Repentance is a radical change of mind wrought by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God that is given with the gift of faith. The results of repentance are a change in attitude about sin that is radically different than the attitude we had about sin before repentance was given, and a change in behavior, which attitude and behavior does not fade back into the former attitude and behavior.
There is no self-justification when repentance is given by God. The repenters’ purpose has been altered, as it were, in his own mind. His intentions are not to return to that sin, or to sins in general because he has also been given a new heart. This does not mean that the truly repentant will never return to that sin, but that it is his real mind that he does not have the intention to sin again.
Although repentance does not cause a sinless walk, there will be a walk in which the repentant sins less, because this change of mind given by God is real
The new purpose in life is no longer about the one who has repented and the hatred of sin is profound. He does not take sin lightly because his real attitude about sin has been, as has already been said, changed!
There is a persistent endeavor after a holy life in walking with God. The truly repentant are conscious of their guilt, of inward sin and of helplessness, but at the same time truly comprehend the mercy of God, without which there can be no true repentance.
When one is merely “really sorry” for their sins, they do not comprehend the mercy of God because what they are experiencing is of themselves. They are like Judas in that they see what they have done only after seeing the awful consequences and feel the heat of impending judgment. They are motivated more by a desire for a standing with God that is without consequence than by a hatred for the sin that Jesus died for. The mind has not truly been changed. There was always a desire for what was good for ones self, and only after seeing once again that what sin had promised it did not fulfill is there a remorse for having acted in a way that will not procure what they were deceived into believing it would procure.
Thus there are those who live in a state of being really sorry for what they are and what they do, but it is a worldly sorrow concerned more with the here and now workings and results of what controls them. There is often a strong effort to think differently, but it is grounded in selfishness. If they could have their sin and heaven too, it would be fine with them.
The godly sorrow that brings about repentance is something that does not come from a free will, or from a natural conscience, or from a fear of hell and judgment. It is a work of the grace of God in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit and the result of His mighty power. It has God as its object and its author. It is on account of God because of sin against God. It is the beginning of true repentance and is a part of it, in fact an essential part, without which there is no true repentance. It is unto salvation, not salvation, because Christ is our salvation. Godly sorrow being the first fruits of the work of the Spirit will surely see Christ as our only salvation.
Matt 27:3 Psalm 119:128 Psalm 51 Acts 11:18 Romans 2;4 2 Cor 7:1 2 Tim 2:25
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
THE POWER OF GOD
Divine unction only comes to those who have kept themselves pure in heart and mind.
Without that unction, ALL of our sermons are mere dribble, no matter how eloquent, persuasive, or intellectual.
Only as we are endued with power from on high will lives be radically changed.
Stephen Olford said "Beloved, if you stand behind this holy desk and you're life isn't pure; if you're life isn't absolutely holy as far as you know it; if are not walking under an unclouded sky with the ungrieved, unquenched Holy Spirit in your life; then, my friend, you've absolutely blocked the message from any authority whatsoever," he said.
While I was at Stephen Olford's home years ago during his Institute on Biblical Preaching, (there were just a couple of us back then when he first started the Institute in Memphis in 1985), I remember his admonition concerning power.
He said, "Don't you think for a minute that being instant in season and out of season means that you can ask God for His anointing to preach when you need it on Sunday, if you haven't been living in power everyday."
I have tried to remember that on Monday as well as on Saturday, and have always asked my church to be in prayer for me.. We simply cannot afford to let down our guard for a moment. How many men will we see with their armor not on and they ending up on the shelf, with no power, doing no mighty works, preaching merely from the intellect, dispensing no life, with Ichabod written over the lintel of their sanctuaries.
The man of God is to be endued with power from on high as he lives his dedicated life. His prayer should be, "God, if I cannot live my life with a divine anointing to preach and witness to the unbeliever, then just go ahead and take me home now." Oh that men would tarry before God until the power comes. There have been nights when I have waited before God through the night, pleading with Him for power. Most Mondays are spent seeking God and asking for a refilling of His Spirit. I often feel spent after a day of ministering. Yes, we need a fresh anointing all the time. God gives us a fresh anointing. Send down the power from on high. Shake this place where we worship and let the glory of God fall! Send the fire! Wake the sleeping church. Save the deaf, dumb and blind. Open the eyes of those who are blinded by the god of this world. Free those who are shackled by sin. Raise those who are dead to God. These mighty works only happen as the man of God is anointed with the power of God, and it is Satans' determination that God's man would fall
Church, let us earnestly pray together that our teaching Pastor is filled with the Spirit of God and endued with power from on high. It is our responsibility to stand beside him and hold up his hands, to labor together in prayer that the glory would descend and that there would be a divine anointing upon him as he preaches. Let us pray every week that he would have more and more of God's power upon him, and let us never stop praying until we gather with the heavenly throng around His glorious throne!
Without that unction, ALL of our sermons are mere dribble, no matter how eloquent, persuasive, or intellectual.
Only as we are endued with power from on high will lives be radically changed.
Stephen Olford said "Beloved, if you stand behind this holy desk and you're life isn't pure; if you're life isn't absolutely holy as far as you know it; if are not walking under an unclouded sky with the ungrieved, unquenched Holy Spirit in your life; then, my friend, you've absolutely blocked the message from any authority whatsoever," he said.
While I was at Stephen Olford's home years ago during his Institute on Biblical Preaching, (there were just a couple of us back then when he first started the Institute in Memphis in 1985), I remember his admonition concerning power.
He said, "Don't you think for a minute that being instant in season and out of season means that you can ask God for His anointing to preach when you need it on Sunday, if you haven't been living in power everyday."
I have tried to remember that on Monday as well as on Saturday, and have always asked my church to be in prayer for me.. We simply cannot afford to let down our guard for a moment. How many men will we see with their armor not on and they ending up on the shelf, with no power, doing no mighty works, preaching merely from the intellect, dispensing no life, with Ichabod written over the lintel of their sanctuaries.
The man of God is to be endued with power from on high as he lives his dedicated life. His prayer should be, "God, if I cannot live my life with a divine anointing to preach and witness to the unbeliever, then just go ahead and take me home now." Oh that men would tarry before God until the power comes. There have been nights when I have waited before God through the night, pleading with Him for power. Most Mondays are spent seeking God and asking for a refilling of His Spirit. I often feel spent after a day of ministering. Yes, we need a fresh anointing all the time. God gives us a fresh anointing. Send down the power from on high. Shake this place where we worship and let the glory of God fall! Send the fire! Wake the sleeping church. Save the deaf, dumb and blind. Open the eyes of those who are blinded by the god of this world. Free those who are shackled by sin. Raise those who are dead to God. These mighty works only happen as the man of God is anointed with the power of God, and it is Satans' determination that God's man would fall
Church, let us earnestly pray together that our teaching Pastor is filled with the Spirit of God and endued with power from on high. It is our responsibility to stand beside him and hold up his hands, to labor together in prayer that the glory would descend and that there would be a divine anointing upon him as he preaches. Let us pray every week that he would have more and more of God's power upon him, and let us never stop praying until we gather with the heavenly throng around His glorious throne!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Accepting Your Unacceptability
I hear a lot of people talking about their lack of assurance these days. That is a good thing. It is time to seek the Lord till He may be found. But let’s face it, religion has confused the issue
What I hear is a lot of people feeling like their faith or their repentance is not good enough. They are unsure as to whether what they have experienced qualified them for salvation and they are unsure if they are truly converted. They are not sure if their faith measures up to what God demands. They are not sure if their repentance was enough.
Do you see what is happening here?
You are looking at yourself? You are looking inward to see if there is enough value in your efforts, or your performance, or the degree of your faith for God to accept. You have got it completely wrong. You are making it too hard.
Christ did not lovingly endure damnation so that you could believe enough or repent enough to be accepted before God. He suffered because you are absolutely unacceptable. You are trying to be acceptable instead of repenting of who you are and trusting Christ to save you. And at the bottom of it all is pride.
It is pride that is causing you to look at yourself and see if you are sufficient enough to qualify. That is why you don’t feel like you are saved, because you are trying to be good enough in your belief and your repentance for God to save you. You are looking at yourself and trying to feel that you have made yourself acceptable enough in your own belief and repentance for God to say, oh OK, now you have done well enough and I will save you.
You are drowning and you will not cry out for God to save you. You don’t want to admit that you are drowning because there is still a bit of self-effort there. For one reason or another, you won’t totally give up on yourself. You still have a bit of strength left so you are going to keep trying as hard as you can until you really “feel” acceptable. That is not the way of salvation.
The way of salvation is to look to the shore to the Savior and cry out that you are lost, drowning, on your way to hell, with no ability, no strength and completely unacceptable.
Christ came to save the lost. Repent of your pride. Quit looking to yourself. Cry out to God to save you. Quit looking inward to see if you measure up. You don’t. Nothing of you, your belief, your repentance, your performance, your feelings of uncleanness, your love, nothing is good enough. It is enough that Christ died. He arose from the dead, and you need to look to Him alone. Don’t even try to feel as if you are desperate enough. That is simply more pride. Repent and believe. He is a mighty Rescuer. He is mighty to save! Will you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for your sins? Will you repent of your pride and come to Him? You say, I can't! I am not able! I am drowning! I am lost! I am unacceptable! I have no more pride! Ah.............Cry to Him! He is mighty to save!
What I hear is a lot of people feeling like their faith or their repentance is not good enough. They are unsure as to whether what they have experienced qualified them for salvation and they are unsure if they are truly converted. They are not sure if their faith measures up to what God demands. They are not sure if their repentance was enough.
Do you see what is happening here?
You are looking at yourself? You are looking inward to see if there is enough value in your efforts, or your performance, or the degree of your faith for God to accept. You have got it completely wrong. You are making it too hard.
Christ did not lovingly endure damnation so that you could believe enough or repent enough to be accepted before God. He suffered because you are absolutely unacceptable. You are trying to be acceptable instead of repenting of who you are and trusting Christ to save you. And at the bottom of it all is pride.
It is pride that is causing you to look at yourself and see if you are sufficient enough to qualify. That is why you don’t feel like you are saved, because you are trying to be good enough in your belief and your repentance for God to save you. You are looking at yourself and trying to feel that you have made yourself acceptable enough in your own belief and repentance for God to say, oh OK, now you have done well enough and I will save you.
You are drowning and you will not cry out for God to save you. You don’t want to admit that you are drowning because there is still a bit of self-effort there. For one reason or another, you won’t totally give up on yourself. You still have a bit of strength left so you are going to keep trying as hard as you can until you really “feel” acceptable. That is not the way of salvation.
The way of salvation is to look to the shore to the Savior and cry out that you are lost, drowning, on your way to hell, with no ability, no strength and completely unacceptable.
Christ came to save the lost. Repent of your pride. Quit looking to yourself. Cry out to God to save you. Quit looking inward to see if you measure up. You don’t. Nothing of you, your belief, your repentance, your performance, your feelings of uncleanness, your love, nothing is good enough. It is enough that Christ died. He arose from the dead, and you need to look to Him alone. Don’t even try to feel as if you are desperate enough. That is simply more pride. Repent and believe. He is a mighty Rescuer. He is mighty to save! Will you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for your sins? Will you repent of your pride and come to Him? You say, I can't! I am not able! I am drowning! I am lost! I am unacceptable! I have no more pride! Ah.............Cry to Him! He is mighty to save!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Much of Today's Preaching
I am so sick of the Satanic, twisted, watered down gospel that men are preaching from the pulpits across this land.
Men preach as if it were a game. They tell their cute little jokes as if men were not going to hell right under their noses. Men like Joel Esteen spew the crap right out of their mouths that convince thousands that they are OK, when they are far from OK!
Truth has fallen in the streets and the ears of the multitudes are being tickled by these spiritual eunuchs who do not know the God of the bible.
If you are anywhere near one of these churches where the man standing behind the pulpit is afraid to clearly, and powerfully declare the whole counsel of God without apology, you ought to run as fast as you can away from that damnable place. These heretics from hell who preach a health and wealth gospel, an I'm OK you're OK gospel, a "just decide for Jesus" gospel...they are emissaries of Satan sent to deceive the masses. RUN FROM THAT PLACE AS IF IT WERE ON FIRE!
These pollyanna pulpiteers who have not warned you to flee from the wrath to come and they comfort you in your spiritual torment, when you know good and well that you have never been truly converted ought to be banished from the pulpit and let a preacher with backbone who will not care about position, or salary, or career, or fortune, or fame, or persecution stand there and preach the truth.
Those who love the praise of men more than the praise of God are damning souls to hell and should be run out of town until they repent of rushing into the pulpit to give their false man-centered message of hope.
There is only one message of hope and that is the message of the Christ who is the God-man, who came in the flesh, suffered on Calvary under the wrath of a holy God, for those who repent and believe, and rose victoriously from the grave to call men to take up their cross and be willing to die for the sake of the gospel.
When you truly believe that, you aren't afraid to tell men and women that the house is on fire, and they had better flee.
You aren't afraid to die for the sake of the gospel, because you know it is worth it.
You aren't afraid to declare the whole counsel of God because you really do believe that unless men repent they will perish for an eternity under the wrath of a holy God.
You aren't afraid that you won't be taken care of, because your hope is in heaven, not on this earth.
You aren't afraid to tell the truth that if you have not been radically converted by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, and if you are not absolutely a new man in Christ Jesus, because you have repented and cast your life into the hands of Jesus you are a lost man under the wrath of God, on your way to hell.
You aren't afraid to declare to your religious church members who have just "been in church all my life", that they had better flee from the wrath to come.
GOD GIVE US SOME MEN WHO WILL PREACH WITHOUT APOLOGY NO MATTER THE COST AND FILL THE PULPITS IN OUR LAND, OR FIND A PULPIT IN THE STREETS TO PREACH FROM!
Men preach as if it were a game. They tell their cute little jokes as if men were not going to hell right under their noses. Men like Joel Esteen spew the crap right out of their mouths that convince thousands that they are OK, when they are far from OK!
Truth has fallen in the streets and the ears of the multitudes are being tickled by these spiritual eunuchs who do not know the God of the bible.
If you are anywhere near one of these churches where the man standing behind the pulpit is afraid to clearly, and powerfully declare the whole counsel of God without apology, you ought to run as fast as you can away from that damnable place. These heretics from hell who preach a health and wealth gospel, an I'm OK you're OK gospel, a "just decide for Jesus" gospel...they are emissaries of Satan sent to deceive the masses. RUN FROM THAT PLACE AS IF IT WERE ON FIRE!
These pollyanna pulpiteers who have not warned you to flee from the wrath to come and they comfort you in your spiritual torment, when you know good and well that you have never been truly converted ought to be banished from the pulpit and let a preacher with backbone who will not care about position, or salary, or career, or fortune, or fame, or persecution stand there and preach the truth.
Those who love the praise of men more than the praise of God are damning souls to hell and should be run out of town until they repent of rushing into the pulpit to give their false man-centered message of hope.
There is only one message of hope and that is the message of the Christ who is the God-man, who came in the flesh, suffered on Calvary under the wrath of a holy God, for those who repent and believe, and rose victoriously from the grave to call men to take up their cross and be willing to die for the sake of the gospel.
When you truly believe that, you aren't afraid to tell men and women that the house is on fire, and they had better flee.
You aren't afraid to die for the sake of the gospel, because you know it is worth it.
You aren't afraid to declare the whole counsel of God because you really do believe that unless men repent they will perish for an eternity under the wrath of a holy God.
You aren't afraid that you won't be taken care of, because your hope is in heaven, not on this earth.
You aren't afraid to tell the truth that if you have not been radically converted by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, and if you are not absolutely a new man in Christ Jesus, because you have repented and cast your life into the hands of Jesus you are a lost man under the wrath of God, on your way to hell.
You aren't afraid to declare to your religious church members who have just "been in church all my life", that they had better flee from the wrath to come.
GOD GIVE US SOME MEN WHO WILL PREACH WITHOUT APOLOGY NO MATTER THE COST AND FILL THE PULPITS IN OUR LAND, OR FIND A PULPIT IN THE STREETS TO PREACH FROM!
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