Sunday Extra – June 22nd, 2025
Forgive One Another
Billy Graham said, “Forgiveness is one of the most beautiful words in the human vocabulary.” The essence of the Christian message includes the fact that God provided a way for our sins to be forgiven. Horizontally, the Lord asks us to keep an attitude of forgiveness toward other people as He through Christ has forgiven us.
Today on Sunday Extra, Courtney McLaughlin speaks from Colossians 3:12-14, a powerful passage where the apostle Paul exhorts us to clothe ourselves with the character of Christ. This clothing includes learning to practice forgiveness to others as we learn to make “allowance for each other’s faults” (Colossians 3:13 NLT). Courtney serves a church in Houston, Texas, as the Pastor of Missional Alignment. Kevin led this church through a visioning process several years ago. Courtney is passionate about equipping and mentoring young leaders and coaches in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, and she serves as one of LFM’s coaches and consultants.
“Many made decisions for Christ”
Evangelist Wesley Paul has deep ties to LFM. A worldwide preacher of the Gospel, Wesley leads the Thrive Tribe mentoring group. Wesley recently ministered in the Middle East, including Israel and Palestine. Speaking at one church camp, he shares he was warmly welcomed, and “many made decisions for Christ. . . . It was a powerful time. Many children prayed with me to receive Christ.” During his time there, conflict escalated between Israel and Iran. Circumstances on the ground became volatile and unordinary.
Wesley told us this past week, “I am well, at peace, safe in the hands of my host pastor. Standing on the promises of Psalm 23, 46 and 121. How powerful the words of God have been! My prayer life has deepened, love for this region and understanding grown. I am grateful for the sovereign God at work in my life.” As of this writing, Wesley was able to flee the war zone and return safely to his home in Kentucky.
With the closure of the airport in Tel Aviv, his 58-hour journey from Israel included four flights, two border crossings, and entering three countries to be able to safely get back to the United States of America. He shares, “I have seen God’s favor, goodness, and protection. I call you to pray for the people living in Palestine, Israel, and Iran going through this crisis. Pray for churches and believers, their faith, witness and for peace in the land.”
Please join us in praying for the Lord to refresh and restore Wesley. Let’s pray for God’s peace to reign in this Middle East conflict. And let’s pray for the many new believers who came to faith in Christ through Wesley’s ministry. May they grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.
