Forgiveness

May 18, 2022

Devotions:

          “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:11-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

          Jesus taught His disciples to look to God as the source of their needs being met. When Israel came out of Egypt, God supplied manna  and water the whole time they wandered in the wilderness. We have a better covenant based on better promises. As we follow God’s directions we should expect God to meet our every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

          Jesus then talks about the very important topic of forgiveness. Here He talks with the perspective of the Old Testament of Law where they were saved by their actions. In the New Testament, Paul says that we should forgive even as we have already been forgiven. Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13

The one who was pure and totally innocent but He took all of our offenses upon Himself to forgive us of all our sin and make us right with the Father. This is the greater one who dwells within us. We cannot forgive great offenses in our own strength. We must look to the greater one within us and rely on His strength.

The kingdom, all power and all the glory belongs to God. It is not our strength that saves us but it is all the finished work of Christ.