Forgiveness

Jesus’ Teaching About Prayer (Based on Luke 11:1-4)

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Photo taken in Nebraska.

Author: Elton Streyle, Contributor: Noah, Photography and Editing: Ali

Heavenly Father, I come in Jesus’ Name to praise and thank You for Your Word, the Bible. You give instruction on how I can live a life that is pleasing and honoring to You. You have detailed everything that I need for my Christian walk. I am especially thankful for the teaching Your Son gives in Luke 11:1-4 on how to pray effectively. Direct me to follow the instruction that Jesus gave to His disciples to first spend some time in praise and thanksgiving before making requests. Doing this gets me into the right mindset to focus on You instead of coming to You with a shopping list of things that I need. Jesus said in verse 2: “‘When you pray, say: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’” This teaching is confirmed in Psalm 100:4. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” 

Thank you for the next lesson You want me to learn. Just like the disciples, You want me to be dependent on You. The provision You have for me is daily and will not carry me through if I only communicate with You on an occasional basis. Verse 3: “Give us day by day our daily bread.”

Thank you for sharing, throughout the Bible, what seems to be the cornerstone of all prayer.  That key element is the importance of forgiveness in my relationship with You and with other believers.  Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” Since Jesus has forgiven me, direct me to be aware that I must do the same with anyone who has wronged me. Doing this will eliminate the tool of unforgiveness that Satan likes to use to tempt me with evil activities. Verse 4a:  “And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.“

I ask You to continually teach me to model my praying after these instructions from Your Son. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

P.S. These prayers will only work if you have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. If you need help understanding God’s plan of salvation for you (the way to heaven), go to this page on our site: https://timewithourcreator.com/2016/06/02/salvation/

The Blessings of Forgiveness and Cleansing

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Photo taken in Nebraska.

Author: Elton Streyle, Contributor: Noah, Photography and Editing: Ali

Forgiving Heavenly Father, I come in Jesus’ Name to thank You for providing a way for me to have my conscience and heart purified. Your Word tells me that there is no deed or thought that is so evil that it cannot be washed by the blood of the Lamb and be removed from my mind and life. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Your Scriptures have much to say about the destruction and hurtfulness of sin. Therefore, I pause for a little while and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to me any sin in my life. Direct me to confess it to Jesus and have it removed. Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 

Show me how to live out Psalm 119:36-37 to keep me from all that takes me away from You. “Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.”

Lastly, Father, there is another part of the process of forgiveness and cleansing for which I need Your direction: give me the grace to forgive others the way You have forgiven me. Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

In Jesus’ Name, thank you for Your mercy and grace. Amen.

Peace and Joy for Believers Through Confession and Forgiveness

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Photo taken in Nebraska.

Written by Elton Streyle, photography and editing by Ali

Use this prayer variation for God to guide you to various sins in your life that should be confessed.

Lord, guide me to confession because I want to have an open line of communication with You. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” Psalm 66:18

Please direct me as I go through the following process of confession for forgiveness and cleansing of my sin.
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

Mind: Reveal to me anything I have been thinking about that needs to be confessed…

Eyes: Reveal to me anything that I have been looking at that needs to be confessed…

Ears: Reveal to me anything that I have been listening to that needs to be confessed…

Mouth: Reveal to me anything that I have said that needs to be confessed…

Hands: Reveal to me anything that I have done that needs to be confessed…

Feet: Reveal to me any place that I have gone that needs to be confessed…

A Prayer by Corrie Ten Boom, Holocaust survivor:

“Father, when You forgive sins, You separate them as far from us as the east is from the west, bury them in the bottom of the deepest sea, and put up a sign for the devil to see that says “NO FISHING.”‘

Jesus, thank you for allowing me to put behind me all known sin. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

I bring these requests in Jesus’ Name, Amen.