Category: Confession

Tabernacle Prayer: Confess Known Sin

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date March 10, 2021
117 Comments on Tabernacle Prayer: Confess Known Sin

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.’” Exodus 30:17-18 (ESV) The second step to intimacy with God involves “the basin of water” found in the Old Testament Tabernacle. We are touring the furnishings within the Tabernacle. After acknowledging God’s gift of salvation through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross as symbolized by the altar of burnt offering, we now move to the basin of water. The basin of water represents our cleansing provided by the shed blood of Jesus. In our prayer time, we move from praising God for His salvation gift to confessing sin and receiving His forgiveness. Station 2: The Basin of Water Confess Known Sin Look realistically at yourself in light of God’s holiness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9 ESV). You may embrace Isaiah’s response and say, “Woe is me!” Invite the Lord to search your heart and to reveal any unconfessed sin in your life. Be sensitive to His prompting. Don’t seek to hide your sin or to try to convince God that sin doesn’t exist in your life. God is all-knowing and He is all-seeing and nothing escapes His attention. Confession of sin is not to bring God up on your sin, but to enable you to say the same thing about your sin that God says about it. Confessing sin allows you to get honest and transparent before God. As Dr. Johnny Hunt would say, “Whatever you cover, God will uncover. Whatever you uncover, God will cover.” Choose to uncover your sin by confessing your sin specifically and instantly. Name your sin before God and claim His forgiveness and receive His cleansing. Submit your body to the Lord by giving Him your hands, eyes, and tongue. Submit your mind to the Lord by releasing pride, greed, and lust. Submit your spirit by praying through the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Satan will seek to distract you by reminding you of your past failures and mistakes. Satan uses your memory to neutralize your power and to pollute your passion for the Prince of Peace. God uses your memory to remind you where you were when He rescued you. God has the capacity to remember our sin no more, but He allows us to retain memory so we will never forget our desperation for His dispensing of grace. Confess your sin specifically and receive God’s forgiveness completely. Don’t give the devil a club to hit you with. Choose to stay close and clean by practicing instant confession of sin. Don’t allow sin to linger. Receive God’s forgiveness and walk victoriously in the strength Christ provides. You are a new creation! Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

Tags Devo

Confession Daniel Prayer

Praying for Our Nation

“Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.’” Daniel 9:3-5 (ESV) Daniel prayed in brokenness and confession on behalf of his people. He took ownership for their spiritual health and vitality. Daniel sought the Lord God in prayer. He cried out with fasting and humility before the Lord for God’s mercy to be extended. Revival is for believers who have become apathetic toward the things of God. Revival is designed by God to restore a believer’s passion and hunger for God and His agenda. When revival comes, it produces a byproduct known as a spiritual awakening. While revival is for believers, a spiritual awakening impacts unbelievers and brings them to the place of transformation. The only way for our nation to genuinely change is for the lost to get saved and have a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for everyone, including national leaders and those in authority, that they may come to know the Lord personally and have a growing relationship with Him. Can you imagine our nation fully yielded to the Lordship of Christ? Can you envision our nation passionate about pursuing God daily and living for His glory? Join me in praying for that vision to become a reality. Pray for our nation. Seek the Lord in brokenness and humility on behalf of our nation. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Tags Devo

Confession Forgiveness Psalms

Uncover Iniquity

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5 (ESV) The prophet Nathan confronted King David about his sin by sharing a parable and announcing, “You are the man.” King David could have had Nathan killed, but instead, the king got real about his own sin before God. David acknowledged his sin, uncovered his iniquity, and confessed his transgressions to the Lord. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” Psalm 51:1-2 (ESV) “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” Psalm 86:5 (ESV) God forgave David for his sin of adultery and murder and enabled David to become a man after God’s own heart. David became a portrait of God’s grace and a mascot of God’s mercy. Spend some time reviewing your life and invite the Lord to search your heart and to reveal any unconfessed sin in your life. The convicting work of the Holy Spirit will illuminate the areas of your life that are out of alignment with the holiness of God. Confess sin instantly and specifically. Claim the shed blood of Jesus over your life and walk in the victory you have through the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Satan seeks to discourage you and to defeat you. Don’t give him a foothold. Keep walking in the light God gives you. Avoid sin. Take ways that are firm. Fear God and keep His commandments. Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit living in you. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Disobedience Judges

Continual Realities

“And the Lord said to the people of Israel, ‘Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.‘” Judges 10:11-14 (ESV) God delivered some strong words to the people of Israel after their willful disobedience in spite of God’s perpetual gracious treatment. God rescued them and delivered them from their oppressors. They still chose to forsake God and served other gods. As a result of their incessant rebellion, God told the people of Israel to go and cry out to the gods whom they had chosen. God encouraged them to let their gods save them in their time of distress. Of course, their gods would not respond. The propensity to sin is a common thread throughout human history. Living in a fallen world and combating the sinful nature are continual realities. To live in victory requires forsaking sin and following Christ. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14 (ESV) “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV) Your flesh craves sin. Crucify the flesh by starving the flesh. Be robed in the righteousness of Christ and walk in the power of His resurrection. Make no provision for the flesh. Flee sinful allurements and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Prayer Tabernacle

Confession and Cleansing

(Personal Note: Starting January 1, 2015, I will be transitioning from posting devotionals every day to posting devotional thoughts with you on a weekly basis that will continue to come to your inbox. My desire is to encourage you in your journey with God.) “The Lord said to Moses, ‘You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.’” Exodus 30:17-18 (ESV) The second step to intimacy with God involves “the basin of water” found in the Old Testament Tabernacle. We are touring the furnishings within the Tabernacle. After acknowledging God’s gift of salvation through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross as symbolized by the altar of burnt offering, we now move to the basin of water. The basin of water represents our cleansing provided by the shed blood of Jesus. In our prayer time, we move from praising God for His salvation gift to confessing sin and receiving His forgiveness. How can a Christ follower stay clean while living in a dirty world? You stay clean by consecrating your life before the Lord daily. Being conscious of your sin is not enough to obtain cleansing. Confess your sin specifically and say the same thing about your sin that God says about it. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” Psalm 51:3 (ESV) “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9 (ESV) Confess sin specifically and confess sin instantly. As soon as the Holy Spirit convicts you of specific sin in your life, confess it without hesitation. Don’t give the devil a club to hit you with. Choose to stay close and clean by practicing instant confession of sin. Don’t allow sin to linger. Receive God’s forgiveness and walk victoriously in the strength Christ provides. You are a new creation. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Conviction Intimacy with God

Where Are You?

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” Genesis 3:8-9 (NIV) God cares about you personally and He cares about where you are spiritually. Your condition matters to Him. Throughout the Bible, the thread of God’s redeeming love can be traced. His love for you has no limits. God created you so that you can know Him personally and make His love known globally. Adam and Eve rebelled against God and received immediate consequences. Their eyes were opened to recognize their nakedness and their fellowship with God was inhibited. Their sin hindered their unbroken communion with God. The poison of sin had tainted their spiritual condition. Our God is compassionate. The depth of His love is evidenced as He pursues Adam with a personal question, “Where are you?” Of course, God knew where Adam was both physically and spiritually. His question was not to aid in locating Adam’s whereabouts in the garden. God asked the probing question to get Adam to assess his personal spiritual condition. God’s question was a question of compassion. God could have left Adam and Eve to their own demise. God could have given them an extended silent treatment. Yet, God made the first move toward reconciliation. God went first to restore the fractured relationship. Where are you? How is your love relationship with the Lord? Have you drifted in your daily devotion and intimacy with Jesus? Assess your current spiritual condition. Repent of anything that has hindered your fellowship with the Lord and return to your first love. Enjoy unbroken fellowship with the One who died to give you life eternal and complete. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Holiness Purity

Perfecting Holiness

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) Imagine a bride, adorned with her beautiful white wedding dress, choosing to march down a muddy road before uniting with her groom. Purity and filth are not compatible. As the bride of Christ, we were made ready for our union with Christ through His atoning work on the cross. Positionally, we are clean and made fit for heaven. However, practically, we are still working out what God has worked in. The muddy road of life requires that we purify ourselves from the contamination of our fallen world. We must guard our hearts and protect ourselves from the flaming arrows of the evil one. Staying clean while living in a dirty world mandates making wise decisions about what we say, think, and do. Our conversation and conduct must be consistent with the character of Christ being formed in us. A clean life begins with receiving the nature of the Lamb of God at salvation. Upon conversion, we take on the nature of Christ and His desire for purity. That clean life is preserved as we purify ourselves from the filth of this world and embrace a healthy reverence for God. Fearing God means that we hold His opinion of us above all other opinions and expectations. Fearing God means to orient our lives to please Him above all others. Are you living a life of moral purity? How’s your thought-life? Evaluate your conversation and your conduct. Are you living a life pleasing and honoring to God? Is there anything in your life that contaminates the life of Christ in you? Are you perfecting holiness through revering God? Confess known sin and embrace the life God has for you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Adultery Confession Ten Commandments

Uncovering Adultery

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 (NIV) In our society, sexual temptation is prevalent. Christians are not immune to adultery. What if you have gone beyond your spouse for romance? What do you do when you violate the seventh Commandment by committing adultery? You can choose to continue to walk in deception or you can repent by doing what is right in God’s eyes. Step 1: Confess your sin. Living in sin will never produce the righteous life God desires. Be honest before God about your willful disobedience. In brokenness and humility, confess your sin instantly and specifically before the Lord. God wants you to say the same thing about your sin that He says about your sin. I am reminded of a statement by Dr. Johnny Hunt, “Whatever you cover, God will uncover. Whatever you uncover, God will cover!” Step 2: Confront your participant. Go directly to the person you are having an affair with and completely sever the relationship. This calls for drastic and fervent action. Amputate the limbs of lust and lies that connect you to this person. Do not leave a glimpse of hope for future interaction. Inform your participant that you have confessed your sin before God and that you will not continue living in disobedience to the Lord. Boldly and courageously announce, “It’s over!” Step 3: Comfort your spouse by becoming trustworthy. Once you have gone before the Lord to confess your sin and to receive His forgiveness, and after you have confronted your participant to end the relationship, in brokenness and humility, inform your spouse of the affair. Be prepared for an array of emotions to cascade from your spouse such as anger, hurt, devastation, revenge, and insecurity. You have violated your covenant relationship with your spouse. This is a big deal! In order for your spouse to ever trust you again, you will have to become trustworthy. Consider incorporating a Christian counselor into your plan of restoration. Commit to never go beyond your spouse for romance. By God’s grace, do all you can to comfort your spouse by becoming worthy of trust. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Basin of Water Confession Prayer Tabernacle

Tabernacle Prayer: Basin of Water

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date June 24, 2013
5 Comments on Tabernacle Prayer: Basin of Water

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.’” Exodus 30:17-18 (NIV) The second step to intimacy with God involves “the basin of water” found in the Old Testament Tabernacle. We are touring the furnishings within the Tabernacle. After acknowledging God’s gift of salvation through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross as symbolized by the altar of burnt offering, we now move to the basin of water. The basin of water represents our cleansing provided by the shed blood of Jesus. In our prayer time, we move from praising God for His salvation gift to confessing sin and receiving His forgiveness. How can a Christ follower stay clean while living in a dirty world? You stay clean by consecrating your life before the Lord daily. Being conscious of your sin is not enough to obtain cleansing. Confess your sin specifically and say the same thing about your sin that God says about it. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” Psalm 51:3 (NIV) “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9 (NIV) Confess sin specifically and confess sin instantly. As soon as the Holy Spirit convicts you of specific sin in your life, confess it without hesitation. Don’t give the devil a club to hit you with. Choose to stay close and clean by practicing instant confession of sin. Don’t allow sin to linger. Receive God’s forgiveness and walk victoriously in the strength Christ provides. You are a new creation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Awareness Confession Prodigal

Disposition Recognition

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” Luke 15:21 (NIV) There is power in the recognition of your true disposition. You can shroud your persona with a facade that exudes perfection while your inner life embodies disarray. Disguising the reality of your inner self has the potential to delay being found out. However, the manifestation of your true disposition will appear at some point. God has a way of exposing our current reality. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Gen 3:8-10 (NIV) When God asked Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” He was not perplexed that He had misplaced the crown of His creation. His question was not one of confusion related to an inability to find the couple that He created. His question was to heighten their recognition of their true disposition. God wanted Adam and Eve to recognize their current reality. The prodigal son identified his true disposition and responded with the confession, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” Consider the holiness of God. Are you sensing a need for confession in light of His holiness and your true disposition? His purity exposes our sinfulness. He graciously offers forgiveness. Get honest before God and encounter His love at a new level. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Daniel Prayer

Praying for Our Nation

“Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.’” Daniel 9:3-5 (ESV) Daniel prayed in brokenness and confession on behalf of his people. He took ownership for their spiritual health and vitality. Daniel sought the Lord God in prayer. He cried out with fasting and humility before the Lord for God’s mercy to be extended. Revival is for believers who have become apathetic toward the things of God. Revival is designed by God to restore a believer’s passion and hunger for God and His agenda. When revival comes, it produces a byproduct known as a spiritual awakening. While revival is for believers, a spiritual awakening impacts unbelievers and brings them to the place of transformation. The only way for our nation to genuinely change is for the lost to get saved and have a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for everyone, including national leaders and those in authority, that they may come to know the Lord personally and have a growing relationship with Him. Can you imagine our nation fully yielded to the Lordship of Christ? Can you envision our nation passionate about pursuing God daily and living for His glory? Join me in praying for that vision to become a reality. Pray for our nation. Seek the Lord in brokenness and humility on behalf of our nation. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 258: Daniel 7-9) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Forgiveness Psalms

Uncover Iniquity

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5 (ESV) The prophet Nathan confronted King David about his sin by sharing a parable and announcing, “You are the man.” King David could have had Nathan killed, but instead, the king got real about his own sin before God. David acknowledged his sin, uncovered his iniquity, and confessed his transgressions to the Lord. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” Psalm 51:1-2 (ESV) “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” Psalm 86:5 (ESV) God forgave David for his sin of adultery and murder and enabled David to become a man after God’s own heart. David became a portrait of God’s grace and a mascot of God’s mercy. Spend some time reviewing your life and invite the Lord to search your heart and to reveal any unconfessed sin in your life. The convicting work of the Holy Spirit will illuminate the areas of your life that are out of alignment with the holiness of God. Confess sin instantly and specifically. Claim the shed blood of Jesus over your life and walk in the victory you have through the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Satan seeks to discourage you and to defeat you. Don’t give him a foothold. Keep walking in the light God gives you. Avoid sin. Take ways that are firm. Fear God and keep His commandments. Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit living in you. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 134: Psalms 32, 51, 86, 122) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Disobedience Judges

Continual Realities

“And the Lord said to the people of Israel, ‘Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? 12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. 13 Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.‘” Judges 10:11-14 (ESV) God delivered some strong words to the people of Israel after their willful disobedience in spite of God’s perpetual gracious treatment. God rescued them and delivered them from their oppressors. They still chose to forsake God and served other gods. As a result of their incessant rebellion, God told the people of Israel to go and cry out to the gods whom they had chosen. God encouraged them to let their gods save them in their time of distress. Of course, their gods would not respond. The propensity to sin is a common thread throughout human history. Living in a fallen world and combating the sinful nature are continual realities. To live in victory requires forsaking sin and following Christ. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14 (ESV) “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV) Your flesh craves sin. Crucify the flesh by starving the flesh. Be robed in the righteousness of Christ and walk in the power of His resurrection. Make no provision for the flesh. Flee sinful allurements and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 93: Judges 10-12) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Conviction Intimacy with God

Where Are You?

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” Gen 3:8-9 (NIV) God cares about you personally and He cares about where you are spiritually. Your condition matters to Him. Throughout the Bible, the thread of God’s redeeming love can be traced. His love for you has no limits. God created you so that you can know Him personally and make His love known globally. Adam and Eve rebelled against God and received immediate consequences. Their eyes were opened to recognize their nakedness and their fellowship with God was inhibited. Their sin hindered their unbroken communion with God. The poison of sin had tainted their spiritual condition. Our God is compassionate. The depth of His love is evidenced as He pursues Adam with a personal question, “Where are you?” Of course, God knew where Adam was both physically and spiritually. His question was not to aid in locating Adam’s whereabouts in the garden. God asked the probing question to get Adam to assess his personal spiritual condition. God’s question was a question of compassion. God could have left Adam and Eve to their own demise. God could have given them an extended silent treatment. Yet, God made the first move toward reconciliation. God went first to restore the fractured relationship. Where are you? How is your love relationship with the Lord? Have you drifted in your daily devotion and intimacy with Jesus? Assess your current spiritual condition. Repent of anything that has hindered your fellowship with the Lord and return to your first love. Enjoy unbroken fellowship with the One who died to give you life eternal and complete. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Holiness Purity

Perfecting Holiness

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Cor 7:1 (NIV) Imagine a bride, adorned with her beautiful white wedding dress, choosing to march down a muddy road before uniting with her groom. Purity and filth are not compatible. As the bride of Christ, we were made ready for our union with Christ through His atoning work on the cross. Positionally, we are clean and made fit for heaven. However, practically, we are still working out what God has worked in. The muddy road of life requires that we purify ourselves from the contamination of our fallen world. We must guard our hearts and protect ourselves from the flaming arrows of the evil one. Staying clean while living in a dirty world mandates making wise decisions about what we say, think, and do. Our conversation and conduct must be consistent with the character of Christ being formed in us. A clean life begins with receiving the nature of the Lamb of God at salvation. Upon conversion, we take on the nature of Christ and His desire for purity. That clean life is preserved as we purify ourselves from the filth of this world and embrace a healthy reverence for God. Fearing God means that we hold His opinion of us above all other opinions and expectations. Fearing God means to orient our lives to please Him above all others. Are you living a life of moral purity? How’s your thought-life? Evaluate your conversation and your conduct. Are you living a life pleasing and honoring to God? Is there anything in your life that contaminates the life of Christ in you? Are you perfecting holiness through revering God? Confess known sin and embrace the life God has for you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Adultery Confession Ten Commandments

Uncovering Adultery

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 (NIV) In our society, sexual temptation is prevalent. Christians are not immune to adultery. What if you have gone beyond your spouse for romance? What do you do when you violate the seventh Commandment by committing adultery? You can choose to continue to walk in deception or you can repent by doing what is right in God’s eyes. Step 1: Confess your sin. Living in sin will never produce the righteous life God desires. Be honest before God about your willful disobedience. In brokenness and humility, confess your sin instantly and specifically before the Lord. God wants you to say the same thing about your sin that He says about your sin. I am reminded of a statement by Dr. Johnny Hunt, “Whatever you cover, God will uncover. Whatever you uncover, God will cover!” Step 2: Confront your participant. Go directly to the person you are having an affair with and completely sever the relationship. This calls for drastic and fervent action. Amputate the limbs of lust and lies that connect you to this person. Do not leave a glimpse of hope for future interaction. Inform your participant that you have confessed your sin before God and that you will not continue living in disobedience to the Lord. Boldly and courageously announce, “It’s over!” Step 3: Comfort your spouse by becoming trustworthy. Once you have gone before the Lord to confess your sin and to receive His forgiveness, and after you have confronted your participant to end the relationship, in brokenness and humility, inform your spouse of the affair. Be prepared for an array of emotions to cascade from your spouse such as anger, hurt, devastation, revenge, and insecurity. You have violated your covenant relationship with your spouse. This is a big deal! In order for your spouse to ever trust you again, you will have to become trustworthy. Consider incorporating a Christian counselor into your plan of restoration. Commit to never go beyond your spouse for romance. By God’s grace, do all you can to comfort your spouse by becoming worthy of trust. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Basin of Water Confession Prayer Tabernacle

Tabernacle Prayer: Basin of Water

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date June 24, 2011
4 Comments on Tabernacle Prayer: Basin of Water

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it.’” Ex 30:17-18 (NIV) The second step to intimacy with God involves “the basin of water” found in the Old Testament Tabernacle. We are touring the furnishings within the Tabernacle. After acknowledging God’s gift of salvation through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross as symbolized by the altar of burnt offering, we now move to the basin of water. The basin of water represents our cleansing provided by the shed blood of Jesus. In our prayer time, we move from praising God for His salvation gift to confessing sin and receiving His forgiveness. How can a Christ follower stay clean while living in a dirty world? You stay clean by consecrating your life before the Lord daily. Being conscious of your sin is not enough to obtain cleansing. Confess your sin specifically and say the same thing about your sin that God says about it. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” Psalm 51:3 (NIV) “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9 (NIV) Confess sin specifically and confess sin instantly. As soon as the Holy Spirit convicts you of specific sin in your life, confess it without hesitation. Don’t give the devil a club to hit you with. Choose to stay close and clean by practicing instant confession of sin. Don’t allow sin to linger. Receive God’s forgiveness and walk victoriously in the strength Christ provides. You are a new creation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Awareness Confession Prodigal

Disposition Recognition

Confession Prayer Tabernacle

Confession and Cleansing

Confession Self-righteousness Sin

Removing the Plank

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matt 7:3-5 (NIV) Jesus exposed the sin of self-righteousness. He identified our tendency to embrace a higher standard when evaluating others. We become preoccupied with judging others extensively to the neglect of examining our own lives accurately. While bearing a plank in our own eye, we seek to isolate the speck of sawdust in the eye of someone else. We fail to come to grips with the truth of our current reality. Self-righteousness erodes our relationship with others and with God. Self-righteousness is a byproduct of an inflamed pride and arrogance. We forget where we were when Jesus came to our rescue. We begin to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. The antidote to self-righteousness is humility. The first step toward humility is embracing a proper view of yourself. Begin to view your life in light of the holiness of God. Ask the Lord to search your heart (Ps. 139:23). As God reveals the presence of self-righteousness in your life, confess it as an offense to Him. Acknowledge your sin before God and receive His provision of forgiveness. Confess sin immediately and specifically. Now ask God to help you love the person you have been judging. Ask God to remind you of that person’s value in God’s eyes. Pray for God to give you the capacity to see that person the way God does. It’s time to yank the plank. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Prayer Repentance

Confessing the Sins of Our Nation

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date November 13, 2009
8 Comments on Confessing the Sins of Our Nation

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” Neh 1:4 (NIV) Nehemiah was a slave in Babylon and served as cupbearer to the king. Once he received word about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile and about Jerusalem, Nehemiah was gripped with a tremendous burden to pray. As he fasted and prayed, Nehemiah confessed his own sins and the sins of the Israelites. He prayed, “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses”(Neh. 1:6-7 NIV). Did you notice how Nehemiah said “we” Israelites? He took ownership for his own sins and for the sins of his people. Is it possible to confess the sins of our nation? Can we pray for our nation and actually confess the sins of our nation? When you are gripped with a burden to pray for our nation, it will mandate confronting and confessing the sins of our nation. You cannot spend time alone with God in prayer for our nation without being cognizant of the national sin that breaks the heart of God. Our nation is made up of fallen and flawed human beings who sometimes selfishly seek to gratify the cravings of their sin nature. God wants us to be a holy nation. God wants us to be a nation that fears and reveres Him. We can cry out to God on behalf of our nation and confess the sins that God brings to our attention. We can pray for revival and spiritual awakening to come to our nation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Consecration Prayer

Preparation for God’s Demonstration

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date October 13, 2009
6 Comments on Preparation for God’s Demonstration

“Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.’” Josh 3:5 (NIV) Have you experienced the thrill of anticipation? When you are anticipating something special, it seems as though time stands still. You live with a sense of urgency and you embrace a sense of expectancy. Joshua knew that God was up to something special that included his participation and preparation. It was vital for Joshua to have the people consecrate themselves in preparation for what God was going to do in their midst. They were to set themselves apart for God’s use. Their sin was to be confessed, their relational strife was to be released, and their motives were to be pure. God wanted the children of Israel to prepare for a demonstration of His power. Joshua declared that the Lord would do amazing things among them. Are you prepared for a move of God in your life? Have you consecrated yourself before the Lord? Have you confessed known sin and received God’s forgiveness? Make sure that your motives are pure and that your focus is on God. God wants to do amazing things among you. However, God wants you to prepare for the demonstration of His power. Prepare for your daily time alone with God through intensive soul-searching prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to search your heart and to reveal anything in you that is displeasing to God. Ask Him to reveal any attitudes that are inconsistent with the character of Christ. Ask Him to show you areas of your life that have not been submitted to the Lordship of Christ. Stay close and clean as you walk with God and anticipate His redemptive activity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Confession Identity Jesus

Who Do You Say I Am?

“No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” 1 John 2:23 (NIV) Do you believe that Jesus is who He says He is? Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death to atone for the sins of the world? What you believe about Jesus affects your eternal destination. What you believe about Jesus affects your level of living in the immediate. After asking the crowd their understanding of who He was, Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?” As revealed to him by God, Peter pronounced that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt. 16:16). That confession of faith was paramount to Peter’s salvation and to Peter’s maturation in the faith. Peter later affirmed, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”(1 Peter 1:3 NIV). Who do you say Jesus is? Your understanding of the life and Lordship of Jesus is vital to your union with Christ and your usefulness in the kingdom of God. As Dr. David Fleming says, “You cannot be wrong about Jesus and right with God.” Your understanding of the Person and work of Jesus is crucial. To be right with God, you must be right about Jesus. It is not enough to know proper facts about Jesus. You must know Jesus personally through an abiding relationship with Him that is real and personal, because eternal life is found in Jesus alone (1 Jn. 5:11-12). Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Believe Confession Lordship Response Salvation

Life on the Narrow Road (1)

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date April 19, 2008
4 Comments on Life on the Narrow Road (1)

“‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’” Matt 7:13-14 (NIV) How do you enter through the narrow gate that only a few find? What does it take to get in on what God has already made available? Let’s take a look at three steps to entering the narrow gate: Step 1: Admit that you are a sinner. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rm 3:23 (NIV) Step 2: Believe that Jesus is God’s Son. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in hims shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV) Step 3: Confess Jesus as Lord of your life. “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Rm 10:9-10 (NIV) God loves us enough to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him. In fact, there is only one way to be restored to a right relationship with God. Jesus is the only way! “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NIV) “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (NIV Enter through the narrow gate. Jesus is the way! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Confession First Introspection

First

“‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.’” Matt 7:3-5 (NIV) We tend to judge others by a different standard than we judge ourselves. When we look at ourselves, we tend to use a filtered lens that makes us look pretty good. When we look at others, we tend to utilize the most powerful microscope to examine their lives. We can be rather selective by choosing someone who will make us look good. The truth is, everyone looks good from a distance. Proximity affects accuracy. Jesus is giving us a new lens to view ourselves and others. Instead of bypassing the reality of a massive plank in our own eye in order to identify the speck of sawdust in our brother’s eye, Jesus wants us to examine our own life first. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” Psalms 51:3 (NIV) “‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips…’” Isaiah 6:5 (NIV) “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8 (NIV) Introspection paves the way for realization of God’s impartation of grace in which we live and breathe. God already knows about the plank. Be quick to remove it and be slow to critique the speck in your brother’s eye. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Cleansing Confession Forgiveness If

If

“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) God keeps His promises. If you confess your sins, God will forgive you and purify you. God’s forgiveness and cleansing is not based on your consistency, rather on His faithfulness. God is holy and demands holy living. At salvation, you received the imputed righteousness of Christ. You are a child of God and positioned in Christ as rightly related to God. However, daily cleansing from sin is needed. Living in a fallen world perpetuates the sin that can contaminate your life. “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Cor 7:1 (NIV) “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 (NIV) To confess your sin is to say the same thing about your sin that God says about it. Don’t neutralize your sin by overlooking it and ignoring it. Instead, confess your sin specifically and receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing. Walk in light of the cleansing you have received. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor