It is so easy to lose a Kingdom perspective when we have not confessed our sins to God. Therefore Jesus tells us to pray that daily as well so that unconfessed sin doesn't become a hindrance to praying Kingdom prayers.1 John 1:9 tells us If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Unconfessed sin becomes a real hindrance to my Kingdom Prayers. So too, if I have been forgiven, but the I haven’t been willing to forgive someone who has trespassed against me, again, I will lose focus on Kingdom concerns.
Don’t let a root of bitterness grow against someone who has wronged you. Go to them. Work it out. Forgive them as God has forgiven you.
Prayer prompts and discussion starters:
- Ask God to give you direction as you pray. Take time to listen.
- What things do you need to bring to the Lord for forgiveness? Pray about this.
- What things do we as a body of believers need to bring to the Lord for forgiveness?
- What things do we need to bring to others to seek forgiveness – (inside or outside the family of God).
- Who do you need to forgive personally? Corporately?
- Insights (leave a comment below)
This reminds me of the second big miracle in my life: the first one was when i was born-again.
ReplyDeleteThe next huge miracle the Lord performed for me was that he reconciled me with my dad.
My parents divorced when i was 3. A few years later, a legal battle started because my mom wanted him to pay alimony for my brother and me. He was earning quite a lot of money, working for a German federal institution abroad, in South America. My dad and I never had a very deep relationship, but we were happy to see each other regularly. Once I was 18, I had to decide whether I was going to continue my mom's legal fight (yes, it was still not over by the time i was 18), or to drop the whole case against my dad.
I didn't really think about it, but i signed the paper enabling my mom's lawyer to continue the battle in my name.
This was the end of me and my dad. He was hurt because I "betrayed" him as he said. It was hard for me to lose a dad. So I decided to call him my "genitor". About 10 years later, I met the Lord Jesus and was born-again. The Lord started turning my life upside-down :)
I had to put order into it. I knew I had to get right with my dad. One evening, after I had prayed with a friend on this, I took the phone and tried to call him. I couldn't. The next morning at 7:30 am, the phone rang.
It was my dad. Wow. He was telling me he loved me. We forgave each other. And from that day on, we started anew. God is so good! A few years later, he passed, but not without having seen his first grand-son!
Halleluia!
Oh, how wonderful is our Lord's timing! Once you recognized the need for reconciliation, after praying with a friend, still needing strength from the Lord to do what He had put on your heart - God had your dad call you! So merciful of hte Lord - What a tremendous kindness from Him!
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience once about 18 or 19 years ago. I was having a problem connecting with God the Father and accepting His love for me. I understood and experienced the love of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, but I just couldn't grasp the love of God the Father for me.
The Father mercifully nudged me one night as I was crying (literally) out to the Lord. I was tied up in knots over this, and crying and praying with my wife. The Lord showed me that I needed reconciliation with my earthly father, and that now was the time. For the first time in a long time, I felt peace from God wash over me.
It was late at night, or rather early in the morning, so I determined that first thing in the morning, I would call my dad and ask him to meet me just to reconcile as father and son. We lived about 10 hours from each other, so I wanted to find a time when we could get together.
The next morning I awoke with a phone call from my dad. He said, "I'll be in Chicago this afternoon for a few hours as I make connections from one flight to another. Any chance of us getting together at the airport?"
I thanked my Heavenly Father for His timing. Not only did my dad and I spend time together that afternoon, but we set up a time to meet for three days - just he and I at a resort in Wisconsin. That began the process that now - 18 years later - I marvel at our relationship and how we regularly connect.
The day my dad called, I experienced the love of my Heavenly Father in a way I had never known, but will never forget.