Here is part of an email a good friend of mine sent me:
I have found in my life the blessedness of confession. Wherever and however we find ourselves, confessing the depth and length and breadth of our sin to God is a blessing. One blessing is that we can better our need of Him! When I confess my unbelief, it shows me that my faith is NOT the reason God loves me and points to His free grace -coming from outside of me- that I so desperately need.
Confessing the sin of our sin also reminds us that "the flesh profits nothing," and that life comes from the Spirit. (SO many people say, "yeah, I know, I need to pray more, read the Bible more, worship more, etc..." That is the flesh talking. Those with the Spirit have beheld God's standard of holiness which made "sin revive [they saw the magnitude of their sin], and [they] died [meaning they lost all confidence in their own goodness and ability]." Romans 7:9. Confessing our sin reminds us to, rather than look to our fleshly striving for revival, trust God whose "divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.""If we may confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9Find a minute to enjoy Psalm 32: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old 6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
Through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
7 You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
I will guide you with My eye.
9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
The necessity of the word
God's people are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:5 We know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Thus, part of God keeping us is His using the word. "And we have more firm the prophetic word, to which we do well giving heed, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, till day may dawn, and a morning star may arise -- in your hearts..." 2 Peter 1:19. Here are some wonderful Scripture songs that are free to download and which you can listen to whenever you are in transit or are allowed to have earphones in. http://www.scripturesongsforworship.com/ (Many of my favorites are on this free CD:http://www.scripturesongsforworship.com/2012/06/album-songs-of-salvation-2012.html) As you take them in, may you taste and see that the Lord is good, and be drawn to seek Him, knowing that "He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6