PTAP: The Power of Forgiveness

[Merton J. Hershberger]

At the end of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus says these words:

 

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."  -Matthew 6:14-15

 

These words talk about forgiveness, about forgiving sins. If we as Christians do not forgive others then God's Word says: "your Father will not forgive your sins." All Christians need to take these words of God to heart, and we all need to give forgiveness all the time. But we are focused on the Arabian Peninsula and we want to pray over the Christians in the AP for a greater release of forgiveness. Christians need to forgive each other, family members, Muslims, etc. Pray that Christians living in the AP would be great givers of forgiveness. Pray that this power of forgiveness will show the love of the Father even more in the AP. Pray that Muslims will learn the power of forgiveness. Pray that for Muslims, instead of an eye for an eye, or honor vs. shame, they will see and obey the power of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. 

[Andrew R. Wheeler]

Father, we see atrocities like the shooting in San Bernardino, and our hearts long for justice - and, if we're honest, sometimes for revenge.  We see the violence and hatred of organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS, and Boko Haram, and in our more honest moments, our first response may be in kind. 

But you have called us to be different.  Lord Jesus, you reminded us that anyone can love those who love them; it takes the power of the Holy Spirit in us to love those who hate us.  You call us to be different from the world, to love those who hate us and to pray for those who persecute us.

So today we pray for Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula.  Show them the falsehood and the violence of their religion and place a longing in their hearts for peace and love.  Stem the spread of Islamic extremism, especially here in the heart of the Muslim world.

Please fill the hearts of your people in the Arabian Peninsula with your love and forgiveness.  Look on their suffering and on the discrimination and persecution that they endure and give them an extra measure of the power of your Holy Spirit in them.  Enable them to respond to hatred with love, persecution with forgiveness, darkness with light.  Use their hearts - their humility, grace, and love - to draw Muslims to yourself.  Create one Damascus Road experience after another among the Muslim extremists and so break the power of these organizations of hatred.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

[Vicki Normoyle]

A good reminder and praying