Bible Verse of The Day – 3-21-20

Luke 23:34 (NKJV) 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.

It’s hard to grasp this level of forgiveness.

We may ask today if we have to forgive people that have hurt us; People that have abused us, stolen from us, and made things hard for us.

Do we have to forgive them like Jesus did? After all, He was the Son of God, so He’s supposed to do this, right?

I really thought as a child that Jesus did what He did simply because He was the Son of God, and it was expected of Him.

To me, coming from a large family, it was kind of like how certain things were expected of my older siblings just because they were older. Us younger ones could get away with the things that the older ones couldn’t because less was expected of us.

I thought It came easy to Jesus, being God’s Son. But I’ve learned over the years that He did what He did because of discipline and denying His own will.

He had discipline within Himself, and help from the Holy Spirit to keep that level of discipline alive.

You and I have that same help. The power and might from God, through the Holy Spirit, helps us to walk in discipline.

It’s the discipline of our heart wanting to do the right thing that allows the Holy Spirit to move in us.

The thing I had to learn is that my will plays an important role in all of this. It has to want to be disciplined.

Jesus’ forgiveness for these people at such a level as this came from His will to be disciplined, to be lined up with His Father’s will. His heart’s desire was to do only what His Father wanted Him to do.

Luke 22:42 (NKJV) 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

When we will to do right, to put God’s wants before our own, this is the result we get.

And when we have a heart that wants what is best, no matter what people have done to us or against us, forgiveness will be there!

Some of us today are bound up and miserable because of unforgiveness in our hearts. It’s killing us.

In this situation, our will is not willing to do what is right.

Make a statement today, through discipline. Tell your will “it will obey” and be willing to let go and forgive. Hold no memories of what was done to us.

Jesus, even though He died on that cross, was set free. He rose on the third day and was alive again!

Today is like our very own third day if we will let this unforgiveness go. We will come alive! Our heart will beat again, and the bonds of unforgiveness will be broken.

Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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