I wrote, “The Final Feast”, not to tell believers exactly how to become a Tabernacle Christian but rather to help those interested personally explore this undiscovered country. Learn about the spiritual fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles and Divine Love here…
I want to encourage you today. I want you to know that everything God says to you is true. Those who are in Christ Jesus are already winners in the war for our souls – not because we are anything, but because He is everything.
Sometimes, the devil tries to frighten us. Satan manipulates our perception and understanding so that things look as though we will fail. We become convinced that things are more difficult than they really are, and we despair. I know that so many feel this way, but I want to stand with you and tell you that it all works out in the end.
We will see the dawn
The truth is that we will overcome by the word of our testimony and by the shed blood of the Lamb. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. If we but believe and stand firm, we will see the dawn and it will find us alive and well in Him.
I pray that each one of us realize that we are children of God, and as such, we are destined to live forever with our Father. Heaven is our home and we do not need to fear. The storm will pass as we reach the other side. No one will be lost that rides it out with Jesus.
Today, the devil tried to frighten me. The evil one thought to make me believe that something would be taken from me that I hold dear. I did fear, but only until I realized that what I am and what I have in God is mine forever and nothing in heaven, on earth, or under the earth can change that fact.
Podcast: When Life Sucks (And What You Can Do About It)
Sometimes life just sucks. We’ve all been there. And when it does, that should tell us something. Listen as we share about the importance of finding the root of our trials and turning our lives into an experience of joy and peace.
Looking into the mirror is a hard thing to do, both in the natural world and spiritually. We tend to focus on our imperfections. Some people don’t like mirrors because they are afraid of what they’ll see. However, whether we look closely at ourselves or not, who we truly are still exists.
Sometimes, we do things or act certain ways that aren’t Christlike. When we do wrong, the remedy for that is to repent. Repenting, according to Merriam-Webster, means:
“to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life orto feel regret or contrition or to change one’s mind.”
Simply, to repent means to recognize you have done wrong and you are sorry. Then, as proof of your repentance, stop doing wrong, or, better yet, do the opposite.
God says,
“And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”
Luke 19:8
Zacchaeus had a reputation of being a swindler and a sinner. However, when he received Christ his heart, along with his actions, changed. He admitted he’d done wrong by changing his direction and doing right. Moreover, because his heart was so full of gratitude when he met Jesus, he promised to restore four times as much as he stole from any person.
Heartfelt repentance
This is heartfelt repentance. It is a change of heart and attitude that goes beyond mere words. This type of repentance comes from deep within, causing us not only to say we are sorry, but to change our manner of life. In essence, we demonstrate we are sorry.
Unfortunately, for some who profess to be believers in Christ, saying sorry is more of a way to get out of a uncomfortable situation than true repentance. Claiming that someone has to forgive you, because they are a Christian, becomes a “get-out-of-jail-free” card, rather than an opportunity to change their ways.
Such behavior takes advantage of followers of Christ and also of Christ himself. Jesus did not die for us so that we could use His grace to manipulate others. Jesus shed his blood to give us an opportunity to show heartfelt repentance and change our ways. If we simply pretend to repent, we dishonor the Lord who bought us.
Jesus does not condemn us – He protect us
Jesus does not condemn us – He protects us. What He does is point out specific things we do and then gives us the choice to repent and change our behavior. For instance, a person who is a kleptomaniac steals something from a family member, and God says “repent”. That person then returns what they have stolen and asks forgiveness. Then, after they have made restitution, they promise to never do it again. This is heartfelt repentance that means something to God and, more importantly, means something to that person. Making amends to those you wrong, if possible, needs to be more than a private prayer to Jesus.
Be led of His Spirit and repent with wisdom
In conclusion, all things that we do must be led of the Spirit. Each individual mode of repentance needs be led by the Holy Spirit and implemented with God’s wisdom from above. If, after repentance to God, subsequent confession would do more harm than good, you must tread cautiously. It is not a “one size fits all” situation. God will lead you if you are open to hear His voice.
Lastly, only the devil condemns us. Condemnation has no specific remedy, it only tells you that you are a bad person. When God convicts you of a wrong you have done, He always presents a clear way to repent and change your behavior. In the end, our Lord loves us and wants us to experience heartfelt repentance so that can find a way out of it to eternal life.
