If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven't sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8–10 WEB.

When you work with someone day after day, and you watch them smack their thumb with a hammer, drop something on their foot, or wait in line at a store, you get to know who they really are without their church face on. While helping an elder at our church repair the roof of his house one summer, I learned a lot about him. I got to know him.

One day we went to the hardware store for some supplies, and a neighbor's boy, who was about four years old, went with us. While we were getting some nails, the little boy picked up a few and put them in his pocket. He saw us picking some nails up, so he did likewise. When we got back to the house, and the elder found the extra nails the little boy had, he drove all the way back into town to return them because he hadn't paid for them.

He was in his seventies, and after walking with the Lord for forty years, he was very polished. He prayed over everything, never seemed to lose his temper, trusted God, and controlled his emotions. He looked the other way when a short skirt walked past us at the diner. He was the real thing, and when he prayed, God often answered him back. One night at church, He laid hands on the pastor's sick wife. Something like blue lightning shot out of his hands, and she was instantly healed of cancer. The prayers of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:7).

From what he explained to me over lunch, it wasn't always like that. When he was a young man, he had quite a temper, made many mistakes, but he sinned less these days. He had learned to discipline his body and make it behave. Like Paul said, "I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected" (1 Corinthians 9:27).

That is the goal, and it's not a quick process. None of us are perfect, none of us are without sin, but we are working on it. Hopefully, I will sin less this year than I did last year. If you do, repent and get back on course as quickly as possible. Grace, forgiveness, and acceptance can be yours if you only ask. We all stumble in areas. "for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity." (Proverbs 24:16). Repent, get back up, and sin less.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for saving me. Please forgive me of any sin in my life. Wash me, and I will be clean. Please guide me to where I need to be. Help me walk upright as a child of the Most High God. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: Today is Thankful Thursday at the Ministry Events group! This event gives us an opportunity encourage each other by posting thoughts, moments, and prayers of gratitude for Him, His creation and all that He does in our lives. All our welcome! To join, just click on the group name and then the join link on the page that will follow. As always, if you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network.