4th 5 minutes toward the Hour of Prayer

How are you doing with 

15 minutes of prayer? 

Last week we learned that we could Ask God for what we need and God wants to Bless us He wants us to Prosper. It is interesting, that the next verse tells us to ask for forgiveness, so we can ask God for things even before we deserve it. 

This is not how humanism sees misbehavior, punish first, make them earn the things they need after they have suffered enough only then give them what they need. God however has never worked this way. 

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

 This doesn't give us permission to sin but rather that God forgives before we ask, asking is so that we can receive the blessing and freedom from sin.The word sin is an archery term that means falling short of the target. It can be anything that didn't quite hit the target that it was meant to.  Maybe you were aiming to pray 15 minutes everyday this week but you only prayed 4 days.  Simply ask God to forgive you and start over it's that easy, there is "NO" Condemnation in Christ Jesus. The blood of Jesus puts us in a Judgement free zone.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 

When we discuss the Judas principle (stay tuned in the next week or so) we will see just how big forgiveness is to Christ, It's the reason He died and rose again and now He sits before God and makes intercession for you. Always Jesus tells God that your sins are under His blood on the mercy seat. The Accuser of the brethren, Satan, also stands and accuses you to the Father but He can't get past the Blood.

 Romans 8:34

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

This part of the hour of prayer is two fold.
Matthew 6(nkjv)
¹² And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.

1. We need to Forgive others 
2. We need to change direction repent and ask God to forgive us
These two things are not separable.  One is reliant on the other
Matt 6:14-15 

¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Isaiah 59(NLT)

Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you,
    nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.
² It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.
    Because of your sins, he has turned away
    and will not listen anymore.

 This Psalm maybe lays it out the best

For the choir director: 

A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Then had her husband killed because she was pregnant with King David's baby.  

The consequences of sin or lawlessness is not always taken away when we ask for forgiveness but it's hold on our lives is broken.

Psalm 51

¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
    Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
    it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just.
⁵ For I was born a sinner—
    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb,
    teaching me wisdom even there.

⁷ Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice.
⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins.
    Remove the stain of my guilt.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
    and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
    then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord,
    that my mouth may praise you.

The reason we seek forgiveness is because it is the only way to see freedom from guilt, sorrow, bitterness, depression, anxiety, both by giving and receiving forgiveness can you truly be free. We can again have joy in our lives!
This is also the reason you need to forgive others because bitterness comes from unforgiveness, and also will steal your joy and cause bondage for you and it likely will have little affect on the other person but to yourself. Every burnt relationship is not healthy it's not God's perfect plan for you.  You need forgiveness from God, from other and you need to forgive God's people His Church, and others.  This is a 2 way street.

 Shake off all unforgiveness and then just rejoice in the Lord!

Would you be freed from the Burden of Sin There is Power in the Blood