Be FORGIVING

"If you forgive those who sin against you, Your HeavenlyFather will forgive you of your sins." (Matthew 6:14)

Our 2nd day challenge is Be FORGIVING. How many of you can think of at least one person that owes YOU an act of forgiveness?? YES....well, just as many folks that owes you forgiveness, God has forgiven you three times as much. Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, how many times should I forgive someone..seven times?" Peter apparently was getting tired of folks backstabbing and talking about him. But Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Yall, when I read Jesus reply, I literally tried to calculate it so that I would have a limit on how many times to forgive someone. But Jesus meant we must always forgive.

Paul wrote a letter to Philemon requesting him to extend an act of forgiveness to Onesimus. Onesimus was a servant who stole from Philemon. But Onesimus became a great helper and companion to Paul during a very critical time. Onesimus had proven to Paul that he had a change of character and was worthy of Philemon's forgiveness. In his letter, Paul told Philemon that if he was truly a believer, he would receive Onesimus back into his home and forgive him. (WOW....that's a hard one.)

Question: What would happen if God had a limit on how many times He forgive us! If we spent more time forgiving others than we do hating and holding grudges, there would be less wars and killing in the world.

So, I'm asking you to write down the names of the folks you need to forgive. Pray and ask God to create a spirit of humility and love for those people. Forgiveness is not an emotion but forgiveness is an intentional action initiated by a child of God. If you realy want to be an over-achiever, call the person and tell them you forgive them.

Add your name to the list. Sometimes we struggle with forgiving ourselves more than forgiving others.

I challenge you today to Be FORGIVING!

BE BLESSED

Written by Sandra Kelley 12/22/23