PAYBACK TIME .......IS IT FOR YOU ?

SO MUCH OF TODAYS TEACHINGS FOCUS ON BLAMING PEOPLE FOR THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE WRONG IN OUR LIVES ...... ACCORDING TO SOCIETY,WE ARE ALL VICTIMS OF SOME SORT ........ WE USE EXUSES FOR THE BEHAVIORS WE DISPLAY , BEHAVIORS INVOLVING CONVERSATIONAL BLEEPS TO MURDEROUS ACTS OF VIOLENCE ..... WHAT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO IS , AS A PEOPLE, WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH FORGIVENESS .YOU SEE, WITH FORGIVENESS COMES THE LETTING GO OF SUCH THINGS AS ANGER ,WRATH ,HATRED AND BITTERNESS ; HENCE REPLACING THEM WITH LOVE, KINDNESS ,COMPASSION AND TENDERNESS .SO HOW DO WE BECOME A FORGIVING PERSON ? WHY SHOULD WE BE A PERSON WHO FORGIVES ? CAN WE DO THIS OR LEARN TO BECOME THIS WAY ON OUR OWN ? THE LORD TELLS US IN MATTHEW 18:21-22 "Then Peter came to JESUS and asked ,"LORD how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me ?Up to seven times ?" JESUS answered , "I tell you , not seven times , but seventy times seven ." SO WE KNOW THAT JESUS WANTS US TO FORGIVE ! IN THIS CHAPTER FURTHER ON DOWN IN VS.35, AFTER JESUS FINISHES EXPLAINING THE STORY OF THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT (I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THIS CHAPTER ) He states ,"This is how my heavenly FATHER will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart . " AGAIN THIS TELLS US THAT WE ARE TO FORGIVE, BUT ONE CANNOT FORGIVE TRUELY FROM ONES HEART WITHOUT KNOWING THAT JESUS HAS FORGIVEN US FIRST...... DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THIS ..... IT IS TRUE. THE LORD JESUS HAD PAID THE PRICE FOR THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND BY DYING ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY !! WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IN CHAPTER 19:28-30 , "Later, knowing that all was now completed , and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled , JESUS said, "Iam thirsty.'' A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it , put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to JESUS' lips. When he had received the drink , JESUS said , "It is finished ."With that , he bowed his head and gave up his spirit ." IT IS TRUE TO SAY JESUS WAS THE LAST BLOOD SACRIFICE . AS WE LOOK UPON HOW GOD FORGIVES US OF OUR SIN WHEN WE REPENT AND TAKE THE LORD JESUS INTO OUR HEARTS WE CANNOT IGNORE THE NEED TO FORGIVE OTHERS THAT HAVE WRONGED US. MATTHEW 5:38-39 STATES "You have heard it said ,'Eye for eye,and toothe for tooth. But i tell you different,do not resist an evil person . If someone strikes you on the right cheek , turn to him the other also." AND IN 1JOHN 1:8-9 , "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins , he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrightousness." IS THIS EASY FOR US ...... NO . IS THIS POSSIBLE FOR US ....... NO. NOT WITHOUT THE LORD JESUS . IN EPHESIANS THE SCRIPTURES TELL US TO, " Get rid of all bitterness,rage anger brawling and slander ,along with with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another , forgiving each other, just as in CHRIST JESUS GOD forgave you. " LET US THINK ABOUT THIS TODAY ....... IS PAYBACK TIME REALLY THE ANSWER ?.............................................SUMMER