Devotional: “Effectively Putting A Ceiling On Your Prayer”

Monday, September 19, 2011

Effectively Putting a Ceiling On Your Prayers
A brief look at forgiveness

Matthew 6:14-15
“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.”

Before we go on, it is imperative that we clear up the implications of this truth. The forgiveness here has to do with our state, not our standing; our walk, not our salvation. There are no restrictions on the forgiveness of sins through the precious blood of Jesus Christ except that you sincerely ask for it in humble belief and, once that blood is applied, our salvation is secure.

However, as we live and walk through this earth, we wrong and are wronged by others. As we are bound to do, we make mistakes and those day-to-day sins and failures can build up and take root in our hearts if we are not carefully seeking the Lord’s help. It’s that day-to-day “forgiveness” and sweeping away of present slip-ups that we need to keep the line of communication between us and the Lord open and clear. Being unforgiving is as much as sin as any other for God does not ask us to forgive nor merely suggest that we should, but commands us to forgive, consistently and endlessly (Matthew 18:21-22). If we choose not to forgive those who step on our toes or do us some hurt, how can we expect the Lord to respond any differently to us?

One more thing: Psalm 66:18 tells us that the Lord will not hear those that regard iniquity in their heart. Are we regarding the sin of unforgiveness in our hearts? Are our prayers being hindered because of it?