Phase 1 Week 11 The Corporate Discipline of Confession (March 19- 25
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New York Youth Leaders Association
Mar 19, 2012, 11:48:28 AM3/19/12
to NYYLA
1. What true confession is?
2. James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for
each other so that you may be healed.” We are told to confess our sins
to each other; our healing is also tied to the prayers of each other.
When we confess we allow God’s light to shine in the dark areas where
we struggle. How will you approach this in your ministry practice?
3. The discipline of confession helps believer grow into mature
manhood, to the measure of the statue and the fullness of Christ, (Eph
4:13).
4. According to Alphonsus Liguori, for good confession what three
things are necessary? Comment briefly on each.
2. James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for
each other so that you may be healed.” We are told to confess our sins
to each other; our healing is also tied to the prayers of each other.
When we confess we allow God’s light to shine in the dark areas where
we struggle. How will you approach this in your ministry practice?
3. The discipline of confession helps believer grow into mature
manhood, to the measure of the statue and the fullness of Christ, (Eph
4:13).
4. According to Alphonsus Liguori, for good confession what three
things are necessary? Comment briefly on each.
lol
Mar 21, 2012, 10:22:42 PM3/21/12
to NYYLA
On Mar 19, 11:48 am, New York Youth Leaders Association
lol
Mar 21, 2012, 10:24:48 PM3/21/12
to NYYLA
True confession is entering into the real Presence of Christ with
honesty, humility and a yielding, teachable spirit. In acknowledging
that He is the One who died for me, I reflect on His forgiveness as my
invitation to confess. As I focus on the fact that Christ’s death is
the loving sacrifice of my forgiveness, I approach Him knowing His
grace is boundless and that there is nothing too hard for Him to do. I
tell Him what I have done (commission) or not done (omission) and vow
with a contrite heart that I will never revisit those sins. In order
to keep it honest, I have to be specific about the sin/s I have
committed and that I am sorry I offended Him.
As a leader, it is vital that I lead with a clear conscience and
in order to be effective, I need to yield everything to Christ who is
the propitiation for my sins. By handing over the reins to God, I’m
allowing Him to do His work in me so I will be able to forgive and be
forgiven. I’m in total agreement with the quoted text James 5:16.
Confessing in ‘community’ helps us to break habits that are trying to
break us as God does not intend for us to go through our struggles
alone. The great Jehovah Jireh has someone who is compassionate to
stand with us in prayer, who will hold us accountable yet keep our
confidence. The example is given that the Roman soldiers when in
battle, fight back-to-back so all bases are covered. So it was that
Jesus sent out His disciples two-by-two. “Pity the man who falls with
no one to help him up”, one person may be overcome but two can defend.
When this plan of ‘community’ is put into action, it will ultimately
open my/our eyes to my/our own unconscious sins with each other as
witnesses. No one will be denouncing anyone else’s sins as we have all
opened up about our own, recognizing for the first time what we’ve
been hanging onto. Our prayers will be hindered if we walk with un-
forgiveness, which is a sin. Ps. 66:18 states “If I regard iniquity in
my heart, the Lord will not hear me”, opening up and letting go is
necessary as our healing is tied to the prayers of each other. With
truly honest, humble admissions, we will have inward illumination so
we can experience the reality of God’s presence and forgiveness
through each other. “Blessed be the ties that bind our hearts in
Christian love..” We have to be mindful that we confess our faults not
someone else’s, as we will never be healed by confessing the faults of
others. Telling it to Jesus will allow Him to make us whole and set us
free to enjoy His blessings. In relation to my ministry, I will
continue to do what I have been doing. I have regular discussions with
fellow believers about a host of topics namely: (1) Confession- long
term struggles and nagging doubts. (2) Forgiveness- bitterness. (3)
Praise and Thanksgiving.
Practicing the discipline of confession will propel us to totally
surrender to God. Our perspective will be transformed and we will have
God-given confidence so we’ll always make sound, godly decisions. As
we grow more mature spiritually, we will assume the perfectly balanced
fullness of Christ; love, compassion and integrity will become as
natural as the air we breathe. We’ll begin to welcome trials and
tribulations instead of resenting them, as they produce in us the
quality of endurance necessary to run this Christian race and
ultimately win the battle over sin. Maturity comes only when we get
the heart right; to develop that trusting relationship with God and
fellow believers is an internal job. It is now easier to focus on
unity in the body of Christ by repenting and renouncing any attitude
that is not Christ-like and plucking out any bitter weeds of
discontent. Everything in our power must be done to prevent dissension
among brethren. Our role is never to stand in judgment (showing fault
with condemnation) of each other but to sincerely attempt to correct
or restore. We must determine in our hearts not to leave a wounded
soldier to die so all can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
A good confession according to Mr. Liguori, need to have these three
ingredients: Examination of conscience; Sorrow and Determination to
avoid sin. Examination of conscience: Making a personal inventory of
myself as seen through God’s eyes, not only my life but my soul,
thought, words and deed. Having done this, the other two parts to
confession kicks In. Sorrow : This relates to godly remorse about the
commission/omission of the sin. God has reached out to restore my
intimate relationship with Him by sending His Son. His grace abound s
in that “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”. When I
accepted Christ as my Savior, my status was altered from ‘eternally
damned ’ to ‘made righteous’. I am disappointed with myself when I
get carried away by my lusts, that is no way to repay someone who
literally gave up His life for me. Determination to avoid sin: To
make a firm decision takes both heart and head. There has to be a
motive and a mission for that decision, in this case, “yearning for
holy living.” To be able to avoid sin we have to constantly think
about the road to the cross and the Man who went there. He went
through human struggles but taught us not to yield if we love our
Father. Because of our frailty He is right now interceding for us as a
“bruised reed He will not break, a smoldering wick he will not snuff
out.”While thinking about His loving care, we should never forget the
Stripes, the Nails and the Pain. These are reasons enough to have the
‘determination to avoid sin’. May the grace and peace of our Lord
dwell richly in us.
honesty, humility and a yielding, teachable spirit. In acknowledging
that He is the One who died for me, I reflect on His forgiveness as my
invitation to confess. As I focus on the fact that Christ’s death is
the loving sacrifice of my forgiveness, I approach Him knowing His
grace is boundless and that there is nothing too hard for Him to do. I
tell Him what I have done (commission) or not done (omission) and vow
with a contrite heart that I will never revisit those sins. In order
to keep it honest, I have to be specific about the sin/s I have
committed and that I am sorry I offended Him.
As a leader, it is vital that I lead with a clear conscience and
in order to be effective, I need to yield everything to Christ who is
the propitiation for my sins. By handing over the reins to God, I’m
allowing Him to do His work in me so I will be able to forgive and be
forgiven. I’m in total agreement with the quoted text James 5:16.
Confessing in ‘community’ helps us to break habits that are trying to
break us as God does not intend for us to go through our struggles
alone. The great Jehovah Jireh has someone who is compassionate to
stand with us in prayer, who will hold us accountable yet keep our
confidence. The example is given that the Roman soldiers when in
battle, fight back-to-back so all bases are covered. So it was that
Jesus sent out His disciples two-by-two. “Pity the man who falls with
no one to help him up”, one person may be overcome but two can defend.
When this plan of ‘community’ is put into action, it will ultimately
open my/our eyes to my/our own unconscious sins with each other as
witnesses. No one will be denouncing anyone else’s sins as we have all
opened up about our own, recognizing for the first time what we’ve
been hanging onto. Our prayers will be hindered if we walk with un-
forgiveness, which is a sin. Ps. 66:18 states “If I regard iniquity in
my heart, the Lord will not hear me”, opening up and letting go is
necessary as our healing is tied to the prayers of each other. With
truly honest, humble admissions, we will have inward illumination so
we can experience the reality of God’s presence and forgiveness
through each other. “Blessed be the ties that bind our hearts in
Christian love..” We have to be mindful that we confess our faults not
someone else’s, as we will never be healed by confessing the faults of
others. Telling it to Jesus will allow Him to make us whole and set us
free to enjoy His blessings. In relation to my ministry, I will
continue to do what I have been doing. I have regular discussions with
fellow believers about a host of topics namely: (1) Confession- long
term struggles and nagging doubts. (2) Forgiveness- bitterness. (3)
Praise and Thanksgiving.
Practicing the discipline of confession will propel us to totally
surrender to God. Our perspective will be transformed and we will have
God-given confidence so we’ll always make sound, godly decisions. As
we grow more mature spiritually, we will assume the perfectly balanced
fullness of Christ; love, compassion and integrity will become as
natural as the air we breathe. We’ll begin to welcome trials and
tribulations instead of resenting them, as they produce in us the
quality of endurance necessary to run this Christian race and
ultimately win the battle over sin. Maturity comes only when we get
the heart right; to develop that trusting relationship with God and
fellow believers is an internal job. It is now easier to focus on
unity in the body of Christ by repenting and renouncing any attitude
that is not Christ-like and plucking out any bitter weeds of
discontent. Everything in our power must be done to prevent dissension
among brethren. Our role is never to stand in judgment (showing fault
with condemnation) of each other but to sincerely attempt to correct
or restore. We must determine in our hearts not to leave a wounded
soldier to die so all can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
A good confession according to Mr. Liguori, need to have these three
ingredients: Examination of conscience; Sorrow and Determination to
avoid sin. Examination of conscience: Making a personal inventory of
myself as seen through God’s eyes, not only my life but my soul,
thought, words and deed. Having done this, the other two parts to
confession kicks In. Sorrow : This relates to godly remorse about the
commission/omission of the sin. God has reached out to restore my
intimate relationship with Him by sending His Son. His grace abound s
in that “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”. When I
accepted Christ as my Savior, my status was altered from ‘eternally
damned ’ to ‘made righteous’. I am disappointed with myself when I
get carried away by my lusts, that is no way to repay someone who
literally gave up His life for me. Determination to avoid sin: To
make a firm decision takes both heart and head. There has to be a
motive and a mission for that decision, in this case, “yearning for
holy living.” To be able to avoid sin we have to constantly think
about the road to the cross and the Man who went there. He went
through human struggles but taught us not to yield if we love our
Father. Because of our frailty He is right now interceding for us as a
“bruised reed He will not break, a smoldering wick he will not snuff
out.”While thinking about His loving care, we should never forget the
Stripes, the Nails and the Pain. These are reasons enough to have the
‘determination to avoid sin’. May the grace and peace of our Lord
dwell richly in us.
New York Youth Leaders Association
Mar 22, 2012, 4:54:47 PM3/22/12
to NYYLA
great job!
Pat Blackwood
Mar 22, 2012, 11:37:27 PM3/22/12
to NYYLA
1. True confession is: a grief appropriate, peaceful, and a devil-
proof essence, we experienced
as we tell all our guilt to God and our bothers and sisters in Christ,
because this is the most hardest
thing to do.
2. I will and I have approached confessing my sins to my sisters in a
fearful way, with tears streaming down,
and with the shame of my sins...but, the light of God's words freed me
like what it did to the "...woman caught in the very act
of adultery." And, I am now healed! This lifestyle is real in my
Ministry practise, and daily christian walk. This is my story:
"I had a relationship with this person who his wife had left...
(separated but not divorced) prior to me being saved, (I did not know
his wife), then I left him and got saved, now, he is saved, the wife
is saved, they are back together, and we worshipped at the same
Church....( uncomfortable...) I always tend to validate her feelings
when she act "weird" toward me...then she came and said some stuff to
me...and I decided to leave my Church because this was my past and I
was ashamed to faced it. So, our dear Lead Pastor stepped in, we all
sat down with Pastor's wife, my sister,(her) another Pastor, and
myself. I appologised, and wept..(the sarrow and shame I
felt......here I am saved, and married, yet this is years after and
the ghost of my past confronted me..) but, the word of God set me
free, and who the Son set free is free indeed! So, I understand my
sister's feelings, and my Pastor will not accept my resignation from
Church, and First Lady said we can worship together in the same
Church,God's love covers all."
Am I am being prepared to minister to others in this situation? I have
no idea.... I do not understand....sometimes I still feel like
worshipping elsewhere though...I am seeking God for direction.
3.The discipline of confession helps a believer grow into
mature....fullness of Christ and we experience His joy, a warmth in
our
voice, a confidence in our hearts, a smile on our faces, and a
"rejoicing always" in our attitude.
4. According to Liguori the three necessary things for good confession
are:
1."An examination of conscience"....O yes, this is a must if we
must get free!
2."Sarrow is necessary"...Most definately! "...a broken and a
contrite heart God will not despised."
3."A determination to avoid sin"...Wow! this is so essential, I am
struggling in this area in regards to
small things, especially Godly anger when I so scared of
prosumptious sins.
So help me God! Thanks.
proof essence, we experienced
as we tell all our guilt to God and our bothers and sisters in Christ,
because this is the most hardest
thing to do.
2. I will and I have approached confessing my sins to my sisters in a
fearful way, with tears streaming down,
and with the shame of my sins...but, the light of God's words freed me
like what it did to the "...woman caught in the very act
of adultery." And, I am now healed! This lifestyle is real in my
Ministry practise, and daily christian walk. This is my story:
"I had a relationship with this person who his wife had left...
(separated but not divorced) prior to me being saved, (I did not know
his wife), then I left him and got saved, now, he is saved, the wife
is saved, they are back together, and we worshipped at the same
Church....( uncomfortable...) I always tend to validate her feelings
when she act "weird" toward me...then she came and said some stuff to
me...and I decided to leave my Church because this was my past and I
was ashamed to faced it. So, our dear Lead Pastor stepped in, we all
sat down with Pastor's wife, my sister,(her) another Pastor, and
myself. I appologised, and wept..(the sarrow and shame I
felt......here I am saved, and married, yet this is years after and
the ghost of my past confronted me..) but, the word of God set me
free, and who the Son set free is free indeed! So, I understand my
sister's feelings, and my Pastor will not accept my resignation from
Church, and First Lady said we can worship together in the same
Church,God's love covers all."
Am I am being prepared to minister to others in this situation? I have
no idea.... I do not understand....sometimes I still feel like
worshipping elsewhere though...I am seeking God for direction.
3.The discipline of confession helps a believer grow into
mature....fullness of Christ and we experience His joy, a warmth in
our
voice, a confidence in our hearts, a smile on our faces, and a
"rejoicing always" in our attitude.
4. According to Liguori the three necessary things for good confession
are:
1."An examination of conscience"....O yes, this is a must if we
must get free!
2."Sarrow is necessary"...Most definately! "...a broken and a
contrite heart God will not despised."
3."A determination to avoid sin"...Wow! this is so essential, I am
struggling in this area in regards to
small things, especially Godly anger when I so scared of
prosumptious sins.
So help me God! Thanks.
lol
Mar 23, 2012, 12:22:38 AM3/23/12
to NYYLA
Sister God bless you!!! You can only confess your sin, you bare your
soul and lay vulnerably before Almighty God and man.Remember though,
He has already thrown it in the sea of forgetfulness,the devil can no
longer use it against you.Claim your God-given freedom.God bless your
church family who did not condemn you, if that isn't love...then what
is? BY HIS STRIPES YOU ARE HEALED!!
soul and lay vulnerably before Almighty God and man.Remember though,
He has already thrown it in the sea of forgetfulness,the devil can no
longer use it against you.Claim your God-given freedom.God bless your
church family who did not condemn you, if that isn't love...then what
is? BY HIS STRIPES YOU ARE HEALED!!
michael desire
Mar 23, 2012, 3:38:08 AM3/23/12
to ny...@googlegroups.com
A man who confesses his sins in the presense of a brother knows that he's no longer alone with himself;
he experiences the presence of God in the reality of the other person.
every believer needs to practice Prayer of confession, it's our daily life.
sometimes,it's not only praying,but pray with a praying partner.
and practice the confession prayer, and allowed ourselves to communicate with one an other,by doing so with a pure heart,
we're also in communion with christ,that's really when all sins are forgiven in the presence of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
three things are necessary for a good confession:
1)examination of conscience;
when we can get in a position that's allowing self conscience to be exposed,such as guilt,sins,wrong doings,unforgiveness,and rejections.
by allowing ourselves to be in such estate,it will create an atmosphere where the spirit of God is piercing thru our hearts and remove all that has
held us in bondage,and show us the area in our lives that needs changes,it is an invitation for God to come and touch us and release his perfect peace in our lives.
2)sorrow.
sorrow is a way of taking the confession seriously, it's necessary to a good confession.
often times we want to condemn ourselves by this act of emotion when we realized or regret of having sinned or offended the heart of our Father.
but ,if we are sorrowful about someting we've done wrong,we simply need to be very Godly about our conscience and the way we feel will lead us to confession,and afterward we'll be joyful.
3)determination to avoid sins,
Jesus taught the disciples to pray,saying ",lead us not in to temptations and deliver us from evil"
all believers should have a yarning for a holy living,a hatred for unholy living
"also says,be holy for I'am holy"
i believe by having a determination to avoid sins,is a gift from God by grace,that every one needs to ask God for .
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michca...@yahoo.com
Mar 23, 2012, 11:09:26 PM3/23/12
to NYYLA
True confession includes the examination of the conscience through
prayer, reading or hearing the word of God and admitting that one has
sinned. It is being sorry for the sins we have committed, detest it
and turn away from it, receiving grace and forgiveness. We must
recognize that the offense is against God and be determined to stop
sinning. True confession is the means of personally receiving God’s
forgiveness and love which results in the healing and transformation
of the inner man.
As a leader and servant of God I am required to confess my sins one to
another and to pray for each other. I am now challenged to spend time
with my fellow brethren in confessing our sins to each other. I am
convinced that when we confess one to another we confess to God. It
is my experience that the confession of sins to our fellow brothers/
sisters helps to strengthen relationships, brings freedom from guilt
and healing to the soul. I therefore commit myself to be a good
listener, show empathy, humility and make myself available to others
as I continue to serve in my ministry.
Confession is the foundation upon which our Christian life is built
and grown. Jesus told Peter upon his confession that he is Christ,
upon this rock I built my church and the gates of hell will not
prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18) Our Christian life is built on us
accepting that we have sinned, confessed, turned away and begin to
live a life of freedom. Through confession we are given the authority
to be free. Once there is a fault with the foundation, then there
will be problems with the structure. If our relationship with Christ
is built on confession then there is no doubt we will grow to be
mature Christians. Confession opens the door for us to experience God
and to live a new life in light of his experience living without guilt
and shame. Our confession is what determines how strong, how long and
how effective our ministry will be.
The three things necessary for confession are
(1) Examination of conscience: This is the process of examining the
heart before God to identify actions and attitudes that is against his
will.
(2) Sorrow: A hatred of sin and sincere grief having offended God.
(3) Determination to avoid sin: Having a made up mind to stop sinning
prayer, reading or hearing the word of God and admitting that one has
sinned. It is being sorry for the sins we have committed, detest it
and turn away from it, receiving grace and forgiveness. We must
recognize that the offense is against God and be determined to stop
sinning. True confession is the means of personally receiving God’s
forgiveness and love which results in the healing and transformation
of the inner man.
As a leader and servant of God I am required to confess my sins one to
another and to pray for each other. I am now challenged to spend time
with my fellow brethren in confessing our sins to each other. I am
convinced that when we confess one to another we confess to God. It
is my experience that the confession of sins to our fellow brothers/
sisters helps to strengthen relationships, brings freedom from guilt
and healing to the soul. I therefore commit myself to be a good
listener, show empathy, humility and make myself available to others
as I continue to serve in my ministry.
Confession is the foundation upon which our Christian life is built
and grown. Jesus told Peter upon his confession that he is Christ,
upon this rock I built my church and the gates of hell will not
prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18) Our Christian life is built on us
accepting that we have sinned, confessed, turned away and begin to
live a life of freedom. Through confession we are given the authority
to be free. Once there is a fault with the foundation, then there
will be problems with the structure. If our relationship with Christ
is built on confession then there is no doubt we will grow to be
mature Christians. Confession opens the door for us to experience God
and to live a new life in light of his experience living without guilt
and shame. Our confession is what determines how strong, how long and
how effective our ministry will be.
The three things necessary for confession are
(1) Examination of conscience: This is the process of examining the
heart before God to identify actions and attitudes that is against his
will.
(2) Sorrow: A hatred of sin and sincere grief having offended God.
(3) Determination to avoid sin: Having a made up mind to stop sinning
Pat Blackwood
Mar 24, 2012, 12:41:40 AM3/24/12
to NYYLA
Lol, Thanks much!...
I received that word and the peace of God that passeth all
understanding.
Love you,
Pat
I received that word and the peace of God that passeth all
understanding.
Love you,
Pat
Darell
Mar 25, 2012, 12:27:08 AM3/25/12
to NYYLA
True confession comes from the acknowledgement that we have
transgressed the the law of God and are convicted in our spirit that
we have not kept His statutes then draw near to Him to admit how we
have failed to keep His commands and are willing to repent from our
evil act.
Confessing our sins to each other is something that most of us in the
evangelical body of Christ today have not place any emphasis on.
Therefore, introducing it in our ministry is definitely a challenge.
The best way we can implement it in our ministry is to follow the
principles associated with it. First, I would have to preach and teach
on the healing that is associated with true confession, also the
freedom that we received after true confession is made to live in
holiness to the glory of God. Second, is to find believers who are
spiritually mature who have God's wisdom to serve in that capacity.
I agree that the discipline of confession helps the believer to grow
into mature manhood. Being able to confess one's sin requires a level
of maturity in the spiritual realm that elevates the man to measure
up to the statue and fullness of Christ, which can only be done by the
Holy Spirit who will him to do His good pleasure.
For a good confession, the three things that is necessary according to
Alphonsus Liguori are: an Examination of conscience which is being
convicted by the truth of God's word that our action was evil and feel
a need for cleansing which lead to: sorrow for the the act that was
committed. It evolves in us a desire to confess and also the
determination to avoid sin. I feel that determination alone is not
enough but that the power of God has to work in us to bring on true
confession and the freedom that is associated with it. May God help
us!
transgressed the the law of God and are convicted in our spirit that
we have not kept His statutes then draw near to Him to admit how we
have failed to keep His commands and are willing to repent from our
evil act.
Confessing our sins to each other is something that most of us in the
evangelical body of Christ today have not place any emphasis on.
Therefore, introducing it in our ministry is definitely a challenge.
The best way we can implement it in our ministry is to follow the
principles associated with it. First, I would have to preach and teach
on the healing that is associated with true confession, also the
freedom that we received after true confession is made to live in
holiness to the glory of God. Second, is to find believers who are
spiritually mature who have God's wisdom to serve in that capacity.
I agree that the discipline of confession helps the believer to grow
into mature manhood. Being able to confess one's sin requires a level
of maturity in the spiritual realm that elevates the man to measure
up to the statue and fullness of Christ, which can only be done by the
Holy Spirit who will him to do His good pleasure.
For a good confession, the three things that is necessary according to
Alphonsus Liguori are: an Examination of conscience which is being
convicted by the truth of God's word that our action was evil and feel
a need for cleansing which lead to: sorrow for the the act that was
committed. It evolves in us a desire to confess and also the
determination to avoid sin. I feel that determination alone is not
enough but that the power of God has to work in us to bring on true
confession and the freedom that is associated with it. May God help
us!
Jbl...@yahoo.com
Mar 25, 2012, 10:19:25 PM3/25/12
to NYYLA
1. My definition of true confession is obeying the pull that Holy
Spirit has laid on your heart. When we sin, we know we've done wrong.
No one has to tell us that we have sinned. Confession on the other
hand, happens when we want to relieve the heaviness or uneasiness that
the Holy Spirit has laid in your spirit. It is when we agree to
confess that sin with an honest heart to God and the necessary people,
will we experience true confession.
2. Confession is a vital part of not just Christianity but --life. I
consider myself an open and honest individual. As a growing Christian,
I constantly pray and ask God to help me think, act and operate in
ways that are pleasing to Him, despite my own feelings. Praying this
prayer has kept me sensitive to what I say and do to others. I think
if every Christian were to do this, many people would have a lot less
"battle wounds" than we do now. As a an individual, I believe if you
do something wrong to another, you should bring the person to the side
and apologize. I think the reason we have difficulties doing this is
due to our culture, society and various upbringings.
In Youth Ministry, when I teach my teens, I let them know that in
order to grow, they MUST please and obey God.I do my best to
demonstrate this for them.I remind them if God lays it on their heart
to apologize or forgive...do it. I know its easier said than done, but
I teach them strategies that will hep them do this successfully.
( During my fast earlier this year, my prayer was that God will allow
these young people to confess their wrong doings before Him and that
they will have an encounter with God.) I can't tell you the many phone
calls and one-on-one conversions I've had with my young people and see
God at work. Hearing them say "I don't feel right, doing this anymore"
and seeing them come back together again, I must give God ALL the
praise! I see God 's light shinning in our youth ministry and the
healing power of God at work.
3. The discipline of confession is a BIG deal in a person's life. It
takes a humble person to admit their mistakes. No one wants to be
viewed as vulnerable or weak. Because of this, many of us put up
facades. A true mature Christian should want to mirror the word of
God. Just like we do in the physical, we look into the mirror we fix
things that are out of place. The same thing should be done in the
spiritual. There are times when we need to stop and look at our
spiritual mirror and fix things that aren't right.
4. Liguori's steps to confession are similar to what David wrote in
Psalms 51. The incorporation of the examination of conscience, sorrow
and determination to avoid sin are necessary to true confession.
When a person examines his/her conscience, they must let go of self
(pride) and place their soul and mistakes in front of God.
Being emotional, may not necessarily indicate true sorrow. Emotions
can be misconstrued to the receiver.
Confession must be done with a contrite heart letting God know that
you are truly sorry of the sin you committed. In addition to that,
sorrow forces you to want God to forgive and purge you of your
wrongdoing.
The most important part of confession to me is this last step "a
determination to avoid sin". We all know that the devil watches us,
and tempts us in our weak spots. We as Christians must make that
determination to not fall into that same same sin again, and again. We
must ask God to help strengthen us where we are weak so that we can
enjoy what He has planned for us.
Spirit has laid on your heart. When we sin, we know we've done wrong.
No one has to tell us that we have sinned. Confession on the other
hand, happens when we want to relieve the heaviness or uneasiness that
the Holy Spirit has laid in your spirit. It is when we agree to
confess that sin with an honest heart to God and the necessary people,
will we experience true confession.
2. Confession is a vital part of not just Christianity but --life. I
consider myself an open and honest individual. As a growing Christian,
I constantly pray and ask God to help me think, act and operate in
ways that are pleasing to Him, despite my own feelings. Praying this
prayer has kept me sensitive to what I say and do to others. I think
if every Christian were to do this, many people would have a lot less
"battle wounds" than we do now. As a an individual, I believe if you
do something wrong to another, you should bring the person to the side
and apologize. I think the reason we have difficulties doing this is
due to our culture, society and various upbringings.
In Youth Ministry, when I teach my teens, I let them know that in
order to grow, they MUST please and obey God.I do my best to
demonstrate this for them.I remind them if God lays it on their heart
to apologize or forgive...do it. I know its easier said than done, but
I teach them strategies that will hep them do this successfully.
( During my fast earlier this year, my prayer was that God will allow
these young people to confess their wrong doings before Him and that
they will have an encounter with God.) I can't tell you the many phone
calls and one-on-one conversions I've had with my young people and see
God at work. Hearing them say "I don't feel right, doing this anymore"
and seeing them come back together again, I must give God ALL the
praise! I see God 's light shinning in our youth ministry and the
healing power of God at work.
3. The discipline of confession is a BIG deal in a person's life. It
takes a humble person to admit their mistakes. No one wants to be
viewed as vulnerable or weak. Because of this, many of us put up
facades. A true mature Christian should want to mirror the word of
God. Just like we do in the physical, we look into the mirror we fix
things that are out of place. The same thing should be done in the
spiritual. There are times when we need to stop and look at our
spiritual mirror and fix things that aren't right.
4. Liguori's steps to confession are similar to what David wrote in
Psalms 51. The incorporation of the examination of conscience, sorrow
and determination to avoid sin are necessary to true confession.
When a person examines his/her conscience, they must let go of self
(pride) and place their soul and mistakes in front of God.
Being emotional, may not necessarily indicate true sorrow. Emotions
can be misconstrued to the receiver.
Confession must be done with a contrite heart letting God know that
you are truly sorry of the sin you committed. In addition to that,
sorrow forces you to want God to forgive and purge you of your
wrongdoing.
The most important part of confession to me is this last step "a
determination to avoid sin". We all know that the devil watches us,
and tempts us in our weak spots. We as Christians must make that
determination to not fall into that same same sin again, and again. We
must ask God to help strengthen us where we are weak so that we can
enjoy what He has planned for us.
Jbl...@yahoo.com
Mar 25, 2012, 10:26:23 PM3/25/12
to NYYLA
I agree Darell, confessing our sins to one another is not something
that is not held as important....but it should. It will help us grow
and mature better as Christians.
that is not held as important....but it should. It will help us grow
and mature better as Christians.
Darell
Mar 26, 2012, 11:44:31 AM3/26/12
to NYYLA
Jblu992, I totally agree with your statement that the the most
important part of confession is the determination to avoid sin, for
without it confession is no spiritual significant for a true
Christian, our freedom in Christ depends on it.
important part of confession is the determination to avoid sin, for
without it confession is no spiritual significant for a true
Christian, our freedom in Christ depends on it.
Darell
Mar 26, 2012, 11:59:51 AM3/26/12
to NYYLA
Sister Pat, thank you for sharing your confession, be free to serve
God where He has placed you, I pray that God would set our dear
sister's heart free also and be in peace with you for we are all on
equal footing before God. God's love be with you!
God where He has placed you, I pray that God would set our dear
sister's heart free also and be in peace with you for we are all on
equal footing before God. God's love be with you!
kourtney baines romero
Mar 26, 2012, 5:02:40 PM3/26/12
to NYYLA
1. Confession is grace and discipline. God gives the grace, and a
genuine true confession can be made. Discipline is also necessary for
this confession to be true it’s your choice of action.
2. This reading was powerful. It is true that as believers we view it
as a fellowship of saints as opposed to a fellowship of sinners. For
me in this area some self-reflection is need I think I am a work in
progress in all areas that we have explored thus far. If I have
experienced this way of thinking in regards to older women in my
church assuming they are that much further ahead than me in their
spiritual journey that I am isolated in my own sin apprehensive about
unveiling my shortcomings and failures. With fear of being judged or
my circumstances being unrelated to any the saints would’ve
experienced; with the realization that worshipers were first a
fellowship of sinners releasing this unconditional Love and the
ability to confess. This makes me think of the young girls in our
Predestined to praise group, are they harboring these thoughts of “I’m
not on that level yet” “she won’t be able to relate to what I am going
through”, or feeling alone and isolated in their own sin. Thinking
back to when I was a young woman I had these feelings so I want to be
the one for my young people showing them that the people of God are
first a fellowship of sinners. Even if it means that I have to confess
some of the struggles and hardships I had to endure to lead them to
this place within themselves that they can feel Gods Love
unconditionally and be able to in turn confess their needs.
3. Discipline of confession assists the believer in spiritual growth
to ultimately become mature in Christ. The reading speaks how
salvation in the Bible is referred to as both an event and a process.
Therefore on your spiritual journey to achieve an unconditional call
of God’s Love, it’s necessary to go through this process which is a
series of actions or operations to achieve the ability to confess; in
return you are developing, growing, maturing, and changing.
4.
A. An Examination of Conscience: opening ourselves to the “Gaze of
God”
B. Sorrow: Taking the confession seriously
C. Determination to avoid sin : the desire to be conquered and ruled
by God
genuine true confession can be made. Discipline is also necessary for
this confession to be true it’s your choice of action.
2. This reading was powerful. It is true that as believers we view it
as a fellowship of saints as opposed to a fellowship of sinners. For
me in this area some self-reflection is need I think I am a work in
progress in all areas that we have explored thus far. If I have
experienced this way of thinking in regards to older women in my
church assuming they are that much further ahead than me in their
spiritual journey that I am isolated in my own sin apprehensive about
unveiling my shortcomings and failures. With fear of being judged or
my circumstances being unrelated to any the saints would’ve
experienced; with the realization that worshipers were first a
fellowship of sinners releasing this unconditional Love and the
ability to confess. This makes me think of the young girls in our
Predestined to praise group, are they harboring these thoughts of “I’m
not on that level yet” “she won’t be able to relate to what I am going
through”, or feeling alone and isolated in their own sin. Thinking
back to when I was a young woman I had these feelings so I want to be
the one for my young people showing them that the people of God are
first a fellowship of sinners. Even if it means that I have to confess
some of the struggles and hardships I had to endure to lead them to
this place within themselves that they can feel Gods Love
unconditionally and be able to in turn confess their needs.
3. Discipline of confession assists the believer in spiritual growth
to ultimately become mature in Christ. The reading speaks how
salvation in the Bible is referred to as both an event and a process.
Therefore on your spiritual journey to achieve an unconditional call
of God’s Love, it’s necessary to go through this process which is a
series of actions or operations to achieve the ability to confess; in
return you are developing, growing, maturing, and changing.
4.
A. An Examination of Conscience: opening ourselves to the “Gaze of
God”
B. Sorrow: Taking the confession seriously
C. Determination to avoid sin : the desire to be conquered and ruled
by God
Mary.V
Mar 26, 2012, 9:50:32 PM3/26/12
to NYYLA
1. True confession is the one that comes from the heart of the
believer. Is the confession made knowing that God, by His infinite
mercy, has already forgotten us. It is also the confession that takes
off the “layers” that separate a person from God. True confession is
honest and clean. It hurts at the beginning because it produces sorrow
but at the end it relieves the pain.
2. I really like one of the examples Foster used in the book, about
the friend/counselor who confessed a sin after he listened to Foster’s
confession and prayed for him. I believe that we are to teach our
Youth by example. They need to see that we are not perfect and we also
have the need of true confession. Something that impacted me in this
chapter is that Foster talks about people not feeling like they fit in
because they think that they are the only ones that struggle with sin
and that everyone else in the Church is very holy. This is very true,
especially in our young ones. We need to give testimony of what God
has done in our lives. They need to know that we also struggle but
that we know that we can always trust in God’s righteousness and
forgiveness.
3. Love it! Confession is the imperative in the learning process. The
discipline of confession helps us to actually process the action of
letting go of that specific sin. Just as Jesus carried our sins at the
cross, everytime we confess our sins and repent and experience God’s
forgiveness, we validate the sacrifice Jesus did for us.
4. I completely agree with the three stages. I believe that in order
for us experience true repentance; we have to go through each step.
1. An examination of conscience - This is the first step. We do an
examination of conscience guided by the Holy Spirit. Many times we
have to ask the Holy Spirit to examine us and reveal to us what are
those hidden secrets that need to be confessed.
2. Sorrow- The sorrows is a response to our awareness of sin and also
is a response to our need for forgiveness. It hurts when we finally
get to see closer the things that are inside of us. It even hurts more
to admit those things and of course it hurts to let go of the pride in
order to admit them.
3. Determination to avoid sin- I believe that when a true confession
is made there is true repentance, therefore there is that
determination to avoid sin.
Mary V
Mary.V
Mar 26, 2012, 10:02:03 PM3/26/12
to NYYLA
Sister Pat,
Thanks for sharing your story with us. We can definitely experience
what true confession is through your story. Isn't it wonderful that
we are able to go to the Father knowing that all our sins have been
washed away and we can feel free to worship Him! We are made knew and
even if the enemy tries to remind us of what we were, that is the
perfect opportunity for us to glorify our God for what he has done in
our lives because the old things had passed they are all mede knew!!!
God bless you :)
Ava
Apr 7, 2012, 12:23:50 PM4/7/12
to NYYLA
1. What true confession is?
Confession, as defined by Richard Foster, is both a grace and a
discipline. It involves a consciously chosen course of actions that
brings under the shadow of the Almighty ....and is a means of healing
and transforming the inner spirit.
2. James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for
each other so that you may be healed.” We are told to confess our sins
to each other; our healing is also tied to the prayers of each other.
When we confess we allow God’s light to shine in the dark areas where
we struggle. How will you approach this in your ministry practice?
my life that difficulties exists. This person has helped me through
some of the most difficult days of my life by showing me much grace
and being God's hand extended. This being my example, I will
minister God's grace more readily to those faced with life's
difficulties.
3. The discipline of confession helps believer grow into mature
manhood, to the measure of the statue and the fullness of Christ, (Eph
4:13).
the renewing of our mind to have the same attitude as the manner of
Christ. He also noted that as followers of Christ we should seek to
live in harmony and to esteem other as best than ourselves. In our
objective of seeking to become more Christ, the Discipline of
Confession is necessary as it helps us to drop our hold on the world.
In other words, confession moves us from our selfish ways of thinking
and from pushing our own agenda. It unites with God's purpose and
motivates to live selflessly in Christ. The discipline of confession
demands a removal of pretense from our midst and calls us to work out
our salvation with reverential fear of God. It helps us to take a
hard look at ourselves amidst the principles of Christ and prepares us
to become useable Christian.
4. According to Alphonsus Liguori, for a good confession to take
place three things are necessary: an examination of of conscience,
sorrow and a determination to avoid sin..
Examination of conscience: this is where defined sins whether inward
or outward comes to light. Here, in yielding ourselves to the gaze of
God, He helps us to see the concrete sins that is affecting our walk
with Him.
Sorrow:
after our sins are exposed in the examination of our conscience, does
it produce a godly sorrow that leads to repentance. This is not an
emotional cry but rather, a deep regret for the offense caused.
A determination to avoid sin:
Although self explanatory, it involves taking definite and intentional
steps to remove oneself from any actions that would lead us back into
the sin.
twi...@yahoo.com
Apr 9, 2012, 3:20:03 PM4/9/12
to NYYLA
Know that i am forgiven of my sins by the one who died for me helps me
come into true confesson.true confession is entering into the Gods
presence and laying all out before him allowing you to heal. True
confession comes from the heart . But there is more to confession we
can coonfess to one another so we can be realesed from sin and things
that may plague our lives..
I believe that in order for us to be effective as leaders we have to
first confeas our sins and things that makes us spiritually infected.
We should also ask GOd to help us to be listening earsso that if one
of our charges needs to confess then we are willing to listen and pray
with them and not slaughter them confession helps shine the light into
darkness so lets be open and receptive so we can help shine life and
light into others.
When we practice the discipline of confession we become overcomers and
since we already dropped off the heaviness of sin. We have freedom to
grow and become.
The three things neccessry for a good confession are 1 a examination
of consiennce. We cant see all that is wrong with us because we are
somime caught up in our own selves so we need to become silent and
allow the lord to give is intructions on areas of our lives that needs
to be transformed. 2 be sorrowfull we can juast say we are sorry
without it coming from the heart because then as soon as we are done
we will turn around and repeat our actions
3 determination we have try to avoid situations that causes us to sin
stay focus and allow the lord to help us stand in our liberty
come into true confesson.true confession is entering into the Gods
presence and laying all out before him allowing you to heal. True
confession comes from the heart . But there is more to confession we
can coonfess to one another so we can be realesed from sin and things
that may plague our lives..
I believe that in order for us to be effective as leaders we have to
first confeas our sins and things that makes us spiritually infected.
We should also ask GOd to help us to be listening earsso that if one
of our charges needs to confess then we are willing to listen and pray
with them and not slaughter them confession helps shine the light into
darkness so lets be open and receptive so we can help shine life and
light into others.
When we practice the discipline of confession we become overcomers and
since we already dropped off the heaviness of sin. We have freedom to
grow and become.
The three things neccessry for a good confession are 1 a examination
of consiennce. We cant see all that is wrong with us because we are
somime caught up in our own selves so we need to become silent and
allow the lord to give is intructions on areas of our lives that needs
to be transformed. 2 be sorrowfull we can juast say we are sorry
without it coming from the heart because then as soon as we are done
we will turn around and repeat our actions
3 determination we have try to avoid situations that causes us to sin
stay focus and allow the lord to help us stand in our liberty
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