Tag: Biblical

CONFESSING GREED

When we worship the things of the world, we do not worship the Lord. We can’t serve two masters. In our worship of the world, we end up making choices that hurt others… and ourselves.

“So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” — Colossians 3:5

Welcome to part 5 of the Going By Faith series “Uncovering Sin and Finding Forgiveness.” For last week’s confession on hate, click here.

If you want to confess greed in your life, first pray with the Bible verse below. Then, read the questions one by one — answer them truthfully. Confess other areas of your life that are controlled by greed instead of God. Be honest — this is between you and Him.

Every “yes” answer means sin in your life. Name it to God. Let there be no excuse for it — just admit it and ask forgiveness.

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Confessions of Greed

Greed leads to a lonely place. I know because for a short time in my life, I lived there.

And it’s a cruel master when you become its slave. Nothing is ever enough. Nothing can satisfy. Worse yet, it deceives us into thinking we will run out  of the very thing that often keeps us locked in its grasp.

The Bible warns us about greed repeatedly. Luke 12:15 tells us, “Then he said, ‘Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.’”

When does the Bible ever tell us to beware of something without good cause?

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CONFESSIONS OF A PART-TIME CHRISTIAN

Welcome to part 6 of the Going By Faith series “Uncovering Sin and Finding Forgiveness.” For the previous confession, click “confessions of greed.”

If you feel like you’ve been living like a part-time Christian, living for God sometimes and turning away other times, take a moment to repent. You can do this by praying with the Bible verse below. Next, read the questions one by one — answer them truthfully. Confess it if you’ve been irresponsible toward God. Be honest — this is between you and Him.

Every “yes” answer means sin in your life. Name it, and let there be no excuse — admit it and ask forgiveness.

PRAY

Below are three translations of 1 Corinthians 4:2. Reading all three can give us a special glimpse into the true meaning of being responsible with our saved life in God’s eyes.

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (NIV)

“Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.” (NLV)

“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.” (ESV)

CONFESS

  • Are you undependable so that you cannot be trusted with responsibilities in the Lord’s work?
  • Are you allowing your emotions to be stirred for things of the Lord but doing nothing about it?

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Keeping faith in everyday Christian life helps us get through trials, but it also helps us to live, think and trust like Christ — keeping our hearts open to God to do His work in us, through us and around us. In other words, we become responsible and trustworthy stewards of our faith.

Heavenly Father, shine the light of your love into our hearts so that it can pour out to others. Help us walk with you full-time, in every area of this life you have given us to live. May our life show your glory.

Thank you Christ Life Ministriesfor granting permission to use your content (concept and confession questions).

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Confessions of Irresponsibility (the Part-Time Christian)

This weekend I heard a sermon that touched on a few of the biggest disasters throughout history, one of them being the sinking of the Titanic.

Of the 1,347 people who perished, something close to 90% were men who gave up their lives so women and children could live.

In another story, the sinking of a ship called “The Empress of Ireland” in 1914, there were 130 Salvation Army officers on board — some of them old women — who gave up their life preservers, even to strong men, saying, “I can die better than you can.”

What the pastor said made me think: If you were one of the survivors and someone gave his or her life up to save yours, wouldn’t it change the way you lived from that day forward?

Most of us would agree — Yes, definitely!

And yet Jesus gave up His life for us. We have all been on that sinking ship (and maybe still are), but Jesus gave us a life preserver — one he paid for with his life. We have been saved, ultimately, from the greatest disaster.

Has if profoundly changed the way we live? Are we living a true Christian life, or are we only walking with God when it’s convenient?

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Keeping It All to Yourself?

Are there some feelings better kept to ourselves? Most of us would answer yes to this question. I always did. But then I learned a better answer.

A little while back I went through what felt like an eternity (a few days) of feeling extremely vulnerable. Maybe it was due to pregnancy, or maybe because some days we just feel more vulnerable than others. Either way, I admit that in this vulnerability, I was open to attack from the enemy.

My feelings were hurt over something I heard my husband say, and I thought it would be best to confront the issue. I began by asking him not to take offense and to pray for me, knowing in advance I’m not the most tactful when hurt feelings are involved.

What started out as “sharing feelings,” turned into my husband feeling attacked, and me feeling more hurt and alone. Reactivity and counter-reactivity followed.

Then silence.

Then I felt the attack continuing on me.

The words that went through my mind sounded something like this: Maybe it’s better to keep some feelings to myself from now on.

And that’s when a most beautiful realization set in.

As I prayed those words to God, he gave me a much better answer. He told me I wasn’t alone with my feelings and I never had to feel that way. I just had to turn to Him with them.

In Him I am safe to express myself. And so are you.

We can begin by asking Him to hear us, and to hold us in his great mercy, endless love and compassion. When we express our feelings to God, He helps us to see — and also to hear — the truth.

And so if we ever wonder if it’s better to keep some feelings to ourselves rather than share them, the answer is: We don’t have to keep them to ourselves and we don’t have to share them with another, but we can always start by sharing them with God. If it is something to be shared, He can give us the guidance and timing needed.

Only the Spirit can fill us with the wisdom and discernment we need to take the right course. Even when we are not speaking out loud, God is always listening.

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REFLECTING IN THE MIRROR

Sinful nature, you float through me. You burden me and you deceive me. I know you are there; but I close my eyes and try not to see you.

And yet you are in my reflection. Wanting everything to be perfect. Wanting to be right. Wanting to live comfortably.

I once thought I was you and you were me. I once justified your motives, believing they were mine.

Only by the blood of Jesus do I know you exist outside of me, yet you still attack me. And like a puppet hung on strings, I move with your direction only to feel the same sick hangover in the morning.

But you don’t have my heart.

Lord, I confess the selfishness and pride that leaves me blind. Remove these strongholds in my life so that I can live only for you!

There is a battle being waged over my soul.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
— Galatians 5:19-21a

Thank you for your love, Lord. Thank you for your mercy again and again. Thank you for opening my eyes to see the destruction that occurs when I look away from you.

Thank you for surrounding me with faithful sisters and brothers who trust in you. With church leaders who love you and reinforce your Word. With a heart for Jesus, even when I fail to love like Jesus.

Thank you for giving me a marriage joined by you, not by me.

Lord, you care for your children. Give me eyes that see only you when I look in the mirror.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
— Galatians 5:22-25

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Reflections on a Sinful Nature

Looking in the mirror, I see a person who wants everything to be perfect. Who wants to be right. Who knows that suffering brings perseverance, but desires to live comfortably.

I trust in the Lord but have a tendency to let the waves of life toss me around as if I had no solid foundation.

I write about going by faith in marriage, and two days later hit challenges that leave me questioning that faith.

Some people in my life deserve an apology — there are situations the Lord has opened my eyes to. But I haven’t made a move. I’ve lingered. Wavered.

The things I want to do, I don’t do. Instead — and often without realizing — I do the things I hate.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
— Romans 7:21-25

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MOVE FORWARD IN FAITH

Is there more to it for you?

Usually confession is where it ends. And when it does, it’s time to move forward.

Yet sometimes when we experience God’s grace His spirit stirs us to move in it; we may yearn to take another step. We may desire to do what we can to make a situation right, to say we’re sorry in person, to make amends or to admit a truth.

During my freshman year in college I spoke to a girl in a mean and hurtful way. Almost 20 years had passed, but the memory still hurt my heart. I wanted to apologize, but I didn’t know how. I hadn’t known her well at the time and didn’t think I’d ever see her again.

One day on Facebook I noticed we had a friend in common. While it felt awkward and even a little embarrassing, I messaged our mutual friend and asked if some day she’d relay a long-overdue apology for me. I didn’t go into detail, but I trusted the heartfelt apology would be understood. As soon as I hit send on the message, I thought, Ok God, I don’t know what will happen or how long this will take, but there’s no fear in perfect love. Our mutual friend messaged me back in 15 minutes that she relayed the message, and the situation had been long forgotten. Fifteen minutes! Wow, after all those years it was done in 15 minutes. Praise God for that peace.

Some situations work out like that and others don’t.

Attempting to make amends will look different for each of us in each situation. Sometimes people aren’t reachable, situations cannot be returned to or forgiveness isn’t extended. Moving on and trusting in God’s mercy, grace and forgiveness is key. If you have a desire to reach out and say you’re sorry, don’t hold back, no matter how much time has passed or how pointless it may seem. If it’s in your heart and you have an opportunity, take it.

And if you ever feel tempted to give up, read this.

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BECOMING TRANSPARENT: COME CLEAN WITH OTHERS

While God’s grace is immediate, the healing inside our hearts and minds can take time.

Maybe you’ve confessed to God and believe you’re forgiven but still feel unsettled, uneasy or unresolved. Do you still feel the need to get something off your chest, or do you feel haunted by your past?

Take baby steps in transparency; talk it over with others you trust. Wise and trusted friends can help us see different perspectives and pray alongside of us.

In my early 20s I was going through a tough time; it was a situation I didn’t expect many people to understand. One Sunday I went to mass at a Catholic church and afterward started walking toward the rectory. I wasn’t sure where to go or who to talk to or what to say. A priest saw me in the courtyard and asked if I needed help. I told him I needed someone to talk to, and he invited me in to a small sitting room. He offered me tea. There we sat and talked heart to heart–not in a confessional, but in chairs. It comforted me to share what I had harbored in my heart, alone, for so long. It lifted a burden just talking about it with someone before the Lord, and I gained an entirely new perspective.

Maybe things weren’t as bad as I thought.

Years later when I started attending women’s Bible studies at a non-denominational Christian church, the intimacy of a small group made it easy to open up and share. Many times I shared things with the other ladies in tears and never felt ashamed… their nonjudgmental listening, prayer, hugs and encouragement helped me heal in the loving arms of sisters in the church. Slowly I became more transparent in my life in general, which felt freeing.

German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi dissident Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his book Life Together:

Confession in the presence of a brother is the profoundest kind of humiliation. It hurts, it cuts a man down, it is a dreadful blow to pride…In the deep mental and physical pain of humiliation before a brother – which means, before God – we experience the Cross of Jesus as our rescue and salvation. The old man dies, but it is God who has conquered him. Now we share in the resurrection of Christ and eternal life.

Becoming transparent helps us stay in the light and not return to old dark hiding places. James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

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EXPERIENCE GRACE: CONFESS BEFORE GOD

We have judges in this world, and they serve a clear and needed purpose. But God is our eternal judge, and He knows the truth of a situation and the hearts of men and women regardless of the world’s judgments. Do you trust that?

True confession leads to true healing because we stop trying to solve our problem and seek Him to wash us clean. It is turning away from pride and turning toward Him. We are already forgiven, we just need to accept it. James 4:6 says that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

The day I turned to God for cleansing changed my life forever. I had finally realized there was nothing else that could take away the burdens I carried. It was the moment I realized I was really free.

Jesus tells us, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30).

It is by His grace that we are forgiven. Ephesians says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” This is a great post on why confession is a good thing.

If we trust God and believe His word, we can stand on His promises, such as these three:

  • “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.” (Psalm 32:5)
  • “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
  • “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Proverbs 28:13)

Even after we confess our sin before God, we may feel tempted to believe that’s not enough; that we’re not yet forgiven. I went through this, but don’t look back. God’s grace if a free gift and He gives it to us in love. Ephesians 5:8 says, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

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