FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE YOU MAKE"

FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE WE MAKE



PRAISE THE LORD EVERYBODY, THIS IS NOW THE TIME FOR A NEW MESSAGE. THIS MONTH WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FORGIVENESS', BASELY TO FORGIVE IS TO LET SOMEONE WHO HAS WRONGED YOU "OFF THE HOOK", NOT HOLD THE OFFENCE AGAINST THEM, NOT ALLOW THE SEED OF BITTERNESS TO SET -IN. BEFORE YOU CAN FORGIVE SOMEONE WHO HAS WRONGED YOU, LETS LOOK AT IT FROM GOD'S POINT OF VIEW. PETER WANTED TO KNOW FROM JESUS, "LORD HOW MANY TIMES MUST I FORGIVE MY BROTHER, OR SISTER, SEVEN TIMES A DAY ? JESUS TOLD HIM NOT SEVEN TIMES, BUT SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN. THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF THAT MANY TIMES, SO IN OTHER WORDS WE MUST HAVE A FORGIVING NATURE LIKE OUR LORD JESUS. SOME OF YOU MAY SAY THAT THIS PERSON HAS HURT ME SO BADLY , 'I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THEM, SOME PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD RATHER DIE , BEFORE THEY FORGAVE SOMEONE. WELL JESUS SAID THAT UNTIL WE FORGIVE, GOD IS NOT GOING TO FORGIVE US. GOD DOES NOT HEAR OUR PRAYERS IF WE CANT FORGIVE OTHERS, ON TOP OF THIS WE EVEN HAVE TO LOVE THOSE SAME PEOPLE. IMAGINE THAT. THE PEOPLE WE CANT FORGIVE, THOSE SAME PEOPLE WE HAVE TO LOVE THEM, AND DO GOOD THINGS FOR , AND EVEN PRAY FOR GOD TO BLESS THEM, IMAGINE THAT NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME SCRIPTURES TO SINK YOUR TEETH INTO

• FORGIVENESS IS NOT A FEELING, ITS A CHOICE---------AN ACT OF YOUR WILL.YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL FORGIVENESS TO FORGIVE, ITS A CONSCIOUS CHOICE WE EACH HAS TO MAKE, FORGIVING SOMEONE DOES NT MEAN THAT YOUR FEELINGS WILL AUTOMATICALLY CHANGE, ITS A PROCESS, BUT MAKING UP YOUR MIND IS THE FIRST STEP.
• FORGIVENESS DOES NOT DENY OR MINIMIZE THE HURT YOU FEEL, OR HARM THIS PERSON CAUSED YOU. FORGIVENESS INVOLVES FACING YOUR FEELINGS AND DEALING WITH THEM HONESTLY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CHOOSING TO BASE YOUR LIFE NOT ON YOUR CHANGING FEELINGS, BUT ON THE UNCHANGING TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD.
• FORGIVENESS DOES NOT MEAN FORGETTING, YOU DON'T GET AMNESIA', WHEN GOD FORGIVES US HE DOES IT THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS.COL.1:14, 1ST. PETER 1:18-19, HEB. 10:17 GOD CHOOSES NEVER TO HOLD IT AGAINST US.
• FORGIVENESS IS UNDESERVED.WE THINK THE OFFENDER DON'T DESERVE TO BE FORGIVEN, JUST AS GOD FORGIVES US , WE DON'T DESERVE IT EITHER. EPH. 4 :31-32 GOD TELLS US TO BE COMPASSIONATE AND KIND ONE TO ANOTHER, AND FORGIVE EVEN AS CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN YOU AND ME.
• FORGIVENESS DOES NOT NEGATE ACCOUNTABILITY. FORGIVENESS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT FREES YOU FROM BONDAGE OF BITTERNESS, HURT AND ANGER, HOWEVER THE OFFENDER IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY DID TO YOU AND HE WILL HAVE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO GOD. THE WORD SAYS, WE REAP WHAT WE SOW, AND VENGEANCE IS MINE SAYS THE LORD, AND I WILL REPAY", SAYS THE LORD
• FORGIVENESS IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT GOD'S FORGIVENESS FLOWING THROUGH YOU, AS GOD FOR GIVES ME , WITH HIS HELP I TOO CAN FORGIVE OTHERS, WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE,MATT.19:26

FORGIVENESS IS A COMMANDMENT FROM GOD, GOD COMMANDS THAT WE FORGIVE. COL.3:13, SAYS:'BEAR WITH EACH OTHER AND FORGIVE WHATEVER GRIEVANCES YOU HAVE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU'. IF YOU WILL ALLOW , GOD WILL WORK IN YOUR HEART AND GIVE YOU THAT DESIRE TO FORGIVE, PHIL.2 :13 THEN GOD GIVES YOU THE STRENGTH TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH FORGIVENESS, HOWEVER THE CHOICE IS YOURS AND MINE TO FORGIVE. DO IT RIGHT AWAY, DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR WRATH,TODAY IS A NEW DAY WITH GOD.