by Matt Grant

Yesterday morning, Pastor Steve continued his devotional on the Lord’s Prayer. This week’s focus was on the phrase from Matthew 6:12, “and forgive us our debts.”

The below notes from Pastor Steve’s devotional shed further light on our justification, ongoing sanctification, and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. I hope you’ll enjoy and be edified in Christ. Following the devotional notes are specific prayer requests for the Shoreline campus.

Our Purpose (Romans 15:30 paraphrased): I urge you brothers, by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayer to God the Father for the glory of the name of Jesus.

Matthew 6:9-13
9Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread,
12and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Jesus says we are “Debtors” . . .
Luke 13:4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders (same word) than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?

If all our sins are forgiven at the moment we are justified, placing our faith in Jesus and repenting of sin, then why do I need to pray daily for forgiveness of sin?

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Disciples of Jesus are not made perfect in this life. Indwelling sin is real. We continue to sin. But belonging to Jesus by his grace and mercy both calls for and creates in me a radical, active, ongoing response – a fight.

What are the consequences of ongoing unconfessed sin in our daily lives?

1 John 1:5-6, 8 God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
(Heb 3:13 “. . . you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin)
(Jer 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?”)
We can “quench” (1Thess5:19) and “grieve” (Eph 4:30) the Holy Spirit

The Fight is real. Either you put sin to death (by the Holy Spirit), or it will put you to death. Sin always has consequences. It always creates death . . .

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

How then shall we respond?
1 John 1:7,9
7But 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.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 3:12-13 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Ephesians 5:13-21
Our Father in Heaven . . . forgive us our debts . . .

Strategic Prayers for our Campus

THE CALL TO MISSION
• Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to work in the hearts of our congregation in response to the All Members Meeting and the day of prayer and fasting.
• Pray that Jesus would be glorified and lifted up in the hearts of our congregation and that the Holy Spirit would open the eyes of our hearts to see that Glory.
• Pray that those who renew their membership would be faithfully dedicated to Jesus and to the work that He is doing through Mars Hill Church.
• Pray for faithfulness in our members’ giving of their time, treasure and talents to the work God has given us.

CALL TO MISSION: Day of service (5.3.08)
• Pray that God would use the Call to Mission/ Members meeting and day of prayer to inspire/ empower our members toward Gospel Mission (loving others).
• Pray for a HUGE response from our body to the need for servants to love our community in Jesus’ name.
• Pray that this day would be a huge blessing to those serving and those served through our Proxy & Crux families, our Covenant Ministry, and our Children’s ministry as they seek to participate in specific projects.
• Pray that our people would get a taste for Gospel Mission & loving people in Jesus’ name and that they wouldn’t want to wait for the next ‘organized’ event, but that community groups and families would organically fill volunteer positions and care for those in need in our community.
• Pray for the organization and details to be worked out to God’s glory for each of the serving opportunities listed below:
• Shoreline School District (Shoreline)
Cleaning, landscaping, and improvements at Parkwood Elementary School
• Pioneer Human Services – Cypress House (Lynnwood)
Painting Exterior & Interior of Group Home for Foster Boys
• Catholic Community Services (Snohomish County)
Home projects for seniors and people with disabilities at various homes around the county.
• Deaconess Children’s Services (Snohomish County)
Cleaning and yard work at facility for women and children from abusive situations.

SHORELINE 11:15AM CLASSES
• Please pray for Pastor Tyler and Justin that they would be guided by the Holy Spirit in their preparations to teach their classes on Parenting and Spiritual Disciplines respectively
• Pray that the Holy Spirit would teach and build up our body through these classes and that the fruit in the lives of those participating would be a blessing to our campus and those around them.

PERMANENT LOCATION
• Please continue to pray that God would provide a building for us in the Northend.
• Pray that our relationship with Crista would be able to continue as needed and would be a blessing to both organizations.

CAMPUS PRAYERS
• Pray for people and their families on our campus that are asking God for faith, but feeling forgotten by God
• Pray for wives on our campus who are victims of spousal abuse
• Pray for the many broken marriages on our campus
o Marriages near to divorce
o Spouse attends church alone w/ out their spouse
o Wives who desire their husbands to lead spiritually and husbands who have abdicated their roles.
o Pray for divorcees and single parents on our campus – that they can find the love of Jesus through His body – the church and that by the Holy Spirit they might see their true identities in Christ.
• Pray for a young lady who recently found out about the death of her father, whom she’d never known. Pray that God would heal her in through her grieving and that He would show Himself to her as her perfect Father in heaven.
• Pray for those in our body experiencing stressful financial times, those who are looking for work, and those who are having a hard time at work.