CONFESSION &REPENTANCE

My prayer life began to radically change a number of years ago when I read and was challenged by Psalm 66:18 NLT If I had not CONFESSED the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have LISTENED. I began to think about the many prayers that Saints had prayed over the centuries (including my own) and we had wondered why they were not answered. I came to see in a new way that CONFESSION was essential to my prayer life and my spiritual growth. Daily, I pray King David’s prayer in Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Being brought up in Evangelical Revival movements all my Christian life I also felt that REPENTANCE was primarily for sinners if they were to come to Christ. Then I saw David’s prayer in Psalm 19: 13 NIV Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Not only do we commit sins unintentionally (because of our sinful nature), but here David says we can and potentially WILFULLY SIN, I have come to see that REPENTANCE IS AS MUCH IF MOT MORE A WORD FOR CHRISTIANS. I have often quoted the title of the book written by Mother Basilea Schlink a German Lutheran nun who wrote about REPENTANCE-THE JOY FILLED LIFE. The title surely reflects King David’s words in Psalm 51:12 NKJV after his confession “Restore to me the joy of your salvation”.

REPENTANCE & CONFESSION MUST BE THE DAILY FOUNDATION OF OUR PRAYING, it will open the door more than ever into the very throne room of God.

The thought for this blog came to me as I received from a dear brother in India a Whatsapp post simply quoting Psalm 51:8-12 in the MESSAGE BIBLE Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean,
scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life.
Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.
Don’t look too close for blemishes,
give me a clean bill of health.
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!

I like that do you ??

What is the NIKE slogan “JUST DO IT”