Ramesh C. Reddy
Managing Editor
Hi everyone :)
May you know that you can call on the Lord anytime during your times of trouble and He will answer you including taking your virus! Amen!
Announcements:
On Thursday night, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship will be having their Mark
Manuscript Small Group Bible study introductory meeting at 8:30 p.m in New Hope
Christian Community.
New Hope Christian Community is located on North Dithridge Street right opposite
to Webster Hall and St. Paul's Cathedral church on Fifth Ave and will be having
a POT LUCK LUNCH after church this Sunday, Sept 01, 02. The worship service
starts at 11:00 a.m.
Quiet Times (Psalm 88, Proverbs 28, and Mark 3)
“He who conceals his sin will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)
There are 2 promises I learned from this verse:
What came to my mind is when sin is hidden it causes a lot of guilt in a person. Because of that guilt, it hinders the person from functioning properly. It is as if there is a huge black cloud lingering over him/her because of that sin. Whatever they do will not take that guilty feeling away as long as that sin continues to be concealed and so they have a hard time prospering.
What a different story for the person who confesses and renounces his/her sin. They find mercy and it is as if a huge burden is lifted off their shoulder. No wonder many people confess to crimes voluntarily too because they cannot take the guilt and pain anymore. Even when they have to pay the consequences for their actions, in confessing and renouncing their sin, they find mercy and peace for their soul. I can understand why people say “confession is good for the soul.”
I was reminded of Acts 3 where it talks about repenting and turning away from our sins so that we can find times of refreshing and healing for our soul. Oh how true that has been in my own life.
I was especially reminded of the prayer in Psalm 32 that I have prayed multiples times:
“What happiness for those who guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins have been covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record. There was a time when I wouldn’t admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. All day and all night your hand was heavy upon me. My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, “I will confess them to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” (Psalm 32:1-5)
Confession of my sins to the Lord has been so refreshing to me and renouncing them has been even more refreshing.
I ask you now dear friends, how do you handle a virus?
Dear friend, sin is like a virus and as long as it is hidden inside of us, it can start to do a lot of damage slowly and cause us to become sick. Did you know most sicknesses are caused by inner guilt and sin that is concealed! It is covered over in a negative way as opposed to a positive way. So, it starts to spread and slowly cause havoc in a person’s life until an antidote is found and taken for this type of virus.
It does not cost you any money to take this antidote except your willingness to confess and renounce that particular sin in your life. One of the best ways to do that is confessing and renouncing your sin to the Lord Jesus and asking Him to cover over that sin with His precious blood serving as the antidote. Now in this way, you will find mercy for our Lord is a merciful God too.
This is so exciting to know that Jesus can cover over all our sins with His precious blood and wash us clean. I am so thankful no matter what we have done or where we have been, His mercies are never ending and He offers us forgiveness from the things we have done. In Him we can find mercy and a cure for the virus that infects us all. But, we need to take the antidote Christ offers and acknowledge what He can do for us as our Great Physician.
May you come to know the love Jesus has for you and know that no matter what you have done or where you have been, you are never out of His love and He will and can forgive you. Jesus said to the thief on the cross that he would be with him in paradise. That thief was a murderer but he was remorseful for what he did. None of our sins may look as bad a murder but Satan will make us think we are beyond forgiveness. Don't let the enemy take your joy.
In God’s eyes sin is sin and He is willing to forgive us as we turn to Him. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking that what you did is so bad that there is no forgiveness available. If you are carrying guilt with you, don’t anymore. Release that guilt by asking Jesus Christ to have it as you confess your sins and repent of them.
Virus Infects Rudely Uniting Sin! (V.I.R.U.S)/”How have you handled your virus?”
Make this your prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I heard that you can forgive us of all our yuckiness no matter what we have done or where we have been. Lord, I know the virus of sin can affect rudely and unite every kind of sin and make us sick. Lord, you know the sins we have committed and we are so sorry Lord. We confess them to you specifically in this time and also repent of them. We ask you for your help so we can be transformed and changed. We cannot on our own. I thank you Jesus for forgiving us and covering us with your precious cleansing blood. Please come into my heart and make my heart your home. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. Thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you Jesus for living your life in me. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior. Please be my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you for being my Lord and Savior. Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Thank you that you can set me free from the guilt I have been holding on to. In Your Name I Pray Jesus. Thank you for loving me so much, dying for my sins, and coming back to life to save me. Amen!
Love in Christ,
Ramesh