Life Recovery Bible - Flipbook - Page 17
being brought before the court. And if you
curse someone,* you are in danger of the
fires of hell.*
23
“So if you are presenting a sacrifice* at
the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against
you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar.
Go and be reconciled to that person. Then
come and offer your sacrifice to God.
25
“When you are on the way to court
with your adversary, settle your differences
quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand
you over to the judge, who will hand you
over to an officer, and you will be thrown
into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely
won’t be free again until you have paid the
last penny.*
Teaching about Adultery
27
“You have heard the commandment that
says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’* 28 But I
say, anyone who even looks at a woman with
lust has already committed adultery with her
in his heart. 29 So if your eye—even your good
eye*—causes you to lust, gouge it out and
throw it away. It is better for you to lose one
part of your body than for your whole body
to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your hand—
even your stronger hand*—causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away. It is better for
you to lose one part of your body than for
your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Teaching about Divorce
31
“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man
can divorce his wife by merely giving her a
written notice of divorce.’* 32 But I say that a
man who divorces his wife, unless she has
been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced
woman also commits adultery.
Teaching about Vows
33
“You have also heard that our ancestors
were told, ‘You must not break your vows;
you must carry out the vows you make to the
Lord.’* 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do
not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s
throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not
say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city
of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my
head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or
RECOVERY PRINCIPLE DEVOTIONAL
FORGIVENESS
READ MATTHEW 6:9-15
Some of us become so focused on our
personal failures in recovery that we don’t
deal with the pain we have suffered at the
hands of others. Some of us, on the other
hand, focus too much on the ways we have
been mistreated and use these as excuses
for our behavior. Either approach to past
abuse leaves us with emotional baggage
that will hinder our progress in recovery.
Forgiving others is an important part of
turning our will over to God.
Jesus taught his disciples: “Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be
kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven
those who sin against us. And don’t let us
yield to temptation, but rescue us from
the evil one. If you forgive those who sin
against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others,
your Father will not forgive your sins”
(Matthew 6:9-15).
Being forgiven for the wrongs we have
done to others does not excuse us from
our actions or make our actions right.
When we forgive others of the wrongs
they have committed against us, we do
not excuse what they have done. We
simply recognize that we have been hurt
unjustly and turn the matter over to God.
This helps us face the truth about our own
pain. It also rids us of any excuse to continue our compulsive behavior because of
what has been done to us. Turn to
page 1221, Matthew 15.
5:22c Greek if you say, ‘You fool.’
5:22d Greek Gehenna;
also in 5:29, 30. 5:23 Greek gift; also in 5:24.
5:26 Greek the last kodrantes [i.e., quadrans]. 5:27 Exod
20:14; Deut 5:18. 5:29 Greek your right eye.
5:30 Greek
your right hand.
5:31 Deut 24:1. 5:33 Num 30:2.
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