Matthew 6:11-12 New American Standard Bible 1995
11 ‘Give us this day [a]our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Welcome, dear friends, to this blessed gathering where we bask in the warmth of God’s love, where we find solace in His comforting embrace, and where we seek wisdom from His sacred word. Today, we turn our hearts and minds to a passage of scripture that, like a beacon in the storm, guides our way through the complexities of life, illuminating the path of righteousness before us.
Let us turn together to the Gospel narrative of Matthew, chapter 6, verses 11 and 12, where it is written,
“Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we also have forgiven our trespassers.”
Somewhere within these words, we will find a profound truth about the nature of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Like a loving parent, He is ever ready to provide for us, to forgive us, and to guide us in forgiving others. These are the main points we shall reflect upon today: God as our Grand Provider, the Grace in God’s Forgiveness, and the very truest Guidance to Grant Forgiveness.
Reverend Dr. Billy Graham once said, “Christ can take the most sin-laden, selfish, evil person and bring forgiveness and new life.”
Indeed, God, our Provider, leads us to a life of true holiness. He who provides for us our daily bread, who sustains us in times of need, and who, in His infinite mercy and grace, forgives us our debts, is deserving of our deepest reverence.
Yet, His grace does not stop at forgiveness.
He also guides us, as we strive to forgive those who have wronged us.
This is a challenging task, one requiring strength of character and depth of faith. But as we shall see, it is through the act of forgiveness we truly embody the teachings of Christ, through forgiveness that we find our own redemption.
Let us now silence our souls, give pause to our guilts, bow our heads in prayer, as we seek out our God’s greater guidance, wisdom, in understanding His word.
Heavenly Father, we come before You today with open hearts and minds, ready to receive Your divine wisdom. As we reflect on Your word, may we be reminded of Your unwavering love for us, Your constant provision, the grace You so freely give. Guide us, Lord, as we strive to forgive as You have forgiven us. May Your word be a lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path. In Jesus’ name, we do pray. Amen.
Let’s get started!
God as our Grand Provider
God is known as Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord who provides.
And one of the earliest stories of God’s miraculous provision unfolds when God asks Abraham to offer his promised son Isaac as a sacrifice but provides a ram.
In the heart of the holy scriptures we find a truth that is as comforting as it is profound. The Lord, in His boundless love and mercy, is our provider.
He gives us what we need, when we need it.
This is not a promise of excess or luxury, but of sufficiency.
Our daily bread, our daily provision of a loaf of bread, a simple yet powerful symbol of sustained sustenance and life even spiritual life, is assured to us.
More than about our physical needs: Yes, He provides food for our bodies, but He also nourishes our souls. He feeds us with His Words of life, love, with peace, with joy, and with hope. These are the true spiritual nutrients that sustain us as we navigate the challenges of our lives. They are the bread of life that fills us with the strength to carry on, even when the road is steep, the journey is hard.
How does He provide for us?: How does He ensure that we have our daily bread?
The answer lies in His creation.
The earth and all its abundant bounty, the seasons in their cycle of life, death, and renewal, the sun and the rain that nurture the soil, the plants that grow, the trees that give their myriad upon myriad of fruits and the animals that roam – the waters which sate our thirsts, its food sources, all these are His provisions.
Given to us at the Beginning, (Genesis 1-2) they are His created gifts to us, a living eternal testament to His faithfulness, His truths, His love, and His care.
He provides for our emotional and mental well-being: He gives us the capacity to love and to be loved, to feel joy and sadness, to experience beauty and pain.
These are the experiences that shape us, make us human. He knows every cell in our body, knitted, they are the threads that weave the very tapestry of our lives.
Our spiritual needs: How does He provide for them?
The answer is simple yet profound.
He gives us Himself.
He is the bread of life, the living water, the waters of life, the source of all that is good and pure. He is the one who fills the emptiness within us, who satisfies our deepest hunger, quenches our deepest thirst. He is the one who gives an eternal meaning to our lives, who gives each of us His unique purpose to our existence.
He provides us with guidance: He gives us His word, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
He gives us His Spirit, a counselor and comforter, to guide us in all truth. He gives us His Son, a perfect example of love and obedience, to show us the way.
Let us remember each and every day to be 100% thankful for His provision: Let us appreciate the food on our table, the water we drink, the gift of a family, the love in our hearts, the beauty around us, the experiences that shape us, the truest guidance that leads us to quiet meadows, and the Savior who saves us.
Let us remember every good, perfect gift comes from Him, our Jehovah Jireh.
Grace in God’s Forgiveness
What is the Hebrew word for God who forgives?
El Nasah
– “God” – “Elohim.”
This is the first name used for God as found in Gen. 1:1. – “God-Who-Forgives” – “El Nasah.”
The Hebrew “El” means “God” and “nasah” means “to forgive,” or “to bear.”
The LORD answered those who prayed to Him on behalf of the people of God.
As we reflected on God’s role as our Grand Provider, we are naturally led to consider another facet of His divine character, that of His boundless grace in forgiveness … acknowledging, receiving, sharing the blessed gift of happiness.
Psalm 32 New American Standard Bible 1995
Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.
A Psalm of David. A [a]Maskil.
32 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
3 When I kept silent about my sin, my [b]body wasted away
Through my [c]groaning all day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My [d]vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. [e]Selah.
5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the [f]guilt of my sin. Selah.
6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [g]in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with [h]songs of deliverance. Selah.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
Many people are plagued with a deep guilt. They live as lifelong prisoners of sin, without peace in their souls. As a result, too many people have sought refuge in false solutions, attempts to appease their feelings of guilt have failed miserably.
Some people try to escape this overwhelming feeling by going on adventures.
Others try to numb or kill themselves with alcohol or drugs, creating even deeper pain. Some try to calm their anguish with self-help philosophies and mystical experiences. But no ritual or exercise can alleviate a guilty conscience.
Only the spilled life blood of Jesus can blot out our sins, free us from the guilt of our wrongdoing. Only Savior Jesus can break the bars of our prison, break our chains. Only Jesus can offer us true forgiveness and eternal happiness. Seeking forgiveness from another source is like trying to find water in a dried-up well.
The psalmist learned similarly that while he kept silent (not seeking God’s forgiveness), his “bones wasted away,” his “strength was sapped as in the deep heat of summer.” Only when he opened his heart to God and acknowledged his sin did he find healing for the affliction of his soul. For he found that God, in His infinite capacity for compassion and for mercy, “forgave the guilt of [his] sin.”
By that release from guilt, the Psalmist also found the greatest happiness in his being able to share the enormity, the magnitude in his soul – and share it, teach it, model it for the maximum benefit of all the countless generations of others.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
For the Lord rejoices over the return of even one unrepentant sinner …
Luke 15:1-10 Complete Jewish Bible
15 The tax-collectors and sinners kept gathering around to hear Yeshua, 2 and the P’rushim and Torah-teachers kept grumbling. “This fellow,” they said, “welcomes sinners — he even eats with them!” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “If one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, doesn’t he leave the other ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 When he does find it, he joyfully hoists it onto his shoulders; 6 and when he gets home, he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Come, celebrate with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who turns to God from his sins than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.
8 “Another example: what woman, if she has ten drachmas and loses one of these valuable coins, won’t light a lamp, sweep the house and search all over until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Come, celebrate with me, because I have found the drachma I lost.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy among God’s angels when one sinner repents.”
Because of your forgiveness, mercies, O Lord, we are not consumed. Your forgiveness cancels the power of guilt and sin. We praise you, Lord, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
My God! How Great Thou Art!
My Savior Jesus! How Great Thou Art!
My Intercessor, Spirit of Truth, My Holy Spirit! How Great Thou Art!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Amen! Amen! Amen!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 42 Complete Jewish Bible
Book II: Psalms 42–72
42 (0) For the leader. A maskil of the descendants of Korach:
2 (1) Just as a deer longs for running streams,
God, I long for you.
3 (2) I am thirsty for God, for the living God!
When can I come and appear before God?
4 (3) My tears are my food, day and night,
while all day people ask me, “Where is your God?”
5 (4) I recall, as my feelings well up within me,
how I’d go with the crowd to the house of God,
with sounds of joy and praise from the throngs
observing the festival.
6 (5) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for the salvation that comes from his presence.
7 (6) My God, when I feel so downcast,
I remind myself of you
from the land of Yarden, from the peaks of Hermon,
from the hill Mizar.
8 (7) Deep is calling to deep
at the thunder of your waterfalls;
all your surging rapids and waves
are sweeping over me.
9 (8) By day Adonai commands his grace,
and at night his song is with me
as a prayer to the God of my life.
10 (9) I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
under pressure by the enemy?
11 (10) My adversaries’ taunts make me feel
as if my bones were crushed,
as they ask me all day long,
‘Where is your God?’ ”
12 (11) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for being my Savior and God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 