If thou hast sinned, lie not down without repentance; for the want of repentance, after one has sinned, makes the heart yet harder and harder.

The forgiveness of God is one thing, but the proof that we want that forgiveness is the energy we expend to make amends for the wrong.

It is not enough to want to get rid of one's sins, we also need to believe in the One who saves us from our sins.

Don't argue for other people's weaknesses. Don't argue for your own. When you make a mistake, admit it, correct it, and learn from it -- immediately.

It is one thing to make a mistake, and quite another thing not to admit it. People will forgive mistakes, because mistakes are usually of the mind, mistakes of judgment. But people will not easily forgive the mistakes of the heart, the ill intention, the bad motives, the prideful justifying cover-up of the first mistake.

We would all worship better, sing better, fellowship better, give better, evangelize better, share better, and behave much better if we were first humbling ourselves, confessing our sins, asking God's Spirit to fill us, and submitting ourselves to Him in prayer.

A.C.T.S.—Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.

Praying with an unrepentant heart. The psalmist realized, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the LORD would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer" (Psalm 66:18—19 NIV). Clinging to sin and stiff-arming God makes God stiff-arm us. If you hold on to sin and refuse to confess it, you cannot take full hold on God.

I've slept with a couple of people and made some poor choices and put things in jeopardy with... what I was happy with, and that's my own fault. I've got no one else to blame about that stuff.

The Church is the home that accepts everyone and refuses no one ... the greater the sin, the greater the love that the Church should show towards those who convert.

It wouldn't be worth going on." The words caught in her throat, and tears sprang to her eyes. "I know it all sounds far-fetched. I've thought that too. That my mistakes … and there are an awful lot of them … couldn't possibly be erased clean. That Jesus couldn't possibly forgive them. But I think that's the whole point of why he came.

I've said this before, Lord, but I'm so sorry for all the stupid choices I've made. I want to start over, with your guidance. I can't afford to make mistakes now. Will you turn up the volume on your voice, and turn mine down? Will you give me that wisdom you promised if we ask?