The Love of Freedom

"None can love freedom heartily but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license."

                                                                                                 John Milton

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                         

A Glorious Paradox

As bond-servants of Christ, Christians are free from...

...eternal death.

...a life dominated by sin.

...the standards of secular culture.

...the expectations of others.

...the need to earn our position before God.

...the need to prove ourselves.

...the need to succeed.

...the tyranny of ourselves.

...the need to please others.

...the need to compete with others.

My Top Ten Principles of Forgiveness

1.   Forgiveness is a God-thing.

2.   Forgiveness is a free gift.  It can't be earned.

3.   Forgiveness is an exercise of faith.

4.   Forgiveness is a privilege, allowing us to partake in the nature of God.

5.   Forgiveness is the gracious release of an offense.

6.   Forgiveness opens the door for debt-free relationship.

7.   Forgiveness is a choice, independent of feelings.

8.   Forgiveness is completely separate and distinct from justice.

9.   Forgiveness is a process, a path.

10. Forgiveness is a powerful antidote for bitterness.

Dr. Gupta on the Pursuit of Happiness

 “Most of us have thought, 'If only I could win the lottery, then I'd be happy forever.' But according to one of the first studies to look at long-term happiness, major life events, like a sudden cash windfall, are not what make us happy, rather, it's the priorities we set in life....”

 

 “How do you change so-called life goals? According to Heady, one way may involve concentrating on helping others, or making family, rather than material possessions, a priority. People who prioritized having a good marriage, a good relationship with their children, and being involved in social and political activities reported higher levels of life satisfaction over time. On the other hand, researchers found those who focused primarily on being able to buy what they wanted or being successful in their careers reported less happiness.”

                                          pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/05

My Ten Top Mythys About Forgiveness

1.    Forgiveness minimizes the offense, says that it's "OK."

2.    Forgiveness eliminates pain and anger.

3.    Forgiveness must be earned.

4.    Forgiveness means forgetting.

5.    Forgiveness means reconciliation.

6.    Forgiveness requires confrontation.

7.    Forgiveness eliminates justice, lets the offender "off the hook."

8.    Forgiveness is evaluated and measured by emotions.

9.    Forgiveness is always a one-time event.

10.  Forgiveness is a sign of weakness.