Radical Forgiveness-more Testimony

Ephesians 4:3
   Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:13

   Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Luke 17:3-4

   Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Matthew 18:21-35

   Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.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. The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

    The Bible has so much to say on the subject of forgiveness. Yet it is the hardest thing for people to do. I think that most people are afraid that if they forgive someone something that it will be forgotten. That is not the case, when you have been deeply hurt you can never forget, but you can forgive those that hurt you.

    Holding forgiveness back, refusing to forgive hardens the heart. I have known people who have refused to forgive, I was once one of those people. Speaking from experience it drags you down, I became cynical with "the glass is half empty" attitude. My temper was volcanic and I would look for reasons to be angry, keep the fires burning, reveling in my hatred. 

   My friends I know how it feels to hold back forgiveness. It is painful. As long as we harbor unforgiveness that person has power over us. Think about it. Our attitude, how we see the world is tainted by that unforgiveness. You must forgive to break the bonds from your life, and really experience freedom in Jesus.

How do I forgive?

 Should you call them and say "I forgive you" no not really. Real forgiveness starts with Jesus in your heart. The reason you are forgiving them is we are commanded to do so. Scriptures above support this as well as many others through the Bible.

  Pray, ask Jesus to take the burden from you. The burden is too heavy for you to carry.

  I have forgiven those who transgressed against me, now how do I forget? You don't always forget, but you do move on and heal with your life in Jesus. You can never have true freedom in Jesus or receive all he has for you unless you forgive.

  My life has seen times when I needed to forgive much. Though to be honest I think my brothers and sisters have had to forgive me more.

 

    My wife and I have been married 10 years as of this writing. We have shared many triumphs but we have also had our time in the cold dark valleys. I have watched my wife's relationship with Jesus get deeper and deeper. Her compassion and mercy are amazing.

    She did something a few years back that changed my life. I was running from God, wanting my own path, my own way. I was making bad decisions and mistakes. When the day came that God called me accountable, I would not have blamed her if she ran, better yet kicked me to the curb.

    She chose instead to forgive me and supported me and loved me. I didn't feel I deserve it, but it did open my eyes to what forgiveness really was all about. This decision by her to forgive, love and support me was a fire lit under me. I came running back to Jesus. 

  The website and blog came from those days after I came back to Jesus and followed His direction for my life. I am forgiven!! All the mistakes I had made and still Jesus welcomed me with open arms. My ministry is to help those that feel they have gone too far to get forgiveness. This is my passion. I praise God daily for my wife and our "church" family and my family.

  You can never get so far gone that Jesus can not bring you back, if your willing to ask, just repent. Repenting is confessing to Jesus what you have done wrong and ask him to forgive you. He will, He loves you my brothers and sisters. If I can be forgiven, you can too!