ASK, SEEK, FIND (LUKE 11: 9- 10)
Jesus Teaches About Forgiveness
Jesus Said,
"Your heavenly Father will forgive you if you forgive those who sin against you; but if you refuse to forgive them, He will not forgive you." (Matthew 6:14)
Then Peter came to Him as asked, "Sir, how often should I forgive a brother who sins against me? Seventy times?" "No!" Jesus replied, "seventy times seven!" (Matthew 18:21-22)
"The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him $10,000,000! He couldn't pay, so the king ordered him sold for the debt, also his wife and children and everything he had."
"But the man fell down before the king, his face in the dust, and said, "Oh, sir, be patient with me, and I will pay it all."
"Then the king was filled with pity for him and released him and forgave his debt.
"But when the man left the king, he went to a man who owed him $2,000 and grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
"The man fell down before him and begged him to give him a little time. 'Be patient, and I will pay it.' he pled.
"But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and jailed until the debt would be paid in full. Then the man's friends went to the king and told him what had happened. And the king called before him the man he had forgiven and said, "You evil-hearted wretch! Here I forgave you all that tremendous debt, just because you asked me to—shouldn't you have mercy on others, just as I had mercy on you?'
"Then the angry king sent the man to the torture chamber until he had paid every last penny due. So shall my heavenly Father do to you if you refuse to truly forgive your brothers." (Matthew 18:23-34)
"Listen to me!" You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you have it: it's yours! But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive you your sins too." (Mark 11:24-25)
"Try to show as much compassion as your Father does. Never criticize or condemn—or it will all come back on you. Go easy on others; then they will do the same for you. For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give—large or small—will be used to measure what is given back to you." (Luke 6:36-38)
"I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
"There is a saying, 'Love your friends and hate your enemies.' But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For He gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much. If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathen do that. (Matthew 5:43-47)
