FORGIVENESS

FORGIVNESS

“Mistakes are your school of learning therefore forgiveness is your greatest teacher in this school of learning.” (Stephen Richards,) My friends where do we start with forgivenss today. Acts 7:59-60 is a good place to start our devotional today “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Now let’s go to”The Via Dolorosa, the road Jesus walked from the place of Pontius Pilate’s sentencing, to Golgotha, The “way of sorrows.” and as he hung on that cruel cross nothing that happen on Calvary that day was about Him. but to the contrary it was all about the saving of Humanity from the clutches of the forces of evil Luke 23:34 says it best Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Before this point in time the world was not justified for Salvation, But at the cross, Satan was defeated, and even the centurions who were part of his crucifixion were included in the saving grace and power of Jesus Christ. In Luke 23:47 it says So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”. The unimaginable power of forgiveness that day on Calvary.

Those ten words spoken by our Master, the hope of violence is overcome by peace, hatred is conquered by love of the Master’s grace. Even under the greatest pressure while enduring the most gruesome and humiliating pain, Our Savior responded to Hatred with love, mercy and forgiveness. Matthew 5:44 says ” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” forgiveness is A choice of A child oh God’s conscious, that we make through a decision of our own will, motivated only by being obedient to God and his commission to forgive as He forgives.

in Colossians 3:13 it tells us to “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” By possessing the attitude of forgiveness, you will also embrace the characteristic of love, peace, joy, hope, and gratitude. Forgiveness is The greatest gift to give. You can receive it, or You can give it. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

And Forgiveness surely doesn’t mean that you deny the other person’s responsibility, and it doesn’t minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life in the loving arms of God. Matthew 6:14-15. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Stop and consider your salvation. When we accept Jesus and what the Lord has done for us, We are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. Peter had come to Christ with the question, “How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” Christ taught that we are never to become weary of forgiving. Not “Until seven times,” He said, “but, Until seventy times seven.” He showed the true ground upon which forgiveness is to be granted, and the danger of cherishing an unforgiving spirit He shows us, In a parable.

He told of a king’s dealing with the officers who administered the affairs of his government. there was brought before him one man whose account showed a debt to his lord for the immense sum of ten thousand talents. with nothing to pay his debt, to make a long story short the king ordered him to be sold, the terrified man pleaded, the king had passion and forgave his entire dept. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him.

After asking for what was due him. He discovered the man did not have it, so he was, cast  into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, called His servant to him, and said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

The lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. “The pardon granted by this king represents a divine forgiveness of our sins. Christ is represented by the king, who, moved with compassion, forgave the debt of his servant. Man was under the condemnation of the broken law. He could not save himself, and for this reason Christ came to this world, clothed His divinity with humanity, and gave His life, the just for the unjust.He gave Himself for our sins, and to every soul He freely offers the blood-bought pardon.” (E.G. White)

Psalm 130:7 tells us “put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. Here is the ground upon which we should implement benevolence toward our fellow sinners. 1 John 4:11 tells us “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” in Matt. 10:8 Christ tells us Freely you have received; freely give.”We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.

He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.) At the very heart of Christ ministry was a simple concept and that is to love one another as we love one’s self as children of God. Time and again, the Bible reinforces this simple fact, and yet we all feel challenged when trying to follow this simple rule.

How are we to love our neighbor as we love ourselves? well first we start with compassion, and forgiveness, remember God’s love is unending and perfect to our imperfection. By accepting ourselves as we are, with strengths and weaknesses, we are able to love, others as we love ourselves wholly and completely.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY