Morning Moments

I am so grateful for the comments received from time to time about the blogs. Sometime I get in a hurry and fail to correct a typo or fail to clarify a particular thing and many of you are kind enough to point out those things. I greatly appreciate and welcome any and all comments. Thank You.

Over the next few days I wish to follow up on yesterday’s blog. We live is such a promiscuous society that sometimes our convictions are more socially influenced that Biblically influenced. We have never in the history of the Church been weaker in our convictions of purity and morality that we are today.

Yesterday I mentioned a lifestyle (continuous action, way of life) of sin and would like to follow up on that by laying the foundation for my statements, then building conviction based on TRUTH.

1. God has commanded all men everywhere to REPENT.
2. Repentance is not only for the lost but for the saved also.
3. Repentance does not mean “regret” but it does mean CHANGE.
4. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance not to be repented of.

Now let’s consider why anyone might “want” to change:

1. Because I feel bad about what I am doing, thinking, saying.
2. Because someone else is being hurt by what I am doing, thinking, saying.
3. Because God commands and demands that I change.

True repentance comes from a comprehension that I have offended the holiness of God with my ungodliness and MUST seek His mercy (that He withhold from me what I deserve - judgment) and His grace (to receive what I do not deserve – forgiveness). No change – No forgiveness, for “without repentance there is NO remission of sins.”

God said to Israel through Isaiah: “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat of the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword.”

Paul said it this way, “If we would judge ourselves we would not be JUDGED of the Lord….” The purpose of judgment is to initiate change.

For today principle number one is:
1. For the unbeliever – change or remain condemned. Jesus “came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” To not be saved is to remain condemned.
2. For the believer – change or be chastened. The writer of Hebrews says, “If YE (believers) be without chastisement, ye are bastards and not sons.” “NO chastening…is joyous, but grievous; but AFTERWARD it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it.”

Bottom line for today is: you sin, you suffer; you repent, you get relief. If you don’t suffer for sin you do not belong to Him. This is BUILDING BLOCK one, so stay tuned for the rest. It only gets better.

PRAYER: Father dear, what you have declared abominable, it seems we have made acceptable. You condemned sin, but it seems we wish to condone what you have condemned. Please help us to get back to the basics of living godly in Christ Jesus, bringing every thought captive unto the obedience of Christ, denying ungodliness and worldly lust and living soberly, godly, and righteous IN THIS PRESENT WORLD.