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Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus, part of the growing repentance remnant:
God willing, I am to preach tomorrow by zoom to Uganda to Pastor Jimmie Ogwang's church on my favorite topic-- repentance. Here are some notes; may this help you share His Word and His Gift of repentance with many, including your pastors, worship leaders, elders, prayer partners.
The Importance of Repentance in Walking with God
one flock, one shepherd-- John 10:16
we are now connected by the Holy Spirit
LORD's Prayer: using "sins". instead of debts
Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be Your Name
May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven
Give this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us
and do not lead us into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever
AMEN
The other verse in John 10: verse 10-- I have come that they may have LIFE and that they may have it ABUNDANTLY
today is the day to remove old sin patterns
for example, women pregnant, wanting a child will go to a native chief for a token --- NO
---Repentance was so important that it was the very first Word Jesus preached
Matthew 4:17--- Mark 1:15
---this was the same word John the Baptist used. Matthew 3:1-- the Kingdom was near--"The voice of one crying in the wilderness... "Prepare the Way of the LORD--- Isaiah 40, verse 3
---Repentance means return to Him, Teshuvah---
REPENTANCE IS A DECISION IN YOUR MIND MADE BY YOU, confessing and renouncing your life of sin, THAT RESULTS IN A CHANGE OF THINKING, WHICH IN TURN LEADS TO A CHANGE OF LIFE PURPOSE AND ACTION, SEEN BY OTHERS.
------WE HAVE TO BEAR FRUIT WORTHY OF REPENTANCE-- Matthew 3:8
so it's a call for renunciation and reversal of your life path, ongoing submission and teachability, and continued shapability into His holiness--- walking out His narrow path to His holiness.
Acts 3: 19 Peter said:" Repent therefore and be CONVERTED, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the LORD."
--earlier Peter said; Acts 2:38 " Repent and let EVERY ONE OF YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the GIFT of the Holy Spirit."
--- It's our first call as we wake up spiritually with maturity to realize we have not served God FIRST in our lives. So it's the first thing to do. It's our own ministry of reconciliation.
--- Left to our own lives we tend to self-centeredness, following the world around us which is a false example to follow----Jeremiah 17: 9,10 "THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED, WHO CAN KNOW IT! I, THE LORD, SEARCH THE HEART, I TEST THE MIND, EVEN TO GIVE EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS, ACCORDING TO THE FRUIT OF HIS DOINGS."
---turn your foot from the path of evil PROVERBS 4; 20-27
My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn;
Open your ears to my sayings.
21 Do not let them escape from your sight;
Keep them in the center of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And healing and health to all their flesh.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful (lying, misleading) mouth,
And put devious lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead [toward the path of moral courage]
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you [toward the path of integrity].
26 Consider well and watch carefully the path of your feet,
And all your ways will be steadfast and sure.
27 Do not turn away to the right nor to the left [where evil may lurk]; Turn your foot from [the path of] evil.
---this is also described in Romans 1:21-32-- God's WRATH on UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
---INSTEAD , YOU AND I NEED TO come to God in a spirit of humble repentance for not seeking Him earlier. This opens up a whole new WAY of LIFE, John 10:10, opens a way for peace and reconciliation.
---Remove old sin patterns with His Word:: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. 4 The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ...
--- God will forgive you--- 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.
---Confess your sins to each other---James 5:14-16
14 Is anyone among you sick? He must call for the elders (spiritual leaders) of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].
---There's no growth in the Kingdom without obedience to Jesus' Commandments and a childlike response as His disciple, yielding to the ongoing teaching of His Word.
---God calls us to walk in His holiness:
1 Peter 1: 13 So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 [Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. 15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”
---There's no lifelong increase in fruit as a citizen of the Kingdom without a willingness to accept the Holy Spirit's CORRECTION and guidance. Revelation 3: 14-22 [ amplified version ]
14 “To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Laodicea write:
“These are the words of the Amen, the trusted and faithful and true Witness, the Beginning and Origin of God’s creation:
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust]. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need], 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and white clothes [representing righteousness] to clothe yourself so that the shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will].
20 Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me. 21 He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant to him [the privilege] to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
---Jesus calls us to absolute devotion. Be zealous for the Lord. Be willing to submit to Jesus' discipline because you recognize His LOVE in it. Give your love for Jesus FIRST PLACE in your life. Avoid lukewarmness--- stir up your zeal for the Lord. Repent quickly whenever the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin.
--- 2 Chronicles 7: 13,14--- this is God's WAY to have His people repent and turn back to Him AND TO HEAL ANY NATION WHERE THERE ARE BELIEVERS IN GOD. This was given 3,000 years ago; it's still alive today [Corpus Christi, Texas-earlier drought, now massive rain]
13 If I shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence and plague among My people, 14 and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.
altar call
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