Tag: Repentance

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Can They Persuade Jesus?

NOVEMBER 28

MATTHEW 7:22_have we not prophesied in Thy name…

Jesus refers to people who profess to be Christian. These people believe they have the right to call upon the Lord when He sits on the judgment throne. Do they  believe they are clever enough to persuade Jesus to accept them on their terms, not His?

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 (KJV), “And for this cause God shall send them [the unrighteous] strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Good grief! This is more of that stuff I’d just as soon the Bible would leave out! Because the unrighteous will not believe the truth, then it is only natural they enjoy being unrighteous. God does not stand in the way of them believing lies. Perhaps one of the lies they believe is their good works will allow them to enter the kingdom of heaven.

These people did not get into this kind of shape because God did not care enough to pursue them: 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV), “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 

Unfortunately, not everyone will repent.

Some of the unrepentant may go around prophesying in God’s name.                   

PRAYER

Everlasting Father, I do not want to find joy in unrighteousness, but in You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                    

Christ knows all the hearts that repent—He sees mine!

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The Final Nail

NOVEMBER 15

MATTHEW 7:18_neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Jesus drives the final nail to secure the truth. It is not enough to know that good is good and evil is evil. We must grasp that the two cannot cross over into each other. 

Good can never be evil, neither evil ever be good. If we’ve made the broad path to destruction our source, and we want to get off—it will require a total change. Repentance. We can’t just remain on the broad path and some day it will lead us to a life of freedom. The broad path always leads to destruction. That’s how this creation principle works. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.  

The total change to get off the broad path is to leave it. Enter the strait gate and walk the narrow path. You cannot remain on the narrow path and fall into destruction. The narrow path always leads to a life of freedom. That’s how this creation principle works. 

One more time: it’s about the source! The broad path is the source to destruction and can be nothing else. The narrow path is the source to life and can be nothing else. Don’t get confused that people are the source. People will become what their source is..

Those whose source is the narrow path can be trusted—mistakes and all.              

PRAYER

Savior, I need discernment to know the people I can trust. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.     

Christ can always be trusted—I will follow Him!

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Something You Give Away

OCTOBER 30

MATTHEW 7:14_and few there be that find it.

You enter the strait gate when you answer the knock of Jesus on your heart’s door. Some baggage automatically drops off. I have known people with strong addictions instantly set free through the power of Jesus in their heart.

The baggage that Jesus does not relieve instantly goes with you through the gate. The narrow path, like the Needle’s Eye, can become narrower as you travel. When you reach these narrow passages, you are forced to make some changes. You may need to turn sideways to pass through. In some places you’ll have to bend down, because to go through also requires going under a large rock formation.

The changes you make as you pass through the tight places require two things: repentance and humility. When you repent you’ve changed your position.

You no longer see value in earthly pain relievers.

You are filled with the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.

You walk free through the narrow path and exchange all your baggage for true love.

True love is not baggage. It is something you give away. To keep it for yourself would not be true love.

Holy Spirit power reproduces love daily and daily you give it away.

PRAYER

King of Kings, Help me to repent and worship You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                                   

Christ calls us to repent and be humble—He helps me!

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Its Own Package of Pain

OCTOBER 12

MATTHEW 7:10_Or if he ask…

Hebrews 12:7 (KJV), “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?”

When God disciplines you He considers you His child. He makes something else very plain—the child who is loved will be disciplined. When you’re old enough to be in authority and you love people, you will help them be accountable for their actions. Why? Because you are old enough to know the boomerang effect of lack of personal responsibility. You know it from your personal life, and you know it from other peoples’ mistakes. You also know by this time that life brings its own package of pain. There is no need in crowding your life with self-created pain. 

The apostle John repeats this concept in the final book of the Bible, Revelation 3:19 (KJV), “As many as I [Jesus] love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” 

In God’s plan for life, parents and children are to be bound together in love. Discipline and love go together. Parents and children go together. The four of them together are God’s perfect plan.

Colossians 3:14 (KJV), “And above all these things put on charity [perfect love], which is the bond of perfectness.”

PRAYER

Lord of Love, Please bind my family together in love. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                              

Christ wants love to hold families together—I do too!

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Pray for Them!

SEPTEMBER 20

MATTHEW 7:5_Thou hypocrite…

Here’s the question: Did Jesus condone adultery by saving the woman? Did He let her get by (meaning no judgment or accountability) with adultery?

Getting by with something is not really what Jesus is about. Surely by now you know what Jesus is about: freedom! To get by with something will not free you from repeating it. 

If you are truly allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you on the path to freedom and you stumble, don’t be discouraged—you will be freed. Proverbs 24:16 (KJV), “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief [Hebrew translation is: evil].”

The difference in the one who rises, and the one who falls deeper, is that heart condition: the ability to see all sin is against God and the desire to be changed by His grace. There is a word for this condition—repent: to sincerely and deeply grieve over your path and strongly desire to change directions.   

The Bible teaches to pray for those in authority—all forms of authority. There is a need for authorities to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be receptive to the Spirit’s leading.

You want your authorities to have wise judgment concerning you.

Pray for them! 

I haven’t answered those first two questions yet—stay with me!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, Fill all those in my authority with Your Holy Spirit. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ knows my heart condition—He will reveal it!