Are you mis-praying?

The prayers

1. Lord, forgive me where I fail you, or forgive me for ____________.

2. Dear Jesus, forgive me for all my sins.

What if I said...stop!

Christians should stop praying these prayers.

I find it interesting that Christians often ask God for forgiveness (me too), but after Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, we are not instructed to ask God to forgive us of our sins.

Further, asking God to forgive "all your sin" is a generality that keeps us from dealing with any.

Why stop?

"In Him (Jesus), we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ." (Ephesians 1:7-9)

"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His believed Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14)

The payment is complete (it is finished) for ALL sins through Jesus Christ on the cross. 

Past. 

        Present. 

                    Future.

Once you have been redeemed, you have been forgiven.

If someone were so kind as to pay off your debts and provide an abundance that would never run out, would you continue asking the creditors to erase your debt? That would be unfruitful (and laughable).

Yet, we do the same when we pray these prayers. It would sound like, "Lord, forgive me for what you have already forgiven me. I am just not sure Jesus took this all into consideration."

What then?

How do we change our prayers?

1. Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me!

2. Lord, I agree with you concerning my sin of ______________ (confession). I have acted in rebellion, and it does not bring you glory. You are holy and worthy of my life, so I turn from this sin (repentance) and rely on you to guide and strengthen me in your way.

Conclusion

If you are redeemed, be thankful for the forgiveness already given, confess your sins (specifically), change your mind about your sin and His holiness (repentance), and change your ways in the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you have not been redeemed, humble yourself before God and confess your sin and your desperation for His forgiveness. Confess openly that Jesus Christ is the boss of your life and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.

If you surrender your life to His authority and follow Him, He will redeem you from the penalty of your sins, reconcile you to Himself, and forgive you for all your sins (past, present, and future).

Thank you, Lord!

Leftovers

I have not always been a big fan of leftovers, but I can make an exception as grocery prices increase! While I enjoy leftovers, I would not provide them to guests. 

What is the point? Read on...

Why did God have regard for Abel's offering but not Cain's?

Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground.

On the surface, there is nothing disrespectful about this offering. However, the Hebrew word for Cain's offering is one of any produce or harvest.

Abel brought the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.

On the surface, nothing is exceptional with this offering. However, the Hebrew word for Abel's offering means multiple of the choicest animals with their finest cuts.

In all the fields Cain had, he did not bring the best or worst. 

Nor did he bring a proportionate amount. 

Cain gave little regard for his offering and brought leftovers.

From all the firstborns of Abel's flocks, he gave God his best with all their finest pieces.

They both brought an offering, but what they offered reveals something about their hearts toward the Lord.

Does God have regard for your offering?

Your offering is not a response to the sermon, music selection, or staff. 

It is a heart response to the living God!

As you prepare to give God your offering:

Reflect on God's holiness and goodness toward you.

Thank Him for the ability and opportunity He has given you to earn money.

Give Him your first and best!

Why?

"For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

A PERSONAL RECORD (PR)

They don't come easily.

I am sure weather, shoes, weight, diet, music, and rest contribute to a personal record, but it is impossible without commitment and consistency.

Usually, a PR comes when you are faster than a previous run by a few seconds. You pat yourself on the back and keep working. However, when you compare your PR to a previous run (3, 6, or 12 months earlier), there is a HUGE difference!

How did I achieve a PR this morning?

• Getting up when I did not feel like it.
• Going when it was freezing, windy, humid, or wet.
• Setting a goal and keeping it.
• Being consistent.
• Recording along the way.

Surprisingly (or not), my Christian walk is the same way.

It requires more than attending church once or twice weekly 

and hoping for transformation.

How will it happen?

• Studying the Bible daily when you do not feel. like it (and doing what it says).
• Setting spiritual goals of giving, serving, and sharing (and keeping them).
• Being more consistent in spiritual pursuits than worldly ones.
• Recording and telling what God is doing in my life TODAY!
• Being accountable to other followers of Christ.

"I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you were called." (Ephesians 4:1)

I pray that through commitment and consistency, 

in cooperation with the Holy Spirit abiding in me, 

I will be more like Jesus today than I was before, 

walking in a manner worthy of my calling.

What about you?

What are you going to do about it?

IF My People...

You know the verse.

THE verse for revival.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

To avoid conflict or pain, it is advisable to skip to the part about forgiveness and healing. But that is not how it works. 😁

God said IF MY PEOPLE...

Humble themselves,

pray,

seek,

and repent

THEN, there will be forgiveness and healing.

Humility: it is all about You, Lord.

Prayer: it is all about Your heart and mind, Lord.

Seeking: I want to know You more, Lord.

Repentance: I want to be more like You, Lord.

Therefore (in humility), confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)

Genuine change must begin IN you (and me).

If you are serious about the change you are praying for,

• deal with your sin appropriately and quickly.
• seek the Lord with all you heart.
• and pray with GREAT POWER!

Side note: The great power of prayer is in accomplishing God's will, not yours. 😉