Topic: Do Not Play God [December 8, 2016] Text: Matthew 18:23-35 Key Verse: "Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?" (Matthew18:33). It is common these days to hear people say, "what goes round comes around" or the scriptural statement that, "whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap". What that suggests is that life is a cycle in which what you do, or do not do, eventually have an effect on you one way or the other. In fact, human relationships and actions are generally interwoven that one person's actions can have a cyclical effect. Our experience has shown that as we engage in day-to-day interactions, there are bound to be offences. But what lubricates the wheel of human relationships at such instances is the oil of forgiveness that we apply. In the parable given by our Lord Jesus Christ on the unforgiving servant, we see the principal character, an undeserving recipient of forgiveness and favour from his master whom he owed. Unfortunately, this same servant came across a fellow servant that owed him less and decided to be cruel to him. Despite the plea from his fellow servant to exercise patience and allow him more time to pay the debt, he refused but put him into prison. It was payback time for him when the report got to his own master who had earlier forgiven him. He was not only reprimanded for wickedness and his lack of forgiveness, he was also thrown into prison. Our Lord, through this parable further emphasizes teaching on forgiveness. He believes that if God could forgive us our sins (so many and so damning), we must forgive our fellow men of whatever offences they may commit against us. The high point of the teaching is that if we fail to forgive, we are only attracting God's displeasure. Thought for the day: Forgiveness prevents the consequences of un forgiveness. Bible Reading in one Year: Amos 6-9 DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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