Matthew 6:9-15 The Message (MSG) 7-13 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what’s best— as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes. 14-15 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.

Good morning brothers and sisters! I decided to read the Message version of today’s passage and with the Message you sometimes are unable to decipher what the exact verses you are trying to read. Today’s verses (Matthew 6:9-15) in the Message version begin with verse 7. Before I read I prayed for God to speak to me and to guide me in what I typed.

The first sentence is so humbling, I’m still laughing! I know when I rely on myself I’m always “prayerignorant”. Amen? As I read on, I agree… He knows better than me what I need. So, there is no need to pray like I think I should, like someone who has all their words and thoughts together. I can not only pray simply, but Jesus gave us the words to pray in the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus told us how to pray, I don’t have any excuses not knowing how to pray.

Delton preached on Reconciliation on Sunday with God and others (focusing on family). What I heard from God was so powerful. (Thank You Father) And what I’m hearing from God as I write this blog is equally freeing. In this Message version, I first address who He is - My Father in heaven. Then I connect with Him and ask Him to revel/tell me who He is, giving Him the control, not me! This is HUGE! As I pray, if I don’t connect and rest at His Throne it ends up being me praying/taking control. Hmmmm, wanting to take control, a daily occurrence with me. Asking HIS Kingdom to come is even a bigger way to say I surrender to You Father, You and only You know what’s best.

Then I would like to skip to the line that hit me hardest, the issue that Delton preached reconciliation comes through - FORGIVENESS. I love the way it is written here, “Keep us forgiven with You”. Keep me forgiven with You, Father! It’s hard for me to put on paper how powerful, how humbling, how connected I feel as I pray that one line. I linger here, I want to fall on my knees.

And I cannot begin to be reconciled with others, forgive others until I am reconciled with, forgiven by, my Father in heaven. I could go on and on with the things God spoke to me through Delton and worship Sunday, but my job is not to preach and I feel I’ve said what God spoke to me right now for this blog. I would love for you to listen to the Message from Sunday if you missed it and would so enjoy reading how God spoke to you as you read these verses. Have a truly Blessed Monday in constant communication with our Father in heaven. Love in Christ, cindy