Forgiveness and Mercy #4

Larry & Sue left & Duke arrived from Alabama. He is an excellent tradesman so we are blessed to have him here.

LSU lost yesterday & I was sad but a soccer fan was killed in Guatemala City simply because he wore the wrong jersey. How sad! How foolish! How wrong are the world’s priorities!

Happy New Year!

Holding on to unforgiveness is like holding a debt against someone. We expect a payment. We want the person who offended us to pay us back somehow. We ant REVENGE. Our democracy believes in revenge. We have courts that say if some one harms you they must pay. A friend of mine lost nearly everything because a giovernment official lied and then demanded payment.

Romans 12:19 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath for it is written ‘Vengence is mine, I will repay saith the Lord’.” As a child of God I am told that I do not hae the right to avenge myself. But if I refuse to forgive then I am attempting to avenge myself. I want the debt paid!!

God will perform righteous judgment. ALL OF US DESERVE JUDGMENT!! None of us have lived a perfect life and therefore nt offended God. The Old Testament said “An eye for an eye” but Jesus taught in Matthew 5:38-42 that we are to turn the other cheek, if sued and told to give your shirt then give your jacket also, if asked to walk a mile then go 2 miles.

Paul said in Ephesians 4:32 “Forgive one another” and in Colossians 3:13 “Even as Christ has forgiven you, do likewise”. Bitterness is unfulfilled revenge. Bitterness is a root and Dottie can tell you about roots because she loves the plants in her garden and around our home. She nurses the roots of her new plants with water, protection, food, and even undivided attention. Her roots become great and beautiful plants.

Her attention caues the roots to go deeper and get stronger. God refers to the roots of bitterness. What you pay attention to will gain strength and depth in your heart and will control you.