As I have been going through a devotional series by IBLP. It highlights weekly a different command and the 1st command to focus on is Repent.
“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
The devotional challenges us to repeat this scripture and mediate on it at least 10 times daily for the course of the week. I personally felt this was perfect timing as I have been pulled in a completely different direction and thinking in my personal walk. Things have been revealed that have made me question my little comfortable box. And many things are happening to shake up the Christian community to live with urgency. Do we truly live like the kingdom of Heaven is at hand? Or do we live as if our Father will love us regardless and understand and forgive us our sins? That attitude of it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.
As I've dug in and been studying a range of topics that have been pressing on my heart, I'll share them here. I'm sure that there will be some controversial topics as I have had to face them myself and ask the hard questions of WHY lately. I am in no means trying to cause conflict but with all things new or pushing us to think anything but the status quo, there is uncomfortableness. Feelings of threat.
So this is Study Question One:
“Why did Esau find no place of repentance for simply selling his birthright while David found repentance for adultery and murder?” (See Hebrews 12:16–17 and Psalms 51.)
What do you think?
IBLP: "Repentance puts us into fellowship with the Lord and allows Him to bless everything we do. Our greatest asset is the blessing of the Lord, because “the blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22). Without God’s blessing, Satan is given opportunity to devour our strength, family, health, and resources, so that there is no possible way to be successful."
“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
The devotional challenges us to repeat this scripture and mediate on it at least 10 times daily for the course of the week. I personally felt this was perfect timing as I have been pulled in a completely different direction and thinking in my personal walk. Things have been revealed that have made me question my little comfortable box. And many things are happening to shake up the Christian community to live with urgency. Do we truly live like the kingdom of Heaven is at hand? Or do we live as if our Father will love us regardless and understand and forgive us our sins? That attitude of it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.
As I've dug in and been studying a range of topics that have been pressing on my heart, I'll share them here. I'm sure that there will be some controversial topics as I have had to face them myself and ask the hard questions of WHY lately. I am in no means trying to cause conflict but with all things new or pushing us to think anything but the status quo, there is uncomfortableness. Feelings of threat.
So this is Study Question One:
“Why did Esau find no place of repentance for simply selling his birthright while David found repentance for adultery and murder?” (See Hebrews 12:16–17 and Psalms 51.)
What do you think?
IBLP: "Repentance puts us into fellowship with the Lord and allows Him to bless everything we do. Our greatest asset is the blessing of the Lord, because “the blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22). Without God’s blessing, Satan is given opportunity to devour our strength, family, health, and resources, so that there is no possible way to be successful."
Comments
Of course, you already know all of that.
And I agree with your study: it's repentance.
Do we have it, or not? And how can there be forgiveness without it?
It's about 1am, so I hope that made sense, and I wasn't just rambling!