This morning as I was just minding my own business, the word "Sharpshooter" dropped into my spirit. So, I kept pondering the word and tried to get a hold of its significance. I thought to myself, "Being a sharpshooter takes a lot of practice. You don't become a sharpshooter overnight. Being a sharpshooter is a very specialized calling in any army. Not everyone is called to be a sharpshooter. A sharpshooter gets called to carry out very special and important missions. The identity of the sharpshooter is well hidden from the enemy. He may be called upon only once or twice during his career as a sharpshooter. He never knows when he will be called, that's why he must always be ready. In order not to lose his special abilities he has to keep on training. He is somewhat like a person who has been trained to kick field goals. Those one or three extra points can make the difference between winning and losing.

So, as the day progressed I remembered that our Upper Room guests wanted a copy of "The Forgiveness Prayer" I just found hidden in my treasure chest. As I was in the process of sprucing it up a bit I remembered a picture Rebekah painted a number of years ago. "Wow," I said to myself, "that picture will upgrade the prayer and help to make a lasting impression on hearts." So, I spent a little extra time playing in my sand box, which is my computer, and spruced up the prayer and edited Rebekah's painting into the prayer. I did not give birth to the prayer and can't even remember when or where I found it. I did make some slight alterations but not enough to claim authorship. It's definitely a God-breathed prayer. "The Forgiveness Prayer" will find its mark, I am sure. The prayer has slipped behind enemy lines in the past and will continue to do so to set the captives free. It's an "alive" prayer. Guards will find prison gates open and cells empty after those languishing in solitary confinement ponder and pray the prayer. Prayer is a strategic weapon fighting an invisible, yet very real enemy. Yes, guards will be confounded and will wonder how the prayer slipped passed them, knowing that every letter going into or leaving a prison is censored. There will be mass confusion and panic amongst the guards. Many will be demoted or executed. It will be a reenactment of the story of Gideon and his 300 men who wasted the Midianite army.

Yes, the shepherd boy David had to kill many a bear and lion before he was called upon by the Living God of Israel to fulfill his destiny. God honors that kind of training, obedience, commitment, and humility. David did not claim ownership to the victory. He gave the glory to his God. The Lord used a shepherd boy and one smooth stone to kill Goliath and thereby reversed the balance of power forever. The victory paved the way for Jesus to come and walk amongst us. "Lord, use us as your slingshot and The Forgiveness Prayer as Your smooth stone." It's not a heat-seeking missile; it’s a "sin-seeking" missile. To God be the Glory Peter The Lord’s Scribe & Storyteller

“The Forgiveness Prayer”

A down to earth prayer that will open the gates of hell, heaven & healing to those who dare to pray it. God said: “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you forgive not others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14-15). My response: Abba (Daddy) Father and my Lord Jesus Christ, I come before You, just as I am. I am sorry for my sins, I repent of my sins, please forgive me. In Your name I forgive all others for what they have done against me. Lord, Jesus Christ, I wish to come to You today to forgive EVERYONE in my life, and I know You will give me the strength I need to forgive them. First I want to forgive my PARENTS for attempting to abort me or any of my siblings. For all the times they hurt me, were angry with me and for all the times they punished me unjustly. I forgive them for the times they preferred my siblings to me. I forgive them for any lack of support, love, affection, attention, and for being away from home. I forgive them for fighting, running around on each other, and for divorcing. Lord, I forgive my Mom and Dad.

Lord, I forgive my BROTHERS AND SISTERS for rejecting me, lying about me, hating me, resenting me, competing for my parents’ love. Lord, I forgive my SPOUSE for any lack of love, affection, consideration, support, attention, communication. For their faults, failings, weaknesses, including being unfaithful to me and for all their other acts or words that hurt or disturb me. Lord, I forgive my Spouse, past and present. Jesus, I forgive my CHILDREN for their lack of respect, obedience, love, attention, support, understanding, warmth; for their bad habits, and actions that disturb me. I forgive them. My God, I forgive my IN-LAWS, AND OTHER RELATIVES who treat my family with a lack of love and respect; for all their words, thoughts, or actions that injure and cause pain to me and my family. Lord, I forgive them. Lord, I forgive my EMPLOYER for not paying me enough money, for not appreciating my work, for being unkind and unreasonable with me, for being angry or unfriendly, for not promoting me when I deserved it, and for not complimenting me on my work when I did a good job. Lord, I forgive them.

I forgive my CO-WORKERS who are disagreeable or make life miserable at work. For those who push their work off on me, gossip about me, won’t cooperate with me, for those who try to make me look bad so they will look good in the eyes of the boss, and try to take my job. Lord, I forgive them. I forgive my NEIGHBORS. For all their noise, for letting their property run down, not tying up their dogs who run through my yard and do their job on my front lawn, for being prejudiced and running down the neighborhood. Lord, I forgive them. I forgive my CLERGYMAN, MY PASTOR, MY PRIEST, and all other leaders in my church, other members of the CONGREGATION and my CHURCH for their lack of support, affirmation, bad sermons, pettiness, lack of friendliness, not providing me or my family with the inspiration we needed, for any hurts they have inflicted on me or my family, even in the distant past, I forgive them. I forgive those of different religious DENOMINATIONS AND BELIEFS who have harassed me, attacked me, argued with me, those who have tried to force their view point on me or my family. Lord, I forgive them. Lord, I forgive those who have harmed me ETHNICALLY, have discriminated against me, mocked me, made jokes about my race or nationality, hurt my family physically, emotionally or economically. Lord, I forgive them. Lord, I forgive all PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE who have hurt me in any way. I forgive all service people, especially repairmen who have taken advantage of me in their work. Lord, I forgive them. Lord, I forgive my SCHOOLTEACHERS AND CLASSMATES of the past and the present – those who punished me, humiliated me, insulted me, treated me unjustly, made fun of me, called me dumb or stupid. Lord, I forgive them. Lord, I forgive my FRIENDS who have let me down, lost contact with me, do not support me, were not available when I needed help, borrowed money and did not return it, gossiped about me. Lord, I forgive them. Lord, I forgive all the INCONSIDERATE DRIVERS that endanger my life and my family by their reckless driving habits on the highway. Lord, I forgive them. Lord Jesus, I especially pray for the grace of forgiving the ONE PERSON IN MY LIFE WHO HAS HURT ME THE MOST. I forgive anyone who I consider my greatest enemy, the one who is the hardest for me to forgive or the one I said I would never forgive. I forgive the person/s who abused me sexually, physically, financially, emotionally, or spiritually. Lord, I forgive that person today. Lord, I forgive these people, and I ask You to forgive them as well. I also ask You Lord to bless each of these people. Those who know You as Savior, bless all of them with spiritual blessings. Those who do not know You as Savior, Lord bless them with Your saving grace, that they might come to know You as Lord, God and Savior. Lord, I beg pardon from all these people and any others who I may have forgotten, for the hurt I have inflicted on them, especially my mother and father, my marriage partner and my children. I am truly sorry for the hurts I inflicted upon each of them. And now Lord, as I have forgiven others, I forgive myself and will not allow Satan to falsely accuse me. Renew a right spirit within me and hold not Your Holy Spirit from me. Cover me with Your precious blood, fill me with Your Holy Spirit, stir up Your spiritual gifts within me and fill me with expectant faith so that I can minister more effectively to others. I renounce Satan, his evil spirits and all their works. I give You my entire self, Lord Jesus, now and forever. I invite You into my life, Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Lord, my God and my Savior. Heal me, change me, fill me and strengthen me in my body, soul, and spirit. I love You, Lord. I praise You, Lord. I thank You, Jesus. I shall follow You every day of my life. Amen