S: Psalm 32:1-5 Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. Because I was silent, my bones grew old, while still I cried out all day long. For, day and night, your hand was heavy upon me. I have been converted in my anguish, while still the thorn is piercing. I have acknowledged my offense to you, and I have not concealed my injustice. I said, "I will confess against myself, my injustice to the Lord," and you forgave the impiety of my sin.
O: King David recognised that when he tried to conceal his sin, God did not bless him. But when he confessed his sins, God forgave him and restored his fellowship with God.
A: James reminds us, "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 5:16) and John reminds us "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." (1 John 1:9)
Therefore, let us keep short accounts with God. Let's practice "spiritual breathing":
Spiritual breathing, like physical breathing, is a process of exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure, an exercise in faith that enables you to experience God's love and forgiveness and walk in the Spirit as a way of life.
But the average Christian does not understand this concept of spiritual breathing as an exercise of faith and, as a result, lives on a spiritual roller coaster. He/she goes from one emotional experience to another living most of his life as a worldly Christian, controlling his/her own life, frustrated and fruitless.
- Bill Bright
So we "exhale" by confessing our sins immediately to God and claiming His forgiveness, and then we "inhale" by asking the Holy Spirit to control and empower us and to keep us from returning to sin.
P: Father, thank you for so great a salvation that you've provided through the sacrifice of Your Son. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
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