"pray without ceasing,"
(1 Thessalonians 5:17, NKJV)
In addition to our special time of prayer this evening we will also be discussing prayer. Last week we emphasized that one of the elements of our prayer life should be our praise to God. Tonight we will discuss another essential element in prayer, our penitence towards God. By penitence we mean a repentant heart that asks God for forgiveness of sin.
Some may wonder why Christians need to regularly ask for forgiveness since all our sins are already forgiven in Christ (Romans 8:1). For the Christian, asking for forgiveness is necessary because even though our positional relationship with God as sons and daughters is not in jeopardy, our paternal relationship can be affected (Psalm 66:18). The solution to reestablishing our relationship is in confession of sin.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, NKJV)
If you plan to join us this evening for our prayer and Bible study time you may want to spend a few moments reviewing Hebrews 12:3-11 to prepare for our discussion time.
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