O Lord my God, we are grateful to You for the bright day You given us today, may we honour You with the works of our hands and be a blessing to humanity this day in Jesus name.
The nature of God is love (1 Jn 4: 7-8); Love beareth all things. His nature is faithfulness (Ps 89:8). His nature is peace (Jn 14:27). His nature is prosperity (3 Jn 1:2). This nature of God is not accessible by all except those numbered among His children. How! Someone is asking? You must repent of all your short comings, in order words you must be without SIN.
We must not fail to live right because that guarantees His nature in us and all the attended promises (2 Cor 7:1). Consider further:
After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the good news of God:
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!”—Mark 1:14–15
Repentance is one of the most positive of all words. John the Baptist centered his preaching on repentance (Matt. 3:2, Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3). Jesus also preached repentance, commanding His disciples to do likewise (Mark 1:14–15; Luke 24:47). The angel predicted that the Messiah would save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). The requirement for this salvation would be repentance.
To repent means to stop going one direction, to turn around completely, and to go the opposite way. Repentance involves a dramatic and decisive change of course. God urges us to repent when the path we are taking leads to destruction. Repentance will save us from disastrous consequences! What a wonderful word! How comforting that the Creator loves us enough to warn us of impending danger!
Our problem is that we think of repentance as something negative. When we recognize our sin, we prefer to “rededicate” our lives to God. We may even tell others we have resolved to be more faithful to God than we were before we failed Him. Yet the Bible does not speak of rededicating oneself. It speaks of repentance! Repentance indicates a decisive change, not merely a wishful resolution. We have not repented if we continue in our sin! (2 Cor 5:17; 2 Tit 2:11-14)
Repentance involves a radical change of heart and mind in which we agree with God’s evaluation of our sin and then take specific action to align ourselves with His will. A desire to change is not repentance.
Repentance is always an active response to God’s word. The evidence of repentance is not words of resolve, but a changed life which depend greatly by the condition of your heart. Read more:
But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.—Luke 8:15
At any time, the receptiveness of your heart will determine your response to God’s word (Luke 8:5–18). If your heart is like the trampled ground, hardened by the sin of bitterness and unforgiveness, you will be unable to accept a message from God. Though you hear the words of the message, you will remain unchanged.
If your heart is like the shallow soil on top of a rock, you will accept God’s word in your mind, but the truth will not penetrate your heart to make a difference in your actions. A heart like thorny soil is a life that is distracted by the cares of the world; the pursuit of earthly pleasures prevents God’s word from taking hold and producing righteousness.
The heart that is like good soil receives a word from God, applies it, and brings forth fruit in due time. This is the heart that Jesus desires in us, for the fruit will be a Christlike life (1 Cor 3:23; Col 3:3).
Any time you hear a word from God, whether through Bible reading, prayer, or worship, the way you respond will depend on how you have cultivated your heart (Hos. 10:12). How do you develop a heart that is like good soil?
Repent of any bitterness, anger, or unforgiveness that is hardening your heart. Meditate on God’s word until it enters deep into your heart and not just your mind. When you read or hear a word from God, apply it to your life and let God bring His word into reality in your life (Gal. 6:9).
Protect your lifestyle. See that you don’t devote all of your energy to worldly concerns, rather than to pursuing your relationship with God. The condition of your heart will vary, depending on how you cultivate it. If it was receptive to a word from God yesterday, this does not guarantee it is receptive today. Daily prepare your heart for the word God has for you!
May you find grace in God’s sight (Gen 6:8). May He redeem you from all your iniquities (Ps 130:8). Let us be fervent in serving the Lord (Rom 12:11) for the time of the His second is at hand (Rom 13:12-14).
Remain blessed in the Lord.
