Unbolt The Door To Your Heart

Tag: forgivness

  • Confess

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

    There is a word in the above verse that many followers of God have misunderstood or just plain believe the wrong definition of the word.  They then pass on this wrong definition to their children and to others.

    The word in question is “confess”. I can hear many of you immediately utter “I know what that word means”.  It is a simple word, and I know I need to say I am sorry to God for my actions.  The problem is you rely on man’s translation without digging deeper and finding out what was really meant by the word and how it is used.

    Confess (Homologeō): In Greek, this word literally means “to say the same thing” or “to agree”.

     Confessing means you stop making excuses and agree with God that what you did was wrong. It is an honest acknowledgment rather than just feeling bad and saying to God “I am Sorry”.

    This word has no relationship with “I am sorry” or “repent”.

    Just feeling bad and saying I am sorry is an act of the mouth and not the heart. Confess (Homologeō) is a deep agreement in your heart that you agree with God that you are a sinner and have wronged Him.  It is an agreement that you need to stop and immediately make a change. It is a deep wound inside that is crying out for forgiveness or your sin.

    David cried out “I have sinned against the Lord” 2 Samuel 12:13 KJV. “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin”. Psalms 32:5 NIV

    Genuine confession offers no defense for the offense. It is a frank admission: “What I did was wrong.”

    Saying “Sorry” for some action never brings about a true change of heart.  “Sorry” focuses on the mistake itself rather than the deep emotional pain that causes you to change. Apologizing just eases your own guilt. It makes the moment about your own comfort and not a true agreement with the Lord about your sin.

    Agreement with God about my sins can only happen when I allow the Holy Spirit to make a complete transformation of my heart and mind.

    A transformation that brings about a completely new mind, new behaviors and new habits.

    When you agree with God about your sinful behavior it will bring about a transformation of the heart and mind that will prepare you for eternity with God.

    1 John 1:9 means that when we admit and agree with God about our wrongdoings, God is reliable and fair to forgive our sins and completely clean our hearts.

    Dig deep into the word of God and be transformed.

    Remember it is not a religion it is a relationship.

    Prayers and Love for All.

    Larry

  • Isaiah 6

    Isaiah Six is a very powerful chapter on the transformation of the prophet Isaiah and the same transformation that must take place in every believer.

    Isaiah starts by seeing and experiencing the Holiness of God. The Lord is seated on the throne in the temple. The train of His robe fills the whole temple.  This is symbolic of the Lord’s infinite majesty, supreme authority and is showing that God’s glory is greater than any earthly king and it leaves no room for anyone else to rule in the temple or the universe.

    Above the Lord were seraphs and they were constantly praising God with song and voices. Verse three tells us what they were saying and verse four tells us how they were proclaiming the Holiness of God.

    The sound of their voices shook the doorposts and thresholds of the temple.  Oh, what a worship service and witness it would be if your praise at church shook the ground for the neighborhood to hear, see, and feel what God is doing for You.

    Immediately in verse 5 Isaiah recognizes his sinful condition and that he is not worthy of standing in the temple or the vicinity of God. When we realize the holiness and greatness of God and His presence, the more we realize our sinful condition. God’s absolute purity acts like a bright light that exposes even the smallest flaws in our hearts.

    “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Luke 5:8 NIV

    Isaiah realizes that he has no right to be in the presence of such holiness and purity. He shouts out in fear of being put to death, for he has experienced the presence of the Lord.

    “Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6: 6-7 NIV

    This is where the transformation starts.  You realize your sinfulness and impurity. You humble yourself before the Great “I AM”.  God’s presence in your life brings about complete surrender and humility. You realize that there is nothing you are going to do to become clean.  You cannot wash yourself.  No amount of working at scrubbing is going to get you ready for the presence of God.

    Immediately upon being touched by the coal Isaiah is clean. “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:7 NIV

    The coal was radiant white with heat from being in the altar before God.  That whiteness of that heat brought complete forgiveness and atonement to Isaiah. God accepts the Purity  of His Son to bring Purity to you and me.

    This cleanliness changed Isaiah. He immediately hears the voice of God asking, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah 6:8 NIV

    This is such an important part in the transformation of a person from believing that they are worthless to being forgiven clothed in the white robe of Jesus. Don’t underestimate this part of the transformation. 

    The change is once he hears God’s calling to witness unto others, to take the message to others. Isaiah stands up and starts shouting “Here I am, Send Me”. Isaiah 6:8 NIV 

    This is how it should be in everyone that has accepted the saving grace of God.  You should immediately be so excited to share this wonderful message with all. You have been forgiven and cleansed and you cannot wait to share it with everyone. It is shown in your personality, the glow on your face and the love in your eyes for everyone. In your daily interactions in person or on social media. There is no more negativity or condemnation in anything you do. You did not deserve to be touched by the hot coal and forgiven. God saved you because He loves you. No act like it and live a life worthy of what God has done for you.

    “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”. Romans 1:16 NIV

    God then tells Isaiah to go and tell but gives a warning. In verse nine and ten God explains that most people will not listen because their ears will not understand because their hearts have become calloused. They only want to hear what tickles their ears and gladdens their hearts.

    This is the problem with believers.  They hear the saving words, but it does not change them. They are believers that hear the word, the seed, that the workers have cast upon the ground.  They hear and sprout up only to die when the heat hits because they did not change their behavior and put down a foundation deep into Jesus. It was just a surface religion.

    Isaiah asks how long he should continue to spread the good news of salvation. God’s response is until the end of time. 

    God then gave some good news.  He has reserved a tenth of the population that has never bowed down a knee to the world and its ways. Those people shall be the holy seed that goes forward in the name of the Lord.

    What a wonderful promise of eternity is in this chapter for those that accept the saving grace of God the Father and accept the changes that this brings. They allow this saving Grace to change their behavior, words and actions.

    Read this chapter every morning.  Let it sink deep within and let the Holy Spirit transform you. Surrender all to Him and go forth today in a manner that brings glory to God.

    Remember it is not a religion it is a relationship.

    Prayers and Love for all.

    Larry