Pray to Bless

Pilot Knob Lutheran          Pray to Bless                   3/13/2024

Is there more to total forgiveness? Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. We are to pray and ask God to bless those who hurt us, and those who persecute us. This is truly the key that sets us free. We are not asking God to punish them, but to bless them in a way that will open their eyes to His truth, to see their sin for the purpose of turning from it, being forgiven and moving toward God.

It isn’t easy and everything in our mind cries out, “no! they don’t deserve to be blessed after what they did!” Can you imagine God saying that to you? God’s blessing to an unbeliever may bring about their salvation. For the Christian it may result in seeing their sin and repenting. We never know how God will bless someone or what the results will be.

If we were in their shoes, what would we want them to do or say to us? Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. This isn’t easy either, but with the correct attitude and prayer we can.

Remember Job? His three friends were no help during his intense suffering and grieving. They added insult to injury. However, what did he do in the end? Job 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. There is a connection between Job’s prayer and the restoration of his fortune and health.

One more example. Acts 6:8-15 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”

12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. 7:60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Amazing that he would say that seconds before his death. It shows the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in times of great need.

Pr. Bob Snitzer

By the Way:

Today: 3:45 Confirmation class. 

Sunday 17, 9:00 AM Morning worship service. Missionary Luke/Ruth Schroeder

12:30 Living Last Supper practice.

2:00 GriefShare Please tell others. For more information go to

https://www.griefshare.org/findagroupor contact Pr. Bob or Sue Reese.

~ Past communiques and sermons can be read and heard on our website: www.pilotknob.org and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilotKnobLutheran/

Family Talk with Dr. James Dobsonhttps://www.drjamesdobson.org/

Mission Statement: To help preserve and promote the institution of the family and the biblical principles on which it is based; to seek to introduce as many people as possible to the gospel of Jesus Christ; and to promote the sanctity of human life, God-honoring sexuality, religious freedom, respect for the American founding; and righteousness in the culture. The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI) was founded initially as Family Talk in 2010 by Dr. James Dobson, the ministry promotes and teaches biblical principles that support marriage, family, and child-development.

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
StumbleUpon

Related Posts

Substitute

John 1:29 . . . “the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.” This is a reference to sacrifice. Jesus became a sacrifice for you and me, our substitute instead of each of us paying for our own sin which is impossible.

All Saints Day

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Reformation Sunday

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Cowardly

A passage that is often used at funerals is Revelation 21:1-7 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”