Shalom! I want to elaborate on the #1 point from last posting, UNFORGIVENESS.
God does not want us to hold grudges against people who have wronged us. No He doesn't. That's why He connects it to prayer. If you do not forgive offenders, it will hinder your prayers. Forgiveness or unforgiveness affects our prayers whichever one we chose do, Jesus has shown us the consequence when we chose not to forgive. Our own sins will not be forgiven, and works negatively against our prayers: "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:25-26).
This may be a bitter pill to swallow, but this is the way of the kingdom. The Apostle Paul puts it this way:
Romans 12: 19-20
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written,
20 Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Jesus said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:44).
Faith works by love, not by revenge. If there's an enemy we should really go after, it is the devil and not our fellow human beings who are so used by him. Let's go with God (Ephesians 6: 12). See you next time. God bless.
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