GODLY SORROW LEADS TO REPENTANCE :
Mark 6:12, "And they went out, and preached that men should repent."
"Repent" comes from the Greek word, "metanoeo," and literally means to have another mind. Repentance is a necessary part of salvation. Repentance may include Godly sorrow, but sorrow does not always include repentance.
Repentance is simply a change of mind accompanied by corresponding actions. There is a Godly type of sorrow and an ungodly type of sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Ungodly sorrow, or the sorrow of this world, just kills.
Our culture has rejected all "negative" emotions. But God gave us the capacity for these negative emotions, and there is a proper use of them. Ecclesiastes 7:3 says, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." People should feel bad about sin. There should be sorrow over our failures. However, this sorrow should lead to repentance. Then, when forgiveness is received, our sorrow should be cast upon the Lord (Isa. 53:4).
The Lord's statements to His disciples, the night before His crucifixion, caused them sorrow (Mt. 26:21-22; Jn. 16:6). If they would have let that sorrow lead them to repentance, then they wouldn't have denied the Lord. Peter's sorrow after his denial of Jesus changed him and, certainly, he never regretted the tears he cried.
The sorrow experienced by those who do not turn to God produces only death. They grieve over their situation because they don't turn to God (that's repentance). Christians should only have sorrow until they repent. Once repentance has come, we need to appropriate the forgiveness and cleansing that are already ours through Christ. Godly sorrow that produces repentance leaves us with no regrets. The positive change that our sorrows led us to, changes our attitude towards the things that caused us sorrow. Let the negatives in your life become positives through Jesus.
OBEDIENCE: NO SMALL THING :
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. – Luke 6:49
Do you ever have seasons in your life when it seems like every time you go to church and every time you spend time in prayer and every time you open the Bible, you receive a revelation from God? I do. Spiritually, everything will be going great. I'll be higher than a Georgia pine. Then, suddenly, something starts to happen. I start drying up in spiritual things.
It seems like it doesn't make any difference what I pray or how much I read the Word, I can't get anywhere spiritually. I'm so dry my spirit's creaking!
That used to baffle me. I didn't know what the cause was. I didn't have any sin in my life. I'd taken care of that. I was still praying. Still meditating. Still acting on and confessing the Word. But instead of getting results, I was getting nowhere. I'd stand in front of my mirror and confess faith over and over again and the only thing that happened was that my voice got tired!
If that's ever happened to you, may I make a suggestion? Backtrack and find the last thing God told you to do that you didn't do--and do it!
It's probably nothing big. Just a seemingly small thing. But, believe me, those minor disobediences will dry up the flow of the Spirit just like the major ones will.
Most of us don't realize that. We'll get on our knees and say, "Oh Lord, I want to go to China for You. I'll go to Africa. I'll go to Russia." But when God says, "Go next door," we just shrug it off.
"I can't do that," we'll say. "That guy next door doesn't like me. Besides, I want to be like Brother Schambach and get a big tent."
If you've done something like that, repent. Then pick up where you left off and do what God directed. And from now on, remember, no matter how insignificant God's instructions may seem, obeying them is no small thing! It's those simple acts of obedience that will make your spiritual house stand...or fall. All the small things combined become the direction of our lives.
LEARNING TO LOVE
Love suffers long and is kind. —1 Corinthians 13:4
When Hans Egede went to Greenland as a missionary in 1721, he didn’t know the Inuit language. His temperament was often overbearing, and he struggled to be kind to the people.
In 1733, a smallpox epidemic swept through Greenland, wiping out almost two-thirds of the Inuit people—and claiming Egede’s wife as well. This shared suffering melted Egede’s harsh demeanor, and he began to tirelessly labor to care for the people physically and spiritually. Because his life now better represented the stories he told them of God’s love, the Inuits could at last grasp His desire to love them too. Even in suffering, their hearts turned to God.
Perhaps you are like the Inuits in this story, and you are unable to see God in the people around you. Or perhaps you are like Hans Egede, who struggled to express love in a way that taught people about God. Knowing we are weak and needy people, God showed us what love is like. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins (John 3:16). That’s how much God loves you and me.
Jesus is the perfect example of the love that is described in 1 Corinthians 13. As we look to Him, we learn that we are loved and we learn how to love in turn.
Jesus, let me find in You a sense that I am loved. And may my heart not grow cold and cluttered by anger and wounds from the past so that others can see Your reflection in me.
May I never be the barrier that blocks one’s view of God.
LET HOPE FUEL YOUR FAITH
In the Bible, there’s a story that is familiar to most of us. There was a woman who was sick and hemorrhaging in her body for 12 years. Scripture tells us that she went everywhere looking for a doctor who could help her. She walked for miles searching for helping. Can you imagine that journey? She spent her life looking for answers. Not only was she looking for help, but she spent every bit of money she had to try to find those answers. With her condition, she was considered an outcast. She was unclean. She wasn’t supposed to be around people. Now I don’t know about you, but when I’m not feeling good, I don’t want to be left alone. I want someone to check on me and care about me. (And maybe even bring me some chicken soup.)
Think about this woman. She was lonely, desperate and very sick. Then she heard that Jesus was in her town. She knew he wasn’t a doctor, but she was going out to see Him. She had heard that He healed others and fully believed that if she could get to Him, she would be healed. The Bible says that in a weakened state, she got up, pressed through the crowd and touched the hem of His garment, and she was immediately made whole.
You know what I started thinking about when I read this recently? I started wondering how she got through those 12 years. I wonder how many people in that day were in similar circumstances—desperate, sick, tired, broke—but they gave up. They heard Jesus was coming and said, “I’ve already tried everything. I probably won’t be able to see Him.” And they missed their miracle. I want to know about this woman’s tenacity!
In Mark 5:28, it says that the woman got up, pressed through the crowd, and she thought to herself, “If I could only touch the hem of His garment, I know that I will be made whole.” She didn’t just get up that day full of hope. I bet she spoke hope to herself for those entire 12 years. I’m sure it wasn’t always easy, but I’m sure she kept talking herself in to pressing on.
Hope is a powerful thing. Hope will fuel faith. What are you saying to yourself during the hard times? It’s easy to be hopeful during the good times, but what happens when things get difficult? Always remember, persistence is what’s going to bring the promise. Don’t just lie down and let life take over. Like this woman, decide to take over life! Let hope fuel your faith and press in to the victory and blessing He has in store for you!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY :
“In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.” (Psalm 5:3)
Dear Lord God, I praise You. I honor You. I thank You God for another beautiful day. Let Your unfailing love come upon me and make me more valuable in Your hand. I humbly pray for Your kingdom come and Your Will be done in me as it is in heaven for I am Your chosen servant and wonderfully made child. Bless me O God, remember me with favor for all I have done in Your name.
Gratefully, in Jesus’ holy name. Amen !!!
Mark 6:12, "And they went out, and preached that men should repent."
"Repent" comes from the Greek word, "metanoeo," and literally means to have another mind. Repentance is a necessary part of salvation. Repentance may include Godly sorrow, but sorrow does not always include repentance.
Repentance is simply a change of mind accompanied by corresponding actions. There is a Godly type of sorrow and an ungodly type of sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Ungodly sorrow, or the sorrow of this world, just kills.
Our culture has rejected all "negative" emotions. But God gave us the capacity for these negative emotions, and there is a proper use of them. Ecclesiastes 7:3 says, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." People should feel bad about sin. There should be sorrow over our failures. However, this sorrow should lead to repentance. Then, when forgiveness is received, our sorrow should be cast upon the Lord (Isa. 53:4).
The Lord's statements to His disciples, the night before His crucifixion, caused them sorrow (Mt. 26:21-22; Jn. 16:6). If they would have let that sorrow lead them to repentance, then they wouldn't have denied the Lord. Peter's sorrow after his denial of Jesus changed him and, certainly, he never regretted the tears he cried.
The sorrow experienced by those who do not turn to God produces only death. They grieve over their situation because they don't turn to God (that's repentance). Christians should only have sorrow until they repent. Once repentance has come, we need to appropriate the forgiveness and cleansing that are already ours through Christ. Godly sorrow that produces repentance leaves us with no regrets. The positive change that our sorrows led us to, changes our attitude towards the things that caused us sorrow. Let the negatives in your life become positives through Jesus.
OBEDIENCE: NO SMALL THING :
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. – Luke 6:49
Do you ever have seasons in your life when it seems like every time you go to church and every time you spend time in prayer and every time you open the Bible, you receive a revelation from God? I do. Spiritually, everything will be going great. I'll be higher than a Georgia pine. Then, suddenly, something starts to happen. I start drying up in spiritual things.
It seems like it doesn't make any difference what I pray or how much I read the Word, I can't get anywhere spiritually. I'm so dry my spirit's creaking!
That used to baffle me. I didn't know what the cause was. I didn't have any sin in my life. I'd taken care of that. I was still praying. Still meditating. Still acting on and confessing the Word. But instead of getting results, I was getting nowhere. I'd stand in front of my mirror and confess faith over and over again and the only thing that happened was that my voice got tired!
If that's ever happened to you, may I make a suggestion? Backtrack and find the last thing God told you to do that you didn't do--and do it!
It's probably nothing big. Just a seemingly small thing. But, believe me, those minor disobediences will dry up the flow of the Spirit just like the major ones will.
Most of us don't realize that. We'll get on our knees and say, "Oh Lord, I want to go to China for You. I'll go to Africa. I'll go to Russia." But when God says, "Go next door," we just shrug it off.
"I can't do that," we'll say. "That guy next door doesn't like me. Besides, I want to be like Brother Schambach and get a big tent."
If you've done something like that, repent. Then pick up where you left off and do what God directed. And from now on, remember, no matter how insignificant God's instructions may seem, obeying them is no small thing! It's those simple acts of obedience that will make your spiritual house stand...or fall. All the small things combined become the direction of our lives.
LEARNING TO LOVE
Love suffers long and is kind. —1 Corinthians 13:4
When Hans Egede went to Greenland as a missionary in 1721, he didn’t know the Inuit language. His temperament was often overbearing, and he struggled to be kind to the people.
In 1733, a smallpox epidemic swept through Greenland, wiping out almost two-thirds of the Inuit people—and claiming Egede’s wife as well. This shared suffering melted Egede’s harsh demeanor, and he began to tirelessly labor to care for the people physically and spiritually. Because his life now better represented the stories he told them of God’s love, the Inuits could at last grasp His desire to love them too. Even in suffering, their hearts turned to God.
Perhaps you are like the Inuits in this story, and you are unable to see God in the people around you. Or perhaps you are like Hans Egede, who struggled to express love in a way that taught people about God. Knowing we are weak and needy people, God showed us what love is like. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins (John 3:16). That’s how much God loves you and me.
Jesus is the perfect example of the love that is described in 1 Corinthians 13. As we look to Him, we learn that we are loved and we learn how to love in turn.
Jesus, let me find in You a sense that I am loved. And may my heart not grow cold and cluttered by anger and wounds from the past so that others can see Your reflection in me.
May I never be the barrier that blocks one’s view of God.
LET HOPE FUEL YOUR FAITH
In the Bible, there’s a story that is familiar to most of us. There was a woman who was sick and hemorrhaging in her body for 12 years. Scripture tells us that she went everywhere looking for a doctor who could help her. She walked for miles searching for helping. Can you imagine that journey? She spent her life looking for answers. Not only was she looking for help, but she spent every bit of money she had to try to find those answers. With her condition, she was considered an outcast. She was unclean. She wasn’t supposed to be around people. Now I don’t know about you, but when I’m not feeling good, I don’t want to be left alone. I want someone to check on me and care about me. (And maybe even bring me some chicken soup.)
Think about this woman. She was lonely, desperate and very sick. Then she heard that Jesus was in her town. She knew he wasn’t a doctor, but she was going out to see Him. She had heard that He healed others and fully believed that if she could get to Him, she would be healed. The Bible says that in a weakened state, she got up, pressed through the crowd and touched the hem of His garment, and she was immediately made whole.
You know what I started thinking about when I read this recently? I started wondering how she got through those 12 years. I wonder how many people in that day were in similar circumstances—desperate, sick, tired, broke—but they gave up. They heard Jesus was coming and said, “I’ve already tried everything. I probably won’t be able to see Him.” And they missed their miracle. I want to know about this woman’s tenacity!
In Mark 5:28, it says that the woman got up, pressed through the crowd, and she thought to herself, “If I could only touch the hem of His garment, I know that I will be made whole.” She didn’t just get up that day full of hope. I bet she spoke hope to herself for those entire 12 years. I’m sure it wasn’t always easy, but I’m sure she kept talking herself in to pressing on.
Hope is a powerful thing. Hope will fuel faith. What are you saying to yourself during the hard times? It’s easy to be hopeful during the good times, but what happens when things get difficult? Always remember, persistence is what’s going to bring the promise. Don’t just lie down and let life take over. Like this woman, decide to take over life! Let hope fuel your faith and press in to the victory and blessing He has in store for you!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY :
“In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.” (Psalm 5:3)
Dear Lord God, I praise You. I honor You. I thank You God for another beautiful day. Let Your unfailing love come upon me and make me more valuable in Your hand. I humbly pray for Your kingdom come and Your Will be done in me as it is in heaven for I am Your chosen servant and wonderfully made child. Bless me O God, remember me with favor for all I have done in Your name.
Gratefully, in Jesus’ holy name. Amen !!!
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