Ooops, I Did It Again

Ooops, I Did It Again

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply
Title: Ooops, I Did It Again ------------------- Date: 1/7/2002
Keywords: "confession"
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Passage: Nehemiah 9:1-3*

1. Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dirt upon them.

2. And the descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3. While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.

Questions

1. What do you think is the "point" of the fasting, sackcloth, and dirt of verse 1?

2. For what purpose would a believer confess his sins to God?

Practical help

The ninth chapter of the book of Nehemiah is a fascinating recounting of God's gracious work in the history of the Jewish nation. Everything from the choosing of Abraham, to the great miracle of the Exodus, to the provision of God in the wilderness, to the defeat of Jericho is included.

Alongside these wonderful works of God, though, are listed the rebellions of God's people, Israel. Time after time, the Jews disobeyed God, specifically violating His laws. Many times, they sinned/failed in exactly the same way over and over and over again.

Yet (and here is the important part), their chronic failure did not keep them from seeking God's cleansing and restoration in the days of Nehemiah. They knew what we, today, need to be certain of: that God welcomes His children's confession of sin. He is gracious beyond our wildest dreams. His mercy is always available.

Tired of porn in your life? Tired of telling God how sorry you are for failing "one more time"? Does your involvement with porn remind you of Brittany Spears' song, "Oooops, I did it again!"?

Your sorrow over your sin is evidence of the gracious work of the Holy Spirit of God. Keep on bringing your confession to Him. As you do, He will be "faithful and righteous to forgive [your] sins and to cleanse [you] from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLEŽ, Š Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."