Matthew 6:9-13<\/p>\n
\u201cForgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us\u201d<\/p>\n
Some things to think about:
\nHere\u2019s a startling even troubling truth: our relationship with God is conditioned on our relationship with other people.\u00a0 We are invited to bring our sins before Jesus.\u00a0 When we confess them he forgives us freely (I John 1:9).\u00a0 But there is a caveat.\u00a0 That grace coming to us is contingent on our willingness to extend grace to those who have wronged us.\u00a0 Now forgiveness is not a feeling.\u00a0 It is a covenant choice.\u00a0 In forgiveness we release to God the pain and ask him to be the instrument of justice.\u00a0 This is a legal matter, like \u201cdropping charges\u201d against a guilty party.\u00a0 God has done this to us (grace) and he simply asks the same of us.\u00a0 It\u2019s a powerful principle.\u00a0 This week we receive and extend grace.\u00a0 And the process changes us and our world forever!<\/p>\n
Some things to do:
\nIt\u2019s time to be graceful.\u00a0 We need to be forgiven. Surely we know this.\u00a0 Any honest look inside will reveal all manner of trouble.\u00a0 We\u2019re impatient, suspicious, jealous, angry.\u00a0 We need to be released of the guilt and power of these sins.\u00a0 And we can be when we ask.\u00a0 But we also must extend grace.\u00a0 This week we will begin to allow grace to flow through us so that it might come to us.\u00a0 Here\u2019s a pattern for prayer in this way.
\nPray that God will reveal to you any unconfessed sin (Ps. 139:23)
\nPray that God will cover this sin under Jesus\u2019 blood (Rom. 3:25)
\nPray that God will reveal any harbored unforgiveness (Matt. 6:14)
\nAllow Jesus to carry this hurt in your place (Is. 53:4)
\nAsk that God will bless this one as he sees fit (Matt. 5:44)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Some things to talk about:
\nWhat are some thing God has forgiven you for?\u00a0 How hard is it to ask for his forgiveness?\u00a0 Can you believe that he can really do it?\u00a0 Can you forgive yourself?\u00a0\u00a0 How about what others have done to you or to others you love?\u00a0\u00a0 What does it mean to \u201cforgive\u201d them when your emotions can\u2019t change?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Matthew 6:9-13 \u201cForgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us\u201d Some things to think about: Here\u2019s a startling even troubling truth: our relationship with God is conditioned on our relationship with other people.\u00a0 We are invited to bring our sins before Jesus.\u00a0 When we confess them he forgives us freely (I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":481,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[100,102,97,42,98,101,442,103,99],"class_list":["post-165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-bitterness","tag-envy","tag-forgiveness","tag-grace","tag-healing","tag-hurt","tag-lent","tag-release","tag-unforgiveness"],"yoast_head":"\n