A TRUE STORY OF RADICAL FORGIVENESS

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Craig Deall’s family farm was seized by the government of Zimbabwe 20 years ago without any compensation. Rather than fight or flee, Craig’s faith compelled him to forgive – a decision that has reaped a great harvest in more ways than one.  Deall was raising his family on the same farm he grew up on when in 2003, the unthinkable happened.  “It was obviously extremely traumatic,” he told CBN News. The government forced Deall, his wife, and children to leave their home and farm that had been in his family since 1948 as part of the government’s land reform program. An effort to more equitably distribute land between black subsistence farmers and white Zimbabweans of European ancestry.  He had three choices. “We could fight, we could flee, or we could forgive“. “Some of my friends fought for their land and ended up getting killed for it,” Deall said. “Most of my friends left the country, and no answer is wrong. But we as a family decided to pursue the third option which was to forgive. (Only Christians can understand why anyone would make this decision. It is opposite to what Satan would have you do). We felt that if we chose bitterness instead of forgiveness, there’s no country far enough away where it doesn’t smell.”

Deall kept going back to one scripture in the Bible’s New Testament. In that scripture, Jesus says, ‘If a man steals your coat, give him your tunic as well.’ (Matthew 5:40) For us, it meant, if a man steals your farm, teach him how to farm. And that’s what we did. And with that, the pressure lifted, there was a great release over us, and we knew that God had opened up an avenue for us to serve the least of these and to bring them the Gospel,” he recalled. Deall moved his family to Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, while about a dozen other families took over his house and land. He then joined a group called Foundations for Farming. There, he began to teach the new owners, as well as other small-scale farmers, a unique way of farming that God revealed to the group’s founder, Brian Oldreive. “He went with a child-like faith into virgin bush, into virgin forest and he sat there and he asked God, ‘Teach me how to farm’, and the two things that he saw is that there is no inversion tillage in nature. And the next thing he saw is that there is this beautiful mulch cover that covers the forest floor, and that’s actually God’s mechanism for feeding and protecting the soil,” Deall explained.

“So, he went back to his farm, and he literally tried it. Just without any tillage and no burning, which is contrary to the conventional way of farming, and he immediately got outstanding results like 10-time increment in yield,” he continued. “And so, he knew that it worked, and he started to grow it bigger and bigger but he knew that God had given him this revelation, not for himself but to extrapolate across the continent of Africa to the rural farmers, the hurting, the poor ones around the continent.” The success of the Zero-Tillage technique caught the attention of the Zimbabwe government which endorsed the method. And in 2020, the country experienced its first food surplus in two decades. “In fact, the food production has jumped four times, between three and four times, are the official estimates of the food increment in the year 2020,” Deall said.

The country’s main crop, corn, tripled with the method and now Foundations for Farming teaches the technique all over the world with the main goal of sharing the Gospel. “But 80% of what we teach is the heart. It’s using agriculture as an entry point for the gospel,” Deall said. Even with all their success, the Zimbabwean government never offered Deall any compensation for his home, land, or time teaching, but he says the way God has provided, he wouldn’t change a thing. “We have a saying in Foundations of Farming: ‘I used to own a farm in Africa, now Africa is my farm,’” he said. For more information on Foundations for Farming, visit foundationsforfarming.org

GOD ANSWERS PRAYER

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Jesus makes it plain that forgiveness is an essential requirement of all prayers. He also makes it abundantly clear that He will respond to all prayers of believers that are operating in obedience to God’s will, which will be the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:24-25

First, go and be reconciled to them” (Matthew 5:23-24). They may not forgive you, of course; they may reject your attempt or react with renewed anger over what you did, but then it becomes their problem, not yours. You will have done everything you could to let them know you regret what happened, and that you want their forgiveness.

Paul makes it clear that God answers humble prayers given with thanksgiving. We can also then be confident that the peace of God will “guard our hearts and minds“.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

See what David has to say about prayer. He loves God because He knows God responds to his prayers. Note what David says about calling on God as long as he lives. Also, note David differentiates between his body and soul.

“I love the LORD because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.” Psalms 116:1-2

“The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, He saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.” Psalms 116:6-7

“For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” Psalms 56:13

“For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalms 116:8-9

I love the following Scripture on prayer, it tells us so much 1. Rejoice always, 2. Pray without ceasing in all circumstances, 3. When we do, rejoice, be thankful, and pray we are in the will of God, 4. Do not quench the Holt Spirit within you, 5. Do not despise prophecies (there are about 2000 prophecies of Jesus’ second coming), 6. Test everything, be Bereans, 7. Hold fast to what is good and reject the rest.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21

THE ONLY SOLUTION TO INVASION DAY

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CALL IT UNITY DAY, NOT INVASION DAY OR AUSTRALIA DAY

“My children say to me, ‘Happy Invasion Day, Dad.’ But I say to them, ‘Happy Unity Day.'”

These powerful words come from Pastor James Dargin, a recognized Indigenous leader and elder in Wollongong, who has a deep love for people and for Australia. 

James has seen much pain and suffering in his life and his message is simple: we need to forgive so we can build a united future for our children. The only way to do that, he believes, is to stop the division and work together.

According to James, there is no better opportunity to practice this value than on Australia’s national holiday. “Let’s not change the date of the 26th of January,” he says. “But let’s change our hearts on the 26th of January.”

In explaining why he is such a strong believer in forgiveness, James opens up about his childhood: “I grew up with mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse. I was tied to a bed, and my brother was tied under our house. My brother was put on a stove. I grew up with racism. I grew up with a lot of abuse. And it got to a point for me to hide that abuse is that I was on alcohol and drugs for forty years straight.”

But that was not the end of his story. He recounts that “At the age of 50, I gave my heart to the Lord. He changed my heart. I have forgiven the people that have hurt me and I’ve forgiven family members.” Why? “When I gave my heart to the Lord, I realised He forgave me. He died on the cross for me.”

As a result, James is convinced that division over issues like Australia Day is unproductive and ultimately destructive. He has a better vision for how we can celebrate:

“Let’s come together and call it Unity Day, Forgiveness Day — to forgive each other, to love one another. It should be a day of celebration, of love. Hug someone. Forgive somebody. Love somebody. That’s what we should be celebrating. What happened in the past was horrific. Let’s come together, let’s build a future for the next generation.”

PRAYER CONNECTS YOU TO THE SOURCE OF LIFE

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God’s Word clearly tells us to ‘pray about everything.’

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21

What an important Scripture read it often and practice what it teaches and you will know the truth about God and His desire to be in a relationship with you.

Today, science is beginning to recognize the value and the power of prayer. Researchers investigating the role of faith in health are discovering evidence that’s hard to refute.

THE MIND HEALTH REPORT (Secrets to Unlocking Your Mind for Work, Love, and Life) produced by Newsmax: A 2014 study confirmed that people who engage in private prayer, intercessory prayer, and church activities are healthier and live longer.

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY: Researchers found that praying for somebody increases your readiness to forgive them. When a group of men and women prayed for the well-being of a close friend every day for four weeks, they were more willing to forgive not only the friend but people in general. Forgiveness is associated with better overall health and satisfaction with life.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI: Their researchers discovered that prayer and religious practices improve your ability to pursue and achieve long-term goals. Prayer affects regions in your brain that improve self-control, and people who view their goals as sacred are more determined to attain them.

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON: A research study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison concluded that victims of abusive relationships recovered a positive self-image and reduced their emotional pain when their lives included prayer.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Columbia University researchers found that people who value religion and regularly attend church are 90 percent less likely to suffer from depression than their non-religious peers.

If you pray according to the will of God expect to receive a response as did Isaiah

“As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you.” Isaiah 7:16

“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” Isaiah 29:7

That’s pretty strong evidence in favour of prayer, wouldn’t you say?

Source: The Word for Today

WHAT JESUS ACCOMPLISHED FOR US

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It is important to read the following two Scriptures regularly to remind ourselves of what Jesus has accomplished for us. Progressive Christianity has rejected penal substitution, seeing it as cruel and unjust, inducing self-loathing. The problem here is that they have not truly understood what God the Father has accomplished with His Son Jesus. There is no doubt that “the beginning of wisdom is to fear God” but that is not the end of the story.

“For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:18-24

“Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews… and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.” John 19:19-20

What actually happened on the cross? If we put aside unhelpful traditions and consider what the Bible teaches us, there is much to celebrate.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus didn’t just carry sin, or pay for sin; he became sin. The perfect Lord of all, who humbled himself to serve his own creation, became all human brokenness. Paying for sin is one thing; becoming sin is far deeper. Jesus became every expression of human brokenness, and more than that became the cause of all human brokenness, which is judgement. His spiritual agony was so much worse than the physical pain of the cross. It is no wonder the sky darkened, as all that is good became all that is harmful.

It doesn’t stop there. Jesus became sin, that we might become the righteousness of God. In turn, this means that we become righteousness, as completely as he became sin. 

The cross, then, is an exchange – of our lack for his supply, our brokenness for his wholeness, our fear for his love, which can all be summed up as our righteousness (“filthy rags”) for his righteousness (right-standing with God, forever).

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.” Colossians 2:13-15

The cross provides the forgiveness of sin, by cancelling our legal indebtedness. Sin and death were destroyed. The enemies of humankind were disarmed, triumphed over, and made a spectacle of. What a wonderful God we have.

RACIAL RECONCILIATION THROUGH FORGIVENESS IS NOT ON OFFER OUTSIDE OF THE GOSPEL

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In relation to the question of race, we need to consider the secular mindset of today’s racial illuminati. They employ the categories of guilt and innocence but apart from a conviction that God has dealt with universal guilt by the sacrifice of his innocent Son. Therefore, whites are guilty because they are white; blacks innocent because they are black.

Redemption and reconciliation through forgiveness is not on offer, only perpetual repentance on the part of one group.

For most of the last two thousand years Christians have believed that God deals with nations as nations and enters into closer relations with societies that claim him as Lord. This belief in the national covenant, only recently out of fashion, is where Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. turned when faced with such questions in their own time.

This anthology, Race and Covenant explores the theme of national covenant in scripture, history, and contemporary American society as well as the theology and practices of covenant communities. Its authors suggest new strategies for finding racial reconciliation in this troubled time.

Featuring contributions from W.B. Allen, Joshua Berman, Timothy George, Derryck Green, Alveda C. King, Glenn C. Loury, Gerald R. McDermott, Joshua Mitchell, Evan Musgraves, Osvaldo Padilla, James M. Patterson, Jacqueline C. Rivers, R. Mitchell Rocklin, Robert Smith, Jr., Carol M. Swain, Mark Tooley, and Robert L. Woodson, Sr.

This stirring passage from Derryck Green’s contribution itself commends the book:

Blacks have been systematically targeted, attacked, hurt, and damaged. Slavery and segregation, while not unique to America, were evil. They were sins against the national covenant, and these sins have been massive impediments to the peace and unity which most blacks and whites seek. The residual of white racial chauvinism, though legally outlawed, continues to guide far too many hearts and minds. Some black anger and resentment are therefore understandable; some are not. But it doesn’t matter. Jesus was very clear that the obligation of his followers is to upend the normal cycle of reciprocating anger, antipathy, and hostility. As his disciples, black folks in the churches must initiate reconciliation, and that begins with forgiveness.

Extracted from article Race, Covenant, and Forgiveness by James F Keating in The Catholic Thing, Saturday July 10th, 2021

TRIALS COME WITH THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

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Another great message from Francis Chan on living the Christian life. It’s a continual battle, spiritual warfare. It’s so easy to sew to the flesh, to give in to earthly desires,, but remember the following verse of Scripture – we can fool family and friends but not God when we do so. God is not mocked.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:7-10

We all sin, even Francis and certainly me, but as Francis Chan points out God is merciful and when we sincerely repent and turn back to Him He forgives and forgets. Giving up is not an option, it is the overcomers that inherit the Kingdom of God.

Nothing you do in this life matters apart from what you do for God.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM MYRIAM WHO FORGAVE ISIS

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Iraqi schoolgirl Myriam, whose message of forgiveness for ISIS ‘captured millions of hearts’ when it went viral, urges Christians to pray and bring hope to refugee children. SAT-7 documentary Sequel of Hope broadcasts her family’s message of hope after returning to their hometown of Qaraqosh.

The world has changed since the testimony of 9-year-old Myriam went viral in 2014. In an interview with SAT-7 Producer and Director Essam Nagy, she inspired audiences around the world when she forgave ISIS for displacing her from her home in Qaraqosh, Iraq, forcing her to leave everything she knew for a refugee camp in Kurdistan. Myriam said she found comfort and strength in watching SAT-7’s children’s TV shows in the camp – programs that helped her grow in her faith and extend forgiveness to ISIS.

We can learn so much from children who have faith in God even in extreme circumstances. Be inspired by the story of Myriam who forgave ISIS? Get the full story at https://www.sat7usa.org/sequel-of-hop…

THE ATHEIST DELUSION

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What a great video by Ray Comfort. A must for your unbelieving family and friends.

Having to prove the existence of God to an atheist is like having to prove the existence of the sun, at noon on a clear day. Yet millions are embracing the foolishness of atheism. “The Atheist Delusion” pulls back the curtain and reveals what is going on in the mind of those who deny the obvious. It introduces you to a number of atheists who you will follow as they go where the evidence leads, find a roadblock, and enter into a place of honesty that is rarely seen on film. From Living Waters, creators of the award-winning TV program “The Way of the Master” and the hit movies “180” and “Evolution vs. God,” comes the powerful film “The Atheist Delusion.” Executive produced by TV co-host and best-selling author Ray Comfort (Hell’s Best Kept Secret, Scientific Facts in the Bible). Learn more at http://www.AtheistMovie.com

CHOOSE TODAY WHO YOU WILL SERVE

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God is in control of our circumstances but He left us in charge of our choices. In these “last days” our daily life choices are crucial so that we live our lives by the grace of God, in His strength and to His glory. Tomorrows regrets are today’s wrong choices. These thirty Biblically based life principles provided by Peter Rahme (Inner West Baptist Church, Chullorah) will help you choose wisely and well, so you wholeheartedly serve our deserving Lord.

It is crucial you let the indwelling Holy Spirit play His role as your counsellor, comforter and teacher concerning all thirty of these Biblical principles. Let Him direct your choices and you will be able to do all thirty, without Him you will do nothing pleasing to the Lord.

  1. Today I choose to experience Forgiveness from God (and others) and express it freely to others, rather than hold on to bitterness.
  2.  Today I choose to be Grateful to God (and others) for His amazing grace, rather than be angry at Him (and others) for almost everything that seems to go wrong in my life.
  3.  Today I choose to extend Love and Grace to my family and friends rather than being critical of them.
  4.  Today I choose to exercise Mercy towards my family and friends rather than being condemning of them.
  5.  Today I choose to experience Peace with my family and friends rather than being contentious with them.
  6.  Today I choose to make Restitution with others, rather than take revenge on them.
  7.  Today I choose to be set Free, serving God and others, rather than be under the bondage of the spirit of ententitlement.
  8.  Today I choose to learn from and let go of the past, rather than being held back by it.
  9.  Today I choose to live in the present, rather than miss out on it.
  10.  Today I look forward to the future rather than worry about it.
  11. Today I choose to accept responsibility for my own action and behaviour, rather than blame others for theirs.
  12. Today I choose to come clean with my painful memories, rather than camouflage them with a fake smile.
  13. Today I choose to be Humble and Reasonable in the way I treat others, rather than be proud and arrogant in the way I mistreat them.
  14. Today I choose to be careful not to re-offend and be much better at understanding, rather than be easily offended at the slightest misunderstanding.
  15. Today I choose to be comfortable in my own imperfection, rather than look to find faults in others.
  16. Today I choose to lift people up and have fun, rather than put people down and making fun of them.
  17. Today I choose to be able and willing rather than stubborn and unwilling.
  18. Today I choose to be positive, exploring ALL the options available to me rather than negative opposing ANY opportunities presented to others around me.
  19. Today I choose to be proactive in going forward rather than reactive and getting nowhere.
  20. Today I choose to be productive getting things done rather than busy doing things and getting nothing done.
  21. Today I choose to be a User Friendly person rather than a person who is User of Friends.
  22. Today I choose to function according to my design rather than exist in a dysfunctional state of failure.
  23. Today I choose to function at an Interdependent level rather than a Co- dependent one.
  24. Today I choose to focus on the Us and What Is rather than ME and What if.
  25. Today I choose to focus my effort, energy and emotion on doing my best rather than being the best.
  26. Today I choose to make my priority in my business is to serve the people rather than sell a product.
  27. Today I choose to do life for the betterment of all rather than the detriment to any.
  28. Today I choose to connect and contribute rather than control and be contentious.
  29. Today I choose to take the necessary action to do my life goals rather than talk needlessly about doing them.
  30. Today I choose to give and receive rather than grab and run.