Tuesday Inspiration
Topic: Forgive
It is good to understand where we are in our life. There are several
notable events that take place in the bible that relate to our lives. I noticed
I am finishing a 7 year cycle in my life and it prompted me to go over each of
the seven year cycles of my life to see if there was a pattern of completeness as
it is in the bible. I learned that every year is a period of 7 cycles of 7. It
begins with the birthday + 52 days ending the day before the next birthday. When
I look back over my life and plot out each 7 year cycle, I can name each cycle. One
was the dark ages a period of trial and tribulations when I did not know Jesus, another was 7 years of new beginnings and the list goes on. I have been very excited about my
future. Although I do not know what my future holds I am looking forward to
doing the work of the Lord.
I now know I will enter into a fresh cycle of 7
years in about 5 months. If you have time look over your life, plot out
where you have been over each 7 year cycle by creating a personal timeline.
It is a good way of writing down where God has brought us from and where he is
taking us along this journey of life. We often think we are not where we want
to be in life or we should be achieving more at this point. Plotting a
personal timeline helps us to see God’s grace and will help us to forgive and have
patience with others as Jesus had and is still having with us.
God’s creation was completed in 6 days on the seventh day he rested,
completing the cycle. There are several accounts of a completed work in sevens
from creation in Genesis to the many sevens in Revelation. God works in sevens, frequently illustrated throughout the
bible in healing (2King 5:14), salvation ( Lev 16:14, Heb 9:12), feasting (Lev23:1-44, John 6:1-14), and deliverance
(Jos 6:12-16). Another seven speaks about forgiveness. Jesus deals with forgiveness in sevens as well.
When asked how many times we should forgive, Jesus replies seventy
times seven (Matt 18:21-22). Seven represent completeness and if we forgive seventy times seven we
would have completely forgiven the person. Jesus uses those numbers to inform
us to forgive until we have completely forgiven. It is not meant to imply to
forgive 490 (70x7) times it is meant for us to understand that seven represents complete.
70 represents 7 cycles of completeness (10x7) and multiplying 70 times 7 is the equivalent of completely
forgiving a person to the point you love them. We would have completely forgiven
them until there is nothing left in our hearts for them but love. When we clean out hatred, anger, hurt, pain etc all we have is love. Jesus wants us to scrub till we love.! He doesn't want us to forgive so we can tolerate, he wants to forgive to the point we love our neighbor as our self (Matt 22:38-39).
When we completely forgive, it opens the door to allow God to forgive us
(Matt 6:14). Jesus is always molding and shaping us. He wants our sins forgiven
but our unforgiveness blocks his forgiveness (Matt 6:15). Think of
unforgiveness as a dirty pot, filled with gunk that represents anger, hatred
etc. When God sees us and we ask for forgiveness, he sees all the filth in the
pot. When we have completely forgiven our enemies (70 times 7) it is equivalent
to soaking that pot in bleach scrubbing it clean until no one knows what was in
the pot originally. That is when we come before the Lord with a clean heart.
When we remove malice, hatred and anger from our hearts and allow Jesus to
enter those places and fill our pot with his love and forgiveness. He cannot
fill our pot if it is already filled with unforgiveness, anger, and hatred.
There isn’t any room for him in the pot. Turn it over to him. We have to give it to him, we have to cast our cares to Jesus (1Pet 5:7). He can't heal what hasn't been given to him. He can't remove what hasn't been turned over to him. When the trash collector picks up our trash, we have to first put it out of our house. They are not going to come in and remove the trash. We have to bag the trash, then put it on the curb on in the dumpster. After the trash is removed the house can be cleaned. We cannot clean a house that is filled with trash. Jesus cannot clean us until we decide to remove the trash.
We have to let God in and allow him to take those things that we have
allowed to stick to out pot keeping our pot dirty. Let us bathe in his precious
blood and allow him to remove all unrighteousness. His blood is as bleach
cleansing us and making us white as snow (Psa 51:2, 1John 1:9).
We are running this race in faith. Our past is our past, leave it
there. Take the time to look back where God has brought you from, notice the
grace he has extended to you. Allow yourself time to forgive and move on. The
longer you hold on the longer it takes for God to fill you and complete you.
God Bless you and yours!
Jesus Loves You! Are you in need of salvation? Take the first step. Click here
Jesus Loves You! Are you in need of salvation? Take the first step. Click here
Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant
love.
Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins! Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin! I recognize my faults; I am always conscious of my sins. I have sinned against you—only against you and done what you consider evil. So you are right in judging me; you are justified in condemning me. I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful. Sincerity and truth are what you require; fill my mind with your wisdom. Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; and though you have crushed me and broken me, I will be happy once again. Close your eyes to my sins and wipe out all my evil. Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me.
Do not banish me from your presence; do not take your holy spirit away from me. Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach sinners your commands, and they will turn back to you. Spare my life, O God, and save me, and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness. Help me to speak, Lord, and I will praise you. You do not want sacrifices, or I would offer them; you are not pleased with burnt offerings. My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart. O God, be kind to Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifices and with our burnt offerings; and bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.
Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins! Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin! I recognize my faults; I am always conscious of my sins. I have sinned against you—only against you and done what you consider evil. So you are right in judging me; you are justified in condemning me. I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful. Sincerity and truth are what you require; fill my mind with your wisdom. Remove my sin, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; and though you have crushed me and broken me, I will be happy once again. Close your eyes to my sins and wipe out all my evil. Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me.
Do not banish me from your presence; do not take your holy spirit away from me. Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach sinners your commands, and they will turn back to you. Spare my life, O God, and save me, and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness. Help me to speak, Lord, and I will praise you. You do not want sacrifices, or I would offer them; you are not pleased with burnt offerings. My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart. O God, be kind to Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifices and with our burnt offerings; and bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.
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