“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Living in an atmosphere of forgiveness is living in a place of mercy under an open Heaven.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever. Psalm 133:1-3.
Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart for they shall see Me. A heart of forgiveness is deeply aware of My forgiveness and is constantly receiving it with joy and, in turn, from the overflow of forgiveness they are receiving it is flowing out of the abundance of tender mercies from Me as forgiveness to others. A heart of forgiveness is a pure heart, no rancor and no guile is found in it. The sweet fragrance of My Son is in that heart. For He is the ultimate example of pure forgiveness that has no shifting shadow or turning.
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled. Hebrews 12:14-15.
When you begin to see how vast My forgiveness for you is, that is when you love much. The one who is forgiven much loves much and has a heart that shows the mercy they have been overwhelmed by to others as well. They develop an understanding heart. Understanding of human weakness and overwhelmed by My goodness and kindness for I know your spirit is willing but your flesh is weak.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who hold Him in high honor and esteem. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who honor Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer. But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him. Psalm 103:10-17.
As you begin to understand My Words and ways and to be inundated with My love and the totality of My forgiveness in every area of your life every moment of every day your heart changes. Your stony heart becomes a sensitive soft heart that thrills at My nearness to you and the total purity of My love and forgiveness for you. In My ways with you all is in the light, all is open to you in a love beyond all you can ask or imagine. And in that atmosphere of the heart, your heart is washed pure by the constant pouring of My love into your heart by the gift to My Spirit flowing My life into you and your heart overflows so that rivers are pouring out of you to a thirsty world of stony hearts that have never allowed My love and light to pour in but are trapped in the torment of unforgiveness, towards others as well as themselves.
An unforgiving and unforgiven heart is a tormented heart wound about by bitter roots growing into a hedge that allows no blessing in to lighten up the burden of unforgiveness. And it is a very heavy burden that closes out Heaven and keeps you from going forward to your high calling in Christ. Unforgiveness is a blessing blocker and the thief of your life. The minute it tries to plant in your heart by your thoughts and your words pull it out. Be aware of weeds and pull them out before they take a lasting root.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9.
There is great peace in forgiveness.
Many people today, however, do not understand the beauty of living in the atmosphere of forgiveness and mercy and are entrenched in a lifestyle of offense and unforgiveness. And though they do not realize it, this lifestyle is killing their dreams, their health (for they are not walking in the truth that will set them free), and their eternal destiny.
And so now I want to talk to you about the standard. Do not be among those that give to others what they do not want given to them.
There is a spiritual law of reciprocity. As you judge, so you are judged, i.e., the measure by which you measure others is used to measure you, the standard you apply to others is the standard applied to you. Whatever you give is the way I judge what you want given to you. So if you do not want it applied to you, do not apply it to others as your standard for them.
Consider how I forgive you. I forgive you based on one standard only—the blood of Jesus. He paid the ransom for all. The life is in the blood and He gave every drop of His blood to redeem you from your sins and give you forgiveness, total forgiveness with nothing left out. I punished Him in your place and what He did was enough for everyone from the beginning to the end of time as you know it to be forgiven and cleansed of all evil.
And just as I forgave you, which is by the blood of Jesus, so you must forgive others, that is, Jesus has paid you for whatever evil someone did against you by His blood. He has also paid for anything evil you did against yourself or others by His blood. And that is the way I forgive all as well. whether you receive it is up to you, but as far as I am concerned sin is no longer the issue that decides your eternity, it is whether you have received or rejected Jesus. If you receive Him, you receive the gift of forgiveness by His blood, if you reject Him you have refused to receive forgiveness and you are still in your sins. And the wages of sin is death.
What you do not forgive you lose. Many have lost their friends, spouses, families, chidren, and parents because they would not forgive them. I did not want to lose you, so I forgave you and I did it justly. My mercy towards you caused My justice to fall on My Son. And because of His great love for Me and you He agreed.
If you cannot forgive another you are telling Me that under your standard the blood of Jesus is not enough. And if it is not enough for you, then I am held to use the same standard towards you that you are using to others. It is not enough for you either and you are still in your sins. And the same is true if you cannot forgive yourself for things you have done that you have already confessed to Me, they are gone, washed away by the blood, but if you cannot accept that forgiveness and are holding yourself in the bondage of self-condemnation, then you are telling Me the blood is not enough and that is the way I must deal with you and you are still in your sins! Because there is nothing higher than the blood. In fact if you refuse to forgive yourself or others you are dishonoring what I have done for you in Christ by telling Me that the blood is not enough, but it is more than enough, but as Elisha told the king’s steward about the twenty-four hour miracle, because he scoffed at it and rejected it he did not participate in it.
The highest honor you can give Me is applying the blood in grateful praise to know how forgiven you are and how Christ has paid you for whatever anyone has done to you as well. But just as insurance will pay off your loss, the insurance company will then go after the culprit to collect in a subrogation claim. So I do the same for you. Vengeance is Mine.
When you understand the fullness of the redemption you have in Christ you will become the new creation that receiving Him makes you to be. And your life will be one of pure heavenly joy for the air you breathe will become the atmosphere of Heaven. Everyone there knows how beloved, how forgiven, how blessed, and how favored they are. All cups overflow. And you hear it in the songs of the redeemed.
It is time for you to join in and sing. I have redeemed you. You are forgiven of everything and it is gone forever.
You are loved. You are honored. To forgive another is to honor them. Honor others as I have honored you and you will live in the atmosphere of forgiveness, that place of mercy and grace. It is where I live and in My presence is fullness of joy. Come share your Master’s joy!