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Amnesia of forgiveness |
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Those who have suffered from amnesia will tell you it wasn�t very pleasant. Some feel confused, disorientated, and probably angry with themselves for not remembering things. Others feel a sense of deep loss for the part of their lives they can�t recall, or fear of what it might hold. So, I do understand that it isn�t just forgetting � but why not |
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get on board the train of thought here and just for the moment imagine that there is an amnesia of forgetfulness only. I think the final destination of this train is worth the ride ;o) |
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Acts 8:39-40 �When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.� |
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Nowadays we travel by cars, and aeroplanes (and trains of course) � this guy was so open to the Spirit, that he just let the Spirit take him wherever. He just looked around at where he was, and wherever the Spirit had put him, he just started sharing Christ. |
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Azotus |
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Caesarea |
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No one including Philip knew how he got there, but to Philip that wasn�t what was important.
What mattered to Philip was the power of forgiveness in the name of Jesus.
��they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.� (Acts 8:12) |
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So, what would it feel like to suddenly end up in a strange place |
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where you knew no one, where you had no reputation, no money,no family, no friends � the way Philip did at Azotus? So I wondered how would you and I react to that sort of thing? All aboard the train of thought leaves from this station! |
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I guess if my work sent me on business somewhere where people can�t tell me who I am, but they more or less speak the same language, and for some reason I lost everything, maybe I was mugged and woke up in a completely strange place - not remembering. Maybe that would give me an idea of what it was like for Philip? |
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If I don�t remember why I am there, the only thing I know to do is whatever the Spirit leads. Every person I come across is new to me, I don�t know if they have hurt me in the past, so I feel no anger or bitterness towards anyone. Maybe yesterday one cut me up driving, maybe another was abusive, maybe one was violent, maybe one sexually abused me, maybe another stole from me, maybe took my job, my family, or made me homeless. I don�t remember any of that - each one is just there for me to bless in any way I can, for me to show the love of Christ to. I can hear His word for each one without my emotions getting in the way. |
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When I don�t remember any of my intellectual objections as to why the Lord cannot move in bringing healing and deliverance � I am just moved by compassion towards the sick, and pray so simply to see them healed. When people speak angrily towards me, I see straight away that they are not attacking me, but speaking out of the hurt inside and immediately forgive and desire to see them released from that hurt. I have no reputation, so I have no fear of making a |
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mistake, I just trust Father to make it right if I get it wrong. |
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I have no memory of helping anyone, so anyone who helps me, gives me anything, |
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or treats me with any kindness comes like an incredible gift that I didn�t expect. I am touched by every act of simple kindness in a way that wells up in gratitude to them, |
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and to the Lord for putting them in my path. There is a rejoicing in my heart whenever I see another who also knows my precious Lord. � I don�t remember any doctrine, so I am unable to judge if they have got things right or wrong, all I know is they have a heart desire for Him, however little that is, I want to encourage that. |
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I don�t hold opinions or view points that bring me into arguments with anyone � they have all gone, all I remember |
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is that I am loved and forgiven by the Lord. It no longercosts me my pride to forgive anyone, I have nothing I remember that I can be proud of. It is all Him, everything I now know has been purchased for me by Jesus. |
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In this place, I have no identity of my own, no reputation to defend, no position to take, no wanting to twist things around for my benefit. My life is completely hidden from me, it is as if I have been brought back from the dead to true life with Christ. My earthly worries and anxieties have been stripped away. I have no need to lie � there is nothing to cover up. I have no prejudice, I don't remember any racial hatreds, or cultural conflicts. |
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I don�t remember a lot about worldly things, or know which sports or concerts are on, as I meet each new person, all I know to talk about is the love of Christ, and the good news of the forgiveness of His blood shed at the Cross. Nothing else excites me or stirs my heart, but to proclaim that beautiful gospel � to be able to see others receive His amazing grace. Oh what a thrill that brings beyond all |
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human understanding, to be rejoicing with angels over each heart touched! |
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�Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God�s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and the life you now have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed � and He is your life � you too will be revealed in all your glory with Him. |
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That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; all this is the sort of behaviour that makes God angry. And it is the way you used to live when you were surrounded by people doing the same thing, but now you, of all people, must give all these things up: getting angry, being bad |
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tempered, spitefulness, abusive language and dirty talk; and never tell each other lies. |
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You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self, and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of it�s creator. In that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew, between circumcised and uncircumcised, or between barbarian and Scythian, slave and free man. There is only Christ: He is everything and He is in everything. |
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You are God�s chosen race, His saints; He loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you and now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful. |
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Let the message of Christ, in all it�s richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.� Colossians 3:1-17 |
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This amnesia is not just an imagination or dream � this amnesia is what we are called to in Christ. This amnesia is the amnesia of forgiveness. It is part of the sacrifice Christ bought for us, and it is an amnesia that even the Lord shares with us, no truly it is, here are a couple of verses |
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�I it is, I it is, who blots out everything, and remembers your sins no more�. (Isaiah 43:25). |
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�No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:34). |
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�None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.� (Ezekiel 33:16).
�I will never call their sins to mind or remember their offences.� (Hebrews 10:17). |
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Better yet, as we release our hurts to Him, as we learn to forgive even those who have ravaged our lives, the Lord does something amazing with our memories too. He doesn�t give us amnesia, He even restores those memories buried through trauma, and brings healing to them. His healing makes us forget the hurt from those times. He releases us to see that He allowed that to draw us to Him, He then takes all that pain from us, and we |
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don�t remember the hurt anymore. |
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Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and hurt from all my father's household." (Genesis 41:51). �They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me�� (Ezekiel 39:26). |
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Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14) |
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The Lord does desire us to have a full memory. As well He grants us the gift of forgiveness that is so complete and thorough. Through that we are able to let Him havethat pain, to take that to the cross for us, so we can move on to gain the crown He has prepared for us � Hallelujah!
�Last station � all change!� Time to catch the next train deeper into the Promised Land ;o) |
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Return to Bear Thoughts |
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