CONFESSION BRINGS MERCY
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin. John 8:34 AMP
Sin’s purpose is to enslave you. As long as you yield to sin, it will
be your master. Jesus’ whole life purpose was to free mankind from the
bondage and slavery of sin by the power of His blood.
He who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes his sins will obtain mercy. Proverbs 28:13 AMP
When Adam and Eve committed the first sin against God, they also ran to
hide from Him. People are still hiding from God today. Sin is always
followed and accompanied by guilt and also the conviction of the Holy
Spirit and your own conscience. Hiding away from God and/or covering up
sin will not make it disappear. Those who want to retain their sin will
keep it hidden. You are not fooling God, though. If you want to be
blessed, you must expose sin—bring it out of the dark and into the
light—so that you can obtain mercy.
Blessed, (happy, fortunate, to be
envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually
exercised upon him, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed (happy, fortunate,
to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in
whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I kept silence [before I
confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my
moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah [pause, and
calmly think of that]! 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity
I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord
[continually unfolding the past till all is told]--then You [instantly]
forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly
think of that]! Psalms 32:1-5 AMP
When you cover up your sin because of shame or pride, you will continue
to feel guilt and condemnation. There is no peace in your heart or your
life. But when you are honest with God, and you tell Him all,
acknowledging your sin, and offering no excuses, then forgiveness and
peace will be poured out on you. There is no more shame; you are free
from the enslaving bondage of that sin!
Have mercy upon me, O God, according
to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy
and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly
[and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me
wholly pure from my sin! 3 For I am conscious of my transgressions and
I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only,
have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You
are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment. Psalms 51:1-4 AMP
When asking for forgiveness, it is very important to humble yourself
before God, and not make excuses for your sin. If, because of pride,
you defend your actions and excuse your behavior, you show no evidence
of repentance, which is a prerequisite to forgiveness. It is essential
that you not only declare what your sin is, but that you also
acknowledge that it was a sin and that you have no excuse. You can’t
fool God. If it is mere lip service made with excuses in the heart and
a defensive posture, it will count for nothing with Him.
Some people are so hardened by sin that even when they are caught out
in sin and exposed, they are still not sorry for their sin, only sorry
that they got caught. You must admit that you have sinned before you
can ask to be forgiven. Along with the admittance of guilt, there must
be a willingness to bear the consequences of the sin and to make
restitution. Some sin is over when it is admitted to God and forgiven
by God, but some sin involves restitution. Make sure that you make
right with God and man, so that you can have a truly clear conscience.
If we say we have no sin [refusing to
admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and
the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in
our hearts]. 9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our
sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and
will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously]
cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to
His will in purpose, thought, and action]. 10 If we say (claim) we have
not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a
liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is
not in our hearts]. 1 John 1:8-10 AMP
You must realize that it is the will of the Father to forgive everyone
and to set them free from sin! But he can only forgive those who
believe His Word and who come to Him, in obedience, to be washed clean
from their sin. If you say you have not sinned when you have, you are
self-deceived and you will die in your sin. It is important to freely
admit that you have sinned and confess your sins to God. When you do
that, He will immediately forgive your sins and cleanse you from all
unrighteousness, because He is faithful and just and because He has
obligated Himself by His Word.
You have no power to right the wrongs you have done—only God can cancel your past and give you a brighter future.
Recent:
Defeating Strife
These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP
Faith Facts
Faith is persistent
Luke 11:9-10 AMP
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
John 16:24 AMP
Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
Faith is single-minded
James 1:5-8 AMP
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the