Articles & Resources
Words from Proclaim Ministries with Kent Clifford Cooley
HOW TO FORGET AN OFFENSE
by Kent Clifford Cooley
(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:5; Matthew 5:40-44)
"I can forgive but I cannot forget!" How many times have we heard this statement? Is it a true statement? Is it possible to not only forgive but to also forget? Are we truly forgiving an offense if we are not also forgetting an offense? The opposite of forgetting is to remember. To remember is to reconstruct something in our mind or to become aware of something that has been forgotten. To remember also means to retain or commit an idea to memory without forgetting it. In order to begin the process of forgetting an offense or wrong, I must not dwell on the offense in my thoughts or reconstruct the offense with my words in a conversation. Jesus gave us instruction on how to take action on the process of forgiving and forgetting. "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to him who keeps on begging from you, And do not turn away from him who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Now that we are not reconstructing the offense in thoughts or conversation, let's construct actions of love and kindness and respect and speak words of life and love about those who we confess to forgive. Father, I take heed to your Word and I will not keep a record of wrongs done to me. I will not play those recordings over in my mind or form words about them, reconstructing the offense. I relinquish to you all of the records that I have stored in my memory of wrongs done to me. I will replace the negative thoughts that come up in my mind with blessings. I do forgive and I can forget! Thank you for the grace you give me not only to forgive but also to forget every wrong done to me.
FORGETTING THE BAD / REMEMBERING THE GOOD
by Kent Clifford Cooley
(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:5)
Have you ever thought that most people have selective intelligence? We learn what we want to learn and remember what we want to remember and forget what we want to forget. We remember what we care about and forget the things that we do not care about. What we remember and forget says a lot about us. We can take an inventory about what we remember and what we forget and determine whether we are selfish or selfless. It is a reflection of my own selfishness when I tend to not remember someone's birthday or forget their name or their prayer request. I forget the good things and yet I remember every wrong thing that the person has ever done to me. The things I remember and the things I forget are a reflection of my selfishness. There is a woman that I am acquainted with that I do not choose to get to know. I don't care for the way she acts. She is loud and doesn't use proper grammar when she speaks. And she made fun of something about me personally in front of a group of people. When I see her or think about her, that one negative sentence she spoke is what comes to mind! I have chosen not to find out when her birthday is or send her a card. I have forgotten all about her prayer request and have not given a thought about what she might be going through in her personal life. I can change my thoughts about this person and I can change the intent of my heart toward her and anyone else that I have entertained negative thoughts about. First, I humble myself and get out of denial. I admit my wrong thinking and ask God to give me grace to love her. When the negative thought comes, I override it with a blessing. I take further action by finding out when she celebrates her birthday or any other day that is special to her. I make an effort to see what her needs are and let her know I care about them. This is the process of developing compassion. Father, I clear out my selfish bank by forgiving. I forgive and forget the wrongs others have done to me. Develop compassion in me concerning the needs and concerns of others. I want to make an effort to get to know the people I have not chosen to be my friends because of negative things I have stored in my selfish bank. I determine to let people know that I care about them whenever negative thoughts arise. Develop selflessness in me, Lord and love through me. THESE TWO THINGS Devotion: The Art of Selflessness (Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:5) Verse: I say that I'm forgetful / I'm bad about names I claim that I'm forgetful about so many things Then I say that I forgive them, but I never will forget Yet my love walk is determined by just two things By the thing that I remember and the things that I forget Chorus: Do I forget their birthdays? Do I forget their names? Do I forget the prayer requests that they bring before the saints Yet I remember every wrong that they've ever done to me yet My love walk is determined by these two things By the thing that I remember and the things that I forget Bridge: Folks don't care how much we know till they know how much we care May I be aware about them and not me May I be aware of the important things.
THE LEAST OF THESE
by Rebecca Cooley
(Adapted from Luke 9:48)
Have you ever invited someone into your home to stay for an extended period of time? Have you ever included someone on a trip that was meant just for your family? Have you ever set another place at the dinner table because of an unexpected guest? Have you ever knelt down to the eye level of a child and listened to his question and answered it? Have you ever sat with a teenager and listened to their story? Have you ever sat with an elderly person and talked about their past? If you can answer yes to any of the above questions, you have extended the love of the Father. Jesus said that if we welcome even a little child on His behalf, we are welcoming Him and if we welcome Him, we welcome His Father. Jesus extended the ultimate agape love of the Father when He went to the cross. The blood that was shed that day rolled out a red carpet for all mankind. There is no greater act of love than this. Father, the next time an opportunity is presented to me to give of myself or to give something that is precious to me, help me to remember that your Son rolled out the red carpet for me. I too want to roll out the red carpet of your love by extending it to others. "Child, whoever is least among you is the greatest. The smallest thing done in the name of Love becomes great in My eyes."
RED CARPET
(Adapted from Luke 9:48)
Verse 1: Hanging on the cross his blood was streaming down for the least of these Hanging on the cross his blood was streaming down for you for me Chorus Roll out the red carpet, hanging on the cross between two thieves Roll out the red carpet for you and me and for the least of these Verse 2: He who receives and accepts and welcomes the least of these Sees and accepts and welcomes me He who receives and accepts and welcomes me Sees and accepts and welcomes him who sent me
© LoveWalkConnectionPublishing WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley Devotion by Rebecca Cooley
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