Forgiveness is something we all have the ability to do and it can oftentimes take great effort to forgive someone for something they’ve done to us. Naturally, we do and can do wrong to others because it’s in our nature. Often times we can be or are selfish, greedy, hateful, and many other things but not always. We can be loving, caring, kind, etc and as a result, those attributes can make us vulnerable and susceptible to being hurt by others.  Welcome to life. 
 
Let’s look at a couple of scriptures:
 
Mark 11:25-26 teaches us:
 
25 And whenever you may be standing praying, be forgiving, if you have anything against anyone, that your Father also, Who is in the heavens, may be forgiving you your offenses.
26 Now if you are not forgiving, neither will your Father Who is in the heavens be forgiving your offenses.”
 
As believers and followers of Jesus, we take what he says to heart, literally. He is giving us the greatest perspective to learn from being he is the living son of God. Let’s look at his life from today’s perspective. At the time when Jesus taught, he knew a lot of things would happen to him, things that had to happen. One of those closest to him, whom he considered a friend, Judas Iscariot would betray him. He knew his disciples would abandon him at the most critical point in his life but he forgave them. 
Jesus did mention it would have been better for Judas to not have been born, how do you betray the living son of God? He is the prince of peace. 
 
He would be betrayed and turned over by the very people he was called to bring back to God, the Jews. Forgiveness is so hard but we see Jesus setting an example by giving his life on the cross for the entire world, which means even his enemies….wow.
 
He knew his mission and he did not deter from it, thank you, Jesus!! He died on a pole and in three days God raised him in all power. Jesus is the best example we have of forgiveness. He was disowned by one of his closest friends/disciples, Peter. Imagine your best friend denying they had anything to do with you when a situation came up and you needed them. That would be messed up, yet Jesus forgave Peter too. 
 
Did you know he intercedes for those who believe in him? Hold on to your keyboards because the bible teaches us an important fact we have to keep in mind… our hearts. God has a sovereign perspective by which all things operate. He is the author of life. 
 
Paul says in Ephesians 1:1-16 
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to all the saints who are also believers in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ,
4 according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight,
5 in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will,
6 for the laud of the glory of His grace, which graces us in the °Beloved:
7 in Whom we are having the deliverance through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses in accord with the riches of His grace,
8 which He lavishes on us; in all wisdom and prudence
9 making known to us the secret of His will (in accord with His delight, which He purposed in Him)
10 to have an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ—both that in the heavens and that on the earth—
11 in Him in Whom our lot was cast also, being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will,
12 that we should be for the laud of His glory, who are °pre-expectant in the Christ.
13 In Whom you also—on hearing the word of truth, the evangel of your salvation—in Whom on believing also, you are sealed with the holy spirit of promise
14 (which is an earnest of the enjoyment of our allotment, to the deliverance of that which has been procured) for the laud of His glory!
15 Therefore, I/ also, on -hearing of this faith of yours in the Lord Jesus, and that for all the saints,
16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention in my prayers
 
 We learn in Romans: 1-39why-i-am-thankful-for-Jesus-pt-1-ste-do-cli
 

Ro 8:1 – Ro 8:39
1 Nothing, consequently, is now condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. Not according to flesh are they walking, but according to spirit,
2 for the spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus frees you from the law of sin and death.
3 For what was impossible to the law, in which it was infirm through the flesh, did God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sin’s flesh and concerning sin, He condemns sin in the flesh,
4 that the just requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who are not walking in accord with flesh, but in accord with spirit.
5 For those who are in accord with flesh are disposed to that which is of the flesh, yet those who are in accord with spirit to that which is of the spirit.
6 For the disposition of the flesh is death, yet the disposition of the spirit is life and peace,
7 because the disposition of the flesh is enmity to God, for it is not subject to the law of God, for neither is it able~.
8 Now those who are in flesh are not able to please God.
9 Yet you are not in flesh, but in spirit, if so be that God’s spirit is making its home in you. Now if anyone has not Christ’s spirit, this one is not His.
10 Now if Christ is in you, the body, indeed, is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 Now if the spirit of Him Who rouses Jesus from among the dead is making its home in you, He Who rouses Christ Jesus from among the dead will also be vivifying your mortal bodies because of His spirit making its home in you.
12 Consequently, then, brethren, debtors are we, not to the flesh, to be living in accord with flesh,
13 for if you are living in accord with flesh, you are about to be dying. Yet if, in spirit, you are putting the practices of the body to death, you will be living.
14 For whoever are being led by God’s spirit, these are sons of God.
15 For you did not get slavery’s spirit to fear again, but you got the spirit of sonship, in which we are crying, “Abba, Father!”
16 The spirit itself is testifying together with our spirit that we are children of God.
17 Yet if children, enjoyers also of an allotment, enjoyers, indeed, of an allotment from God, yet joint enjoyers of Christ’s allotment, if so be that we are suffering together, that we should be glorified together also.
18 For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us.
19 For the premonition of the creation is awaiting the unveiling of the sons of God.
20 For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him Who subjects it, in expectation
21 that the creation itself, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 For we are °aware that the entire creation is groaning and travailing together until now.
23 Yet not only so, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the spirit, we ourselves also, are groaning in ourselves, awaiting the sonship, the deliverance of our body.
24 For to expectation were we saved. Now expectation, being observed, is not expectation, for what anyone is observing, why is he expecting it also?
25 Now, if we are expecting what we are not observing, we are awaiting it with endurance.
26 Now, similarly, the spirit also is aiding our infirmity, for what we should be praying for, to accord with what must be, we are not aware, but the spirit itself is pleading for us with inarticulate groanings.
27 Now He Who is searching the hearts is aware what is the disposition of the spirit, for in accord with God is it pleading for the saints.
28 Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose
29 that, whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be Firstborn among many brethren.
30 Now whom He designates beforehand, these He calls also, and whom He calls, these He justifies also; now whom He justifies, these He glorifies also.
31 What then, shall we declare to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
32 Surely, He Who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us all, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us all?
33 Who will be indicting God’s chosen ones? God, the Justifier?
34 Who is the Condemner? Christ Jesus, the One dying, yet rather being roused, Who is also at God’s right hand, Who is pleading also for our sakes?
35 What shall be separating us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? Affliction, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 According as it is °written that “On Thy account we are being put to death the whole day, We are reckoned as sheep for slaughter.”
37 Nay! in all these we are more than conquering through Him Who loves us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, nor sovereignties, nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, will be able~to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

I shared this with you because we are all at different stages in our lives and some have not come to faith in Jesus yet who will believe. Is this you? You’re invited too. He who endures to the end will be saved, never give up. Today so many things are happening in our lives. People talk about us and we talk about people. People do us wrong and we do them wrong but as believers in Jesus, we are taught to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. This does take a proactive approach as does forgiving someone. We don’t wait for them to forgive us, we take the initiative and forgive them and cast our cares on our heavenly Father. 

He loves us and wants that relationship with us. He doesn’t want religion, He is real and anyone who says otherwise has yet to have a real relationship with him through his son Jesus. Remember forgive others, take the initiative. 

It is the best thing ever to believe in Jesus, I invite you to know him. If you know him be sure to share the well message of Jesus. See you in the next post.
 
Forgive other people for the wrongs they do and let the Lord handle the rest. Yes guard your heart but also forgive. 
 
Steward D. Clinton aka StedoCli