Lesson 5Prayer |
As we move deeper into this relationship with the Father (Adonai, Elohim, Jehovah, El Roi, Jehovah-M’Kaddesh, El-Shaddai). We have come to see and, I pray, to understand these points:
1. God is our Father and loves us, but not as some earthly fathers have loved their children. He has one
goal for us and that is to develop a very intimate relationship with us in ALL areas of our lives.
2. We must totally surrender everything to Him so that He can show us His love and plan for us.
In understanding these things, we have come to know and recognize that there are things in this world trying to stop this relationship from taking hold in our lives. These things come in the form of sin, which is missing the mark that the Father set for us. Sin is also us rebelling against His love for us.
We also saw that when we have surrendered to this relationship, we can ask for our daily bread. By this act of asking, we know that we will receive it, but we still need to be looking for it and work to receive it. We are not just to sit, do nothing, and then get our daily bread. Read Genesis 2:8 – 17. You see even in paradise work is required. Yet God gave them their daily bread.
We need to go a little deeper into what bread is. We all would agree that bread is that which keeps us alive. If that is the case then we can take it deeper and wider than we may be comfortable in thinking. However, in reality I believe that Jesus was teaching at a much deeper level than we like to think. Think of the “daily bread” being our daily sustenance, which means it can be anything you need to make it through the day or event(s). Read Judges 6:11 – 41, which deals with Gideon and how God used him. Nevertheless, you will also see how God gave him the sustenance to complete the task. In addition, read 1 Kings 17:1 – 16, and see how God provided for His servant Elijah. Can you see yourself telling a mother to feed you before her child? Elijah not only believed God, but put that belief to work in his life. God uses this event and the event of 1 Kings 17: 17 – 24 to prepare Elijah for the future events that will take place in 1 Kings 18: 20 – 40. Yet with all of this, Elijah has a moment of fear and doubt. As we learn how to become servants in the Master’s kingdom, we will have moments of fear and doubts. This is why we must know that this is an ongoing lesson of living in a mind, body, and spirit- kingdom relationship with God.
With this in mind, let us examine what else Jesus is teaching about prayer. In Matthew 6:12, we find these words.
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
In order to do this we need to know the meaning of the words in this verse:
Forgive means to let go, give up, to disregard, send away as not demanding what is owed to you.
Debts means to be an offense (something you did to hurt someone physically, mentally, emotionally) or it means sin (remember that this word means missing the mark) that
is justly or legally due someone.
Debtors means one who owes or one who has sinned against another.
Therefore, with these words now defined what is Jesus really telling His disciples. Most of us think He is talking about money or things like that. However, He, in reality, is talking about ALL THINGS which we have done to violate someone and those who have violated us.
This is one of those times in which what is being asked of us cannot be done all at one time. Due to the fact that we are human beings and cannot remember all the things we have done. Therefore, what God does for us is to show us things as we grow in this relationship with Him. Because He is God (Elohim = creator) He can create events to bring things back to our mind for which we must seek forgiveness. Yes, this can even mean that He brings people back into your lives who are seeking forgiveness or who are to give forgiveness.
There is a famous person who is known as a supplanter and a patriarch. This person had a promising beginning, but people got in the way of God’s plan because they did not fully understand how God was going to do what He said. Because of this, he tricked his brother and deceived his father and father-in-law. Due to all that he did, he had to leave the family because he thought his brother was going to kill him. Nevertheless, God had a plan for him; read Genesis 31:3 and Genesis 32 & 33. You see, Jacob had to seek forgiveness from all that he had done wronged. Even with Jehovah telling him to go back, he had fears because of the things he had done to people. Is this not what keeps us from moving forward in the things God has called us to do? We need to understand that by us not doing the things in this model prayer we are in rebellion against the MASTER/KING.
YES, it is very hard to really forgive those who have hurt you physically, mentally,
emotionally. It is just as hard to seek forgiveness of those you have hurt physically, mentally,
emotionally.
Nevertheless, we are told to do so. If you are having, trouble doing this, remember these words found in Luke 23:34 and Acts 7:60.
“Then said Jesus, FATHER, FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO…”
“…Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
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