I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (NIV).
I have learned some lessons from my own wilderness wonderings, and I have shared several with you:
1) Even in the wilderness, God provides and guides.
2) Sin will stop the flow of God's provision to you.
Today, let's briefly look at Lesson #3, that repentance is the solution to the problem/barrier of unconfessed sin stopping the flow of God's provision to you.
It is crucial that you daily reflect on how you are living your life, what you are doing, saying, even thinking. Unconfessed sin is a spiritual cancer. Do not allow it to spread. I John 1:9 is a wonderful promise, and it is the solution to the problem.
Just as I John 1:9 states, when you know of (or the Holy Spirit reveals) an unconfessed sin, immediately confess it, knowing that the Lord is faithful and just, and forgiveness is instantaneous.
Yes, Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross paid for all the sins of all mankind--past, present, and future, but it is up to each of us to safeguard our close walk with Him, as well as break down the barrier of our individual shortcomings which can keep God's blessings from flowing to us, by utilizing confession and repentance. How true the saying, "Confession is good for the soul."
What this has to do with weight loss: The definition of "sin" is "missing the mark," and based on that definition, I miss the mark in my weight-loss journey quite often. Now, I can choose to feel condemned by that or I can choose to confess it, repent of it, and allow the Lord to help me to do better next time. All too often, it seems we do the former and just beat ourselves up by our lack of self-control, or our laziness, or our "cheats." Let's make a better decision, and choose the I John 1:9 approach, truly making each day a new start, even in our weight-loss journey.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I know I miss the mark often, daily it seems. My desire is to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who is faithful to shine His light on each area that I need to get right with You. May I also keep a clean slate, confessing and repenting of each time I sin in thought, word, or deed. I thank You that forgiveness is assured. May I do my part to bring down every barrier that keeps Your provision from coming to me. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, with nothing between you and the Savior.
Showing posts with label I John 1:9. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I John 1:9. Show all posts
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Friday, July 24, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #36 [A Closer Walk]
Recently, someone asked me how she could get closer to God. It's really very simple, because it's all about relationship. God is a relational being, and so are we. There are, basically, 5 steps to an intimate relationship with the Lord.
Step 1: You must be born again. If you have experienced frustration spiritually, found it difficult to follow a spiritual pathway, find that you're uncomfortable when you go to church, read your Bible but you don't seem to get anything out of it, etc., you may not be truly born again. If you grew up in a Christian home and you've always gone to church, you may be assuming your salvation. You see, God has no grandchildren...only children. Salvation is personal, not hereditary. If you cannot pinpoint a moment when you said "yes" to Jesus, then it's time that you have that encounter. (Romans 10:13)
Step 2: You must talk to Him. Just as in any relationship, communication is key to an intimate relationship with the Lord. He longs to hear from you. Talk to Him in prayer. Talk to Him with your thoughts. Talk to Him out loud, throughout your day. (Philippians 4:6; I Thessalonians 5:17)
Step 3: You must listen to Him. Good relationship building revolves around talking and listening. When you talk to Him, don't forget to listen. When you read the Bible (and you should, daily), listen for His voice, His teaching, His prompting...just for you. It is His love letter to you. (Proverbs 8:32-34; I Thessalonians 2:13)
Step 4: You must seek to follow Him. Knowing the Lord should make a difference in how you live. There should be a change in the way you think, speak, and live. It many not be instantaneous, but there should be noticeable, ongoing changes. (John 10:27; I John 2:6)
Step 5: You should keep a daily, updated heart account. At the end of every day, take some time to be with Him, and ask Him to show you if you said or did anything that day that "missed the mark." He will lovingly show you, and you should then ask for forgiveness, knowing that it is assured. (I John 1:9)
It isn't difficult to know, follow, and be intimate with the Lord, but it does take decision, desire, and commitment. After that, it's as easy as breathing in and out.
Colossians 2:6-7 [Amplified]
"As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him. Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confident and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving."
What this has to do with weight loss: There is no greater accountability partner and encourager on the weight-loss journey than the Lord. He is as close as the mention of His Name, and when you partner with Him, you will be successful in the desire of your heart (releasing and maintaining weight loss). Let Him be your helpmeet.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I desire an intimate relationship with You. To have that, I must truly have had a personal encounter with and accepted Your Son as Savior. Once I've settled that question, I know that spending time with You in prayer and the Word will be as effortless as breathing. More than anything, I want to say, 'You are the air I breathe.' May we get to the point, You and I, that others cannot tell where I end and You begin. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, walking side by side with Jesus.
Whether or not you're facing surgery, Psalms for Surgery is a wonderful way to relax at the end of the day, meditating on the Psalms. Check it out at http://www.cdeanhall.com/products.html.
Step 1: You must be born again. If you have experienced frustration spiritually, found it difficult to follow a spiritual pathway, find that you're uncomfortable when you go to church, read your Bible but you don't seem to get anything out of it, etc., you may not be truly born again. If you grew up in a Christian home and you've always gone to church, you may be assuming your salvation. You see, God has no grandchildren...only children. Salvation is personal, not hereditary. If you cannot pinpoint a moment when you said "yes" to Jesus, then it's time that you have that encounter. (Romans 10:13)
Step 2: You must talk to Him. Just as in any relationship, communication is key to an intimate relationship with the Lord. He longs to hear from you. Talk to Him in prayer. Talk to Him with your thoughts. Talk to Him out loud, throughout your day. (Philippians 4:6; I Thessalonians 5:17)
Step 3: You must listen to Him. Good relationship building revolves around talking and listening. When you talk to Him, don't forget to listen. When you read the Bible (and you should, daily), listen for His voice, His teaching, His prompting...just for you. It is His love letter to you. (Proverbs 8:32-34; I Thessalonians 2:13)
Step 4: You must seek to follow Him. Knowing the Lord should make a difference in how you live. There should be a change in the way you think, speak, and live. It many not be instantaneous, but there should be noticeable, ongoing changes. (John 10:27; I John 2:6)
Step 5: You should keep a daily, updated heart account. At the end of every day, take some time to be with Him, and ask Him to show you if you said or did anything that day that "missed the mark." He will lovingly show you, and you should then ask for forgiveness, knowing that it is assured. (I John 1:9)
It isn't difficult to know, follow, and be intimate with the Lord, but it does take decision, desire, and commitment. After that, it's as easy as breathing in and out.
Colossians 2:6-7 [Amplified]
"As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him. Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confident and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving."
What this has to do with weight loss: There is no greater accountability partner and encourager on the weight-loss journey than the Lord. He is as close as the mention of His Name, and when you partner with Him, you will be successful in the desire of your heart (releasing and maintaining weight loss). Let Him be your helpmeet.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I desire an intimate relationship with You. To have that, I must truly have had a personal encounter with and accepted Your Son as Savior. Once I've settled that question, I know that spending time with You in prayer and the Word will be as effortless as breathing. More than anything, I want to say, 'You are the air I breathe.' May we get to the point, You and I, that others cannot tell where I end and You begin. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, walking side by side with Jesus.
Whether or not you're facing surgery, Psalms for Surgery is a wonderful way to relax at the end of the day, meditating on the Psalms. Check it out at http://www.cdeanhall.com/products.html.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #4 [Consequences]
Everyone makes mistakes, dumb moves, mess ups. Most consider the resulting consequence the hardest part, but I have come to know that the consequence is the best part. It is the consequence that gives one the opportunity to learn a valuable lesson--the first time, hopefully.
What consequences have you experienced: debt, bitterness, guilt, shame, regret, missed opportunities, need for forgiveness, loss of joy, need for repentance, need to pay retribution, having to face delays (in whatever form)? Whatever your consequence, once you've been there, done that, you never want to go back.
When you choose to live outside God's truth, you will experience painful consequences. These consequences are as natural as burning your finger when you touch a hot stove. They are not punishments sent from a vindictive God. For every cause there is an effect. It's the same in the spiritual world as in the natural world. The purpose of the effect is to drive one back to the cause, where there is a valuable lesson to be learned and personal/spiritual growth to be had.
Isaiah 59:2 [NIV]
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God..."
Joel 2:25 [NLT]
"The LORD says, 'I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts...'"
What this has to do with weight loss: It is a very painful moment, when one realizes that one's choices in the area of eating and lack of tending to one's body have culminated in excess weight, weakness, and, often, sickness and/or disease. To do anything other than care for one's body, our gift from God, is sin. Because it is sin, we are assured that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9, KJV). After that, with God's help, we begin anew, doing all we can to live an abundant life, in the healthy body God created for us, knowing that God will do His part--doing for/in us that which we cannot do for ourselves.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I do not want my iniquities to separate me from You, so I want to tell You how sorry I am for my sins. Please forgive me today, and shower me with unmerited grace. Thank You that You, as my good and loving Father, discipline me, as would any good and loving parent. Help me to grow, more than I could ever imagine, through consequences that are allowed by You. Only You offer freedom, healing, hope, and a secure future--before, during, and after the necessary consequences. For those consequences that I have faced that were not caused by sin in my life, thank You for seeing me through. In Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and learn from every consequence.
What consequences have you experienced: debt, bitterness, guilt, shame, regret, missed opportunities, need for forgiveness, loss of joy, need for repentance, need to pay retribution, having to face delays (in whatever form)? Whatever your consequence, once you've been there, done that, you never want to go back.
When you choose to live outside God's truth, you will experience painful consequences. These consequences are as natural as burning your finger when you touch a hot stove. They are not punishments sent from a vindictive God. For every cause there is an effect. It's the same in the spiritual world as in the natural world. The purpose of the effect is to drive one back to the cause, where there is a valuable lesson to be learned and personal/spiritual growth to be had.
Isaiah 59:2 [NIV]
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God..."
Joel 2:25 [NLT]
"The LORD says, 'I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts...'"
What this has to do with weight loss: It is a very painful moment, when one realizes that one's choices in the area of eating and lack of tending to one's body have culminated in excess weight, weakness, and, often, sickness and/or disease. To do anything other than care for one's body, our gift from God, is sin. Because it is sin, we are assured that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9, KJV). After that, with God's help, we begin anew, doing all we can to live an abundant life, in the healthy body God created for us, knowing that God will do His part--doing for/in us that which we cannot do for ourselves.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I do not want my iniquities to separate me from You, so I want to tell You how sorry I am for my sins. Please forgive me today, and shower me with unmerited grace. Thank You that You, as my good and loving Father, discipline me, as would any good and loving parent. Help me to grow, more than I could ever imagine, through consequences that are allowed by You. Only You offer freedom, healing, hope, and a secure future--before, during, and after the necessary consequences. For those consequences that I have faced that were not caused by sin in my life, thank You for seeing me through. In Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, and learn from every consequence.
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