Confess and Believe

PRAYER PRACTICE

Prayer Journal – To begin your daily worship today, grab a pen and paper and write out a prayer to God. Not sure what to write? Try using ACTS to frame your prayer. Begin with adoration for who God is. Then move on to confession – being real about where you have fallen short in the last day or two. Give thanks to God for all that He gives (including forgiveness for the sin you just confessed!). And then finish with supplication – with your prayer requests to God. When you are done, tuck this away somewhere (so you can read it later and see how God has answered your prayers) and then move into hearing from God through His Word.

DAILY READING

Romans 10: 1-21

DEVOTION / REFLECTION

God's Righteousness; Confess and Believe

by Tom Richards

Today we read about the apostle Paul’s sincere love and concern for his fellow Jews. His “heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” He further states “that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.” Paul’s concern was that the Israelites had rejected Jesus and continued to strive to earn a righteous standing with God through the law.

Does Paul know what he is talking about when it comes to the Jews? The answer is clearly “yes’! This is the same Paul (Saul) who persecuted the early Church. The same Paul who was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” as we read in Philippians 3:4-6 “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless."

Yet Paul came to realize that his pursuit of righteousness through the law did not work. His encounter with Jesus on the “road to Damascus” changed everything; so much so that in Philippians 3:8-9 he describes his accomplishments in his previous life as follows: “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

The unbelieving Jews in Paul’s day clung to the belief that they could somehow earn their righteousness with God. They “did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own.” Do we know people like that? Do we know people who consider themselves to be “good” but do not believe in Jesus? Do we fall into the trap of thinking we can earn our own righteousness with God by being “good”? 

Thankfully, in Romans 10:4 Paul shares the good news that “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." In Romans 10:9-10 he goes further, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” That is great news! That is the gospel!

Father, help us to have the same zeal for our unbelieving friends and neighbors as Paul did for his fellow Jews.  Help us to submit our possessions and accomplishments to your will. Please allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives so that we can share the good news of Jesus to an unbelieving world.  Amen

David and Bathsheba

2 Samuel 11

Today we read the all too human story of David and Bathsheba. How sad it is as we see one sin lead to another (and another) in this tragic episode. You can make an argument that the sin chain starts
with covetousness (10th commandment) followed by adultery (6th commandment) followed by lies (8th commandment) followed by murder (5th commandment). What a mess!! But isn’t that the nature of sin? How often do we witness the sin in our own lives and in the lives of others spiral from one area of failure to another?

And what about those who are affected by sin? One of the lies that comes with sin is that it can be private, that no one else will be affected. That is rarely the case. Like a pebble thrown into quiet waters sin has a ripple effect, both in our actions and the people it affects.

Think of the people impacted by David’s sins.  Here’s a list that I came up with. Maybe you can think of more:

David
David’s servants
Bathsheba
Uriah
Joab
Soldiers killed or injured with Uriah
David and Bathsheba’s son (see Chapter 12)

What an awful condition that we live with! As we consider the devastation that sin causes in our world, it makes God’s grace and love all the more amazing. Consider that despite the rampant sin that we read about in 2 Samuel 11 there is ultimately repentance and forgiveness. Eventually Solomon is born to David and Bathsheba and Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, is descended from Solomon – see Matthew chapter 1.

I love the words that we recite during the communion service found in the King James Version of 1 John 1:8-9: “8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” What an incredible and comforting promise given the nature of sin! 

Thanks be to God for grace through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord!

Powerful Prayer

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other… that’s a tough thing to do.  It means being honest and vulnerable.  In today’s media-driven society, we like to show the best of the best, not the worst.  Life is messy, but no one wants to admit it.  It takes courage to own up to the bad choices we’ve made, and it takes being in a trusted relationship to feel comfortable enough to share our faults and weaknesses.  Confession doesn’t just happen, it requires faith.

And pray for each other so that you may be healed… and by healed James wasn’t referring to just repairing a bodily injury, but rather, being forgiven of sins.  Forgiveness heals us inside and out and allows us to live in communion with others in the way God intended.  Acknowledging sin's existence and praying for God’s healing power brings us back into relationship with Him.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective… some people are really good at praying, which is a testimony to the relationship they have with God.  People with an obvious connection to Christ are the ones I seek out when I’m in need, because as Luke 6:45 states, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Lord, fill my heart with good, so that my mouth speaks a testimony to you.  Make me an effective steward of your great love. Amen

ADMIT OUR SINS TO EACH OTHER?

Scripture Reading: James 5: 14-16 (from The Message); Psalm 32:3-5 (from NASB)

Plenty of well-documented research shows that there is a strong connection between mind and body. When the body is not functioning properly due to illness or injury, the mind is strongly affected and can lead to anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc.  In the same way, when our thoughts are focused on difficult situations in our lives, our bodies react, which can lead to physical illness: colds, ulcers, heart disease, etc. Treatment, in more recent years, has begun to focus both on physical symptoms and the mental state of the patient.

We could illustrate this in these simple terms:

            Problem: Mind is consumed by a work situation, leading to physical ailment.

            Remedy: Talk to someone to find solution to situation, and treat physical symptoms.

            Purpose: Peace re: situation (and resolution perhaps), and healing of physical issues.

Similarly, God’s word makes a connection between harboring sin in our minds and the state of our bodies:

Problem: When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning

all day long. For night and day thy hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was

drained away as with the fever heat of summer. (Psalm 32:3-4, NASB).

Remedy: I acknowledged [confessed, admitted] my sin to thee, and my iniquity

 I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” (vs 5a).

Purpose: And thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin (vs 5b). [Forgiveness].

In his book to fellow Christians, James expands the circle of confession to include “each other.” Why would they (we) need to do this? Isn’t just God knowing my sins and my having forgiveness sufficient? Well, Yes and No. Let’s apply the previous illustration one more time.

            Problem: Are you sick? Have you sinned?(James 5: 14a; 15c, The Message).

            Remedy:  1.Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the

            name of the Master (vs 14b).

            2.make this your common practice: confess your sins to each other and

            pray for each other (vs 16a).

Purpose:1.Believing prayer will heal you; you’ll be forgiven – healed inside out

            (vs 15a and c).

2.You can live together whole and healed (vs 16b).

3.The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be

reckoned with (vs 16c).

Jesus tells us over and over again the importance of loving one another. Living “whole and healed” together calls us to love on a deeper level, a freer place…to be known and loved, warts and all – and where we can extend that to others as well. And, there’s another great benefit: a powerful prayer life that can “accomplish much,” according to the end of verse 16 in NASB translation.

I want all the benefits of confession and prayer I can get – don’t you? Therefore, I will commit to admit my sins to God and others – won’t you?

Father, I desire to live “whole and healed” in the body of Christ. Help me be more open and honest before you and others. Amen.

CONFESSION AND COMPASSION

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5,9; 9:1-4, 16-17, 19, 27

 

How many times have you heard (or said yourself, perhaps), “The God of the Old Testament is all about Law, judgment and punishment?” often continuing with, “Thank goodness for the New Testament, where Jesus is all loving and compassionate.” At first glance, these observations may appear true. But as you read more and more in the Old Testament, you see quite the contrary.

 

In the verses for today, we see just one example of a repeating pattern:

·         The Israelites walked away from God (Neh 9:16-17)

·         were confronted with their sin ((Neh 8: 1-3, 5, 9)

·         were faced with consequences of their sin (Neh 9: 27a)

·         confessed their sin, cried out to God (Neh 9: 1-3)

·         each time experienced the forgiveness of their loving and compassionate Father (Neh 9: 17b; 19; 27b)

 

Time and again, God’s people of the Old Testament forgot how He took care of them and turned their collective backs on Him. And once again the Lord, in his mercy and love, disciplined them to bring them back to Himself to receive His forgiveness.

 

How God dealt with His people in ancient times is no different than He deals with us, His forgetful people in the Church today.

 

Thank you, Father, for your faithful pattern of compassion and forgiveness in response to our repeated forgetfulness and sin pattern in our lives. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness (Lam 3 22-23).”

Make it Right

Numbers 5:6 (MSG)
⁶  "Tell the People of Israel, When a man or woman commits any sin, the person has broken trust with GOD, is guilty, and must confess the sin he has committed."

Sin is serious stuff, as we read in the Old Testament and the New. When we commit any sin, we break off with God. We are deemed guilty and must repent. God is fair and just, and when we commit a wrong, we are given a chance to make it right. Restoration is God's plan, confession and repentance is our next move.

One commentary I turned to for clarity said that an essential role of the people of God is bringing reconciliation and justice to scenes of conflict and abuse. How do we do this? One way is to recognize when we fall short of God’s expectation and immediately seek forgiveness. Too often, we only have to look as far as our own doorstep to find conflict and abuse. 

Just like the people of Israel who bound themselves to obey God's commandments, who routinely fell short, so do we. Often this takes the form of mistreating others. Unkind words, hateful glares, obscene gestures, are these all forms of mistreatment. All this sort of behavior is sinful and must be confessed.

A problem in today's world is that many do not recognize wrong doing. We don't consider name calling and slandering as wrong. As Christians, we must act different. This is where we are wise to have a few people around us who can hold us accountable. People we trust that we give permission to speak into our lives and hold up a mirror to us when we are less than what God desires.

God is ready to forgive...are we ready to confess and change?

Numbers 5:5-10

Mudslingers and Fig Trees

I am ready for this election season to be over.  How about you?  I’m done with all of the mudslinging. We continually hear one political group comparing themselves to the other by showing how evil their opponent is.

It doesn’t take long to get tired of all the negativity. Highlighting only the bad might make us feel better for a brief moment, but soon either we, or those around us will need some good news.

Our scripture passage today talks about this very thing. Luke 13: 1-9 explains how there were some who were talking to Jesus about how bad certain people where.  Jesus even questions these accusers asking, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no!” But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Did you catch Jesus’s reply? “Unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Those who brought the question to Jesus were not even talking about themselves.  They were comparing one group of Galileans to another, but Jesus turns the tables on them saying they too need to repent.

Jesus continues telling about a man who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard that did not produce any fruit. The man wanted to cut down the tree because it was just using up soil.  It’s not hard to see that Jesus was telling this story about those who thought they were good enough.  He keeps the story focused on those who were playing the comparison game, not on the “sinners”.

As Christians, we need to be particularly careful how we treat others. It’s easy to compare someone else’s shortcomings as worse than our, in order to bolster our self-worth.  Talking with a friend, family member or colleague about what horrible thing someone else did, takes the spotlight off of how we are doing, but that kind of living is dangerous.

We need to make sure we are producing good fruit for the Kingdom of God and not just using up soil. Repentance is the key to keeping the focus on ourselves and away from others.

Heavenly Father,

We confess that we often look at what others are doing hoping to feel better about ourselves.  We are so sorry. Please forgive us.  Help us to turn our focus and only compare ourselves to you.  Thank you for loving us and not giving up on us.  Help us to produce fruit that gives you glory. When we do look at others, please help us to look with love and compassion.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Live!

Acts 9:36-43

Today’s reading is about a woman named Tabitha. Scripture describes her as a disciple who was always doing good and helping the poor. She became ill and died. Many who knew her mourned with great sadness.  Knowing Peter was near, they sent for him. Peter bowed in prayer and directed Tabitha to get up. She was offered another opportunity to live; to extend her earthly life. She rose as Peter directed her. This became know all over the area causing many people to believe in the Lord.

We too are offered new life on a daily basis. With each setting sun, God offers his forgiveness if we go to him with a sincere heart and confess our sin with repentance and cleansing as our motive. Every dawn brings us a fresh, new beginning in his grace if we so choose.

1 John: 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

God has provided a way out from under the heavy weight of guilt. That way begins with basic acknowledgment, continues with confession and remorse, and ends with accepting his forgiveness.

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

We CAN begin anew, with a fresh opportunity to live, love, and reach others, for the sake of the kingdom of God. Accept this most precious gift of forgiveness; and do what may be even more difficult-forgive yourself as well, and LIVE! 

Read/Listen to Acts 9:36-43