Three Things to Learn From Two Men: David & SolomonSample

A New Chapter

Have you ever had a fresh start? Do you remember the feeling of freedom? Maybe it was a new job, a new city, or a new school. There are scary moments, but overall, there is this sense of determination to take advantage of this new opportunity. After someone repents of their sins, as David did after the death of his first child with Bathsheba, there is a new chapter in their life. If one doesn’t know Christ, this new chapter is called salvation, a relationship with God. If you do know Christ, the new chapter is freshly walking with God.

Sometimes you weren't the one doing the sin but were sinned against. Our natural tendency is to want to withhold forgiveness because we want the other person to pay a little bit. But the Bible exhorts us to release them to the Lord, for vengeance is His. He doesn’t need you or me to be the Holy Spirit or to do His job. He can take care of those who have sinned against you. In the Lord’s Prayer, this is why Jesus prays that we forgive because our debts have been forgiven. We must forgive those who hurt us, sinned against us, wounded us, though it may take years. Walk on that path of giving them to the Lord and trusting your healing to His hands.

For when we are bonded to our sin and do not repent, or when we’re bonded to the sins someone committed against us, we live in bondage. You must not let your sin or someone else’s sin shipwreck your faith. You will be disappointed with the people in your life. You're going to be hurt. Christians are going to hurt you and disappoint you. Even though this happens, we can’t quit our faith because someone else lacks faith. Don’t decide you will walk in sin because somebody else walked in sin. Rather, walk with God in freedom. We walk not in bondage but in His love. Our faith, freedom, and forgiveness do not come from our strength but from God's.

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