Day 20

20 - COMING CLEAN WITH GOD

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

1 John 1:9

Did you ever watch the Discovery Channel TV show, Dirty Jobs, with host Mike Rowe? In episode after episode, Rowe was shown performing difficult, strange, disgusting or messy occupational duties alongside typical employees. Throughout the series, Rowe had such unenviable jobs as Worm Dung Farmer, Roadkill Cleaner, Sewer Inspector, Sludge Cleaner, Cheese Maker, Chimney Sweeper, Avian Vomitologist, Casino Food Recycler, Alpaca Shearer, Monkey Caretaker, Poo Pot Maker, Dairy Cow Midwife, Aerial Tram Greaser, Turkey Inseminator, Sheep Castrator, Maggot Farmer, Toilet Crusher, Worm Grunter, Mardi Gras Bladder Banger and hundreds more. Fun stuff, right?

What’s the dirtiest job you’ve ever had to do?

Years ago, I had a friend who had his own version of Dirty Jobs. One summer, he was the Septic Tank Evacuator. His job was to go to homes or businesses his company serviced, hook up a hose to their septic tank, turn on the evacuator motor and suck all the human waste out of the tank. Some people say their job stinks. His really did! And one day, he carelessly attached the hose to a septic tank without the seal being locked tightly. When he turned on the evacuator motor, human waste sprayed everywhere. He was covered!

Do you think he went to the remaining homes on his list for that day to finish up? No! He went straight home, dumped his stinky, filthy clothes in the washing machine, and put his stinky, filthy body in the shower. He said of that experience, “It never felt so good to be clean!”

“It never felt so good to be clean!”

That’s what it feels like to be forgiven. We confess our sins, and God promises to make us clean. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU), developed a simple word picture for this. He called it “spiritual breathing.” Exhale. Inhale. We exhale the poison, carbon dioxide. We inhale life-giving oxygen. It’s part of the regular rhythm of life.

So how do we spiritually exhale?

Read Psalm 32:3-5.

• What does David say here about exhaling spiritual poison?”

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Read Psalm 38:18.

• What insights do you draw about confession from David’s experience?

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Read Psalm 66:18.

• Why insights do you draw about confession from David’s experience?

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Read Proverbs 28:13.

• What insights do you draw about confession from Solomon’s wisdom?

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Read James 5:16.

• What insights do you draw about confession from James’ admonition?

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Confession should be a regular practice in our lives. Confession is simply agreeing with God about our sin, admitting we have wronged Him, and asking for His forgiveness.

If we exhale when we confess our sins, then how do we spiritually inhale? We inhale by yielding control of our lives back to God’s Spirit.

Read Romans 6:12-14

• What insights do you draw about yielding control of your life back to God from Paul’s challenge?

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Read Romans 8:5-9.

• What insights do you draw about yielding control of your life back to God from Paul’s challenge?

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Read Galatians 5:16-18.

• What insights do you draw about yielding control of your life back to God from Paul’s challenge?

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Read Colossians 3:5-10.

• What insights do you draw about yielding control of your life back to God from Paul’s challenge?

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Apart From Him…

• Thank the Father for the freedom of forgiveness. “It never felt so good to be clean!

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Walking As Jesus…

• Take time right now to EXHALE. Confess your sins to God. Be specific. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Now INHALE. Invite God’s Spirit to fill you, control you and lead you today.

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• My Personal Disciple-Making Plan: