How Much Do I Need God? 16-33

16.  What is sin?

• Romans 1:28, 29 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
• Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
• James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin .
• 1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
• 1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

Oh Lord, all around me sin is abounding. Most people don't want to think about You. They are rebellious and disobedient; they refuse to listen to You. They flagrantly break Your holy law, and commit evil, wicked deeds. Cause me to understand that even a defiant, selfish thought is sin. Deliver me from such thoughts and deeds. Transform my mind so that I hate sin!

17.  What are the consequences and penalty for sin?

• Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
• Obadiah 1:15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.
• Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
• Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Oh, my Master, Open my eyes to see how deadly sin is in my life! Sin brings death, plain and simple. Like a poisonous viper waiting to strike, the enemy is ever seeking to destroy. Illumine me to see beyond the momentary deceptive pleasure to the end results of ultimate death.

18.  How serious is the sin problem in my own life?

• Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
• Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
• Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
• James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
• 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Dear Heavenly Father, I have sinned and fallen short of Your holy will. I have no righteousness of my own. I am infected with sin, and I freely admit it. I am in need of a Savior. Thank you for saving me!

19.  What is my condition and destiny if I do not accept Jesus?

• Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
• John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
• John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
• Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
• Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Father, without You, all I have is condemnation, and a "death sentence" hanging over my head. Since the prognosis is not a favorable outcome for any unbeliever, I sense my desperate need to draw closer to You. Help me to realize the deadly seriousness of living a life without You. My heart fills up with appreciation for what You've done. Keep me close to You, always.

20.  Will there ever be a better time than now to turn to God?

• Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
• Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
• 2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
• Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
• Hebrews 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Dear Lord, today, right now, I hear You speaking to me, calling me to give my heart completely to You. I dare not hesitate a moment to make an entire surrender. Soften my heart and make me willing to yield to Your will, for now is the time and day of my salvation.

21.  What is the danger of procrastinating in making the decision to give my heart to God?

• Luke 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
• Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
• Luke 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
• Galatians 6:7, 8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
• Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Prepare me, Oh Lord, for the time of my judgment is now. My foolish life has heard Your calling and my stinking flesh yearns to live again. Let me not tarry for I shall not pass this way again. Let me sow the seeds of righteousness with a glad heart and build my riches in Heaven, for the day of my King's return shall deliver me to my eternal reward.

22.  Does God's grace teach me to turn from ungodliness and sin?

• Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
• Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
• Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
• Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
• Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

My Heavenly Father, let me be a diligent student of grace, righteousness and sober living. Let me turn from worldly lusts and personal sins. Teach me to say NO to sin and race toward Your kingdom, never looking back!

23.  Does God want me to turn away from my sins, and repent?

• Ezekiel 14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
• Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
• Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
• Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
• Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Dear Father, the light of Your goodness and mercy shames me to deep repentance. I am so sorry for my rebellion and wickedness. I make a complete about face from sin and bow my knees toward You. I pray one day I may shine in Your glory with a newness of self I can hardly recognize! But for today, forgive me Father, for I have sinned and fallen short of Your glory.

24.  How am I to repent of my sins?

• 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
• Psalm 38:18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
• Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
• Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
• 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Dear Lord, I want a humble, repentant heart, to seek You earnestly. I want my sins blotted out by my advocate Jesus Christ. I am sincerely sorry for my sins. Let my repentance be deep and permanent.

25.  What are some examples of prayers of repentance in the Bible?

• Psalm 41:4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
• Psalm 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
• Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
• Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
• Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against You. Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. Heal my sin-sick soul. Thank You for accepting me!

26.  To claim God's promise of forgiveness, what must I do?

• Leviticus 5:5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:
• Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
• Psalm 38:18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
• Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
• Jeremiah 14:20 We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.

Lord, I make a heartfelt confession for my sin. I acknowledge each specific sin. I admit it, and confess each transgression. Thank You Lord, for putting this sorrow for sin in my heart!

27.  How will unconfessed sin affect my quality of life?

• Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
• Psalm 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
• Proverbs 13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
• Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
• Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Lord, help me to shun sin like the plague and not tolerate even one sin to cast its shadow of death across my life. You know my every thought, and I cannot hide sin from You. Every sin will carry its painful consequences and be brought to judgment.

28.  What is the heart attitude that I must have as I confess my sins before God?

• Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
• Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
• Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
• Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Dear Lord, it is with heartfelt sorrow that I make my confession to You. My heart is broken and contrite, and I am truly grieved at the pain my sins have caused You. Thank You for being attentive to me!

29.  Does the Bible make it clear that God wants my whole heart?

• Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
• Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
• Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
• Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
• Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Dear God, over and over in Your Word You emphasize that You want my whole heart, my entire devotion, my unreserved love. Oh, dear Lord, empower me to give it to You without holding back.

30.  Is a double minded, half hearted commitment pleasing to God?

• Matthew 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
• Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
• Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
• James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
• James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Father, I don't want to have a double mind, saving my affections for selfish purpose that are opposed to Your purposes. I must put You first above all else, so that nothing can divide my devotion to You. Make we willing to be single minded for You.

31.  Does God promise to forgive me when I repent?

• Psalm 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
• Psalm 86:5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
• Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
• Psalm 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
• Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Precious Lord, You are so good, and full of mercy toward me. You have promised to forgive me for ALL my sins, to make me as white and pure as freshly fallen snow. All my sins are truly forgiven. Praise God!

32.  What does God say He will do with my sins when I make confession to Him?

• Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
• Isaiah 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
• Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
• Isaiah 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
• Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Dearest Father, what a marvelous promise You have given me, to not remember my sins! You have promised to cast them behind Your back and blot them out, like a thick cloud. You have cast all my sins into the depths of the sea, and removed them as far as the east is from the west. In all these ways You are trying to show me that I don't need to carry around any guilt for my past sins, but that I can rejoice in Your promise of forgiveness. Thank You, Father!

33.  How completely does God cleanse me from my sins?

• Jeremiah 33:8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
• Ezekiel 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
• Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
• Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
• 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Dear Lord, Your merciful forgiveness of my sins provides a complete cleansing. Truly, You have washed away all my sins, and I am clean from all iniquity. As I confess my sins, You faithfully forgive and cleanse me. Praise Your name!

INDEX