I cannot stop giving thanks for each and every one of you to Lord Jesus!
Thank you, everyone, the fervent prayers of righteous brothers and sister in Christ indeed avails Much!
The Lord is Good! Too much has happened, I'll try to shorten my testimony. Wanting to be a loving mother, and see beyond the disrespect from our grown son; incited through malice intent by his fiancee - I intellectually ignored any pain. My heart on the other hand did not ignore the painful offense.
The Word of God shows us how the heart knows its own bitterness. We are to uproot any bitter seeds that the devil desires to cultivate in our lives. And guard our hearts against all forces of offense that could become a root of bitterness. I didn't guard my heart with the sweetness of the Lord's Spirit - thus I failed to try hard enough to work toward kindness with his fiancee, being tender-hearted and forgiving, even as Christ has forgiven me. This is a real challenge considering the hex/curse she decided to execute against us; received as a birthday gift addressed to me.. :evil:
She is obviously a wounded, unbalanced woman, 'full of cursing and swift to shed blood. '
Praise be our Lord and King! He removed the offense from me, healing my heart's wound. It has been a process! I learned something interesting about "offense"
The spirit of offense poisons lives and attitudes. According to Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, the word offense is derived from a Greek word skandalon, which "originally was 'the name of the part of a trap to which the bait is attached, hence, the trap or snare itself....'" It was the part of the trap that lured or snared an animal. We easily see that offense is what Satan uses to lure people into full-blown cases of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. Satan uses offense to cause us to stumble and fail to go forward with God.
"What we learn in the presence of God, cannot be learned in the presence of men. (The Sure Foundation)
"Our response to an offense determines our future."
"No person can do permanent damage to you if you remain focused and refuse offense and trust God." "LET GO AND LET GOD"
"Many people never become what God desires them to be because they get offended. They get bitter. Offense becomes a stumbling block to them, and they never progress beyond that point. They are the loser and the devil is the winner."
"The temptation to get offended is a trap that should be avoided like the plague. If we would not take poison, we should not take offense. If we would be champions for God we must not be easily offended." (This must take much practice) :sad:
May God Bless all of you and thank you very much. I am still in prayer - I expect I will be for some time...
Shalom to all of you and your loved ones -
Titus
