PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, REDEEMING THE GOSPEL: GRUDGE HOLDER
From Pastor John Collins:
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When we cannot let go of those past hurts and refuse to forgive
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“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV).
If anyone has read the Bible, gone to church to hear
the gospel or
been taught of
our Lord Jesus
Christ and has not realized yet that it is necessary to forgive others in
order to obtain
forgiveness, please keep reading.
Who
do we think we are when we get hurt and
become offended and
our defenses go
up and we become bitter and resentful of those who
have crossed our paths and crossed
us? Who do we think we are to withhold
forgiveness from someone who has wronged us? Who do we think we
are to expect what we are unwilling to give?
The Bible says
that God makes
the sun
to rise on the evil and
the good.
We make the choice of which we will be. Why do we feel justified in
holding on to our bitterness and anger,
our grudges and resentments?
Doesn’t anyone realize that forgiveness is for
ourselves and not
only the forgiven?
These negative feelings
lead to hatred, fights, killings, wars and death to our souls. What is the
point of holding on to your self-justified
sense of being
right?
Who says that you need to have an apology given in order to return forgiveness?
It amazes me that people would harm
their own souls for anger and hurt. I am amazed that people just don’t
realize that forgiveness does
not come from the Lord to us unless we are willing
to offer forgiveness from us. Jesus said it Himself!!
The bible says that we are to be holy as God is holy. It
tells us to be Christ-like and Jesus said that He does what He has seen from
His Father. We are to make the effort to obey them and to become righteous
people. What purpose does holding on to some grudge serve any of us?
The Bible tells us that we all fall short of the glory of
God but that does not mean that we do not obey God and make the effort to seek
salvation with all of our hearts and souls. When we cannot let go of those past
hurts and refuse to forgive those who have hurt us we are then killing our own
souls.
Jesus was humiliated, beaten, had thorns thrust into His skull and the skin ripped from His body and had nails driven into His hands and feet. He was hung from that Cross and He did it for you. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34 (NKJV).
How arrogant we are! Do we think that we are better than the
Son of God, demanding retribution and apologies and vengeance, which is clearly
the Lord’s? Does our pride demand that grudge, that justice that we feel is our
right and our due? How can we feel that way when we have broken the
commandments of God and deserve hell? How can we feel justified in our lack of
forgiveness when we know in our souls that we have gone against the very laws
of God and so many times we have done this deliberately? Are we so petty?
Look to your hearts people and let go of the ugly. Look deep
inside and know that the truth is that withholding forgiveness means that you
are not forgiven. We must get over ourselves. Life is more than offenses,
victims and perpetrators. Life is making the choices that lead us home to
heaven and our Lord. Life is letting go of what will not matter in the least
once you are dead. Life is coming to know that the soul is more important than
the body. Life is choosing Jesus over yourself.
“Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” Matthew 18:21-22 (NKJV).
LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS
Pastor John Collins and John Collins Ministries are
determined to change the face of Christianity and redeem the truth of the
Gospel and the word of God.
You can hear Pastor John Collins broadcast on AM and FM
stations across the USA. John Collins Ministries has a Youtube channel
that posts regular podcasts of Pastor Collins. John Collins Ministries
has a channel on Blogtalk radio. This country needs to hear the truth of
God and Jesus. This world needs to hear and understand what the rules are in order
to get to heaven. They aren’t preached and they aren’t taught, and it’s
time for people to hear to hear that truth. Pastor John Collins and John
Collins Ministries is bringing that message with passion and fervor. Take
the time to listen. If you want to reach Pastor John Collins, contact him
for preaching, prayer, revival, guest speaking at jcollinsministries@gmail.com.
We need to get it right.
