today’s blog post focuses on the fourth portion of the prayer :
{ “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” }
Let it Go
read : Matthew 6:5-13 {The Lord’s Prayer}
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
*
this lesson was focusing on the spiritual need for forgiveness and what God does to help with that process/how he is fully in that process.
sin is defined as missing the mark.
therefore, the aim of our life is (and must be) God to fix this separation.
the speaker tonight, Zach, created a really great illustration that helped to visualize what he meant by missing the mark (I wish I could share the drawing that’s in my journal!). a few summers ago, he tried to kill a few of the pesky squirrels living in his parent’s backyard. each time he shot his bow, he missed the squirrel by a few inches. he was so close! if we are the archers, aiming for God’s target, we will always miss the bullseye because of sin. it’s what separates us from him! however, Jesus came to Earth, fully man and full God, to help us reach that target. until we ask God to forgive us for our sins through the power of the cross, we will continue to miss that mark.
read : Colossians 1:16
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
God created everything through him and for him.
*
holy means set apart, completely different from all we know.
God is the source of all that is good, making him holy.
therefore, any separation isn’t good.
read : John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
he is THE LIFE.
if we don’t choose life, we will experience spiritual death (separation from God)
Jesus is the way to life.
*
read : ephesians 2:4-5
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
it is by grace that we are saved.
when we were still sinners, still in rebellion, God saved us.
*
Jesus will come and take our place because we can do nothing about our position (sin, missing the mark)
and it is all because of eternal love that we will be in perfect union with him.
we are brought and welcomed into the relationship so that we can realign our aim and glorify him in all that we do.
draw near to God
we will begin to act like God if we forgive like God forgave (and continues to forgive) us!
the cross realigns us with his character and fixes our separation.
it is externally available, the change from life to death.
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