Start the New Year by forgiving others

Unforgiveness is something that can really hold us back from escaping the corruption of sin and living for God.  Unforgiveness comes in many forms, such as bitterness, hatred, malice, holding grudges and resentment.  It can actually block God's forgiveness of our sin and provides a foothold for the devil to influence our lives.  Additionally, unforgiveness can plant a “root of bitterness” in us that leads to various damaging results (e.g. ruins the fruit of the Holy Spirit, stunts spiritual growth, contributes to physical illness).  Like acid can destroy the vessel that holds it, so can unforgiveness destroy us when we harbor it. 

 Here are some key scriptures addressing our need to forgive:

• ³Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, "I repent,' you shall forgive him." Luke 17:3-4 NKJV

• ¹⁴"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV

• "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” Mark 11:25 NASB 

• “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 NASB 

Forgiving others

God expects us to forgive others just as he has forgiven us.  God, who is perfect, sacrificed his Son Jesus so that our sin penalty (death) would be paid.  Because of our faith in Christ (and his sacrifice), God forgives us from our sin.  If we then refuse to forgive another person for an offense, we are dishonoring the forgiveness that God gave us.   God will hold us accountable for this as Jesus illustrated in the sobering parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35).  

The scripture says, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19 NKJV).  As God's followers, we must submit our desire for justice to him and trust it in his hand.   

This can be very hard to do, especially if someone has spitefully mistreated us or someone we love.  Forgiving someone is not condoning what they have done, but rather, it is laying the case before God’s throne and asking him to deal with it according to his will.  We have to remember that God saw the evil that was done.  He knows how deeply we’ve been hurt.  If we can come to the place where we’re willing to forgive the person through Christ’s love, we will be able to move forward and leave the burden of justice in his capable hands.   

Are you ready to forgive?  Not everyone reading this page will be ready to forgive the person(s). I encourage you to ask God to give you the desire and ability to forgive "from the heart" as Jesus mentioned in Matthew 18:35 NIV.   Here is an example prayer:  "Lord God, I recognize my sin of unforgiveness.  Please help me get to the point of being willing to forgive those who have wronged me.  Please give me the desire and ability to forgive.  Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." 

Prayer to forgive others:  Don't pray this prayer until you are ready to truly forgive the people who wronged you. God commands us to forgive "from the heart."

“Heavenly Father, you are holy and righteous.  You are perfect in justice.  I confess that I have not forgiven as you have commanded me to.   Through Jesus Christ, I now forgive these people: I confess my pride and judgment of those people.  Please forgive me Lord and cleanse me from my sin.  Please help me to thoroughly entrust these people and the wrongs they caused me into your hands.  I pray that your will be done in my life and in their lives.  Please help me to no longer think on those wrongs , but instead to focus my thoughts on you.  I invite you, Lord, into any painful memories I have concerning what was done.  Please heal any wounds I received and help me to have your perspective on what happened.  (Take time now to pray silently and receive from the Lord) Thank you, Father!   In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.”

Forgiving ourselves

When we've made bad mistakes in life, it can be tempting to unmercifully hold ourselves responsible.  This too is a way of trying to act like God as judge, inflicting the punishment of condemnation on ourselves.  Just as God has forgiven us for our sin, we need to forgive ourselves for our sin as well.  When we release ourselves from this self-judgment, we will free ourselves to become the new person that God intends us to be. 

Here is an example prayer:  "Heavenly Father, I confess that I have unmercifully held myself in judgment concerning. I forgive myself for my role in that situation.  Please cleanse me of all self-condemnation by the blood of Jesus and restore in me a healthy self-esteem.  Thank you, Lord for forgiving me and empowering me to live for you as a new creation.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."

Having forgiven others, and ourselves, we must now walk forward and resist the temptations to revisit the unforgiveness.  This will likely require us to exercise authority over thoughts and persistently make them obedient to Jesus 

Happy New Year

your brother in Christ

Frank

nice to have you here sis, I Pray that God Fills your Life with Jesus Peace !!!


Glitter Graphics & Comments

Glitter Graphics & Comments

Here are some New Members, who would like some friends

Tammy  http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/Tammy18

SolVak  http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/SolVak

BORGCJ5  http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/BORGCJ5

Moses Justin  http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/PastorMosesJustinNirmalKumar

Ronnie http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/ronnie

Joseph http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/Joseph

Cherryl http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/Cheryl

Daniel http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/Daniel

Emma http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/emma

cynthia http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/cynthia

Tiffany http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/Tiffany

D.KANAGARAJASEKA /http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/DKANAGARAJASEKARAN

william http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/williamestep

Tawyna'a http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/Tawyna

Karen http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/karen14

Shin http://www.biblestudyspace.com/profile/shin

Hi bless u more

Glitter Graphics & Comments
Hi Simona

How are you feeling, I saw you on the home page. Nice to see you again, let me tell you a little about what I am trying to do here. I had the other site for about a year in a half. And I could not believe, all the people who join the site. Who were new chrstians, or christians who never went to church. Many of them got saved on a TV christian show.

I talk with all the members, and could not believe that most of them were lost. I get messages from all of them, and most of them don't know the gospel of Jesus Christ, or are following a false gospel.

I named this site bible study space, and have been praying that God will send me new christians and the christian who don't go to church. There are so many of them out there, and the name of the site will bring the new christians and ect to the site.

Now if you get some free time, and would like to help. Please go around the site and click on the ( Add has Friend ) Tab. Leave a message, they will answer the message, believe me many are seeking God out there. Pray about it, if you get some time there are many on christian myspace sites, who are lost and seeking God.

If we don't go out and proclaim the true gospel, they will go on following after man made gospels.

Yes, I own this site, and add everyone has a friend, but I can never keep up with all the emails, because members are always asking me about the faith, and about my walk with God.

That's why on the home page, I have a video of Paul Washer's sermon, Religion that will send you to hell.

Paul is always telling the brothers and sisters in Christ to proclaim the truth, to anyone who will listen.

That is why you don't see any cute little dogs like dittytalk.com or hip hop rap christian music with young people all over the home page, like most of the others christian myspace sites.

I could get more members that way, but I want members who preach the gospel, and seek the lost. We do have new christian here, and lost people seeking the truth. I have talked to many people on my site in the past two years, and many of them have never been to a church.

So this site has Paul Washer sermons, John Piper sermons, and others. There are christians in every church out there. I am not going to get many dittytalk or hip hop christians thank God. But if I do, I will proclaim the gospel.

I would like to have something like a christian social network site, like the earily new testament church. Believers who will seek friends, and proclaim the gospel. I hope you will help.

I am setting up a page and links, so members get add there web site ro church or pastors. If youhave a web site, please let me know. If you get time, make some new friends. Let the Holy Spirit tell you what to say in the message to others. Many need help with understanding the gospel.

We don't have many groups, we just opened the site. I tell all my brothers and sisters in Christ to start a group, a personal group about their faith and them selfs.

If you need anything, or have any prayer request, please let us know. I want a site that will Encourage, Motivate, and Inspire believers in there Christian walk to become more like Christ.

We all need help today, to apply God's Word to life . increase faith, be encouraged; submit prayer request; and bible study.

Your brother in Christ
Frank

glitter-graphics.com HI GINA MY NAME IS TRISH,EXCUSE THE CAPS PLEASE ITS JUSTEASIER FOR ME TO READ AS I TYPE! ANYWAY I AM A NEWBIE HERE.I BELONG TO ALOT OF CHRISTIAN NETWORKS PROUD TO BE A CHRISTIAN.
MAY GOD LESS YOU IN THE LORDS MOST PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST I PRAY.AMEN
YOUR SISTER IN CHRIST TRISH