Today we continue sharing the series “Give Us This Day”

... and today we are going to deal with something in which we will call “Eat the Frog!” Matthew 6:11 (NKJV)  “Give us this day our daily bread.”
If you ever have to eat the frog, the best time to do it is first thing in the morning. If you have one of those days where you have to eat two frogs, then eat the big frog first. Mark Twain’s advice. Why eat the frog first thing in the morning you may ask? It is because you can go through the rest of your day knowing that the most difficult thing is behind you. Conflict in church is never easy but we have a biblical pattern to follow. Eat the frog!

1. Stop Avoiding Conflict. Eat the Frog. Matthew 18:15 (NCV) “If your fellow believer sins against you, go and tell him in private what he did wrong. If he listens to you, you have helped that person to be your brother or sister again.” The whole purpose of conflict, especially in the church, should be for restoration. Paul said in Gal. 6:1 “if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness… Contrary to what you may have heard or even believe, biblical conflict is healthy for the church and the person who practices it is someone who is spiritual and mature. Please understand that practicing biblical conflict according to Mat. 18 is only good and effective when we realize that it works both ways. If you go to someone to confront them, being willing for people to come to you. Be sensitive to Holy Spirit.

2. Sometimes You Have to Eat Another Frog – Take Others with You. Matthew 18:16 (NLT2) “But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.”  We can actually think that this is a negative because it seems like or feels like you are ganging up on the person. If the witnesses also have a heart for restoration and for the situation to be healed, it can be a positive thing for everyone in the room.

3. One More Frog to Eat – Tell It to the Church. Matthew 18:17 (NLT2) “If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.” We only had to do this once in almost 31 years and I brought in my presbyter to give wisdom and guidance. It always helps to have those in authority over you to help you eat really nasty frogs. Eating frogs and praying Lord, give me this day may not seem to be the easy route, but hear your pastor, it is the healthy route for the body of Christ. Please know this principle works at home too (tough love) and at work. God’s Word works everywhere. Pray, Lord, give me this day, and, then, eat the frog.

Today I want you to ask yourself; why do I want to be filled with Holy Spirit?

 Because you attend a church that being filled with Holy Spirit power is one of our tenets of faith...I must surmise that you would love to be filled with supernatural power. You probably would not keep coming here if you did not want Him but here’s my question for you today: Why do you want Him...what is your motive? Before you think I am being rude for asking...the scriptures are clear about people asking for things with the wrong motives.  James 4:3 (NKJV) “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”  Our desire should be to live for the cause and the glory of God Who put us on this earth in the first place.

So really, why do you want Holy Spirit to work in your life or to fill you up...is it for your own benefit or for the glory of God?  Many believe Holy Spirit is much like a pawn that they have access to so that they can manipulate others and to look spiritual in other people’s eyes. They believe that when they give a “word” people will ooh and awe over their ability to walk so closely to the Lord. What they fail to see is that all of the spiritual gifts of Holy Spirit are for the edification, exhortation, and building up of the body of Christ, not our own grandiose ideas. How much do you love the church? How much do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you want to build them up or tear them down...encourage them or control them? What’s your motive?

It is so important to remember these verses:1 Corinthians 12:7 11 (NKJV) “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Let me sum this up: Holy Spirit gives the gifts as He wills (not as we will) and He does it for the profit of all! Be filled with Holy Spirit power and be used by God to glorify His Name!

Today we continue “Give Us This Day”.

 I personally believe there is reason people normally leave off verses 14-15 because this is the more difficult part of the Lord’s Prayer – Forgiving people. Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Gothard: Forgiveness deals with our emotional response toward an offender. Pardon deals with the consequences of his offense. Unless we have the authority we may not be able to pardon an offense, but we can always forgive. Six aspects of forgiveness:

1. Forgiveness involves a positive attitude toward the offense rather than a negative attitude toward the offender. Our initial focus after being offended is on the offender...difficult not to become bitter. If we first focus on the offense instead of the offender, it becomes easier to see the offense as a way of God developing our character.

2. Forgiveness views or sees the offender as God’s instrument for my life. Psalm 76:10 (NLT2) ^“Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon.” 

3. Forgiveness looks at the wounds of the offense as God’s way of helping us see the offenders needs. We must learn to see past the surface of people and see their hearts need. Wounded people wound others. They need our help and our love.

4. Forgiveness recognizes that bitterness is assuming or exercising a right we don’t have. Bitterness is like drinking poison and watching for the other person to die. It only hurts us.

5. Forgiveness realizes that the offender has already begun receiving the consequences of his offenses. God uses the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the reproofs of friends, and life’s circumstances as tools to expose the person’s offenses.

6. Forgiveness involves working with God in the offender’s life. Gothard: Forgiveness is having a greater concern for a person after he offends me than I did before he offended me. It is using the hurts of others as the basis of demonstrating Christ’s love back to them. Forgiveness is the ultimate exercise of “Lord, give me this day.” It is the toughest but also the most rewarding.