Forgive Me, God, For Not Thanking You

Forgive me for the time in my life when I did not acknowledge you

My God, My Father, My Creator, take my hand. Forgive me for not thanking you for all that you have done. Forgive me for not thanking you for all that you are doing. Forgive me for when I turned away from you, and neither talked nor listened to you.

Thank you, God, for not giving up on me. Thank you for taking my hand and directing me. Thank you for not leaving me – for loving and caring for me.

Thank you for your grace and mercy

Thank you, Jesus, for saying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Thank you for shedding your blood for my sins.

God, my only God, I am in your hands. I place my life, my burdens with you. Take my hand and lead me for I will obey and follow wherever you lead me.

I surrender to you

I am not without you. From this time forward I am your servant.

This is my promise – my covenant – with you, my God.

Amen.

Other Posts on Mercy and Forgiveness
Have Mercy on My Weakness, O Lord
I Once Was Lost but Now I’m Found
God Is the Root That Supports You
Have Mercy on My, O Lord

Spread the Word And They Shall Know That There Hath Been A Prophet Among Them

For they are imprudent children and stiff hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, thus saith the Lord God. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house) shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

Ezekiel 2: 4-5

Commentary:

Are we today any different than the people of the time that God spoke to Ezekiel? I think not. Today, as then, we are not listening to God. We hear only the personality on TV and radio, not what God himself is saying. We are made from the dust of the earth, yet God chooses to plant within us his life and breath and to ask us to serve him, not ourselves. If we become open and obedient, God will fill our spirit and give us the power and strength to do His will.

God doesn’t expect us to understand everything about Him. He expects us to be willing and obedient servants. And to be faithful to what our spirit within us knows is true and right. We are not to be guided by worldly standards, in giving customers what they want. We are called to give God’s message to the people whether they will listen or not. Whether you reach one person or thousands, you are to carry God’s word to as many as you can. Do not look for personal gratification, look for salvation. God will not judge us for how well others respond to our faith, but for how faithful we have been to him.

You Are a Branch in Need of a Vine

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

John 15: 1-4

Commentary:

Are you dried up, or are you moist with the Holy sap of God’s word in you? Are you going about spreading the nourishing Word of our Lord? You must be purged.The old life must fall away so the new self can bring forth fresh fruit? We must put our self in God’s hands so He can reshape us, to place us in fertile soil so we can be fruitful.

Cut away the old self , if not, then you will not bear anything that will be acceptable to God. If you are a follower of Christ, then you are a fruitful branch, and a true believer. Who by our living unions with Him will produce much fruit.Those who are unproductive, those who turn their back from following Christ after making superficial commitments, will get cut off from the vine and cast in the fire. Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the vine? If not, you are missing a gift He has for you.

Jesus’s Prayer is That He Glorifies God

Scripture: John 17: 1-5

Jesus’s Prayer

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the work began.”

Scripture Commentary:

This entire chapter is Jesus’s prayer. From it, we learn that the world is a tremendous battleground where the forces under Satan’s power and those under God’s authority are at war. Satan and his forces are motivated by bitter hatred for Christ and his forces.

Jesus prayed for his disciples, including those of us who follow him today. He prayed that God would keep his chosen believers safe from satan’s power, setting them apart and making them pure and holy, uniting them through his truth.

How do we get eternal life? Jesus tells us clearly here – by knowing God the Father through his Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires entering into a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ’s love lives in us by the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus came to earth, he was one with God. At the time of this prayer, when his mission on earth was almost finished, Jesus was asking his Father to restore him to his original place of honor and authority.

Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, and Stephen’s dying exclamation in the book of Acts, attest that Jesus did return to his exalted position at the right hand of God. Jesus is the only way to God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
John Chapter 17