Staying True (5) - Confess Wholeheartedly - Daniel 9:9:3-10, 17-19 - October 1, 2023

 

Staying True (5) – Confess Wholeheartedly - October 1, 2023

This is lesson five (5) in our series entitled, “Staying True in a World Far From GOD.”

Our focus scripture is Daniel 9:3-10, 17-19.

Confession and repentance keep us close to GOD.

Unconfessed sin is a barrier between humans and GOD. Under the law, confession and sacrifice were needed to be in right relationship with GOD. GOD sent JESUS, HIS only SON to earth, to live a sinless life for HIM (JESUS) to be the perfect sinless sacrifice for all sin. JESUS shed HIS sinless blood to completely atone for all human sin. Since the atonement of JESUS, every human must confess and ask for forgiveness for his or her sin in order for that person to be saved and receive eternal life through the miracle of Spiritual Birth into GOD’S Family; never to be Spiritually unborn.

Even though a person is Spiritually born into GOD’S Family, the Spirit-born person must build and maintain their right relationship with GOD by confessing his or her sins. Yes, Spirit born people sin and when we do not confess our sins, they become a barrier between us and GOD.

The same was true in the Old Testament times. Notice, that Daniel confessed his sins as well as the sins of country, government, etc. where lived.

Daniel is an example for every Spirit-born person. He prayed three times a day with confession and repentance as vital parts of Daniel’s prayer life. His relationship with GOD was evident by GOD revealing the mysteries to him specifically through the Prophet Jeremiah. Daniel trusted what GOD revealed to Jeremiah and he acted upon it. That is why we can trust what is written in GOD’S Word. The Bible is a guide for our lives and it reveals the next steps GOD has planned for us and our nation. The key is that we confess any sin in our lives, even though we are Spirit-born, we still sin. There are sins we commit or sins of omission. There is our thought life. That is why Spirit-born believers must confess their sins. We can ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any sin we may be harboring and especially hidden sin e.g. lust.

As Spirit-born, we are not to allow anything to come between us and GOD. When we come before GOD in prayer, and when we know we have sinned, we must confess our sin/sins. If we are not aware of our sin, we need to ask GOD to search our hearts and reveal any wicked way in us.

Staying in right relationship with GOD and JESUS is vital as we get ever closer to the second coming of JESUS. Why? We who have been Spirit-born know the truth and must share that truth with others who are seeking the truth of eternal life through faith in JESUS.

Daniel had the Old Testament to read and study to be his guide from GOD to the things to take place in the future.

Let’s return to our scripture.

Daniel 9:1-6:

In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was made king over the Chaldean kingdom— ² in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be seventy. ³ So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Daniel saw in GOD’S Word, written by Jeremiah that “the desolation of Jerusalem would be seventy years”  

Once Daniel saw GOD’S timeline when they would return to Jerusalem, Daniel knew how to pray. In essence, GOD had allowed them as a Nation to be punished for their sin. Then he knew how to pray.

When trouble hits our church, is it due to our sin? We need to go to our LORD and confess because we know something is wrong. Did Daniel do the wrong? NO! But he took ownership of what his fellow countrymen had done and petitioned GOD in their behalf.

Will we humble ourselves and go before our LORD and take ownership of present and past unconfessed sins of former leaders in our     church.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

⁴ I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands— ⁵ we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. ⁶ We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the people of the land.

¹¹ All Israel (America) has broken your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. The promised curse^[a] written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against him. ¹² He has carried out his words that he spoke against us and against our rulers^[b] by bringing on us a disaster that is so great that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been done under all of heaven. ¹³ Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquities and paying attention to your truth. ¹⁴ So the Lord kept the disaster in mind and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all he has done. But we have not obeyed him.

We have many churches in America but how many Pastors are preaching GOD’S Word and living as led by the Holy Spirit? How many Christians even know, as a born-again person, that the Holy Spirit lives within them?

America, it is time for us to wake up and confess our sins of disobedience and lack of faith and be about GOD’S business.

¹⁵ Now, Lord our God—who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand and made your name renowned as it is this day—we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. ¹⁶ Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, may your anger and wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us.

¹⁷ Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of your servant. Make your face shine on your desolate sanctuary for the Lord’s sake. ¹⁸ Listen closely,^[c] my God, and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city that bears your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before you based on our righteous acts, but based on your abundant compassion. ¹⁹ Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for your own sake, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name.

Jerusalem was where GOD resided. The Jews and Jewish converts went to Jerusalem to confess their sins and to seek atonement.

Because of the atonement of JESUS, Christians have the greatest news ever. Any person can confess his/her sins, ask JESUS to come into his/her heart, be forgiven for all of their sins and be Spirit-born into GOD’S Family. When a person does this, he/she receives the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit is a person’s guarantee that he/she is GOD’S Son or Daughter through the miracle of Spiritual birth.

That is Good News and must be shared with others as GOD gives us opportunity.

The Seventy Weeks of Years

²⁰ While I was speaking (It is important when we pray that we pause and listen for GOD to speak to us), praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the Lord my God concerning the holy mountain of my God— ²¹ while I was praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the first vision, reached me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering. ²² He gave me this explanation: “Daniel, I’ve come now to give you understanding. (The Holy Spirit gives us understanding. Please pause when you pray and allow GOD to speak to you in HIS still small voice. Listen! Awesome!!!) ²³ At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God.^[d] So consider the message and understand the vision:

[[[We may think, “wouldn’t it be great if GOD sent an angel to us, as Spirit-born Christians.” He gives us the Holy Spirit WHO indwells within us. Daniel had all he needed. He was in right relationship with GOD. He had the writings from Jeremiah, which were spot on and he trusted GOD to speak through Jeremiah’s prophesy to him. This is the reason for us to study GOD’S word when we seek answers. The Holy Spirit will help us to discern truth from error. Will Satan attempt to confuse us? Most likely. Christians must discern truth from error. Knowing the truth, as printed in GOD’S Word, as led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, will be our hope in the dark times.]]]

²⁴ Seventy weeks are decreed
about your people and your holy city—
to bring the rebellion to an end,
to put a stop to sin,
to atone for iniquity,
to bring in everlasting righteousness,
to seal up vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the most holy place.
²⁵ Know and understand this:
From the issuing of the decree
to restore and rebuild Jerusalem
until an Anointed One, the ruler,^[e]
will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks.
It will be rebuilt with a plaza and a moat,
but in difficult times.
²⁶ After those sixty-two weeks
the Anointed One will be cut off
and will have nothing.
The people of the coming ruler
will destroy the city and the sanctuary.^[f]
The^[g] end will come with a flood,
and until the end there will be^[h] war;
desolations are decreed.
²⁷ He will make a firm covenant^[I]
with many for one week,
but in the middle of the week
he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering.
And the abomination of desolation
will be on a wing of the temple^[j][k]
until the decreed destruction
is poured out on the desolator.”

Let’s read Daniel 9:7-10:

⁷ Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel—those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. ⁸ Lord, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. ⁹ Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him ¹⁰ and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

Let’s read Daniel 9:17-19:

¹⁷ Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of your servant. Make your face shine on your desolate sanctuary for the Lord’s sake. ¹⁸ Listen closely,^[c] my God, and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city that bears your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before you based on our righteous acts, but based on your abundant compassion. ¹⁹ Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for your own sake, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name.

Daniel was praying for Jerusalem and his prayer is an excellent guide for us when we pray for our city, church, state and nation.

Are we moved to pray for our church, state, nation and world? Prayerfully ask our LORD, what can we do as YOU lead us to revitalize each of us, our members, our church, our community, our state, nation and the world? So goes the church, so goes the city and area where we live.

We need to Confess our sins and the sins of our Nation.

Ask for forgiveness

Trust GOD through our faith in JESUS.

The key is that GOD and JESUS are Holy and righteous. Are we, who know the truth of salvation, willing to intercede and ask for forgiveness for the sins of others in our government, state, church or nation. FATHER, bring to our minds how we can join YOU in being effective, as we follow YOU.

I begin by confessing. I am a sinner saved by YOUR Grace. Reveal to me how YOU desire for me to pray and how I should pray.

 

 

Blessings!!!