#when we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us

[hollers-and-holmes]

Psalm 32!

Confess your sins.

Confess them to God.

Confess to whom you’ve sinned against.

Don’t let the sun go down on them.

Don’t say eh, tomorrow will be better for this.

Don’t soften with euphemistic language—call things what God calls them. If it was gossiping, don’t say something like “I was just sharing my concerns…”

Walk in the light, clean in heart and conscience. Love the sweetness of right fellowship. When sin disrupts this, fix it the way you would fix a shoulder popped out of joint—immediately and completely.

[godhasatenderheart]

how do you know for sure you won't end up in hell?

Hello! I saw your other message assuring me not to worry about responding because of the grieving process. Thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness—it truly means a lot. May God bless your sweet soul. 🩷

It’s comforting to know that, because of God’s promises in the Bible, there’s assurance that we won’t end up in Hell. Many verses speak of salvation and bring peace. Sometimes, due to severe trauma, trusting in that love and safety can be difficult, but it’s a journey to trust in what God has promised.

When doubt about salvation or God’s promises arises, the best remedy is prayer and spending time in the Word. Trusting God fully and consistently is one of the hardest parts of the Christian walk, and it’s a lifelong journey. If doubt about salvation occurs, please know that it’s a normal part of the walk and can be overcome.

This world is filled with evil, and Satan continuously works to shake that faith. We face attacks, criticism, and feelings of shame and unworthiness. Yet, the Bible reveals God’s character, and when we trust in what He has said, there is assurance of salvation.

I’ll share some Scripture that speaks to our salvation under the cut, so as not to flood anyone’s timeline. I hope this can be helpful, beloved!

Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

—Acts 16:30-31 (ESV)

More Scripture of salvation assurance below:

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

—1 John 5:13 (ESV)

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

—Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

—Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

—John 3:16 (ESV)

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

—Job 19:25-27 (ESV)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

—1 John 1:9 (ESV)

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

—Proverbs 28:13 (ESV)

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

—John 5:24 (ESV)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

—John 10:27-28 (ESV)

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

—Romans 5:9-10 (ESV)

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

—Romans 8:16-17 (ESV)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

—Romans 8:28-30 (ESV)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

—2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

—Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

—Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

—2 Timothy 1:12 (ESV)

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

—Titus 3:4-7 (ESV)

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

—Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

—1 Peter 1:3-5 (ESV)

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

—1 John 3:1-3 (ESV)

[thenameofaslan]

King Edmund the Just - an Easter reflection

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” —1 John 1:9

It’s always bugged me that Edmund, the one for whom Aslan died, was declared “the Just.”

“Just” is defined as “based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.” But why, after all that Aslan had done for him, was Edmund not “the Merciful”? Didn’t Aslan’s mercy toward him cause Edmund to be merciful too?

Aslan wasn’t being “just” when he died for Edmund. He wasn’t being “morally right and fair.” If he was, he’d have let Edmund die for his treachery. That’s the moral and fair response to Edmund’s sins. 

In the same way, God would be “morally right and fair” to let US die for our sins. 

So why is God not described as “merciful and gracious” in this verse? Why is God described as “just,” if justice should mean we are punished for our sins?

I believe, personally, that it’s because of God’s promises. God is faithful and just—God does what is morally fair—when He does what He’s promised to us. 

When Jesus took our place on the cross, He took all of God’s wrath. For God to punish us further—for God to not forgive us—after Jesus TOOK our punishment would not be “faithful and just.” This is what “faithful and just” refers to. 

This is why Edmund is referred to as “the Just.” I believe that during his reign in Narnia and throughout his life in our world, Edmund is not just in the sense that he exacts punishment on those who are immoral—he is just because he gives mercy. Edmund sees the sacrifice Aslan made for him—and all of Narnia in the process—and he sees the punishment taken. 

Let us live by Edmund’s example—and God’s—and be just, extending mercy because the ultimate punishment was taken by Jesus.

Praise God that He is faithful and just regarding the promises He’s made to us. Praise God that He is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess. 

Happy Easter, Narnians! He Is Risen!

—Mod Ailora

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Living His Word

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. — Psalm 51:2

Bodily, life can be a dirty business. You go outside, you work at what you have to do, and you get dirty. There doesn't seem to be any way around it. You get dirty and you need to be washed. Since getting dirty happens, and since staying dirty is unacceptable, washing is an unavoidable part of life. You have to accept the fact that your body will need to be washed on a regular basis.

In this psalm, David uses the metaphor of washing to speak of getting clean from the filth of sin.

How do you get your soul washed? God has to do it. He does it in at least two ways.

First, He does it when you put 1 John 1:9 into practice: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Confession is good for the soul, because God washes it when you confess your sin. That's why David confessed his sin in Psalm 51 and prayed our verse for today.

Second, He does it when you read the Bible. Ephesians 5:26 tells us that Jesus Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her so that "He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word." Reading biblical truth washes your soul of the false and evil thoughts it contains. Jesus said, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17).

You wash your body on a regular basis. Why not have your soul washed on a regular basis as well?

© 2024 by Bible League International

[faeriefully]

If God knows what choices we’ll make and that we’re going to sin, why does He let us be tempted? Why didn’t He help me when I told Him it was beyond me not to sin and begged Him to deliver me?

Anon, it sounds like you need to talk to your pastor, not a random girl on the internet—fellow believer or not. You need someone who knows you, knows the Word, and you can confide in beyond two sentences about the whole situation. That’s part of the means of grace given to you to deliver you from sin. Pray. Dig into the Word. Seek your pastor or elder’s wisdom.

That being said, what I can do is point to scripture—

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

—

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

—

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

—

“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

—

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

—

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

[banana-with-a-bow-tie]

Dan Corner, the author of the Book "The Conditional Security Of The Believer" claims that David lost his salvatio since one act of murder makes one a murderer (Numbers 35:16) and no murderer has eternal life in him (1 John 3:15). Is he right with his interperetation in your opinion?

The point of 1 John is to illustrate in black and white terms the ongoing pattern of life that identifies a person as a Christian. It isn't to say, "If you fail on one of these points, you're out." All of 1 John must be understood in light of the first chapter, specifically verses 8 and 9.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

This tells us that believers should actually expect some sinful tendencies in them. To say that we have no sin is a mark of arrogance and self-righteousness. Non-believers do not acknowledge or feel conviction when the qualities of darkness 1 John describes is revealed to them.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The number one identifier of whether or not someone is saved is not achieving perfection. It is when they notice that they are falling short, do they confess their sin to God and submit to Him cleansing their unrighteousness? The rest of 1 John asks us if as a result of God's cleansing, do we see these qualities of light growing?

What did David do? He confessed his transgression to God and asked him to cleanse him from his sin (Psalm 51:2). And how did God respond? He took away David's sin and the penalty of death he deserved. God always saves those who repent.

[haniiluvsyou]

Overcoming Guilt and Self Pity

When we sin, guilt often consumes us because we've wronged God or someone we love. We dwell on these thoughts and regret our actions, feeling immense pain and believing we deserve to suffer.

However, this way of thinking is very exhausting. We fall into self-pity and negative thinking that affects our work, relationships, and overall well-being. Despite wanting to move on and learn from our mistakes, we struggle. We convince ourselves that dwelling in self-pity and suffering is the best response instead of moving forward.

The truth is, the devil wants us trapped in this state of despair. He wants us to remain depressed, hopeless, afraid to try again, and do nothing. This contrasts sharply with God's intentions for us. God wants us to seek forgiveness, let go of guilt, and continue progressing in our lives.

While we feel the urge to punish ourselves or doubt that God can forgive us, we should pause and remember that we are already forgiven by God through the blood of Christ. We must remind ourselves that when we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). After seeking forgiveness, we should strive to avoid intentional sinning. We must be cautious in our actions and steadfast against temptations.

In summary, rather than punishing ourselves, we should seek forgiveness, release our guilt, and move forward in faith. God has already forgiven us. The enemy seeks to keep us enslaved to sin and suffering, but God's grace and mercy set us free. This allows us to cultivate a healthy relationship with Him and embrace a life guided by His love and forgiveness.

Inspired by Sacred Words https://youtu.be/c2dQuWBBjOc?si=qBtzDU6i3FCPwtrh

[scribeforchrist-blog]

Guarding Our Heart

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK

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+ Psalm 1:2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night

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VERSE OF THE DAY

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+ Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

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** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **

I AM HEARING GOD

I AM NOT ALONE

I AM BUILDING WITH GOD

I AM LETTING GO

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READ TIME: 7 Minutes & 54 Seconds

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THOUGHTS:

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  Trauma is a real thing, and so many of us must figure out how to get past our moments, and we don’t know how. Sometimes, we have family and friends we can go to, and some of us don’t. We must go through it alone and deal with it alone. Still, honestly, we don’t have to go through it alone. We can go through it with God, and that might sound cliché.

    Still, it's not; it's just that simple, and sometimes, being raw and authentic is hard to do with anyone else, but it's easy with God. He wants to hear us say I need You. He wants to hear us say, " I can't do this without You, but sometimes it's hard to do because we feel maybe he stopped listening or speaking, but we are his children.

 I can go out and do something that isn’t right, and I can go to my parents, and they won't abandon me if I go to a friend, they might, and. Some have family and friends we can't be that authentic with, but when I am with them, they always make me understand that I am who I am and they are with me to the end of the day, and that’s what we are with God right now we are who we are with him.

 1 John 1:19 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

  The Word tells us that if we confess our sins, he will be faithful, forgive us, and cleanse us from what we have done. So many of us haven’t confessed at all. We haven’t even been tempted to make a direction towards this, but when we are in this state of mind of hiding it, we can’t expect God to forgive us; all he wants from us is for us to confess to saying the hard thing, how many of you are dealing with something challenging, how many of you are dealing with past pain, sometimes we just need to get it off our chest. He can do that.

   I had years and years of past sins and past traumas that I thought I couldn’t get past, but as I spoke to them to him and he showed me how to let go, I was able to let go and move past a lot, but I wasn’t until I said what I needed to say. God wants us free from our teams, and yes, it’s going to take time, and yes, it’s going to be hard to do, but when we trust in God, he will help us with our hard moments; some moments are hard to let go of because we feel that they are part of us and they aren’t sometimes trauma is a way that Satan allows us to stay in our bitterness, malice, and strife. Still, as we let go, we realize that we don’t need this wall to protect us, and that’s what some of us have done; we have built this high wall around ourselves, not seeing that this wall is even hindering us from functioning.

  God wants to tear down this wall, but we have to be willing to let go; we have to be willing to stand and say I need more of you, God, some of us don’t realize how much we need him, and now bitterness can push us away from him, we as Christian’s can be carrying a spirit of bitterness and won’t even see it because this so blinds us is what we need and it isn’t.

 Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit.

 The Lord is near the brokenhearted, and he can save us when we need it; it might not feel like saving it might not feel like he's there, but he is; sometimes, even when we are crushed, we feel like no one can understand us. Still, we must try God, and that’s hard to do when we feel like everyone else has given up on us. Why wouldn’t he? Why would he stick around knowing that I am too much?

   God doesn’t think we are too much; pain and suffering hurt, but that’s what life is; it's getting past the tough times with God letting go of the pain and making room for him to heal us; he's ready to heal us. Still, we must be ready to let go, too; the hardest thing I found to do is letting go of the pain, letting go of the hurt because that means I am done with it. That means I must let go of everything I went through, but God wants us to let go so we can be free. Are you ready to be free?

  Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

  We don’t have to guard our hearts when walking in the spirit; God will show us how and what we must do. Many of us don’t know how to let our guard down, but God will show us how to do it healthily; we must protect who we are. Our emotions, etc., but we must do it in a way that won’t block us from drawing close to God because sometimes, when we do this, we are not only blocking the world but also blocking God's healing process.

  ***Today we talked about trauma, and this isn’t an easy topic because some of us have experienced this, and it’s hard to get past, but God wants us to do this in his way and his steps; he knows it’s hard for us, and he knows that this will be difficult, but he wants to hold our hand and help us through it, but are you willing ??

 Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your understanding

  The word tells us to trust in the lord, not ourselves, not in our emotions, but in him; if we lean on our understanding of many topics, we can cause ourselves to stay longer in the trauma or situation because when we move without the spirit leading us, it causes us to go further away from his will and close to our own. In our lives as believers, we must follow God. If you find that you have trauma and that you're going through a tough moment, ask God to help you through, ask him to help you pick up the broken pieces, and for him to make you whole.  ©Seer~ Prophetess Lee

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PRAYER

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Heavenly Father, thank you for today and for hearing and seeing us through our trauma. Lord, we give you everything and ask you to help us be more like you. Lord, we are sorry if we leaned on our understanding, and we are sorry if we have blocked you from helping us, but father, we ask you right now to help us to hear you when you speak and to follow you and not our emotions in Jesus’ name Amen

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REFERENCES

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+ Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

 

+ Ephesians 4:26-27 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil

 

+ Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

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FURTHER READINGS

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 Proverbs 27

Colossians 1

Titus 1

Romans  3

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[newprophets]

Why does John say that if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves

"Freedom in Admitting Our Flaws: A Look at 1 John 1:8"

We live in a world that tells us to always put our best foot forward, to pretend we’ve got it all together. But what if the key to real freedom isn’t in pretending, but in admitting our flaws? That’s exactly what 1 John 1:8 teaches us: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

This might sound like a harsh truth, but it’s actually an invitation to real freedom. Let’s break down how admitting our flaws leads to a deeper relationship with God and others.

Why Do We Resist Admitting Our Sins?

No one likes to admit their faults. It’s uncomfortable, maybe even embarrassing. But in trying to cover up our flaws, we end up deceiving ourselves. Here’s why we resist admitting our sins:

1. We Don’t Want to Appear Weak

In a world that values strength and success, admitting our flaws can feel like weakness. But in God’s kingdom, admitting our need for grace is a sign of strength. It shows we’re humble enough to rely on Him.

2. We Fear Judgment

We worry about what others might think if we confess our sins. Will they judge us? Will they look at us differently? This fear can keep us trapped in secrecy. But God’s judgment is full of grace and mercy, not condemnation.

3. We’re Comfortable in Denial

Sometimes it’s easier to deny that anything’s wrong. Admitting our sin requires change, and change is uncomfortable. So we stay in our comfort zones, even when it means living in self-deception.

The Power of Admitting Our Sins

1 John 1:8 is clear: denying our sin is self-deception. But here’s the beauty of admitting our flaws: when we confess, we’re met with grace and freedom. The very next verse, 1 John 1:9, promises: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Admitting Our Sins Leads to Freedom

When we admit our sins, we release the weight of self-deception. We stop pretending and start living authentically. This leads to a life of freedom, where we no longer carry the burden of trying to appear perfect.

Admitting Our Sins Deepens Our Relationship With God

God knows our hearts. When we’re honest with Him about our flaws, we deepen our relationship with Him. Confession is an act of humility and trust, and it opens the door to deeper intimacy with God.

Admitting Our Sins Strengthens Our Relationships With Others

When we’re real about our struggles, we create space for deeper connections with others. It’s in our vulnerability that we find true fellowship. By admitting our sins, we build relationships based on honesty, grace, and mutual support.

How to Start Admitting Your Flaws and Walking in Freedom1. Confess to God Regularly

Make confession a regular part of your prayer life. Don’t wait until things pile up—talk to God about your struggles daily. He’s ready to listen, forgive, and help you grow.

2. Find Safe People to Confess To

Sometimes we need to confess to others, not just to God. Find a trusted friend, mentor, or pastor who can walk with you through your struggles and hold you accountable.

3. Let Go of Perfectionism

You don’t have to be perfect. God’s grace covers your imperfections. Let go of the pressure to have it all together, and embrace the freedom of admitting that you’re a work in progress.

4. Celebrate God’s Grace

Each time you confess, remember that God is faithful to forgive. Celebrate the grace

[bibleversegarden]

Jesus Christ, Our Great High Priest, Redeemer, Savior and Lord

Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, has atoned for our sins, once for all, and has reconciled us to God our Maker. 

God's perfect sacrificial Lamb without blemish, offered Himself for our redemption, and is the only Mediator between God and men.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 10:1-7 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.' "

Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:19-23 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (See also Hebrews Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 in its entirety.)

Matthew 27:50-53 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Ephesians 2:13-18 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

(See Ephesians Chapter 2 in its entirety.) The good news of God's salvation is to be proclaimed in all the earth. Whosoever will may come, both Jew and Gentile; receive God's pardon and walk in newness of life. - A Walk In The Garden Devotions

[disneynerdpumpkin]

~ Scriptures about forgiveness ~

Matthew 6:15 "But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Colossians 3:13 "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

Daniel 9:9 "To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses."

Micah 7:18 "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love."

Mark 11:25 "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Luke 17:3-4 "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:"

Matthew 6:14 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Isaiah 1:8 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

[nightrae13]

I know we all need to hear this regardless if you believe it or not, but God loves you, you know? Bad things happen in this life because of our free will, because we deliberately choose to sin and be selfish. That sin caused death to exist and drove us away from God. However, God loves us so much that Jesus died to take up that punishment of our sins. Imagine that the only sinless man on this world was beaten and humiliated to death for all of us. Still, He rose again, and defeated death, so that if we believe in Him, tho our physical bodies will still die, we can still live again with Him in Heaven! I know some already heard this, and would think that I'm speaking gibberish, but I stand with my faith. If I can be corny with fictional characters and fandom (that I do enjoy but never really completed me and brought me peace), even more so with God!

I just went to confession earlier after I wasn't satisfied with how I read in the mass eve though it was already my seventh time. I realized that I performed poorly because I kept my world isolated out of guilt and pride with my own issues and grudges with myself and other people, and because I lived only for school and social media for so long. I closed myself and feel incomplete and distant. The same time, I also reflected on our Philosophy class about death, and our project to make a reflective essay about "Tuesdays with Morrie." That lesson and story got me thinking on "how long will I live like this? Living in fear from people because I don't want to be rejected for my beliefs? When will I stop going with the crowd instead of forming communities? When will I stop drowning myself with pride from admitting I was wrong and secretly hated others?" I may be young, but anything can happen, you know? As I learned from Morrie, he gave himself time to cry, but he moved on because he wanted to make the most of his life striving to be happy than waste it with regret. How long do we ponder in the past that we forget the present exactly?

TLDR: feel like this ramble is so unorganized but I just want to share how happy I am to go to confession earlier as a huge weight was lifted off me, and I can finally start again. I'm done living to please other people and living with hatred and pride. It's still a working progress, but it's all possible because God is there for me. Even if I backslid and avoided testifying then, He didn't give up. This happiness came because through His blood I am cleansed. Sometimes, we really forget how much He sacrificed for us, so that the Spirit can dwell with us to guide us in our lives if we accept Him. The priest told me that I should let go of my grudges and hatred for myself because God loves me. I hope you guys know that too <33

I know some Christians who'd read this aren't Catholic, but as someone who struggled with Catholic faith as well despite growing up as one, I do have to thank Impact Ministries (I recommend this vid btw) for enlightening me that confessing to fellow Christians does help even if God is the only one that can forgive us. Catholic or not, it really helps if you have someone to confide in with your struggles :)

[hollers-and-holmes]

And our next candidate for Psalms You Should Memorize Yesterday…

Psalm 51!!

Also known as: The Psalm We Will All Need Repeatedly As We Progress In Sanctification Via Mucking Things Up in Horrible Ways.

“When we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…”

Psalm 51 is the template for how God would like us to do this confessing.

[calledtobethelight]

You Can Do Well (Part 2)

“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?’ Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, ‘Do you [really] love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’”

John 21.17 (AMP)

 

You can do well! But if you have not done well, there’s hope in Jesus Christ for redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. 2 Corinthians 5.17 states, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” Your old life – your past mistakes, bad choices, guilt, and regrets – is gone. Your identity is not rooted in your old life and past mistakes, your identity is hidden in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3.3). You are a new person in Christ and you have a new life.

Peter, one of Jesus’s 12 disciples, did not do well. Peter denied knowing Jesus and disowned Him three times because he was afraid. Mark 14.71-72 states, “Then he commenced invoking a curse on himself [should he not be telling the truth] and swearing, I do not know the Man about Whom you are talking! And at once for the second time, a cock crowed. And Peter remembered how Jesus said to him, Before a cock crows twice, you will utterly deny Me [disclaiming all connection with Me] three times. And having put his thought upon it [and remembering], he broke down and wept aloud and lamented.”

Despite Peter’s momentous mistake, Jesus forgave him and restored him. Peter was justified in Christ Jesus – just as if it never happened. Romans 5.1 states, “Therefore, since we have been justified [that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God] by faith, [let us grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).”

What needed to be addressed in Peter for him to be restored and to move forward in a victorious life with Christ? Here’s a deeper look at similar elements addressed in my former blog post, You Can Do Well (Part 1).

 

1.      Humility and Godly Sorrow

When Peter denied Jesus three times, he “wept bitterly [that is, with painfully moving grief]” over his sin (Luke 22.62). Peter’s grief was marked by godly sorrow because it led to his salvation in Christ Jesus. In contrast, Judas, who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, experienced worldly sorrow and only repented to man, not God for sinning against innocent blood and hanged himself (Matthew 27.3-5). 2 Corinthians 7.10 states, “For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.”  When you humble yourself and repent of your sins, you receive God’s salvation because you have hope and faith in Him. There is never any hopelessness with God.

1 John 1.9 states, “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].” God is faithful and true to His nature. When you come to Him with "a broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent],” He will accept you and redeem you because He is merciful and gives grace to the humble (Psalm 51.17, James 4.6). He will forgive your sins and restore you to right standing with Him.

 

2.      Love the Lord and Obey His Commandments

When Jesus restored Peter, Jesus asked Peter three times about the sincerity of his love, and then following Peter’s affirmation gave a commandment for Peter to follow. The first and greatest commandment is “to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” but the sincerity of your love for God is proven by your obedience (Matthew 22.37).

John 14.21 states, “The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].” Your love for God is the access point to your obedience, and your obedience to God’s commandments is the defining factor in your relationship with God and signifies if you know Him.

You cannot say you love God, and then take actions that contradict His Word or instruction concerning your life. 1 John 3.18 states, “Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words].” True love goes beyond words or speech. Love must be exemplified in our actions and sincerely put into practice out of what we believe in our hearts.

1 John 2.5 also states, “But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him.” Your obedience to God shows that His love has been perfected in you and you are united with Him. Love and obedience were vital to Peter’s restoration because they established his relationship and unity with Jesus Christ.

A true relationship with God cannot be absent of love for God or obedience to His Word and direction for your life. When you love God with all your heart, your love is put into action by faith and obedience to God’s commandments.

 

3.      Follow Jesus

Jesus told Peter to follow Him twice – the first time, He told Peter he must be willing to follow Him unto death, and, the second time, He told Peter to follow Him and not be distracted by comparing God's direction for Peter's life with other people.  John 21.21-22 states, “So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, ‘Lord, and what about this man [what is in his future]?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!’”

You are called to follow Jesus. You cannot look to your left or your right. You cannot compare what God has called you to do with what God has called others to do. You cannot shrink back in fear concerning anything you may endure. You must trust Him with all your heart and follow Him. Matthew 16.24-25 states, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity].’”

To follow Jesus, you must be willing to endure whatever may come, deny yourself, and keep your eyes fixed on Him. Hebrews 12.2 says, “Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” You must be an imitator of Christ. Jesus endured the cross and willingly laid down His life out of love for you and obedience to the Father (Ephesians 5.1-2).  You must be willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus because you love Him, trust Him, and are obedient to His Word. When you purpose in your heart to follow God above all else, you will not go astray, but you will desire to live following what God wills because you have the mind of Christ (1 Peter 4.1-2).

 

You can do well! God forgives, God restores, God redeems. There is never any hopelessness in Him. Have faith in God and believe He can turn your situation around when you come to Him. Humble yourself, love the Lord, obey His commandments, and follow Jesus – you will do well when you live your life wholly submitted unto Him.  

[psalmonesermons]

How to restore our fellowship with the Lord Part 1

1 John 1:9 The ongoing remedy for our sin

In some ways when we get saved or born again the Lord could say ‘I have cleansed every sin from your life so go and sin no more.’

However, we know that we often slip and fall into sin (due to the old sin nature), and we would be stuck in sin if the Lord had not provided an ongoing way to get us back into fellowship with him.

That is what we are going to study today ‘how do we keep in continual fellowship with the Lord.

We can only bear fruit when we are in fellowship with the Lord and when are in sin we can bear no good fruit.

This is like playing badminton say 20 years ago or more, you could only score when serving.

The suggestion is that we can bear fruit only when we are in fellowship with God.

Relationship versus Fellowship

¨ Relationship is permanent.

¨ Fellowship is conditional.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Salvation has two parts to it: kindred relationship and fellowship.

If like me, you agree that once saved always saved then our kindred relationship is permanent (eternal). If you disagree then you must consider just how permanent our relationship with Father God is, and what could break it. However, hopefully we can agree that our relationship is stronger than our fellowship.

We are born again into the family of God and are secure in it.

Fellowship (koinonia) is our ongoing interaction with God and can be broken quite easily.

Amos 3:3 can be understood as ‘how can we walk in agreement with a Holy God’? When we are out of fellowship with him through sin.

Fellowship in this context is our old friend koinonia which means an intimate sharing of our life

with God and with our fellow believers.

Fellowship with Him and One Another

1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

As always when we want to correctly interpret scripture, we need to put in in context.

v5-7 God has no darkness or sin in his being whatever and has no truck with sin.

If we live in sin our fellowship (koinonia) with God is broken and we are kidding ourselves on (self-deception).

If we walk in the Spirit, we are agreed with the Lord, this brings us into fellowship with each other and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

v8 If Christians say that they do not sin then John says that they are lying indicating an aversion to the truth.

v9-10 We will return to these verses further into the sermon.

In Part 2 we will consider 'the chastening of the Lord'.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Living His Word

The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. — Psalm 34:18

Our God is a God who forgives people of their sins. When they come to the point where they are ready to confess their sins, God is ready to forgive them and cleanse them. The Apostle John says, "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" (I John 1:9). When we confess, He also saves us from our trouble. Indeed, when we were first saved He "rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins" (Colossians 1:13-14).

In order to get to the point that starts the process, in order to get to the point of confession, however, people may have to go through some things. They may first have to come to the point where their hearts are broken. The brokenhearted of our verse for today are those who have gone through some trouble. They are those who have tried to make it on their own and have finally given up. Their hearts are broken because they have finally realized the sin and bankruptcy of everything they were trying to accomplish.

God is close to such people. The omnipresent God who is close to everything in general comes even closer to the brokenhearted. He will not turn away from or reject a broken and repentant heart (Psalm 51:17).

But God does more than just come close to such people. He also saves them. After their hearts have been broken, after their spirits have become contrite, God comes close to them, accepts them, and delivers them. He heals their broken hearts and He restores their contrite spirits. He lifts them up from their failures and gives them the strength to move forward again. God is more than willing to do this; He is more than willing to bless them: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit" (Psalm 32:1-2).

Today, consider the state you are in. Consider the state of your heart or spirit. If your heart is broken and if your spirit is contrite, then get ready.

Get ready for your blessing.

© 2016 by Bible League International