Proverbs 28:13

Prosperity and success – with peace and joy – are easy. Confess and forsake your sins, right now. Poverty and failure – with pain and misery – are also easy. Hide your sins, and pretend you are doing fine. The blessed God will not let you get away with the smallest sin. Be sure your sin will find you out! Which do you want – prosperity or destruction?

Sins are easily defined: they are breaking God’s rules for living, and all His rules are found in the Bible. Sins are doing what God commanded you not to do, and sins are not doing what God commanded you to do. There are two main commandments dictating your love of God and neighbor; the Ten Commandments detail these duties further; then there is the rest of the Bible spelling out the proper application of each of these ten.

When you sin, you have a choice. You can keep the sin to yourself, hide it from others, not mention it to God, and do it again when the urge hits. Or you can drop to your knees, confess it openly to God, make restitution if it involves others, and take the necessary steps to avoid committing it again. Your choice in this matter will greatly affect your life.

All men sin. The blessed God knows this (I John 1:8,10; 2:1). How you handle your sins makes all the difference in the world. If you confess them, He is faithful and just to forgive you (I John 1:9). But if you keep the sins in your heart, He will not hear your prayers, and He will turn His face against you, bringing trouble (Ps 66:18; I Pet 3:12).

No man can sin too much, too often, or too horribly for God not to forgive him. His thoughts and ways are far above your thoughts and ways – in His ability to forgive and pardon sins (Is 55:6-9). He has more forgiveness than any man. God will always accept a broken and contrite heart; He will never despise or reject such a sacrifice (Ps 51:16-17). It is only proud rebellion and stubbornness that keeps you from confessing sins right now.

Ahab and Manasseh were two of the wickedest kings, yet God had mercy on both of them, which is excellent reading for those doubting God’s forgiveness (I Kgs 21:25-29; II Chron 33:1-13). David, against great blessings and knowledge of God, committed aggravated adultery and murder, yet God forgave him in an instant (II Sam 12:13). And God forgave Peter, who sinned horribly with cursing and oaths after pompous promises.

Hide and protect your sins, and the righteous God will grind you to powder, from the inside out. Confess and forsake them, and He will restore your soul with life and light (Job 33:27-28). You have a choice, reader, a simple choice. What will you do? Today, in the way you handle your sins, will determine your future prosperity or destruction. Be like David rather than Saul and reap David’s blessings rather than Saul’s punishment.