The Big Party

Luke 15:10

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Isn’t this a great verse?  God isn’t shaking his finger in our face when we repent (ask forgiveness of sins), criticizing how bad we’ve been, or saying degrading phrases against our character.

No.

In fact, there is rejoicing going on in heaven over each and every one who repents.

Why? 

Because God wants fellowship with us.  And he can only have it when we repent and allow our sins to be covered by the blood of Jesus, so that we can experience all that He is.

I keep saying that. And it’s true.

Repentance is an event that calls for a party like none other.

Skewed Thinking

Matthew 4:17 say From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

I just recently heard a message on how the kingdom was “near” but those who heard that call had to be willing to make that kingdom a reality in their own lives, not just live “near” it.  It was a great sermon, and it also taught how too often we desire a God of our own preference, instead of a holy God that requires repentance.

Repentance isn’t a bad thing, it’s not just something we do to escape hell, but it’s something we get to do, in order to experience his kingdom of love, peace, and joy.

Somehow, we’ve gotten it all skewed, when we think repentance is someone hammering us over the head to shape up or ship out.

Repentance is just bowing before him and acknowledging our wrongdoing because we want to be like Him so that we can experience all that He is and does…

It’s really a beautiful thing.

No Pleasure

Ezekiel 18:32 

For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

Some think God doesn’t care when people die, when there are disasters, when homeless pass away on the streets, or that he quite enjoys destroying the wicked.

God so loved the world so that anyone who believes will not perish, and this verse says he does not delight in the death of anyone!

He has given us a way to escape death, and that is by believing in Jesus, and repenting of our sin – turning away from a self-fulfilled life that leads to sure death – and turning towards a savior to a God-filled life of joy, peace, and love that leads to eternal life.

Stay in sin, selfishness and self-gratification and that’s your life – it ends on earth.

Surrender to the Savior, his supernatural love, such kindness like you’ve never known – and your life is eternal.

All you have to do is repent.

The Refusal

Jeremiah says this…

Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’

    still they are swearing falsely.”  Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?

    You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.

 I thought, “These are only the poor; they are foolish,

for they do not know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God.

So just what are the requirements of our God?  To be holy, as he is holy.  Not because he’s mean, wants to us to shape up because we’re bad, but because he’s holy and he wants us to experience every aspect of who He is.

When we refuse correction and refuse to repent, when we are instructed to do so, we are like children who throw tantrums, who slam doors, who hit and fight…and that is not a pretty sight in any home.

God requires that we be holy, and he will see to it, to bring that process about, IF we humble ourselves under his loving corrective hand that says stop hating, stop lying, stop taking…and just rest.

Rest & Strength

Isaiah 30:15

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,

    in quietness and trust is your strength,

    but you would have none of it.”

I know I’ve been there, done that.  I’ve fretted, feared, and fallen into despair when life isn’t treating me properly.  I’ve cried, I’ve accused, and I’ve wondered at my Father’s goodness and care toward me, when I compared his goodness and care on others, feeling as if I was coming up short.

This verse says repentance isn’t something to be feared or something we do when a whip is at our back.  It’s something that brings rest and salvation.  It’s laying down all of “chips” on our shoulders – grudges – at his feet and closing our  mouths, with hearts lifted up in trust.

In fact, when we do that, rest comes, rest that is our salvation…and yet many times…we will have none of that.

I really want to think on this verse for a while.  Because after all, isn’t quietness and rest what we all want, in a life full of busyness and chaos?

Maybe we need to repent.

Repent

Repent

To repent is to feel sincere regret or remorse for a wrongdoing…or that awful word “sin.”  I’ve heard some say there really isn’t sin any more, as we are all under God’s grace.  But is that true?  I don’t believe it is.  Oh yes, we are under God’s grace if we believe in his son Jesus and accept him as Savior, but God is holy.  And he requires holiness from us.  And that means we have to deal with sin…by repenting.

Job 42:6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

What did Job do that caused or required or prompted him to repent and “despise” himself?  Aren’t we all supposed to think good thought about ourselves, no matter how we feel or what we've done?

Job had a long discourse with God about his suffering, and God had many questions to ask Job, to which Job finally answered and surrendered to the knowledge and the truth that God was God, and he was not to be doubted, that he could be trusted, and he was not to be quizzed like a man.

Job had an “ah-ha!” moment when God spoke to him, revealed himself to him, and Job then realized that his shaking his fist in God’s face was not a proper response to the holy God.

That’s what repentance is. 

It’s realizing that God is who he said He is – just, kind, good AND holy – and then falling on our knees in a longing to be holy just like he is, so that we can experience all that he is.

Press On

Hosea 6:3

Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”

This verse sort of piggybacks on yesterday’s verse. 

Acknowledge the Lord and press on to acknowledge him more.  In other words, don’t get so busy, so consumed with looking at our phones and looking down to see where we’re headed, and looking around at others to see if they’re approving…but rather, look up.

God is a sure thing…in this unsure world.

When the sun rises, look up and notice that faithfulness.

When the rain falls, in any season, notice that surety that it brings of new growth.

Acknowledge the Lord.

Give thanks to Him for the sun and the rain.