Welcome to
3ABN's Fall Camp Meeting
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Homecoming 2010
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featuring inspired
messages from your 3ABN family
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along with
uplifting Christian music
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all to prepare your heart
for the coming of the Lord.
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Welcome to 3ABN's
Fall 2010 Camp Meeting
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here in Thompsonville, Illinois.
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If you are still in driving
distance, get in your car now
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and come on down and
enjoy the weekend with us
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because God is
blessing in a wonderful way.
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Can we all say
Amen to that? Amen!
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And so there are still
seats available and there is
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no admission. The only
thing that you need to do
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to come on in
is just come on in!
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And we've been blessed
with some wonderful messages.
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And this one is no exception.
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Shelley Quinn, a woman
of the Word, one who exalts
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the Lord of the Word
and also exalts the Word...
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she's going to be
preaching a message about
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salvation and redemption.
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And so stay tuned.
Invite a friend to sit down
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and if you'd like to
hit the record button
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so that you can go
back and share this message
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with others of your
friends and of your neighbors.
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So thank you so
much for tuning in.
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As you know we like to always
invite the Lord's presence
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to be here, so bow your
heads with me as we ask the Lord
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to lead.
Gracious Father in Heaven,
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thank you so much for the power
that will attend this meeting.
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Bless and anoint Shelley,
we pray, in a very powerful way
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to the uplifting
of Your precious name.
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In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
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I've been also given
the wonderful opportunity of
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sharing a song. And
I think that you know
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it is true when the Bible
talks about our redemption
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it leads us to do something
that we probably didn't
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fully understand before, and
this song says it wonderfully:
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My Jesus, I Love Thee.
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My Jesus,
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I love Thee.
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I know Thou art mine;
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For Thee
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all the follies
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of sin I resign;
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My gracious
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Redeemer,
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my Savior art Thou;
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If ever I loved Thee,
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my Jesus,
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'tis now.
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I love Thee because
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hast first loved me,
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And purchased
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my pardon
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on Calvary's tree;
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I love Thee
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for wearing
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the thorns on Thy brow;
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If ever I loved Thee,
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my Jesus,
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'tis now.
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I love Thee in life
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and I will love Thee
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till death,
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And praise Thee as long
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as Thou lendest me breath;
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I'll sing when
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the death dew
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lies cold on
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my brow;
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If ever...
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If ever I loved Thee,
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my Jesus
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'tis now.
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In mansions
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of glory
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and endless
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delight;
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I'll ever adore Thee
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in heaven so bright;
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I'll sing with
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the glittering
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crown on my brow;
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If ever
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I loved Thee,
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my Jesus,
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'tis now.
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Thank you, John.
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Let's pray.
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Our Lord Jesus
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and Heavenly Father,
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Oh, we do love You! We
ask that in the name of Jesus
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You would open our hearts,
Father, and pour out Your love
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into our hearts that we might
love You with all of our hearts
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and mind and
strength and love one another
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as we love
ourselves. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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You know, before I begin
on this afternoon's message
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I want to share a
little praise report...
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no, it's a BIG
praise report... with you.
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I have been sharing
over the last few years about
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one of our sisters who
lives in a Muslim nation
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in Africa. And, bless her heart,
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when she watched
3ABN for several years
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and just to practice her
English. She's highly educated,
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and she was just
wanting to practice her English.
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Well she accepted
Christ as her Savior
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and she has had several
years of a very tough road since
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because she's been beaten
almost daily by her husband
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because of this. He is
now planning a divorce.
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But I have to tell
you, her faith is so strong
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and this Sabbath
she is being baptized.
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Can you say glory to the Lord?
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I'm so excited about that!
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Well last night we
heard a wonderful message
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and I thought it would
have been so easy for Dr. Blanco
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rather than calling
his message The Loving One
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to have given it the same
title that my message has today
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and that is: The
Joy of Repentance.
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Because certainly when we hear
the story of the Prodigal Son
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we know the joy of
repentance, do we not?
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He came home; the father
threw a celebration for him.
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But you know, it was the
father's joy that Dr. Blanco
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was really helping us
understand last night.
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I want to share
with you something that
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changed my life as
the Lord began to help me
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understand this whole
process of repentance.
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Sometimes if I tell
somebody I'm going to talk about
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the joy of repentance they say:
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"Joy? What joy is
there in repentance? "
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Most of us think of
the sack cloth and ashes
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and the pain that
comes from repentance.
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But I want to start by
talking about King David.
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Don't you just love King David?
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And in II Samuel chapter
11 the Bible tells the story
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of this wonderful, godly man
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who God called a
man after His own heart.
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Yet this wonderful, godly man
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inflamed by torrid lust
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he began to make a
series of wrong moral choices
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that took him down
a path of disobedience
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and degradation.
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And after he was
guilty of committing adultery
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then he became guilty of
plotting to have Bathsheba's
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husband killed. So
now he's guilty of murder.
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And he finds
himself - unknowingly -
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blinded to his own condition.
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He is right on the
cliff of spiritual death.
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But God in His mercy
sends the prophet Nathan to him.
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And Nathan tells him
the story of this rich man
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that had many, many flocks.
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And yet when he had a
visitor come to his house
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he went out and he took
the only little ewe lamb
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that belonged to a man.
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And that was his
only treasured possession
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was this one little ewe lamb.
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Well David takes this lamb
and serves it up for supper.
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Well... Excuse
me... David in the story
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that Nathan's telling...
the man takes the lamb
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and serves it up for supper.
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So what was David's
reaction? Do you remember?
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He was ready to chop off
the man's head, wasn't he?
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He was ready to do
away with the man...
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enraged that anyone
could do such a thing.
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Now what do you think happened?
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How did his fury change
when Nathan turned to him
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and said: "You are the man. "
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You see that David was thinking
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"I'm a man
after God's own heart.
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Look at what God
has done in my life.
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I'm a good person.
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I'm judging someone
else for their bad act. "
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He was blinded to his condition.
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I think I'm a good person.
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I'll bet you think
you're a good person too.
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But you know something, we don't
know our own hearts, do we?
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And what we need to
remember is that in Matthew 5
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Jesus says that hatred
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equals heart
murder... doesn't it?
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And the act of
taking someone else's life
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is just what's coming from
the evil in your own heart.
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And He also says that
thoughts of adultery...
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He actually says
the thought is the sin.
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Adultery's just
the fruit of the sin.
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So what am I
trying to point out?
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Sometimes we look at
ourselves and we think
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"I'm not like him. "
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"I'm not like that man that
took the only little ewe lamb.
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No, no... I'm a good person. "
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And we look at David
even and think: "Wow!
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David got away with murder and
adultery and everything else. "
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But what God wants us to do
is look into the reflection pool
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of our own conscience
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and realize how much we
need to confess our sins
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and repent. Because without
confession and repentance
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we don't even have the assurance
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that our worship is
acceptable before the Lord.
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Turn in your Bibles to Psalm 24.
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This is a verse that
is very familiar to us.
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But I want us to look at this
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as we look at this
process of repentance
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and why it is in the
end ultimately so joyful.
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We need to first
recognize our need to repent.
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Psalm 24, and let's
look at verses 3 and 4.
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The Psalmist writes:
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"Who may ascend
unto the hill of the Lord
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or who may stand
in His holy place?
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He who has clean hands
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and a pure heart. "
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Clean hands: that's
symbolic of our actions.
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The pure heart is
symbolic of our thoughts.
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What is this
scripture saying to us?
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If we want to go
before the Lord of holiness
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and righteousness, we
need to come before Him
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humbly and ask for
forgiveness before we go
00:14:18.13\00:14:22.33
in to enter into His presence.
00:14:22.53\00:14:24.66
We need to have clean
hands and a pure heart
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to stand before God in prayer.
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But you know, to us the fountain
has been opened, hasn't it?
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Praise the Lord! The
guilt of sin is washed away
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by the blood of the Lamb.
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So we know it is not by
our works of righteousness
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that we are saved but
according to God's mercy.
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And we are cleansed
from pollution of sin.
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From the pollution of sin
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by our day by day
repentance, confessing our sins.
00:14:57.23\00:15:01.16
Now I want to go back
to David for just a minute.
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How did David react when Nathan
00:15:05.13\00:15:10.13
accused him of being the man?
00:15:10.33\00:15:13.40
You know, a hot-headed
king could have told the prophet
00:15:13.70\00:15:16.10
"Off with your head. "
00:15:16.30\00:15:17.90
"Out of my sight! "
00:15:18.20\00:15:19.50
But that's not what David did.
00:15:19.80\00:15:22.10
When David
recognized his own lawlessness
00:15:22.40\00:15:26.46
what did he do?
00:15:26.66\00:15:28.60
He said: "Against
You, Lord, I have sinned. "
00:15:28.90\00:15:33.73
"I have sinned
against the Lord. "
00:15:34.03\00:15:37.93
He recognized his sin;
he was seized by remorse.
00:15:38.23\00:15:43.43
Have you ever felt that way
00:15:43.93\00:15:45.86
when suddenly your sin
becomes to apparent to you
00:15:46.16\00:15:48.93
and you feel remorseful?
00:15:49.13\00:15:50.86
But then what did he do?
00:15:51.16\00:15:53.16
If you want to... we don't have
time to do this right now...
00:15:53.46\00:15:56.20
but I want to encourage
you if you really want to learn
00:15:56.50\00:15:59.93
about the art of
repentance go to Psalm 51.
00:15:59.93\00:16:03.80
Read that Psalm
because that is the Psalm
00:16:04.10\00:16:07.03
that David wrote
after Nathan came to him.
00:16:07.23\00:16:10.60
And when... this is a
very tender but intense
00:16:10.90\00:16:14.80
record of confession.
00:16:15.00\00:16:16.36
So now what we're going
to do in the next few minutes
00:16:16.76\00:16:19.60
is we're going to be looking
at the process of repentance.
00:16:19.80\00:16:23.33
What is repentance?
00:16:23.63\00:16:26.60
You know we usually have
kind of a pat little answer
00:16:26.90\00:16:29.43
of what it means. But
as I was seeking the Lord
00:16:29.63\00:16:33.40
and saying "Father, I
need to truly understand this.
00:16:33.60\00:16:36.10
I need to
understand how to repent, "
00:16:36.30\00:16:38.50
He gave me five steps.
And I think it's important
00:16:38.70\00:16:41.93
that we
understand God's guidelines.
00:16:41.93\00:16:44.20
So these are the five steps that
we're going to look at today.
00:16:44.50\00:16:47.00
Repentance begins with
the recognition of sin.
00:16:47.30\00:16:51.36
After that comes godly sorrow.
00:16:51.66\00:16:54.73
Then we confess our sin.
00:16:55.03\00:16:57.80
And the next and important
thing is that after we confess
00:16:58.00\00:17:01.76
that we receive
God's forgiveness
00:17:01.96\00:17:05.10
and then we change our conduct.
00:17:05.40\00:17:08.13
So let's look at
those five steps.
00:17:08.33\00:17:10.13
When we come to
recognize our sin...
00:17:10.63\00:17:14.10
How do we recognize our sin?
00:17:14.30\00:17:16.16
How do I know that
what I am doing is wrong?
00:17:16.46\00:17:20.00
When we examine our lives
in the light of God's Word
00:17:20.30\00:17:25.56
then the
character of our conduct
00:17:25.86\00:17:29.20
is exposed as it were.
00:17:29.40\00:17:31.60
Have you ever done that?
00:17:31.80\00:17:33.00
Sometimes you're just feeling
really good about yourself
00:17:33.20\00:17:35.70
and you pick up the
Bible and you start studying
00:17:35.70\00:17:37.63
and you come to
something and you think:
00:17:37.83\00:17:39.90
"Oh, Lord, I'm so sorry.
00:17:40.10\00:17:42.36
You know, I'm gossiping.
00:17:42.66\00:17:46.26
I'm murmuring. I'm
doing such and such. "
00:17:46.56\00:17:49.86
But as you read the Word
00:17:50.06\00:17:51.80
and you're being washed
by the water of the Word
00:17:52.00\00:17:54.90
we recognize our sin.
00:17:55.10\00:17:57.63
The Holy
Spirit's convicting power.
00:17:57.83\00:18:00.36
It's between the Word and
the Spirit that we are convicted
00:18:00.66\00:18:03.80
of our sin and we
begin to think differently.
00:18:04.00\00:18:06.96
We see the foul essence of sin.
00:18:07.20\00:18:10.83
You know the word sin: I
say it is a perfect acronym.
00:18:11.13\00:18:14.96
SIN... that's a perfect acronym
for what's at the root of it.
00:18:16.20\00:18:19.66
The S stands for selfishness
00:18:19.96\00:18:23.43
and selfish acts of sin.
00:18:23.73\00:18:26.90
The I stands for ignorance.
00:18:27.23\00:18:29.63
These are sins of omission.
00:18:29.86\00:18:32.20
The selfishness is
things that we do even though
00:18:32.50\00:18:35.23
we know it's wrong to do it.
00:18:35.23\00:18:37.16
We do it anyway... feels good.
00:18:37.40\00:18:40.70
The I is for ignorance:
that's unintentional sin.
00:18:41.00\00:18:45.10
Things that we do not realizing
00:18:45.30\00:18:47.93
because we don't
know what's in God's Word.
00:18:48.33\00:18:51.73
And then the N
stands for neglect.
00:18:52.03\00:18:54.80
This is things that we
know that we ought to do
00:18:55.00\00:18:57.86
but we don't do them... perhaps
because we've just become
00:18:58.06\00:19:01.70
overly busy. I did a study
00:19:01.90\00:19:06.16
on sin not too long ago.
00:19:06.46\00:19:10.03
And it was as I was writing the
book Pressing into His Presence
00:19:10.33\00:19:14.40
from which this teaching comes.
00:19:14.60\00:19:16.30
And I have to tell
you... it was a sobering study.
00:19:16.60\00:19:21.63
As I began to catalog the sins
00:19:21.93\00:19:25.60
and there was
about, oh, I forget
00:19:25.80\00:19:28.36
12 plus maybe even 15
different categories of sin.
00:19:28.56\00:19:33.16
And I thought
"Oh, Lord, help me! "
00:19:33.46\00:19:37.40
But you know, it's important.
00:19:37.90\00:19:40.40
If... if repentance begins
at the recognition of sin,
00:19:40.60\00:19:44.66
we need to see sin
for what it really is.
00:19:44.86\00:19:47.60
I just want to share three
of those things with you today,
00:19:47.90\00:19:50.70
and these are the three:
To sin is to miss the mark
00:19:51.00\00:19:55.16
of God's righteous requirement.
00:19:55.36\00:19:57.43
Let me give you two
scriptures for that.
00:19:57.63\00:19:59.30
James 4:17 says: "To
him who knows to do good
00:19:59.60\00:20:03.20
and does not do
it, to him it is sin. "
00:20:03.40\00:20:07.53
Is that a sin of
commission or omission?
00:20:07.83\00:20:11.26
Omission.
00:20:11.56\00:20:14.30
When we know we
should be doing something
00:20:14.30\00:20:17.90
and we don't do
it, we're sinning.
00:20:18.10\00:20:21.43
That is a sin of omission.
00:20:21.63\00:20:23.86
Romans 14:23 says: "Whatever's
not from faith is of sin. "
00:20:24.16\00:20:29.56
When we are going
out here and we think:
00:20:29.86\00:20:32.63
"Well I'm not sure if
God would approve of this,
00:20:32.83\00:20:34.76
but I'm going to go
ahead and do it anyway. "
00:20:34.96\00:20:36.50
That's not of
faith and it's a sin.
00:20:36.80\00:20:39.40
Of course, the one
that you probably can quote
00:20:39.70\00:20:43.66
to me is I John 3:4.
00:20:43.86\00:20:46.83
"Whoever commits sin
also commits lawlessness. "
00:20:48.30\00:20:52.30
And sin is lawlessness.
00:20:52.80\00:20:55.10
See, we are committing
an iniquity... lawlessness.
00:20:55.50\00:20:59.76
That means an
intentional or unintentional
00:20:59.96\00:21:04.30
breaking of God's law.
00:21:04.50\00:21:06.56
And then here's the one
that gets me more than anything
00:21:07.76\00:21:11.16
and I think it'll get all of us
00:21:11.36\00:21:12.96
and that is: anything
that is a deviation from God's
00:21:13.16\00:21:18.90
holy and righteous
character is a sin.
00:21:19.10\00:21:22.40
All unrighteousness is a sin.
00:21:22.70\00:21:25.70
I John 5:17 sums
it up that simply:
00:21:25.90\00:21:29.90
all unrighteousness is sin.
00:21:30.20\00:21:34.23
I want to ask you a question.
00:21:34.63\00:21:37.16
Have you sinned today?
00:21:37.46\00:21:39.33
Have you missed the mark, the
bullseye, of God's requirements?
00:21:39.63\00:21:43.96
Have you realized that you're
doing something that doesn't
00:21:44.26\00:21:48.36
really attain to the character
of Jesus Christ or of the Lord?
00:21:48.56\00:21:52.63
Romans 3:23 states "All
have sinned and fallen short
00:21:52.93\00:21:57.60
of the glory of God. "
What's the glory of God?
00:21:57.60\00:22:00.06
What is that? His character.
00:22:00.30\00:22:03.13
All have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God.
00:22:03.43\00:22:06.86
That "fall short"
in the Greek the tense
00:22:07.16\00:22:10.13
is one of continuous action.
00:22:10.33\00:22:12.30
What it is saying
is: "All have sinned
00:22:12.60\00:22:16.06
and are falling short of
the glory" - the character -
00:22:16.26\00:22:20.46
"of God. " I fall short
of His character every day,
00:22:20.66\00:22:23.93
how about you?
00:22:23.93\00:22:25.90
So the reason it
is so important for us
00:22:25.90\00:22:28.70
to see our sin is because
00:22:29.10\00:22:32.10
that's the
beginning of recog... I mean,
00:22:32.30\00:22:34.36
recognition of sin is
the beginning of repentance.
00:22:34.36\00:22:37.20
And we should rejoice
in the recognition of sin.
00:22:37.50\00:22:42.06
What? Yeah! Rejoice when
you recognize you're sinning.
00:22:42.56\00:22:48.46
That means the
Word's doing it's job.
00:22:48.66\00:22:50.93
That means the Holy
Spirit is doing His job.
00:22:51.13\00:22:54.20
And as we recognize our sin
00:22:54.50\00:22:57.43
then we can go before the Lord.
00:22:57.63\00:23:00.80
You know, the reason we
need to recognize our sin is
00:23:01.00\00:23:03.56
so that we recognize
our need for repentance.
00:23:03.76\00:23:06.86
J.D. and I were
on a plane recently
00:23:07.16\00:23:09.40
and I was sitting next to
a man who was an attorney.
00:23:09.70\00:23:12.06
And we were talking at
great length about the Lord.
00:23:12.26\00:23:14.90
He was brought up as a Catholic.
00:23:15.20\00:23:17.26
Hasn't been to
church for many, many years.
00:23:17.46\00:23:19.76
But he kept
saying: "I'm a good person.
00:23:20.06\00:23:22.66
I don't need to go to
church. I don't need to repent.
00:23:22.66\00:23:25.50
I don't need... " He didn't
see his need for a Savior.
00:23:25.70\00:23:29.63
But turn to Micah
chapter 7 if you will, please.
00:23:29.93\00:23:34.90
Micah chapter 7.
That's right after Jonah.
00:23:35.20\00:23:38.10
The reason that we
can rejoice in recognition
00:23:38.40\00:23:42.90
of our sin debt is
because God delights in mercy
00:23:43.13\00:23:48.83
and He stands
ready to forgive us.
00:23:49.03\00:23:51.56
His heart beats with
pity for the penitent sinner,
00:23:51.86\00:23:56.33
and He will not leave
your head hanging low.
00:23:56.63\00:24:00.76
Look at Micah chapter 7 and
verse 18 is where we'll begin.
00:24:01.06\00:24:06.40
I love this verse!
00:24:06.90\00:24:09.16
Micah 7:18: "Who
is a God like You
00:24:09.46\00:24:14.40
pardoning iniquity and
passing over the transgression
00:24:14.60\00:24:20.00
of the remnant of His heritage?
00:24:20.20\00:24:22.70
He does not retain
His anger forever... "
00:24:22.90\00:24:26.73
Why? "Because He
delights in mercy.
00:24:27.03\00:24:31.90
He will again have
compassion on us and will
00:24:32.10\00:24:34.40
subdue our iniquities. "
00:24:34.60\00:24:37.06
And then he says it
directly to the Lord:
00:24:37.26\00:24:39.76
"You will cast all of our sins
into the depths of the sea. "
00:24:39.96\00:24:45.26
So when you
recognize your sin, yes...
00:24:45.26\00:24:49.20
That's going to bring
up step two: godly sorrow.
00:24:49.40\00:24:54.20
Godly sorrow
should fill your heart.
00:24:54.50\00:24:57.10
But don't think
that's where it's gotta end.
00:24:57.40\00:25:00.50
We go from recognition
of sin to godly sorrow.
00:25:00.70\00:25:04.10
As we begin to
interpret the love of a God
00:25:04.40\00:25:07.70
who was willing to die for
us while we were yet sinners
00:25:07.90\00:25:12.43
what happens is
this awakens in us
00:25:12.63\00:25:16.53
this wonder and
this want to please Him.
00:25:16.73\00:25:22.46
And we begin to regret our sins,
00:25:22.76\00:25:26.33
and godly sorrow
produces a change of heart
00:25:26.53\00:25:29.56
that leads us to
repentance and salvation.
00:25:29.76\00:25:32.73
That's what II
Corinthians 7:10 says is that
00:25:33.03\00:25:36.46
godly sorrow produces
00:25:36.66\00:25:40.30
repentance leading to salvation.
00:25:40.50\00:25:44.13
And the Bible
tells us in Romans 2:4
00:25:44.43\00:25:47.20
"Do you despise the riches
of His goodness, forbearance
00:25:47.43\00:25:51.40
and longsuffering not
knowing that the goodness of God
00:25:51.60\00:25:57.30
leads you to repentance? "
00:25:57.50\00:25:59.56
So the next time you
feel that godly sorrow
00:25:59.86\00:26:03.76
praise the Lord for it!
00:26:03.96\00:26:05.90
Say: "Father I thank you
that You are opening my eyes
00:26:06.20\00:26:08.96
to recognize my sin
and my need for a Savior. "
00:26:09.16\00:26:12.56
"Thank you Lord for filling
my heart with this godly sorrow
00:26:12.86\00:26:16.96
to lead me to repentance. "
00:26:17.16\00:26:18.86
So that leads us to step three.
00:26:20.00\00:26:21.96
Once we have
reached this condition
00:26:22.16\00:26:24.53
confession is our
next critical step.
00:26:24.73\00:26:27.70
Turn to Psalm 66.
00:26:27.90\00:26:30.13
Psalm 66. Please hear
what I'm about to say.
00:26:30.33\00:26:35.10
Sin erects a barrier
00:26:35.40\00:26:40.70
that hinders our
prayers to the Lord.
00:26:40.90\00:26:44.50
We've already looked at
"Who can ascend to His hill
00:26:44.80\00:26:48.73
and stand before the Lord
except he with clean hands
00:26:48.93\00:26:52.03
and a pure heart?
" Look at Psalm 66:18
00:26:52.23\00:26:56.00
and we'll see this sin
barrier that's separating us
00:26:56.30\00:27:00.10
from our holy God.
00:27:00.10\00:27:02.70
Psalm 66:18... David says:
00:27:03.00\00:27:07.86
"If I regard
iniquity in my heart... "
00:27:08.06\00:27:11.13
what's going to happen?
00:27:11.33\00:27:12.70
"The Lord will not hear. "
00:27:13.00\00:27:15.03
Hear what? What
won't the Lord hear?
00:27:15.03\00:27:18.56
He's not going to
hear your prayers.
00:27:18.86\00:27:21.76
You know, so many
people come to the Lord
00:27:22.06\00:27:24.76
and as they're praying
all they're doing is seeking
00:27:24.76\00:27:28.13
the hand of the Lord.
00:27:28.33\00:27:29.86
It's kind of like what
Dr. Blanco was talking about
00:27:30.16\00:27:33.80
last night. It's like
the son who was saying:
00:27:34.00\00:27:37.26
"Give me, give me.
Gimme, gimme, give me. "
00:27:37.26\00:27:40.76
But what God wants us to do
00:27:41.06\00:27:43.83
is to recognize how
badly sin hurts Him.
00:27:44.03\00:27:47.60
And He wants us
to come before Him
00:27:47.90\00:27:50.50
and to say to Him: "Father,
oh thank you for helping me
00:27:50.70\00:27:55.13
to see my sin. Lord, I'm
here to confess my sin. "
00:27:55.13\00:27:58.83
Turn to Hosea 5:15.
00:27:59.13\00:28:01.80
Hosea 5:15.
00:28:02.10\00:28:04.16
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea.
00:28:04.46\00:28:06.33
Because God wants us to know
that there's a way to get rid
00:28:06.63\00:28:11.80
of this sin barrier.
00:28:12.00\00:28:14.60
He shuts His ears to
the unrepentant sinner.
00:28:14.80\00:28:18.10
He requires that we acknowledge
our offenses towards Him.
00:28:18.30\00:28:22.23
Hosea 5:15... this is
God speaking and He says:
00:28:22.53\00:28:27.83
"I will return
again to My place... "
00:28:28.13\00:28:32.66
Until what?
00:28:32.86\00:28:35.06
"Until they
acknowledge their offense.
00:28:35.26\00:28:38.90
Then they will seek My face.
00:28:39.40\00:28:44.23
In their affliction they
will earnestly seek Me. "
00:28:44.43\00:28:49.76
God is saying:
"I'm withdrawing. "
00:28:50.06\00:28:53.56
What part does
light have with darkness?
00:28:53.76\00:28:58.36
What fellowship does
Belial have with the righteous?
00:28:58.66\00:29:03.93
What God is saying is:
00:29:04.23\00:29:06.80
"I can't... you
can't stand in My presence
00:29:07.00\00:29:10.26
until you confess your sins,
acknowledge your offense. "
00:29:10.56\00:29:14.76
So when we begin
to confess our sins
00:29:14.96\00:29:18.83
it demonstrates we've
had a change of mind about
00:29:19.03\00:29:22.16
our own sin-sick behavior
00:29:22.16\00:29:24.00
and through confession we
seek forgiveness of our sins.
00:29:24.20\00:29:28.13
We acknowledge
our need for a Savior.
00:29:28.46\00:29:31.16
And I have to
share something with you.
00:29:31.46\00:29:33.50
Don't ever get to
that point where you think
00:29:33.80\00:29:36.63
"Well I'm a fourth
generation Adventist Christian.
00:29:36.63\00:29:39.86
I know all about it.
00:29:40.16\00:29:42.70
I can tell you all
about the 2,300 days. "
00:29:43.00\00:29:46.60
If you get to thinking
because of your heritage
00:29:46.80\00:29:50.56
that you are a good
person, a righteous person,
00:29:50.76\00:29:54.96
you're wrong. The only
thing that makes you righteous
00:29:55.16\00:29:59.53
is Jesus Christ.
00:29:59.73\00:30:01.80
And we've got to go before
Him day by day and acknowledge
00:30:02.10\00:30:06.13
our need for Him. Because
when confession is accompanied
00:30:06.33\00:30:10.63
by godly sorrow and a
sincere desire to change
00:30:10.83\00:30:14.60
God will forgive us and cleanse
us of all unrighteousness.
00:30:14.80\00:30:19.43
I John 1:8-9. "If we
say that we have no sin,
00:30:19.73\00:30:25.33
we deceive ourself and
the truth is not in us.
00:30:25.63\00:30:29.63
But if we confess our sins,
00:30:29.93\00:30:33.06
He is faithful
and just to forgive us
00:30:33.26\00:30:36.96
all of our sins and cleanse us
from" how much unrighteousness?
00:30:37.16\00:30:41.50
"all of our unrighteousness. "
00:30:41.80\00:30:43.96
And again, this verb confess
00:30:44.26\00:30:47.83
is the present active condition.
So what John was saying is
00:30:48.03\00:30:53.13
"We keep on confessing. "
00:30:53.33\00:30:55.90
Never become callous to
the act of confessing your sin.
00:30:56.13\00:31:00.86
Confession is the
clearinghouse of the conscience.
00:31:01.16\00:31:05.03
And you know what? Once...
This is God's prescribed way
00:31:05.33\00:31:09.80
to purify us and it
results in the renewal
00:31:10.00\00:31:13.60
of a robust
relationship with the Lord.
00:31:13.60\00:31:15.90
It's the place where
misery meets mercy, if you will.
00:31:16.20\00:31:19.76
So go ahead and bring
your sins into His light
00:31:19.96\00:31:22.86
because you're not going
to be telling Him anything
00:31:23.06\00:31:24.73
that He doesn't know.
He's just waiting for you
00:31:24.93\00:31:28.60
to acknowledge your sin.
00:31:28.80\00:31:30.70
You should still be in Hosea...
Flip on over to Hosea 14
00:31:31.00\00:31:35.00
because I want to
show you something.
00:31:35.30\00:31:38.23
The scriptures say
to take words with you
00:31:38.53\00:31:44.13
when you return to the Lord.
00:31:44.33\00:31:46.73
Hosea 14:1.
00:31:47.06\00:31:49.23
Hosea 14:1...
"Return to the Lord your God
00:31:49.53\00:31:53.83
for you have stumbled
because of your iniquity.
00:31:54.03\00:31:56.23
Take words with you
and return to the Lord.
00:31:56.43\00:31:59.26
Say to Him: 'Take
away all my iniquity.
00:31:59.46\00:32:02.76
Receive us graciously. ' "
00:32:02.96\00:32:05.00
Take words with you.
00:32:05.20\00:32:07.06
And look at verse 4.
This is God answering:
00:32:07.36\00:32:11.10
"I will heal their backsliding.
00:32:11.30\00:32:14.16
I will love them freely
00:32:14.36\00:32:16.90
for my anger has turned away. "
00:32:17.20\00:32:20.03
If we walk in the
light as He is in the light
00:32:20.23\00:32:24.03
the blood of Jesus
will cleanse us of all sin.
00:32:24.23\00:32:28.16
And our great reward
of confession is that
00:32:28.46\00:32:33.40
now we have a clear
conscience before God.
00:32:33.60\00:32:36.66
And you know
what I John 3:21 says.
00:32:36.96\00:32:40.60
"Beloved, if our
heart does not condemn us
00:32:40.90\00:32:44.40
we have confidence before God. "
00:32:44.60\00:32:47.46
A lot of us spend our
time groveling before the Lord
00:32:47.76\00:32:52.66
when what He is saying
is: "Child, you've confessed
00:32:52.86\00:32:56.40
your sins. Step
forward to repentance now
00:32:56.63\00:32:59.30
and receive My forgiveness. "
00:32:59.50\00:33:02.53
"Receive My forgiveness. "
00:33:02.83\00:33:04.93
Sometimes this is a challenge.
00:33:05.26\00:33:07.70
It's easier I heard someone
say earlier this morning...
00:33:08.00\00:33:10.93
"God forgives me.
00:33:11.13\00:33:13.13
I just don't do a very
good job of forgiving myself. "
00:33:13.33\00:33:16.53
Well see, when we
receive God's forgiveness
00:33:16.73\00:33:19.73
this is how we disarm the devil
00:33:19.93\00:33:21.60
and we extricate
ourself from that quicksand
00:33:21.90\00:33:25.23
trap of his of condemnation.
00:33:25.43\00:33:27.53
I met a lady that...
Actually she has been calling
00:33:27.83\00:33:30.80
here... I've not
met her, excuse me.
00:33:31.00\00:33:32.83
She has called here
for a number of years,
00:33:33.03\00:33:36.20
always with the same
request. She's in her 80's
00:33:36.20\00:33:40.86
and she had an
abortion - an illegal abortion -
00:33:41.16\00:33:43.60
when she was much younger
00:33:43.80\00:33:45.00
and she cannot
get that off her mind.
00:33:45.20\00:33:47.06
And she's prayed
and prayed and prayed
00:33:47.26\00:33:49.56
for God to forgive her.
00:33:49.76\00:33:51.76
And I keep telling her: "He has.
00:33:52.06\00:33:54.93
Receive it; receive it. "
00:33:55.23\00:33:57.86
And she finally
made that breakthrough.
00:33:58.06\00:34:00.73
She finally
received that forgiveness.
00:34:00.93\00:34:05.16
You know, one of my
favorite stories is found in
00:34:05.46\00:34:09.40
Luke chapter 7.
00:34:09.60\00:34:12.63
We're not going to go
there 'cause we don't have time
00:34:12.93\00:34:14.96
today unfortunately.
But it's verses 36 to 50
00:34:15.16\00:34:18.20
if you're just a
note taker. Luke 7:36-50.
00:34:18.40\00:34:21.63
And this is when Jesus
is telling a very judgmental
00:34:21.93\00:34:26.03
Pharisee the story of a
creditor and two debtors.
00:34:26.23\00:34:31.33
One of the
debtors owed a little;
00:34:31.63\00:34:33.70
the other owed a lot.
00:34:33.90\00:34:35.10
So Jesus turns to the Pharisee
after He's told the story
00:34:35.40\00:34:38.80
and He said: "So which
do you presume would love
00:34:39.00\00:34:42.76
the creditor more:
00:34:42.96\00:34:44.30
The one who was
forgiven a little
00:34:44.50\00:34:46.26
or the one who
was forgiven a lot? "
00:34:46.46\00:34:48.70
Well, the
Pharisee rightly chose.
00:34:49.00\00:34:51.56
He said: "The one
who was forgiven a lot. "
00:34:51.76\00:34:54.13
But the thing is that
Jesus was telling the story
00:34:54.83\00:34:59.13
in reference to a
woman of ill repute
00:34:59.33\00:35:01.56
who was washing His feet
with her tears at that moment.
00:35:01.86\00:35:07.00
Who took an
alabaster box and broke it open
00:35:07.30\00:35:11.30
and was pouring this very
expensive spikenard on His feet.
00:35:11.50\00:35:16.20
And the Pharisee was
recoiling at this act.
00:35:16.50\00:35:20.10
And the punch line is this:
00:35:20.40\00:35:22.90
This self-righteous Pharisee
00:35:23.10\00:35:26.60
didn't recognize
his need for a Savior.
00:35:26.80\00:35:29.53
What was going on in his
heart was: "I'm better than her.
00:35:29.83\00:35:34.53
I don't even see my
need for a Savior. "
00:35:34.53\00:35:37.13
And he loved Jesus very little.
00:35:37.33\00:35:40.73
But the woman who
was weeping at His feet
00:35:41.03\00:35:44.83
had once been filled
with unspeakable shame
00:35:45.03\00:35:48.60
and a sense of
unutterable unworthiness
00:35:48.90\00:35:53.00
and Jesus had forgiven her.
00:35:53.30\00:35:56.00
And now she could
not contain her love.
00:35:56.30\00:36:00.16
She was pouring out
all she had at His feet.
00:36:00.36\00:36:05.46
And then Jesus
said in Luke 7:47:
00:36:05.76\00:36:10.70
"Therefore I say to you
00:36:11.00\00:36:13.53
her sins which
are many are forgiven
00:36:13.73\00:36:16.90
for she loved much.
00:36:17.10\00:36:19.40
But to whom little is forgiven
00:36:19.70\00:36:22.00
the same loves little. "
00:36:22.20\00:36:24.56
You know what some
people's problem is
00:36:24.86\00:36:27.56
who don't have
enough love for the Lord?
00:36:27.76\00:36:30.73
They don't recognize how
much sin they've had to have
00:36:31.03\00:36:34.06
cast into the sea.
00:36:34.26\00:36:36.00
They don't realize how
much they've been forgiven of.
00:36:36.33\00:36:39.46
The more you
acknowledge your sin,
00:36:39.76\00:36:43.53
have that sense of godly
sorrow, confess your sin,
00:36:43.73\00:36:48.00
receive the forgiveness of God
00:36:48.20\00:36:49.96
the more you're
going to love Him.
00:36:49.96\00:36:51.90
I know that when I consider what
He's had to clean me up from
00:36:52.20\00:36:56.40
oh, it makes me
love Him all the more
00:36:56.60\00:36:59.50
to think that His extreme grace
just wiped out that debt of sin
00:36:59.70\00:37:04.40
that I could never repay.
00:37:04.70\00:37:06.90
God desires that
we open our hearts
00:37:07.20\00:37:10.13
and receive His forgiveness.
00:37:10.33\00:37:13.16
As He grants us
forgiveness He gives us liberty
00:37:13.46\00:37:17.26
and access to Him.
00:37:17.46\00:37:19.03
The God of new
beginnings whose mercies are
00:37:19.33\00:37:22.00
new every morning,
and our situation changes.
00:37:22.20\00:37:26.43
We no longer have to
wander in the wasteland of sin.
00:37:26.73\00:37:29.93
Isaiah 43:18-19 God says:
00:37:30.23\00:37:33.90
"Forget the former things; "
00:37:33.90\00:37:35.73
do not dwell on the past;
00:37:35.93\00:37:38.13
"See, I am doing a new thing!
00:37:38.33\00:37:41.13
Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it?
00:37:41.33\00:37:45.10
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland. "
00:37:45.10\00:37:49.20
"Come let us reason together.
00:37:49.50\00:37:52.90
Though your sins be like scarlet
00:37:53.10\00:37:55.60
they shall be white as snow. "
00:37:55.80\00:37:58.66
David understood this,
00:37:58.96\00:38:01.00
and in Psalm 51 he says:
00:38:01.30\00:38:04.60
"O wash me
thoroughly from my iniquity.
00:38:04.80\00:38:09.20
Cleanse me from my sin.
00:38:09.50\00:38:11.40
Wash me, and I shall
be whiter than snow. "
00:38:11.60\00:38:14.63
Oh Lord Jesus, wash me
repeatedly in Your blood.
00:38:14.93\00:38:19.60
Oh I need You, Lord.
00:38:19.80\00:38:22.63
Wash me and I will be clean.
00:38:22.83\00:38:26.06
And David prayed
00:38:26.66\00:38:28.63
that God would restore
the joy of His salvation.
00:38:28.63\00:38:32.66
There's nothing like
recognizing you've been forgiven
00:38:32.66\00:38:36.40
to restore the
joy of your salvation.
00:38:36.60\00:38:38.36
You know, I've got
a little note here.
00:38:38.66\00:38:41.73
When you get what you
deserve, that's justice.
00:38:42.03\00:38:45.66
When you don't get what
you deserve, it's mercy.
00:38:47.10\00:38:51.60
But when you get what you
don't deserve, that's grace!
00:38:52.96\00:38:57.13
Amen! Grace! Turn to I Kings...
00:38:57.43\00:39:01.56
I Kings chapter 14.
00:39:01.76\00:39:05.10
Grace is where the joy
of repentance truly begins.
00:39:06.50\00:39:12.46
I Kings chapter
14. Let me set this up.
00:39:12.66\00:39:17.90
God has told the prophet Ahijah
00:39:19.30\00:39:23.20
He's got a
message for King Jereboam,
00:39:23.40\00:39:26.60
and he's prophesying
the destruction of the house
00:39:26.93\00:39:30.53
of Jereboam. Jereboam...
the unrepentant king...
00:39:30.73\00:39:35.23
is about to get justice, right?
00:39:35.23\00:39:37.26
So let's look at verse 8.
00:39:37.56\00:39:39.63
"You have not... "
This is the message that
00:39:41.33\00:39:44.50
that's to be
taken to King Jereboam.
00:39:44.70\00:39:46.76
"You have not been
as My servant David,
00:39:47.06\00:39:50.23
who kept My
commandments, who followed Me
00:39:50.43\00:39:55.13
with all of his heart
00:39:55.33\00:39:57.13
to do only what
was right in My eyes. "
00:39:57.33\00:40:01.83
Now wait a minute!
00:40:02.03\00:40:03.70
Hang on just a second.
00:40:04.00\00:40:05.60
What does this mean?
00:40:06.10\00:40:07.93
You see, this message
is after King David died.
00:40:08.23\00:40:12.03
This is God's
message... God speaking.
00:40:12.33\00:40:15.30
He said: "Take this
message to King Jereboam:
00:40:15.50\00:40:17.63
You've not been like David
00:40:17.83\00:40:19.53
who followed after Me
with all of his heart.
00:40:19.93\00:40:23.90
Who kept all My commandments.
00:40:24.10\00:40:25.63
Who did only that
which was right in My eyes. "
00:40:25.83\00:40:28.13
Now wait a minute, Lord.
00:40:28.43\00:40:30.06
What do you mean he
kept Your commandments?
00:40:30.36\00:40:33.03
Guilty of
adultery; guilty of murder.
00:40:33.33\00:40:35.63
What do you mean he did only
what was right in your eyes?
00:40:35.83\00:40:39.53
You know what that
scripture proves to me?
00:40:39.83\00:40:42.43
God forgets what
we ask Him to forgive.
00:40:42.73\00:40:47.60
When we pray and ask God...
00:40:48.10\00:40:50.40
David in the Psalm
51 when he is praying
00:40:50.60\00:40:53.63
asking the Lord to
forgive his great sin
00:40:53.83\00:40:57.36
God blotted out that sin.
00:40:57.66\00:41:01.60
He cast it into the sea
and God forgot that sin.
00:41:01.90\00:41:06.40
God's not a man that He can lie.
00:41:06.70\00:41:09.53
Let me give you
some more scriptures.
00:41:09.83\00:41:12.00
Psalm 103:12.
Just jot these down.
00:41:12.30\00:41:15.90
Psalm 103:12.
00:41:16.20\00:41:18.23
"As far as the
east is from the west,
00:41:18.53\00:41:21.13
so far has He removed
our transgressions from us. "
00:41:21.33\00:41:24.23
Isaiah 43:25.
00:41:24.43\00:41:27.60
"I, even I, am He
who blots out and cancels
00:41:27.93\00:41:33.66
your
transgression, for My own sake,
00:41:33.86\00:41:36.40
and I will not
remember your sin. "
00:41:36.70\00:41:39.50
Have you ever forgiven anybody
00:41:39.80\00:41:41.46
and forgot about their sin
or a debt that they owed you
00:41:41.66\00:41:44.70
for your own sake because
it was troubling you so much
00:41:45.00\00:41:48.30
that you thought
"Man, it's not worth it? "
00:41:48.50\00:41:50.83
See God... When we ask
for forgiveness, God says:
00:41:51.03\00:41:53.93
"Hey, as much for your
sake as for Mine because
00:41:54.13\00:41:56.90
I'm a holy God.
That sin just... just...
00:41:57.10\00:41:59.80
wrecks... It wrecks My day. It
gives Me that emotional pain. "
00:42:00.06\00:42:04.30
And so He's saying: "
I forgive and blot out
00:42:04.56\00:42:08.70
what you've confessed
and asked for forgiveness.
00:42:08.90\00:42:11.66
For My own sake I do it. "
00:42:11.96\00:42:13.93
Isaiah 44:22.
00:42:14.23\00:42:16.96
God's speaking again. "I
have blotted out like a thick
00:42:17.26\00:42:21.06
cloud your transgression...
like a cloud your sins.
00:42:21.26\00:42:25.00
Return to Me for I
have redeemed you. "
00:42:25.30\00:42:27.80
And even in the New Testament
it says the same thing.
00:42:28.30\00:42:31.53
Hebrews 8:10-12.
00:42:31.73\00:42:33.53
God says this is the covenant:
"I'll put My laws in their minds
00:42:33.83\00:42:37.63
write them on their
hearts. I'll be their God;
00:42:37.83\00:42:39.96
they'll be My people
00:42:40.16\00:42:41.30
and their sins and their
lawless deeds I will remember
00:42:41.60\00:42:46.90
no more. "
00:42:47.10\00:42:48.90
When we confess our sins
in sincere-hearted repentance,
00:42:49.20\00:42:53.10
God applies the blood of Jesus
00:42:53.30\00:42:56.60
to blot out their stain.
00:42:56.80\00:42:59.83
They're covered and
cancelled in the memory of God.
00:43:00.13\00:43:03.06
He looks upon our record... all
He sees is the blood of Jesus.
00:43:03.36\00:43:08.86
Hallelujah! Does
that make you joyful?
00:43:09.16\00:43:11.50
So now turn to Micah chapter 7.
00:43:11.80\00:43:15.03
Again, Micah is nestled
there between Jonah and Nahum.
00:43:15.23\00:43:18.36
Micah chapter 7.
00:43:18.66\00:43:21.70
I have big stars in my
Bible by this scripture.
00:43:22.10\00:43:25.50
I love this scripture.
00:43:25.80\00:43:27.80
To me it is the
joy of repentance.
00:43:28.00\00:43:30.36
Micah 7:7.
00:43:30.66\00:43:33.00
Micah writes and he says:
00:43:33.30\00:43:36.10
"I will look to my God.
00:43:36.40\00:43:39.90
I will wait for the
God of my salvation.
00:43:40.10\00:43:44.00
My God will hear me.
00:43:44.30\00:43:46.36
Do not rejoice
over me, my enemy.
00:43:46.66\00:43:49.80
When I fall I will arise.
00:43:50.10\00:43:52.53
When I sit in darkness, the
Lord will be a light to me. "
00:43:52.53\00:43:56.06
Now listen:
00:43:56.36\00:43:58.00
"I will bear the
indignation of the Lord because
00:43:58.30\00:44:01.06
I have sinned against Him
00:44:01.06\00:44:04.10
until He pleads my case
00:44:04.40\00:44:10.03
and executes justice for me. "
00:44:10.33\00:44:13.30
I will bear His indignation
until He pleads my case.
00:44:13.60\00:44:18.96
You have an
Advocate with the Father
00:44:19.16\00:44:22.03
who is pleading your case.
00:44:22.23\00:44:24.76
Pleading His
blood. And then he says:
00:44:25.06\00:44:27.70
"He will bring me
forth to the light.
00:44:27.90\00:44:30.56
I will see His righteousness. "
00:44:30.76\00:44:35.00
Hallelujah! You know,
that makes my feet want to
00:44:35.30\00:44:38.23
do a dance, and if I didn't
know that where I was right now
00:44:38.43\00:44:40.96
I would. I just...
I love that scripture.
00:44:41.16\00:44:45.13
"Don't rejoice
over me, my enemy. "
00:44:45.43\00:44:48.86
Don't rejoice over your
brother's failings and fumblings
00:44:49.16\00:44:54.10
and fallings. Pray that
God will help them rise.
00:44:54.30\00:45:00.06
So at the
conclusion of these four steps:
00:45:00.30\00:45:03.03
recognition of our sins,
00:45:03.26\00:45:04.73
the godly sorrow
that seizes our heart,
00:45:04.93\00:45:07.46
the confession, and then
receiving God's forgiveness,
00:45:07.66\00:45:11.40
taking it by faith
and saying "Yes, Lord. "
00:45:11.60\00:45:14.23
What happens is... the
verdict's been rendered.
00:45:14.43\00:45:18.96
A blood-bought pardon is ours.
00:45:19.16\00:45:20.90
Those sins are not
longer on our record.
00:45:21.20\00:45:23.00
We stand justified, acquitted
00:45:23.20\00:45:25.83
by the imputed
righteousness of Jesus Christ
00:45:26.13\00:45:28.50
as He puts that
righteousness by faith...
00:45:28.80\00:45:31.50
He puts that robe over us.
00:45:31.50\00:45:33.36
But now we must
continue to the final point
00:45:33.66\00:45:37.10
in the repentance process
00:45:37.30\00:45:39.00
because this is
where grace abounds.
00:45:39.30\00:45:42.76
Without this step we would
be contained to hobble along
00:45:43.06\00:45:46.80
with these habits of sin.
And step number five is this:
00:45:47.00\00:45:50.70
we've got to change our conduct.
00:45:50.90\00:45:53.50
The fifth and final step
of the repentance process
00:45:54.90\00:45:58.03
is where transformation
and triumph are forged.
00:45:58.23\00:46:02.26
And here's how it works.
00:46:02.56\00:46:04.56
We're headed in this
direction and we meet Jesus.
00:46:04.56\00:46:09.33
We're going the wrong
way and here comes Jesus.
00:46:09.56\00:46:12.03
And as we come along, we
just keep passing Him by.
00:46:12.33\00:46:15.50
He just keeps showing up
00:46:15.70\00:46:17.50
until He has convinced
us and we recognize our sin.
00:46:17.70\00:46:22.50
And in godly sorrow, just
because of the love in His eyes,
00:46:22.80\00:46:26.23
godly sorrow
begins to fill our hearts.
00:46:26.43\00:46:28.86
And we finally say:
"Yes, I confess my sin, "
00:46:29.06\00:46:32.10
and He lets us
know we're forgiven.
00:46:32.30\00:46:34.26
And then what happens is
He helps us; He picks us up.
00:46:34.56\00:46:40.06
He turns us
around a 180-degree turn
00:46:40.36\00:46:44.53
and heads us right back in
the direction of the Father.
00:46:44.73\00:46:49.30
So this
represents sanctification
00:46:49.70\00:46:55.06
by the imparted
righteousness of Jesus.
00:46:55.36\00:46:59.36
And as the process of
sanctification begins to bloom
00:46:59.66\00:47:03.43
in our heart the seduction
of sin begins to wither.
00:47:03.43\00:47:06.46
With absolute confidence
in Christ's ability to save
00:47:07.60\00:47:11.20
we can develop an
unwavering commitment
00:47:11.40\00:47:16.00
to Him that
allows for no compromise
00:47:16.30\00:47:20.20
with the royal system.
But the process of repentance
00:47:20.43\00:47:25.30
is incomplete unless
we turn from self to God.
00:47:25.50\00:47:31.10
Did you hear that?
00:47:31.40\00:47:32.86
The process of
repentance is incomplete
00:47:33.16\00:47:37.20
unless we turn from our
selfish ways back to God's way.
00:47:37.40\00:47:42.73
Because genuine repentance
results in the rejection of sin.
00:47:43.03\00:47:48.06
Have you ever known
anyone? I had a friend -
00:47:48.36\00:47:50.60
turn to Acts 5 while
I'm talking here, please -
00:47:51.86\00:47:57.00
I had a friend
of another religion
00:47:57.30\00:48:00.30
who would go daily
to confess his sins.
00:48:00.60\00:48:04.66
Every night he
would go out drinking.
00:48:06.10\00:48:10.33
Dated a Dallas
Cowboy cheerleader.
00:48:10.63\00:48:14.53
He'd go... He went and
partied. Did a little bit of
00:48:14.83\00:48:17.43
recreational drugs. We
didn't know him at that time.
00:48:17.43\00:48:21.30
We met him actually right
after he'd become a Christian.
00:48:21.30\00:48:23.20
But every day
he would go repent.
00:48:23.20\00:48:26.70
Ask for absolution from the sins
00:48:26.90\00:48:29.30
then he'd go
out and do it again!
00:48:29.30\00:48:30.80
Did he ever really repent?
00:48:31.96\00:48:33.76
No! That's not repentance.
00:48:34.06\00:48:37.30
Genuine repentance not only
results in the rejection of sin
00:48:37.80\00:48:43.20
but in the return
of our devotion to God.
00:48:43.40\00:48:47.70
Acts chapter 5...
let's look at verse 31
00:48:48.00\00:48:51.26
because repentance is
a gift granted by God.
00:48:51.46\00:48:55.40
Acts 5:31.
00:48:55.70\00:48:58.96
"Him... " - speaking of Jesus,
00:48:59.26\00:49:02.13
"God has exalted
to His right hand
00:49:02.43\00:49:06.56
to be Prince and Savior
to give repentance to Israel
00:49:06.76\00:49:12.13
and forgiveness of sin. "
00:49:12.43\00:49:14.90
You cannot repent by yourself.
00:49:15.30\00:49:18.86
Turn to Romans chapter 8.
00:49:19.06\00:49:21.23
Turn to Romans chapter 8
00:49:21.83\00:49:24.43
because if there's one thing
I want you to go away from...
00:49:24.73\00:49:28.63
taking away from this today
00:49:28.83\00:49:31.23
is that when you
come daily before the Lord
00:49:31.23\00:49:34.46
and confess your sins
and receive God's forgiveness
00:49:34.66\00:49:38.70
that you pray and ask God
00:49:38.90\00:49:42.23
to grant you repentance.
00:49:42.43\00:49:45.40
You need to ask God.
That is a gift to be received.
00:49:46.56\00:49:50.43
So you need to
pray and say: "Lord,
00:49:50.73\00:49:53.63
please forgive me for
murmuring and complaining
00:49:53.83\00:49:58.40
and being negative
when You have blessed me so.
00:49:58.60\00:50:03.10
You parted the Red Sea for me
00:50:03.40\00:50:05.43
I don't know how
many times in my life.
00:50:05.43\00:50:07.83
Lord, I know You...
It's the same as those...
00:50:08.13\00:50:10.90
those Hebrew
children out in the desert.
00:50:11.10\00:50:13.13
You've struck the rock and
water's miraculously appeared.
00:50:13.33\00:50:16.33
You've given me manna
00:50:16.53\00:50:18.26
and yet, Lord, I
murmur and complain.
00:50:18.46\00:50:21.50
Forgive me, Father. But
Lord, more than forgive me
00:50:21.70\00:50:25.10
grant me
repentance. Romans chapter 8...
00:50:25.30\00:50:28.26
look at verses 13 and 14.
00:50:28.46\00:50:30.90
"If you live according to the
flesh, " what's going to happen?
00:50:31.20\00:50:34.90
"You die. But if" by whom?
00:50:35.20\00:50:38.93
"If by the Spirit you put to
death the misdeeds of the body,
00:50:38.93\00:50:44.13
you will live.
00:50:44.33\00:50:45.93
For as many as are
led by the Spirit of God
00:50:46.23\00:50:49.73
these are the sons of God. "
00:50:49.93\00:50:52.90
It is only by the Spirit's
power that we can repent.
00:50:53.23\00:50:58.60
It is only as we have a
cooperative relationship
00:50:59.10\00:51:05.00
with God that we can
turn away from our sin.
00:51:05.20\00:51:08.83
You know, David was
fully aware of this.
00:51:09.13\00:51:12.30
And that's why in
Psalm 51 verse 10 he said:
00:51:12.60\00:51:16.33
"O Lord, create
in me a clean heart.
00:51:16.53\00:51:21.33
Renew a
steadfast spirit in me. "
00:51:21.53\00:51:24.66
Because it's
God who works in you
00:51:24.96\00:51:28.00
to will and to do
according to His good pleasure.
00:51:28.20\00:51:33.63
Matthew 28.
00:51:34.70\00:51:37.33
Jesus... Excuse
me... Matthew 11 verse 28.
00:51:37.63\00:51:41.06
Jesus gives us some
very comforting words.
00:51:41.46\00:51:44.80
He says: "Come to Me
00:51:45.10\00:51:49.20
all you who labor
and are heavy laden
00:51:50.30\00:51:52.60
and I will give you rest.
00:51:52.80\00:51:54.56
Take My yoke upon
you and learn from Me
00:51:54.86\00:51:57.26
for I am gentle
and lowly in heart
00:51:57.46\00:52:00.43
and you will find
rest for your souls
00:52:00.63\00:52:04.66
for My yoke is easy
and my burden is light. "
00:52:04.86\00:52:09.36
See, what's going on here in
this whole process of repentance
00:52:09.56\00:52:13.60
is we're going in the
wrong direction in some area
00:52:13.80\00:52:16.56
of our life. We
meet up with Jesus.
00:52:16.56\00:52:19.20
We... we recognize our sin.
00:52:19.50\00:52:22.06
We have that godly
sorrow seize our heart.
00:52:22.36\00:52:25.93
We confess our sin; we
receive that forgiveness.
00:52:26.13\00:52:28.70
And you know what? The
power to turn around is
00:52:29.00\00:52:32.23
He yokes us to Him
and He turns us around
00:52:32.43\00:52:35.76
and here He goes...
we're yoked together.
00:52:35.96\00:52:39.23
You know, I was
praying once about
00:52:39.53\00:52:43.40
learning how to surrender.
00:52:43.60\00:52:45.10
And as I was
praying, what I saw in my mind
00:52:45.40\00:52:47.76
was this teensy,
weensy little bitty sugar ant
00:52:47.96\00:52:50.40
next to a huge elephant.
00:52:50.60\00:52:52.53
And the Lord said to me
in that still, small voice -
00:52:52.93\00:52:57.03
I didn't hear an audible voice -
00:52:57.23\00:52:59.40
but He impressed His
thought on my mind by the power
00:52:59.40\00:53:02.76
of the Holy Spirit.
And He said: "Shelley,
00:53:02.96\00:53:05.30
you're greatest human strength
00:53:05.50\00:53:08.83
could be compared to
this little tiny sugar ant
00:53:09.03\00:53:11.50
whereas Mine could be
compared to this elephant
00:53:11.80\00:53:15.30
millions of times larger.
00:53:15.50\00:53:16.93
Why would you want to try
00:53:17.23\00:53:20.56
to walk the Christian
walk by your own power
00:53:20.76\00:53:25.56
when you can draw on Mine?
00:53:25.86\00:53:29.80
Reminds me of what
Paul wrote to the Galatians.
00:53:30.10\00:53:33.30
"You foolish Galatians!
00:53:33.50\00:53:35.40
Having begun in the Spirit
are you now trying to perfect
00:53:35.60\00:53:39.03
your walk in the flesh? "
00:53:39.23\00:53:41.30
All right, fess up. How many
of you have tried to perfect
00:53:41.60\00:53:44.90
your walk in the flesh?
Come on... let's be honest.
00:53:45.10\00:53:47.96
Both of my hands have to go up.
00:53:48.26\00:53:50.63
It happens... and God's
trying to get our attention
00:53:51.73\00:53:56.36
and say: "You can't do it. "
00:53:56.66\00:53:58.80
The joy of
repentance... Now think of -
00:53:59.13\00:54:02.50
and forgive me for
using this analogy -
00:54:02.70\00:54:05.26
just think of this elephant
who is now... and this tiny
00:54:05.46\00:54:08.83
little sugar ant is now
yoked with this elephant.
00:54:08.83\00:54:13.83
Who's carrying the load?
00:54:14.13\00:54:16.76
The elephant's
carrying the load!
00:54:17.06\00:54:19.33
That's what it's like when
you and I are yoked to Jesus
00:54:19.73\00:54:22.80
when He says:
"Take My yoke upon you. "
00:54:23.10\00:54:25.70
But can you image this
teensy, weensy little sugar ant
00:54:25.90\00:54:28.33
way up here high in the air.
Elephant is carrying the load.
00:54:28.53\00:54:32.06
And all of his little
legs just going 90-to-nothing
00:54:32.26\00:54:35.13
saying: "Let me down...
I want to do it my way. "
00:54:35.33\00:54:37.53
But that's what we
do to God, isn't it?
00:54:37.93\00:54:41.33
And God doesn't want us to.
00:54:42.60\00:54:44.26
The joy of repentance is that
being yoked with Jesus Christ
00:54:44.50\00:54:49.63
we're filled
afresh with His Spirit.
00:54:49.83\00:54:52.10
He's the One that completes
the good work He began in us.
00:54:52.30\00:54:56.30
If we surrender
control of our lives to Him,
00:54:56.60\00:54:58.56
He will cause us to be
all that He calls us to be.
00:54:58.76\00:55:02.53
Jesus said in Matthew 12:10
00:55:03.90\00:55:06.20
"A bruised reed
He will not break
00:55:06.40\00:55:09.20
and smoking flax
He will not quench. "
00:55:09.50\00:55:12.50
Do you feel battered and
bruised by your mistakes?
00:55:12.70\00:55:16.36
Come to
Christ... He will heal you.
00:55:16.66\00:55:20.63
Has your first-love
passion for Christ faded?
00:55:20.93\00:55:25.20
Is it dissipating? Is
the wick of your spiritual
00:55:26.73\00:55:29.43
lamp smoldering
and about to go out?
00:55:29.66\00:55:32.40
Come to Christ. He
will add the oil of joy
00:55:32.70\00:55:36.93
to your life and your
lamp will burn brightly.
00:55:37.13\00:55:40.00
Five steps of
repentance: help me quickly.
00:55:40.30\00:55:43.56
The first step is
what? Recognition of sin.
00:55:43.86\00:55:47.50
What's the second
step? Godly sorrow.
00:55:47.70\00:55:50.86
And the third step? Confession.
00:55:51.06\00:55:53.80
The fourth step:
receive God's forgiveness.
00:55:54.10\00:55:57.60
And the fifth
step is to turn around.
00:55:57.80\00:56:00.70
Turn to Acts chapter 3:19
00:56:01.00\00:56:03.43
because this is the
culmination of repentance.
00:56:03.73\00:56:07.86
Acts 3:19.
00:56:08.06\00:56:09.50
The Bible says in the
New Testament in Acts 3:19:
00:56:10.00\00:56:14.53
"Repent therefore and
be converted that your sins
00:56:14.83\00:56:19.16
may be blotted out
00:56:19.36\00:56:21.86
so that times of
refreshing may come
00:56:22.16\00:56:26.60
from the presence of the Lord. "
00:56:26.80\00:56:28.56
Repentance is a
glorious gift from God.
00:56:28.86\00:56:31.60
It brings times of refreshing
that speeds our recovery
00:56:31.90\00:56:36.10
from the sting of sin and
it revives us spiritually.
00:56:36.30\00:56:40.33
Isaiah 30:15 He says:
00:56:40.53\00:56:44.00
"In returning to Me, resting
in Me, you shall be saved.
00:56:44.23\00:56:46.93
In quietness and
in trusting confidence
00:56:47.23\00:56:50.30
shall be your strength. "
00:56:50.50\00:56:53.06
Repentance gives us
confidence before the Lord
00:56:53.36\00:56:56.13
and assures us of
His power to save.
00:56:56.43\00:56:59.76
Repentance brings
rest to our weary souls.
00:57:00.10\00:57:03.76
God grants us forgiveness,
00:57:04.06\00:57:07.23
and when He
grants us forgiveness
00:57:07.43\00:57:10.20
He grants us repentance.
00:57:10.20\00:57:12.16
A precious price...
a gift of such a price
00:57:12.36\00:57:15.43
it's beyond
compare. Receive it with joy.
00:57:15.63\00:57:19.10