What Sacrifices Are You Willing to Make for Peace?

Restoring a relationship that has been fractured can be difficult when hurt feelings and anger have evolved into resentment. A fractured relationship can evolve over what seems to one person a simple mistake, but to someone else it was designed to cause pain and suffering.

Deuteronomy 17:2 speaks of breaking your covenant with God by choosing to sin. While God is patient and will wait for you to turn back to him, there are consequences to be faced. Grief and sadness stem from fractured and broken relationships.

Admitting and confessing fault includes acknowledging attitudes and behavior patterns that must change if restoration is be renewed. God’s word reminds us that a broken and contrite heart is a sacrifice God will not reject. So sincerely recognizing and owning up to failure, then confessing and asking to be forgiven are sacrifices God and most other human beings find acceptable.           

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He, [God,] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

~Psalm 147:3 New International Version

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Does a Fractured Relationship Exist in Your Life?

Fractured or broken relationships cannot be completely avoided because differences in personality and temperament spark rivalries and conflicts. Diverging political and religious beliefs cause tempers to flare and argument to blaze out of control.

Friendships and families can be torn apart over issues that have no lasting value. Yet in a moment of intense anger and hurt feelings, nothing seems more important than saying what you think and feel, even if it means leaving a relationship in shambles and permanently fractured.

Repairing fractured relationships is possible, provided each person is receptive to realizing important sacrifices have to be made, including being open to admitting personal faults. 

Differences need not rupture family ties or a friendship if respect and trust are valued above all else. Remember, God gave up Jesus as a sacrifice so a fractured relationship between himself and you could be repaired.                            

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Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourself. And look out for another’s interests, not just for your own.

~Philippians 2:3-4 Good News Bible

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Can Impulsive Decisions Be Corrected?

Have you ever made a decision on the spur of the moment that changed your life permanently? Impulsive acts may take place without any consideration for their positive or negative consequences. On the other side of acting impulsively is agonizing indefinitely over ever minute detail.

King Saul of Israel is an example of being impetuous – making rash, spontaneous statements and reckless decisions without considering future consequences. While Saul had many strengths, he often permitted his weaknesses to dominate his life.

Saul believed in God and often did what was good and right, but when he acted impulsively, he brought condemnation and regret onto himself. Seeking forgiveness from others and making restitution pleases God. 

Restoring fellowship with God is achieved by offering him a contrite and broken heart, and he in return gives you his grace and mercy. 

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My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

~Psalm 73:26 New International version

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A Clean Heart and a Renewed Spirit

Deuteronomy 6:5 commands us to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. In order to accomplish this awesome task we, like the Psalmist, must petition God to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us, for he indeed knows the secrets of our heart. What does it mean to “love God with all your heart”?

Consider putting absolutely nothing before God by giving him your complete trust, respect, devotion and faithfulness. For most of us that requires growth and maturity, plus learning to prioritize where to place our loyalties. If we get bogged down with worldly cares, then God will renew a right spirit within us.

God does not leave us to ourselves in committing our entire being into his care. He provides his unconditional love plus the gift of faith to all who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We then have peace and security as anchors for life. What a wonderful blessing!                             

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My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

~Psalm 51:17 New International Version

 

Whoever conceals their sins, does not prosper; but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

~Proverbs 28:13 New International Version

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Don't Dance with the Devil! - Part 2

Balaam, an Old Testament believer in God, portrays an unusual personality. His belief system allowed him to mix unacceptable behavior with God’s truth. God permitted Balaam to explore the unrighteousness of evil, which he did with such eagerness and disregard for God’s boundaries that he provoked God to anger.

Yet God sent an angel to prevent his fall into destruction. The moment he sees the angel Balaam confesses his sin. Yet he is still trying to find a loophole so he can proceed with this allurement into unrighteousness? Satan's grip can ratchet down the heart, soul, and mind so tightly that escape from his captivity seems impossible.

A short time later Balaam is beating his donkey, urging her onward because he refuses to turn loose of what’s driving him to go against God's purpose and will. Great damage is done to oneself and others when repentance is not sincere and real. What God desires is a broken and contrite heart. This paves the way for mercy and forgiveness.  
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To coordinate with KHCB’s “Five Days of Christmas” programming, I will post special Christmas thoughts on my blog Wednesday-Sunday, December 21-25. On those days, KHCB will air only Christmas music and short thoughts from the programmers. 

On Monday, December 19, and again beginning December 26, my blog posts will coordinate with the radio broadcast schedule of Attitudes/Answers that airs at 5:45 PM on KHCB radio at 105.7FM in the Houston area. To stream it live or for a listing of sister stations in TX, OK, LA, and FL, you may click on the KHCB link in the "About Me" section of this page.