Word for the Day March 26
By: Evang. Cascille Hammack
"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..."
Isaiah 30:15
The first words out of Jesus' mouth when He began to preach were, "Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven is near." Matthew 4:17 The very first word He spoke was "Repent." Why do we not hear that today?
You must first be sorry for your sins and turn away from them to then ask Jesus into your heart. He will not abide in
an unclean vessel. Hebrews 12:14 declares, "...without holiness no one will see the Lord." You must
first realize your need of Him and repent. There is no other way. That is why there are so many going to church
and professing Christ who are not bearing the fruit that comes through knowing Him. This is a very dangerous state
of affairs. God's way is simple. 2 Peter 3:9 teaches, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some
understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
You must first repent of your sin, then receive what Jesus did for you and believe. Luke 13:3 and Luke 13:5 Jesus clearly
states, "...Unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Repentance must happen in the heart of
the person before God. No one can do this for you. It is your choice to turn away and renounce sin and trun completely
to God. That is why Php. 2:12 says, "...to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..." In
2 Cor. 7:10 Paul explains, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret..."
Proverbs 28:13 teaches, "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
How has repentance left the teaching of the Gospel today? Before the full knowledge of God came through
Jesus Christ, God overlooked much ignorance of Himself but Acts 17:30, 31 warns, "In the past God overlooked such ignorance,
but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice
by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead." Acts 3:17-20
instructs, "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled
what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so
that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Christ who has
been appointed for you - even Jesus."
For some this is a new revelation for it is clear that many have
never truly repented and turned away from sin. For others Hebrews 5:12-13 applies, "In fact, though by this time
you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's Word all over again. You need
milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about
righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from
evil."