By forgiving others
In Part 3 we considered how we ought to pray as part of our storing up treasure in heaven.
Today in Part 4 we consider the importance of our forgiveness to others.
Matthew 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.
14 For if you forgive other people 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.
v12 Forgiveness moves in cycles which means as we receive our forgiveness from the Lord so must we express that same forgiveness to those who have wronged us or our loved ones. The cycle stops when we refuse to forgive so we stop the flow of God's forgiveness to ourselves.
Matthew 18:23-35
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[a] was brought to him.
25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’
27 The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt, and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged, went, and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.
33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’
34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
v26-35 In this parable we become the wicked servant whom, when the master has forgiven all our huge debts, yet we still refuse to forgive the comparatively small debt we are owed by our fellow human beings!
God forgives us all our countless debts/sins.
We must do the same for our fellow human beings and keep the cycle of blessing moving!
Amen
Personal Prayer
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