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Sin can break a relationship
Because I believe the Bible teaches sin can break a relationship, I’ve come to lean on a simple practice of frequent repentance with God. I want to always have my prayers answered favorably. And, the main thing: I so very much want to please God and be in right standing with Him.
Got the habit? It’s a good practice. 1
PIC: prayer-private_Eliot Wolfert. Unsplash
When I pray – I always want to have no sin
I am short of holy
in need of His cleansing
so what I do is
confess anew
thank Him He’s accepted me
glory in His love and grace… 2
What do you do with yours?…confess them or keep them?
It doesn’t take “big sins” to break relationships, you know? Little ones will do, unfortunately. They break it with God. They break it with the people around you. They break it with yourself, your peace of mind, your balance with living.
Because God is more important to me than anything else… I want to be a more righteous person. How ’bout you? That your desire also? Because of that: I repent.
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].
God’s Abiding Presence – John 15
5 “I am the Vine; you are the branches.” 4 “Remain in Me”
God is always at work in me, in all of us – to turn back our hearts to obedience, to “the attitude of the righteous”. Want to be that righteous type? Work at the attitude.
What is the attitude?
“to seek and submit to the will of God“ Luke 1:17
Excerpt from Got the attitude?
Got the attitude?
The righteousness we need for God’s Holy Heaven is the righteousness of Jesus. We don’t “do it”. He gives us His. It’s “imputed” MerWeb.
“the righteousness of Jesus
is credited to believers through faith,
allowing them to be accepted by God.”
– Source: Does 1Corinthians 1:30 Imply Imputed Righteousness?
Jesus paid it all. It’s there for the asking. He freely gives us that righteousness IF we seek Him with all our heart.
James 4:8
8 Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].
Jeremiah 29:13
13 Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Luke 1:17
“It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”
Hebrews 10:38
But My righteous one [the one justified by faith] shall live by faith [respecting man’s relationship to God and trusting Him]
God is always “there” for us. He is near to all, not distant. And for the born again follower of Jesus, God actually is “abiding” inside our soul.
His presence is promised to the believer. No need to pray for any Christian that the Lord “be with them”.
No need to say, “Lord be with me.” He is right there! Better said would be something like: “Lord thank you that you are here with me.”
That is why I do not pray “Lord be with me….” The Lord is already with me because His Spirit is inside. Better to pray: “Lord strengthen me. Help me stand strong in You.”
Jesus said, “He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.”
John 14:16-17
16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [a Gr Paracletos, one called alongside to help.] Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever—
17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.
God hears us and wants us to approach Him with sincere and honest prayer. We are told this here, in Psalm 66:18. See this verse in Other Translations like these:
If I had known of, If I had cherished evil, If I had kept wicked things….
Had I cherished evil thoughts, Adonai would not have listened.
If my thoughts had been sinful, he would have refused to hear me.
EASY
If I had kept wicked things in my mind, the Lord would not have listened to me.
EXB
If I had known of [L seen] any sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened to me.
AMP…
Psalm 66:18 AMP
If I regard sin and baseness
in my heart
[that is, if I know it is there
and do nothing about it],
The Lord will not hear [me]
“Reaching God”
It’s how I start my day, what I do in early mornings when I start to pray. First repent. Why? To actually reach God. I first am careful to repent.
Why sit there talking (thinking you are in God’s presence – praying)… when God is not listening (in the sense of …we are not “reaching God” because of unconfessed sin)?
It may be that I have offended God – so I have ineffective prayers and am wimpy. If I have sinned in any way, I have offended God Ephesians 4:30. I am still saved, but my relationship was broken by my sin.
* It may be I stomped the puddle, so to speak…throwing mud on Mac. It was not such a nasty word I said to him.
* This morning it was totally justified, getting irritated. I had irritable mouth sindrome.
* That other day, stumbling drunk…. So what? Nobody got hurt.
* I’ve let my wild and crazy stallion heart stomp on people that were in my way.
* I’ve run with sin and called it “just fine with me”
Whatever it is, to keep that sin is to prevent God from answering me.
Psalm 66:17-19 CEV
If my thoughts
had been sinful,
he would have refused to hear me
So I try to remember: First repent. I can’t assume that just because I am a child of the King He will hear me. Scripture does not assume that.
The clear answer to “reaching God” is here in the Bible. See these in one link or: Psalm 66:18, Psalm 141:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Ephesians 4:30, Ephesians 4:17—5:21.
– Source: First Repent
As Scripture says, we suppress God by our disobedience. In essence we force God to not listen. That is what it means to “quench” or “grieve” the Spirit. Christians cannot move in spiritual power – with unconfessed sin.
See: Signs of an unRepentant heart
Your Prayers
It is the prayers “of a righteous person” that “availeth much” KJV. I am reminded that it doesn’t take many struggling hours and weeks of righteous living – to convince God you’re good to go. Just get down and get repenting! He knows your sincerity, and truthful confession. In this moment – right now – Jesus makes me perfect.
Forgive me oh Lord for I know I have sinned
And the prayers of sinful, caught-up in it, addicted…, wallowing brother or sister? Not so much. We must repent with the “sorrow that is in accord with the will of God” 2 Corinthians 7:10.
Confess – Repent – Reject Sin
6 Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored.
The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].
– James 5:16 AMP
Got unconfessed sin? Harboring sin makes anyone’s prayers ineffective
[subdue, or be unresponsive to
the working and guidance of]
the [Holy] Spirit.
Ephesians 4:30
30 And do not grieve
the Holy Spirit of God
[but seek to please Him],
by whom you were sealed
and marked [branded as God’s own]
for the day of redemption
[the final deliverance
from the consequences of sin].
God Shows Displeasure
There are many ways God shows His displeasure with sinful folk. One is to “not hear you.” Psalm 66:18
Another example is at the communion table. The act of taking the bread and the cup… is an act of our honoring Him in remembrance of what He suffered for us on the cross. It is a special spiritual act.
How intimately offended God can be
Paul tells us this act of remembrance is so special – that if we come into that moment with unforgiven sin on our heart… we may be struck sick and maybe even die.
I see this as a warning of how intimately offended God can be when we come into His Presence with any unConfessed sin (not just at communion). 3
The Salvation exception with prayer
Some folks are lost in apostasy and offending God. They are still not saved because they practice their sin:
* Into the world of illusion with other churchgoers
“If we refuse
to admit
that we are sinners,
then we live in
a world of illusion
and truth becomes
a stranger to us.
– 1 John 1:9-10
As sinful humans, we can’t just waltz into God’s Holy presence via prayer – – and expect Him to respond… Except for salvation.
There is that one exception, by God’s wonderful grace. The exception is: Any repentant sinner can come to Him, sin and all, vile as you can be — and be heard. Anyone, anytime, anywhere, no exclusion. Halleluja for that! (Key word there: repentant.)
– Source: What makes your prayers effective
John 1:12
12 But as many as received Him,
to THEM He gave the right
to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name…
Got the attitude?
Children of God are not born in the womb. They are spiritually born of the Spirit – born again – reborn from above. I am now a child of the King – because I came to Him with all my sin… confessed and rejected my sins, and I personally accepted His free gift of forgiveness. I got the attitude – and Jesus saved me.
Jeremiah 29:13 shows us the attitude necessary for a repentant sinner:
“Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Here is Philippians 3:8 AMP in other versions: “I have thrown everything else away, so that I can serve Christ” EASY
CEB But even beyond that, I consider everything a loss in comparison with the superior value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have lost everything for him, but what I lost I think of as sewer trash, so that I might gain Christ
CEV Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ
ERV Not only these things, but now I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Christ, I lost all these things, and now I know that they are all worthless trash. All I want now is Christ.
EASY Yes, now that I know Christ Jesus as my Lord, that is the most valuable thing. Nothing else is important at all. I have thrown everything else away, so that I can serve Christ. All those other things are like dirt to me. I think about them like that, so that I can have Christ.
FOR MORE:
I know I sin. Any sin breaks my close relationship with God. So I’ve got a simple frequent practice to deal with that: I repent – frequently.
Walking the talk
What we say we believe, is sometimes not what we actually practice. You know what I mean. So it’s good once in a while to reconnoiter, to explore my daily habits, to ask myself:
How’s the talk in my walk?…am I walkin’ the talkin’?
Is my walk a proud peacock prancing step — like the majestic Peruvian prancing stallion? 4
Or am I walking in the sandals of Jesus, pleasing to my Father, blessing those around me with His love and forgiveness?
Am I exhibiting a proud, vain, prancing spirit, or following Jesus’ Spirit of strength in humility and confidence in my Father in Heaven?
– Source: Walking the talk with 1 Thessalonians 5 COMING SOON
Romans 12:2 [Full Chapter]
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
I am not the sum of all my sins…the sins of my past
About past sins and being forgiven now…the sins of my past
Only my God Jesus makes me perfect in this moment…In this moment – right now – Jesus makes me perfect.
He knows your sincerity and truth
Your heart – It is bare open
My wild and crazy stallion heart
Keeping a good conscience…about the sins of my past
Legitimate irritability Excerpt: I will instead — become more and more conformed See: QuickSearch References each day to the loving ways of Christ. I consciously reject irritability and, I choose love.
Why God is against me IF I claim my words are God’s own…the sins of my past or present
My heinous, heinous ways…my sins of the past and now
Your spiritual journey to eternal life
16 Happenings On Your Spiritual Journey
The non-stop work of God inside you and me…God is always at work in me
Road Sign: God is at work up ahead…God is at work
What God has going on with us here on this planet
Peaceful easy feeling Excerpt: I come into God’s presence through prayer whenever I want to, because He has an open door policy. Anytime of the day or night – I open my heart to Him and I find rest and peace, confident that my God is with me.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all [a]comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
– Philippians 4:6-7
Into it Excerpt: I am definitely “into it”. I am following Jesus with everything I can think of. Are you becoming more and more like Jesus? Un-becoming what you used to be into (Ephesians 2:3)?
Un-becoming…(unDoing) what we were before Christ Excerpt: When a person accepts Christ as Savior and Lord, a transformation journey begins. We start “un-becoming” (un-doing) what we were before Christ — and little by little “conforming” to Jesus. Our previous conforming to the world “pre-Christ” starts getting un-done as we begin our journey with Christ. Has that been your experience?
Are you “contrary” – not conforming to the Gospel?
Right on the edge of trusting him forever
Waiting may get you beheaded – sooner than you think
God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exception
“before the foundation of the world” (BibleGateway quicksearch references)
What is more important than your Eternity?…God and eternity are more important to me than anything else
To reach God, first repent Excerpt: Talk to God Almighty with a clean heart (Psalm 51:10).
Make Self Talk… God Talk. It goes on and on and on…Talk to God Almighty
First Repent Excerpt: To repent of sins is the first step when approaching God in prayer. Repentance changes everything. Do you first repent when you go to God in prayer?
It may be that I have offended God – so I have ineffective prayers and am wimpy Ephesians 4:30
What makes your prayers effective…or do you want to talk to thin air? – Psalm 66:18
Does 1 Corinthians 1:30 Imply Imputed Righteousness? | by 25/09/2018 |
Our righteousness is “imputed” MerWeb.
“the righteousness of Jesus
is credited to believers through faith,
allowing them to be accepted by God.”
–
Forgive me oh Lord for I know I have sinned
What makes your prayers effective
When I pray I always want to have no sin Excerpt: God has His Ways. So when we approach Him, we absolutely must acknowledge Him in His Ways. Sin in my heart? Then “He will not hear me” Psalm 66:18 KJV.
…I am short of holy
in need of His cleansing
so what I do is
confess anew…
God is there… for us, well, actually – here inside for us. Excerpt:
Every waking moment
every day anywhere
my mind is on
my heart stays open
my soul is listening
my inner voice speaks
and God is there and speaks to me
every day anywhere I go….
What makes your prayers effective
When I pray I always want to have no sin Excerpt:
…I am short of holy
in need of His cleansing
so what I do is
confess anew…
God hears us and wants us to approach Him with sincere and honest prayer
Sincerity and truth Excerpt: We can understand truth and sincerity. We know why we absolutely hate it when truth and sincerity are missing:
-
- We expect truth in advertising – true organic when we buy it.
- We expect a promise of love – to be true and sincere. Where is the “love” when your love is betraying you with another?
- We expect an apology – to be sincere and result in different behavior.
The same is true with God. He hates it, absolutely, when we relate to Him without truth and sincerity.
Running with sin and calling it “just fine with me”
Running with the wheaties…Excerpt from: How a tare thinks
Offending God. It may be that I have offended God Ephesians 4:30.
* It may be I stomped the puddle, so to speak…throwing mud on Mac. It was not such a nasty word I said to him.
* This morning it was totally justified, getting irritated.
* That other day, stumbling drunk… So what? Nobody got hurt.
* The world of illusion of some churchgoers
* My wild and crazy stallion heart
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
Running with sin and calling it “just fine with me”
Walking the talk with 1 Thessalonians 5 – COMING SOON
Growing into our natural new life in Christ
This is part of a series on Every believer’s new life in Christ: Ephesians 1
-
- You are here: Growing into our natural new life in Christ
- Every believer’s new life in Christ [Part One]
- Explaining the Basic Christian Experience [Part Two]
What God secures – you cannot lose
Being saved means forever never again condemned…never lose their salvation
Being faithful little by little
After you have suffered for a little while Excerpt: Pain and suffering, sickness, dying – it’s all part of the curse of God on the world because of sin, because man chose evil over obedience to God. The Fall of Man brought all of this down on us. It will be done away with by Christ – when we get to heaven. But what about now? The pain. How are we to understand it, and deal with it? – 1 Peter 5:6-9
Be a little more Christian…little by little
Why we should fear God Almighty
Passing on through to the other side
The ultra extreme unresolvable horror upon arrival for Gods condemnation
Receiving the forgiveness of God through Jesus the Messiah
Useless faith is exactly that – useless
We are the odd creature are we not…Got it made in the shade!? All is well? Seeing clearly these days? Think so?
Running with sin and calling it “just fine with me”
You plant your life so carefully and put a fence around it Excerpt: …describing life on earth rejecting God – and the day of reckoning
“In the day that you plant it
you carefully fence it in,
And in the morning
you bring your seed to blossom;
Yet [promising as it is]
the harvest will be
a heap [of ruins that passes away]
In the day of sickness and incurable pain.”
– Isaiah 17:11
Do you have God?…rejecting God?
The “you will never enter” warning passages in Scripture
Promises God makes about your Salvation
Going to Hell? Excerpt: You may get to hell before you know it, as it’s quick and easy, and actually quite a short route. And once you get there, well, there ain’t no turning back. There is a wide open gate to hell, and many drive blissfully on in without a thought about what they’re getting into. Unfortunately the road back is closed, and nobody gets out of there. Your stuck. No turning back then.
God damned on Earth Excerpt: Being God damned on earth is to be simply living your life – without Christ, living in rebellion against God, refusing to bow your knee to God, refusing his free gift of eternal life, living for anyone or anything else….
Verses I have written – poetry, satire, and make-believe
Footnotes
- NOTE: The truly born again can definitely never lose their salvation.
But “relationship” with God is definitely messed-with, broken-up by sin. We “quench” the Spirit when we sin. 1 Thessalonians 5:19
So I must practice frequent repentance to keep relating well with God. To reach God, I first repent – then continue praying, with sincerity and truth.
-
PIC: man.young-915230_1920. Pixabay
…then I know that I am holy
set apart completely
nothing now is in the waythat peaceful easy feeling
floods my soul
so sweet
to trust in Jesus….– Source: When I pray – I always want to have no sin.
- Read these key passages about communion (in one link): 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:14-20).
Wikepedia: known for its lateral gait called the paso llano.
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