Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton 21/02/2013 : Forgiveness

We hope for the future - forgiveness is the way

When we are hurt: Until we can see a way to move forward we like to have some sort of control and in the meantime we make angry plans for retribution.

Pity party/blame game. When you allow bitterness, pain and hurt in your life when others do you wrong, this gives other's responsibility for my life. When you hold resentment and un-forgiveness you've given over the control of your mind, voluntarily. You're no longer in control.

Anything we cannot face holds the most power over us. Subconsciously it affects every decision we make. Everything in our lives from this point forward is filtered by this anger.

We wouldn't ordinarily invite the person who wronged us into our home. Even the thought of that horrifies us. Why aren't we horrified by the pain in our minds, often to the exclusion of everything else? 

Where did we get the notion that living like this is ok?  We cry "this is unfair". The pain/hurt/anger becomes a grudge. We hold onto it and re-hash it over and over again in our minds.

We fantasize that the wrong-doer is going to make it better somehow. But this fantasy is purely living in our head; they usually don't give us a second thought.

When we refuse to forgive, or hold onto a grudge, it only hurts us. Liken it to drinking poison.

How do we navigate through hurt & pain?
1) Roll with the punishes and bounce back up. This too shall pass.

2) Rub out the pain, rather than rubbing it in to the wound. When you rub it out it doesn't become a permanent stain. 

Bemoaning what we don't have, or would like to have, means we cannot enjoy to the full what we DO HAVE.

Healing our hidden wounds.
1) Don't nurse them. Poor me.
2) Don't curse them and become bitter. Not my fault
3) Don't rehearse them, as this delays healing.
4) Immerse them, with the help of others.
5) Reverse them; negatives into positives, with Gods's help.

Roosevelt: "Anger is one letter short of Danger."

Mother T is claimed to have written on her wall. "People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway."

Build better friendships. Beneficial to all concerned. 

Note to Self: I have to live with myself and so I want to be fit for myself to know. Always look myself in the eye. Never hide from myself. I see what others never see. I can never fool myself, so whatever happens I want to be self-respecting and conscience free.

Anyone can imprison your body by control, but only you can hand over authority by refusing to forgive.

Only power in hurtful things is the power you give to it. Your life will prosper when your mindsets change. In order to obtain better fruit in the orchard, you need better roots on the trees. Root=Relationship with God and immersing in His word.

In order to obtain peace in your life you need to actively pursue that peace. Exercise your brain.  If you hold a grudge you're going to be miserable.

Whatever you don't conquer in your mind is going to conquer you. Refusing to consider forgiveness is refusing to take back ownership of your mind. 

Change your behaviour in the middle of a situation. Actively change your reactions and responses. Ps 138:3 in the day when I cried you answered me. Strengthened me in my soul.

While in prison Lindy was accosted by a guard who publicly humiliated her.  Lindy wanted to report this officer as she had done no wrong, but while sitting on her bed inside her cell she "thumbed her bible" (randomly stuck it in the side).  The thumb rested on the scripture Psalm 4:4 "Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be silent (sorry for the things you say in your hearts). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! She felt God say to her to let go of the anger and allow God to be her vindicator.

The following day she was called into the wardens office and asked to write down what had been said, and then to follow-up with testimony from the other inmates who had been treated poorly.  Unbeknown to Lindy, that officer had been warned previously for bad behaviour and the warden required evidence to take further action.  If Lindy had approached the officials her complaint may not have been heard, but she rested in the knowledge that God would take action, and He did.

Ps 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.

Vindication from the Lord. God is with me. Jesus said to forgive 70 times 7.  Pretty much, as many times as necessary.

Forgiveness is for the benefit of yourself, for us. To cancel a bad debt. Allows God to move in our lives. 

Forgiveness: Determined by our will and mindset. It costs, but not as much as not forgiving.

Forgiveness gives you back the power. Unforgiveness, eats you from the inside out. Unforgiveness will destroy me.

Forgiveness, though, doesn't nullify what has been done. It sets you free.

How can I be free from pain? Happiness does not come from what is around us, but what is within us. Not from what we have, but what we are.

John Cusack: [paraphrased quote] "Decide how you feel when you wake up in the morning. It is not what happens that determines how far you go, it's what you do with it."

If you are going thru hell, don't set up camp there.

Hardening of the hearts/attitudes is the most deadly. To respond is positive. To react is negative. Do what is right even if no one else is.  We are responsible for ourselves and our actions.

If you aren't a winner without a medal, you won't be a winner with one. (Congratulate others when they win).

Don't pin your hopes on tomorrow. We only have today. Can't live on intangibles. Each day has enough troubles of its own. It's never as bad as you think.

Only a voluntary apology works. We pray "forgive us as we forgive others." God is more generous than we are. God has never gone on strike. He has never considered punishing us with retribution, even though He has been treated unfairly.

God understands what forgiveness does for us. Learn to pray. 

Forgiving and moving on does not mean we are being disloyal to the past. Learn to move on. When we move on we hand back all the pain to the person that caused it and it can no longer hurt us.

Moving on is not always immediate. Keep reminding yourself to let go. 

A bible that is falling apart, usually belongs to someone who isn't.

Peters says cast all your anxiety on Him, cos he cares for you. Let God deal with hurt, pain and punishment. Happiness is not a reward it's a consequence. We need to forgive. Forgive the past.

Begin again, this minute, this day. Don't waste it. Don't ask God to be with us, He is always with us. Ask that we be with God. He is so close. Recognize His presence.

Gods love is the fabric that never fades in the washing of adversity.

Winston Churchill:  "We are all worms. But I believe I'm a glow worm."

Length of Days.

Sisterhood Bobbie H. 14 June 2012

Our lives need to echo our commitment to our calling.

Length of Days. Testimony and legacy are romantic! 

We need a commitment to navigate the days of my life for the length of my days. 

God is the Alpha & Omega, who was, & Is ; & Is to come.

1Chron 29:28 David reigned. Deut 34:7&9

Take courage from the legends of old. Our together calling: called to create a magnificent example of Christ. 

Ps 90:12 teaches us to number our days. Value each day so that we can gain a heart of wisdom.

What it takes to deliver a length of days that will make heaven proud?

1) glorious length of days comes with a heart of wisdom to what conviction & commitment really are. A conviction alone achieves nothing, it takes commitment. Commitment doesn't come without devotion.

1Cor 16:13-16 give us something to aspire to. Keys to length of days is simple: old fashioned commitment. God needs us committed. When challenge comes knowing your conviction & commitment takes the wind out of it

2) glorious length of days comes with a heart of wisdom for what that day holds. 
Rom 12:1-2 fix your attention on God He will fix us from the inside out. Assignment of testimony. Overcame by the Blood of the Lamb & word of their testimony.

3) comes with a SOUL STUFFED WITH WISDOM Ps 90 teaches us to number of days so that we can gain a heart of wisdom. Hope rises. Sandra Bullock movie. Good things prevail & cause us to press on & not grow weary. Each of us given a measure and it's our responsibility to grow that measure.

Fill my soul so that I can listen to my soul. What is in my soul will be my greatest companion, greatest comfort & will tell me what to do. Well of salvation - draw deep.

In the night season my heart will instruct me. Soul sustains, so we can accomplish length of days.

Sisterhood Combined Nite 27/11/2012

Sisterhood combined night. 27/11/2012 Bobbie. H

A glorious redemption.

Song of Solomon. His confident words still thrilling in her heart.  With a Shepherd King whose work is done in the darkness and its not done.  She went to sleep but her heart stayed awake.

She had a dream that her shepherd came back and asked her to rise. But her comfort kept her in bed. Her heart leapt and caused her to rise but it was too late he left. BUT it was only a dream.

Work is not done in His people's lives.

1) "With His confident words still thrilling her heart." There is beautiful redemption in His words. Live in a world manic with words. But His words a different. He is the door. Bread of life. Way, the Truth and the Life. I am come that you might have life and life abundant. The word that became flesh. Moved into our neighbourhood. He is Foundational, rock beneath our feet.

These feet have been called to bring good news. Feet upon the mountains that bring good news. Is 54: our lives making desolate places habitable again.

Confident words. Be still my anxious heart. Affirm worth and personhood. Way more powerful that any lies that have been spoken over you. Wash them away with His words. His words direct our mind. Issue from the very heart and mind of God. Healing balm to our hearts. 

Gospel is not hard. This Christian life is not hard. Hunger and thirst for the word of God like nothing else. When the Word and the Spirit become what they have always meant to be, revival and change will come to the world.

Proverbs says "a mans heart plans his way, but God directs his steps." More ground to take. Our pilgrimage isn't over, otherwise Christ would have returned. 

Psalm 84:5-7 And how blessed all those in whom you live, whose lives become roads you travel; They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks, discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain! God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and at the last turn—Zion! God in full view! (Psalm 84:5-7 MSG)

2) "through the lattice and SAW her shepherd turn away and disappear into the night." Keep The Lord Jesus is in full view.  Eyes glued on JC. Jesus' heart is recorded in His word. So many things can distract us, keep your eyes on Him. Allow Him to make Himself known to you. 

What's left of this great redemption story. We need to be watching Jesus more than ever. Watching His heart. Watching His moves. He has moves that defy the odds. Spit on the blind man's eyes (flying in the face of religion). 

Loved when He moved and when He didn't move. He did it for us and set us free.

3) "she watched him turn away and disappear into the night". Speaks of many things, but resonates with Bobbie, that His work isn't done. Be relent-lace in finishing our work. Harvest is not complete. Fields that need attention. Still more to be done. Open our eyes and see what still needs to be done, rescue and redeem. 

We need to redeem that which we are able to redeem, and allow Him to redeem that which only He can. Not by might, nor power but by Your Spirit.

This movement needs women with clean, clear thinking. In the army equipped. Precise and alive unto God and His word. Take control of your health.  Stir up your faith and trust in God as it will lead you to a place of healing.

Stir up and reinvigorate your heart. Nt how gifted, it's how willing we are. For the work that is before us we need to be willing. Physical heart is a muscle which needs to be exercised and our spiritual heart needs the same. Get out of our comfort zone and be stretched and put a good demand on our spiritual heart.

Redeem your boots. Warrior Princess, Daughter girl. Put on our army boots. Get back into the fight. A lot of people who need us to facilitate their freedom. Slave or free baby. #redeemitbabyredeemit. Be a daughter of the free woman.

Put it under the Blood. Put it on the table.

Seeking to be custodians of His Daughters

4th March 2010 - Bobbie H and Lucille

• seeking to be custodians over their identity and confidence
• Identity and confidence are foundational, and are fragile in nature
• These are the building blocks that can either stabilise us or cause us (and the House) to topple over

Every morning God calls us to renew our relationship with Him and surrender, anew (afresh) everything that we are and cause Him to be the focus of our lives. During this surrender it is paramount that we ask Him to reveal anything within us that can keep us from Him and His calling for our lives. [ed's note: Psalm 139:23-24 (Amp) Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.]

Confidence is an unfolding revelation, which is fleshed out during our learning curves.

When we say "Your will be done Lord and not mine" we are setting ourselves up to travel down the Godly path, in order to fulfill His purpose.

Realise your capacity and confidence. Watch over one another.

Gen 4:3-16: shows us the first example of violence in the bible, when Cain kills Abel out of jealously of Gods' love. Cain responds, when God asks him where his brother is, "am I my brothers' keeper?". We are actually called to look out for one another. Cains' deliberate actions in killing his brother, and therefore not being his keeper, contributed to his exile out of Gods' presence.

Lucille then spoke

• It is important to cultivate close relationships - its fundamental to our journey in life
• Proverbs 27:17 (Amp) Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose]. [ed's note: see how a friend can either bring out rage OR a worthy purpose. Those whom we hang out with will define who we are and how we act. Consider carefully whom you allow to contribute to your life as they will either bring rage OR a worthy purpose. I would prefer the worthy purpose, myself.]
• Create relationships intentionally

1. Be friendly
2. Pray about your friends and whom you should be friends with
3. Take your mind off yourself

John 15:7 (Amp) If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

Position yourself around women who bear good fruit and can empower you to do the same.