Forgive

This is a transcription of a morning prayer and devotion session at Harvest Chapel International Kumasi. The topic for the session is forgiveness. The speaker reflects on Jesus' words of forgiveness on the cross and emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in our own lives. The speaker encourages listeners to let go of bitterness and unforgiveness, and to extend forgiveness to others. The session concludes with a memory verse and a prayer for grace to forgive. The listeners are invited to stay connected to Radio HCI for more spiritual content. Shalom and a blessed morning to you beloved in the Lord. God bless you for joining us here at Harvest Chapel International Kumasi for our Just Ended Prayer Start-up. You are welcome to another episode of our Morning Glory Devotion. This is Pastor and Mrs. Amwasa facilitating this morning's session. Let us share a word of prayer. Dear Lord we thank you for this opportunity to look into your word. We pray that your word will bring us life, light and still faith in our hearts and we pray that there shall be grace for us to go out and do what your word commands us to do. In Jesus name, Amen. God bless you so much. We will take a confession from Joshua chapter 1 verse 8. This book of the law shall not depart out of my mouth, but I shall meditate in it day and night, that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then I will make my way prosperous, and then I will have good success. Amen. The topic for this morning's session is forgive. Forgive. We will take a scripture reading from Luke chapter 23 verses 32 to 43. There were also two others, criminals, led with him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, then they crucified him and the criminals, one on his right and the other on the left. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. And they divided his garments and cast lots, and the people stood on looking. But even the rulers with them snared, saying, He saved others, let him save himself if he is a Christ, the chosen of God. The soldiers also mocked him, coming and offering him sour wine and saying, If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. And the inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This is the king of the Jews. Then one of the criminals who hung blasphemed him, saying, If you are the Christ, save yourself and us. But the other, answering, rebuked them, saying, Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Surely I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise. The Lord add his blessings to the reading and the hearing of his word. Amen. Forgive Perhaps one of the most powerful words of Jesus on the cross was, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. This was Jesus, most noble of men, kind-hearted, and the gentleman of Israel. What is known and written about him only testified that he did good. He spent his short adult years on earth teaching about love, mercy, and brought joy to those who came into contact with him. He should have been the last person to deserve such a gruesome death. He who taught mercy should have been shown mercy. Even in the account of his rather unlawful trial, the judge would have preferred to acquit and discharge him, yet there was an angry mob that wanted his head. Who was to stand by his side? Even his disciples abandoned him and betrayed him to save their own lives. This would have been a good time for the five thousand he fed to rise to his defense, the many he healed, the hundreds who sat under his crusades, and all who saw his good works which he had done, but no one spoke for him. Even at the cross, there was only mockery. They beat him, spat on him, scoffed that he was chanting to Elijah, laughed at his kingdom. They offered him sour wine on a reed to drink, and said all kinds of things to him. Isaiah 53 highlighted it in prophecy, and on that sorrowful afternoon, Jesus took it all in and fulfilled every detail in his body just to fulfill what was written. Beloved, what was his response to all of this? He said mercifully, Father, forgive them. If you and I would have said otherwise, we would have wished death back and rained curses on them. Beloved, many of us have suffered at the hands of loved ones, wrongly accused, betrayed, mocked, and abandoned. We have carried so much bitterness and unforgiveness that has cut off our joy and our peace. As we are hurt, we continue to hurt others. Our relationships are broken up, and we have built false walls to protect ourselves and cut off even those who could offer us help. Beloved, we must recognize again the emphasis and importance that Jesus placed on forgiveness, even on the cross. We must shut out the voices that encourage us to hold on to bitterness. To forgive is indeed divine, and may we receive grace to do what Jesus did, even at the very peak of his suffering. May we find hope and identify with the power of the cross that breaks the chains that have held us back. May we find peace and walk in liberty to be able to forgive those who have hurt us, and extend mercy unto those who have wronged us because we ourselves are beneficiaries of the forgiving grace of God and the abundant mercies of God. Just as Jesus did, you and I also have one or two people to extend forgiveness unto. Don't wait another day. Pray to God for grace, and extend that forgiveness now. God bless you. We'll take our memory verse for the morning from Matthew chapter 6, verse 12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Amen. Let's share a word of prayer. Father, we thank you for your word this morning. We pray that you will give us grace to be able to follow after your example. To let go of the bitterness and unforgiveness that have held us back. We pray that you will grant us the grace to be able to forgive all who have hurt us, so that we may receive true healing. In Jesus' name, amen. God bless you, beloved, for connecting and being a part of this morning's radio version. We trust that you have been blessed. We will go in the power of the knowledge that God has given us, and go to do what the word has said. We encourage you to stay connected to Radio HCI today, and be blessed by the spiritual content that is available on this platform. Join us again same time tomorrow at 6 o'clock for another session of prayer. It's our prayer start-up session. And at 6.30 for another episode of our morning glory devotion. God bless you, and have a blessed day.