Forgiving Others

14 For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-15

During Jesus’ ministry here on earth He was betrayed by one of His best friends. He was spit on, mocked, beaten, humiliated, tortured and eventually murdered by the most humiliating way to die at that time; all of this makes my stomach turn and yet our Father recited these words just before He took His last breath, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) “They know not what they do” because they were lost, just as millions of people are today in this fallen world in which we live. They were lost because they did not have a relationship with God, whereas, His Spirit could come in and open their minds and their hearts in such a way that they could once again relate to God in a very real and tangible way; they were lost because they had not accepted the “good news” of Jesus and His plan of redemption; they were lost because they let their pride and selfishness and fleshly desires for worldly gain and materialism get in the way of choosing to believe in the miracle of God in the flesh who came to earth and suffered so much in order that you and I could once again have communion with our Father in heaven so that His power could be reflected through our lives in such a way that we could forgive others just as God has and continues to forgive us every day in so many ways. The key to all of these mysteries is that you must forgive first and the only way that you can forgive is through surrendering the control of your life over to Jesus Christ who will come into your heart and through the power of his Spirit will heal and renew your heart in order that you will not only have the power to forgive but you will want to forgive as your priorities and direction in this life will once again be in alignment with your Creator who has a much better plan for how you should live. Get on your knees this morning and surrender your life, let the bitterness that is crushing your spirit be washed away by the blood of Jesus who promises to make you whole and hold you in His loving arms, forever.