Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Jentezen Franklin from his book, Love Like You've Never Been Hurt: Hope, Healing and the Power of an Open Heart (p. 144). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Jentezen has in this book dealt a lot with forgiven someone when they have hurt you but here he also deals with the need when you’ve hurt someone to ask for forgiveness and to apologize to them. He says, “I have talked a lot about the importance and power of forgiveness when we have been hurt. I want to address the need for saying ‘I’m sorry’ when we are the ones who hurt others, whether we meant to or not.” He goes on, “If you want to reconcile a relationship, you must be willing to say, ‘I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.’   ‘I’m sorry I said those things.’   ‘I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.’   ‘I’m sorry I got so angry.’” He then says, “Here is another thought: Never ruin an apology by offering excuses. Never ...

A thought by Jentezen Franklin from his book, Love Like You've Never Been Hurt:Hope, Healing and the Power of an Open Heart (p. 142). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Ok, but I need justice. Look what they did to me.   I can’t let them get away with it, can’t I? Jentezen says, “Most people think the greatest temptation Jesus ever faced was when Satan approached Him after His forty-day fast in the wilderness. I believe it happened just before He was crucified. Garden of Gethsemane “When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew that in only a few hours He would be beaten, tortured and hung naked on a cross. He was in anguish as He prayed, sweating drops of blood. ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine’ (Matthew 26:39). After He prayed, Roman soldiers swarmed the Garden and arrested Him. Trying ...

A thought by Jentezen Franklin from his book, Love Like You've Never Been Hurt: Hope, Healing and the Power of an Open Heart (p. 139). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Right before this thought Jentezen says, “Think about the garments you put on every day as you go about your business. What do you wear? What kind of garment are you passing down to the next generation? Are you passing down a garment of peace or a garment of contention? A garment of prayer or a garment of bickering? A garment of needing to be right or a garment of striving toward reconciliation? A garment of forgiveness or a garment of bitterness? A garment of kindness or a garment of frustration? A garment of faith or a garment of worry? A garment of loving like you’ve never been hurt or a garment of resentment for all the pain you’ve endured?” Good questions.   He goes on, “We will pass on to our kids only what we wear, not what...