Illustrations 10

Forgiven

Confession and Forgiveness

The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. We don't need to confess our sins a thousand times. We need to confess them once and thank God a thousand times for forgiving them. (Kent Crockett, The 911 Handbook, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003, 54)

If We Confess Our Sins . . .

A woman called in to a Christian radio program and said, "I had an abortion seventeen years ago, and I have asked forgiveness from God every day for seventeen years." She wanted to know if God would ever forgive her and asked if she was going to hell for it.

The talk-show host said, "How would you like it if someone who did something wrong to you comes knocking at your door the next day to ask for forgiveness. You forgive the person and everything is cleared up on your part.

"But the next day, the person shows up at your door and asks forgiveness again. You remind her that you already forgave her the day before. She leaves, but returns the next day, knocks on your door and again asks forgiveness.

"Again you remind her, 'I forgave you two days ago. Don't you remember? Don't you believe what I said?'

"This goes on day after day for seventeen years! Wouldn't you be frustrated because she didn't trust your word?"

The lady on the phone said, "I never thought about it that way before."

The host then said, "When you asked Jesus to save you, he forgave you of all your sins. Confession means 'to say the same thing.' You need to say the same thing as what God says about your sins--he died for every one of them!"

When we confess our sins, we not only admit we have done them, but we agree with God that Jesus died for them. Confession declares that the blood of Jesus is more powerful that the guilt that haunts us. (Kent Crockett, The 911 Handbook, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003, 55)

Forgiving Others

Haunted by Unforgiveness

Several years ago after an elderly woman passed away, family members were cleaning out her house when they found a scrapbook filled with obituaries from the local newspaper. Many of the death notices pertained to people she had detested. As bizarre as it may sound, she kept a scrapbook of her dead enemies.

This woman had five different clippings of her most despised foe in her morbid memory book. Apparently she had gained some kind of strange satisfaction by thinking they could no longer torment her.

Or could they? If we don’t forgive our deceased enemies, they’ll continue to haunt us through our hateful memories of them.

(Kent Crockett, I Once Was Blind But Now I Squint, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004, 102-103)

Letting Go of Offenses

Natives in Africa capture monkeys by setting up cages and placing bait inside. The bait can be anything a monkey would want, such as food or an unusual object. The monkeys are lured to the cages but are too smart to actually go inside. Instead, they reach through the bars, grab the bait, and try to pull it out. Because the object is too large to go through the bars, the only way the monkey can get away is to drop the bait. But monkeys refuse to let go. They kick and squeal but keep holding on. They stay trapped in bondage because they refuse to let go of the bait.

Are you the devil’s monkey? Have you grabbed Satan’s bait, which is called offenses? Satan sets his trap, using offenses as bait. If you grab the offense, you will be his prisoner as long as you hold on. Many people are incarcerated in the devil’s dungeon because they refuse to let go. You must choose to let go of all past offenses and keep your hands off all future ones.

(Kent Crockett, I Once Was Blind But Now I Squint, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004, 104-105)

Love Mercy More Than Justice

Forgiveness means you love mercy more than justice. (Micah 6:8)

(Kent Crockett, I Once Was Blind But Now I Squint, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004, 107)

The Basis for Forgiveness

We base our forgiveness on what God has done for us, not on what another person has done to us. (Kent Crockett, The 911 Handbook, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003, 43)

Sitting on a Bumble Bee

Unforgiveness means we desire to hurt the people who have wounded us. It's like the little boy who was sitting on a park bench in obvious agony. A man walking by asked him what was wrong. The boy answered, "I'm sitting on a bumble bee." "Then why don't you get up?" the man asked. The boy replied, "Because I figure that I am hurting him more than he is hurting me!"

The healing process begins when we get up off the park bench. God will only heal our wounds when we stop inflicting pain on the one who hurt us. (Kent Crockett, The 911 Handbook, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003, 43)

You Cannot Shake Hands . . .

"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist." --Golda Meir

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

Being Held Hostage?

"Those whom you don't forgive are holding you as a hostage." --Kent Crockett

www.kentcrockett.com

Is It Worth It?

In response to the question, "How do I feel when I fail to forgive?" Chiradeep Patra, from India wrote:
In my case when I fail to forgive:

1. I lose my inner PEACE

2. I feel GUILTY myself

3. I feel IRRITATED

4. I feel ANGRY

5. Physically, my heart pounds

6. I get a headache.

It's always better to forgive than feel sick physically, mentally & spiritually.

--Weekend Encounter #5206 www.actsweb.org

Friends

God's Apology

"Good friends are God's apology for some of the relatives He gave us." --Reminisce Extra, Collector's Edition 1995

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

Your Circle of Friends

"If you turn sour, your circle of friends will get smaller and smaller until it is a circle of one--you!" --Chuck Swindoll

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

A Million Friends

A little boy told his mother, "I'd rather have a million friends than a million dollars."

"Why?" his mother asked.

"Well, I figure if I get into trouble, they ought to be able to pitch in at least a dollar apiece to help me!"

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

How to Make Friends

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."--Dale Carnegie

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

Goals

What Might Have Been

"It's never too late to be what you might have been." --George Elliot

God's Will

God leads

God leads you into His Will. Discontentment drives you out of His will. --Kent Crockett

(Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com )

Locating Greener Grass

“He makes me lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2). The grass is always greenest in the center of God’s will.

[Kent Crockett, I Once Was Blind But Now I Squint, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004, 29]

How to Get the Best

"God reserves the very best for those who leave the choice with Him." --Andrew Murray

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

Wrestling with God

People wrestle with God for one of two reasons:

1. They don't know God's will and are trying to find it.

2. They know God's will and are trying to decide whether or not to do it.

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations www.kentcrockett.com

Golf

Golf & Marriage

A husband and wife were eating dinner. She was obviously upset about something, but he didn't know what.

"Honey, what's wrong?" he asked. "You can tell me."

"Well," she replied, "If you really want to know--I'm sick and tired of you playing golf every weekend and leaving me home alone. All you think about is golf, golf, golf."

"Don't be silly," he replied. "Golf is the farthest thing from my mind. Now would you please pass the putter?"

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

Fred Drops Dead

A husband came home from playing golf. He told his wife, "You won't believe what happened today. Fred was playing with us and dropped dead on the 10th hole."

"That's terrible!" she said.

"You're telling me," he replied. "From holes 10 to 18, it was hit the ball, drag Fred, hit the ball, drag Fred . . ."

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

Golf Wisdom

I don't say my golf game is bad, but if I grew tomatoes, they'd come up sliced.

They call it golf because all the other four-letter words were taken.

It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.

Golf is a game in which you yell "fore," shoot six, and write down five.

Have you ever noticed what golf spells backwards?

The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course.

Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing.

The difference in golf and government is that in golf you can't improve your lie.

Golf is a game invented by the same people who think music comes out of a bagpipe.

--Joke du Jour cited on Good, Glean Funnies List www.gcfl.net

Two Smart Golfers

Two guys were playing golf when they spotted some boys fishing along the creek. One golfer scoffed, "Look at those idiots fishing in the freezing rain!"

Gossip

Can You Keep A Secret?

If someone says to you, "Can you keep a secret?"

You tell them, "No, I can't. So don't tell me!"

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

Some People Will Believe Anything If . . .

Some people will believe anything if they happen to overhear it.

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

Do Not Believe Everything You Hear

A wise teacher sent a note home to all parents on the first day of school. It read:

"If you promise not to believe everything your child says happens at school, I'll promise not to believe everything your child says happens at home."

Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

It Goes in One Ear and Out . . .

"Gossip is a rumor that goes in one ear and out many mouths." --unknown