Bitterness is a writhing snake. It kills relationships, people and you!
The Lord’s Prayer–part 5
DAY 1
Matthew 6:12 …and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Bitterness is a cruel taskmaster. You see someone has done you wrong. “I don’t deserve this! How dare he treat me that way! After all I’ve done for him!!! Geesh.”
One deed done by another to you; a thousand replays in your head. (You may be one who adds to this mess by replaying these messages with others). Each time a replay occurs, two things happen to your heart. It splits (gets smaller) and it hardens (closes down).
Ezekiel 11:19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
1. How can you tell when your own heart is getting hard? What are the symptoms…
a. In how you treat people?
b. In your selfishness?
c. In a demanding spirit, either from God or others?
d. An increase in being critical and “nit-picky?”
Read Acts 8:9-22
2. Simon the Sorcerer is a man with “a checkered past.” Does his “conversion” (8:13) appear to be genuine or do you “smell a rat?” Are other factors at work here in Simon?
3. Simon’s lost all his followers and his adoration, but he sees a way to still get his needs met! What is it? (8:19)
4. Simon’s request and Peter’s response removes all doubt about Simon’s “conversion.” What does Peter see needs to happen in Simon…
8:21b–
8:22–
5. Peter puts his finger on two deep drivers in Simon’s heart in 8:23. What are they?
6. Ephesians 4:31-32. How can you let go of bitterness?
DAY 2
Bitterness is a deadly “disease.” Read Hebrews 12:15
1. Bitterness has both short-term and long-term effects on others and you! How does the writer describe them?
Read Matt. 6:12 “…and forgive us our debts…”
2. What are the things that are true of financial debts?
3. What happens to us if we don’t pay our debts? What happens if you don’t pay your mortgage? Car payments?
4. In the financial world, if we do not pay what we owe we lose it. A price is paid. In the following verse, what word is used to describe one who does not pay back what he owes?
Psalms 37:21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives…
5. Why do you suppose Jesus used this term instead of, “forgive us our ‘sins’?”
6. “Sin” is generally an “umbrella” term that covers lots of aspects of sin. Here are some examples: rebellion, arrogance, foolishness, self-centeredness, etc. It is also illustrated with lots of “pictures” of sin: stained red, dirty, like oily rags, filthy, brazen, etc.
Thinking of “sin” as a “debt” what point is Jesus making when he tells us to pray, “Forgive us our debt?” What is He implying in this request?
7. Sin is a debt we can never repay. Sin is a mountain of debt, accumulated over a lifetime of multiple daily choices, the debt ever growing higher, that is, unless Someone else pays the debt!
Read Mark 10:45
8. Someone did pay your mountain of debt! Take a few minutes and thank Him.
DAY 3
Matt. 6:12 …”Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”
1. Can you genuinely forgive someone and call the police if needed, or do you think these are mutually exclusive?
2. How does the correlation of asking God to forgive us our sins as we forgive others’ sins against us strike you?
3. Is it possible for us to receive God’s forgiveness for our sins if we’re not forgiving someone for their sins against us?
Matt. 6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
4. It’s easy for people to excuse their resentments, gloss over bitterness, continue to “harbor” unkind thoughts towards others who’ve hurt them. We may even feel smug or superior “Well, I wouldn’t have done that!” What things do we risk when we play with rattlesnakes, like these thoughts?
5. Forgiving others does not come easy to our fallen human nature. What common thread is in each of the following verses?
Eph. 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
6. The apostle Paul says one key aspect of learning how to forgive is setting the standard of forgiveness at what and how God has forgiven us!
Having said that, there is usually a big difference between what our “head” tells us and what our “heart” tells us. Our head can rattle the things we know about how God forgives us, but our “hearts” live out what we “really” think about the matter! It is the latter on which we typically and erroneously live our lives. For each of the following, write down what your “heart’s” answer would be: How does God forgive me?
• Completely? Partially? On a contingency basis?
• Only for the “small stuff” but not for the “biggies?”
• Grudgingly? Because He “has to?”
• He “forgives” but He still “remembers”
7. What discrepancies between your “head” and “heart” do you see?
DAY 4
Matt. 6:12 …”Forgive us our debts….”
A number of years ago, a couple came to me for financial guidance. “We have so much debt that the only way to pay it off would be to file bankruptcy or someone would have to die.” I was a little taken back by the last part of their answer until I realized they meant “receiving a hefty inheritance.”
We are the people with a mountain, not of financial debt, but spiritual and moral debts. We will look again at how God forgives us.
In our passage today, the people of God were under the judgment of God for their sins. The surrounding peoples gloated over their failure, making it all the worse. Read:
Micah 7:7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. 8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
1. What are Micah’s reasons for optimism? Look for at least five.
2. Does this necessarily mean that hard consequences won’t be part of the fallout?
Micah 7:9 Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD’s wrath,
3. Notice that, so far, Micah is both optimistic and realistic! Read on…
Micah 7:9 …until he pleads my case and establishes my right.
4. God is not only our Judge, but our defense attorney!!!!! Would this fit your “heart” model of how God forgives you?
5. Micah sees a time when forgiveness will be “complete!” What two ways did he just describe this?
Micah 7:9 …. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.
6. How would Micah answer the question, “How does God forgive me?”
• Completely? Partially? On a contingency basis?
• Only for the “small stuff” but not for the “biggies?”
• Grudgingly? Because He “has to?”
• He “forgives” but He still “remembers”
Micah 7:10 Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.
7. What is your biggest take away from this passage?
DAY 5
Matt. 6:12 …”Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”
1. We struggle with forgiving others when we have any of the following:
a. An elevated view of their sins against us,
b. A diminished view of our sins against God,
c. An arrogant view of our own ability to atone for sin
d. A diminished view of God’s grace
In today’s passage, God describes how He is going to respond to His people whom He previously had sent off to judgment and captivity.
2. What two things does God intend to do with His people who had been so rebellious and disobedient?
Jeremiah 33:7 I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.
3. God will do two more things for His people. What are they?
Jeremiah 33:8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.
4. What is different about these last two things?
5. When God forgives us, “it’s a new day!” There is no “lag time,” “probation period,” “time for ‘penance,'” or need to hang your head, etc. God’s grace means God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense! God’s grace is His lavished and completely undeserved blessing heaped on us! Write down what you observe about God’s grace from the next verse.
Jeremiah 33:9 Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.
Matt. 6:12 …”Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”
6. Think back over the week’s study. For some of you, God is speaking about the front end of this verse. For others, God is prodding you on the back end of this verse. Use the space below to journal your thoughts.