Forgive Us Our Debts | Northpoint Church

1.24.2019

Forgive Us Our Debts

By Dave Dussault
Northpoint Prayer Ministry

Hello Church Family,

And forgive us our debts. … – Matthew 6:12a

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. – 1st John 1:7-10

Holy Father, deliver us from the lie that we are basically okay, only needing minor improvements to be pleasing to you. In your grace, enable us to see our sin and admit it to you. Lead us to despair of our own ability to make ourselves right before you. Make us long for your cleansing, then wash us and make us whiter than snow.

A great lie baits the trap of sin and death. We are lulled by the idea that everyone has some good and some bad, and what really matters is which one we choose. Thank you, Lord, for the frank evaluation you give us in your Word. It’s far more harsh than a diagnosis of cancer, but it’s true. We are dead in our trespasses and sins. All hope of salvation and cleansing from sin lies—not with us—but with you.

Your sentence of death for sin is just. We can’t blame you. We disobeyed your command, knowing the consequences. Our sin cut us off from you—the Source of Life—and brought us death. We can’t blame you for what we did. But we do. Release us, Father, from the lie that it’s not our fault, so we can confess our sin and receive your forgiveness.

You made man in your image, so human aspirations are huge. By nature, we take on challenges and strive to conquer. We need your light to reveal the fact that all our efforts are hopeless apart from Christ. Of all our sins, the greatest is self-righteousness—our insistence on getting things right on our own. Only your grace can set us free to give up our efforts and receive your forgiveness as a free gift. Sin entangles us every time we try to “be good” on our own.

Pour out your grace, Father. Whet our appetite for you. Make us hunger and thirst for you, O Living God. Make us acutely aware of our lack of connection to you and of the fact that we are responsible for it. Cleanse us of our sins. Set us free to know and enjoy you, through Christ, our God and Savior.

To the praise of your glorious grace! Amen.

The greatest power is not the ability to identify sin and punish sinners. The greatest power is the ability to save sinners. And Jesus saves. That is God’s message to us and our message to the world.

Once, a man named Uzzah reached out and touched the Ark of the Covenant and was struck dead. A couple named Ananias and Saphira lied to God and died on the spot. God is frightfully holy, and sin brings death. But the earth-shattering, universe-shaking miracles of God’s Word are works of grace: when Moses and the elders of Israel went up Mount Sinai and saw the LORD and lived; when God became flesh and dwelt among us. Through Christ, we too see God yet live.

Prayer exerts the miracle of salvation. Every time you pray, you enter boldly into the presence of God, who is holy, holy, holy in a deadly, deadly, deadly way. Yet you live. Hallelujah! God has great plans for his people, and they all center around his power to save. Let us live in that power in order to proclaim that Jesus saves.

In Him,

Dave Dussault
Northpoint Prayer Ministry

– Each week, Dave updates a monthly Bible reading plan and writes a Bible and prayer focus, Prayer Life. The preceding is a recent installment. You can pick up both offerings at the Information Center in the Foyer on Sundays, or sign up there to receive them via email. You can also click here to find the archive: https://northpointcorona.org/ministries/prayer/