FORGIVE AND FORGIVEN

Reading Assignment:  Matthew 17, 18


Today's word is "Forgiveness."  Matthew 18:23-35, Jesus tells the story of a man who owed a debt, he and his family sentenced to be sold for repayment and yet he was forgiven of the debt because he asked for Mercy.  This same man went out and found someone who owed him a debt but he refused to forgive him in the same way that he was earlier.


This is an area that a vast majority of Believers never get victory in.  The thought of forgiving someone who has hurt or owes you isn't always easy to put into practice.  The problem is that we put different values on Who to forgive and What to forgive them for.


There are some things that we have premeditated would never be forgiven.  "I would never forgive this or that" comes out of peoples hearts and mouths all the time.  We have no right to decide Who can be and What will be forgiven.


Jesus died for all to be forgiven who desired to be.  Ephesians 4:32 tells us the reason God forgives us is because of Jesus.  He paid the price for our forgiveness and who are we to not forgive someone else.

• Forgiveness is required for long term relationships!   There is nobody who has a "BFF" Best Friend Forever who hasn't had opportunities to forgive.  Relationships, whether marriage or friendship, will have a short lifespan if we don't get passed some of the issues that ruin them.  Disagreements, Offenses and just plain old fashioned "you did me wrong", will sometimes enter the relationship dynamic and forgiveness is the only way out.  
• Unforgiveness only hurts You!  We all need to be forgiven at times but even more, we need to forgive!  When you hold something in your heart against others, as the old saying goes, "you only hurt yourself."  Most of the people that you refuse to forgive, have no idea that you are mad with them.  It is a cancer that destroys us from within.  In the "Lord's Prayer" we ask God to forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors...Let it Go!

Your future success is too important to forfeit, due to your not forgiving someone.  The things you hold against someone else, you are only holding against yourself.  Free yourself by freeing others.

Faith Confession:  Father, I Forgive______________________ for hurting me.  I refuse to hold it against them for one more second.  I will keep my heart clean by being quick to forgive when others offend or do me wrong, just as you continually forgive me, in Jesus' name, Amen!