Tuesday, March 24, 2009

True Repentance

Home church was at MJ’s. There was a sweet, gentle Presence of the Holy Spirit surrounding us as we began to worship. When we started our discussion of God’s Word, one thing was very clear…True repentance gives you a new way to live, not a license to continue in the same sinful lifestyle. Some are being lulled to believe, that if they cry their eyeballs out, walk to the altar and asked for prayer, then they have repented. Sometimes it can be emotional, but emotions do not enhance true repentance. If we continue in the same sin, have we really repented? I think not. We can speak the words, but, if it is not a life change of the heart, are we taking the Lord’s work on the cross in vain? Are we hearing the same spiritual message as from the apostles of old? Is the true gospel being watered down with the “prosperity” and” life is all good” messages? Narrow is the road doesn’t mean it will widen at the end of time. When you walk on a narrow road, you walk closely with others on the same road. “If we say we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness (sin), we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 6-7) True repentance is Life. No Repentance is Death. Let us choose wisely.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Sunday, March 15th

Our discussion this past Sunday started out by hearing from Ken about a book he was reading on Hell. From there we started discussing how in today’s society, so many people don’t take Hell serious. The thought that this is eternal damnation, separation from God should shake you to the very core of your being. That’s just not what we are seeing in the world today. The mentality is that everything is going to be fine; I’m a good person so I don’t have anything to worry about. How wrong is that thinking? Hell is real and if you are not a child of God, that is where you will find yourself.
From there we started reading in Numbers 11 where the children of Israel were complaining to Moses. This time it’s about their food. Each morning God was providing them with fresh manna but they were so busy complaining about what they didn’t have, they didn’t see the miracle from God. Still, they wanted meat. Never satisfied, always wanting more.
Are we like that in our own life? Do we find that we are complaining about what we don’t have instead of being thankful for what we have? Today, things in this world are unsettling, but God is faithful, steadfast, never changing. He will see us through whatever our circumstance we are in. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” God has to be our foundation, if He is not, what you call a foundation will crumble, it will not stand.

Monday, March 9, 2009

He Is Our Strength

We met at Russell and Vicki’s home this past Sunday. We started talking about what’s going on in the world and from there folks started sharing what was on their heart. There is concern for what’s going on in today’s economy. Some of the people were speaking about staying in the will of God, walking in faith, heeding the Word of God. We can do this by staying in the Word, praying, having fellowship with the brethren. After that we went into a time of praise and that lead into a great time of prayer. The meal was delicious of course and we had fun sitting around spending time and talking with one another.
Isaiah 40:28-31 says:
“ Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to [those who have] no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD Shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”