The term “debts” is used for trespasses as is indicated in verses 14-15. One of the conditions for our personal forgiveness is our forgiveness of those who have sinned against us (Matt. 6:14-15, Mark 11:25). The second condition for our forgiveness is our repentance. Like forgiveness, what is true of God’s forgiveness of us is…
In the Lord’s model example of how to pray, the entire prayer acknowledges human dependency on God and His power to provide for all our needs. This particular part of the prayer declares our dependency on Him for the personal physical needs of daily life. When God provided the manna in the wilderness, He told…
Jesus is the perfect example of this mission and attitude in life. His goal was to always please His Father. Rather than seeking His own will, his desire was to the Father’s will (cf. John 5:30, 6:38). He prayed in Gethsemene, “Not my will, but Yours be done (Matt. 26:42) and, while on the cross,…
Frequently, the kingdom is the rule of Christ in a disciple’s heart. Jesus is not referring to the institutional church. That is man-made and has no place in the teaching of Christ. Therefore, when Jesus speaks of “seeking first the kingdom and His righteousness” (cf. Matt. 5:33), he’s talking about placing as one’s priority the…
The Psalmist writes, “Holy and Reverend is his name” (Ps. 111:9). While it is accurate that God wants us to come to him as His child at any time, unlike the ancient kings of this earth, we must not treat this easy access and family tie with such casualness that we approach Him with irreverence….
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of them who diligently seek Him.” To seek His face and bask in His divine presence is to feel the joy and comfort He gives….
We are all familiar with the Lord’s Prayer. It is spoken in many religious services across the world. Yet the prayer was never intended to be a prayer spoken in rote and ritual. There is no evidence that the Lord prayed this prayer, nor is there any evidence that the Lord intended the disciples to…