Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn. 00:00:00.96\00:00:02.26 Do you ever have a guilty conscience before God? 00:00:02.30\00:00:06.03 Join us today on Pressing into His Presence 00:00:06.07\00:00:09.07 as we consider how confession 00:00:09.10\00:00:11.57 is the clearing house of the conscience. 00:00:11.61\00:00:14.28 Welcome to Pressing into His Presence. 00:00:35.00\00:00:37.37 This is a series to teach us 00:00:37.40\00:00:39.97 how to have greater intimacy in prayer. 00:00:40.00\00:00:43.94 If you're using our companion book 00:00:43.97\00:00:45.94 Pressing into His Presence, 00:00:45.97\00:00:47.68 we are staring today on page 56. 00:00:47.71\00:00:51.18 Now on our last program we had reviewed 00:00:51.21\00:00:54.48 the five step process of repentance 00:00:54.52\00:00:56.99 and considered the anatomy of sin. 00:00:57.02\00:00:59.55 I believe that you're going to enjoy 00:00:59.59\00:01:01.39 today's teaching on confession. 00:01:01.42\00:01:05.16 But first before we get into the joyful part of this, 00:01:05.19\00:01:08.76 I want to comment on eight scriptures 00:01:08.80\00:01:11.40 that served as a wakeup call to me 00:01:11.43\00:01:14.14 in recognizing my own sin and made me 00:01:14.17\00:01:17.81 appreciate even more how much I needed a savior. 00:01:17.84\00:01:21.21 And why confession is so important 00:01:21.24\00:01:24.75 to clear our conscience before God? 00:01:24.78\00:01:27.65 So let's look at those eight scriptures. 00:01:27.68\00:01:30.42 1 John 3:4 says, "Whoever commits sin 00:01:30.45\00:01:35.66 also commits lawlessness and sin is lawlessness." 00:01:35.69\00:01:42.06 You know, John relates all sin to the breaking of God's law. 00:01:42.10\00:01:47.37 Now the original Greek here translated, 00:01:47.40\00:01:50.04 commits lawlessness means to commit an iniquity 00:01:50.07\00:01:53.94 and that means an intentional 00:01:53.98\00:01:56.71 or unintentional offence against God's law. 00:01:56.75\00:02:00.08 Oh, no, that's alarming. 00:02:00.12\00:02:02.08 Even unintentional offences are included as iniquity. 00:02:02.12\00:02:07.16 Now our second verse to consider is 1 John 5:17 00:02:07.19\00:02:12.36 and that simply says, "All unrighteousness is sin." 00:02:12.39\00:02:17.53 Anything that we do that deviates from God's holy 00:02:17.57\00:02:20.64 and righteous character is counted a sin. 00:02:20.67\00:02:24.17 Now mercy, I knew I missed the mark 00:02:24.21\00:02:26.34 but that sounded somewhat mild, 00:02:26.37\00:02:28.08 this one however nailed me to the heart. 00:02:28.11\00:02:31.41 It strikes me that this scripture can convict us all. 00:02:31.45\00:02:35.48 Now our third scripture is Hebrews 3:19 and this says, 00:02:35.52\00:02:41.66 "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.'' 00:02:41.69\00:02:48.06 Unbelief is the sin that shut the Israelites 00:02:48.10\00:02:52.10 out of the Promised Land. 00:02:52.13\00:02:54.04 How often have we doubted a promise of God? 00:02:54.07\00:02:57.77 To doubt God's testimony is to regard Him as a liar. 00:02:57.81\00:03:02.64 No wonder it's impossible to please God without faith. 00:03:02.68\00:03:06.88 Now our fourth reference and-- 00:03:06.92\00:03:08.68 we're gonna get into the good part 00:03:08.72\00:03:10.19 here in a minute but we've got to see our own sin. 00:03:10.22\00:03:13.96 Our fourth reference is Matthew 12:36, 37, 00:03:13.99\00:03:18.16 where Jesus said, "I say to you 00:03:18.19\00:03:21.50 that for every idle word men may speak, 00:03:21.53\00:03:23.77 they will give account of it on the day of judgment. 00:03:23.80\00:03:27.20 For by your words you will be justified 00:03:27.24\00:03:30.17 and by your words will you be condemned." 00:03:30.21\00:03:33.84 Now Jesus presents His solemn thought 00:03:33.88\00:03:36.68 after He previously explained that the words 00:03:36.71\00:03:39.78 from our mouth revealed the condition 00:03:39.81\00:03:41.78 of our heart and our character. 00:03:41.82\00:03:44.62 Truly the tongue has the power of spiritual life or death. 00:03:44.65\00:03:49.89 Now going on our fifth reference is James 4:17 00:03:49.92\00:03:54.36 and it says, "To him who knows to do good 00:03:54.40\00:03:58.70 and does not do it, to him it is sin." 00:03:58.73\00:04:02.57 When James weighs in on this matter of sin, 00:04:02.60\00:04:06.04 he is tipping the scale toward sins of omission. 00:04:06.07\00:04:11.98 Not things that we do but things that we don't do. 00:04:12.01\00:04:15.65 And then the sixth scripture is Romans 14:23 00:04:15.68\00:04:19.25 where Paul adds, "Whatever is not from faith is sin." 00:04:19.29\00:04:24.56 We're sinning when we are uncertain 00:04:24.59\00:04:26.66 that God approves of an action but decide to do it anyway. 00:04:26.70\00:04:32.80 The seventh scripture is Proverbs 24:9, 00:04:32.83\00:04:36.81 which says, "The devising of foolishness is sin." 00:04:36.84\00:04:42.11 Perverse silliness is sin. 00:04:42.14\00:04:45.48 So the next time someone shares 00:04:45.51\00:04:46.98 one of those naughty little jokes with you, 00:04:47.02\00:04:49.52 stifle your laughter because if you don't 00:04:49.55\00:04:52.99 you're demonstrating approval of the impure 00:04:53.02\00:04:56.16 and you stand equally guilty of sin. 00:04:56.19\00:04:59.36 And our final reference 00:04:59.39\00:05:00.76 as we try to define sin is Jeremiah 4:14, 00:05:00.80\00:05:05.97 which says, "Wash your hearts from wickedness, 00:05:06.00\00:05:10.07 that you may be saved. 00:05:10.11\00:05:11.97 How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?" 00:05:12.01\00:05:17.88 Thoughts of wickedness and iniquity, 00:05:17.91\00:05:20.88 thoughts of breaking God's law are sin. 00:05:20.92\00:05:24.39 Oh, mercy. 00:05:24.42\00:05:25.99 Now that last scripture 00:05:26.02\00:05:27.09 is where the rubber meets the road. 00:05:27.12\00:05:29.29 Even our thought life can taint us with sin. 00:05:29.32\00:05:32.53 Actually according to Christ reckoning, 00:05:32.56\00:05:35.40 the thought is the sin 00:05:35.43\00:05:38.23 and the action is the fruit of the sin. 00:05:38.27\00:05:41.57 I mentioned in an earlier program 00:05:41.60\00:05:43.17 something that we share in common with King David 00:05:43.20\00:05:46.04 and that is being judgmental of others 00:05:46.07\00:05:47.94 while turning a blind eye to our own faults. 00:05:47.98\00:05:51.05 Perhaps we think we're better than David 00:05:51.08\00:05:53.68 because we've not committed adultery 00:05:53.72\00:05:56.18 or murder, or have we? 00:05:56.22\00:05:59.65 To Jesus thoughts of lust are the sin, 00:05:59.69\00:06:04.03 adultery is the fruit of the sin. 00:06:04.06\00:06:07.13 To Jesus thoughts of hatred are equal to heart murder. 00:06:07.13\00:06:11.90 The act of taking someone's life is merely 00:06:11.93\00:06:14.70 what grows out of an unclean heart. 00:06:14.74\00:06:18.31 Well, there is more to the sin study 00:06:18.34\00:06:20.31 but surely our consciences have been pricked enough. 00:06:20.34\00:06:24.98 Considering God's viewpoint, 00:06:25.01\00:06:27.32 is it safe to say that we are steeped in sin? 00:06:27.35\00:06:31.32 We may have grownup in church 00:06:31.35\00:06:33.46 and thought we didn't need much saving 00:06:33.49\00:06:35.79 because we were such good people. 00:06:35.82\00:06:38.39 But now the blinders are off, 00:06:38.43\00:06:40.50 we see how much we need Jesus. 00:06:40.53\00:06:43.26 And I pray that we will be less judgmental of others 00:06:43.30\00:06:45.83 knowing how crushing our own sin burden is. 00:06:45.87\00:06:49.87 It's time to cry out to our Heavenly Father for mercy. 00:06:49.90\00:06:54.44 And we can take heart 00:06:54.48\00:06:56.58 in the message of Micah Chapter 7, 00:06:56.61\00:07:00.42 and we'll look at verses 18 and 19. 00:07:00.45\00:07:03.69 I love this passage. 00:07:03.72\00:07:06.22 Micah says, "Who is a God like You, 00:07:06.25\00:07:10.93 pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression 00:07:10.96\00:07:15.03 of the remnant of His heritage? 00:07:15.06\00:07:17.70 He does not retain His anger forever, 00:07:17.73\00:07:20.90 because He delights in mercy. 00:07:20.94\00:07:24.17 He will again have compassion on us, 00:07:24.21\00:07:26.94 and will subdue our iniquities. 00:07:26.98\00:07:30.11 Oh, you will cast all of our sins 00:07:30.15\00:07:34.08 into the depths of the sea." 00:07:34.12\00:07:36.82 Hallelujah. 00:07:36.85\00:07:38.69 You know, for someone 00:07:38.72\00:07:40.32 who once thought that she was so good. 00:07:40.36\00:07:42.49 I have come to appreciate the great number of sins 00:07:42.52\00:07:45.66 that God must cast from me into the depths of the sea. 00:07:45.69\00:07:50.10 With extreme grace He wipes out the tremendous 00:07:50.13\00:07:54.94 and inescapable debt that I owe. 00:07:54.97\00:07:58.71 It makes me love Him ever more. 00:07:58.74\00:08:01.14 In Luke 7 and I believe it's 36 through 50, 00:08:01.18\00:08:05.25 Jesus told a judgmental Pharisee, 00:08:05.28\00:08:08.38 the story of a certain creditor who had two debtors, 00:08:08.42\00:08:11.52 one owed a little, the other a lot 00:08:11.55\00:08:13.82 and neither could pay what they owed. 00:08:13.86\00:08:16.06 The creditor freely forgave both debts. 00:08:16.09\00:08:19.56 Turning to the Pharisee Jesus asked, 00:08:19.59\00:08:21.70 "Which of the two men would love the creditor more?" 00:08:21.73\00:08:25.17 And the Pharisee rightly assumed 00:08:25.20\00:08:27.47 that the one who was forgiven more. 00:08:27.50\00:08:30.27 Jesus related the story in reference to a woman 00:08:30.31\00:08:32.97 of ill repute who was washing his feet with her tears 00:08:33.01\00:08:37.28 and anointing them with a fragrant oil 00:08:37.31\00:08:40.38 from an alabaster box. 00:08:40.42\00:08:42.62 And here is the punch line of Christ story. 00:08:42.65\00:08:46.15 The self righteous Pharisee who recoiled 00:08:46.19\00:08:49.42 at the act of the weeping woman, 00:08:49.46\00:08:52.26 he loved Jesus very little. 00:08:52.29\00:08:54.46 He had not recognized his debt of sin. 00:08:54.50\00:08:57.87 However the woman who had once been filled 00:08:57.90\00:09:01.64 with unspeakable shame and the sins of unutterable, 00:09:01.67\00:09:06.94 unworthiness, knew what Christ had done 00:09:06.98\00:09:11.05 in forgiving her great sin debt. 00:09:11.08\00:09:13.38 She simply could not contain 00:09:13.42\00:09:16.05 her overflowing love for the Savior. 00:09:16.08\00:09:19.05 And Christ concluded in one of my favorite scriptures, 00:09:19.09\00:09:23.06 Luke 7:47, it says, "Therefore I say to you, 00:09:23.09\00:09:27.03 her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much. 00:09:27.03\00:09:31.90 But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." 00:09:31.93\00:09:36.67 You know, the closer that I press 00:09:36.71\00:09:39.14 into the presence of our holy and righteous Father, 00:09:39.17\00:09:42.84 the more I recognize how sin tainted, I am. 00:09:42.88\00:09:47.42 A better understating of his "sin catalog" 00:09:47.45\00:09:52.02 has brought me to a greater appreciation 00:09:52.05\00:09:55.49 of my massive debt erase by him 00:09:55.52\00:09:58.33 and I love Him all of the more for it. 00:09:58.36\00:10:02.36 Romans 3:23 tells us, 00:10:02.40\00:10:06.74 "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." 00:10:06.77\00:10:11.64 When we think about this 00:10:16.01\00:10:18.85 in the Greek, in the original language, 00:10:18.88\00:10:21.88 the phrase for falling short represents a continuous action. 00:10:21.92\00:10:28.12 In other words what Paul was saying is, 00:10:28.16\00:10:30.89 we all keep falling short of the glory of God. 00:10:30.93\00:10:34.93 What is His glory? It's His character. 00:10:34.96\00:10:37.07 I know that I fall short of His character every day. 00:10:37.10\00:10:40.94 How about you? 00:10:40.97\00:10:42.67 Doesn't it seem logical then that 00:10:42.70\00:10:45.17 we should repent of our sins daily? 00:10:45.21\00:10:49.91 Rejoice in the recognition of your sin debt. 00:10:49.94\00:10:53.42 God delights in mercy 00:10:53.45\00:10:55.38 and He stands ready to forgive you. 00:10:55.42\00:10:57.95 His heart beats with pity for the penitent sinner. 00:10:57.99\00:11:03.32 He will not leave you with your head hanging low. 00:11:03.36\00:11:06.83 The greater your debt wiped out by Him, 00:11:06.86\00:11:10.80 the more you will love Him, hallelujah. 00:11:10.83\00:11:14.77 For many years, I have traveled extensively in ministry 00:11:14.80\00:11:19.51 and interacted with thousands of people literally, 00:11:19.54\00:11:22.71 following speaking engagements. 00:11:22.74\00:11:24.65 And as you might guess 00:11:24.68\00:11:26.21 I can't remember all of those encounters 00:11:26.25\00:11:28.85 but I vividly recall a young man 00:11:28.88\00:11:31.39 who chastised me in the year 2000, 00:11:31.42\00:11:34.22 for commending on my need of daily repentance. 00:11:34.26\00:11:37.49 He said to me, "You don't understand grace, 00:11:37.53\00:11:40.33 it's not necessary to confess your sins 00:11:40.36\00:11:42.53 after you've accepted Christ as your savior. 00:11:42.56\00:11:45.10 Jesus has paid the price for it all, 00:11:45.13\00:11:47.77 past, present and future." 00:11:47.80\00:11:49.84 Now I agreed with him about the sufficiency 00:11:49.87\00:11:52.67 of Christ sacrifice to cover the penalty of all sins. 00:11:52.71\00:11:56.85 And I tried to explain how sin separates, 00:11:56.88\00:12:00.72 even the people of God from him. 00:12:00.75\00:12:04.02 God shuts His ears to the unrepentant sinner. 00:12:04.05\00:12:08.02 He requires that we acknowledge our offenses toward Him. 00:12:08.06\00:12:13.06 He actually says in Hosea 5:15, 00:12:13.09\00:12:19.50 "I will return again to My place 00:12:19.53\00:12:22.94 till they acknowledge their offense. 00:12:22.97\00:12:25.77 Then they will seek My face, 00:12:25.81\00:12:28.51 in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me." 00:12:28.54\00:12:35.75 I shared this story with him and I shared with him the story 00:12:35.78\00:12:39.19 of the Apostle Peter at the last supper. 00:12:39.22\00:12:42.09 The impetuous disciple 00:12:42.12\00:12:44.13 did not want to have his feet washed 00:12:44.16\00:12:46.86 until Christ explained that if you did not allow it, 00:12:46.90\00:12:50.27 he could have no part in him. 00:12:50.30\00:12:52.27 Peter was suddenly eager for more than a foot washing 00:12:52.30\00:12:55.37 but Jesus said to him in John 13:10, 00:12:55.40\00:12:58.87 "He who is bath needs only to wash his feet." 00:12:58.91\00:13:02.98 The spiritual application of the story is evident. 00:13:03.01\00:13:06.98 Peter had already received spiritual cleansing. 00:13:07.02\00:13:10.72 He had not dirtied his entire 00:13:10.75\00:13:13.15 being by turning away from the Lord 00:13:13.19\00:13:15.36 and back to the sewage of the royal septic system. 00:13:15.39\00:13:18.79 Still in his daily walk he was not without sin, 00:13:18.83\00:13:23.63 his soiled spiritual feet needed washing 00:13:23.67\00:13:27.87 representing confession of sin in repentance. 00:13:27.90\00:13:34.31 You know the confession of a child 00:13:34.34\00:13:37.08 differs from that of a criminal. 00:13:37.11\00:13:39.55 A criminal might confess his sin merely 00:13:39.58\00:13:42.28 for the reduction of the sin that's against him. 00:13:42.32\00:13:44.99 But the child confesses because the wrong 00:13:45.02\00:13:47.66 he has done bring sorrow 00:13:47.69\00:13:49.69 and a sins of separation from his loving parent. 00:13:49.72\00:13:54.10 As children of God 00:13:54.10\00:13:55.86 when we acknowledge our sins before Him 00:13:55.90\00:13:58.37 and can draw near to our Holy Father 00:13:58.40\00:14:01.57 without feelings of condemnation 00:14:01.60\00:14:04.67 that we know that confession has cleared us. 00:14:04.71\00:14:08.21 Once again this correlates with the sanctuary 00:14:08.24\00:14:12.01 saying that we have been weaving 00:14:12.05\00:14:13.88 into the series on prayer. 00:14:13.92\00:14:16.35 You see before the priest could enter into the holy place 00:14:16.38\00:14:19.72 they were required to purify themselves 00:14:19.75\00:14:23.16 or they dare not enter. 00:14:23.19\00:14:25.23 They had to wash their hands 00:14:25.26\00:14:26.83 and their feet in the laver in the outer court 00:14:26.86\00:14:29.50 which we will explore in the next program. 00:14:29.53\00:14:32.27 But back to my fellow 00:14:32.30\00:14:34.77 because I didn't finished that story. 00:14:34.80\00:14:37.01 As vigorously as I defended the need 00:14:37.04\00:14:39.17 for a continuous attitude of repentance, 00:14:39.21\00:14:43.11 this young man would not budge from his belief. 00:14:43.14\00:14:46.68 Somewhere in the past either he had received 00:14:46.72\00:14:49.98 an erroneous teaching that cheapened 00:14:50.02\00:14:52.19 the value of confession or he had forgotten 00:14:52.22\00:14:56.12 how to be sorry for his sins. 00:14:56.16\00:14:58.39 The Bible tells us in 1 John 1:8-9. 00:14:58.43\00:15:02.63 "If we say that we have no sin, 00:15:02.66\00:15:06.07 we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 00:15:06.10\00:15:09.90 If however we confess our sins, 00:15:09.94\00:15:13.21 He, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 00:15:13.24\00:15:19.68 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'' 00:15:19.71\00:15:23.35 Apostle John here offers believers 00:15:23.39\00:15:26.59 the sheer word of forgiveness 00:15:26.62\00:15:29.32 that results from our confession. 00:15:29.36\00:15:31.39 Now he uses the present active condition of the verb confess. 00:15:31.43\00:15:36.10 That means what John was actually saying is, 00:15:36.13\00:15:39.00 if we keep on confessing our sin 00:15:39.03\00:15:42.64 God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin. 00:15:42.67\00:15:45.87 Confession of sin is stressed in the Old Testament 00:15:45.91\00:15:49.58 and it is urged throughout the new. 00:15:49.61\00:15:52.48 Please never become callous to the act of confession. 00:15:52.51\00:15:57.29 It is the clearing house of the conscience. 00:15:57.32\00:16:01.16 It is the prescribed manner for allowing God to purify us 00:16:01.19\00:16:06.93 and it results in the renewal 00:16:06.96\00:16:08.93 of a robust relationship with the Lord. 00:16:08.96\00:16:12.00 Are you miserable in your sin? 00:16:12.03\00:16:14.27 Confession in prayer is the place 00:16:14.30\00:16:17.37 where misery meets mercy. 00:16:17.41\00:16:20.31 Bring your sins into his light, 00:16:20.34\00:16:22.38 you'll not be telling him anything 00:16:22.41\00:16:24.01 he doesn't already know. 00:16:24.05\00:16:26.18 As Hosea 14:1-2 say, "Return to the Lord your God, 00:16:26.21\00:16:32.75 for you have stumbled because of your iniquity, 00:16:32.79\00:16:36.06 take words with you, and return to the Lord. 00:16:36.09\00:16:41.16 Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity, 00:16:41.20\00:16:45.00 receive us graciously.'' 00:16:45.03\00:16:47.54 Take words with you, words of confession. 00:16:47.57\00:16:51.64 Now look at God's response 00:16:51.67\00:16:54.24 in Hosea 14:4 to those who do this. 00:16:54.28\00:16:58.05 God says, 'I will heal their backsliding, 00:16:58.08\00:17:01.68 I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away." 00:17:01.72\00:17:06.02 Oh, aren't we thankful for the promise of 1 John 1:7, 00:17:06.05\00:17:10.53 "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, 00:17:10.56\00:17:13.50 the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin." 00:17:13.53\00:17:18.27 Christ blood shed at the Calvary 00:17:18.30\00:17:21.24 covers our confessed sins, hallelujah. 00:17:21.27\00:17:25.07 This is how God cleanses us from all unrighteousness. 00:17:25.11\00:17:28.81 His grace changes us from a polluted state 00:17:28.84\00:17:33.11 to a purified condition giving us clean hands 00:17:33.15\00:17:36.38 and a pure heart that we may enjoy 00:17:36.42\00:17:38.89 the privilege of pressing into his presence. 00:17:38.92\00:17:41.89 We're no longer wandering around 00:17:41.92\00:17:43.83 in the wilderness of sin, avoiding the God who loves us. 00:17:43.86\00:17:48.93 His mercy wipes away our misery causing us to believe that 00:17:48.96\00:17:53.80 we are accepted in the beloved Son. 00:17:53.84\00:17:57.61 Earlier in the series we considered 00:17:57.64\00:18:00.18 King David's fall from grace, 00:18:00.21\00:18:02.48 this is after the Bathsheba incident. 00:18:02.51\00:18:06.48 And now let's look at his reaction 00:18:06.51\00:18:08.95 to Nathan's accusation. 00:18:08.98\00:18:11.22 You are the man. 00:18:11.25\00:18:13.09 You know, a hardheaded prideful king 00:18:13.12\00:18:16.26 could have done away with Nathan's head. 00:18:16.29\00:18:18.66 But with eyes opened to his lawlessness 00:18:18.69\00:18:22.03 David exclaimed to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. 00:18:22.06\00:18:27.10 David was seized by remorse. 00:18:27.14\00:18:29.97 He confessed his sin against God and he repented. 00:18:30.01\00:18:33.41 And you can read his intense record of confession 00:18:33.44\00:18:36.64 on this occasion in Psalm 51. 00:18:36.68\00:18:39.85 This is the model that I first used 00:18:39.88\00:18:42.35 to learn to confess my sins. 00:18:42.38\00:18:45.22 Now I want to read you an exert 00:18:45.25\00:18:48.76 if I could from one of my first prayer journals 00:18:48.79\00:18:52.79 and if you remember I was... 00:18:52.83\00:18:54.73 writing my prayers at this time. 00:18:54.73\00:18:57.00 And it contains part of Psalm 51 00:18:57.03\00:19:00.40 paraphrased in my own words. 00:19:00.44\00:19:02.44 Here's what I wrote, "Have mercy upon me, Father, 00:19:02.47\00:19:06.07 according to Your loving kindness 00:19:06.11\00:19:07.84 blot out my sins according to the multitudes 00:19:07.88\00:19:11.81 of Your tender mercies. 00:19:11.85\00:19:12.88 Wash me thoroughly and repeatedly 00:19:12.91\00:19:13.95 in the blood of Jesus. 00:19:13.98\00:19:15.38 Take away my iniquity and cleanse me from sin. 00:19:15.42\00:19:18.95 I have sinned against You and done evil in Your sight, 00:19:18.99\00:19:21.49 please forgive me, Father. 00:19:21.52\00:19:23.43 Purge my sins and I shall be clean, 00:19:23.46\00:19:25.56 wash me, Lord, and I shall be white than snow. 00:19:25.59\00:19:28.63 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 00:19:28.66\00:19:32.30 Oh, Father, create in me a clean heart, 00:19:32.33\00:19:34.50 renew a steadfast spirit within me. 00:19:34.54\00:19:37.31 Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 00:19:37.34\00:19:39.27 Do not cast me away from Your presence. 00:19:39.31\00:19:42.74 Restore to me the joy of my salvation. 00:19:42.78\00:19:45.75 And uphold me by your precious Holy Spirit, 00:19:45.78\00:19:48.85 then help me to teach transgressors Your ways. 00:19:48.88\00:19:51.95 So that they will also turn to You for life. 00:19:51.99\00:19:54.72 Deliver me from guilt, Lord, and I 00:19:54.76\00:19:56.56 will speak forth Your praise. 00:19:56.59\00:19:59.06 I bring my sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart, 00:19:59.09\00:20:02.90 You only desire that I should confess my sins 00:20:02.93\00:20:05.40 and turn back to You, here I am, Lord, 00:20:05.43\00:20:08.67 I am ready to return to You. 00:20:08.70\00:20:12.11 Help me, Father. 00:20:12.14\00:20:13.58 Thank you for forgiveness of my sins." 00:20:13.61\00:20:17.48 Like David when the stumbling blocks of sin have tripped us 00:20:17.51\00:20:21.38 and send us skating down the slippery slope, 00:20:21.42\00:20:24.15 we should humble ourselves and confess our sins. 00:20:24.19\00:20:27.96 Although our acts maybe directed against others, 00:20:27.99\00:20:31.16 we should recognize that every sin 00:20:31.19\00:20:33.70 is against our holy and righteous Father, 00:20:33.73\00:20:35.93 the creator of all things. 00:20:35.96\00:20:38.40 Did you know constant awareness 00:20:38.43\00:20:40.80 of our absolute dependence upon God is required. 00:20:40.84\00:20:46.01 He alone is able to keep our foot from slipping. 00:20:46.04\00:20:50.41 If we try to walk God's narrow path of life 00:20:50.45\00:20:54.15 without clinging to His hands so to speak, 00:20:54.18\00:20:58.82 we are incapable of preventing our fall. 00:20:58.85\00:21:02.02 Now David had a heart for the Lord 00:21:02.06\00:21:04.46 and he was sensitive to sin 00:21:04.49\00:21:06.70 which makes his failures even more glaringly alarming. 00:21:06.73\00:21:11.03 I'm going to borrow one more thing 00:21:11.07\00:21:12.53 from David's journal to share with you now. 00:21:12.57\00:21:15.20 This is something to consider 00:21:15.24\00:21:16.94 as you confess your sins and seek forgiveness. 00:21:16.97\00:21:20.08 It's his words in Psalm 19:12-14. 00:21:20.11\00:21:26.38 Now it's something good for us to pray. 00:21:26.41\00:21:29.42 David wrote, "Clear me from hidden and unconscious faults. 00:21:29.45\00:21:33.89 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins, 00:21:33.92\00:21:37.39 let them not have dominion over me! 00:21:37.43\00:21:39.69 Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent 00:21:39.73\00:21:42.83 and clear of great transgression. 00:21:42.86\00:21:45.33 Oh, let the words of my mouth 00:21:45.37\00:21:47.60 and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, 00:21:47.64\00:21:51.54 O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.'' 00:21:51.57\00:21:55.31 You know that's what I love about David. 00:21:55.34\00:21:58.28 His relationship with God was intensely intimate. 00:21:58.31\00:22:03.69 Yet, his approach to God was never flippant. 00:22:03.72\00:22:07.39 He knew as he came before the throne of God 00:22:07.42\00:22:11.43 that he must stand in the glorious presence 00:22:11.46\00:22:14.36 of our heart-searching Lord. 00:22:14.40\00:22:16.97 David desired a blameless conscience before God 00:22:17.00\00:22:21.34 and understood that confession 00:22:21.37\00:22:24.17 is the clearing house of the conscience. 00:22:24.21\00:22:27.18 Why do so many of us have a careless attitude 00:22:27.21\00:22:31.11 regarding our confession of sin? 00:22:31.15\00:22:33.75 We should when possible be specific, 00:22:33.78\00:22:37.99 because this demonstrates that we recognize a wrongdoing 00:22:38.02\00:22:42.72 and we desire to turn away from it. 00:22:42.76\00:22:45.39 Now I don't mean to imply that 00:22:45.43\00:22:46.96 if we cannot remember every transgression, 00:22:47.00\00:22:50.57 all of our past sins and confess each one of them 00:22:50.60\00:22:53.64 individually that God will not forgive us, 00:22:53.67\00:22:57.37 that's not true. 00:22:57.41\00:22:58.87 In these instances David's prayer cleared me 00:22:58.91\00:23:02.31 from hidden and unconscience faults. 00:23:02.34\00:23:04.98 We'll serve as our sincere hearted plea. 00:23:05.01\00:23:08.58 God will hear and forgive 00:23:08.62\00:23:11.65 but it is shallow nonsense to think 00:23:11.69\00:23:14.12 that we can casually confess. 00:23:14.16\00:23:17.36 Oh, Lord, forgive me of my sins, 00:23:17.39\00:23:19.19 I just walked away cleansed. 00:23:19.23\00:23:22.13 If we dare be so presumptuous, 00:23:22.16\00:23:25.03 we seriously underestimate the cost of sin. 00:23:25.07\00:23:29.74 The ideas of mere confession 00:23:29.77\00:23:32.27 without regret for our ungodly behavior 00:23:32.31\00:23:35.58 without the goal of changing our actions is not biblical. 00:23:35.61\00:23:41.22 Let us pause to search our heart 00:23:41.25\00:23:43.85 and to inspect our attitude 00:23:43.89\00:23:46.32 before we approach God's throne of grace. 00:23:46.35\00:23:50.86 Our holy God has a benchmark, 00:23:50.89\00:23:55.33 a benchmark for his behavior 00:23:55.36\00:23:58.97 that is based on foundation of laws 00:23:59.00\00:24:02.27 upon which he bases his government 00:24:02.30\00:24:05.14 and any conduct contrary to his laws, 00:24:05.17\00:24:08.88 carries the penalty of death. 00:24:08.91\00:24:11.31 So I ask, does God forgive us simply 00:24:11.35\00:24:15.32 because He loves us? 00:24:15.35\00:24:17.09 No, such forgiveness would make a mockery of His laws 00:24:17.12\00:24:21.36 and would render Him an unjust judge. 00:24:21.39\00:24:25.03 If God were to waive the penalty of sin 00:24:25.06\00:24:28.00 for the sake of love alone, 00:24:28.03\00:24:30.20 He would violate His own holy standards set in stone. 00:24:30.23\00:24:36.07 Also, he would make a mockery of the cross 00:24:36.10\00:24:40.31 our New Testament altar. 00:24:40.34\00:24:42.81 God forgives us for one reason only 00:24:42.84\00:24:46.21 because His Son Jesus Christ stood in us as our substitute 00:24:46.25\00:24:50.99 and shed His precious blood at Calvary, 00:24:51.02\00:24:54.49 paying the penalty for our redemption from sin. 00:24:54.52\00:24:58.09 The message of the Bible is clear. 00:24:58.13\00:25:01.40 God loves all of mankind unconditionally. 00:25:01.43\00:25:05.70 Still sin demands the punishment of death. 00:25:05.73\00:25:09.57 What more could God have done than to, 00:25:09.60\00:25:12.57 to demonstrate His great love for us 00:25:12.61\00:25:16.41 then by sending His Son to die 00:25:16.44\00:25:20.38 for the sacrifice for our sins. 00:25:20.42\00:25:23.79 He provided the sacrifice for our sins 00:25:23.82\00:25:26.55 while we were yet sinners. 00:25:26.59\00:25:28.92 Forgiveness is offered as a free gift 00:25:28.96\00:25:32.43 to the repentant sinner 00:25:32.46\00:25:34.46 but at a great cost to our Father and our Lord. 00:25:34.46\00:25:39.27 I pray that we will never again 00:25:39.30\00:25:43.57 take a dry eyed look at sin. 00:25:43.61\00:25:46.98 As you come before a holy God 00:25:47.01\00:25:49.91 to confess your sins, count the cost of sin. 00:25:49.94\00:25:54.75 Remember the agony of Calvary 00:25:54.78\00:25:57.55 and cling to the crossed. 00:25:57.59\00:25:59.72 There's no greater miracle, 00:25:59.75\00:26:01.46 no greater grace than the gift of divine forgiveness 00:26:01.49\00:26:06.09 and the gift of salvation. 00:26:06.13\00:26:08.63 And let me tell you something, 00:26:08.66\00:26:10.70 you are worth nothing less to God 00:26:10.73\00:26:14.80 than the unspeakable price that 00:26:14.84\00:26:16.94 He paid for you and for your redemption 00:26:16.97\00:26:20.74 and that price was the precious blood of His own Son. 00:26:20.78\00:26:25.31 God loves you so much 00:26:25.35\00:26:27.38 and I pray that you will reach out to Him 00:26:27.42\00:26:31.02 and just know that you can enter into His gates 00:26:31.05\00:26:36.06 with thanksgiving into His courts with praise 00:26:36.09\00:26:39.86 and just confess your sins before Him. 00:26:39.89\00:26:43.03 This will be the clearing house of your conscience. 00:26:43.06\00:26:48.00 It's something that-- 00:26:48.04\00:26:49.84 it's something that's just too precious. 00:26:49.87\00:26:52.47 Now I hope that you've enjoyed today 00:26:52.51\00:26:56.88 and see that confession of sin-- 00:26:56.91\00:26:58.98 I hope this has just put a whole new light 00:26:59.01\00:27:02.05 on the idea of confessing your sin 00:27:02.08\00:27:04.59 because it's not bad to recognize it. 00:27:04.62\00:27:07.32 It's actually a good thing to recognize 00:27:07.36\00:27:10.26 what sin is so that we can confess it 00:27:10.29\00:27:13.56 and that we can look for forgiveness. 00:27:13.60\00:27:16.73 And that's what our next program is going to be on. 00:27:16.77\00:27:19.87 The next program will be on the grace of forgiveness. 00:27:19.90\00:27:25.34 You know, grace is more than just divine favor. 00:27:25.37\00:27:29.88 Grace is God's supernatural power into salvation. 00:27:29.91\00:27:35.95 Grace is His divine assistance for salvation. 00:27:35.98\00:27:39.92 And He wants to give you the grace of forgiveness 00:27:39.95\00:27:44.66 as you confess your sins. 00:27:44.69\00:27:46.66 So please join us next time 00:27:46.70\00:27:49.26 and I think you're going to enjoy 00:27:49.30\00:27:51.47 that particular teaching. 00:27:51.50\00:27:53.77 Now our time has slipped into eternity, 00:27:53.80\00:27:56.47 it goes by so quickly but my prayer for you, 00:27:56.50\00:28:00.28 our prayer for you is that the grace of our Lord 00:28:00.31\00:28:03.71 and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of the Father 00:28:03.75\00:28:07.12 and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 00:28:07.15\00:28:09.52 will be with you today and always. 00:28:09.55\00:28:13.29 Thanks for joining us. 00:28:13.32\00:28:15.06