The Bread Of Life: A Choking Sin

Forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

Luke 11:4 (NKJV)

Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

Luke 11:4 (NIV)

  • Unforgiveness is a knot in your throat that stops the Bread of Life from saving you.

  • Unforgiveness is a plug in God's Ear that stops His response to urgent prayers.

  • Unforgiveness is hatred in your heart that stops the indwelling of God’s Spirit.

  • Unforgiveness is a terrible choice that stops the peace, health, and growth of good lives.

  • Unforgiveness is a place of hatred that God sees as tantamount to murder.

'Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him' (1 John 3:15).

But what if the offender is guilty? Without the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we’re just as guilty. 'There is none righteous, no, not one' (Romans 3:10). 'And all our righteous acts are like filthy rags' (Isaiah 64:6).

Unforgiveness brings a backflow of crud: our lives become filthy- even tortured! In The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, consider his master’s response:*

'His master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses' (Matthew 18:34-35).

Jesus reminds us: 'Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your trespasses' (Mark 11:25).

Consider the hero, Corrie Ten Boom: a Dutch, Christian Holocaust survivor, sent to a death camp for helping the Jews. She lost everything she had, except God. After the war, she preached on forgiveness.**

In one of her talks, a prison guard from her past walked forward. That guard asked if Corrie could forgive her, and she did so unconditionally. Thus, both the victim and the aggressor of terrible war crimes were healed and saved.

Therefore, for every good reason, FORGIVE!

The Bread Of Life: A Choking Sin (Part 5)

* The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2018:23-35&version=NKJV

**Corrie Ten Boom's book is called 'The Hiding Place:' http://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Place-Corrie-Ten-Boom/dp/0553256696

*** Recommended resource on forgiveness: http://www.forgivingforward.com

NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.

Carey ArbanComment