1796 - John Adams is elected the second president of the United States of America.
1903 - In Central America, Panama proclaims its independence.
1918 - German sailors begin a mutiny on ships of the fleet at Kiel.
1941 - English broadcaster Roy Plomley conceives the idea for 'Desert Island Discs'. The programme is first broadcast on BBC Radio in January 1942.

1952 - General Foods markets 'Birds Eye" frozen peas, using the methds of company vice-president and process inventor Clarence Birdseye.
1957 - The Russians launch a dog, 'Laika' into space aboard Sputnik II. She dies when her oxygen runs out after 10 days.
1975 - In Britain Queen Elizabeth II opens the North Sea pipeline - the first to be built underwater - bringing ashore 400,000 barrels a day to Grangemouth Refinery on the Firth of Forth in Scotland.

1987 - Gordon Gould issued US patent US4704583 for the laser, ending his 30-year battle to be credited as the inventor of the laser.

2023 - 5.6 magnitude earthquake centered around Jajarkot, northwest Nepal, kills 157 people and leaves thousands homeless.

Eighth-century educator and theologian Alcuin urged believers to embrace the spiritual discipline of confession: 'Believe me, all that thou hast sinned will be found pardonable if thou do not blush to confess it. God awaits the sacrifice of confession from us that he may accord to us the delightful boon of pardon. Accordingly, my dearest sons, hasten to the remedy of confession. Lay open your wounds in confession that the medicaments of healing may be able to take effect in you.' 

In other words, sin is a spiritual disease, but repentant confession brings the cure. Sin is genuine sorrow, but confession brings joy. How should we repent and confess? What can we expect? How and why do the promises we've discovered in God's Word touch our daily spiritual lives?

'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' (1John 1:9). These words are for today's church.... for today's Christian. God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all"...  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1John 1:5; 2:2). To say that God is light means that He's perfectly perfect... without spiritual fault or weakness. It follows from this that to be in fellowship with Him means to walk in his light... not ours, or simply, to act obediently. 

Only the righteous, those who do as He commands, can live in harmony with God and His people (Ps. 24:34). We walk in the light because we are forgiven our sin.... not because we have no sin. It is through the ongoing daily admission (confession of sin), that righteousness is maintained. This process is to 'walk in the light'... only the self-righteous (blind to the truth), think they can live each day without sinning... they walk in darkness. They walk in their own light which is no light at all.

Even as forgiven and redeemed people, we cannot claim perfection. We still commit sins. To think differently is self-deception (1John 1:10). We must confess our sins to God... daily. This principle was established in the Old covenant and remains necessary in the New covenant. Confession implies both facing and turning away from... admitting, then abandoning our offences against God. Forgiveness is a divine certainty (1:9). 

It flows from God's love and faithfulness as well as from His justice (since Christ has already paid the penalty for our sin and in fact argues on our behalf). The discipline of confession keeps our hearts pure and our fellowship with God close and without fear. As we confess our sins, we safeguard our path of walking in the light where the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin (v7).

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A guy walks into a post office one day to see a middle-aged, balding man standing at the counter methodically placing "Love" stamps on bright pink envelopes with hearts all over them. He then takes out a perfume bottle and starts spraying scent all over them.

His curiosity getting the better of him, he goes up to the balding man and asks him what he is doing. The man says, "I'm sending out 1,000 Valentine cards signed, 'Guess who?'"

"But why?" asks the man.

"I'm a divorce lawyer," the man replies.

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A blonde was complaining to her friend about constantly being called a dumb blonde. Her friend tells her "go do something to prove them wrong! Why don't you learn all the state capitals or something?" The blonde thinks this is a great idea, and locks herself up for two weeks studying.
The next party she goes to, some guy is making dumb blonde comments to her. She gets all indignant and claims, "I'm NOT a dumb blonde. In fact, I can name ALL the state capitals!"
The guy doesn't believe her, so she dares him to test her. He says "Okay, what's the Capital of Montana?"
The blonde tosses her hair in triumph and says, "That's easy! It's M!"

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Yet the apostle Paul spoke of God as One "whom no man has seen or can see" (1 Timothy 6:15-16). I have often thought about this seeming contradiction. How can we reconcile our Lord's statement with the words of Paul?

I believe we must first recognize that God in His essential being is pure Spirit (John 4:24), and therefore is invisibly present everywhere in His vast creation (Psalm 139:7-12). But we read in the Bible that on various occasions God appeared to people in a visible way (Genesis 18:1-3). He created a burning bush from which to challenge Moses (Exodus 3:2). And further, the glory of His presence was revealed, and "there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone" (Exodus 24:9-10).

 God can appear in any form He desires, even while He Himself remains invisibly present throughout the universe.

One day in heaven the unseen, infinite God will graciously make Himself visible to us.This is when the overcomes see God face to face... the reward promised in Mat 5 above. We will see Jesus and live in His light (Revelation 21:23). But seeing Him will be seeing God, for He is God. What a blessed prospect!


The Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. Acts 8:29

Here, as in many other passages in Acts, we see the Spirit guiding the disciples. He leads, speaks and forbids. The Holy Spirit is a living power (persona... of Christ) who works with us. He is our helper. In this passage, the Holy Spirit describes in detail what Philip should do. Go near and overtake this chariot. This is not some vague, non-committing, general statement but rather detailed help in a particular situation.

Some people think this might result in our not thinking for ourselves or alternatively claiming spiritual guidance so it can be used as a stand-over strategy. But this is not the case. The Holy Spirit is a partner (the Spirit quickly reveals the folly of those who make false claims). He does not think instead of us, but together with us. Here we have an important situation. Through the faith of this one Ethiopian, the gospel would reach a new country. Therefore, the Spirit's guidance was very important.

The same is true in your life. There are countless important choices and decisions to be made. There are many things you are to do. What is right? When, how and with whom will these things be done? The Holy Spirit knows the will of God... the way of Christ, and He wants to communicate with you and lead you in all these decisions. Begin to rely more heavily on His direction in your life. Do not be afraid to make mistakes; He will help you. 

You need Him. You cannot do what God wants you to do in your own power. God's assignments require the resources of the Holy Spirit, and only in Him and through Him can you find what you need to serve God. The Holy Spirit has precise, long-term planning and an ability to guide that you do not have. Allow Him to teach you, make more use of fellowship so you can balance your understandings with the testimonies and service towards of others. 

Take time to be with Him and you will hear His voice. That will be the greatest asset you have in life. The bible church is built upon people who are successfully motivated by the leading of the Spirit. Pray in the spirit, fellowship with the same type of people, financially support  the church, read the bible and God cannot help but lead you into all truth, through the Holy Spirit.