Get your heart right with God.

“And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.”
Acts 8:18-21(KJV)

Notice from our opening scripture today that Peter rebuked Simon that his heart was not right with God because he wanted to purchase the gift of God and the power of the Holy Spirit with money.

This is why in Acts 8:22-23, Peter said to Simon, “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”

From the above we see that Simon was still bond to iniquity. Iniquity refers not just to moral wrongfulness of character, life or act, it also means to bend or distort the heart by a repeated pattern of behavior. This is why if you will sit down and talk with those who are trying to break all these bad habits like sexual impurity, etc. you will discover that certain of them have issues with unforgiveness. Some of them have unforgiveness against their fathers, mothers, etc. Until you deal with the issue of unforgiveness, you will not be free from the bond of iniquity.

If you are reading this devotional today and you are ready to act on the word of God to you today to forgive someone who you have been holding an offence against, I pray that God would grant you grace to release those people today in Jesus Name. Amen.

So, go ahead and release them because as you do, you are releasing yourself into the freedom that God has designed for you.

PRAYER
Dear Father, on account of your word in John 8:36 that says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” I thank you for making me free from the bond of bitterness and iniquity, because I have submitted to the Lordship of your son Jesus. I announce that I am free indeed in Jesus Name. Amen.

For further study read:
 Psalm 66:18, Ezekiel 33:13, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:14,
1 Peter 1:22.

DOING THE WORD
Stop being bitter, angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude. Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ.