Confessions

The message on 3.13 was about confession. (If you missed it, you can listen in here!) Pastor Josh talked about 2 kinds of confession:

Confession of Sin
Confession of Agreement

Confession of sin breeds sobering reality, it is a confession of who you really are and confesses the bad stuff of ourselves. This includes blatant sins such as stealing as well as sins we don't even confess to ourselves, such as greed and pride. Confession of sin allows us to be honest with ourselves and each other. Confessing or telling others who we really are creates transparency and releases us to live in freedom.

"We spend our time crafting an image of ourselves that we're not. And that crafting enslaves us." - Pastor Josh

I am guilty of this...I worry how others may view me as a wife, a mother, a friend and I spend energy crafting what I want people to see in me and also what I don't want others to see in me. Hello Pride! But I need to be honest with myself and others about my weaknesses. I don't have it all together. I need help. I can't do it all myself. I am selfish and lazy...I can't hold it together sometimes.

But that's what's wonderful about our almighty God. When you confess to God, He knows. "There's a glimpse of heaven meeting earth [in the] forgiveness and acceptance of God." And there, in that glimpse, basking in the glory of God, you are in full light of who you are. You are naked and vulnerable but God has taken the shame away. And what happens when you don't have to hide who you are anymore? Freedom.

Confession of agreement establishes loyal allegiances.

"Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 10:32

When we're committed to something, we're responsible for it. It clarifies where you stand and who you are.

It illustrates your identity. Who do you identify with? The things of this earth (settlers) or of the unseen things of Heaven (sojourners)? How can we live in a way that makes our kids WANT to be sojourners as well?

Who do you align yourself to? Everyone confesses something. God calls us to align ourselves with all He has and wants us to be. He is looking for someone to stand for Him. Will we stand for Him and lead our children to stand for Him too?

Some of you have heard me talk about my love for the Duggars. I know some people are not interested in the show because they think they are in a cult, or they dress different or are strange to have so many children. But, if you were to open your mind and look closely, I propose that they are really the model sojourners. They are on a show called "19 kids and counting" on TLC. They are Christian and they do what they do through conviction and faith. If you think about it, it is amazing that their show has prospered on tv. What other show out there shows blatant Christianity and lots of prayer and Bible reading? It hit me a while ago that this is the only show on TV that we can learn real TRUTH from. I always come away encouraged and convicted to be better for God after watching an episode.

I really encourage you, if you are tv watching people, there's really lots we can learn from the Duggars. Just the other day, I watched an episode where they went to visit the Biltmore House that was built by the Vanderbilts. The children asked their dad, Jim Bob, who the Vanderbilts were. To which he replied that he wasn't sure who the Vanderbilts were but they placed a lot of treasure on earth, but one day we are all going to pass so we want to place our treasures in Heaven. It was truly a learning moment for me that any time can be a teaching moment to teach our children about TRUTH and eternal things.

Confession Clarifies…

…Who You Are…

…What You Agree With

…Who You Agree With