10-28-2018

Good Morning All,

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

       Most of you read this as an email so you probably already know what I just learned the other day.  We were having some issues with our email account.  We wouldn’t get a lot of emails which we were supposed to receive.  Now there was a time when that wasn’t that big of an issue but now many important messages are sent only via the email so you have to be able to get them.  It seemed like the email was full.

     It was a little confusing because we never left a lot of emails in our inbox.  We either put them into different files or else we put them in the trash bin file.  We thought we were good to go but we were having troubles.  It turned out that every so often you have to delete your trash bin file or else it gets full and it bogs down the whole email system.  Even though it was in the trash bin file, it was still in the email account and was taking up room.  So we deleted the trash bin file and we didn’t have trouble after that.

     Our faith life is a lot like this.  We go to church, we say the confession of sins and then we move on to the next part of the service.  Yet do we just say the words because that is what we are supposed to do?  Do we just go through the motions?  Do we just send the junk to the trash bin file but not truly delete it?

    In order for confession to work, we have to mean it.  We cannot simply say the words and then think “poof” it is done.  Confession involves faith.  It involves some commitment on our part.  We must truly confess our sins, willingly and desiring to give them over to God.  We should view confession as going to God and saying, “God, I am tired of carrying these sins around.  They weigh me down and hold me back.  You take them so I can get rid of them.”

     God forgives your sins.  He releases you from the pain and suffering that sin causes us but we have to let go as well.  We can’t keep them around, even in the deepest parts of our memories.  We have to surrender them.  We have to delete them from our memory.  We let them go so that the devil doesn’t have any tools to taunt us with.  We have to let them go so we can go on and forgive others.  Forgiveness is the key but receiving the forgiveness, taking it to mean what it means, is essential as well.  Trust God to forgive your sins; that is what faith is.  Trust God to dispose of them; trust God to send them far away.  Those sins never need to bother you anymore.  So don’t just store those sins away but delete them permanently from your life.

Father of all that is, lead us to release those sins which cause us pain.  Give us the courage to confess and release the pain in our life.  Lead us to see that this world’s power over us is only through guilt.  Be with those who are especially in need of the peace that your forgiveness brings.  Shower them with your mercy that they can live in the contentment of your grace.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret