November 1 - Repent!

“POINTS TO PONDER” – November 1st
Written by M. Hall
Please feel free to agree or disagree with points made, and feel free to comment if so desired. If you would like, you could write your own thoughts on the verse of the day, and include that in your own comments below. Thank you and may you be blessed!! =)

“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.” Acts 3:19-20 NIV

According to dictionary.com
RE-PENT (VERB)
1. To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite.
2. To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it: repented of intemperate behavior.
3. To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.
1. To feel regret or self-reproach for: repent one's sins.
2. To cause to feel remorse or regret.

Word Origin & History
repent
c.1290, "to feel regret for sins or crimes," from O.Fr. repentir (11c.), from re-, intensive prefix, + V.L. *penitire "to regret," from L. poenitire "make sorry," from poena (see pain). The distinction between regret (q.v.) and repent is made in many modern languages, but the differentiation is not present in older periods. Repentance is recorded from c.1300, from O.Fr. repentance (12c.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

Repent is a verb, therefore it is an action word, something that we need to act upon, to do. Repenting is not a one-time action though we need to repent over and over, hence the use of the prefix “re”. “Re” means again, or in this case to do again. Unfortunately, most of our sins we do over and over again, which of course means we need to repent over and over again. Sometimes we do them unintentionally or subconsciously, but others we do intentionally and consciously. We need to be made aware of our SIN and then act upon the regret or remorse. We do not need to feel guilty. Jesus’ death has overcome our sin, and all we need to do is ask forgiveness. The devil however has other plans, and knows that our sin separates us from God. God cannot look upon sin, and therefore the devil wants us to hold on to our sin, so that we may not fully and boldly enter the throne-room of God when we wish to meet Him in our secret place, or in times of worship and praise in a corporate setting. The devil wants us to hold on to our sin, and feel guilty. The devil, our enemy, wants us to feel the pain over and over, instead of feeling God’s love, grace, mercy and forgiveness over and over. If we allow the devil to have our joy (because we give it to him, he doesn’t steal it), it gives him the feeling that he has power over us and our lives. However, if we give up our sins and guilt to God, He restores our joy, and gives us His peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7 – “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” NIV)

Jesus died for our sins, once and for all, yet we still need to repent for our sins, so that God can cleanse us from our unrighteousness. We have been ‘justified’… which means ‘just as if I’d’ never done it. Thank you Lord! He removes our sins, and doesn’t dwell on them, like we do. We seem to hold grudges a lot, and lack true forgiveness. In His word, He promises that our transgressions or sins are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12 NIV – “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”) Since we have been justified, we can have His peace as well. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2 NIV) The devil does not want us to be able to approach God, but God says in His Word that we can approach His throne of grace boldly, and obtain that mercy that we desperately need. “Let us then come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 – In ‘The Message’, it reads, “Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

There is a difference though, between grace and mercy, grace is getting what we don’t deserve, and mercy is not getting what we do deserve. I thank God for both His grace and His mercy. He bestows it upon us freely, we just need to ask for it. He sent His Son to this world, and He lived as us, except for the sin. The only time He took on sin was on the cross, when He took it for us. ‘He paid a debt He did not owe, and we owed a debt we could not pay’. (Hymn – ‘He Paid a Debt’ by G. McSpadden) We don’t deserve at all to come into His presence, but He lets us come in, and therefore we obtain His grace. Once we are in there, He loves us and forgives us, and doesn’t make us pay the price for our sin, which is where He bestows His mercy on us. He gave His Son so that we may live eternally with them in Heaven, after our earthly lives are through. What a promise!

Mark 1:15 (NIV) states, "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" John told the people then, and his words prove true today as well. Now is the time for repentance, now is the time for salvation. Another verse says, “As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For He says, ‘In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NIV)

We need to forgive others, just as God forgives us. This is done with love, grace and mercy - unconditional love and an unending amount of grace, and mercy. Do not repay evil with evil, choose love. I close with one block of scripture found in Romans 13:8-14 NIV, “Love, for the Day is Near- Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

Be blessed, and live the life of love that you are called to!