Date: 10-May-2024
Name: Barry
Topic: REPENT AND REJOICE
Content:
Repent And Rejoice
Luke 14:25-27
Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Two Sundays ago at KingdomCity Canning Vale, my wife and I attended the 9am service and because it was not our volunteering weekend, we were prepared to fully worship with the rest of the congregation.
We both noticed/felt a joyous feeling in the atmosphere. The air had a cleanliness to it and an expectation.
Ps Marks message was one of repentance and the impact it had on me as a “follower “ of Jesus Christ has been miraculous.
Since then, I truly feel aligned with my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, moving with my guide, the Holy Spirit and listening to the instructions of my Father in Heaven.
Why did this happen?
I repented of all of my sins
What did this look like?
Brokenness that I have never felt before
How is my life today?
Filled with the joy of the Lord
On Monday morning I woke early with the realisation that I have lived a life contrary to the teachings of my precious Jesus Christ and it injured my heart and I wept.
There was such a deep regret and sorrow that flooded my entire person. I have betrayed and grieved
my Saviour, my Father, my Maker.
I pleaded for mercy and a chance to turn things around and follow in the footsteps of Jesus, never to repeat my sins. Just one chance Lord!
Then I felt a wisp of something like smoke lift from both my shoulders and I fell into the deepest sleep in memory.
I awoke only 30 minutes later and I knew something had profoundly changed in me.
My life will never be the same again, praise God.
It wasn’t remorse. This was recognition of my transgressions, repenting to my Lord, turning away from my sins and turning to Jesus. Literally desiring to walk in His footsteps.
Everything has changed, my thoughts, words actions and posture. I am truly humbled and pray to stay humbled all the days of my life. Submissive and obedient to the instructions of my Father.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians sums this up perfectly for me.
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:24
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Prayer Point 1
Lord, we pray a spirit of repentance would fall on believers and unbelievers in Australia, that we remain the great southern land of the Holy Spirit.
2 Chronicles 7:14
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
New Awakening
I am waking up every morning and repenting to God for any sin I may commit with my eyes, ears, mouth, thoughts and actions. Please dear Lord, prevent me from stumbling and if I do, forgive my wretchedness.
This keeps me wary from the very start of the day and preserves me until I close my eyes at night giving thanks and praise.
The days have been easier and free from guilt and condemnation because I have been walking according to God’s purpose for me.
Jesus is first and foremost and we must place Him in front of us and everything else behind us. Spouses, children, vocations, desires and even our lives must be forfeit for Him.
And His blessings will follow.
Matthew 19:21
Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
We must take up our cross and follow Him to be considered worthy. There must be acknowledgment that our works are like filthy rags and it is only by grace and mercy we are saved.
During Jesus' sermon on the mount.
Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders
in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.
Are we doing things in our live for our glory or for our Lord and Saviour. How many idols do we have in our lives that we place ahead of Jesus. These are the things that hold back our spiritual growth or even stops it.
Do we desire to follow Jesus alone or is He just one of the desires of our hearts and has His allotted space in our lives.
Jesus must fill all the space and He must be given all of our heart. Does our Lord not know everything about us. Are we not transparent to Him. He created us.
He demands that we leave it all behind and follow him first. Are we doing this gentleman and if not, why?
The gospel is taught to us that we must accept Jesus in our lives to achieve salvation. What does this mean?
It means that He becomes our Lord in all things. He doesn’t join us, we join Him and His ways.
We must repent our sinful ways, turn away from them and face Him alone. Can we do this with every breath we take? Surely we must try.
And when God spoke to Solomon,
2 Chronicles 7:14
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
And in the first Epistle of John.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1-2
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
The Blessings That Follow.
What I didn’t count on living in repentance has blessed me beyond my ability to thank God enough.
Luke 15:7
I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Psalm 32:1-2
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
Psalm 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
I really feel that Heaven is rejoicing when I’m walking the path that God has set out. There is a clarity and purpose to each step. This echoes Ps Lakers teachings of Blueprints. Divine instructions made especially for each of our lives and when followed, builds the life God had planned for us, a perfect life.
What a revelation that repentance is the key to see the instructions and follow them because Jesus is leading and we are one with the Spirit.
Also, my faith has transformed into an assuredness I can barely comprehend. There is a peace in knowing that God is in control, seen and unseen. How can we fathom the vastness of His being. We are like babes in a pram being guided by the most loving and protecting Father.
We can rest and even sleep while He moves us according to His Will. His plans are great for each of us and we must come with clean hands, washed of this world and it’s carnal trappings.
Matthew 19:29
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal
The past two weeks itself has revealed God's promises to me if I abide by His word. He has blessed every area in my life. Things out of my control have fallen into place, whether family, fellowship, finances and faith.
There has been an overriding awareness of God’s grace and patience. Also I have an unquenchable fear of grieving my Father any further as there has been a long lifetime of this already.
Paul’s epistle to the Romans best describes this.
Romans 2:4-6
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”
Prayer Point 2.
Father God, I thank you for the opportunity to leave my old ways through the blessing of repentance. May I turn away from sin and lead a life worthy of You. In this place I will walk with Jesus in joy and faithfulness all the days of my life.
Prayer Points:
Prayer Point 1
Lord, we pray a spirit of repentance would fall on believers and unbelievers in Australia, that we remain the great southern land of the Holy Spirit.
2 Chronicles 7:14
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Prayer Point 2.
Father God, I thank you for the opportunity to leave my old ways through the blessing of repentance. May I turn away from sin and lead a life worthy of You. In this place I will walk with Jesus in joy and faithfulness all the days of my life.
DOWNLOAD WORD
