The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading PlanSample

Free and Forgiven

*Why do you need to confess your sins to God?

To confess means to admit to our sin and also to agree with God that we need forgiveness. When we genuinely confess our sins to God, he is faithful to forgive us. When we repent, he purifies us from our sins.

This doesn’t mean that we need to keep a diary of every bad thought we think and every bad deed we do and then name them to God one by one. But it does mean that, as Christians, we need to continually acknowledge that we are sinners in need of God’s saving grace.

When we do this, God makes us new. He wipes the slate clean and gives us a fresh start — every time. We do not need to return to our sinful habits. We do not need to be slaves to our sin. Through the blood of Jesus, God sets us free from our sin. We are free and forgiven.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for freeing us from our slavery to sin. Thank you for making us new creations in you. Please help us to live like free people. Amen.

Taken from Once a Day At the Table