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Mark 11:25 - Prayer and Forgiveness.

Mark 11:25 (NLT) But when you are praying, 
first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge 
against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive 
your sins, too. 

COMMENTARY PEARL

Pass Up Payback
   I heard about a Sunday school teacher who 
asked her class about forgiveness. She said, 
Kids, what does a person need to do to receive 
forgiveness from God? 
   There was a short pause, and then a small 
boy spoke up and said, You have to sin. 
   Weve all done that, havent we? If 
weve sinned, then we need forgiveness. The good 
news is that God promises in 1 John 1:9, If we 
confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to 
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all 
wickedness (NLT). 
   Not only do we need forgiveness when we 
sin, but we also need to forgive others who have 
wronged us. When weve been hurt, we have a 
choice: We can rehearse what happened, or we can 
release it. 
   Forgiveness, however, isnt condoning 
or dismissing someones bad behavior. It 
isnt even reconciliation, because that isnt 
always possible. To forgive means surrendering our 
right to get even. It means were not going to 
pay that person back, even though they may 
deserve it. 
   Instead, put them in Gods hands, 
because Romans 12:19 tells us, Dear friends, 
never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous 
anger of God. For the Scriptures say, I will 
take revenge; I will pay them back, says the 
Lord (NLT). 
   Is there someone youre holding a 
grudge against right now? To fail to forgive 
actually can bring your prayer life to a halt. Jesus 
said, But when you are praying, first forgive 
anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that 
your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, 
too (Mark 11:25 NLT). 
   Are you bound up in bitterness and 
havent been able to forgive? The more you know 
about Gods willingness to forgive you, the more 
youll be willing to extend that same forgiveness 
to others. [Greg Laurie from Harvest 
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

COMMENTARY

   One of the hardest commandments of Jesus, 
for me, is the order to forgive. Anything. 
Anyone. Seventy times seven. But how do we do this 
when whatever wrong we've suffered is raw - and 
our feelings still fresh? Worse yet, probably, 
when the other person isn't sorry? 
   Corrie ten Boom helped me with this when 
she wrote, Forgiveness is an act of the will, 
and the will can function regardless of the 
temperature of the heart." I think the idea here is that 
we can separate our feelings from our wills - 
and sometimes we must. I tend to want to feel 
whatever I'm doing. To feel love when I'm supposed to 
be loving. To feel compassion when I'm supposed 
to be kind. To feel bold when I need to be 
brave. And it's nice when our feelings match up 
with our will. But it's not always going to be 
that way. One time, in the midst of postpartum, I 
didn't feel loving when my baby wanted to eat. I 
felt like staying in bed and sleeping. Another 
time, I almost threw up when I cleaned a cancer 
wound on my aunt's leg. I almost never feel bold 
when it's time to be brave. I just make myself do 
it anyway. Forgiveness can be like this - only 
harder. We feel like we cannot forgive someone who 
has broken our hearts. Even if they are sorry, 
but especially when they're not. But Jesus is 
greater than our feelings. He provides us the power 
for any commandment He gives. And often, it's 
the power of the will. Do what's right in your 
will, and eventually your feelings will follow. by 
Gwen Ford Faulkenberry 
   Faith Step: What name comes immediately 
to mind when you think of forgiving? Will 
yourself to drop the issue you have with that person, 
even if the person is you. Don't worry about how 
you feel. For today, just forgive. [Mornings 
With Jesus 2019 Devotional by Guideposts and 
Zondervan] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

   If you haven't forgiven someone who has 
wronged you, it may limit the power of your prayers. 
Not because God doesn't hear you or requires you 
to jump through hoops but because of the 
condition of your heart. You can't say you love God 
while you hate your brother. 
   When my kids were small, they loved 
playing with Webkinz, these little stuffed toys they 
could play with on the computer. My kids were 
addicted to them, so we came up with rules about when 
they could play - usually after they had first 
completed their normal chores, as well as some 
additional "Webkinz reward" chores. One day I was 
working from home and saw my kids being mean to each 
other. They had turned sibling rivalry into a 
spiritual gift! 
   After they had been acting out all day, 
they said, "We did our chores and earned our 
rewards, Daddy. Can we play Webkinz now?" 
   I said, "No, you can't. Because you were 
fighting, your lack of relationship and love trumps 
your obedience on the chores. You're not getting 
your coupons today because you haven't been 
showing love to each other." 
   "But that's not fair!" they argued.
   As a father, the way they treat each 
other matters to me. 
   With your heavenly Father, the way you 
treat one another matters to God. How can we 
receive forgiveness from God over and over and over, 
yet be unwilling to forgive those who have 
wronged us? Who do you need to forgive today? 
   Father, you know who I need to forgive in 
order to make things right - with them and with 
you. Give me the strength to show them the same 
grace and mercy you show me. [Daily Power by Craig 
Groeschel] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE

Mark 11:25, 26 - The Prayer of Faith 
Requires Forgiveness. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090310-0930.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David 
DeRose, MD, MPH: 
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides: 
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The 
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE 

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor: 
https://www.revelationnow.com/ 

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657