Prayer and Forgiveness
TIME in the Word - Daily Devotional
Introduction for the Week
Giving, Praying, Fasting
When Pleasing God is Our Priority
Matthew 6:1-21
Part Three – Prayer and Forgiveness
Matt. 6:12-15
Introduction for the Week
Giving, Praying, Fasting
When Pleasing God is Our Priority
Matthew 6:1-21
Part Three – Prayer and Forgiveness
Matt. 6:12-15
This week we are going to finish our look at the model prayer given by Jesus to His disciples. After we close out that study, hopefully with lots of good application of the lessons learned, we will deal with the next two verses in the Sermon on the Mount. These two find Jesus following up on His model prayer with a word about forgiveness. How important is forgiveness to our prayer life? How important is it to our Christian life in general?
The answer is that forgiveness is NECESSARY for growth in our walk with God, both in our prayer life and in our personal life! In fact, Jesus says that if we do not forgive others then the Father will not forgive us. We will see that forgiveness is a fruit produced by a repentant, humble, and thankful heart. Jesus thinks it important enough that He tells us that if we come to offer a gift to God (worship – which includes prayer) and there remember that we have offended a brother, we are to go be reconciled and make it right before we come before God. We are also told that if we have been sinned against by a fellow believer or been offended by them in any way we are to go to them privately and make things right! (Matthew 5:23-24 and Matthew 18:15).
This process of seeking and granting forgiveness is referred to in the church as “church discipline.” Actually, the church only becomes involved if two believers cannot be reconciled without their help (Matthew 18:15-20). The act of discipline between believers is to be an everyday relational reality – each believer always striving to make sure that things are right with those around him – to be free of offenses and offending!! That is what it means to esteem others as better than yourself! (Phil. 2:3-4).
As we learn several more facets of worship and requirements for worship this week, I am including a devotional written from Matthew 6:12-15 that deals with our model for praying as a means of fellowship and communion with God and the all important topic of forgiveness. I have given a format for family worship which includes a verse for the day, study of the Puritan Catechism, time in the Word, devotional thoughts, daily readings from two sermons by Charles Spurgeon titled True Prayer – True Power! from Mark 11:24, and Forgiveness Made Easy from Ephesians 4:32; recommended Scriptures for further study and meditation, and recommended songs to sing to God’s glory.
(The hymns are taken from our church hymnal, "The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration". Note for Church Members: If you do not have this hymnal at home, you are encouraged to take one home from church for use during the week. These hymns appear in most hymnals available today and the words are also listed in the links provided for musical accompaniment at the Cyber Hymnal.)
The answer is that forgiveness is NECESSARY for growth in our walk with God, both in our prayer life and in our personal life! In fact, Jesus says that if we do not forgive others then the Father will not forgive us. We will see that forgiveness is a fruit produced by a repentant, humble, and thankful heart. Jesus thinks it important enough that He tells us that if we come to offer a gift to God (worship – which includes prayer) and there remember that we have offended a brother, we are to go be reconciled and make it right before we come before God. We are also told that if we have been sinned against by a fellow believer or been offended by them in any way we are to go to them privately and make things right! (Matthew 5:23-24 and Matthew 18:15).
This process of seeking and granting forgiveness is referred to in the church as “church discipline.” Actually, the church only becomes involved if two believers cannot be reconciled without their help (Matthew 18:15-20). The act of discipline between believers is to be an everyday relational reality – each believer always striving to make sure that things are right with those around him – to be free of offenses and offending!! That is what it means to esteem others as better than yourself! (Phil. 2:3-4).
As we learn several more facets of worship and requirements for worship this week, I am including a devotional written from Matthew 6:12-15 that deals with our model for praying as a means of fellowship and communion with God and the all important topic of forgiveness. I have given a format for family worship which includes a verse for the day, study of the Puritan Catechism, time in the Word, devotional thoughts, daily readings from two sermons by Charles Spurgeon titled True Prayer – True Power! from Mark 11:24, and Forgiveness Made Easy from Ephesians 4:32; recommended Scriptures for further study and meditation, and recommended songs to sing to God’s glory.
(The hymns are taken from our church hymnal, "The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration". Note for Church Members: If you do not have this hymnal at home, you are encouraged to take one home from church for use during the week. These hymns appear in most hymnals available today and the words are also listed in the links provided for musical accompaniment at the Cyber Hymnal.)
posted by Phillip M. Way | 12:05 PM
1 Comments:
Forgiveness is still enabling Grace from God, I believe... I could not have forgiven my stepfather for abusing me, if not for God's grace. The hatred I harbored inside me for years, which I mistook for TOUGHNESS, was eating me inside. It was God's way, timing and grace which enabled me to let go of the hatred, resentment, bitterness in the heart! Praise to our POWERFUL, AMAZING, GLORIOUS God!!!!
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