Forgive Because You’re Forgiven

Current Teaching Series You Make Me Crazy

Forgive Because You're Forgiven By Rick Warren — Mar 12, 2018 “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13 NLT). The Bible says there are three reasons you have to let go of your past and the people who’ve hurt you, and the reasons have nothing to do with whether that person deserves it or not. 1. You have to forgive those who’ve hurt you because God has forgiven you. Colossians 3:13 says, “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT). If you want to be a forgiving person, you need to first accept the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ. The Bible says that God came to Earth in human form in Jesus in order to offer forgiveness for everything that’s ever been done wrong. He paid for it so we don’t have to. That’s Good News. 2. You have to forgive those who’ve hurt you because resentment will control you. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:9, “Only fools get angry quickly and hold a grudge” (CEV). Resentment makes you miserable, and it keeps you stuck in the past. And when you’re stuck in the past, you are controlled by the past. Every time you resent something, it controls you. Perhaps you are allowing people who hurt you five, 10, or even 20 years ago to hurt you to this day. Don’t let it happen. They can’t hurt you anymore. Your past is past. You’ve got to let it go. 3. You have to forgive those who’ve hurt you because you’re going to need more forgiveness in the future. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (NIV). Forgiveness is a two-way street. You cannot receive what you are unwilling to give. Someone once told John Wesley, the 18th-century British theologian, “I could never forgive that person!” Wesley replied, “Then I hope you never sin.” You don’t want to burn the bridge that you’ve got to walk across to get into Heaven.  PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over In what situation do you need to offer forgiveness so that you can move on from your past? What is a sin that you believe you could never forgive? How do you think God feels about that sin?

Our Gift: You Make Me Crazy Study Kit When you’ve had all the “crazy” you can take… Do you have a relationship that drives you crazy? Maybe it’s a spouse, sibling, parent, co-worker, or the crazy relative that really pushes your buttons. Pastor Rick shows how you can turn crazy relationships into peaceful ones through his You Make Me Crazy Study Kit. This 6-week video study includes a DVD and study guide—and helps you . . . • Reconcile with the people who drive you crazy • Start healing from past hurts caused by others • Understand the emotions simmering beneath people’s words • Turn conflict into cooperation • Offer God’s immeasurable love even when it’s hard LEARN MORE

Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes 8 full-length teaching CD's from Pastor Rick's series You Make Me Crazy. LEARN MORE

Series Summary Session 1: Six Keys to Peace In Relationships Session 2: Who's Pushing Your Buttons? Session 3: Resolving Conflict Session 4: Finding the Love of Your Life Session 5: Breaking Free from Abuse Session 6: When Escaping the People Pleaser Trap Session 7: Keeping the Crazymakers from Making You Crazy Session 8: How to Keep Your Marriage Growing PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at pastorrick.com. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life, which has been translated into 137 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered around the world. This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe