Good Morning.  Here’s Today’s Nugget to chew on:

“Debt Relief”

Matthew 18:21-35 New Living Translation (NLT)

21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.  28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”.

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Further Thought: Today’s passage reminds us of the importance of forgiveness, whether that is forgiveness of a wrong done to us or forgiveness of a financial debt. So, as we start this new day, let’s remember there is no excuse not to forgive. Let’s also recognize too much is on the line [Kingdom Benefits] that we risk losing to try to get back at someone. We halt our advancement in the Kingdom when we choose not to forgive. According to Galatians 5:6, our faith [trust/confidence in God] won’t work with unforgiveness. It’s like having a new car with plenty of money, but you refuse to spend any on gas, so you can’t drive.  I know it sounds silly, but it’s the same when we choose not to forgive.  We are members of God’s family; we know what to do, but we refuse to, and as a result, we forfeit our rights to receive what God has made available.  Now, most of us know the principle, and it has not changed: do unto others what you would have them do to you. The servant in today’s passage, whose debt of millions was forgiven, wasn’t willing to do the same for his fellow servant.  So, the question today is, whatever you are believing God for, are you willing to do the same for your fellow man?  If your answer is yes, then let me encourage you to get your seed in the ground.  Remember faith without corresponding action is dead.

Have a great day, and keep chewing on God’s Word.

Additional references: 1 John 5:14-15; Psalm 103:1-5; 2 Peter 1:3-4; Mark 4:26-29; James 2:14-17 and Romans 12:19

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“2025 Stop & Listen”

Today’s Recommended Reading John 10