Getting Things Right With Our Heavenly Father

Being able to point out concrete examples of the times you’ve shown love to someone results in confidence of our own salvation. But how is that confidence expressed? Part of the answer comes in 1st John 3:21, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. “

What does that mean – confidence toward God? It means we have confidence that God really is our heavenly father. Isn’t that wonderful? And that confidence gives us boldness – boldness in prayer. It is the confidence of a son going to a doting dad to ask for something as opposed to an accused man standing before a scowling judge. Do you see the difference?

Confidence gives us a freedom of speech. We can go to God boldly unhampered by fear or shame because God is our Abba, our Daddy, who loves to spend time with us and who loves to meet our very need. Why wouldn’t we go regularly? Why wouldn’t we feel free to ask Him anything? And why shouldn’t we expect His answer to be “Yes,” at least to legitimate requests?

We are even invited to come. Hebrews 4:16 states: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Do you see? Our confidence affects our relationship with God. That relationship is destroyed if we stand condemned in our hearts. We have no confidence in prayer if we have a guilty conscience. See what a hindrance this is?

Adam and Eve sure illustrated that in the Garden of Eden after their fall.
Genesis 3:8-10 tells us, “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ So he said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.’”

When we lose confidence because our heart condemns us, we won’t go to God in prayer. We won’t have faith He hears or answers us. In fact, Jesus even tells us we have no access if we aren’t right with our brothers. Matthew 5:323-24 quotes Jesus as saying, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

We have to settle our accounts first. And if it is important to get things right with our church family, how much more important is it to get things right with our Heavenly Father?