Daily Devotional: Friday, Dec 18

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Receiving Forgiveness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Joy to the World arranged by Chris Tomlin; Let Us Adore by Hillsong; Oh Come All Ye Faithful arranged by Chris Tomlin.

Read:  Psalm 103:12; Hebrews 10:17; 1 Corinthians 13:5

Think: You've heard the saying, "I can forgive but I can never forget." I wonder about those who say that... have they really forgiven? But then I wonder if you really can forget even when you've forgiven. I know God can actually forgive and forget our sins because in Hebrews 10:17 God says, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Unfortunately I think we have trouble doing that. It seems to me forgiving and forgetting is a choice. You can choose to forgive someone or not, it's up to you. God never says, "Forgive them if you feel like it." That's why 1 Corinthians 13:5 tells us, "(Love) does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered".

You've heard people say, "He/She doesn't deserve to be forgiven." Of course they don't, none of us do. But think of forgiveness as a gift... like that Christmas present under the tree. It is a gift of mercy that you offer to someone who has hurt you. The gift is given to the other person but it remains between you and God. There are times the other person may never know about it but when you forgive, God knows and you know, and that's what really matters.

How do I know when I have truly forgiven?

• When it is no longer at the forefront of your mind
• When talking about it bores you
• When you don't see the need to take revenge on that person
• When you can interact with them normally
• When the details of the situation are slipping from your mind

Do: This Christmas follow God's lead and be the person who extends forgiveness (and forgetfulness) to others for their offending actions.

Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to allow forgiveness to overwhelm my life. Allow me to truly extend forgiveness just as you have forgiven me so many times. God, you know the situations and people that I need to forgive and forget - show me how to release it and remove it ‘as far as the east is from the west'. Amen. 

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Friday, Dec 11

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Healing Family Rifts

Weekend Music links on iTunes: The Time Has Come by Hillsong United ; Angels We Have Heard on High arranged by Chris Tomlin; Cannons by Phil Wickham; From the Inside Out by Hillsong United.

Read: Genesis 39:2-6; Genesis 45:4-5; Jeremiah 29:11

Think: We read in the Old Testament about how Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Was Joseph angry? Yes, but he didn't carry it with him and over and over, just a Scripture says, "The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered".

Let's get real for a minute; there is great benefit to us in forgiving others. Do it for yourself. The Mayo Clinic says by forgiving we reduce stress, lower blood pressure, have fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and chronic pain and lower our risk of alcohol and substance abuse. Josh Billings (a contemporary of Mark Twain) said, "There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness."

Gary Coxe wrote a book titled Don't Let People Rent Space In Your Head. This is so descriptive of what we do with the hurts from the past. Who are we really hurting? The person who hurt us is likely unaware, has no stress, low blood pressure and we're the ones with all the angst and health issues.

If we go back to the account of Joseph, a man who had every right to never forgive, his position was that only by his being sold into slavery were so many lives saved. Read the full account but especially Genesis 45:4-5.

In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Sometimes we can't understand God's plans and many times His ways are not our ways. That's where the rubber of trust and faith meet the road. If we can assess our past hurts and disappointments in light of Jeremiah 29:11 we can move down the road of forgiveness.

Do: Review your health issues. Is it possible any of them are associated with unforgiveness?

Pray: Lord, I want to be healthy, I want to prosper as Joseph prospered, I want to let go of any unforgiveness in my life and move forward. Help me do that in Jesus name. Amen

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Wednesday, Dec 9

Speaker:Ben Sigman

Theme: Healing Family Rifts

Weekend Music links on iTunes: The Time Has Comeby Hillsong United ; Angels We Have Heard on High arranged by Chris Tomlin; Cannonsby Phil Wickham; From the Inside Outby Hillsong United.

Read: Deuteronomy 6:5; Acts 13:22; Mark 9:14-27

Think: "If you're not willing to forgive but willing to be willing God can work with that." This statement from Pastor Ben's series on Christmas is Forgiving gives us a next right step in the process of forgiving if we can't yet fully forgive.

The Bible refers to our hearts in many places. My understanding is that it's different from our soul (mind, will and emotions). In fact Deuteronomy 6:5 helps us see the distinction, it says "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Throughout scripture we read the heart described with terms like unregenerate, hardened, changed, upright, clean... But my favorite reference to the heart is in regard to King David.  Acts 13:22 says, "After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart. ‘"

We know that David didn't live a perfect, sin-free life, but we're told he was a man after God's own heart. He had a God-attitude. Maybe a good analogy is the attitude indicator in an aircraft. This instrument is used to inform the pilot of the orientation of the aircraft relative to earth. David's heart was oriented toward God - his God attitude was right on track. If we can't bring ourselves to actually forgive at this moment, we can orient ourselves toward God and acknowledge His position on forgiveness and He can help us take the next step.

I like the man in Mark 9:14-27 who brings his spirit possessed son to Jesus and says, "But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." His belief isn't all the way there, (notice the phrase IF you can do anything) but his attitude is right - bring it to the Lord!

Do: When you're having problems forgiving, bring it to the Lord. Even if it's an "IF you can help me" step, He will work with it as He did with the father from the Gospel of Mark. God delivered his son from the evil spirit and set him free!

Pray: Father, I believe you can help me forgive. Help me overcome my unbelief and set me free. Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Tuesday, Dec 8

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Healing Family Rifts

Weekend Music links on iTunes: The Time Has Come by Hillsong United ; Angels We Have Heard on High arranged by Chris Tomlin; Cannons by Phil Wickham; From the Inside Out by Hillsong United.

Read: Malachi 4, Revelation 22:20, Matthew 24:6

Think: As Pastor Ben reminded us in his Christmas is Forgiving message, healing of family relationships is a sign of the return of the Messiah and the end times - when Jesus Christ returns to the earth to defeat evil and establish His reign of justice and peace!

We think of the end times as wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilence, and earthquakes. However Malachi 4:2 says, "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings." This promise is for those who are believers in Christ.

Some time before the end of days "He will turn the hearts of the (believing) fathers to their children, and the hearts of the (believing) children to their fathers;" and we will "go out and leap like calves released from the stall."

I know many followers of Christ and families who have undergone the pain of divorce, children who have been abandoned, or adults who have been emotionally crippled because of years of unforgiveness.  But there is good news for all who have withstood the trouble of this life... Among the last words in the Bible are Revelation 22:20 which says, "He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."  

Let's pray for Jesus to come and restore the many, many families who have experienced rifts and trouble - let's ask the Lord to work a miracle and restore families and turn the hearts of children to their fathers.

Come, Son of Righteousness and bring your healing that we can have the most glorious Christmas celebration ever.

Do: List all the families who you know that need family relationships healed. Pray for them specifically today!

Pray: Come Lord Jesus with healing in your wings and do miracles this Christmas. Amen!

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org

Daily Devotional: Monday, Dec 7

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Healing Family Rifts

Weekend Music links on iTunes: The Time Has Come by Hillsong United ; Angels We Have Heard on High arranged by Chris Tomlin; Cannons by Phil Wickham; From the Inside Out by Hillsong United.

Read: Genesis 4:1 - 8; Isaiah 61:1

Think: In Pastor Ben's series on Christmas is Forgiving, he said that "unforgiveness can take away your life." And it's true... Unforgiveness attacks our souls. In our mind we rehearse the hurt, in our will we consciously choose to hold onto the hurt and in our emotions we're sad, disappointed, depressed and angry. Our enemy would love to keep us in that place.

In Genesis 4:5 the story of Cain and Abel says, "So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast." God asks, "Why?" and in verse 7 "...if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Over time it takes so much energy to maintain and foster unforgiveness. When my ex-wife had an affair with a man in our church I hated her, him, my church leadership, God, and my life. As we went our separate ways I worked hard to stay busy but I constantly re-lived conversations, situations I could have made different and all the things God could have done to keep me out of this pain.

Ben told us to "Let God work a miracle in your life". In my most desperate pain I reached out my hand and called on God to help me - and He set me free! Forgiveness for my whole list of people flooded into my soul and I discovered as Lewis Smedes says in his book The Art of Forgiving "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you."

Do: The next time you start rehearsing some conversation or hurtful situation associated with a person in your past, pray!

Pray: Lord you are the author of forgiveness. I am struggling to forgive. Father, please work a miracle in my life and author the forgiveness I so desperately need to set myself free from this prison. Amen.

4505 236th Ave. NE • Redmond, WA 98053 • 425-869-4400 • info@timberlakeonline.org