| The New International Webster's Standard Dictionary | | | | says the word restore means to return to a former |
| says the word forgive means to pardon or to | | | | position or make amends. Forgiveness doesn't always |
| overlook. The majority of people has had someone | | | | mean restoration. Choosing to forgive someone |
| at some point in his or her life mistreat them in some | | | | doesn't always mean that the relationship will be |
| way or form. Now let me ask you, are you in the | | | | restored back to its former position. Choosing to |
| majority? Have you had anyone mistreat you in | | | | forgive someone doesn't always mean that the |
| some form or way? If you answered yes to those | | | | parties involved will make amends. For example, the |
| two questions, then my next question is have you | | | | person who's spouse has been unfaithful can and |
| forgiven the person or persons that mistreated you? | | | | should choose to forgive their spouse, however that |
| If you haven't forgiven, now is the time to forgive | | | | doesn't always mean that the relationship is restored |
| the people that you need to forgive. Even if the | | | | back to it's former position or original state. If |
| person or persons that offended you are not on | | | | someone has a spouse that is being unfaithful, the |
| earth anymore, God still requires you to forgive him, | | | | faithful spouse should use wisdom and consider |
| her, or them. The New International Webster's | | | | seeking wise professional and Christian counseling that |
| Standard Dictionary says the word choice means the | | | | is based upon biblical guidelines (see Psalm 1:1, Psalm |
| act or right of choosing or an alternative. The New | | | | 37:30, Proverbs 1:5, and Proverbs 2:6).Here is another |
| International Webster's Standard Dictionary says the | | | | example, the abused woman or man can and should |
| word option means a choice or a right to choose. | | | | forgive the person that abused her or him, however |
| There are people that have options, choices or | | | | that doesn't mean she or he has to remain in the |
| alternatives when it comes to buying houses or | | | | volatile situation or abusive relationship. She or he can |
| vehicles, but there are know options, alternatives or | | | | forgive the abuser, have a plan of escape without |
| choices on how to receive forgiveness. In other | | | | the abuser knowing about it, and choose not to |
| words, there is only way to receive forgiveness | | | | remain in a volatile or violent situation. |
| from God. When you accept Jesus Christ as your | | | | Matthew 18:21-22 says "Then Peter came to him and |
| personal Lord and Savior by confessing out loud with | | | | asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone* |
| your mouth and believing in your heart that God | | | | who sins against me? Seven times seven!* No, not |
| raised Jesus from the dead, and repenting of your | | | | seven times, "Jesus replied, but seventy times |
| sins and forgiving others for trespassing against you, | | | | seven!* (NLT). That Scripture DOESN'T mean that a |
| you are saved, forgiven for your sins, you are joint | | | | man or woman being abused has to remain in an |
| heirs with Jesus Christ, you are in right standing with | | | | abusive situation and allow the abusive person to hit |
| God by His unmerited favor and mercy (see Romans | | | | him or her 490 times and then decide to leave. |
| 10:9-10, Romans 5:1, Romans 8:17). | | | | That Scripture means to stay in a continual state of |
| 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "This means that anyone who | | | | forgiveness. For example, if the man or woman has |
| belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old | | | | been abused, he or she should forgive the abuser |
| life is gone; a new life has begun." (NLT). The sins | | | | and if he or she should for some reason pick the |
| that you committed in the past are forgiven once | | | | offense back up again, they need to forgive again! |
| you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, | | | | Matthew 6:14 says "If you forgive those who sinned |
| in your prayer time confess your sins to the Most | | | | against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. |
| High God, repent of your sins, and forgive others for | | | | But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will |
| trespassing against you. 1 John 1:9 says "But if we | | | | not forgive your sins." (NLT). Jeremiah 31:3 says |
| confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to | | | | "Long ago the LORD said to Israel:"I have loved you, |
| forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all | | | | my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing |
| wickedness." (NLT). Psalm 103:12 says "He has | | | | love I have drawn you to myself." (NLT). Haven't you |
| removed our sins as far from us as the east s from | | | | been hurt enough? I think so! So therefore, stop |
| the west." (NLT). Mark 11:25 says "But when you are | | | | allowing yourself to be hurt even more by refusing to |
| praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge | | | | forgive. Today, right now at this very moment |
| against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive | | | | forgive and pray for God to have mercy on the |
| your sins, too." (NLT). God will not change or alter | | | | person or persons that mistreated you (see Matthew |
| what He has said in His Word. The Word of God is | | | | 5:44 and Proverbs 24:17). It has even been said that |
| settled in heaven and His Word will stand forever | | | | unforgiveness can affect the persons health that |
| (see Psalm 118:89 and Isaiah 40:8). I have typed Mark | | | | refuses to forgive (see Psalm 32-3-7). Unforgiveness |
| 11:25 before, however this Scripture bears retyping | | | | hinders you from being forgiven for your sins. Don't |
| again. Mark 11:25 "But when you are praying, first | | | | allow unforgiveness to block your worship, |
| forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so | | | | communication, communion and fellowship with God. |
| that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too." | | | | Unforgiveness hinders your prayers from being |
| (NLT). Mark 11:25, all other Scriptures or promises in | | | | answered (see Psalm 66:18). We are blessed when |
| the Word of God is settled in heaven and will stand | | | | we are obedient to the Word of God.(see Isaiah |
| forever. | | | | 1:19).The longer you wait to forgive, you only hinder |
| You can and should wait on a red light to turn green | | | | yourself from receiving forgiveness from God. |
| before you proceed to drive to the next intersection | | | | We are not instructed to meditate on or ponder |
| or block. However waiting to forgive is not something | | | | over whether we should forgive or not. We are |
| you should wait to do. You already have the green | | | | instructed according to the Word of God to meditate |
| light on this one, you can proceed, you can and | | | | on the Word of God day and night. (see Joshua 1:8). |
| should go ahead and forgive the people that have | | | | Don't meditate on whether you should forgive or not, |
| mistreated you, and when ever someone mistreats | | | | and don't debate over and over in your mind |
| or offends you, you should automatically go ahead | | | | whether you should forgive or not. Maybe someone |
| and forgive. Make the choice today to quickly forgive. | | | | has said out loud or thought within their mind I will |
| There are many people that may beg to differ, or in | | | | forgive him or her next week, I will forgive him or |
| other words, there are people that may not agree | | | | her next year, I will forgive him or her when the |
| with the concept of automatically forgiving someone | | | | next decade comes again, I will forgive him or her |
| that has wronged them in some way or form. Why? | | | | when I feel like it, I will forgive him or her when they |
| Because they may feel like the person that | | | | apologize the number of times I want him or her to |
| mistreated them don't deserve to be forgiven. Well, | | | | apologize, I will forgive him or her when he or she |
| the bottom line is, if you want to be forgiven for | | | | stands in my front yard, holding a cake and yell and |
| your sins, you have to forgive the people that have | | | | ask me to forgive him or her, I will forgive him when |
| trespassed against you, and lets not forget that | | | | he mows the lawn, I will forgive her when she cooks |
| forgiving the person that mistreated you, benefits | | | | dinner, I will forgive him or her when he or she pays |
| you! If someone mistreated you or if someone | | | | me the money I requested, in other words, someone |
| mistreats you in the past,he or she is certainly wrong | | | | may have said out loud or thought within their mind I |
| for doing so. However our responsibility is to forgive. | | | | will forgive him or her when he or she meets my |
| Vengeance is NOT our responsibility (see Proverbs | | | | demands. |
| 20:22). Stop nurturing the pain that he or she caused | | | | Forgiveness is not a emotion or a feeling. Forgiveness |
| you and let the pain go today, by choosing to quickly | | | | is an actual act of your very own free-will. |
| forgive and asking God to place mercy and | | | | Forgiveness is what our Heavenly Father requires us |
| compassion in your heart in Jesus name. | | | | to do. We should never require some form of |
| Most likely you can admit to the fact that there are | | | | payment from the people that mistreated us, before |
| times that you have been wronged or mistreated. | | | | we choose to forgive him or her for trespassing |
| Don't let the mistreatment you experienced dictate | | | | against us. There is not a certain number of |
| or control your emotions or behavior in a negative a | | | | apologizes or any amount of money given to you by |
| way. In other words, don't do things outside of the | | | | the person that mistreated you, that could erase or |
| will of God, don't have a pity party, don't overeat, | | | | rectify what was done to you. The people that |
| and don't drink alcohol because of the trauma of | | | | mistreated you can never repay you for what he or |
| your past or for any reason (see Proverbs 20:1). | | | | she did to you. "The Lord is the lifter of our head" |
| Please accept and fully understand that Romans 8:28 | | | | (see Psalm 3:3). Dear heart, whether he or she |
| says "And we know that God causes everything to | | | | apologizes are not, whether he or she meets your |
| work together *for the good of those who love God | | | | demands, whether you feel like it or not, obey the |
| and are called according to his purpose for them." | | | | Word of God and if you need to forgive yourself or |
| (NLT). | | | | someone else, make the choice today to quickly |
| 1 John 1:8 says "If we claim we have no sin, we only | | | | forgive! |
| fooling ourselves and not living in the truth." (NLT). | | | | God has plans for good for you (see Jeremiah 29:11). |
| Forgive so that you can be forgiven for what ever | | | | Matthew 6:33 says "Seek the Kingdom of God* |
| sin you committed. There are people that are hard | | | | above all else, and live righteously and he will give you |
| on themselves because they sinned. If you sinned, | | | | everything you need." (NLT). God will not withhold |
| accept that it happened and you can't change it, so | | | | any good thing from you when you walk uprightly or |
| there is know need to dwell on it. It is written in the | | | | obey His Word (see Psalm 84:11 and Deuteronomy |
| bible that we should think on whatever is true, | | | | 28:1-2). God is love (see 1 John 4:16). The God that |
| whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable | | | | created the heavens and the earth, the Most High |
| and seemly, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and | | | | God loves you with an everlasting love (see Genesis |
| lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, | | | | 1:6 and Jeremiah 31:3). The Most High God has |
| if there are is any virtue and excellence, if there is | | | | forgiveness for you, so therefore, if you haven't |
| anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and | | | | accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior go ahead |
| take account of these things [fix your minds on | | | | now and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, repent |
| them]. (see Philippians 4:8). | | | | of your sins, confess your sins to God, forgive |
| Don't be hard on yourself because you sinned. This is | | | | others, forgive yourself, and ask God to fill you with |
| what you do. Acknowledge that you have sinned, | | | | the Holy Spirit (see Luke 11:11-13). When you love |
| confess your sins to the Most High God, repent of | | | | God, you will keep His commandments (see 1 John |
| your sins, forgive others, forgive yourself, receive | | | | 5:3). God wants us to obey the laws of the land and |
| and accept your forgiveness from God. Romans 6:15 | | | | the law requires that we wait on the red light to turn |
| says "Well then, since God's grace has set us free | | | | green before proceeding to the next intersection or |
| from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? | | | | block. Wait for the red light to turn green. Don't wait |
| Of course not!" (NLT). Now just because you are a | | | | to forgive! In the Word of God,God has given you |
| free-will agent and you can choose between right | | | | His approval to go ahead and forgive. |
| and wrong, you are set free by God's grace, you are | | | | If you need to forgive yourself or someone else. Its |
| forgiven for your sins, doesn't give you a license, | | | | time to forgive now! In your prayer time, |
| diploma, or a seal of approval from God to sin. | | | | acknowledge, admit to God that you were offended, |
| Making the decision to sin and actually sinning, has | | | | don't be in denial about what happened, because |
| consequences. Because of your free-will, God want | | | | forgiveness doesn't mean being in denial about what |
| force you to obey Him or forgive the people we | | | | was done to you. When you forgive, your not saying |
| need to forgive, however if you refuse to forgive | | | | what was done to you was by any means |
| those that have trespassed against you,then you | | | | appropriate, right, or proper. Forgiveness is a choice |
| want be forgiven for your sins. 1 Corinthians 10:23 | | | | that you choose to make by using your free-will do |
| says "You say, "I am allowed to do anything" * -but | | | | forgive. When you forgive, your saying that you love |
| not everything is good for you. You say, "I am | | | | God. When you forgive you are choosing to say yes, |
| allowed to do anything" -but not everything is | | | | I was offended, but as a act of my free-will I |
| beneficial." (NLT). For example, if a person robs a | | | | choose not to hold a grudge, I choose not to be |
| bank and is caught, God will forgive the person that | | | | bitter and resentful, instead I am taking the high road |
| robbed the bank as long as they meet the conditions | | | | by choosing to forgive and choosing to love God. |
| to receive forgiveness from God, but the | | | | Don't wait till tomorrow, the next day, the next year |
| consequences for his or her actions would be jail or | | | | or the next decade. Make the choice today to quickly |
| prison. | | | | forgive! |
| The New International Webster's Standard Dictionary | | | | |