The document discusses the importance of confessing sins. It provides several Bible passages that emphasize how confession brings forgiveness from God and relief from guilt. When people do not confess their sins, they waste away and their strength is sapped. But when they acknowledge their sins to God, He forgives them. True confession involves acknowledging one's sins and wrongdoings to God. The story of the town prostitute illustrates that those who are forgiven much will love God greatly in return. Confession allows people to be cleansed, restored, and have a renewed relationship with God.

1. Developing Your Prayer Life
The Importance of
Confession

2. NOT CONFESSING SIN?
Psalms 32:1 Blessed is he whose
transgressions are forgiven, whose sins
are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose
sin the LORD does not count against
him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3. NOT CONFESSING SIN?
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted
away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was
heavy upon me; my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.

4. NOT CONFESSING SIN?
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and
did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I
will confess my transgressions to the
LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my
sin.

5. WHAT IS CONFESSION?
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sin He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sin
and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.

6. I KNOW GOD FORGIVES ME;
I CAN'T FORGIVE MYSELF.

7. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
Leviticus 26:40 "'But if they will confess
their sins and the sins of their fathers--
their treachery against me and their
hostility toward me,

8. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
41which made me hostile toward them so
that I sent them into the land of their
enemies--then when their un-
circumcised hearts are humbled and they
pay for their sin,

9. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
42I will remember my covenant with
Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and
my covenant with Abraham, and I will
remember the land.

10. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
Lamentations 1:20 "See, O LORD, how
distressed I am! I am in torment within,
and in my heart I am disturbed, for I
have been most rebellious."

11. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
Psalm 51:1-17

12. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
Psalm 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot
out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all
my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

13. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
3 For I know my transgressions, and my
sin is always before me. 4 Against you,
you only, have I sinned and done what is
evil in your sight; so you are right in
your verdict and justified when you
judge.

14. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from
the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet
you desired faithfulness even in the
womb; you taught me wisdom in that
secret place.

15. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be
clean; wash me, and I will be whiter
than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and
gladness; let the bones you have crushed
rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

16. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
10 Createin me a pure heart, O God, and
renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do
not cast me from your presence or take
your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to
me the joy of your salvation and grant
me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

17. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
13 Then I will teach transgressors your
ways, so that sinners will turn back to
you. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of
bloodshed, O God, you who are God my
Savior, and my tongue will sing of your
righteousness.

18. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth
will declare your praise. 16 You do not
delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt
offerings.

19. GOD'S VIEW OF SIN
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart you, God,
will not despise.

20. THE TOWN PROSTITUTE,
AN UNINVITED GUEST

21. Luke 7:38 …and as she stood behind him
at his feet weeping, she began to wet his
feet with her tears…

22. … then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and poured perfume on
them.

23. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited
him saw this, he said to himself, "If this
man were a prophet, he would know who
is touching him and what kind of woman
she is—that she is a sinner."

24. 41"Two men were in debt to a banker.
One owed five hundred silver pieces, the
other fifty."

25. 42"Neither of them could pay up, and so
the banker canceled both debts…."

26. … "Now which of them will love him
more?"

27. 43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who
had the bigger debt canceled."…

28. …"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

29. THE EPILOGUE
44Then he turned toward the woman and
said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I
came into your house."…

30. THE EPILOGUE
…"You did not give me any water for my
feet,"

31. THE EPILOGUE
…"but she wet my feet with her tears and
wiped them with her hair."

32. THE EPILOGUE
45 "You did not give me a kiss …"

33. THE EPILOGUE
"…but this woman, from the time I
entered, has not stopped kissing my feet."

34. THE EPILOGUE
47 "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins
have been forgiven—for she loved much.
But he who has been forgiven little loves
little."

35. THE EPILOGUE
48Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are
forgiven."

36. THE EPILOGUE
49The other guests began to say among
themselves, "Who is this who even
forgives sins?"

37. Developing Your Prayer Life
The Importance of
Confession