Dorsey Marshall
"If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear..." -Psalm 66:18
Refuse to let anything or anyone steal your faith! When you allow temptation to have its way in your life, you will find it quite difficult to remain comfortable in God’s presence. Sin has a way of leaving a guilt-trail! Guilt is a faith-stealer! You will be uncomfortable asking God to meet any need you have, when you know things are not right with you.
Guilt is like having clutter in your closet! Clutter will hinder you from reaching the things you need for your daily activities. Recently, I just went through that. My closet contained so much clutter I could not find anything. There were shirts, trousers, suits, and shoes I have not worn in years. Finally, I went through my closet and discarded stuff I no longer wanted, because it did not fit me anymore. I gave it all away so someone else could benefit from what I could not use.
The Psalmist is speaking of, and referring to, the number one hindrance to a Christian’s prayer life: the clutter of unconfessed sin! There is nothing that so takes the joy out of a life as unconfessed sin in a person’s life. Unconfessed sin produces a clutter of guilt and condemnation. Nothing in your life will derail, distract, and discourage you more than the clutter of these two. If you, as God’s child, are to have a productive, purposeful, and powerful life, then you have to deal with unconfessed sin, and you must be deeply concerned with the clutter that fills the secret places of your life.
David reveals to us three truths concerning the danger of the clutter of unconfessed sin in our lives! The word he uses is “regard” meaning the cause of unconfessed sin, which stems from two things: the acceptance of sin, and the agreement of sin. Then, there is the condition, which always involves a single person, you, and me. It also involves a secret place, the heart of a man. Finally, there are the consequences of unconfessed sin . . . God is not moved, and prayers are not heard. In much the same way, if unconfessed sin is present, the symptoms may not soon appear. However, the lasting effects are deadly to a Christian’s personal life, public life, and prayer life. It is time to remove the clutter from the closet!
Wisdom Seed: “If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk?” Today’s Prayer: “Father, I confess my sin to You; forgive me and cleanse me from all of my secret sins, In Jesus’ Name, Amen!”
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Father, we thank you for Your Word that say if we confess our sin, you are faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Bring us to remembrance, Lord, if there is anything in us that is offensive to you or anything that hasn't been pleasing before you, remove it far away from us, as far as the east is from the west and as far as the west is from the east. In Jesus most gracious name. Thank you Father. Amen.
