TRUE CONFESSIONS
Have you ever done something terribly wrong and tried to cover it up? Those who have done so find that living in the cover up mode is a miserable way to live.
King David committed the sin of adultery and the sin of manslaughter to cover up his adultery. He tried to sweep those big sins under the rug and cover them over, acting as if nothing was wrong. All the while, he was dying inside with guilt and shame.
Sandi Patty is a great singer. She has experienced tremendous fame as a result of her wonderful talent. A number of years ago, however, she committed some terrible sins and she tried to cover them over. Like acid dripping through her intestines, the immorality and lies were eating her up inside. She longed for relief. She longed to escape the hell within her.
CONFESSION BRINGS RELIEF
What do you do when you sin big time and are eaten up with guilt and shame as a result? The devil will tell you, "COVER IT UP! KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT AND NO ONE WILL KNOW!" That program always brings great misery, pain and loneliness. God's Word tells us what to do When you mess up, you fess up. It is that plain and simple.
David said, "When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer" (Ps. 32:3-4). David was totally miserable in his cover up. God was crushing the life out of him as a result of his unwillingness to repent.
Sandi was right there with David. She was nearing a total breakdown as a result of her cover up. And this is what she said to her pastor as recorded in her book, Broken on the Back Row:
"You know what? I don't care anymore. I've made so many mistakes - I've divorced my husband, and I've had an affair. I've told lies and I hurt people. I'm tied up in knots worrying about who knows this and who knows that, and am I going to lose this and am I going to lose that? I'm sick of playing damage control, and I just can't do it anymore. I want to be right and clean before the Lord. I don't care if I lose my career. I don't care if I never sing again. Whatever it takes for me to be right and clean before the Lord, that's what I want to do."
Sandi confessed all and made things right with God and the people to whom she lied. She stood before her church and confessed her public sins publicly. It surely was not easy, but it was right, and God blessed her for it.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Are you carrying around deep, dark sins like David and Sandi were? Are you living a life of cover up? YOU NEED TO CONFESS TO GOD AND TO ANOTHER PERSON (Jas. 5:16). YOU DESPERATELY NEED TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT.
David was sick with unconfessed sin, but he found the answer. He said, "I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord'; and You forgave the guilt of my sin" (Ps. 32:5).
God will forgive your sin and remove all the guilt IF you will uncover, confess and repent. The ball is in your court. What will you do?
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 182 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.
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