Confession seems to be a reoccurring theme in my discipleship lately, so let’s talk about it! What does the Bible say?
Some of us will never move forward spiritually before we’ve broken secrecy with ourselves. You have to acknowledge there is a problem, before being able to fix it. THE WORD is a lamp unto your feet, a light on your path (Psalm 119:105). Allow it to change you from the inside out by acknowledging your faults, allowing the Holy Spirit in to help you uncover the real reasons for them, and moving past them into freedom!
Secrecy doesn’t work anyway.
There’s mercy in confession.
Radical honesty with myself is something I’ve been practicing for a while now, but I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about it.
RADICAL HONESTY IS NOT:
an excuse to say everything that comes to your mind. We are called to be patient, kind, and humble with everyone. We’re called to make allowances for each other’s faults. We’re called to encourage each other and lift each other UP!
a license to let your mouth rule you. The Bible says plenty of things about a fool’s mouth and how it constantly gets him/her into trouble. Read Proverbs 18:6-7, or Proverbs 20:19, or Ephesians 4:29. We’re called to “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry,” James 1:19 tells us.
RADICAL HONESTY IS:
holding yourself to a standard. The standard does not change with every circumstance. No excuses!
asking yourself WHY you behave the way you do. And don’t let yourself get away with the first response. Old ways won’t open new doors.
confessing your sin. Not to everyone, but to the right people. Jesus said, “Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Matthew 7:7. At the very least, admit them to yourself, and to God. We tend to stress REPENTANCE, not just confession, but confession can be a powerful step toward repentance.
Mark 4:1-20
Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. 2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret[a] of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they see what I do,
they will learn nothing.
When they hear what I say,
they will not understand.
Otherwise, they will turn to me
and be forgiven.’[b]”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
There are a lot of confusing things about this passage. What questions do you have about it?
Do a “SOAPQ” study every day
Ask someone else one of your questions!
Bring a question to B&B with you next week.
***REMINDER*** No Wednesday Night Ministry on Wednesday 11/22/23 (Day before Thanksgiving)