The Power of Forgiveness

 

The Power of Forgiveness

Relationships with family, friends, co-workers, or schoolmates can quite often be difficult. Daily, we interact with many different personality types and that will sometimes lead to conflicts. In this life, you don’t have to look for trouble, for trouble to find you, but God’s Word teaches us how to respond to others.  Forgiving others their trespasses, is sometimes a very hard thing to do. The Lord is still working on me in this area, so this lesson is as much for me, as others. The golden law is, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” God’s Word teaches us, that if we forgive others their trespasses against us, the Lord will also forgive us our trespasses (Matt 6:14). Also, if we show mercy to others, then the Lord will show mercy to us. God’s Word is clear, that the Lord will judge each of us, based on how we treat our fellow man.

 

 Matt 5:22-24, says that if we are angry with our brother without a cause we shall be in danger of the judgment, if we call him Raca (dumb head, or idiot), we shall be in danger of the council, and if we call him a fool, we shall be in danger of hell fire. God expects his children to pursue peace with all men, and name calling, which results from anger, is forbidden with God. God’s Word also says, that it is possible to be angry and not sin, but we are not to let the sun go down upon our wrath. In other words, we are to make peace, as soon as possible with the trespasser. If they refuse to make peace, we are to still forgive them in our heart before the day is ended. Bitterness dries up the bones according to God’s Word. It is also a medical fact, that people who are angry and bitter a lot, are candidates for cancer, heart attacks, strokes, as well as other diseases. The root of bitterness will lead to hate, which is the same, as the sin of murder according to Christ. In verses 23 and 24, Christ said, that when you bring your gift to the alter, and then remember that your brother has something against you, go and be reconciled with your brother then come and offer your gift. This passage shows that grudges against others, will hurt your relationship with the Lord, as well as cut you off from his blessings. Quiet often, not forgiving others will also block a person from healings, as well as, hinder their prayers from being answered.

 

Matt 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. In this passage, Christ was telling Peter that we are to forgive our brothers sins against us, countless times. We are to have the mind of Christ, and follow in his footsteps. When Christ died upon the cross, to make atonement  for our sins, he wiped out all of our sins that we have repented of. As he was dying upon the cross, Christ said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Christ was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, despised and rejected by men, according to scripture. Even though he was taunted, spit upon, as well as rejected by his generation, he still was willing to forgive the sins of all who would come to him, to be born again. If we belong to Christ, we should have the same compassion as he did, for our fellow mankind. Since Christ gives us grace, we should also extend grace to our fellow man, who is also created in God’s image.

 

Matt 18:23-35, Is the parable of the unforgiving servant. Christ said, that the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who had a servant who owed him ten thousand talents. The servant pleaded with the king to have mercy on him, and not to sell him and his family. The king chose to have mercy upon this servant, and to release him, as well as forgive his debt. This servant then went to one of his fellow servants who owed him money, and grabbed him by the throat, and demanded to be paid in full. This servant fell at his feet and begged him to have patience, but he refused to have mercy upon this servant. Instead, he had his fellow servant thrown in jail, until he could be paid in full. Then the king had this wicked servant delivered to the tortures because he refused to have compassion upon his fellow servant. Verse 35 states, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” The greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God, as well as love our neighbor as our self. If we have this Christ like love for one another, then we fulfill the law and the prophets.

 

 I ask the Lord continually, to help me to look beyond the faults of others and see the need. There are many cruel and malicious people in the world, and there is a reason why they are that way. Many people are suffering in their bodies from cancer, pain, sickness, mental illness etc. Others, have experienced the deaths of loved ones, divorce, or unemployment . Quite often people take out their pain upon others. If we keep this in mind when encountering malicious people, then we can have compassion for them, instead of contempt. Christ tells us to pray for those who persecute or mistreat us. If you will pray for those who are offensive to you, then the Lord will open your eyes to their need. If a person is struggling with feelings of anger towards another, it is best to not talk about the situation. The more we talk about the person who made us angry, the more likely we are to add fuel to the flame. Silence is golden if you need to be released from anger. To sum this up, we need to to forgive others, in the same way that Christ has forgiven us.               

  

Matt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

Matt 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

Matt 5:22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.  23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

 

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

 

Matt 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.  26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’  27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’  29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’  30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.  31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’  34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

 

 

 

The Power of the Tongue

The Power of the Tongue

James 3:1-12 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.  2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.  3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.  4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.  5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.  7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.  10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.  11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?  12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

 

The tongue of man is capable of great evil, as well as of great kindness. Verse two, says that we all stumble in many things, and if anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. At times, I can be outspoken, and I often remind myself of this teaching of James. The control of the tongue is a very difficult thing to be mastered. James compares the small tongue who boasts of great things, with bits put into horses mouths, as well as a rudder on ships, in order to show how the tongue steers the direction of the body. It is very true, that relationships are both formed, as well as, destroyed by our words. As ambassadors for Christ in this fallen world, it is important for us to reflect his light to others. You may be the only lifeline to Heaven that someone has in their life, and your words may lead them to Christ.

 

 James also compares the tongue to a little fire capable of starting a forest fire, as well as an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. I have met many people that consider Christians to be offensive, because of words they spoke, that reflected vanity, arrogance, or cynicism. I have also known people who claimed to know Christ, but used all forms of swearing, as well as profanity, and that will most certainly push people away from Christ. God’s Word speaks against filthy talk, course jesting, and swearing. James states that bitter water cannot come from the same spring that produces fresh water. God’s Word also states that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Even in jesting, many people reveal how they really feel about someone, and have damaged relationships.

 

 The Lord gave me a dream recently, about those who claim to know Christ, but swear like a sailor. I dreamed that I was standing in an office building lobby, and there were around a dozen elevators that led to Heaven, but only two were in use. There was a man standing there that was using God’s name in vain, as well as, cussing like a sailor. He walked away and then was replaced by a lady, who represented the modern church. I told the lady, that if this guy does not repent of his swearing he will go to hell. She said, that this man was saved, and his salvation was secure, but his swearing would cut him off from the Holy Spirit. I told the lady that the grace message that is being taught by most churches, is way out of bounds, and does not line up with the Word of God. I also told her, that holiness preaching has been replaced, by a lukewarm message. As I walked away from her, she exclaimed in a loud voice, “ Thank you Lord for your grace!” and she repeated herself several times. I then was walking through the lobby in a large crowd of people, who were following a famous evangelist, who has been preaching the eternal security doctrine for many decades. The large crowd of people refused to take the two elevators that led to Heaven, and were content to follow this evangelist to Hell. Although there were twelve elevators, the two that were functional, were symbolic of the few churches left that preach holiness. There is grace for those who repent of their sins, as well as turn from them, but grace is not automatic. The Lord has given me many dreams, as well as visions, concerning how serious sin is in the life of the Christian. The Lord shows me people wearing clothes covered with spots and wrinkles, as well as their skin covered in layers of dirt. The Lord then tells me to instruct people to take a spiritual shower and get their lives in order. Without holiness, no man will see the Father.

 

The words that we speak, will also reflect the level of faith that is in our lives. The old saying that misery loves company is very true. I have known people that are continually pessimistic, and their words reflect the fear that consumes them. God’s Word says that perfect love will cast out all fear. Even when we feel faithless, we need to speak words of faith, as well as stand upon the promises that are in God’s Word. Regardless of how we feel, or what we are going through, God’s promises for us will remain true. When we are under spiritual attack, we need to quote scripture with faith, because God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit. I have entered homes after family members have quarreled, and you can feel a tense atmosphere within the home. An evil tongue that attacks others, is an open door to demonic spirits. I have also entered homes with anointed praise and worship music playing, and you can feel the presence of the Lord, for the Lord inhabits the praises of his people. If a person needs a breakthrough from the Lord, or is in need of healing, speak words of faith, combined with scripture. Don’t  claim your illness or distress, because words produced from fear are the opposite of faith. Fear will empower the enemy in your life, but faith will move the hand of God.