Hello!

 

Happy May to you!

Here’s a little update from the Grimaud home! In the last 6 weeks, our 6 month remodel was finally completed and we have moved in. Since then, we’ve sold our other home, set up our new home, have hosted and celebrated Easter and Mother’s Day and last weekend celebrated our son’s college graduation. We have hosted others for dinner and have enjoyed out of town family for overnight stays. Are you tired yet? We are! However, we are grateful. This new home has already served as a place to share the love of God with the many who have and will enter into it. The home belongs to the Lord and we are but stewards of the gift He has given us to take care of. The gardens are in full bloom! I am now finally free to enjoy the beauty that encircles our property. Back in the Fall, while walking through the garden, I heard in my spirit, “Suzanne… you are now reaping what others have sown in these gardens. You will begin to sow into the hearts of those I send to you so I may reap a harvest for my Kingdom.” May it be so, Lord!

 

The Lord often speaks to my heart in ways that are simple and easy to understand and share with others. After speaking with a group of pastors across the globe last month on “how to forgive others,” they asked me to stay on the subject and teach on “how to forgive themselves” as it is difficult in their culture (especially for men). As I pondered the request and took it to prayer, I asked the Holy Spirit to lead me.

 

I believe it is difficult for people in our culture as well to truly forgive ourselves for past sins and things we’ve done or said that have caused others pain. The Lord gave me a great example to share with the group next week and I thought you might be inspired by it too. He compared the debt of sin to a mortgage. That got my attention. He paid off the mortgage (the debt – what was owed) of sin — with His blood. What was owed (death) was paid on our behalf. Just as if someone went into a bank and paid off your mortgage for you…you would owe NOTHING to the bank any further because the debt owed would be cancelled and you would be free from the debt and penalty of it. The bank doesn’t care who pays it as long as they get their money. Once it’s paid…IT IS DONE / IT IS COMPLETE / IT IS FINISHED and you are FREE!

 

So, in comparison… if you’ve had your house mortgage paid and you are free from the debt (forgiven of it)… don’t you think it would be absurd to continue to pay on the debt, or to hold onto the old note and think about how much you used to owe and how you can’t believe it’s really done? Likewise, If someone paid the debt for you, it is still accredited to you and you are released from paying back anything further. The only thing you would owe would be appreciation, gratitude, and love for the one who represented you and paid the debt in your place. Sound familiar?

 

Romans 3: 23-24 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” The question is… do you believe He represented YOU (justified you / paid on your behalf)? Do you think you’ve done something so bad and permanent that even though Jesus paid your penalty and cancelled the debt you owed…that you personally still owe something…or that you must carry around the old note to remind yourself of all you’ve done? The good news is your sin mortgage (debt) has been paid in full! You owe nothing…EXCEPT appreciation, gratitude, love and your very life…to the ONE who set you free! In return…you will get to keep your life…eternally and have abundant life in Christ, and you will truly be set free! Put down that old note and forgive yourself because the True Forgiveness of Christ in your life is Key!

 

 

 

God bless you!

 

“He Reveals to Heal!”

 

HEALED BY THE WORD: A Fresh Monthly Word

 

It’s Time to Forgive