Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Natalie Grant singing … Clean … poignantly and powerfully conveying the truth that we, as Christians, can confess and be made totally and utterly CLEAN from our sinfulness.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 32:5 [NLT] …
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to my self, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord;” and You forgave me! All my guilt is gone!
… For David’s confession meditate on Psalm 51.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 32:1-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… King David testifies of God’s healing grace when he was able o confess and be cleansed of his sin.
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Reference Passage #1 [NLT] : … Psalm 103:10-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… King David’s testimony of God’s mercy and forgiveness; and His willingness to separate us from the guilt of our sin as far as the east is from the west.
Reference Passage #2 [NLT] : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jeremiah’s joy, in the midst of his sorrows, of God’s faithfulness to extend His mercy every day of our lives.
Reference Passage #3 [NLT] : … James 5:16 [NLT] …
16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
… James’ exhortation for Christians to confess their sins, not only to God, but to one another so that the prayers of righteous brothers/sisters can help heal one from the guilt of sin.
Reference Passage #4 [NLT] : … 1st John 1:9 [NLT] …
9 But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
… If this is true (and of course, it is!), they why would we hesitate from confessing our sins and being cleansed by God’s mercy?
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Xochitl Dixon, related a personal story of being released from the guilt of a sinful act. The ODB author wrote: As a young girl, I invited a friend to browse with me through a gift shop near my home. She shocked me, though, by shoving a handful of colorful crayon-shaped barrettes into my pocket and yanking me out the door of the shop without paying for them.
Guilt gnawed at me for a week before I approached my mom—my confession pouring out as quickly as my tears. Grieved over my bad choice of not resisting my friend, I returned the stolen items, apologized, and vowed never to steal again. The owner told me never to come back. But because my mom forgave me and assured me that I had done my best to make things right, I slept peacefully that night.
Have any of my readers done something you knew was sinful and ultimately confessed to be released from the guilt of that sinful act by your confession? It’s highly likely, I think! … And that was the experience of King David after his momentary, but catastrophic, sinfulness, involving Bathsheba and the cover-up of his adultery and the murder which followed. And David wrote songs about his confession ( Ps. 51) and the release he felt from the guilt ( Psalms 32 and 103).
I have always identified and empathized with David’s transgressions, his confession, and his testimony of healing; because I was involved with hidden habitual sexual sin for 22 years of my life. However, after I confessed and repented of that sinfulness, I found out the truth of James’ admonition, found above (i.e., James 5:16). And I’m praying today that all who read here have experienced the reality of God’s forgiveness and release from our human guilt. Because if you haven’t, you need to … NOW!
God’s mercies are truly new every day (see Lam. 3:22-23) and when we confess our sins, He WILL cleanse us from our sins (see 1John 1:9) … EVERY SIN … EVERY TIME!!
My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Extend Your mercy today to any of us who need Your cleansing (and that’s likely ALL OF US!). … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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