Behold over and over again I would briefly set out the words of my confession.
I testify in truthfulness and gladness of heart before God and his holy angels that I never had any reason, except the Gospel and his promises, ever to have returned to that nation from which I had previously escaped with difficulty. But I entreat those who believe in and fear God, whoever deigns to examine or receive this document composed by the obviously unlearned sinner Patrick in Hibernia, that nobody shall ever ascribe to my ignorance any trivial thing that I achieved or may have expounded that was pleasing to God, but accept and truly believe that it would have been the gift of God. And this is my confession before I die.
The End
Tag: confession
With Friends Like These
God forgives sins.
Psalm 103
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
But humans remember everything they think we have done. They judge and attack when the whim suits them. Once God has forgiven us we should not allow people to hold us bondage to our past sins. We are free to follow God. He washed away our sins and prepares us for a great work.
People often try to keep us bound to our sins and sabotage the work we would do for the Lord. They attempt to make us doubt ourselves. They refuse to do the work God has laid out and they will try to stop you from following His instructions.
As Patrick found out.
“ And then I was attacked by a goodly number of my elders, who [mentioned] my sins against my arduous episcopate. That day in particular I was mightily upset, and might have fallen here and for ever; but the Lord generously spared me, a convert, and an alien, for his name’s sake, and he came powerfully to my assistance in that state of being trampled down.
I pray God that it shall not be held against them as a sin that I fell truly into disgrace and scandal. They brought up against me after thirty years an occurrence I had confessed before becoming a deacon.
On account of the anxiety in my sorrowful mind, I laid before my close friend what I had perpetrated on a day– nay, rather in one hour– in my boyhood because I was not yet proof against sin. God knows– I do not– whether I was fifteen years old at the time, and I did not then believe in the living God, nor had I believed, since my infancy; but I remained in death and unbelief until I was severely rebuked, and in truth I was humbled every day by hunger and nakedness.
Christian = Those who Call upon the name of Jesus
1 Corinthians 1 (NIV)
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
Christians are those who call on the name of Jesus. A Christian, at least once, has called on the name of Jesus for forgiveness of sins. We reach a place where we understand not by our power, but by Jesus’ sacrifice are we reconciled with God.
Jesus’ death on the cross bridges the gap between God and us. If and only if, we cry out to Jesus asking Him to take our sins and to be Lord of our lives can we come into a relationship where a true life of gratitude to God is possible. Through crying out to Jesus. we start on a path where we become one with Jesus as he is one with God (John 14-16). We see His plan may not be our plan, but His plan will always be greater than our plan.
By growing closer to Jesus, by being one with Jesus, we can reach a point where we trust God that He is honestly in control, and will work all things for good for those who love Him.
Exercise
Describe when you cried out to Christ asking Him to be Lord of your life. If you have never asked Jesus to be you savior, search your heart do you want to hand over your life to Christ. Ask Christ to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart as Lord.
Living a life of Thanksgiving is about being in relationship with God. Accepting Jesus’ sacrifice is the only method God has given us for coming into relationship with Him.
Play list
What A Friend We Have In Jesus Amy Grant Legacy… Hymns and Faith
The Old Rugged Cross Chris Rice Peace Like a River: The Hymns Project
Fourth Day Adventures 