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Dear Friend: Forgiving Your Father

Thank you for giving me time to see you while I was in the area. I enjoyed my visit very much.

The last prophecy in the Old Testament is Malachi 4:5-6: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” This was quoted in part by the angel Gabriel to John the Baptist’s father in Luke 1:17. Notice that verse 6 in Malachi has it both ways: “the hearts of the father to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” If this does not happen, the land will be struck with a curse.

It seems that you have not yet turned your heart to your father. It is for one of two reasons: you cannot or you will not. If it is the first, it is because you are not yet saved. You say that you are saved, so then it must be the second: You will not. That is scary!

Whatever happened several years ago, it was one of these two things: something done BY you or something done TO you.

If it was the first, God will and has forgiven you. If it was the second, you are not responsible. You are not guilty. However, if you will not forgive the other person, then you are very guilty.

You seem to agree with me that embarrassment, pride, and stubbornness were at least some of the reasons you have not forgiven. I think that you know I love you and that you cannot shock me. If you could shock me, you also know that it would not change my love for you.

It is not necessary to tell me what the problem was or is. However, if you do not tell me, you probably won't confess to God because it is a secret. As long as you hold on to this unforgiveness, you will multiply your future sins such as disobeying your parents. Read the lists of sins in Romans 1 and Timothy 3. These things go together.

You want to marry a godly man. He will want to marry a godly woman. That does not automatically happen. Read Psalms 32 and 51.

With love in Christ,

Jim Wilson

If you would like to know more about turning to the Father, please join us for the Practical Christianity class at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday at 114 S. Howard St. in Moscow. This week's subject is God the Father.

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