A Forgiving Heart
Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Forgiving one another is not a feeling; it’s an act of our will, an act we choose. Jesus knew that unforgiveness is Satan’s open door to invade and destroy our lives.
We are responsible for handling all of life’s problems God’s way—according to His word.
Most depression comes from mishandling the initial problem.
Matthew 5:44 NKJV
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Who is our enemy?
Those that don’t love us, those that are against us, those that wish us harm…Who is our enemy? The Latin word means “hostile, unfriendly, someone not our friend.”
Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh, which means “making to forget.” He said, “God made me forget all my trouble, all my father’s household, and what my brothers did to me.”
Joseph named his second son Ephraim, which means “fruitful.”
Bitterness in the Greek can mean, “to build a case and stand against someone for revenge and their destruction.”
Unfulfilled expectations can cause unforgiveness. Marriage expectations, job expectations. An expectation is a mental obligation that we assign to another person.
Matthew 5:41 NKJV
41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
Do you need to ask God’s forgiveness?
Do you need to ask your wife or husband’s forgiveness?
Do you need to forgive yourself?
Are there others you need to forgive or ask forgiveness of?
Matthew 5:43-46 NKJV
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
1. Love
2. Bless
3. Do good
4. Pray
My Beginning. My Forever. 