Will you allow unforgiveness to hold you back from the many blessings God has for your life?
Luke 6:27-37
27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. 37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.
I was at work last night praying that the Holy Spirit illuminate something to me. Forgiveness. A lot of people deal with this subject and most Christians struggle to let go of bitterness and unforgiveness. I remember three years ago, I was sitting at a friends home and we were talking about forgiveness. And at that time I still had bitterness and resentment toward a majority of my family for the way they treated not only myself, but my parents and brother as well. I was telling my friend's dad that although I love the Lord and daily trying to forgive those who wronged me, it's hard. He, unfortunately was an evangelist, told me that no matter what we're are subject to forgive at all cost. Of course at that time, I was young and was like this man don't know my reasoning but it doesn't matter what the reason is.
There are no exceptions when it comes to forgiveness.
I don't I've read anywhere in God's word where He says, love and forgive your enemies, except for when... I've yet to see that in all 66 books. Have you?
Sometimes we allow even the childish things to ruin friendships, relationships, and even break up families. Ok, you had someone cheat on you or your parents mentally abused and afflicted you or someone mentioned your name is a gossip conversation or someone posted something you didn't agree with. So what. Will you really let unforgiveness and a bitter heart ruin your chances of sharing with Christ, His everlasting glory? Forgive. I plead with you. Forgive those who've done anything wrong to you. Place it at the feet of God and let Him be the Judge over the situation
Matthew 5:43-48
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’t and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies!t Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends,t how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Christ instructed us to love our enemies and pray for them. "But Vic we are only human..". We are not human. WE ARE NOT HUMAN! Humans are of this world, sadly I'm not. We are children of the great Most High. We are sanctified and set apart from this world. Once we accept Christ it is no longer us that live but the glory of God, our precious Savior, who lives IN US. (Galations 2:20)
Don't let a hardened heart ruin, you as a believer and new creation in Christ, your inheritance. I never want to hear Christ tell me, Son, depart from me I never knew you.. (Matthew 7:21-23). I can't imagine an eternity in Hell. My ma always told me that my grandmother refused to go to her grave with unforgiveness. I never had the chance to meet a strong woman as her but I'm sure my mother is the closest to my grandmother I'll ever have the chance to get.
Yes, we are human but so was Christ. We were created in a perfect and unblemished image and so was Christ. I honestly believe that it's satan's deceit when someone, who professes to be a believer, says "We are only human". That's like saying, I'm human and I don't want to be like Christ. If I ever in my life hear that again I will rebuke the enemy and lay hands on that person. I am not playing. It's sad that we let such ignorance ruin our godly mentality.
Whether we as Christians want to believe it or not, hell is real. Hell was created mainly for Satan but with us being born into sinful nature many loved ones have fallen victim to satan's treacherous (big word vocab haha) scheme. I would love to see everyone go to heaven but it could be things like unforgiveness that hold us back from magnificent glory.
Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someonet who sins against me? Seven times?”22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!t23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.t 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars.t He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded.30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. 35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisterst from your heart.”
No matter what someone has done to you, whether it's a friend, family member, pastor or even a loved one etc. Forgive. Even if you don't let them know, open your heart to God and forgive. Show love and mercy for anyone who may have done anything wrong to you. Please.. Poem
Father help me forgive those I've unforgiven
Open my heart to Your word and my ears to listen
Even for those that gossip and my name is mentioned
I surrender it all to You and seek You for repentance
Only Your grace and love gives this unclean life a reformed beginning
I refuse to allow a hardened heart give this life You unconditionally redeemed an unholy death sentence
Yes, although I may be human Your word says that I am sanctified
Christ's innocent blood will not be in vein for He spared my life
He told us to love our enemy and if I disobeyed then how am I right in Your eyes?
Some say there is not enough to take a slice from humble pie
God's word is THE manual for us all to live by
Christ mourns for those that ignores a life justified
God is love BUT He judges at an equal high
Don't let satan entice you with lie after lie
Please, repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand
All I want is this life to be pure and stainless when God judges with His righteous hand
Again.. will you allow unforgiveness to hold you back from the many blessings God has for your life?
Here are some more scriptures for you if you'd like to do your own in depth study:
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