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God Forgives Sin!
Confession is cathartic and good for the soul.
When we sin, we move away from God. The way back to him begins with
confession. Why do we hesitate? If we confess our sins, God will forgive
us and cleanse us from every wrong.
A Prayer begins . . .
Gracious God, help us live lives of moral excellence for we desire to know
you better. We confess our sins because we know it is right. Help us
to follow you with our whole hearts.
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Two selected book quotations begin . . .
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Forgive Yourself
Category: Christian Living
ISBN: 0877882819
Keywords: denial, confession,
Seneca, Roman, Christ, confess, vices, forgiving, spiritual, mission, healthy, healing,
Harold Shaw Publishers, Bangley, Bernard Bangley
"Denial, in any form, is not confession. Seneca, the Roman who lived about the same
time as Christ, put it quite bluntly: 'Why does no one confess his vices? Because he
is still in them! It is the one who wakes that reports the dream.'
It is confession that starts the process of forgiving yourself. There is no substitute,
no alternative.
Confession is
the first thing that is required whether your fall is
great or small, whether it is a spiritual calamity or a simple mission of a personal
goal. Go ahead. Admit it. It is a healthy, healing thing to drop all evasions and say
that you have failed, sinned, blundered, hurt someone, disappointed yourself."
SoAmazing Review: Bangley wants you to get forgiveness
right. It is too important not too.
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A Sinner's Prayer
Category: Fiction
ISBN: 0670882259
Keywords: Kill, rector, anger, God, love,
forgiveness, palpable, Christ, sanctuary, test, prayer, Son, Holy Spirit,
Lion Publishing, Karon, Jan Karon
" 'The man's voice was cold. 'I'd like to kill someone, I think of killing him all the
time. I would never do it, but he deserves it and thinking about it helps me. I like
thinking about it.'
The rector felt suddenly weakened, as if the anger had seeped into his own bones, his own
spirit. He wanted the windshield to defrost; where was this going?
'Do you like the fall of the year?'
The man gave an odd laugh. 'Why?'
'One of the things that makes a dead leaf fall to the ground is the bud of the new leaf
that pushes it off the limb. When you let God fill you with his love and forgiveness,
the things you think you desperately want to hold onto start falling away. . . and we
hardly notice their passing.'
The man looked at his watch and made a move to rise from his knees. His agitation was
palpable.
'Let me ask you something,' said the rector. 'Would you like to ask Christ into your
life?'
The stranger stared into the darkened sanctuary. 'I can't do it, I've tried.'
'It isn't a test you have to pass. It doesn't require discipline and
intelligence . . . not even strength and perseverance. It only requires faith.'
'I don't think I've got that.' There was a long silence. 'But I'd be willing to
try it . . . one more time.'
'Will you pray a simple prayer with me . . . on faith?'
He looked up. 'What do I have to lose?'
'Nothing, actually.' Father Tim rose stiffly from the kneeler and took the short step
across the aisle, where he laid his hands on the man's head.
'If you could repeat this,' he said. 'Thank you, God, for loving me, and for sending your
Son to die for my sins. I sincerely repent of my sins, and receive Christ as my personal
savior. Now, as your child, I turn my entire life over to you. Amen.'
The man repeated the prayer, and they were silent.
'Is that all?' he asked finally.
'That's all.'
'I don't know . . . what I'm supposed to feel.'
'Whatever you feel is exactly what you're supposed to feel.'
The man was suddenly embarrassed, awkward. 'I've got to get out of here. I was on my
way to a meeting in Wesley, and I saw this old church and I . . . things have been, I've
been . . . I've got to get out of here. Look, thanks. Thank you,' he said shaking the
rector's hand.
'Please . . . stay in touch.'
He stood at the door for a moment and watched him go. There was so much he hadn't said,
so much he'd left out. But the Holy Spirit would fill in the blanks."
SoAmazing Review: At Home In Mitford
is a series of vignettes about Father Tim, Rector of Lord's Chapel, and a remarkable
cast of characters that live in and about the mythical town of Mitford. Storytelling at its best!
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