Why Forgive Others?

Mark 11:25

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

     Many years had passed with unforgiveness in my heart.  My heart was is agony.  I was defeated.  The unnecessary pain I went through was enough to engulf me in flames of despair to the point of death.  The troubles I had in the past compared to nothing that happened after.  Not a day went by that my turmoil and strife overwhelmed me.  I was wronged and I sure wasn't going to let that person off easy.  But it hurt me more than them.  Several years of hurt, anger and anguish passed...until I made my relationship right with Jesus.

     Jesus commands that we forgive, or we won't be forgiven.  It doesn't matter if someone murdered the one you loved, or a friend lied to you.  You must forgive.  It's not for the sake of the one who hurt you, but for your sake.  We all sin, since Adam and Eve.  We've all hurt someone.  Would you want to be forgiven?  Then forgive.  The barriers and walls of unforgiveness keeps us in bondage to Satan.  He wants us to hate others and be miserable, and he wants us separated from God's forgiveness.  Jesus died for our sins.  He forgave them all.  So why shouldn't we forgive others?

     The heart of following Jesus is to forgive.  If you have a grievance with someone, go to them and make it right.  Forgiving someone does not excuse what they have done to you, it just means that you put the past behind you and let go of what they did.  We can't save others on our own merit, but God can.  In forgiving someone, it may change them, and they may get right with God.  You never know what an impact you can make with your actions, whether good or bad.  And if you forgive them, God will forgive you.

I hope you will be blessed with a forgiving heart today.

Sabrina

The True Meaning of Christmas

Luke 2:12

And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.

Christmas is the day we celebrate Jesus' birth, with glad tidings, peace on earth, good will toward men, giving and receiving presents, family and food.  We don't even consider the true meaning of Christmas though---Sacrifice.  You ask, "What sacrifice?  Let me explain the story.

God is sitting on His throne in heaven along with His Son and The Holy Spirit.  Then God says to Mary and Joseph that they will have a Son by the Holy Spirit.  Suddenly Jesus has to step down off the throne of heaven and be born on earth.  Not only that but He must be all God and all human.  The worst part is He has no riches, no kingdom, and no place to be born, except in a dirty barn, then He is placed in a stone feeding trough.  That is sacrifice.  In John 3:16 it says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  It was a sacrifice also on God to send His Son away to earth.  We think of this verse as we see Jesus on the Cross, but the fact is He sacrificed His heavenly position and he started of in a dirty manger!

What are we sacrificing for Jesus?  We give and receive gifts for each other but what are we sacrificing?  Yes, our American Express and Visa bills will show up in January.  Spending money is not what God looks for.  Are we helping others, in spite how they treat us?  Are we going out caroling to those who can't leave their homes?  Or visiting sick children in the hospitals?  Do we visit our prisons?  We spend so much time on what perfect gift to give to our family and friends that we forget what Christmas means.  Giving beyond what we have.  Making time for the less fortunate.

Give to others with all your being and without expecting anything in return.  Doing all of this, we give back to Jesus for His birthday.  When someone is hurting you, turn and be kind.  When people hate you, love them.  That's the greatest gifts we can give for Christmas, a true sacrificial gift, and do it gladly.  This Christmas, think of how God sacrificed His Son by sending Him as a Baby on earth, where He would feel pain, suffering and endure temptation, and ultimately die for our sins, the most awful sins you can imagine.  Yes, Christmas is a sacrificial love.  

I hope this Christmas brings you a sense of sacrifice and repentance, and will bring you blessings unimaginable!

Sabrina