REPENT

LET ME TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SHARE WHAT GOD HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO ME IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. I BELIEVE IT'S A WORD FROM THE LORD FOR HIS CHURCH FOR NOW. LET'S PURPOSE TO BE AWARE OF THE TIMES AND SEASONS IN WHICH WE LIVE. THE SCRIPTURE IS IN ACTS 3:19-21. THE CALL BEING GIVEN IN VERSES IS TO TURN TO GOD.WE MUST TURN TO GOD.

I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT IN THE CHURCH WORLD TODAY, WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING ELSE WITH VERY LITTLE EFFECTIVENESS IN CHANGING OUR CULTURE. HAVE WE FINALLY COME TO THE PLACE OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE POVERTY OF OUR OWN METHODS? PRIDEFUL PERSONALITY WILL NEVER SUSTAIN THE WORK OF GOD. POLISHED PROGRAMS WILL NOT CHANGE A LIFE. HIGH POWERED PROMOTION MAY GENERATE A CROWD, BUT IT WILL REMAIN A CROWN UNCONVERTED, APART FROM THE SPIRIT, THE WORD, AND THE BLOOD. MAY I BE SO BOLD AS TO CALL ON ALL OF US TO TURN TO GOD? LET'S TURN TO HIM INDIVIDUALLY; LET'S TURN TO HIM CORPORATELY AS A LOCAL CHURCH BODY; LET'S TURN TO HIM AS A MOVEMENT.Nothing else will do. NOTHING ELSE WILL CARRY US THROUGH. WE MUST TURN TO GOD.

TO DO THIS WILL REQUIRE CHANGE. THE WORD USED IN VERSE 19 IS "REPENT." REPENTANCE IS CHANGE— A CHANGE OF MIND, HEART, A CHANGE OF PRIORITIES; A CHANGE IN HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO; A CHANGE IN CHURCH PROGRAM AND SCHEDULE. NOT CHANGE FOR CHANGE'S SAKE, BUT A CHANGE THAT WILL TURN US TO GOD. WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY THAT WILL TURN US TO GOD? WHATEVER THE HOLY SPIRIT SURFACES, RESPOND WITH IMMEDIATE, DECISIVE ACTION. LET'S PRODUCE FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH OUR REPENTANCE, OUR TURNING TO GOD. IS IT WORTH IT? IS IT WORTH THE EFFORT? THE SCRIPTURE OUTLINES THE BENEFITS OF OUR SINS,OUR SHORT COMINGS, THE TIMES WE MISSED THE BULLS EYE WILL BE WIPED OUT. TIMES OF REFRESHING ARE PROMISED AS A RESULT.


DO WE ALL NEED TO HAVE THE SHORTCOMINGS IN OUR LIVES AND MINISTRIES WIPED OUT? HAVE WE EVER MISSED THE MARK IN MINISTRY? HAS THE CHURCH PASTOR EVER MISSED AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT FOR MINISTRY TO THE HURTING, THE LOST? GOD WANTS TO CLEAN THE SLATE. GIVE US A FRESH START. HE'S SAYING, "YES, THERE HAS BEEN FAILURE, MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, WRONG PRIORITIES, BUT IF YOU WILL TURN TO ME I WILL WIPE OUT THE SINS."

DO WE NEED A TIME OF REFRESHING? THIRSTING SOULS FAITHFULLY COME WEEK AFTER WEEK FOR SOMETHING FROM ABOVE. STALE, STUFFY PROGRAM REDUCES A WALK WITH JESUS TO DRUDGERY. LET'S TURN TO GOD, OPEN THE WINDOWS ALLOW THE HEAVENLY BREEZES TO BRING US A TIME OF REFRESHING.


DO WE WANT JESUS TO RETURN? HE IS OUR ONLY HOPE. NOTHING IN THIS WORLD HAS ANY ATTRACTION FOR THE REDEEMED.

TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS, LOOK INTO HIS WONDERFUL FACE, AND THE THINGS OF EARTH WILL GROW STRANGELY DIM THROUGH THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE.