When we give our hearts to Christ, when we accept his free gift of life, in reality our sinful past no longer exists: the atoning blood of Jesus covers our sin. God's word says, "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us". (Psalm 103:12)

Why is it we still struggle

with sin? We have a hard time taming some areas in our lives, truly dying to self and living for Christ.

Are you like me, struggling

to know why I can't measure up to being a Christian?

I believe a big part of our struggle is unforgiveness which leads to bitterness, which then leads to murder. What! Murder? Yes, Matthew 5:21-22 speaks of how in the Old Testament the act of murder brought judgment. Jesus says that murder begins in the heart; whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

But Pastor, you don't know what this person has done to me!

No, but I know what unforgiveness is doing to you. You are in prison.

Unforgiveness has locked you up; by your choice, no-one else's. It's so simple, forgive and God can forgive you! I know that what happened was not right, by forgiving you are not saying it was, but you are releasing what you believe is your right to judge and avenge yourself. "Do not avenge yourselves... Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord", Romans 12:19.

Hurting people hurt people; not that they want to. Past hurts and unforgiveness tether people to the past, and reacting to those who abused us, we spend great amounts of energy to not be like the abuser saying, "I will never be like that person that hurt me," but we become just like them.

"See to it that noone comes short of the grace of God: that no root of bitterness springs up causing trouble, and by it many become defiled." Hebrews 12:15. Bitterness is unfulfilled revenge. Another's thoughtlessness or cruelty may have wounded us deeply. It is hard not to be hurt in this world, but if we fail to respond with love and forgiveness, if we keep hold of bitterness in our heart; that offense will lead to a spiritual death - ours! We must repent and forgive the one who hurt us. Every time we refuse to forgive or fail to overlook a weakness in another, our heart not only hardens toward them, but it also hardens toward

God.

"The one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen," 1 John 4:20. Forgive, forgive, it is a way of life for Christians. "He

God) will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities. You

God) will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea," Micah 7:19.

But know this; the devil keeps records of our past. He is the accuser of the brethren and our great enemy. He would like to keep us in shame and fear, a prison of helplessness. If we have repented and asked Jesus for forgiveness, these records are powerless without our agreement.

We make an agreement with the accuser whenever we look to our past and don't believe God can forgive us through His Son, Jesus, who paid the price to set us free.

When we agree with the devil we empower him, and when he is empowered he devours. The key to freedom is forgiveness: agree with Father God, believing what Jesus has done for us on the cross, and God will empower us.

It frees us from the power of a lie and enables us to live according to the will of God.

Let us thank God for the blessing of forgiveness.

Rev. Gord Horsley, Abiding Place Ministries, Shelburne