SPIRITUAL AND PERSONAL POISON 3!

Ephesians 4:31-32 TLB 

Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarrelling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives.  Instead, be kind to each other,  tenderhearted, and forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ.

 

The Bible is full of directives to be forgiving of ourselves and others because the foundation of the Christian faith is all about forgiveness. Unforgiveness is rooted in selfishness and pride and has no place in our hearts because it is a poison that kills slowly. 

According to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., forgiveness is not an occasional act, it’s a constant attitude. 

If God can forgive us for our deepest, darkest sins, why can’t we forgive others for the smallest things done to us? 

Unforgiveness is the single most popular poison the enemy uses against God’s children. It is one of the deadliest poisons a person can take, either in small or large doses, while expecting the other person to die from the grudge in their hearts. 

The things people do not want to forgive others for are often the very things they have done themselves, yet expect to be forgiven for, as seen in Matthew 18:23-35. 

Unforgiveness may cause all kinds of medical issues, and some forms of cancer have even been attributed to unforgiveness. Cancer comes from the devil; scientists cannot fully explain it, and doctors don’t understand its origin. It is a symptom of a curse. God allowed the Israelites to face diseases and sickness when they disobeyed Him, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:58-61, and when they turned back to Him, He would heal and cleanse their land. 

Unforgiveness manifests itself in several ways. It is for our own sake and that of others that the Lord instructed us to forgive people as many times as they offend us. We count and keep a list of grudges and offences according to Leviticus 19:17-18; we drag up old offences and tag them, replaying every scenario and incident over and over to keep the offence fresh in our minds, which feeds the poison of unforgiveness. Then we sit with a glass of 1924 vintage bottle of unforgiveness while hoping for our offender to die. 

Forgiveness is not a choice, it is a command that God expects us to obey in Matthew 6:12. 

Slothfulness, laziness, and idleness are anathema to this generation according to Proverbs 21:25. Everybody wants something for nothing. President Roosevelt said, "There is no victory without sacrifice." How do we appreciate what we own when nothing of us went into getting it? People have made slothfulness an art form, living off the government, relatives, and friends when they are well able to fend for themselves. 

This is a generation that wants the best of everything, even when they are not old enough for it, mature enough, or can’t afford it. This is another poison recorded in Proverbs 24:30-34. 

Greed is a poison that every human exhibits according to Jeremiah 6:13. Greed is quite possibly the parent of every evil and poison. Greed murders, robs, and slanders. The Bible teaches that greed is idolatry because it places things at the center of our lives instead of God. 

Greed is “I want it all, I won’t share, I am not content with what I have, and I am not concerned with people who need what I have.” 

The Muslims declare they cannot forgive an offender in this life or the next! Life is too short to keep drinking from the cup of unforgiveness, and eternity is too long to suffer the consequences of unforgiveness. Forgiving people are forgiven people! Do yourself a favour — forgive! 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

- In what ways have I allowed unforgiveness or grudges to poison my heart and relationships? 

- How can I cultivate a constant attitude of forgiveness, as encouraged by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? 

- What practical steps can I take to overcome slothfulness and greed in my life? 

- How does understanding God's forgiveness toward me motivate me to forgive others sincerely? 

PRAYER: Father God, help me to let go of unforgiveness and bitterness in my heart. Teach me to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving, just as You have forgiven me through Christ. Deliver me from the poisons of pride, slothfulness, and greed that destroy my spirit and relationships in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/womenoflight/episodes/SPIRITUAL-AND-PERSONAL-POISON-3-e36h391

Follow the FRESH MANNA CHANNEL on Telegram: https://t.me/freshmdevo

Follow the FRESH MANNA CHANNEL on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va8y5tqAjPXP6kZdoX1j

EMAIL: TEEWOMENOFLIGHT@OUTLOOK.COM

WOULD YOU CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH US TO REACH MORE PEOPLE? BY SHARING THIS MESSAGE ON YOUR PLATFORMS AND CONTACTS OR  SOWING A SEED TO HELP US KEEP DOING THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY.

PayPal account: prodbyjayt1@gmail.com.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR GENEROUSITY AND SUPPORT.

SHALOM

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START AGAIN!

Job 17:10-11 GW   "But now, all of you, come and try again! I won’t find one wise man among you.  My days are passing by. My plans are broken. My dreams are shattered."[10]   Life may require us to start again—and it’s never too late to start over. One of life’s certainties is that everyone will experience failure at something at some point. Life is never an unbroken series of victories. Setbacks, losses, and sometimes defeat will happen and may overwhelm us. Defeat may be thrust upon us by circumstance or by others, or we may defeat ourselves by our own thoughts and actions. When this happens, some give up, some persist until they succeed, and others are willing to start over again. Luke 7:11-15 gives the account of the widow of Nain, on her way to bury her only son, crying, distraught after losing another close family member. On the way, Jesus saw her, had compassion, and acted.  The woman must have thought, "Is He kidding? Does He know what I've been t...
Read more

DIVINE VISION!

Jeremiah 1:1-11 NASB The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, [2] to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. [3] It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month. [4] Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, [5] “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” [6] Then I said, “Oh, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.” [7] But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. [8] “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to save you,” declares the Lord. [9] Then the Lord stretch...
Read more

RESISTANCE FROM STEPPING INTO PURPOSE!

John 16:33 AMPC I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]   Stepping into your God-given purpose is one of the most powerful decisions you will ever make. But it is also one of the most resisted. The Bible makes it clear that whenever God calls a person, opposition rises—externally, internally, and spiritually. Jesus Himself tells us that trials will come, but His victory gives us courage and peace. Every believer must understand this: resistance is not a sign that you’re in the wrong place; it is often proof that you’re stepping into the right one. Everyone called by God faces resistance! Throughout Scripture, the moment people stepped into divine purpose, they faced pushback. ...
Read more