FAITH IN WHAT CAN BE ALTHOUGH NOT THERE YET

We work in a most remarkable system. We are involved in unexplainable mystery. Due to a faith which works, we are free to roam the broad streets of wonder....really. Such may sound quaint or even religious, but it's not. It is a fact which we tend to let leak from our cracked doctrinal buckets. Have we forgotten we are called to turn the world upside down for good?

Jesus reversed history. He yanked the rug from hell's intent. His disciples rearranged the social structure to implant confidence into the has-beens and the nobodies. We are no less remarkable. It is our call to see what can be whether earthly measurement would agree.

One of the areas which separates the winners from the losers is whether we can believe in people...when they aren't what they could be/should be yet. Do we believe they will catch on? Do we envision them becoming effective? Occasionally I hear of leaders speaking of how dense or dumb flocks are in general. Not good. Do we see in our people the truth that they can become different? More productive? More like Him?

Our people don't only want us to know the Word, they need us to know the Word will work in them. They deserve to see in our eyes faith in them when they can't see it themselves. Some are looking for a signal from us that we believe they are unique; wonderfully made. The good news is I think that's exactly what our people are going to find in us....confidence that they are brilliant becomers with a great future.

May we reshape now by believing in the people God gives us to work with.

I'm off to Pepperdine Tuesday morning. Pray I will share in my classes the Abundant Life God wishes we all would own! Lord willing I'll be back at Blogville next week unless earthquakes rattle with great disruption.

WORKING FROM HUMILITY

Pride saturates the church and its leadership. Pride ruins the church and it leadership. If we save twenty souls per day and feed 5000 from a bag from McDonalds, God labels us noisy and clangy if Christ-like love is not prominent. I wonder how often we are wrong in our being right? I wonder how much we coast on the sled of having studied it out and reached a conclusion only to stiff-arm the next batch of seekers with our discoveries.

This was a major problem in Jesus’ day. He called for two extremes: truth and humility on the part of those who learned the truth. At first I thought truth came with my pounding the pulpit while raising my emphatic voice. Not. Truth comes because Jesus said it and not by my/our addition to or subtractions from.

Pride gets in such a toot to be first….the fastest. Humility has a respect and openness to truth because it shares in the awareness man is most frail in understanding and interpreting. If Jesus’ disciples lived with him and still didn’t get it (They scooted like cowards, remember?), we must take in the possibilities we may be lacking in our conclusions. It isn’t wrong to reach a point of conclusion. It is wrong to seal our eyes and ears should we have misunderstood on participle of His revelation.

Can we have confidence? In the Spirit of God; but not in ourselves (II Cor. 3:4-5). Shall we live in assurance? Only in Christ and nothing else (Phil. 4:13). Are we to regard ourselves as useful in the kingdom? Only in humility for God will oppose our pride (I Pet. 5:5). I spent an evening with Ida and Richard, missionaries from Uganda. A tone I see in them I don’t see as much in me is humility. They are gracious, soft-spoken, thankful, and respectful. When I’m with them I see a side of Jesus which is refreshing in my Much America and my Much Church. If we are going to grow in Christ-likeness we must ever strife to work from the launching pad of humility.

I'M LEAVING MEMORIAL

Most of the world doesn't care. Most of the religious world doesn't know who we are to care. For those who care, it needs to be understood I am leaving Memorial. Regardless of the world's interest, or lack thereof, this is profoundly important to me. The sound of that hardly fits into my own ears. Wasn't I here before dirt?

My intent and hope is to not be leaving immediately, but I am leaving and the way time flies it is important to make preparation. Because I know it and the elders know it we are preparing. I don't know if I get to remain on board for another three years or another 10. Whatever the amount of time, it will one day hit and we will all act as if we didn't realize this was possible. It is.

Today Jason Thornton preaches while I, once again, sit. Bobby Smith preaches next Sunday. This brings me great delight. I love this church. It's become one of the happiest and most productive per I've ever heard about. The Holy Spirit enriches this place. I don't feel the least bit possessive. To have been on staff for a small amount of time was fulfilling. To have been here this long is God working beyond my imagination. I just love it here!

When I leave Memorial I hope it can be said about the congregation:

• It is built on Jesus and not on my tenure.
• It is supplied by God and not my energy.
• It is empowered by the Holy Spirit and not my longevity.
• It is built to celebrate.
• It is attentive to the heart of every member.
• It is engaged in more mission work than it can track.
• It has a confidence that God actually works.
• It has a vision of possibility based on actual experience in God.
• It has taken on the certainty that everything is a "Yes".
• It has become important to realize every day is a "Good Ol' Day!"

I am leaving Memorial and when the day comes it will feel weird...really weird. But I love the idea of carefully noting plans that the flock be strong and productive for the next guy on the block. If he would get here in, let's say, 2012 and stays as long as I have to this point, he would be preaching here 'til 2043. Hmmm, I wonder if we'll still use a projector and words on a screen by then? We might just be using Ultra-tech ear devices which flash the words onto the back side of our forehead! Now, there's an idea! Watch our own announcements!

MY FIRST LESSON IN THE CARDINALS CAMP

Twenty-five years ago I began what has become a perpetual ministry with the St. Louis Cardinals by participating in their Legends Camps where business men play ball for a week with former Cardinal stars. The first lesson I learned was when we loaded the bus at the airport to head for (then) the Cardinal's Spring Training facilities in St. Petersburg, Florida. Seventy of us boarded the bus. The team director took the bus microphone and welcomed us to what would become on of our most amazing experiences.

During his introductory remarks he made an astute observation: "This week you will learn not to be so critical of ballplayers because you are going to discover what it's like to be expected to produce....while playing hurt." Oh dear. I had no idea how true that was. They put us through stuff (and I was a young 35 back then) that made my body ache so badly that the next morning in the clubhouse I could see my shoes, but couldn't reach them to tie them.

His point was well made. When a professional steps up to bat with the bases loaded and strikes out, we seldom take into account his wife called an hour before the game to say their daughter has been put in ICU or he has an infected toe giving him enormous disability. We don't know what all is going on in the pain region of the expected slugger.

So it is in the kingdom. While we want to be critical (even of our critics) we must realize nearly all are playing hurt. As the team director was making the point that we would learn in our first week to be a bit more merciful when our heroes let us down, I learned we need to do the same for each other. Few involved in the kingdom are not playing without some great pain in their system. Even the best strike out. They don't need our boos; they need our sympathetic understanding.

DISCOURAGEMENT IS A CHOICE....RATS!

I'm letting you into my private secret thinking. I am so tempted to drive into the ditch of discouragement. The pull is strong at times; especially lately. In the past few days since the workshop, stressful arrows have been shot. In addition to having the funeral of the 18 year old who had no church, the workshop wind-down is in play.

One brother wrote that unless we do something about the dull evening worship assemblies regarding upgrading the singing, a huge portion of the younger generation will stay away. His letter was quite lengthy. The next day I got a note from an older brother so angered over the workshop being liberal that he told me I was killing the workshop and he would be praying for its death. And yet another has written twice of his disagreement over my comments on the Holy Spirit working in a Christian's life. In the midst of that a mass mail out comes saying the brotherhood is in a mess and the tip of the problem is failure in our a cappella singing. Yesterday a note came in suggesting I need to run the workshop the way Marvin did.

Honestly? This chatter gives my brain arthritis. It's very dangerous. If I'm not careful I will let the negative comments begin to roost. But I have a choice and I must not let my mind go there. First, I thanked God again this morning for the stress and complimented Him that He would count me useful in the Kingdom. Second, I will continue to evaluate what each critic offered. Third, I will not let the unnecessarily hurtful comments roost in my rafters.

I will do again what He said to do. I will choose to think on the workshop attendance being up. I will choose to ponder the workshop CD sales were at record high over the past five years. I will select to review the hundreds of comments from the workshoppers pleading for more of what they got this year. I will treasure the grateful hug offered me yesterday when I delivered a DVD of their friend's funeral. I choose to be in awe of how many 100% Natural Evangelism tapes are selling and the regions they are covering.

I will remember that while discouragement surely has strong pull, God gives me a way to avoid its pitiful and even imprisoning moods. ....whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.....practice these things (Terry); and the God of peace shall be with you. What shall we do to be saved from this stress? We shall think on the good stuff!

MOST LIKE JESUS

When do you see yourself most like Jesus? What circumstances play out which gives your spirit a rush which brings you ultimate delight in being connected to kingdom life? Where is it on this earth you feel most connected to the Living Christ?

Answers, of course, will vary. But, it's good to ponder just when these moments are that we might find even more of them. Our goal is to be like him. Ironically, it seems our greatest satisfaction is when we have such experiences which are reverse to our most comfortable zones.

I direct your attention to your connecting and mixing with the poor in spirit. How's it going? These may simply be the poor. Our tendency is to be stronger on theological theory than compassionate connection. My greatest moments are not in the presence of those the world would regard as celebrities, but with those the King would regard as highly esteemed. We tend to drift toward our own kind. Jesus forces the issue and plants himself in the middle of the messes.

He went home with Zachaeus, stopped the crowd to attend to the unnamed woman who touched him, and selected as kingdom leaders the greatest quagmire of misfits ever. Jesus comes alive in us or us in him when we are about his father's business of touching those regarded as the most untouchables and conversing with some of communities' most suspect. Jesus went where the human spirit tends to shun.....high class or low....somewhere other than where we feel safe and unimposed upon.

We are most like Jesus when we leave our heaven with all of its theorizing and discussing to walk directly into others' hell where fear and threat are so thick one could cut it with a knife. I've been in the company I didn't want to keep. I've ministered to those who have zero friends. I've left at times having absorbed their odor only to sense in my spirit, "Ah, this too is where Jesus would have gone." At these moments it may be we are most like Jesus.

WANT TO WIN PEOPLE TO CHRIST?

Most want to lead others to Jesus. Most are fearful of how to go about this task. (If you don't have my new DVD series on 100% Natural Evangelism, you need it. It is getting strong and encouraging reviews.) Here are good things to think on when wanting to reach out effectively:

1. BE ASSURED.....everyone wants to know God at some point in their life.
2. BE CONFIDENT.....God is able to draw them in when you don't know how or when or where.
3. BE VISIONARY.....believe the day will come when every person you know will consider Jesus as their friend.
4. BE PATIENT.....sow small and little seed. You aren't asked to hold a revival. Put your favorite book by Lucado or Swindoll on your desk and let it set. Note how many pass by and ask to read it. Loan it out. Extend invitations to church two or three times during the year. One day they'll most likely say yes.
5. BE ATTENTIVE....just as being on time or returning phone calls count as good business etiquette, being sensitive/interested in those near you regarding their struggles, etc., is important.
6. BE RELAXED.....you don't know all of the answers. No one is in search of a "know-it-all" so it's a tie! Enjoy your friends knowing they have a secret need to know God.
7. BE CERTAIN.....even unbelievers have questions about God. One reason they will not enter or instigate a conversation about Him is they feel foolish. As self-protection they stay away from the topic...but are curious about Him.
8. BE POSITIVE......speak of God in normal, consistent, and everyday conversation as to crediting Him with your good life. Brag about Him to colleagues pointing to His blessings in your path. Counter those who curse at Him by blessing at Him.
9. BE GRATEFUL.....in casual tones let others know you are a happy and content person. Few Christians realize this counts. Why would unbelievers want any part of God if those who already know Him are still miserable. Put on your happy face!
10. BE PRAYERFUL....share with God your needs, concerns, and celebrations. Trust Him to do more with those you are reaching than you can. He works.

I AM A CHANGE AGENT

To some the term change agent has negative meaning. If they want to make it such, so be it. I want to be one. I am one. What was it Jesus did? He changed (reversed) the direction of mankind. When Jesus got done with people, they were different. I want to do that. I get to do that. We are called to do that.

Here's our greatest calling: we get to take the broken-hearted, the crippled in spirit, and the lonely rejects and change their lives! We get to do that! We get to believe in people when they are out of muster to believe in themselves. We get to see hope in others when they haven't heard if there is any longer hope. We get to cheer on the downtrodden. We get to take those just barely getting by and pour the love of God into their paths and watch them be changed. We are change agents.

We get to approach churches which are stuck and see the Spirit of God resurrect (change) them. We get to approach a congregation which may have little faith it could make significant difference and then we begin to put the bloom into them. We are change agents! We turn good people toward their own greatness which no one has yet to point them toward. We get to lead wonderful followers of the Christ to steadfast confidence. We change minds! We get to do this!

If we aren't changing things for the better and improving much for good, what are we doing? God didn't call us to Petrified Church. He called us to a Marching Soldierdom which moves about the land bringing about fabulous, outrageous, glorious change.

I am a change agent. What a thrill. May we be more determined than ever to keep moving forward within the greatest movement ever......God's Kingdom! He changes me. He changes us. We share the change by taking it to the world. Go for it!

KEEP THE FASCINATION OF JESUS GOING

Many who knew Jesus while he was on earth in his singular body noted nothing exceptional. He was plain. He was common. To them he was nothing unusual. He was only a man. After the fact (now that we've read the rest of the story), of course our eyes are opened and we see him in the/as the True Light.

What they saw in him, many see in you. They might note that you are nothing more than common. Yet, you are the Jesus element more. You are gifted by the same Holy Spirit and involved in the same Holy Kingdom.

The woman at the well? Not just a nameless woman at a well. She is the "keeps the fascination of Jesus going" nameless woman at the well. The woman at his feet? She wasn't just pouring perfume. She remains the "keeps the fascination of Jesus going" woman who sobbed uncontrollably into centuries.

And you? Are you the "keeps the fascinating story of Jesus going" giver at missions day, sharer in small groups, or hugger at funerals? Maybe you are the greeter at the door "keeping the fascinating story of Jesus going" or possibly the plugger-inner of the coffee pot before class? Our people need help in understanding each counts. Each is profound and not just a little bit. You, my friend, keep the fascinating story of Jesus going. Live like you count!

WHOEVER WROTE THIS MAKES MY POINT

A friend googled my name, saw this, and passed it on to me. I didn't know it was out there. I don't know who wrote it. You won't read it all. It's not interesting except to the length this writer went to reach the conclusion he or she wants.

Whoever wrote this went to an awful lot of trouble to prove something not there. Furthermore, I prefer a cappella music.

http://www.piney.com/Terry.Rush.Review.html

WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WORK STRONGER

Each July 15th I have a tradition. That's my anniversary date of moving to Memorial Drive and I pretend I have just been chosen to move to Memorial and replace Rush (that would be myself). And, I ask myself what the new me would do that I hadn't provided up to that point or needs improvement.

If I were to move into your place, here are a few things I would ask myself:

1. Is Jesus the Savior of this place or is it church heritage, programs, or personalities?
2. Am I getting my material from God or serving up routine three points and an illustration?
3. Am I preaching the Word or brotherhood issues?
4. Is our worship alive or monotonous?
5. Are we led in singing or in worship?
6. What needs to be done to encourage members to bring their friends?
7. When the members bring guests, does their preacher team up with them in offering good news?
8. Do those not in my immediate inner circle hear from me they are important and I am proud of them?
9. Do I let the elders and staff know I caught them doing good, positive, successful things?
10. Do I return every phone call?
11. Do I grow in being open-minded or have I become narrow-minded to new ways and new ministries?
12. Do I still love what I get to do?

Add to the list the items you think would be good for each of us as leaders to evaluate.

GO CRAZY FOLKS! GO CRAZY!

Jack Buck, voice of the St. Louis Cardinals for forty-seven years, made the infamous call of, "Go crazy, folks! Go crazy!" as Ozzie Smith homered against the Dodgers in the '82 National League playoffs. I often think (can still hear) his robust charge to the most enthusiastic Cardinal Nation. The legendary broadcaster was giving the viewers permission to lose control of our emotions and leap into the frenzy of baseball wonder!

I felt the wonder. More so, I experience even greater electrification in the kingdom! What in the world has happened to us? I'll tell you in one word: MUCH. Much has happened to us and it's gigantic, unfathomable, inexpressible, and great! Life---abundant life---has happened to us! We can't possibly measure it or describe it! We are in over our heads with effectiveness, delight, and friends! This church stuff is of the greatest excitement from the Truest Source for the most glorious work! Don't flinch when the bad stuff hits. Even the Cross has a place in the schematic glory of the Lord's workings!

My good friend, Marvin Phillips, single-handedly lit a fire in a nation full of preachers in the mid-seventies...and it ain't goin' out! Spread the Good News oh ye of wobbly faith, the broken-from-the-grave Son is still the hope of the world, the hope of the church, the hope of each of us! We have every reason to go crazy over who we get to be in Him! We can take a pretty stern beating or hefty disappointment and yet bounce back to "bigger than life"! Didn't he do that from the cross and out the grave?

Go crazy preacher! Go crazy! Let the church frenzy of celebration continue! Jesus is Lord!

HUMPTY DUMPTY IS STILL STRUGGLING

Our world’s a mess. Things are getting worse. From presidential primaries to mid-East conflict, to the national economy, to our educational systems, things are becoming increasingly burdening. Debt is sucking the life out of the family, as well as small business, while confusion, anger, and lack of conscience disorients the soul of civilization.

We are leaving a century when prosperity and strength were fairly normal and on the increase. Church attendance may have been up, but faith may have been riding a wave of ease. I’m not sure. Christian Colleges were established. Mission works were carried out. New methods of Christian service were created. And, there’s just a slight chance America became its own god to several generations as well as nations.

But today heaviness is sensed. Concern surely is standing at attention. What a glory. If mankind kept on as was prone to note in the last century we might have become our own god. However, Someone must intervene. I don’t mean to be negative when I say much of what we have counted on is unraveling. This is positive. God is the Provider, Protector, Supplier, and Sustainer. He alone.

All of the king’s horses and all of the king’s men couldn’t fix things in Humpty’s day. None but God can in ours either. May we find security in one named Jesus….and none other.

WANNA CELEBRATE?

Last Wednesday night we had our incredible KidsKorus perform. We are blessed to have Brenda Hughes create such a gift for our family!

http://www.youtube.com/user/TammyJBowers

ARE THERE ENOUGH OF US TO GO AROUND?

Have you held kingdom ambition deep within your heart only to feel simply outnumbered by the masses of dark forces? Do you feel certain the whole world would love the One whom you love, but your message is overridden by intricate, abundant, and cobwebby carnal chatter? Do you ever feel, as a saved person, uncomfortably lost at confusion's sea because negative tide simply has the stronger pull?

Ah, then I share some really good news! Jesus' commission shatters the stronghold of both earthly measurement and logical restriction. Think not? Well then consider that Jesus pelted physical dominance with highly effective spiritual impact. "Can't walk?", he would inquire. Get up and get going! "Can't see?", he would ask. Read this!

Yet, I believe one of his greatest teachings was on the hillside late in the day when it was time to eat and the cafes were about to close. The disciples complained, "We better have the closing prayer. These people must eat." He ordered to feed them....you know the story well. And the spiritual so controlled the physical that a sack lunch of a no-name boy fed thousands with laundry baskets full of food left over?

What's the point? There's just not enough disciples to go around; to handle the great need of a stymied civilization. Yet when Jesus touches the meager few of us, the millions feed on the bread of life. That's what you and I do! We offer Him our meager sack lunch efforts and see so many effective results that such cannot be reported. Listen to me now, we can't even report everything God does awesomely in our individual congregations! Why would we be surprised, then, to consider our imagination just can't fathom His prolific energy and results....through us...all over the world?

We do so many effective and magnificent things in the kingdom! Jesus does so much with our meagerness! Believe it!

COWARDICE OUT. RISK IN.

I was raised to be a coward. Imaginatory danger and self-imposed threat lurked as life appeared to be a bated snare for weak wimps like me. While I wanted to accomplish something in life which greatly mattered, my basic instinct was to survive unscathed from criticism or injury. To discover myself a leader in a church was a shock of varying degrees to my life system; but most importantly my cowardice. The cross was suddenly now my motto…my real unimaginary motto…and I had survived thus far on merely surviving. Now the wolves will have me over for lunch…to be their lunch.

Could I tell you that one of the remarkable blessings Memorial encounters nowadays is the great unity? And such hinges on the fact our elders developed great courage? Their leadership is remarkable. Our people are safe. The flock is loved, but not doted over in our childishness. Our shepherds expect us to encounter injury, endure the pain, and allow the Wounded Healer to touch us while portraying lives rich in mercy and forgiveness toward on another. It takes great courage to say to a person face to face, “You, my friend, are not thinking right.” Our guys do it. Sometimes I’m the guy they say it to.

Oft times they see the flock make pleasant and productive progress. At other times we get self-centered and whiny and suffer setback. But the point I want every young leader to grasp today is that bravery and courage are needed if you are going to fight the big battles on the big playing field. Wimpiness and cowardism simply gum up the hope of young and old alike. If the leaders won’t bravely stand up to any who oppose The Life, ultimately the little children are left to the wolves…..for lunch.

Don’t be afraid. We live in a danger-laden kingdom. If we are the church, we are surely at risk. Dare to risk.

SHALL WE THINK?

It’s amazing to note over the years the various ways the church has developed an ability to not get along. From Worship Wars to Doctrinal Disputes to Ego Encounters we divvy up the brotherhood into regions, pockets, and labels. Could this be a signal that somewhere along the way we lost ability to think for ourselves and trust the judgment of others at the same time? Could a part of the solution be to let each come to individual conclusions while keeping our respect in tact?

In my case I feel pretty sure my talk is stronger than my walk and my bark is way ahead of my bite. I’m an evaluater deluxe….just as I’m doing on this blog. My experience is the church-in-general is enjoying life in the Spirit because we are accepting the range of various conclusions without being afraid of thoughts which don’t match. It’s as if we have actually agreed to be agreeable when we disagree.

What would it be like if we were to take our stance on being patient and kind and compassionate? What if we were to measure our fruit alongside that which is Bible described of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5? Could it be we may often be found out as truly noisy gongs and clanging cymbals in our cussion and discussion of endless and circular debate?

Brian McLaren wrote an interesting piece which speaks to the moment. Jesus was short on sermons, long on conversations; short on answers, long on questions, short on abstractions and propositions, long on stories and parables; short on telling you what to think, long on challenging you to think for yourself; short on condemning the irreligious, long on confronting the religious.

It is easy to identify Jesus as exactly as McLaren portrays. It must humble us to realize we are among the religious Jesus might want to challenge. May we grow in our ability to think without forcing others to be as smart as we assume we are.

DEATH ADVANTAGES

I spent the day yesterday ministering in one of the toughest settings in all my years. Eighteen year old Kelley Milsap was laid to rest. He did not survive his car’s impact in a construction zone. Each of us experiencing yesterday is drained. My mind is a blur.

Death, as ugly as its intent, can be used to fuel our Christian ministry. I point you to reasons why:

• IT AWAKENS US TO WHAT MATTERS
  Whether one missed a putt on the tenth green is now of no concern. An outside faucet dripping does mean it needs attention, but it doesn’t require our fretting. Someone not speaking to us does not constitute a pity party. A trip to the dentist is not the end of the world.
• IT AWAKENS US TO WHAT WE REALLY BELIEVE
  Death separates our wheat doctrine from our chaff doctrine. A lot of stuff we divide over, we don’t really believe ourselves. Our pride sucks us into taking a stance which caves at death’s door. Our true love for others gets the opportunity to break open as our fake belief system has been shattered by death’s ram.
• IT AWAKENS US TO THE NEED FOR GOD
  The most draining aspect for me personally in the setting like yesterday is that God has ridden in the back seat for so many. He has not been in the remotest parts of so many good hearts. Whether saying so publicly, I believe each soul weighs the deep ponderings of the truth of the Living God.
• IT AWAKENS US TO REMEMBER TO LIVE
  Until death whips some back into focus, mankind is forever missing its own life. Some feel they will live when they become ten pounds lighter, $2000 richer, or could look five years younger. Now seems to be wasted for what could be. What could be is seldom now. Death motivates inventory of present blessings.
  
  What would you add to the list?

WHAT MAKES THE ASSEMBLIES POP?

In my estimation there are three ingredients which make Sunday mornings pop with spirit electricity. If you think one of them is the preacher and preaching, I don't think so. I will let you have your opinion, though. I'm in a generous mood this morning!

Here's my pick:

• Prayer: seeking God's participation before we ever get there.....thanking Him ahead of time for showing up.
• Music: Our song service makes us or breaks us. We are so blessed by heaven to have Shane lead us in worship. If your congregation isn't focusing on improving it's singing and song selection, this needs important attention.
• Friendliness: Guests need your sermon of love more than the preacher's sermon of three points. If you are indifferent to your guests, their hearts will grow cold to the rest of the assembly.

What would you add to the mix?

WHY WAIT 'TIL DEATH?

We carry the mightiest tool in our arsenal, the ability to forgive, so why don't we choose to use it before the grave?

Don't be so egotistical that you carry on personal feuds when their eventual death will show you really didn't mean it. I know of no more waste than what humans commit in silly grudges and childish irritations. We are so foolish in this regard it's a wonder God has not taken our brains and given them to the giraffes.

To refuse to forgive immediately is to drink poison hoping the other guy dies. We must break this insanity. Families are dividing and churches splitting over nonsense; sheer and meager nonsense. If we've been offended, let us get over it. Kill the multitude of their sins with your love. God called us to do it....equipped us to do it....and insists we do it.