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My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. John 10:27'29 WEB.The hero of t... -
When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. When they had finish...
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A Living Sacrifice from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Various sacrifices were required under the old covenant. Some of the sacrifices helped feed the priests and those who worked at the temple, but a burnt offering was placed on the altar and completely consumed by fire. You can read about...
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- led by Lynn BrownThis is a group for RHM sponsored events like corporate fasts. Everyone is welcome to join and participate in things currently going on in the ministry. We love you and thank you for being a part of Refreshing Hope!
Tormentors
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Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?' His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.' Matthew 18:32 WEB
When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother in a day, Jesus said seventy-seven times (or 70x7=490 depending on your translation). The pharisees believed not more than three times. Jesus then then told a parable about two men who were both in debt.
One man owed a king 10,000 talents. Now a talent was the highest unit of currency, and ten thousand the highest Greek numeral. This would be like a billion dollars. When the man asked for forgiveness, the king had compassion on him and canceled the debt, letting him and his family go.
The second man owed the first one a hundred denarii, about twenty dollars. That is one-six-hundred-thousandth of the first man's debt. Rather than forgive this man his debt, the first wanted to make him pay for it and had him put in prison.
When word of this got back to the King, he was so upset that he handed the first man over to the torturers to make him pay back the billion dollars as well. Both men ended up in prison and only the one who held the debt could release them, as the king could not release the man who owed the twenty dollars. He did owe it. It was a legitimate debt and the one that he owed it to had to release him.
Jesus said: 'Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you' (Luke 6:37). 'And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us' (Luke 11:4). Our actions cause God to react.
We are required to forgive others in order to be forgiven. This is not really a choice. Jesus made it clear that unless you forgive others, you will not be forgiven yourself. Un-forgiveness is a dangerous game to play. The original text conveys that they were handed over to the 'Tormentors', a torturer that would make them pay in some way. This was not a made-up phrase that Jesus happened to use, it was a stern warning to us.
Many of us are in that jail and do not even know it. We wonder why our life is a living hell, yet we cling to our bitterness like it is all that we have to live for. Let the ones that hurt you go and free yourself from your personal jail. Your life will be so much happier and your mind will be free when you no longer have to track all the wrongs that have been done to you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father I know that I need Your mercy more than ever. Because of You, I forgive those that have done me wrong, I freely release them and let them go. Please set me free from the torturer in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.
Note: Happy Sunday! For those attending RHM Live, the message for the week will be "The Birthday of the Church" and will a teaching on practical applications of the Holy Spirit series that we just completed. The service starts at 11am EST, though you are welcome to join us a few minute early to fellowship :). We look forward to seeing you there! Thank you all for being part of Refreshing Hope Ministries, those who pray for us, who support us financially, participate with comments and posts at the online church, or just show up here each day to read the devotional! We are blessed!
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amen
AMEN! If you live in the Spirit, then also walk in the Spirit. I am so glad that I can make the choice to forgive others and live in peace. I pray that I learn to forgive quickly.
Amen, Twila <3!
Over thirty years ago, two people called me unexpectedly , out of the blue. They both had hurt me so deeply and I had harbored anger toward them for many years. They were my physically abusive ex husband and his mother. She had often turned a blind eye toward her son and ignored the black eyes and bruises on my face. I was not understanding how much of a burden that I was carrying around until they called. As they asked for my forgiveness and I through God's grace forgave them, I felt this huge burden leave me. I realized in my anger and my harboring unforgiveness I was the prisoner who needed to be set free. I never thought I would be able to forgive them, but God enabled me to and I was set free! It felt so wonderful to just let go and release those emotions. Since that day, I have learned to not harbor unforgiveness. Others may still wound me deeply but I must freely forgive them so I can be free.
Thank you so much for sharing that, Carol. I can't imagine what it was like to be treated like that, with no one to turn to. Praise God for taking you through this and showing you how to be set through through forgiveness!
Amen Sylvia. God can turn what was meant for evil into good.
Yes, He can and does <3!
Unfortunately my tormentor is my daughter.. many times I forgave her but she ends up fighting with me for all her mistakes in her past and present.. she has literally turned my grandchildren against me they are like her disrespectful and the worst part they live in my house husband included.. I'm a prisoner in my own home I pray everyday for them to move so I can sell my house and live my life in peace.. I believe once we live separated we could have a good relationship.. she puts all the blame in me instead of her husband who should be providing for her and children .. please pray for peace in my life
Father, I lift up Michele to you and pray that you please help her to find peace in her home and grant her wisdom, strength and provision to make it happen, in the name of Jesus, amen!
Thank you so much..
amen
Dear Father, In the Mighty Name of Jesus, I come to you humbly, asking that you straighthen the crooked path that has crossed the threshhold of Michele's house. Give her peace where there is confusion, give her grace where there is hurt. Remove from her house all that would oppose her and disrespect her. Let the husband be a man and provide his own house for his family and let the peace that surpasses all understanding, be upon Michele. Amen.
Thank you so much .. very kind of you!!
amen
Amen!! Forgiveness is the first step in healing. This is something I've struggled with but understand that Jesus forgave us and he was the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Thank you Jesus for saving me, without you, life means nothing!
Yes my Lord Jesus, amen.
OUR LORD GOD has forgiven me for all my sins so grivious that I have learn to forgive others like OUR LORD GOD did for my sins. I pray that they that I have sinned will also learn to forgive me as our LORD GOD did to me.
Amen
Amen. Praise God! Thank you Pastor Dion! Heavenly Father I know that I need Your mercy more than ever. Because of You, I forgive those that have done me, wrong, I freely release them and let them go. Lord, Help me to forgive myself too. Please set me free from the torturer in the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Amen
Amen!! Thank you Pastor Dion for your devoyion. :-) I claim this prayer over me this is one that I have to work on. I've been having a hard time with my sister's because of the oldest ones husband. I love my nephew and I wanted her to call his daighter and she wanted to wait to see how much money she was getting to live on. They had a lot of money and she was getting it all. My heart is hurting for the small children. That's where I'm having trouble with so many who never reached out to them in my family. My family here husband, daughter and I and I still check on them a few times a week. Father, please help me with my heart and the way I feel about the ones who did nothing to help my nephews family. Father, you know i've been upset my heart is in pain over what happen. Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief. King James .. Mark 9:24
Amen.Thank you Pastor for sharing this with us.Great words of encouragement.Heavenly Father thank you for teaching me your ways and for your word.That when we hold something against someone,and do not forgive them and then let it go.It is like inprisioning ourselves.Thank you for all the times you have forgiven us our sins.,and when we hold anything against anyone.Lord God help us to remember all that you have done for us,and the times you have forgiven us.Forgive us our trespasses ,and help us to forgive those that tessespass against us.In The Name of Jesus Christ I pray .