Today I want to share from two different devotionals that share similar, yet different messages! First I want to share this from Andrew Womack's devotional "One Year With Jesus":
LIMITLESS FORGIVENESS (Matthew 18: 21-35)
Matthew 18:33 "Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy
fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?"
Peter thought he was being very generous by offering to forgive his
brother seven times in one day, but Jesus said he should forgive him 490 times
in one day. It would be impossible to have someone sin against you 490 times in
one day. Jesus is actually saying that there should be no limit to our
forgiveness.
When we are offended or hurt, we often feel justified in holding a
grudge. The Old Testament law expressed this when it stated, "Eye for eye,
tooth for tooth" (Exodus 21:23-25). Until the offense was paid, we did not
feel free to forgive. However, God dealt with all men's offenses by placing sin
upon the perfect Savior who was judged in place of every sinner of all time. To
demand that others now earn our forgiveness is not Christ like. Jesus died for
every man's sins, extending forgiveness to us while we were yet sinners, and we
should do the same.
The main thrust of this parable is that when we have people who wrong
us, we should remember the great mercy that God has shown to us and respond in
kind. Any debt that could be owed to us is insignificant compared to the debt
we were forgiven. We should have compassion on others as Christ had on us.
If God expects us to forgive our brother who has trespassed against us
490 times in one day (actually an unlimited number of times), certainly He who
is love will do no less with us. The forgiveness that we have received from the Lord is infinitely
greater than any forgiveness we could ever be asked to extend toward others.
Forgiving others is extremely vital for the born again believer! Unforgiveness will hold us back from walking in the fullness of all that God has prepared and provided for us to walk in - here, in THIS life! Have you heard this: Forgiveness sets a prisoner free - YOU! It is TRUE! When we, in faith, forgive others, then we are SO free to walk boldly and confidently in the promises of the Word, as children of the Most High God! AMEN! Now here is Joseph Prince with "Grace Inspirations" and an explanation of what really happens when we choose forgiveness!
CLAIM OF GOD ON YOU
Leviticus 1:5 He shall kill the bull before the Lord; and the priests,
Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all around on the
altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, God instructed them
to set up a tabernacle as a place of meeting between Him and them. Near the
door of the tabernacle was an altar. It speaks of the claims God makes on the
righteousness of man. For this reason, an offering had to be killed, its blood
sprinkled all around on the altar and its body burnt on the altar before one
was counted worthy to go into God’s presence.
The sprinkling of the blood of a bull or goat all around on that altar
meant that the Israelites were under the covering of the blood of that animal. Even
when they sinned, their sins were covered by the blood until the next
sacrifice.
The blood speaks of Jesus’ blood shed for us at the cross. Yet, His
blood is worth so much more than the blood of bulls and goats because His blood
is effective forever! In fact, His blood has met every single claim of God on
man to the point that God is so completely satisfied that He now enjoys the
savor of rest in what His Son has done.
You too can rest knowing that God is fully satisfied with you because
of Christ’s perfect sacrifice. Even if you fall into sin, you can turn to the
blood of Jesus. Your sins are not merely covered by His blood, like how the
blood of bulls and goats covered sins. No, your sins have been washed away by
His blood! (Revelation 1:5) In fact, your sins and lawless deeds God remembers
no more! (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17)
Jesus was your perfect offering placed on the altar of sacrifice. By
just one offering of Himself, “He hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified”. (Hebrews 10:14, KJV) Jesus has not only sanctified you or made you
holy, He has perfected you forever! Today, you can enter boldly into God’s
presence because He sees you the way He sees Jesus. He sees you perfected
forever because you are in Christ!
AMEN! Walking in forgiveness with others demonstrates to God and to others that we have truly embraced the new Life that we have IN HIM! REFUSE to hold anything against anyone! The freedom you will experience is unlike any other! Try it! HE will never fail to confirm His Word! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "So Will I":Shalom in Him!
