God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Memory of the Month: 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Today's reading: EXODUS 19-20 MATTHEW 18:21-35
From Your Heart
He was the child of farmers and good people. As a child he was like a lot of children trying to keep all the toys to himself and always trying to be the center of attention. As he grew he learned how to make a living and provide for himself and then for his family.
A divorce brought much sorrow and the man never remarried. He could never trust again. He kept all his belongings close but still tried to be the center of attention when among friends. This man clung to all his stuff.
Unfortunately, his stuff included bad feelings and an unforgiving heart and an unwillingness to learn from his pain. So, the pain grew and so did his attitude toward forgiving until even what we would consider the slightest wrong against him was built into a major sin.
Relationships crumbled and disappeared-even with his closest family.(Christ Jesus died so we could be free from all this misery...)
This sad life is not that uncommon-such a tragedy.
Matthew 18:21 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?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
verse 35 "...forgive your brother from your heart.”
No matter how bad it is, forgive, but from the heart. So, how do we get from 'young angry' to 'old angry' and start to forgive from the heart? 'Old angry' is really hard but, with God, nothing is impossible. 'Young angry' needs to be stopped before it takes root.
But then there are those who just hold on to one thing-something from long ago.
It is time to get in front of God with it. Pretend no longer. Let God break your heart to let it go and forgive from your heart.
Micah 6:8 says for us to walk humbly before God. If we cling to our bitterness with all our stubbornness and attitude, there is no room for humility. This miserable lifestyle is simply blatant disobedience.
There is freedom in obedience. There is freedom in taking our hands off the forbidden and humbling ourselves before God. Face the truth. Do you judge? Do you forgive? Do you love?
Always, there is loving to do...
...because He loves us...
Father in Heaven,
Forgive me for holding on to grudges and not forgiving.
Show me that if You can forgive me, I can forgive anyone. Humble my heart...thank You for forgiving me as I forgive.
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