Forgive Us Our Debts AS We...

Forgiveness is one of the biggest downfalls among Christians. Offenses abound and as a result, many bitter fellings.

We ask God to forgive us. We know that Christ died as a substitute for our sins and is bound, based on Christ's redemptive work on the cross, to forgive us...or is He?

In the model prayer, Jesus taught that we should pray in this way: "Father forgive us our debts AS we forgive everyone their debts to us." For the Father to forgive us our debts (tresspasses, offenses, etc.) we MUST forgive others. Actually, according to the way the verse is constructed, the Father will forgive us AS WE FORGIVE OTHERS. There is a condition here.

Forgiveness is God's nature. He paid the ultimate price to forgive you your massive debt. How dare we be unwilling to forgive others for what they have done to us. We were forgiven so much and yet are unwilling to forgive so little!

Let me tell you what unforgiveness will do for you: it will inprison you! Your unwillingness to forgive will make your life bitter and miserable. Many sicknesses are even due to an unforgiving heart.

Don't think that it's okay to say, "He/She owns me!" No one owes you anything! Besides, Jesus said that we need to forgive 70 time 7! An unforgiving heart is not God's heart. If you want to experience living debt-free with God, you have better release EVERYONE you even think owes you anything!

In my over 35 years as a Christian, many have offended me. Many have spread lies and gossiped about me. I was even sued by a group of Christians! It wasn't until the last several years did I see the danger of unforgiveness. I didn't truly understand the nature of God and His will that I harbor NO ill toward another person...especially the household of the faith. There are no excuses. There is NOTHING anyone could do to you that would justify a "you owe me" attitude.

To be like God, you must forgive. To honor God, you must forgive. To live debt-free and prosperous before God, you must forgive.

Make a list of all who you feel own you. Then declare forgiveness for each person on that list and burn it! Let go all that bitter root and you will experience true freedom.

Pray This Way-Give Us Today...

Today I would like to discuss the next section of the way the Lord instructed us to pray. This is the section that has to do with our provision. You may be shocked at what I am about to write!

I was always troubled by this portion of the Word regarding the proper way to pray. According to most modern versions of the Bible it reads, "Give us today our daily bread." I was always troubled by this phrase because I thought it was saying that the Lord's heart was only to give us what we needed for each day. That bothered me because it didn't match God's promises and His nature of "more than enough." God is an abundant God, so why would Jesus tell us to pray for enough for just one day?

The religious mind says "just enough" is God's way of keeping us coming to Him and always seeking Him. That is nonsense! God is not a God who rations out His riches to HIS children! He is abundant and wants His children living in that abundance. What good father would not?

Through further study I found out that the word "daily" is the Greek word "epiousion" which is used only twice the the Bible (Matthew 6:11 & Luke 11:3). This word is not used in any other ancient document! Therefore there are differing opinions about what epiousion really means. Some scholars render this word "daily" while other render it "tomorrows." So which is it? "Give us today our daily bread" OR "Give us today tomorrows bread?" My answer is, BOTH!

Remember back in Exodus when God sent manna from Heaven? Remember what God instructed the children of Israel to do on the 6th day? He told them to collect a double portion, one for that day and a portion for TOMORROW, the Sabbath day, the day of REST! Only with a double portion can we have complete rest! With the double portion there is never a worry about tomorrows provision! With the double portion we can honor God by resting in His provision, free from worrying about our future.

When we pray in this way, "Give us today the double portion" we are praying this prayer according to God's heart and nature. He is an abundant God, the more-than-enough God, who wants to give us the double portion so we can enter into true rest with Him. Just think, if you prayed for the double portion every day, you would ALWAYS live in abundance and have more than enough for yourself and to share with others. You would fulfill the heart of God my living perpetually in the 7th day and remaining in the Sabbath rest with God.

Shalom!

I hope this post will blow your mind and get you into a further study of the "model prayer." Our God is awesome and He always wants to give us more than enough.