ODB: God’s heart revealed
July 27, 2009
Repentance restores and renews our intimacy with the Lord.
READ: Revelation 3:14-22
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. —Revelation 3:19
It’s easy to think of God as a divine fly-swatter, just waiting for you to land so that—whap—He can nail you for your sins. But that’s not what we see in Revelation 2-3 in His letters to the seven churches. The pattern of the letters demonstrates God’s loving heart for wayward people.
Jesus began many of these letters by affirming the good things His people had done. This shows us that when we do what is good and right, the Lord is pleased.
But Jesus is also concerned about the faults in our lives. His commendation in these letters was often followed by clear words of reproof. And while it’s not comfortable to hear Him say, “Nevertheless I have this against you” (2:4; see vv.14,20), He reveals what needs to be changed in our lives to keep us from self-deceit.
This moves us to the real heart of the matter—repentance. When the Lord told these churches to repent, He was revealing His love for wayward saints. His goal was not to condemn but to restore them to intimate fellowship with Him.
And don’t miss the fact that each letter ends with a specific promise for the “overcomers.” Clearly God desires to reward those who live lives that are pleasing to Him.
What’s He saying to you today? — Joe Stowell
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Hello…
I guess it was pretty meaningingful for me… Personally I have been struggling with so much sin that is pulling me away from God and I really believe that repentence is the key to closer relationship with God… (: I pray for all the nation of youth who believes in Jesus, will come to repentance and annoucing that Jesus is our Lord
amen!
I love God but…my sin take me further away from God
if u can pray for me I thank u.
sure bro
I will keep u in prayer (:
Mate, don’t worry! As far as is the East from the West, God removes your sin. If you trust in Jesus and the forgiveness found in the cross then you don’t have to be worry about sin trying to take you further from God. Because Jthrough the wonders of grace Jesus has removed that barrier of sin which separated us from God so don’t worry! He’s got you right in the palm of His hand! Though I’l pray for your struggle with sin! We all struggle but with His help we’ll keep struggling on
Dear fellow believers, I believe that it is only God through the help of the holyspirit that we can overcome sin. I just want to charge us that we should always seek for the power to overcome sin and confess our so that we will be able leave a righteous life, together we shall made it to heaven in the name of JESUS. (Amen)