CONFESSION PRAYERS USED AT THE AXIS
Prayer and repentance is the foundation of a healthy Christian. If you find yourself in need of a prayer of repentance, check out the ones below. After each prayer, there is an assurance of your pardon from scripture.
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Lord Jesus, you taught us that citizens of your kingdom will be keenly aware of their own spiritual poverty, and know well their need of divine grace. Yet, this week we have been tempted by pride, thinking ourselves holier than others. You told us that those who are pure in heart will see Your Father most clearly, yet, we have been deeply influenced by the impurity of our culture, and have thought it no serious thing. You told us those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will receive satisfaction. We confess we have often been enamored by the “likes” of men, rather than the righteous pursuit of godliness. Merciful Savior, You graciously and patiently stand ready to reshape our affections and to forgive our transgressions. Merciful Savior, feeling the weight of our sin, we bleed afresh Your cleansing blood, and ask Your Holy Spirit to renew our minds.
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2 Corinthians 5:17-21
English Standard Version
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling[b] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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Righteous Father, your Word tells us that after hearing of Christ and His glorious gospel, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. We confess that our attention is so easily captivated by the temporal and trivial, not on the glorious and the eternal Father, we confess that we do not want to drift, we do not want our attention ensnared daily like the world, but the flesh is weak. Forgive us, O Lord! May we be captivated again by Christ and His Kingdom For it is only when Christ is seen in His glory, that the axe will be laid to the root of all those lesser distractions. Awaken us, O Lord! May we be captivated again by Christ and His Kingdom
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2 Corinthians 5:17-21
English Standard Version
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling[b] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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Eternal God, the one Who exists in unapproachable light, and who is worshipped continually by the unfallen angels. Your holiness reveals to us that we are a people of unclean lips and dwell amongst people of unclean lips. We confess that we have sinned even this week, even this day, and are unworthy within ourselves to approach you. Purify us, O Lord, purify usLord, we recognize that we have made provision for our flesh, and have downplayed the seriousness of transgressing against your holiness.Make us to know the horror of sin, and the beauty of holiness.We thank you that, as the angel touched Isaiah with a burning coal and made him clean, so you have applied to us the blood of Christ, covering all our sin. Receive now our heartfelt repentance, as we remember afresh the price of our atonement.
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Titus 2:11-14
English Standard Version
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
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Righteous Father, your Word tells us that after hearing of Christ and His glorious gospel, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. We confess that our attention is so easily captivated by the temporal and trivial, not on the glorious and the eternal Father. We confess that we do not want to drift, we do not want our attention ensnared daily like the world, but the flesh is weak. Forgive us, O Lord! May we be captivated again by Christ and His Kingdom. For it is only when Christ is seen in His glory, that the axe will be laid to the root of all those lesser distractions. Awaken us, O Lord! May we be captivated again by Christ and His Kingdom
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Romans 5:6-8
English Standard Version
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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God of our salvation, you have made us heirs with Christ and have called us to live lives of holiness.Yet, at times this week we have not lived lives worthy of that calling. We have sinned in word and deed. In this moment, our sins are before us. We feel the weight of them and recognize our sin is the very reason Jesus Christ was condemned to die. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity. Have mercy on us according to your steadfast love.Behold, you delight in truth and you teach us wisdom in the secret heart. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us.
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omans 8:1-4
English Standard Version
Life in the Spirit
8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.[a] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you[b] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,[c] he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
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Lord our God, your Word pronounces a blessing on those who are assured of the forgiveness of their sins; that you hold not their iniquities against them. Yet, often we are slow to confess our sins. This causes our spirits to groan, our strength to be dried up, and makes us susceptible to Satan’s accusations. Therefore, we come to you in humble recognition of the sins of this past week. Where we have left undone good works you called us to, and have committed sins that grieve your Holy Spirit. Thank you that when we come to you – even now – we find you not as our Judge, but as our Refuge. Yet, we know you will discipline even your own, especially when we are slothful in our obedience to honor your commandments Lord, instruct us and teach us in the way we should go; counsel us with your eye upon us. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Though we are humbled because of our sin, our hearts are glad because of your steadfast love.
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1 John 1:8-9
English Standard Version
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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Eternal God, the one Who exists in unapproachable light, and who is worshipped continually by the unfallen angels. Your holiness reveals to us that we are a people of unclean lips and dwell amongst people of unclean lips. We confess that we have sinned even this week, even this day, and are unworthy within ourselves to approach you. Purify us, O Lord, purify us Lord, we recognize that we have made provision for our flesh, and have downplayed the seriousness of transgressing against your holiness. Make us to know the horror of sin, and the beauty of holiness. We thank you that, as the angel touched Isaiah with a burning coal and made him clean, so you have applied to us the blood of Christ, covering all our sin. Receive now our heartfelt repentance, as we remember afresh the price of our atonement.
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