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