Repentance

GOD often speaks to us most powerfully through the Body of CHRIST.

The following *devotional* on repentance spoke to me so strongly that my immediate reaction was “this is too good not to share.” And since I couldn’t say it any better myself, here it is in its entirety (scripture inclusion and prayer are mine):

Before we consider what repentance is, think about what it isn’t.

Repentance does not pay for sin. It’s not about being plagued with guilt. True repentance does not lead to a deeper mire. It doesn’t refuse to give up what’s been repented of. Repentance is not a legal thing or an emotional thing.

So, what is repentance?

According to the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24), there are two aspects of repentance: the first is waking up, coming to one’s senses, regaining sanity. It is insanity to live for this world as if it were eternal when it’s not. The parable of the prodigal is a parable about the Father’s riches of love. You can’t live as though GOD’s world or anything in it is yours; it all belongs to him. In fact, the best and only real thing to own is the Father himself.

The second aspect of repentance begins with being truly sorry for your sin and recognizing that your sin is ultimately against God. In this change of heart, you confess the whole truth about your sin and unworthiness. The only way you can do this is if you have a Father who loves you like the father in the parable loved his son.

Repentance cannot be separated from the amazing love of a holy GOD.

*"Saving Grace: Daily Devotions from Jack Miller" by C. John Miller*

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Merciful and loving Father, when we sin it is against you alone and it is your loving kindness that causes us to seek true repentance. We thank you for truth that bring healing to our souls and draw us back into right relationship with YOU. All for YOUR glory through our LORD and Savior, JESUS CHRIST, in whose Name we pray. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

God Loves Clingy People – Part 2

“I tell you the truth, you must change and become like little children. Otherwise, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

JESUS put off His divinity, left glory behind and took on human form to do His Father’s will – to die for our sin.

With the same humility of spirit, believers must take on the humble attributes of CHRIST JESUS (Philippians 2:5-8) and abandon the world’s notions of what lifestyle attitudes produce the best life. 

The world celebrates a “pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-boot-straps” way of moving through life that’s not GOD’s plan for His people.

The Christian life is centered on the lifestyle modeled for us by JESUS who lives in every believer. If He's in you, then you’re going to be like Him.

JESUS remained dependent on His Father, “I say only what the Father has taught me,” staying in constant touch through prayer Luke 6:12; John 5:19, 30; John 8:27-30. At His weakest and most vulnerable, with the hour of His death on the cross upon Him, JESUS reaches for His Father’s strength and clings Luke 22:44.

You must see dependence, humility and vulnerability as acceptable and valued characteristics in a child beloved of GOD.

“As a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me, says the Lord. They were to be my people, my pride, my glory—an honor to my name. But they would not listen to me.” (Jeremiah 13:11).

GOD wants His people to cling to Him so the world would see us thrive in extraordinary ways, even in weakness, and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16.)

But only those who cling as closely as Jeremiah 13:11 describes become His pride and show forth His glory.

How does one cling to GOD?

To cling to the SON is to cling to the Father (John 10:30) and JESUS and the Scriptures are there to guide and enlighten:

• Don't worry about your daily needs; your Father knows what they are and He will provide for you. Matthew 6:25-34; Psalms 23:1.
• Embrace humility – before GOD and your fellow-man. GOD promises to honor those who do so here on earth and for all eternity. Matthew 5:5; James 4:10; Micah 6:8. You are promised a much more pleasant reward than the one GOD promises for acts of pride Proverbs 16:5,18.
• Stop pretending to always have a perfect life when you don’t. Accept it when you’re overwhelmed by life. Trouble has been promised to every believer but you have also been promised a reliable solution in CHRIST.
• Ask GOD. Ask for anything and everything, for the real and the impossible; ask for divine miracles and for practical wisdom to make good decisions. Lay it all out before Him Matthew 7:7-10; James 1:5. 
• Don’t struggle on your own – tell it all to JESUS and allow Him to help you as you rest and are comforted in Him. Matthew 11:28-30; Psalms 23:2-4
• Remember, you have your own personal Helper-Teacher living inside of you in the person of the Holy Spirit John 14:26; Luke 12:12.

Truth be told, no matter how hard we pretend otherwise, believers are nothing and can do nothing without the entire Godhead working for on our behalf…Father, SON and Holy Spirit. John 15:5.

We are broken vessels who are only fit for the Master’s use after He repairs our brokenness and molds us into usable shapes. “LORD, You are our Father. We are like clay, and You are the potter; Your hands made us all.” Isaiah 64:8

For this to work in our lives, we must give ourselves entirely into GOD whose "hands made us  all” and hold back nothing in reserve. 

Conclusion

The world sees dependence as weakness but GOD loves people who cling to Him, for they show forth how truly glorious GOD is.

“Clingy” is the highest of compliments and greatest accomplishment for all GOD’s chosen people (Jeremiah 13:11.)

GOD loves clingy people!

…learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. Matthew 11:29

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the people who are wise and smart. But you have shown them to those who are like little children. (Matthew 11:25). We thank you Father for teaching us that in our weakness we are strong in the power of our LORD and Savior, JESUS CHRIST, in whose Name we pray. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

GOD Loves Clingy People - Part 1

Young girls can be very protective of their best friend relationships and not often willing to open up their “magic circle” to any and every one. But often there’s that one kid who would try to butt in. That kid who everyone would try to avoid and never invite to join anything because she was too nerdy, and clingy, and not very cool. 

Do you remember that kid? Or could it be that you were, “that kid?”

If you were “that kid”, you certainly aren’t anymore. You grew up and from that childhood experience you learned a few lessons. 

Over time you learned to fake it; to pretend that it didn’t matter if you weren’t one of the cool kids and no one wanted to be your friend; to hide your neediness behind a mask of either brashness or indifference.

Then you met JESUS, and you are now hiding behind Him. You have the “just JESUS and me” religious syndrome.

But deep inside you are still longing to be accepted by others, longing to be a BFF, longing to be a special someone to someone, longing to be included.

Well, child of GOD, here’s some good news!

As a believer and sibling of the Firstborn SON, being clingy and needy doesn’t make you an outlier. Instead, these are just the right qualities to fully enjoy membership in your Heavenly Father’s “Divine It Club.”

You aren’t expected to bury neediness, or vulnerability, or weakness, or longings for acceptance and love behind a closed door.

GOD loves clingy, needy people!

At some point in His Creation plan, GOD looked down the corridors of time and chose you to be one of his own children for whom He would sacrifice His Son (Ephesians 1:4-5.)

GOD did not choose any for being strong, independent, smart, witty, a great conversationalist, good-looking, a chic dresser, or able to boast to having several thousand Instagram followers. You may well be all of these things and more, but those are not the reasons GOD picked you.

GOD chose you, by His Sovereignty, because you were lost in darkness and needed saving and direction; and so GOD sent His SON. It was what He wanted and what pleased Him (Ephesians 1:4-5.)

JESUS’ mission, as the human representative on earth of our GOD and Father, is to both rescue you and teach you how to live as one of GOD’s Holy family (John 7:16.)

GOD isn’t impressed by the “have it all together” person you present to the world; He wants the person you become as the elect child of GOD in CHRIST JESUS (Ephesians 1:4,) and born again by His Spirit (John 3:5-6.)

Salvation brings a new way of living that every child of GOD has to learn, and JESUS is the Divine tutor.

“Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives.” Matthew 11:29

“…He (JESUS) will not reject nor cast out those who are…otherwise weak, fearful, and despairing. They are rather the very persons in whom he will exercise and manifest the power of His resurrection...” "Praying the Gospels with Martin Luther: Finding Freedom in Love" by Paul W. Meier

To be continued….

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our Father. Thank you for YOUR Divine grace through JESUS CHRIST who guides us in the mysteries of living as YOUR elect children, teaching us not to despise weakness and neediness but to understand that becoming like little children is honoring to our LORD and Savior, JESUS CHRIST, in whose Name we pray. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile