church meeting in Munich Germany. A man walked up to her and he said of Fräulein 10 boom. I too was at Robbins Brook. I was one of the guards and she looked at him and is playing close you had a flashback to humanist Gestapo uniform. She remembered him well. She remembered the skull and cross bones insignia on his collar. She remember the especially cruel treatment. He came toward her and her sister and she just filled with rage and anger and he says, and I'm asking you, would you forgive me and he extended his hand.

Corey just love that hand hanging.

She said I couldn't shake his hand.

I couldn't do it but then I remember that God had forgiven me and I remembered that forgiveness is not an emotion. It's an act of the will and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart, so she writes that she reached out her hand and Woodley shook his head said I forgive you my brother with all of my heart. And then she writes I never knew God's love so intensely as I did a great Corrie 10 boom said God is taken, your sins, he still limited of the sea of forgetfulness that he has posted a sign that says no fishing allowed. What I love about this story is its practical, you know, we might say one of these days if I can find it in my heart all forgive the person know you need to do it this day. Not one of these days I don't try to find it in your heart because you never will know you need to do. It is an act of obedience would've a good feeling that man who cares if you're feeling it. Just do it because it's the right thing to do and I believe that your emotions will follow in time to go to the person that hurt you see I forgive you but what am I doing I'm free myself of this.

You see, that they may never accept my apology, but that's their issue. I'm doing this because the Lord is show me to do it okay for us for many years that Corrie 10 boom is much older lady. She's traveled around the world telling people how to forgive and she had a couple of Christian friends that she worked with and that they had both heard her back in her estimation had betrayed her, but she for gave them in a friend was visiting from the United States. She was over in Europe at this time and the friend said while coria those girls that are working with you now, though, to that hurt you. She said yes but then she had very smugly. I said, but I've given them forgiveness.

This is all that's great that they accept your forgiveness that they apologize. She said no, they actually said they didn't think they did anything to be forgiven up so that's just the way it ended up Jesus. But I have information I've kept the records and she reached into her desk and pulled it out and said I have it right here in black and white. I have all the letters that prove what they did to me. The man said.

Corey, you're the one who came up with this statement. God's taken our sins enthronement of the sea of forgetfulness and has posted a sign that says no fishing allowed.

She's like oh no, here's this woman who was able to forgive an Nazi for what he did to her and her family and yet she was still harboring a grudge against these two Christian friends so she says I took all of those letters in a bathroom in the fireplace and never thought about it again.

That forgiveness is getting rid of the record.

It's letting it go and there's no greater example of forgiveness in the Bible than Christ himself hanging on the cross. After Jesus was crucified. After they ripped his back open with the Roman with after they pulled the beard from his face and he hung there at Calvary. He gave seven statements in total and the first one was father forgive them for they know not what they do. Those Roman soldiers deserve forgiveness to those religious leaders deserve forgiveness. No, but he gave it anyway and that's how God feels toward us. He loves us and he will forgive us if we will turn from our sin, looping back to what I said earlier about the little boy and send this quote what you need to do to be forgiven. You have to sin. We've all done that have in God can forgive you of all of your sin right now and I wonder if you cannot come here to the service and and you feel there's a barrier between you and God.

Maybe it's affecting you forgiven someone maybe is a certain sin you've committed, but I'm telling you right now. God can forgive you of that sin take that sin and as Corey wrote throated of the sea of forgetfulness, never to be remembered again. But you have to say to him. I have send and I'm sorry and if you will save out to the Lord. He will forgive you right here right now. If you never asked Jesus Christ to come in your life. I like to give you an opportunity to do it and if you have maybe ask Christ to come in your life. Or maybe you fallen away or you found yourself involved in things you should not be doing as a Christian, you need to recommit your life to Christ.

This would be a great time to do it. As we close in prayer. Tell Farhad's father, thank you for loving us so much he sent Jesus Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sin and taking God's judgment upon yourself and thank you for your gracious offer of forgiveness to all who would call out to you and now we pray for the Lord.

Help them to see their need for you help them to be forgiven by you and we ask it in your name met Greg Lord important prayer about coming to the Lord to find forgiveness of sins, and if you like to do that. Pastor Greg will help you in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning wraps up for a permanent copy of this great insight on forgiveness get in touch for the study, called the power of forgiveness will pass along the ordering details when you call 1-800-821-3300. You can call anytime were here 24 seven, 1-800-821-3300 or look for the message online@harvest.org and I were so glad to have some special guests with us today. In addition to pastor Greg's wife Kathy. We have authors Jeff and Chante fell upon you've written a new book thriving in love and money.

It's based on in-depth research into the habits and attitudes of hundreds of married couples shoddy yourself as a data analyst Gemma Chandy say if money is a problem in a marriage, money is not the problem in the marriage money stress is a symptom of a problem in the relationship.

I will couple relate to each other and understand each other and communicate about money. It's fascinating insight. Chante and Jeff in the last chapter of your book you speak of how this information change your marriage. How is your marriage different now, after putting your discoveries to work, but I'd say that's a you know it's it's deepened our understanding our respect for each other, our love for each other. I just, you know I hated having the script run through my mind and it was it was the I it wasn't necessarily a conscious decision that whenever we would have any sort of a disagreement about something. I had something that said Chante wasn't correct or wasn't doing things right and now all of a sudden I check that and it is been, whether it's in money or are other things I a check that really quickly when those thoughts start to come and I look for the more generous answer for why she's doing something yes and it it it look we all want peace in our household and we have peace it's it's been fantastic. It has been so fascinating to see how I would have described our marriage as being a great marriage before I had no idea there was a whole other level that we were missing. I had no idea that there was a whole other level of oneness and intimacy and closeness that was closed off – because there was this area as marriage, not just withstand it was the third rail right it was that area that we just avoided it exactly it.

I'm excited because I feel like even if there's just one member in household that will take the time to read this book that it'll help Karen begin that conversation because rather than thrust a book and disseminate you know your spouse's hands and you need to read this book itself will help you to begin to phrase those first like the first question you gave us which was so guide what is the one thing that I could do that would help you decant help me understand and talk about money with me. I mean, that's question is just the opening of a nice conversation rather than just you need to do this differently and you need to understand what I'm thinking, here it is the site help me understand so that we can have this conversation. I love thank you, Chante and Jennifer being on her show. In writing this book thriving in love and money and I hope that our listeners will order their own copy because it can really enrich number one your life number two your marriage and help you know how to deal with your finances in a godly way from a biblical perspective. And so we want to send you your own copy for your gift of any size to our ministry here at a new beginning because as you know we love to teach the word of God. This is just an illustration of that were helping you to see how Scripture applies to all areas of your life including your finances and that we also proclaim the gospel and give people an opportunity to believe in Jesus so whatever you send will invested in this ministry and will get you your own copy of this book by Chante and Jeff L on thriving in love and money.

Yeah, that's right.

And we have a copy right here waiting for you to get in touch and requested will send it to say thank you for investing in these daily studies. They touch lives each and every day and you have a part in that spiritual fruit when you invest so the studies can continue. And when you send that investment today. Be sure to ask for thriving in love and money you can write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 seven again at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org you pointed out the importance of asking Jesus to forgive our sins. A few moments ago.

Yes you help those who want to do that very thing right now you know the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ stands at the door of our life and he knocks and if any man will hear his voice and open the door he will come in maybe. As you've heard me speak today while you've heard another voice speaking to you with the voice of God and you realize you need Christ in your life you need your sins forgiven you want the assurance that you will go to heaven when you die when here's what you need to do. You need to pray and I would like to lead you in a prayer right now or you will be seeing the Jesus Lord come in the my life. I choose to follow you. So let's pray Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I think you for dying on the cross for my sin. I turn from that sin. Now and I put my faith in you be my Lord, my Savior and my God, my friend. I choose to follow you, Jesus.

From this moment forward. Thank you for loving me and calling me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen. Listen if you just pray that prayer I want you to know on the authority of Scripture that Christ himself is coming to your life. The Bible says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. If you just pray that prayer and minute you can know today you have eternal life MEI be the first to see the you welcome to the family of God and we want to help you grow as a believer. So let us send you our new believers growth packet will set it free of charge if you prayed with Pastor Greg today just write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300 where here 24 73 65 to take your phone call.

Should I 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org and click know God. Pastor Greg is presenting a series called world changers are you enjoying it. If you are drop him an email to let them know what you write. greg@harvest.org next time you see even world changers need a second chance failures and how to recover from next time on a new beginning. Pastor Greg for possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor greats free daily email, devotions@harvest.org