Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First: Day 1 Forgive Even When It's Hard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am participating in journaling about my experiences in reading Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First By Doug Bender. I will be blogging through four days about the different things I have learned to help promote this life changing book.  The book is available for purchase.

 

If you buy the book during the week of December 9^th-15^th make sure you email your receipt to the email address promo@iamsecond.com. They want to give you some special bonuses!

 

For all the full details check out:

http://www.iamsecond.com/livesecondbook/

Week 7: Day 2: Release

This day consisted of reading Matthew 18:21-35 in the Bible. The concepts presented in this passage were Peter asking Jesus how many times we are to forgive our brother who has wronged us. Peter suggested seven as the ultimate number we are suppose to forgive someone. Jesus replied, “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22). Jesus then described a parable of a debtor who owned the king millions of dollars. The master ordered to sell him and his wife, children, and everything he had left. The man pleaded with his master not to do that. The master forgave him and cancelled his debts.

When he left the masters face, he turned right around and found a servant who owned him a few thousand dollars. He chose to not forgive the servant who owned him money and he was eventually put into jail and tortured. The moral of the story was he was forgiven for his debt but he couldn’t forgive someone else’s debt. And Jesus warned that if we don’t forgive others the heavenly Father will do the same thing to you.

 

Let’s be honest, who hasn’t had to make the choice to forgive someone who has hurt and let them down. Bitterness is easy to allow to poison our very souls. I will admit I have been there and I was stubborn and determined that it was out of my control and power to forgive people that have hurt me.

How many relationships have ended because someone couldn’t forgive? MANY!

Major offences can come occur when the person we love walks away, we’re cheated on, people borrow money and don’t pay us back when they say they would, people criticize us and call us names, we’re fired or laid off, done wrong in a church, and a number of other things. Others may struggle with forgiving the small offences that can still wreak our world if we let it like our children spilling liquids or food, or breaking glass on the floor, our spouses leaving the toilet seat up (sorry men), the lawn didn’t get mow on time, the house isn’t clean, or anything else you can think of. But is it worth it holding on to anger?

Bitterness blocks us from ever finding love again whether in friendship or a relationship. Freedom only comes when we chose to release the hurt and forgive, no matter how painful it might be. Perfection doesn’t exist and we must know we can’t demand ourselves or others to be perfect all the time. We will all make mistakes and offend others at some point.

The question that we must ask ourselves is, “How many times have I personally hurt someone?” We must remember that Jesus forgives us every single time we confess our sins and hurts!

 

“I received an advance copy of Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First for free for this review.”

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Live Second, check it out on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Second-Ways-Jesus-First/dp/1400204801/

 

 

 

Let It Go: Forgive So You Can Be Forgiven By T.D. Jakes Book Review

Let It Go is written to provide enormous benefits to readers who are having trouble with forgiving offences. Offences come in petty and gigantic life alteration displayed by our actions, words, and unspoken expectations. No matter if the offences occurred as big or small, if unforgiveness consumes and plagues our hearts it will hinder our growth. Unforgiveness unchecked affects our relationship with our spouses, our children, our family members, our work environment, the ability to truly connect and fellowship with church members, and any other person we interactive with daily. We may think those around us aren't suffering from our bitterness and hurt. But our relationships need our commitment to forgive and let offences go. Bishop Jakes believed forgiveness is a "big idea" and it takes a great Eagle like thinking to forgive ourselves and others. Bishop Jakes affirmed that unforgiveness is the hidden cancer of the soul eating us alive and stopping us from living. Most people don't deal with the cancer that they can cure! We often fail to comprehend that you can't be in relationships that won't produce some conflict along the way. Disappointments, hurts, offences will happen and moving through the pain and healing enable us to live.




Bishop Jakes described that most people haven't showed others the 100 percent of themselves. Most of us don't even realize that we have put up walls around our hearts. If we would let the bitterness go we would be a new person, a better spouse, a better employee, church member, pastor, and friend! Forgiving ourselves for our failures and shortcomings is the first step in experiencing freedom and extending our love out to others. The Bible says, "To love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves" (Matthew 37-39) (Page 186). You can't give away forgiveness and love if you haven't received God's love and forgiveness. It's extremely vital you love and forgive the person he created! Once you have accepted his mercy, then you can extend that same forgiveness to other people who have betrayed you.



Bishop Jakes illustrated that we have four types of wounded warriors. They are the insulator, isolator, the inhibitor, and the bully. This book proved to me that I was an isolator and that I would withdraw in conflict and pain. I feared rejection that people would treat me just like the other person treated me. I thought hiding from the past experience of pain would fix the issue and protect my heart from being disappointment ever again. This book has helped me to start living free again without letting the disappointments and hurts run and control my everyday life. You have an obligation from God to love others and to forgive others, why don't you start doing it?




I would recommend getting this enriching life changing book resource and add it to your collection. This book is for anyone who is holding on to unforgiveness whether it is pain in your childhood, relationships, marriage, church, employment, or any other type of pain. This book is not for the people who can't stand to hear the truth and hate to read a message about forgiveness. Bishop Jakes doesn't hold back, you better brace yourself and be open and willing to deal with the issues and roots! This book is wrote as a how to forgive, how to move forward, and how the effects of unforgiveness can be deadly. I have personally brought into the lie that if I forgive people who have caused me heartache that they are getting away with hurting me. I thought that I was allowing them to continue in their ways without punishment. But who am I do inflict the same pain they put me through. God gets me mercy every day and I need to give them mercy. I loved how Bishop Jakes preached the truth with conviction and he included magnificent Biblical support. This book revealed so much helpful information of forgiving and moving forward with my life. I will be keeping this book close to me and I will be reading it when new offences try to make me buy into the bitterness root again. You don't have to remain stuck as a chicken and living at less than 100 percent of your true free self. An Eagle living at 100 percent captivity can be achieved for any man or woman who is willing to forgive and rise above the adversities that we encounter! This book changed my life and I pray that it changes yours too! Freedom is arriving! Are you ready?


Check out Let It Go on Bishop T.D. Jakes website:

http://tdjakes.org/letitgo/


If you would like to purchase a copy of Let It Go check it out on Amazon.com or ChristianBook.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Let-It-Go-Forgive-Forgiven/dp/1416547290

http://www.christianbook.com/let-forgive-you-can-be-forgiven/t-d-jakes/9781416547297/pd/547297

Journey of My Run Week 1 : Day 6

Week 1


Day 6 - Wednesday, April 21

I didn’t work out today. Grasp. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, “Why didn’t I.” Well, today was my birthday, so I took the day off! I celebrated with my family. We all need love and I have not loved people for a long time. I would love them, until they said or did something I didn’t like. I was selfish and I still can be most of the time. But I believe, “I am changing with God’s help.” I had to heal and start loving people again. I am still learning how too. I didn’t really smile a lot in life. But I am determined, I will enjoy life. I will write more blogs about certain topics too. I could continue on about things, I truly believe in and I will. I enjoyed my birthday dinner. I didn’t really want a family dinner, at first, but then I kind of needed it and wanted it. My family is some of the best people in my life, who will stand beside me no matter what. Friends will come and go and most do. Some move away and some just get hurt and leave. I have made a lot of mistakes, but they are making me a better person. The only thing you can do is say, “You’re sorry and ask for forgiveness” from them and God. I will continue in this journey called “Life”.