Why can church seem plastic and empty?
Because I come to the King’s treasury laden with debt but I pretend like I’m rich.
I only leave empty because my pride prevents me from taking advantage of the King’s debt forgiveness program.
In order to do that I have to openly declare bankruptcy.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 5:3
In James 5:16, the author writes,
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
Notice that confession of our sin PRECEDES healing —the establishment of healthy function.
Very often I get nothing from church because I pretend that I have it all together.
A pastor and mentor of mine, Pearson Liddell, advised me regarding ministry, “get real as quickly as possible, otherwise you’re wasting people’s time”.
When we don’t confess our sin, we leave money (healing) on the table.
So, for me, moving forward, every church service, fellowship, Bible study will begin with this question, “Where is the sin in my life?”
And what is sin?
Missing the mark.
It’s being outside the circle of love, outside the Kingdom of God. (sin state)
The result is always that we don’t love properly. (sin action)
Leading with the confession of our sin requires humility, looking into the mirror of the perfect law of liberty, turning the sword of the Word (which is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart -Hebrews 4:12) on myself (rather than against others as we so often like to do) and praying, “Lord, show me where I’m apart from You. Show me the areas where Satan sits on the throne in my life. Show me where I’m failing to love properly.”
There will always be something to confess, always an area where we can be healed, always a place where God can make us more glorious.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
— 1 John 1:8
There’s no sense in being sick, coming to the hospital and pretending that I’m OK.
I come to Christ through fellowship because I’m in need.
We should lead with our need.
I’ll start:
One of the greatest hindrances to my loving properly and to God’s glory being expressed in my life is that my regard for many things in this world have not yet descended to the level of trash.
“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”
— Philippians 3:8
I am preoccupied with my appearance and have burdened myself with debt and unnecessary things to bolster it which keeps me from fellowship and hinders me from following Jesus completely and fearlessly.
Please pray for me.