Matthew 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Yes Friends, what an all encompassing prayer! Two days ago we stopped at ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ Now, getting what we need daily to do the Lord’s will is important, but I think that this next aspect is possibly the most important one. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ Oh people, on those words, on that principle of forgiveness our entire salvation is based. Those debts are our sins. We’ve been sinners from the time our forefathers disobeyed the Lord and fell from grace, and we’ll be such until the second coming of the Messiah. But our Creator, our Father, our Lord God, LOVED us so much, that He sent His only Son to earth to die a dreadful death, to sacrifice His sinless life to pay for our disgusting sins; our disobedience to His righteousness. And through His shed blood, all sin has been paid for until eternity. The Lord has forgiven us, reclaimed us, offered us salvation, a fresh start. But to attain that salvation, that forgiveness, we need to repent of our sins, admit that we’re unworthy sinners, believe on Jesus’ Holy Name, then try our utmost to be obedient to His will. And Jesus dislikes hypocrites. That means we can’t ask Him to forgive us, then don’t forgive those who wrong us. To show how seriously Jesus took forgiveness, when Peter asked how often he should forgive his brother, ’till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.’ (Matt.18:22) Yes Friends, that’s at least how often we should forgive those who wrong us. But, being such a self-indulgent animal, we like to be forgiven, but find it hard to forgive. Sorry Friends, that attitude doesn’t wash with our God. If we require His forgiveness, then we must also be willing to forgive others. So let’s think seriously about that aspect of our lives nuh, for it’s a major cause of the rampant attitude problems in our society. If we keep anger and resentment in our hearts and refuse to forgive, it not only jeopardizes our physical and emotional health, but more importantly our spiritual well being, since we’ll lose our connection to God. He won’t answer our requests if our hearts are filled with unforgiveness. And Jesus made that perfectly clear afterwards. ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.’ (vs.14-15) Friends, that’s as clear as day. So those who have ears to hear, let them hear. Then Jesus says we should implore the Lord’s help in resisting the daily temptations that accost us in this sinful world. ‘And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ Though the Lord doesn’t tempt us to do wrong, He does test our faithfulness at times, and it’s especially in those times of testing that we need His help. As Peter says; ‘The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations…’ (2 Pet.2:9) He also knows how to deliver us from evil. Jesus prayed that for His disciples, and us too, before He was arrested. ‘I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil.’ (John 17:15) Ah Friends, from this simple, but content full prayer, it’s obvious that our God can support all our needs. Then, most appropriately, Jesus ends the prayer on a note of praise, just like how he began it. So though Jesus’ wording was unique and somewhat different from the old Testament prayers, He built it in basically the same manner: Opening with praise and adoration; acknowledging God’s promises and faithfulness, then introducing one’s request and ending with praise and adoration again. Oh Friends, there’s nothing our God likes more than our coming to Him in prayer, reverently blessing and praising His Holy Name. Let’s see if we can do that more often nuh; like in all our waking moments, everyday, keeping Him first place in our hearts. Much LOVE!…our joy in Jesus…brings joy to Jesus…
Yes Friends, what an all encompassing prayer! Two days ago we stopped at ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ Now, getting what we need daily to do the Lord’s will is important, but I think that this next aspect is possibly the most important one. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ Oh people, on those words, on that principle of forgiveness our entire salvation is based. Those debts are our sins. We’ve been sinners from the time our forefathers disobeyed the Lord and fell from grace, and we’ll be such until the second coming of the Messiah. But our Creator, our Father, our Lord God, LOVED us so much, that He sent His only Son to earth to die a dreadful death, to sacrifice His sinless life to pay for our disgusting sins; our disobedience to His righteousness. And through His shed blood, all sin has been paid for until eternity. The Lord has forgiven us, reclaimed us, offered us salvation, a fresh start. But to attain that salvation, that forgiveness, we need to repent of our sins, admit that we’re unworthy sinners, believe on Jesus’ Holy Name, then try our utmost to be obedient to His will. And Jesus dislikes hypocrites. That means we can’t ask Him to forgive us, then don’t forgive those who wrong us. To show how seriously Jesus took forgiveness, when Peter asked how often he should forgive his brother, ’till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.’ (Matt.18:22) Yes Friends, that’s at least how often we should forgive those who wrong us. But, being such a self-indulgent animal, we like to be forgiven, but find it hard to forgive. Sorry Friends, that attitude doesn’t wash with our God. If we require His forgiveness, then we must also be willing to forgive others. So let’s think seriously about that aspect of our lives nuh, for it’s a major cause of the rampant attitude problems in our society. If we keep anger and resentment in our hearts and refuse to forgive, it not only jeopardizes our physical and emotional health, but more importantly our spiritual well being, since we’ll lose our connection to God. He won’t answer our requests if our hearts are filled with unforgiveness. And Jesus made that perfectly clear afterwards. ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.’ (vs.14-15) Friends, that’s as clear as day. So those who have ears to hear, let them hear. Then Jesus says we should implore the Lord’s help in resisting the daily temptations that accost us in this sinful world. ‘And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ Though the Lord doesn’t tempt us to do wrong, He does test our faithfulness at times, and it’s especially in those times of testing that we need His help. As Peter says; ‘The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations…’ (2 Pet.2:9) He also knows how to deliver us from evil. Jesus prayed that for His disciples, and us too, before He was arrested. ‘I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil.’ (John 17:15) Ah Friends, from this simple, but content full prayer, it’s obvious that our God can support all our needs. Then, most appropriately, Jesus ends the prayer on a note of praise, just like how he began it. So though Jesus’ wording was unique and somewhat different from the old Testament prayers, He built it in basically the same manner: Opening with praise and adoration; acknowledging God’s promises and faithfulness, then introducing one’s request and ending with praise and adoration again. Oh Friends, there’s nothing our God likes more than our coming to Him in prayer, reverently blessing and praising His Holy Name. Let’s see if we can do that more often nuh; like in all our waking moments, everyday, keeping Him first place in our hearts. Much LOVE!…our joy in Jesus…brings joy to Jesus…
SCRIP-BITS 