FORGIVE SOMEBODY!

Today's affirmation from AYITN...

"For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses . . . neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14, 15 - AMP)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I will not be tied to the past by the familiarity of my resentments. My ability in Christ to forgive will be a path into the present for me, and a bridge to my better future. Forgiveness will create a world of possibilities for me, enabling me to rise above the fray, and to move on to greatness.


Today I will have a realistic grasp of the definition of forgiveness. I will know what it is, and what it is not. I can forgive without having to condone or accept the actions of someone who has seriously wronged me, with the awareness that, even though I have released them from their debt, things may never be the same between us again.


Today I will manage my time wisely. I will not fall into the trap of going over and over again in my mind or in my words the injustices done to me. I will not waste someone else's time by talking to them about situations over which they have no control or influence. I will be sensitive to the Spirit when He tells me that it is the time for me to be silent.


Today I will experience a sense of relief from the stress caused by the maintenance of a grudge. As I forgive, I set myself free from oppression and negative emotions and will walk in supernatural peace today, knowing that I AM forgiven because I HAVE forgiven. This peace will cause me to be healthier spiritually and even physically – free from the "dis – ease" that causes disease.


Today I will experience a genuine flow in my life as I remove the obstacles and barriers that bitterness has built in me. My mind will be clear today – my thoughts undistracted – my heart free from impurities – which will allow me to be highly productive and effective in my sphere of influence.


Today love will prevail, and Jesus will rule and reign through me as I demonstrate His forgiveness on earth as in heaven. The sins that I remit will be remitted, and His Kingdom will come today!


Today I will be empowered by the ability to forgive . . . even 70 x 7 will be possible to me because faith works by love. The freedom flowing through me by forgiveness will prove that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me today, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me to forgive someone today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

LITN XVII, Verses 1 - 19

1. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Look...it's inevitable that people are going to do things that cause other people to stumble, but it's so regrettable for that one who causes it to happen.

2. In fact, it would actually be better for an individual to have one of those huge grinding-stones that they use in the mills fastened around his neck, and then be sunk in the depth of the sea, than to hurt one of these precious, little ones…or to abuse them in any way…or take advantage of their simple trust…or cause them to grow up and become less than what they should have been.

3. So watch yourselves. Furthermore, if your brother or sister wrongs you in any way, you should have the integrity to go and tell him or her about it, directly, and keep the conversation and the whole matter between the two of you. And if he or she gets what you're saying and has a change of heart and apologizes, you have no choice but to forgive them.

4. I mean even if they offend you seven times in a day, and seven times come back to you saying 'I sincerely apologize,' you must forgive them."

5. When the disciples heard how high His standard was for them in this area, they said to Him, "Lord, increase our faith to be able to deal with people in this way!"

6. He replied, "If you have faith, even as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be re-planted in the sea,' and the thing will actually obey you. In other words, you can do this.

7. This is how I want you to look at it. Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing in the field, or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and just say to him, 'Sit down here and eat'?

8. Wouldn't you be more likely to say, 'Prepare my supper first, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink...and after that you may have your supper.'?

9. Now, does the servant get special thanks for simply doing what's expected of him?

10. Well, it's the same with you. When you've done everything that's expected of you, you should simply say, "We're just doing our job...carrying out what we were told to do.'"

11. Later, on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus was travelling along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

12. And as He was going into a certain village, ten men who were stricken with leprosy came to meet Him, but they stood at a distance.

13. And they all called out together in one, loud voice, "Jesus...Master...have compassion on us!"

14. When He saw and heard them, He said, "All right...go...show yourselves to the priests." And they did as He said, and as they went they were completely cleansed from their disease.










15. But one of them, when he realized that his body was healed and made like new, came right back to find Him, all the while praising God in a loud voice.

16. When He at last saw Jesus, he ran up to Him, threw himself at His feet, and thanked and praised Him, profusely. And, for the record, the man was a Samaritan.

17. Jesus said to him, "Sir, your praise is excellent...but were not all ten men cleansed as you were? Where are the other nine?

18. Seriously...was no one able or thoughtful enough to return and give praise to God except for this one foreigner?"

19. Then he said to the man, "All right...get up and go into your new life as a well man...re-enter society...and know that your own faith has made you well."

Wednesday Wisdom

Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

(Ephesians 4:30-32 - The Message)

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

- Mahatma Gandhi







"Know all and you will pardon all."

- Thomas A’Kempis














"If one by one we counted people out for the least sin, it wouldn't take us long to get so we had no one left to live with. For to be social is to be forgiving."

- Robert Frost.








"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.






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