Tag Archives: repent

Why We Don’t Have Revival 2

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I want to continue my thoughts today on “Why We Don’t Have Revival”.

Another reason would be that we don’t pray.  I don’t know who said it; but, it is true.  Here it is, “All failures are prayer failures.”  Wow!  So, based upon our topic today if we don’t have revival it is due to a failure to pray for it and it is a failure to pray.

Life is busy, I understand that.  Two of the most important things that we as Christians can do is spend quantity and quality time in prayer.  We must pray.  Look again at our Scripture in II Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Prayer is a vital thing in the life of someone who knows Christ as their Saviour.  This is the time that we can spend with Him and commune with Him.  If I love my wife I will spend time with her.  It is no different with my LORD.  If I love Him then I will spend time with Him in prayer and reading His Word and listening for Him to speak to me.

So, my dear reader it is simple.  If we are going to have Heaven sent, Holy Spirit revival like our nation, our Churches and we ourselves need we are going to have to spend time on our knees and our faces before Holy God in prayer.  We must pray for forgiveness of our personal sins and our national sins.  God please forgive me/us.

So, how are you doing?

Falling Down And Getting Back Up 5

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Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

As we continue making our way up the path of reconciliation the next principle we need to put into practice is is this.

We need to Return to the injured person.  Up to this point we have recognized our involvement, repented of our involvement and requested God’s forgiveness.  If we are going to get victory when we have been the offending person we must return to the one we have hurt.  This is easier said than done, I know.  It is not easy to look someone in the eye that we have wronged and make things right.

If we are going to be useful to God then we have to be the more mature person and go to the one we have hurt or offended and seek to make it right.  That return trip is the longest trip of this journey, I promise.  Yet, it is worth every effort we make to go.  You will make an enemy a friend more than likely.  They have a will of their own and I cannot promise that they will be ready to forgive and move on.

We need to pray about these steps before we ever strike out on the road to reconciliation.  As we pray about what is going to take place then we can humble ourselves before God and then it will help us go in a right attitude.

So, how are you doing?

Falling Down And Getting Back Up 3

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Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

Yesterday we looked at the fact that in order to make Biblical change we first have to recognize that there is a problem.  Today we will look at the second principal.

We must Repent of our involvement in sinful actions and attitudes.  True repentance means that we are going in a certain direction and when we are made aware of the sin in our life we stop right there and turn around and go the other way.  So, if I am going east and I repent then I will then go west.

The problem is that sinful behavior is too often pleasurable.  In the Book of Hebrews we are told of Moses who gave up all he had in Egypt.  Look at Hebrews 11:25, “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;  Repentance is a change of heart, mind and attitude.

So, how are you doing?

You Have Been Told

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As I was reading I noticed something.  I was reading through the book of Jeremiah and I began to notice how God was dealing with Israel and Judah.  Now, I understand that these are God’s chosen people; but, they have forsaken Him and so the gospel has come to the gentiles.  You and I now have the opportunity to be saved because of Israel and Judah have rejected God’s Son.

So, we can look at how God deals with Israel and Judah and see how He will deal with nations of today.  Take of your rose colored glasses and take a look at America.  The Sodomites are running rampant and seeking to destroy Christians and the Church.  Murder is rampant and we call it a woman’s choice.  The Church herself has left her first love, Christ.

When this happened to Israel and Judah there was something soon coming.  That is God’s Judgement.  Yes, God judges His people who live in disobedience.  Look at Jeremiah 25:7, “Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.”  So based upon how God has dealt with His children in the past why would we expect anything else or less today?  We thing we are too good for that or we think we are exempt.  I have news for you.  Judgement is coming soon.  Return to God quickly!

So, how are you doing?

Amend Your Ways

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A good definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing the same way while expecting different results.  So most of our nation lives a life of insanity.  Yes, I am calling it like I see it again.  This is why I have a blog and choose to post in it.  It is my hope and prayer that someone will read what I write and will turn to Jesus and be saved.  I also hope and pray that some Christian will read my blog and turn back to Jesus and live the way He wants them to live.

This is my goal in writing.  This is also my goal in preaching.  Come to think of it, this is my goal in just about everything I do.  Look at Jeremiah 7:3, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.”  The word “Amend” means to make well.  In other words quit your wrong doing and start doing right.  The problem is that we have become a nation of I do it because I “feel” like it.  “If it feels good, do it” no permeates the nation.  If you put your hand on a hot stove then you obviously need to withdraw your hand immediately, or sooner.

So, why the love affair with sin.  Well that answer is simple.  We are all sinners and sinners sin.  The unsaved cannot help but sin.  Those of us who know Jesus as our Saviour have the Holy Spirit living inside of us and we are without excuse.  We are not perfect; but, we need not use this as an excuse to live sinfullly.  “Oh, I’m not perfect.” will not hold water at the judgement seat.

So, how are you doing?

Beauty For Ashes

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We are living in a day in which our nation is imploding.  We are destroying ourselves.  There are outside forces at work; but, they are using the citizens of our nation to do their dirty work.  The problem is that we are too apathetic to care.  Oh there is the faithful few that are still in the trenches with battle smoke filling their nostrils; but, they are the vast minority.

As I look around I am reminded that Israel forsook their God and what happened to them also.  There are some sad similarities.  As I was reading I came across this verse of Scripture in Isaiah 61:3, “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”  What caught my attention was the phrase “beauty for ashes”.  Beauty means an embellishment, i.e. fancy head-dress and ashes means to bestrew; ashes.

We are in a time when we should be sitting in sackcloth and ashes while we mourn; but, we are going around like it is a big party with all our fancy dress.  America we must repent!  I mean every one of us.  From the president to the people we must turn from our wickedness and once again seek God.

So, how are you doing?

Nobody Wants Me

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The other day our son was watching the same part of a DVD over and over.  I went in to the other room to see if I could change the movie and I sat down and listened for a minute.  He was watching a segment where the infamous Lulu Roman was talking.

She was telling how she grew up in an orphanage not knowing her father or mother.  She said that during her career that the country field did not want her because they saw her as gospel and the gospel field did not want her because they saw her as country.  Then she said, “I just wanted somebody to want me.”

This is a deep seated need of all men, women, boys and girls.  This is one reason that the porn industry is thriving and not starving do death.  We all just want to be wanted.  Especially when we really “blew it” so to speak we want someone to come along side and tell us that things will all work out.

I seem to remember a man who blew it pretty bad in the Scriptures named Peter.  He blew it so bad that he denied Jesus Christ.  Then his shame dominated him.  The one thing I remember about Peter is the response of Jesus toward Peter in Mark 16:7, “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.”  I am always gotten by the wording here.  Notice it says, “go your way, tell his disciples and Peter…”  Peter had fallen way down; but, Jesus sought to restore him. So many times in my life I have been “and Peter”.  I thank God for the love and restoration He has sown me and that He “wants me”.  No matter what.  It is the same for you too.  He loves you supremely and He died to save you.  Trust Him today.

So, how are you doing?

Hunting or Hunted

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I remember seeing a story on the evening news a few years ago about women who are labeled as a “cougar”.  This did not seem to bother them one bit.  They were women who were targeting younger men for what they could get from them (if you know what I mean).  These women would go to great lengths like the strange woman of Proverbs.

Now, before you label me as a sexist pig; yes, I know there are men that do the same thing.  There was a label for them too; but, I cannot remember it.  I wish I could.  There is no doubt that the draw of sex is strong.  Look at the thriving pornography industry.  They would go bankrupt if people would get right with God and stay right with God.  Many a man or woman is ensnared by the wiles of the devil contained in this fantasy world of porn.

We must guard ourselves from this attack.  We also must guard against being a “cougar” also.  If you are hunting people just for your own sexual pleasure then you need to repent before God, turn from it and run as fast as you can away from it while praying for God’s deliverance.  Look at Genesis 10:9, “He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.”  This man, Nimrod was a hunter of souls; but, in a bad way.  He was not the most decorated soul-winner at the local Fundamental Baptist Church.  He was a murderer.  Nimrod hunted souls.

So, how are you doing?