Good Afternoon Trinity,

 

I pray you are all having a great week. Have you been keeping track of your community service hours? Don’t forget to turn those in sometime during the month. Either by filling out the forms at church or by going to our website www.trinitychurchnow.com which might be easier for you to do. Don’t forget to tell your friends and neighbors about Trinity and if it helps, pass this devotion along with the announcements to them. Here is your scripture and devotion for this week.

 

Matthew 6: 12 – 14

 

One of the most difficult decisions we have to make in this life is the decision we make to forgive someone who has wronged us or someone we love. The anger we feel is an emotion that compounds over time and can make us captives of our own resentment. It’s not a good place to be and can actually change who we are or how we are perceived by others.

 

The Lord doesn’t tell us to forgive others because it would just be a nice thing to do. He tells us to forgive because the consequences of not forgiving can take a real toll on our lives. He also tells us to forgive even when we feel it is not deserved because we have been forgiven by our Lord and you know that wasn’t deserved. If He can forgive us, we can forgive others. I have a story to share with you of incredible forgiveness.

 

Corrie Ten Boom tells of a time she learned an important aspect of spiritual growth. It was 1947 and she had just finished speaking of God’s forgiveness to a group in a small German church.

 

The audience was still haunted by memories of war. Yet the message they heard that day brought a sense of hope. They could forgive those who treated them so cruelly and go on with life.

 

As the service concluded, Corrie noticed a heavyset man coming toward her. Instantly she remembered him. He had been a guard at the concentration camp where she had been imprisoned.

 

“I know God has forgiven me for the things I did,” he said. “But I would like to hear it from your lips. Will you forgive me?”

 

“It was the most difficult thing I ever had to do,” she writes. “I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did an incredible thing took place. A healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. ‘I forgive you brother!’”

 

At that moment Corrie had a choice to make. It’s hard to imagine what she had been through in the concentration camps but at that moment her choice was to let her resentment go and forgive. The healing she received was God’s gift to her for her faithfulness to his word.

 

Is there someone in your life who is holding you hostage because you refuse to forgive? There is healing available to you through forgiveness. Forgiveness brings hope through Christ our Lord.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Dave

 

Announcements:

 

Friday – Trinity’s Fantastic Fish Fry from 4 – 7 in the Fellowship Hall. Bring your friends and family and enjoy either fried or baked fish or chicken along with dessert and drink for only $7.

 

Saturday – Bowling at Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills from 2 – 4 pm. Adults $11.00 and kids $9.00 for two hours of bowling. Everyone is invited so don’t stay away. If you have your 70-700-7000 shirt, be sure to wear it and advertise Trinity

 

Sunday – Sunday School at 9am. Children’s classes, youth classes, and 2 adult classes. There’s no reason to stay at home and watch TV, come and get the real deal here in person.

 

Sunday – Worship Service at 10:15 am. Bring your friends and family and when it’s over take them out for lunch or they can take you out for lunch. Add to our goal of 700 visitors here at Trinity.