JESUS TAUGHT IT TO US….
BECAUSE IT OPENS AND CLOSES ALL THE OTHER DOORS.
DEVOTIONAL – FORGIVENESS and BINDING & LOOSING (part 1 of 2)
At the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us how to pray. He gave us the Lord’s Prayer. We all know the prayer and we have taught it to our children. With the passing of time, I think it has become rote and we don’t even think about it’s instruction anymore …….but we need to. Because there is an important line in there that we tend to gloss over:
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass?against us. NIV
Right after that, he told us that not forgiving (the condition of our heart) makes our prayers (offerings) unacceptable. In fact, he told it to us twice while giving the Sermon on the Mount.
In other words,
Forgiveness is Key:
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.? But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember
that your brother or sister has something against you,? leave your gift
there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come
and offer your gift.
We saw forgiveness when Jesus was crucified . Jesus asked the Father to “forgive them for they know not what they do”. His forgiveness made his death an “acceptable sacrifice”, and more importantly, it shows us the depth of love in his heart.
Time to pause, and let that “sink in”. Because I cannot imagine the wherewithal it took…..in the midst of that searing pain of being nailed to the cross….. for him to gather his thoughts and speak those words. Words and spiritual blessing that echo through time…..to you and I…..and to our children.
SELAH
SCRIPTURES: Matthew 6: 9-15
Matthew 5:23-24
Luke 23:34
PRAYER FOCUS: The Lord’s forgiveness.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: My forgiveness to others.
~ Written by Gene Bennett