Confession is needed

1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

       It is never easy to admit that you made a mistake is it. It wasn’t for me. Protecting one’s self from the embarrassment of a wrong committed is utmost in almost all of us. I did because I was more interested in me, than anyone else. Satan lies to us; he says that we are the most important person. The world, powered by the devil, tells us the same thing. It’s all about me!! But then something happens, a bad decision, a job that fell through, the death of a loved one, a spouse that leaves or children that rebel. It is then that “me” seems not to matter anymore. I committed a crime, went to prison, suddenly it was no longer anything about me and all to do with the family left behind. At times like these Christ is heard loud and clear. But the doubt in our heads still echo with the phrase “you are not good enough, you suck! No one loves you anymore, especially Jesus!!!!” I thought this. But then something happened, Jesus spoke to me! I audibly heard His voice! “Todd I love you!” Right then I confessed, I laid it all out before Him. Of course Jesus already knew what I had done. That’s the funny thing, God sees and hears ALL WE DO!!!! He knows before we even say anything to Him. When I confessed, I took the burdens off my back and put them on Jesus’s back. See, Christ has the strength to carry our burdens. Just think, He had the power to get up out of the grave!! For too many years I was carrying the weight of my past, all the sins and missteps and failures. When it got to be too much I collapsed under the weight, I was shattered and utterly destroyed. Confession allowed Christ to come in and take over. I was no longer in charge, but I finally felt free. Free from all my past faults, failures and disappointments. ‘” Only acknowledge your guilt----You have rebelled against the Lord your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,’ declares the lord.” Jerimiah 3:13 (NIV).

          In my confession, God came into my heart making His home in me. And by doing so the Holy Spirit instilled in me a desire to follow and obey the one Man who died for me on the cross. Jesus shed His blood in order that I could be washed clean. My sins are covered, no longer seen by the Father. I can enter into His throne room and talk with Him face to face. I lay my burdens down at His feet. Satan continues to shout at me but the voice of Jesus now over rides him. Again, confession is a tough thing to do, but the rewards in doing it are so great, so unimaginable. It must be done though, in order for you to find the peace that you have been looking for. The inner peace that only confessing to our Lord and Savior can give. When I laid shattered at the bottom of the hole that I had actually dug, confession was my only option. It was the only thing that would save me. Some might say that it was a leap of faith, yes it was. I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus so I had no idea if He would actually come to my rescue. He did!! And He also brought along forgiveness. He knew that I needed that in order to get myself out of the pit of sin. It was at that moment when Christ lifted me up that I knew His love for me was even greater than I could imagine. Even all the times that I slapped Him in the face because of my sinfulness, He came to me. He ran to me and helped me to my feet. His forgiving me has taught me to now forgive others, to follow what He has taught me through His word about the love I need to show others. The hard thing for the world to see is that Jesus forgives no matter your past, and no matter your present. Like I said His love for you and me is more than we will ever be able to comprehend. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of god’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7 (NIV).

        Through our confession, and His forgiveness, we are pardoned. Our transgressions are separated from us “as far as the East is from the West.” How far is that? Pretty far! It took me some time before I came to sense this. It was all new to me. Of course I had not been in a situation of breaking the law and heading to prison before either. Anyway, I began to learn, through the study of the bible, forgiveness and pardon went hand in hand. I learned that by being pardoned Jesus looked at me as whole, clean, without blemish. And by my obedience at confessing my sins, and being made whole through the washing of Jesus’s shed blood, now afforded me the knowledge that I was His brother, and a Child of God. Now you may be thinking that what I am writing only happened to me. NO! You too can have this same transformation in your life too, by confessing your sins to Christ you too can become a brother to Jesus and a child of the living God. Yes, the first step is not easy, like I have said before, but doing it will change your life forever, and for the better. My life was in a shambles. And yours may be too, but taking the step of faith may be the only step you have. Christ will meet you where you are now, He will run to you and hold you and comfort you. Allowing Him to change your life will be the best decision you will ever make. Allow Christ to come into your heart now and give you the peace and joy that a pardon for sins, His forgiveness, can give you. “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our god for he will freely pardon.” Isaiah 55:7 (NIV). “who is a god like you, who pardons sins and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” Micah 7:18 (NIV).