Forgiveness

Matthew 6 Amp

9 “Pray, then, [b]in this way:

‘Our Father, who is in heaven, [c]Hallowed be Your name.(B) 10 ‘[d]Your kingdom come, Your [e]will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our [f]daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our [g]debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment]. 13 ‘And do not [h]lead us into temptation, but deliver us from [i]evil. [j][For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’(C)

14 For if you forgive [k]others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

What should motivate us to forgive?

We are forgiven by God in the measure which we forgive.

Unforgiveness is so subtle, many of us may have it and manifest other spirits attached to it prime examples being resentment and slander.

Unforgiveness can only hurt our own selves and never the other whom we thought we would punish.

Here are a few symptoms that one may have Unforgiveness after being hurt or wounded

1 Do you replay the matter over and over in your mind with thoughts of revenge or punishing the other through withdrawals or "cutting off" the other person. Please remember sometimes God seperates people. Forgiveness and trust are two different matters. Trust is earned.

2 Are you able to bless the one who wounded you. Bless means SPEAK WELL OFF

3 Do you see the other through the label of the action that motivated the conflict or do you see them the way God sees them

4 Every time you remember the incident is it as if the old wound is stirred again with all the emotions, even many years later. It takes time to heal, if it is a scratch it heals quickly, broken bones take longer. So it is with the comparative emotional wounds or scars

5 Do you speak to others about it, rallying many on your side, while colouring the other (without them knowing). God's conflict resolution solutions are listed in Matthew 18, beginning with "GO AND TELL THEM ALONE"

These are just a few symptoms of Unforgiveness.

May God show us truth and bring us into true freedom and liberty. May he show us anyone we have not forgiven and when he does, let us open our mouths and call that name saying

"I forgive.......

I bless them and leave everything to you Father.

I let it go, so I can grow

In Jesus name

Amen"

This poem by my late cousin Marjorie Dixon will really bless you

A Choice to forgive

I used to believe that if I forgave you

It would be saying you were right

And I was wrong

It would be giving you the upper edge.

Now I know that to forgive is not to alter the facts

It is to change me

To set me free and give me peace.

I used to believe that I should cling to resentments

And desire revenge

That it was my right as a victim of your selfish

Treatment and ugly sentiments.

Now I know that to forgive is not to give in

But to let go, it is not weakness but strength

It is to fight and win.

I used to believe that forgiveness was an option,

That I could choose not to forgive and that would be that.

Now I know that not to forgive

Is the worse choice I could make setting in motion

A pathway to death of spirit, soul and body

Sealing my own destiny.

I used to believe that the Bible’s warning about unforgiveness

Did not really apply to me.

Now I know that they are true

And that if I don’t forgive

Then forgiveness from God I will never receive.

So I will obey, and by faith make the choice

To say and mean the three life changing words

‘I forgive you’

Walk Good in Christ

till we meet again

Pastor J