“NOT HOLDING GRUDGES”
OUR DAILY BREAD READING (Published Daily by Our Daily Bread Ministries)
JANUARY 27, 2022
READ: Romans 12 (Focus vs. 12–21)
MEMORY VERSE
“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:18
BACKGROUND
During a promotional event in 2011, two seventy-three-year-old former Canadian Football League players got into a fistfight on stage.
They had a “beef” (a grudge or feud) dating back to a controversial championship football game in 1963. After one man knocked the other off the stage, the crowd called out to him to “let it go!” They were telling him to “squash the beef.”
The Bible contains many examples of people “beefing.” Cain held a grudge against his brother Abel because God accepted Abel’s offering over his (Genesis 4:4–5).
This grudge was so severe that it eventually led to murder as “Cain attacked his brother . . . and killed him” (v. 8). “Esau held a grudge against Jacob” because Jacob stole the birthright that was rightfully his (27:41).
This grudge was so intense that it caused Jacob to run for his life in fear.
Not only does the Bible give us several examples of people who held grudges, but it also instructs us on how to “squash the beef”—how to seek forgiveness and reconciliation.
God calls us to love others (Leviticus 19:18), pray for and forgive those who insult and injure us (Matthew 5:43–47), live peaceably with all people, leave revenge to God, and overcome evil with good (Romans 12:18–21). By His power, may we “squash the beef” today.
By: Marvin Williams
INSIGHT
In Romans 12, the apostle Paul encouraged believers in Jesus to act in ways contrary to our sinful nature. In verse 14, he wrote, “Bless those who persecute you” and added “bless and do not curse.”
Not even the smallest bit of desire for divine vengeance was to interfere with our prayer that God bless our enemies. John Calvin wrote on this verse:
“I have said that this is more difficult than to let go of revenge when anyone is injured; for though some restrain their hands and are not led away by the passion of doing harm, they yet wish that some calamity or loss would in some way happen to their enemies . . .
But God by his word not only restrains our hands from doing evil, but also subdues the bitter feelings within.”
By: Alyson Kieda
APPLICATION
Why is it vital for us to not hold grudges? How will you work to restore a broken or damaged relationship this week?
PR’s (PASTOR RICHARD) TAKE
A rush to reconcile without total forgiveness often leads to further estrangement – pr
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
Romans 12:18
PR’s RE-EMPHASIS (My Re-Emphasis from Post)
“God by his word not only restrains our hands from doing evil, but also subdues the bitter feelings within.” John Calvin – Today’s Insight
PRAYER
“Jesus, thank You that I can forgive others because You’ve forgiven me.”
*YOUR TAKE? 
TODAY’s HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL
“A HEART THAT FORGIVES” Kevin LeVar
I want a heart that forgives
A heart full of love
One with compassion just like Yours above
One that overcomes evil with goodness and love
Like it never happened, never holding a grudge
I want a heart that forgives that lives and let’s live
One that keeps loving over and over again
One that men can’t offend
Because Your word is within
One that loves without price like You Lord Jesus Christ
I want a heart that loves everybody, even my enemies
I wanna love like You, be like You, just like You did
I wanna heart that forgives
Wanna heart that forgives
When the ones that are closest
That I’ve known the longest hurt me the most
I still wanna love them just like You loved me
Even though I’m hurting
I wanna heart that forgives
When the pain is so deep
And it’s so hard to speak about it to anyone
Just like Your Son, I give up my right
To hold it against them with hatred inside
I wanna heart that loves everybody,
even my enemies
I wanna love like You, be like You,
Just like You did
I wanna walk like You, talk like You,
Just like You did
Wanna be like You, live like You,
Just like You did
Cause the heart that forgives
Is the heart that will live
Totally free from the pain of the past
And the heart that lets go
Is the heart that will know so much freedom
Lord I wanna let it go (Hallelujah)
God I need to let it go
Lord it’s been holding me back
And I don’t want it, I don’t want it,
I don’t, I don’t want it no more
I don’t know exactly what to do to get rid of it
But, here I am Lord Jesus
Here I am, oh here I am Lord Jesus
Oh, Lord I need You, I need You
I know this is me that You’re talking to
This is me, this is me, this me Lord,
This is me
Lord I let it go, every person,
Every person that has ever hurt me
God I let it go, every single hurt
God I let it go, every single pain
God I let it go, I let it go, I let it go
Lord You can have, Lord You can have
Lord You can have it, Lord You can have it
You can have it now, You can have it now
Because I don’t want it no more
READING THROUGH THE BIBLE THIS YEAR (THIS WEEK)
THE BOOK OF JUDGES 8-14
PSALMS 8-14