GOD’S WORD FOR  APRIL 22

We are reading from a daily devotional  called “Running To Win” written by Erwin Lutzer  and the late, great D.L. Moody.   Erwin Lutzer is a light in our day as D.L. Moody was in his.  Besides his many ministries, and many books, Pastor Lutzer was Senior Pastor at Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years and now serves as Pastor Emeritus there.  He is Chancelor and a former professor at Moody Bible Institute, where he taught Theology and Ministry, and now has numerous radio teachings.

LET US RID OURSELVES OF SIN’S LINGERING ODOR

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.”

D.L. MOODY

There may be some confessions we need to make to be brought into close fellowship with God  We must cooperate with God.  If there is any sin in my heart that I am not willing to confess and to give up, I need not expect a blessing.  The men who have had power with God in prayer have always begun by confessing their sins.  Take the prayers of men like Jeremiah and Daniel.  We find Daniel confessing his sin when there isn’t a single sin recorded against him.”

ERWIN LUTZER

There was a time when I had two briefcases:  one for travel and one for daily use.  Once, after a trip, a flight attendant handed me a ham sandwich carefully wrapped in cellophane.  I put it in my travel briefcase and forgot about it.  A few days later, there was a musty smell in my study.  A month later, when I had to travel, I found the rotten sandwich, all mushy and green.  Just so, we carefully wrap our sin, and set it aside, but there is always a musty odor:  try as we might, we cannot keep it hidden, it is there to trouble us and to ruin our otherwise normal life.

John is writing to believers.  “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 we trust in Christ as Savior, we begin to walk with God, but the sin we tolerate ruins our fellowship, it creates a barrier between us and God.  We might try to put it out of our mind, but like the ham sandwich, we are reminded it is there and will steal our joy.  John tells us we can “walk in the light, as He (God) is in the light.”  (1 John 1:7), but we can only do that if we are repentant and confess our sins.  In fact, if we walk in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship with God – and God has fellowship with us!

PRAYER

Lord, please give me honesty to confess my sins so I might walk in the light and stand before You as forgiven, and we can have fellowship together.

*** ***

Psalm 66:18

“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

*** ***

Psalm 32:5

I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

*** ***

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

*** ***

Isaiah 30:15

For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not,

*** ***

Psalm 19:13-14

Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;

Let them not have dominion over me.

Then I shall be blameless,

And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

View all posts by liveinthelightofourlord