Then came Peter to Him, and said, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” Jesus saith unto him,
“I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.’ Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me that thou owest.’ And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.’ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, ‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?’ And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
Matthew 18:21-35
Forgiveness
Having Faith In God
And Jesus answering saith unto them, “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Mark 11:22-26
It is a horrid thing for one to harbor a grudge against someone, especially if you profess to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We might for a while feel angry, but soon there will be a realization of having received forgiveness from the One who forgives our sins, and paid our sin debt.
Telling a mountain to move into the sea would be a remarkable thing. It would, in fact be a miracle of God. Asking God for the things we desire, and receiving them, are things that are from God’s desires (Psalm 37:3-4).
If we are asking for God to do these things, then we need to be sure there is no lack of forgiveness, toward anyone. Any lack of forgiveness toward others is a mockery of our heavenly Father, and we have a greater sin that needs God’s forgiveness.
Dear Lord Jesus, if there is any one with whom I have a grudge and unforgiveness then reveal this to my heart and mind. That I might have genuine faith in You. Amen.
Grant Us Your Salvation
LORD, thou hast been favourable unto Thy land: Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
Thou hast taken away all Thy wrath: Thou hast turned Thyself from the fierceness of Thine anger.
Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause Thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt Thou be angry with us for ever? Wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all generations? Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?
Shew us Thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us Thy salvation.
I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before Him; and shall set us in the way of His steps.Psalm 85:1-13
Psalm 85 was written for the sons and daughters of Korah. Korah was one of the organizers of a rebellious act against Moses and Aaron to seize power. The other two were Dathan, and Abiram. Read Numbers 16.
There were some of Korah’s children who did not participate with dear ole dad. Read Numbers 26:11.
Be wary of people who are always speaking against those whom God has placed in positions of leadership. There is not a President, neither Pastor who had not been placed where they are by the hand of God. I am speaking of personal, physical, and verbal attacks. It is a good thing to challenge their policies.
When The Test Is Over
And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of Me the thing which is right, like My servant Job.” So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
Job 42:7-11
When God had tested Job, He saw some fault with Job, but Job submitted to the Lord, and did what the Lord commanded him to do. That one thing was to pray for his three friends – Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.
Job had spoken rightly in the things concerning his relationship with God, though Job had received something he did not expect, and that was seeing God – “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6). Job came through this test a better man.
The three friends heard from God as well, and God was wrathful toward them, and to get right with God they each had to offer burnt offerings of seven bullocks and seven rams, “and the LORD turned the captivity when he prayed for his friends. There must have been some bitterness between the three friends. Some of the things they each had said would have been hurtful. The three friends were saying by their sacrifice of the burnt offerings, that they were seeking Job’s forgiveness, and Job showed his forgiveness by praying for forgiveness for their sins against himself, and against God.
God blesses Job for his faithfulness by giving him twice as much as he had had before the test began, and he had many friends to come and to comfort and encourage him.
There is forgiveness for all who will come to God the only way there is; and that is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Confess that you are a sinner and that Jesus is your Lord, and believe that He was raised from the dead, and you will be saved.
Not Only Forgiven, We Are Also Justified
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.’ ” And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Acts 13:42-48
On the Acts 13 and verses 38 through 52 “Through the Bible Day by Day,” by F. B. Meyer, Meyer has written…
The doctrine of justification by faith, so closely associated with the work of Paul, is here stated for the first time. In Jesus there is forgiveness. For those who trust in Him past sins are absolutely put away, never to be named again, never to be brought up at any future judgment day. Our record is as clear as the sand which has been swept smooth by the ocean waves. We are not only forgiven, but justified. We are treated as though we had never sinned, and are justified from all things. It is a present fact. You may not feel justified or forgiven, but if you are trusting in Jesus, you are at this moment as certainly and as fully justified as have been the saints in heaven.
Pride, as well as jealousy of the Gentiles who were crowding into the fold, stirred the Jews to antagonism, but they could not eradicate the seed which had been so profusely scattered. Large numbers believed, and as they experienced salvation in Christ, they discovered that they were in line with an eternal purpose. This is the meaning of ordained in Act_13:48. If with such slight opportunities, the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, Act_13:52, should we not possess the same experience?
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was first to be taken to the Jewish people, but we can see that many rejected. Then the Gospel was given to the Gentiles. All people in any nation on earth can call on the name of Jesus Christ and be forgiven and Justified.
Not only is there forgiveness of sin through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, those who believe are Justified, declared righteous by God Himself.
A Time For Rejoicing
And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, “This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, “Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
Nehemiah 8:9-12
There is a time for rejoicing, and Nehemiah, Ezra, and all the others were rejoicing because of the finished wall, the reading of the law of Moses, and the explanation of it, and the peoples mourning for their sins. After their repentance it is a time for rejoicing.
Rejoicing in the wonderful word of God. Rejoicing in the LORD’S grace, mercy and love. Rejoicing in the forgiveness of their sins.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ; you believe that Jesus died for your sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again, and you turned form your sin to Jesus, and confess that He is Lord, then you are a follower of Christ. If we do sin and confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9).
If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, then you are without hope, you are lost, you are a condemned sinner, you do not know God. You will never come to God in your own way or your own works. Turn to Jesus Christ today, before it is too late. Then there will be rejoicing in your heart and life, and there will be great rejoicing in heaven.
God Sees the Wickedness of Mankind
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. And the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.”
Genesis 6:5-7
The verse which follows the one’s above tells us that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” God in His loving kindness, mercy, and grace saved Noah and his family from the devastation of the flood.
God still sees the wickedness of human kind, and He has a way of escape. It is through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
You can begin the New Year 2025 with a new heart and mind by turning from your sinful life, and turning to Jesus Christ. Call on Him and He will hear you.
We Have An Advocate
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2
They Shall Not Be Found
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; “Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time,” saith the LORD, “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.”
Jeremiah 50:18-20
The Fire and Hammer 