http://bible.com/116/mat.6.14-15.nlt
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Observation
Am I standing proud? The mountains will be laid low and pushed into the sea.
Am I kneeling at the foot of the cross? Seeking His will in my life, surrendered to the Lord, repenting of my sins, loving Him above all, denying myself and in doing so – finding my new life that is renewed and alive and blessed.
Am I kneeling before my brothers, washing their feet, serving them and loving them? Paying attention to their needs on the same level as my own?
My mental picture of where I stand in relation to others tells me a lot about my heart. A new heart of flesh that is alive with the fruit of the Holy Spirit growing is also one that does not seek to claim rights or position or honor or exaltation.
http://bible.com/116/php.2.6-8.nlt Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges ; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Do we see Christ standing tall expecting honor and exaltation because He is the Son of God? No, we see Him humble amongst even his enemies.
http://bible.com/116/luk.23.33-34.nlt
When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.
And He calls us to take up our cross and follow Him.
http://bible.com/116/luk.9.23-25.nlt Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?”
This, my friends is the meat of the gospel. That surrendering to the Lord means giving up our “rights”, surrendering our cares about our own glory and honor, and offering our lives as a servant to others, loving even those who mistreat us, forgiving even those “unworthy” of forgiveness – because are we so blind that we think that we are “worthy” of forgiveness? No, not even one of us is worthy or righteous on our own.
So forgiveness isn’t about what the other person deserves or does not deserve. Don’t let the enemy lead you to the poisoned waters of unforgiveness, of pride, of denying your calling as a Child of God to be a servant unto men, finding the death of a liar who claims to know God while hating his brother.
http://bible.com/116/1jn.4.20-21.nlt
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.
Know the love that is Christ alive in you.
Know the power of forgiveness.
Know the danger of unforgiveness, because it demonstrates the state of your heart.
Call to Action
Are you following? Are you obeying His will?
What area of your life today could experience the healing power of forgiveness?
What area of your life can be healed by the humbleness found in forgiving others?
What are you holding onto today that needs to be surrendered to the Lord?
Do you want to know Grace? Do you want to be crowned in glory so that you can lay your crown at His feet in humble grattitude?
Clinging to a crown that we think we deserve, or claiming a seat that we believe we deserve may be leaving us standing in pride when we need to be kneeling in humility and service.
Radical love.
Radical forgiveness.
Radical humility.
Harold J. Ballinger 