The Lord’s prayer was given us by Christ, His disciples asked Him how they should pray, and He gave them the Lord’s Prayer.  My focus is on Mathew 6:12:  “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”  Then in verse 14 He says this:  “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

So, if we forgive others the Father will forgive us.  In light of everything that is happening in the world, and the fact that prophesy points to the soon return of Christ.  I think we should be examining every aspect of our lives to ready ourselves for the Messiah.   A few years ago, the Holy Spirit set me to the fire, and we examined every sin, every hurt I ever caused,  you name it, He took me there.  This is when I started my long road back.  I had a very hard time and still do with forgiveness.  I’ve had quite the conversations with people and God over this.  I’ve said forgiveness is God’s job.  But I’ve come to realize over the years that it’s not only His job, it’s ours.  He’s delegated that to us.  And believe it or not it’s our responsibility to forgive.  I’ve come to learn that if you don’t, you just end up with bitterness that comes from satan and it destroys you from the inside out, until your light is hidden so far in darkness and bitterness that it is virtually unseen.

I’ve learned that God’s job is vengeance.  If we hold onto unforgiveness not only bitterness sets in, but feelings of revenge, and all manors of satan’s evils creep into our lives, and soul’s.  It hinders our walk with God.  Will this send us to Hell?  I don’t really know, I only know that Christ said, “If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”  This is not something you just say one day, like you say, I think I won’t drink coffee anymore.  It’s a long process that God guides us into, and it has to come from your heart.  For me, I finally told God, Ok, I’ll forgive, but your going to have to help me with this.  And it came from my heart.  I mourned this, unforgiveness has caused great pain to some I love, and divisions.  So I know first hand what unforgiveness destroys.  I was led to say the Lord’s prayer.  It might seem too simple, but it works.  Sometimes I say this prayer multiple times in the day, and I’ve said it so much, sometimes I wake myself up at night saying this prayer.

I’ve come to realize that as we say ‘Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors’ this really sinks into you heart and soul.  It gives God an opportunity to help you to let it sink in.  And before long, your actually forgiving.  It’s a slow process, but it starts by telling God your ready for Him to help you to forgive.  God hears our prayers not only with our mouths, you can say all the flowery prayers you want, but if they don’t come from your heart, God won’t hear it.  At least not the way you want Him too.  And since the King is coming, maybe we should make sure our house is clean, and our clothes are pressed and ironed.

“Behold, I come like a thief!  Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”  Rev. 16:15

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