Category Forgiveness- by Nizy

Jul 20 2012

How many times do I have forgive?


As believers, we will never experience joy-filled, victorious lives unless we are ready to forgive people. This is something we are going to have to do frequently, and according to Matthew 18:21-22, even repeatedly. The Lord tells us plainly in the Bible that if we will not forgive other people for the wrong things they have done against us, then God will not forgive the wrong things we have done against Him. See Matthew 6:14-15.
What kind of condition would we be in if God refused to forgive us? We could not possible have a proper relationship with Him. Everything in our lives would be stopped up. We like to think that we can stay angry with other people and yet go to God and receive forgiveness for our sins. But the Lord tells us in the Bible that this is not so.

Jesus taught us to pray,” And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven ( left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors” Matthew 6:12. God is a God of mercy, and this issue of forgiveness is very important to Him. He tells us repeatedly in His Word that if we want mercy, we have to give mercy.

In Matthew 18:21-22, Peter asked Jesus how many times he had to forgive his brother,” up to seven times?” Jesus” answer was not seven times, but seventy times that many.

I do not know about you, but I am glad God does not put a limit on how many times He will forgive us. How many of us have done the same wrong thing at least seventy times seven, and God has still forgiven us for it? We are willing to keep taking and taking forgiveness from God, but it is amazing how little we want to extend forgiveness to others. We freely accept mercy, yet it is surprising how rigid, legalistic, and merciless we can be toward others, especially if they have wronged us in some way. Yet the Bible says that the debt we owe God is much greater than any debt anyone may owe us.  Let us always remember how great God’s generosity is, especially in the area of forgiveness. Aim to forgive others as quickly, as often, and as generously as God forgives us.

”Sometimes forgiving someone can be very difficult, especially if that person has repeatedly hurt or offended us. Is there someone in your life you are having a hard time forgiving? Remember the gracious gift of God’s forgiveness to you. As you have received forgiveness, you are called to extend forgiveness to others. Ask God to help you forgive as you have been forgiven”

Let’s always pay an  attention to the message of the bible!
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Jul 19 2012

Forgive and you will be forgiven


Don’t waste time onto anger toward someone who has done against you. Forgive that person today. God knows our situation and He has still called us to forgive, no matter the circumstances. Nobody is perfect, everyone needs to be forgiven. Do not stand in the way of your own relationship with God by denying forgiveness to someone else.

Yes! Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, because hate in your heart will devour you too. We should learn to FORGIVE. We don’t have to like them, we do not have to be friends with them, and we do not have to send them hearts in text messages or give them kiss when we see them, but we have  to overlook, to forget, to forgive them through  prayer. Because if we don’t we are tying rocks to our feet, too much for our shoulders to carry.

Not to forgive is to be imprisoned by the past, by old grievances that do not permit life to proceed with your new existence. Not to forgive is to yield oneself to another’s control, to be locked into a sequence of act and response, of outrage and revenge, and escalating always. The present is endlessly overwhelmed and devoured by the past. Forgiveness frees the forgiver. It extracts the forgiver from someone else’s nightmare.

The willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should aspire. Imagine a world occupied with individuals willing both to apologize and to accept an apology, is there any problem that could not be solved among people who possessed the humility and largeness of spirit and soul to do either or both when needed? Repent, then, forgive so that you will be forgiven. It may not change how you feel about what they did, but it will change you.  Forgiveness frees the forgiver! 

Whenever I’m upset , I read passages that offer biblical guidance on forgiveness and how important it is to forgive others as we have been forgiven by the blood of Christ. Here they are, I will share ’em with you too.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 43:25-26

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.  Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence.

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Acts 3:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Hebrews 10:17

Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

Ephesians 1:7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Colossians 1:13-14

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Daniel 9:9

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.

Matthew 6:9-15

“This, then, is how you should pray: ” ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,  your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ‘  For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 26:28

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 11:25

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. “

Numbers 14:19-21

In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”  The LORD replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked.  Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth.

Colossians 1:13-14

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Psalm 103:12

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
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Jul 9 2012

God forgives us, Who am I not to forgive?


 

Forgiveness for me is letting go of the need for revenge and releasing negative thoughts of bitterness and grudges. To forgive is really to remember that each of us says things we wish we had never said; that we can all forget that love is more important than being right. To forgive is to set yourself free, to acknowledge that it does no good to hate. Hate really destroys both the other person and yourself. That realization is what I think taught me about forgiveness, and so I try my best to live by it. I think forgiveness is an aspect of our humanity. I suggest you to pray and read passages that offer biblical guidance on forgiveness and how important it is to forgive others as we have been forgiven by the blood of  Jesus Christ. When I’m upset and hurt by others, the passages below helps me a lot to easily forgive them.
Colossians 3:13 Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].
Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
 Psalm 32: 1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered.
 Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]–then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Proverbs 19:11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense
Romans 12:20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

I love what the Bible says on forgiveness. Add your own favorite in the  comment box. Let’s forgive and love one another. May God bless us all! And remember, ”Always be the first to forgive; and forgive yourself first always.”