Tag: forgive
Day 4–Courage to Keep Forgiving
Scripture reading for February 26: Matthew 18:21-22 “Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
A central teaching of Jesus Christ concerned forgiveness of sins. Man’s greatest need is forgiveness of sins and Jesus Christ’s primary message of the Good News was that through Him, sin could be forgiven. Jesus’ disciples struggled to understand forgiveness. Part of their religious training concerned equal retribution for offences. If someone poked out your eye, you could get even and poke out his eye. Jesus instead taught that if we expected God to forgive us our sins, we must forgive others their sins against us. All vengeance belonged to God, since only He knows all about each person and He alone can judge justly.
Peter, a disciple of Jesus, asked Jesus about how many times he should forgive someone who sinned against him. He suggested that seven times might be a generous number. But Jesus responded with something much greater–“seventy-seven times.” Some translations say ‘seventy times seven.’ The whole point is that forgiveness is the proper decision towards those who have offended you or did you wrong.
As first responders, we must work with others on most of our calls. There are always those who offend. These may be fellow responders or even the people that we were called to help. We should never keep score in order to get even or to repay in kind. Jesus’ gave us the ultimate demonstration of forgiveness when from the cross He cried, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) This prayer was directed to those who had crucified Him and falsely accused Him. He laid down His life that all might receive forgiveness and demonstrated God’s generous grace.
Prayer: Father God, like Peter, I sometimes count how many times I have forgiven and think I have been generous. Forgive me and teach me how to have the courage to forgive others every time I am offended or wronged. I trust You to have mercy on them and me. Amen.
Forgive, believe and receive!
Scripture reading for February 24: Mark 11
“”Rabbi, look! The fig tree that You cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also Who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”” Mark 11:21-25
As human beings, we are not accustomed to our words having power. We often make requests that are ignored and ask for certain things to happen that never come to pass. We make declarations of our intentions but fail to follow through. We develop our lack of trust over repeated failures of our own efforts and others who don’t respond as we asked. Then when it comes to God, we are full of unbelief because we are centered on ourselves. Forgiveness is needed for all.
Jesus wants to alter our view of God and life in His kingdom. In this story of cursing the fig tree, Jesus was teaching multiple lessons to His disciples as His time to be physically with them was soon coming to a close. The kingdom of God works through faith because of love. God is love and this implies a relationship where God wants the best for us. We are to have faith in God as the central relationship in our lives. He has promised to answer prayers prayed in faith. Faith believes in God and His goodness and ability to do whatever is asked. Because God has forgiven us through Jesus, we must also forgive others and maintain the loving relationship that fosters faith. Forgiveness also takes faith to give and receive. Mountains of bitterness and hills of resentment can be easily removed when faith works in love!
Have you ever felt bitterness and cynicism come into your heart because of your own or others failures? Have you asked God for something you desperately needed and felt He failed to respond? Have you forgiven others as Christ has forgiven you?
Prayer: Father God, forgiveness requires great faith in You and Your amazing goodness and justice. As I mature in Christ Jesus, help me to more freely forgive others and myself when I fail. Prompt me to ask and believe that I will receive the answers I need. Perfect Your love in me to improve my faith. Amen.
Mountain moving faith!
Scripture reading for October 19th: Mark 11-13
In 1995 my son Marshal and I went on a study trip to Israel. We visited about seventy sites around Israel and also went to Mt. Sinai in Saudi Arabia where we traced the route of the exodus ending in Egypt. While in Israel, we visited Bethany and walked up the road and over the Mt. of Olives that went to Jerusalem. This walk of 2-3 miles made this portion of Scripture come alive in a different way!
Jesus and his disciples were staying in Bethany. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived in Bethany and Jesus often stayed with them. They had come to Jerusalem to prepare for Passover week when all Jewish men were required to appear before the Lord. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey as Zechariah had predicted. He was actually the final sacrifice for the last Passover ever needed! He arrived at the temple but simply looked around and left. This would have been on Sunday, the first day of the week, what we know as “Palm Sunday”.
He returned to Bethany and stayed there another night. The next morning as He walked back over the Mt. of Olives, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree, He went to find early fruit. He found none on the tree and spoke a curse over the tree, stating that no one would ever eat fruit from that tree again. He then went on to the temple and caused quite a stir by driving out the money-changers. He went back to his friends’ house for another evening. The next morning they went by the fig tree and it was dead! (Mark 11:20-21)
Mark 11:22-25 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, that whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Here is what we learned by walking where Jesus walked: There also was a fig grove on the Mt. of Olives in 1995. From that location one could look and see Bethlehem and a place called the “Herodium” where King Herod, in the years just before Jesus walked that path, had moved a mountain! He took one hill and put it on top of another using thousands of slave laborers. In the distance you could also see the Dead Sea glistening in the valley below. When Jesus spoke that parable, He had an object lesson for his disciples! With faith in God, moving mountains is easy! But watch your heart, forgiveness is imperative!
Today, take time to meditate on these verses from Mark’s Gospel and put them into practice! Use prayer to move the mountains you face in your life! Remember forgive others so you will be free!
God turns the tables!
Scripture reading for May 15: Esther 5-7
“If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.” Proverbs 26:27 “An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad.” Proverbs 29:6
We must be careful when we plot revenge. All judgment and vengeance is the Lord’s. (Romans 12:19) The Lord has a way of turning the tables on those who seek revenge and plot evil. He has ways of protecting those who are innocent and those who are serving Him.
Haman was thrilled with his position and his influence! He boasted to his wife and friends of his good fortune and how he was the only one invited to meet with Queen Esther for a banquet. (Nehemiah 6:1-12) He was happy, except for one fly in the ointment: Mordecai the Jew would not show him honor by bowing before him! He complained to his wife and friends who proposed a plan to hang Mordecai on a gallows 75 feet high! This would have been high enough to display the execution above the walls of the city! He had the gallows built and was ready for the next day.
But God was moving silently behind the scenes. The king could not sleep, so he had the chronicles of his reign read to him. He heard the story of a foiled plot to assassinate him–a plot Mordecai had exposed, thus saving his life. He asked what had been done for this man and found out it had been overlooked. He asked who might be in the court to honor Mordecai, and providentially, Haman had just walked in. The king asked him what he would do to honor someone special to the king. Thinking it was him to be honored, Haman proposed a grand public honor and was shocked when the king told him to honor Mordecai! God turned the tables deftly and quickly!
The end of the story finds Haman hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai after being exposed as the one seeking to kill off all Jews, including the Queen! It may look as if the wicked get by with their schemes, but not in the end! Do you have thoughts of revenge or plans to get even? Why not forgive and turn the table back toward God’s mercy before He turns the tables on you?
Defusing Satan’s designs!
Scripture reading for September 19th: Isaiah 64-66, 2nd Corinthians 2
2nd Corinthians 2: 5-11 “Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure–not to put it too severely–to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his designs.”
Paul wrote this second letter in part to this church family to encourage them to forgive a repentant brother that was under discipline as a result of serious sexual sin. (1st Corinthians 5) Paul and the church leadership had put this person out of the church for the destruction of his flesh that he might ultimately repent and be saved. Paul noted that this discipline process had worked and that now the church needed to forgive and restore this person. Satan’s design was to destroy this man and the church through strife and unforgiveness. In forgiving, the church would totally defuse any design of Satan to destroy anyone involved and spread the aroma of Christ’s mercy and restoration to many.
2nd Corinthians 2:14-16 “But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for giving us insight into Satan’s designs and traps and for protecting us through clear instructions in Your eternal Word. Help me to always forgive and restore those who are contrite and repentant and demonstrate the love and mercy of Your Son Jesus Christ. Allow the fragrance of Christ in me to spread the knowledge of Him everywhere.
Isaiah 66:1-2 “Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool; what is the house that you would build for Me and what is My place of rest? All these things My hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My Word.”
Restoring the repentant sinner!
Scripture reading for September 17th: 2nd Corinthians 2
Key Scriptures: 2nd Corinthians 2:4-9 “For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure–not to put it too severely–to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether your are obedient in everything.”
Paul had instructed the church in Corinth in his first letter about how to deal with a man in the church who was living in sexual sin. They were to confront and remove him from the church fellowship and deliver him over to Satan. (1st Corinthians 5:1-5) The goal of this was the saving of his soul. Now Paul was writing the church that this man had repented and was ready to be restored to fellowship. He must be forgiven and now comforted and received back into the fellowship of the believers. Their love for him must be reaffirmed to keep him from excessive sorrow and condemnation. Why? Because we are not ignorant of Satan’s designs to keep people bound by unforgiveness and under shame and condemnation.
2nd Corinthians 2:10-11 “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for Your great mercy and redemptive purposes to be worked out by those who believe. Help me to carefully follow Your instructions in discipline of those caught in sin and in restoration of the repentant. By the Holy Spirit, illuminate my heart and mind to the designs of Satan and helping those in the church to escape Satan’s traps. May others smell ‘the aroma of Christ’ coming from my life!
2nd Corinthians 2:14-16 “But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?”
How much love do you have?
Scripture reading for March 11th: Luke 7
Key Scriptures: Luke 7:44-48 “Then turning toward the woman He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven–for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little. And He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.””
Jesus was always teaching those He loved and came to save. The setting was the home of a Pharisee that had invited Him to dinner. At the meal, a woman came and anointed His feet with expensive ointment and washed them with her tears, wiping them off with her locks of hair. Simon, the Pharisee, was wondering if Jesus understood what kind of a person this woman was. He had judged her a “sinner”. Jesus addressed his thoughts with a parable of two debtors asking mercy from the lender and asking Simon which debtor would love the lender more? The bottom line was correctly reached by Simon–the one forgiven the most money. Does my love for Jesus match His great mercy for me a sinner?
Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; . . .”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for forgiving my sins and transgressions. Forgive me for often taking this lightly and not showing love to You by obedience, worship and service. Increase my love level by revealing Your great mercy to me.
Psalm 103:11-12 “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.”
Forgive and comfort!
Scripture reading for September 17th: Isaiah 64-66, 2nd Corinthians 2
Key Scriptures: 2nd Corinthians 2:5-11 “Now if anyone has caused pain he has caused it not to me, but in some measure–not to put it too severely–to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether your are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
Paul’s purpose in his second letter was to encourage the Corinthians to forgive and restore a repentant brother who had been under church discipline. Paul encouraged them to forgive and comfort, and not to hold anything against him. Paul stated that this was a test of their obedience. He also reminded them that Satan’s plans and traps were set for them. Satan would like to see the church divided and bring strife and hatred in through unforgiveness. Christ Jesus is our example of grace.
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for forgiving us and bringing us Your comfort and love by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Continue to inform me of the traps and devices of Satan that I might walk in freedom.
Isaiah 66:2 “All these things My hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My Word.”
Singing with overflowing Love!
Scripture reading for March 9th: Numbers 15-18, Psalm 113, Colossians 3
Key Scriptures: Colossians 3:12-16 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in your richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Paul lists many character and behavior traits of Christ Jesus that should now be “put on” by His disciples. Christ-followers have a desire and spirit-given ability to be like Him. Forgiveness and love are not accessories but staples of Christian character. They produce peace and thankfulness. As Christ’s Word indwells us, our hearts begin to sing songs of worship and adoration to God! What a blessed way to live!
Numbers 15:40-41 “So you shall remember and do all My commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord your God.”
Faith Confession and prayer: Lord, help me today to put on the clothing of Christ Jesus, my Lord. I want to allow His Word to dwell in me and sing praises to His Name forevermore!
Psalm 113:2 “Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!”
Faith Asks Expectantly!
Scripture reading for February 22nd: Mark 11, Psalms 39, Proverbs 8
Key Scriptures: Mark 11:22-25 “And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.””
Jesus had cursed a fig tree and the next day the disciples noted that it had withered away from the roots. Jesus used this illustration of speaking in faith to teach them the power of faith and prayer. Asking the Father in faith, believing that they would receive what they asked, would bring them the desired answer. Jesus also encouraged them to forgive wrongs done against them so that they might stand forgiven before the Father.
Faith’s confession: Lord, I believe that You will answer my prayers that I ask You for in faith. Help me to forgive those who have wronged me, and increase my faith. (Action step: Ask the Lord today to meet a need or purposely forgive any wrongs against you.)
Proverbs 8:17 “I (Wisdom) love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.”