Posts Tagged ‘ Repent ’
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1, ESV
To find eternal life, we must change our way of thinking, believe in Jesus Christ as our God who saves us, and give our lives to Him. There is no other way.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16, ESV
We like to think we are basically good or can earn a place in heaven, but it is only by faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that we get there.
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 3:7, ESV
We are very limited in our knowledge of life, the universe, and everything.
Once we acknowledge this, we can seek the One who knows all things and has told us what is good.
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
Joel 2:12-13, ESV
We may fail and fall away, but the Spirit of God draws us back into repentance, faith, and love.
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Psalm 51:11-12, ESV
We may stumble and even fall away for a time from God’s perfect standard, but as Christians we can never lose the Holy Spirit, only the fruit of the Spirit. May we quickly repent and be restored to peace and joy.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139:23-24, ESV
Our God lives in us by the Holy Spirit, so He knows us intimately and more than we know ourselves. He works in us to make us more Christ-like, revealing our sinfulness and leading us in repentance.
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out
Acts 3:19, ESV
We know God loves us because of His forgiveness when we begin thinking about our need for salvation in Christ and desire to change. He is faithful.
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
Matthew 2:16, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Jesus came, and the first powerful person to hear about him reacted … violently
Have things really changed?
We still react to God in violent and nasty ways, usually against each other. When we get upset, we attack God by attacking His image found in each of us.
We demean each other, mock and ridicule and belittle each other. We kill and mutilate ourselves and each other, our children, our elderly and infirm.
All of this is our attempt to push away and destroy God from in our lives.
And we all do it.
Herod wanted to destroy Christ, but he was only fulfilling prophecy.
Christ came to save us, and it meant living in this fallen world with all of its dangers and temptations.
But He did not give in, and turned our anger and violence into the tools to save us.
Let us respect the image of God in each other, turning to the One who took on our image to redeem us.
May we seek the Lord who works in the midst of our sin to redeem us from sin.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2, ESV
We want to change the world, but God calls us to start with our own hearts and minds, seeking His heart and mind in our lives.
Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?
Isaiah 40:13-14, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Our sins have stacked up to heaven, deeper and more vile than we could know.
Sin is rebellion against the character of God.
And we think we can tell God what is good? What justice and goodness are? That we know better what God’s character and will are?
Who do we think we are? Why do we think we understand God’s creation and character better than He does when He has revealed it through HisbWord by His prophets and apostles?
And this is what the prophets, including John the Baptist, were telling us.
“Repent! Stop your foolish thinking, and turn from your sin! The kingdom of God is at hand, and you think you can judge your Creator? Prepare for His coming, now!”
But we still try to justify our sin, correct God on His justice, and fix His revelation.
We therefore prepare ourselves by admitting we don’t understand as much as we think we do, turning to the Word and trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of Christ to us.
May we seek the Lord who took on the just punishment we deserved, preparing ourselves by seeking His revelation.
a simple man of God 