Abundant Living.L21.Making Amends

STEPPING INTO ABUNDANT LIVING
'BLESSED/HAPPY ARE THE PEACEMAKERS' --  TAKING RESPONSIBILITY – MAKING AMENDS

Matthew 5: (NIV)
 9Blessed are the peacemakers,
      for they will be called sons of God.

AMPLIFIED BIBLE
    9Blessed (enjoying ^[p]enviable happiness, ^[q]spiritually prosperous--^[r]with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and ^[s]maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!
Cr PRINCIPLE – FOCUS TONIGHT IS ON AMENDS.. 
STEP 9
MATTHEW 5 – VS 23
 23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

REVIEW FROM 2 WEEKS AGO… Groups we may need to make amends to:

-         Family

-         Church Family

-   The lost world

-   The work place

-   Self

-   God

When we do this tough work... we must – choose our words carefully and be humble.  Don’t offer excuses or make accusations regardless of how wrong the other person may have been.  Confess ‘your’ sin... don’t point out theirs.  Be specific about how you have sinned against that person.  Don’t just apologize or say “I’m sorry”.  – don’t push for the person to verbalize they forgive you in the moment... most do not have the ability to do that anyway... have realistic expectations.. Say ‘I hope that one day you can forgive me for how I have hurt you’.

-         Make restitution – cheated or stolen from someone, offer to restore what you have taken.  (How do we steal from our workplace that we may not be aware of?)

-         Pursue reconciliation of the relationship if possible.

-         Face the hardest situation first -- If you don’t, you may never go and do it... however, for some... we may have to take one small risk with someone else first... that’s ok...

-         Don’t stop till you are finished with the list – might take months or years – keep going! 

What happens if you don’t know where the person is now – pray?  What if they passed away? – grave site, letters, etc

Determine to maintain a clear conscience – take time regularly to do so.  Keep short accounts and deal with offenses as they occur as God convicts. 

Remember…“The testimony of a good conscience is the glory of a good man: have a good conscience and you will have gladness of heart”

GROUP WORK 

1.  SHARE A TIME YOU PRACTICED THIS STEP/ MADE AMENDS AND WHAT THE EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE.

2.  WHICH OF THE GUIDELINES DO YOU FEEL ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT FOR YOU?

3.  HOW WILL YOU BEGIN TO MAKE AMENDS TO 'SELF'?

4.  IS THERE A CASE IN YOUR LIFE WHERE MAKING AMENDS WOULD CREATE HARM TO SOMEONE?  IF SO, WE WILL PRAY TOGETHER ABOUT HOW GOD WOULD HAVE YOU GO ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE ISSUE.  DISCUSS SITUATIONS WHERE THIS WOULD BE SO.