relationships (Matthew 6:12-15) Healthy Reconciliation

(Matthew 6:9-15)

9   “Pray, then, in this way:

      ‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
10  Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done,
      On earth as it is in heaven.
11  Give us this day our daily bread.
12  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

14  For if you forgive other people for their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

Confessing (sincerely apologizing with the intentions of change) and forgiving are both necessary in maintaining healthy relationships, with the Lord God, as well as with others.  After all, the first step in reconciling with God to have a personal relationship with Him is to repent; to realize that we are sinners in need of saving.  We need to understand that the Lord came in flesh in order to accomplish His work on the cross, to provide the way.  He shed His blood to pay the price for our sins (past, present and future).  When one does this, Jesus forgives all sins, and chooses to remember them no more.

While we cannot lose our salvation, once we are born again, we will still struggle with our sinful nature.  But God still loves us!  God will always love us!  He is faithful and will never disown us!  But because God is love, He will never force anyone to love Him back.  And when we choose to love Him back, He will never force us to be obedient in His will.  But if and when we purposefully sin, thinking it's okay because our salvation is secure, think again!  Because God loves us, and desires to always continue in a close relationship of blessings, He will discipline us.

Since we have HIs Holy Spirit within us, when we sin, we quench His Spirit.  When we quench His Spirit, He will convict our hearts to help us realize that what we are doing is not good for us (or others).  The further we drift away, the more miserable we'll become.  If and when we choose to live in sin and ignore the Lord, the more we will have to either harden our hearts - or - choose to return to the Lord because He has a much, much better way for us.  After all, it is all about having a personal relationship with God!  And the closer we grow to the Lord, the more we will experience His blessings.

Now regarding others!  Because we love God, we will desire and strive to be obedient to His will.  And, it is His will that we forgive others as He has forgiven us!  No matter what someone has done to hurt us, it is beneficial to forgive them.  This is not to say that what they did was okay, it is to "say" that you will not seek revenge.  It is also to "say" that you will not let what they did change you for the worse.  So, it isn't just for their benefit, it is for ours as well.  If we do not forgive, then we will become angry, hateful and bitter, and even start to become the thing that we hate.  

As well, if we have hurt anyone, it is beneficial to apologize to them (and the Lord), whether that person forgives us or not.  Besides continuing to pray for those people, with both confessing and forgiving, we have done whatever we can to reconcile.  God will see this and bless us in our obedience, and in this our hearts will experience His peace, and a continuing and maturing relationship with the Lord.

relationships (Matthew 6:11) Don't Be Afraid to Ask

(Matthew 6:9-15)

9   “Pray, then, in this way:

      ‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
10  Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done,
      On earth as it is in heaven.
11  Give us this day our daily bread.
12  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

14  For if you forgive other people for their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

I find it fascinating that verse 11 is not telling us to THANK the Lord for our daily bread, but we are to ASK the Lord for our daily bread.  Obviously, we are to be thankful for everything, as all provisions and good gifts are from the Lord!  Everything that we have is from the Lord!  But with either one, we should never take God for granted.

First of all, this is to be a daily thing.  "Give us THIS day..."  Let us not forget that it is the Lord who equips and supplies us with everything we need.  We might not get everything we want, but He is faithful to see to it that we get what we need, no matter which circumstance we find ourselves in.  Just like the manna that the Lord provided for the Israelites in the wilderness.  Just like the Lord Jesus provided for the multitudes when He broke and multiplied the fish and the bread. 

Of course, we tend to think about literal bread.  Bread doesn't just represent the food needed everyday to nourish our body, there is also our daily spiritual bread needed to nourish our hearts, minds and souls.  Reading God's word every day, sustains me with God's wisdom, encouragement and direction, and reminds me to continually apply scripture with God's help, which is life-changing and empowering.  After all, the Lord is the Bread of Life!  

When we become a believer, we receive the Lord's indwelling Holy Spirit.  No matter what we say or do, we will never lose our salvation, but we will quench the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, even though He is always with us, since it is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord, we can and are to go to Him every day to talk, thank and ASK that He fill us, nourish us, help us understand, trust in and rely on Him as our daily source of His spiritual power, guidance, love and help!  We should not be afraid or too proud to ask!  He WANTS us to ask!  He loves us that much!!!

relationships (Matthew 6:10) God's Will vs Our Will

(Matthew 6:9-15)

9   “Pray, then, in this way:

      ‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
10  Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done,
      On earth as it is in heaven.
11  Give us this day our daily bread.
12  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

14  For if you forgive other people for their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

We should voice how much we desire what God desires... for His will to be done!  Why would we not want heaven here on earth?  But it is all about us NOT being selfish and wanting our will to be done.  It is all about us being willing, and being obedient in helping to build His kingdom here on earth, as His Spirit prompts and guides us.  We are all one body, after all, with Christ as our Head.

One day, Jesus will come again, and then He will literally take the throne here on earth, and establish His kingdom, to bring worldwide peace (spiritually as well as physically).  And He won't be doing all of this by Himself.  The Lord God created us, not just to have a relationship with Him, but to have purpose and joy in working with the Lord!  Have you ever experienced a time when you were doing a task, and thoroughly enjoyed yourself, and experienced great satisfaction?  Well, that is what it will be like in God's kingdom (on earth and in heaven)!

Meanwhile, just like that, as God's children and ambassadors, in representing Jesus to the world, in His strength, love, wisdom and help, to His glory, His Church will continue to grow, not just spiritually, but numerically.  So, asking that God's will be done here on earth as it is in heaven, requires us to serve.  I just heard this recently, "We are most like Jesus when we serve!"  

Jesus is our ultimate example, and He came to earth not to be served, but to serve!  Speaking from experience, I can say, that when I am serving, not only am I blessing someone else and helping them grow and experience more of the Lord, but in serving, I am also being blessed, growing and experiencing more of the Lord.  Together (the Lord with His children), we are able to help God create, build up, and be part of His kingdom - His gospel on the ground!  And that is such a huge honor and blessing in and of itself!  And this should be our prayer everyday!

relationships (Matthew 6:9-10) Giving and Showing Honor

(Matthew 6:9-15)

9   “Pray, then, in this way:

      ‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
10  Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done,
      On earth as it is in heaven.
11  Give us this day our daily bread.
12  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

14  For if you forgive other people for their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

While we are able to have a close, personal relationship with the Lord God, and we can be very real with Him, He is still God and deserves our utmost and deepest respect (fear) and adoration.  And here we see how Jesus recommends we begin our prayers - by giving praise, and acknowledging His holiness and sovereignty!  Not only is this showing our respect, but it helps to remind us just who God is, and that He is able to help with and accomplish all things!

We are told to honor our parents, how much more should we honor our heavenly Father?!  Growing up in a small town where pretty much everyone knew my parents, I knew very well that whatever I said or did would reflect on their reputation.  As well, because my parents taught me how to behave, people would comment on how much I was just like my parents.  So, it isn't just speaking well about one's parents, or speaking with love to our parents, or doing as they ask, it is also how we represent our parents when we're not at home.

In the same way, we are expected to be "on our best behavior" in church;  but seriously, we should always be on our best behavior no matter where we are.  As a child of God, we bring honor to the Lord in so many different ways.  When we speak well about the Lord!  When we speak to the Lord with love and respect.  When we do as He asks.  And when, no matter where we are or which circumstance we find ourselves in, we reflect the character of God.  And we cannot do this without the Lord, in our own love, strength and wisdom, but we are to ask God to help us do all things, together, to His glory!

relationships (Matthew 6:5-7) Meaningful Conversations

(Matthew 6:5-7)

5 “And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

Many people practice "religion", going through the motions of do's and don'ts.  Some of it is simply performative, in order to get the attention, appreciation and adoration from those around them.  This comes from a selfish, manipulative heart, and these are the types of people who will start cults, in order to have followers to do their bidding.  

Other people will go through the motions religiously and/or superstitiously, because they really believe that somehow they will appease, gain something, and/or earn favor with the universe, or some form of god or gods.  Even in yoga, for example, some instructors might direct people to meditate, empty their minds, and/or repeat some mantra (which will be a name of a god).  By all means, do (yoga) stretches.  Just don't get caught up in the religion of it.  

In Christianity, according to God's word (the Bible), our salvation and relationship with the Lord God is very personal!  And the Lord, who is all-loving and caring, fair and just, AND sovereign (all-knowing, all-power and everywhere present) should be our main focus in life.  Afterall, He is our everything!  He saved us, and He alone completes us, and He alone equips, satisfies and fulfills us!  But also, just like with any relationship, especially a relationship that means something, there will always be continuous and constant two-way communications.

The whole purpose of creating us, was to have a close, personal relationship!  God is real.  And His intentions are real.  God has already written us a "love letter" to us, which is inerrant, relevant, applicable and totally life changing!  So, would we not want to be reading and studying that every day?  And as believers, He has given us His indwelling Holy Spirit to convict, guide and help us!  So, would we not want to be listening to His infallible wisdom and insights, and trust in and rely on His help?  AND, not only that, God WANTS to hear from us!

The sovereign Lord loves us so much, He came in flesh to take on the punishment that we deserve, just to provide the way to Him, to be part of His family, His home in heaven, and His kingdom-building-plan and purpose here on earth!  He wants to do life with us.  He wants to bless us.  And most certainly, He wants to hear from us!!!  

The Lord God asks that we pray without ceasing!  The point of the verses above is that we are to pray directly to God!  Corporately and privately.  And when in private, somewhere without distractions, we can pour out our hearts, tell the Lord all about what we are struggling through, and ask whatever questions we might have.  Because we have insights and directions and purpose, our conversations with God will be meaningful.

As we go through our days (and nights), we should remember that God is literally right there with us!  We think having a cell phone with searching abilities is handy.  Ah, we have the Creator of the universe!  No speed-dialing is necessary!  And there will never be a busy signal, or an answering machine, or a robot on the other end!  Just like a loving parent, imagine our heavenly Father walking alongside us and asking, "So, tell me about your day..." or, "Look at those funny antics of that squirrel over there..."  or, "It's going to work out, I'm right here with you;  just keep holding My hand and let's keep talking and enjoying each other's company..."

relationships (Matthew 6:1-4) Assessing Our Motives

(Matthew 6:1-4)

1 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

As believers (children of God), we will never lose our salvation.  And our heavenly Father will reward us for good deeds done with right motives, which are:

- with humble and sincere hearts

- in the Lord God's will

- in His guidance

- in His strength

- with His help

- in His righteousness

- in His graciousness

- in His agape (unconditional, sacrificial) love

- all to His glory

Another way to assess ourselves is to consider our relationships.  Are we more concerned about what others will think, or are we more concerned with the Lord and what He thinks and wants from us and for us?  

If we are seeking rewards, compliments, "likes", recognition and praise from others, our motives for our actions and words will be arrogant, prideful, selfish, self-seeking and self-serving.  And even if and when we do something "good", people can typically see right through the shallowness.  And then, whatever it is we are doing, is no different than what the world is doing.  As well, the people we are trying so hard to please, rarely care all that much about us, and can and will turn on us for whatever reason, as soon as we stop pleasing or benefiting them.

The deepest most caring relationship we can ever have is with the Lord, who will never forsake us, even when we say and do something that does not please Him.  Once a child of God, always a child of God!  And as a loving, heavenly Father, He is always there for us, not to enable us in bad behavior, because He will discipline us with the desire of getting us back on the right path.  

The amazing thing, is that the Lord God not only cares what we do for His kingdom, He cares about us and wants us to find and experience His true comfort, joy, peace, strength and purpose in His kingdom.  As we ask and allow the Lord to fill us with His love and goodness, not only will we experience more of God, but our good deeds will be an outpouring of God, which will impact others more deeply.

relationships (Matthew 5:43-48) A Love That Changes Hearts

(Matthew 5:43-48)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY

To be holy, is to be set apart, and to be perfect... emphasis on the "BE".  To be perfect and godly, as our heavenly Father, means we have to be born again, in order to be legitimate children of God.  Well, when we are not deceiving ourselves, and when we honestly examine our hearts, we will realize that we are not perfect.  Not even close.  

Only the Lord Jesus can forgive and save us, and then He changes us from the inside out, and covers us with HIS righteousness.  It is His blood that He shed on the cross that washes us clean.  It is His Holy Spirit of promise that seals us and makes us complete.  With God's Holy Spirit within us, it is He who sets us apart.  Obviously, this is something we cannot do for ourselves.

Now for the application of these verses.  We, in our own efforts and thinking, are not to try to prove that we are Christians by what we say and do.  We should desire to be obedient because we love God first!  We should realize that God who is love, desires that we love everyone, including our enemies.  And we need to rely on God to help us be obedient in truly loving everyone, including our enemies.  Then, our obedience, when we invite and allow God to work in us and through us, is the outpouring proof of our faith and relationship with God!

This is where prayer is critical.  Having constant heart-to-heart talks with the Lord, not just to know His will and purpose, and not just to understand what we should do and say, but our requests to trust in and rely upon the Lord to do these things for us, in us, and with us.  

Here is a practical personal example of mine.  I had been struggling to love and forgive someone, who, while growing up, really made my life miserable.  And in my own efforts, I kept trying to forgive.  Until I finally spoke with the Lord, very frankly... "I know You want me to forgive this person, but I don't want to.  I don't think they deserve it.  BUT, You tell me to, so - YOU - forgive that person FOR me!"  BAM!  

I'm not exaggerating.  Not only did I feel a literal and spiritual weight lift up off of my chest and shoulders, I instantaneously loved and empathized for that person.  I was truly in wonder and amazement.  Never did I expect that outcome!  And crazy as it sounds, I have quite a close relationship with that person, and I continue to pray for that person to grow in their faith.  They can still be their own worst enemy, but I have seen progress!  And I truly love and care for them deeply!

It is only in a personal love relationship with the Lord, that we can understand, embrace and reflect His agape (unconditional, sacrificial) love - to love those who are unlovable.  And when we allow God's love to pour out, lives will be changed, including ours!!!  The moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He changes our hearts.  And as we get to know Him more, and as we rely on Him more, He is faithful and continues to work in our hearts!  And those around us will notice!