The Key Word Is Acknowledge

                                     When The Door Slams

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a lair and his word is not in us.                        1 John 1:9-10 NIV  

            Confession of sin is multifaceted, but there is a core principle. It is not sorrow, guilt, or shame. It is agreement. The Greek translation for "confess" is made of two words: homos, meaning "same," and lego, meaning "say or speak." So to confess means "to say the same thing as." As who? As God! We don't inform God of our sins by confessing them. He already knows what we have done. Our greatest need is to humbly agree with Him: "Father, You call what I did 'sin' and I agree with You." 

            Consider these words from the General Confession in the Book of Common Prayer: "Almighty God, we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness. The key word there is acknowledge. It suggests that we are simply agreeing with God about our "sins and wickedness." We are not hiding our sins or hiding from God. We enter God's presence ready to acknowledge (agree with) what God already knows. Such acknowledgement means we humbly accept God's definition of our actions. We don't try to call our sins "mistakes."

            Think about this: We have all had this experience. After investing hours or days searching for a solution to a problem, we finally discover that an expert could have helped us quickly and easily if we had only asked. James reminded his readers to accomplish their goals  turn to God first. In fact, we say, "All you have to do is ask," come from the word of James:

         "You do not have because you do not ask." Instead of seeing God as our first choice, we often make Him our last resort. And we wonder why we don't have the comfort, guidance, or provision we so desperately need and seek.

           If you have sins start today by confessing and agreeing with God. Only what is rightly confessed can be rightly forgiven. You need to make God your first choice. He is our Holy Father who loves to meet His children's needs-if they will just ask.

           Confession: What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want. so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. when you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:1-4 NIV).

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.                        

                                              Never Rest Ministries