DCLM HIGHER EVERYDAY 21 February 2022 — Forgive your foes
DCLM Higher Everyday 21 February 2022 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Serving like the master
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TOPIC: FORGIVE YOUR FOES
TEXT: MATTHEW 6:2-15
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
MEMORY VERSE: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (MATTHEW 6:14).
MESSAGE:
According to Matthew Henry, those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren. God freely releases His forgiveness to us; and He expects us to do the same for our fellow human beings.
Those who form the habit of forgiveness, always gain more than they lose because apart from God being pleased with their obedience, they have peace of mind since their minds are free from bitterness which causes emotional disturbance that could in turn lead to other medical complications.
Learn to forgive those who offend you in the school or neighbourhood from your heart so that you can be free from bitterness and hate. Nevertheless, you cannot give what you do not have; so, to really forgive others, you need to possess God’s forgiveness from all sins through repentance.
Sanctification experience will grant you more grace to forgive freely those who hurt you to release them from the prison of your heart. Remember that sanctification is a definite work of grace that could be done on a believer by God after genuine salvation experience; and requires prayers.
QUOTE: You need to possess God’s forgiveness.
CHALLENGE:bForgive every offense and find true freedom.
PRAYER: Lord, give me grace to forgive all offenses in Jesus’ name.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
