Specific Confession

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)

When I was in seminary, I took a course called Missionary Preparation. We had a guest speaker one day by the name of Bertha Smith. As a retired missionary, she still had fire in her bones.

I will never forget what she said in class that day. As she walked to the front of the classroom, she wrote on the board, “S I N.” She then asked a very important question, “Boys, are your sins confessed up to date?” I will never forget that question, “Boys, are your sins confessed up to date?” My first thought was, “Lord, I'm here. I'm studying your Word. I'm preparing myself for ministry.” However, her question was probing. “Are your sins confessed up to date?”

If you want God to do something through your life, it will not happen until God does something in your life! Do you know what I did? I found a place where I could get alone with God. As a believer, as a child of God who was preparing for ministry, I said, “Lord, I really want to make sure that there is nothing between you and me. I desire to make certain that I'm not harboring anything in my life. I'm praying right now that you would reveal to me whatever needs to go. Is there any attitude, any action, anything I've said, anything I've done that is dishonoring to you, and that has broken your heart? I want my life to be clean. I want my life to be a conduit for your Spirit.”

As I began to pray, I just waited on the Lord. He then began to show me sin after sin, after sin. I had prayed the little prayer that many of us pray, “Oh, God forgive us of all of our sins.” We don't realize that God forgives us our sins as individually as they are committed. He wants us to repent of our sins just as specifically as they are committed.

Let me ask you a question: “Are your sins confessed up to date?” Don't wait any longer; you may not have another moment. This is your chance to get right with God. Would you start right now?

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