Daily Wisdom

 Ezra 10:4 ‘… be of good courage, and do it’

“do it” – is Christianity in action… the acknowledgement of a thing and the action in it are two different scenarios. Confession of sin without an act of correction is simply asking God to condone your actions. When you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, you don’t say sorry and still remove the cookie. Ezra’s prayer of confession in (ch. 9) moved the hearts of the Israelites to action, not just acknowledgement. This is true humility when confession leads to change in action, attitude, and behavior. Acknowledging one’s overweight doesn’t cause them to lose weight. 

The truest confession is a changed behavior, otherwise it’s only asking for acceptance… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 Ezra10:4 ‘Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.’

Following Ezra's prayer the people repented, then asked for direction in restoring their relationship with God, because sin always separates us from the Father. But true repentance only starts with confession – otherwise that would be mere lip service. It must lead to changed attitudes and behavior. Repentance stops the actions, thoughts and motives that are against the Father’s Word, and corrects our wayward thinking to His way of thinking.

Repent is taken from two Greek words: (meta – meaning “after”) and (noeo - meaning “mind”). The word literally means “after thought.” Repentance simply means “to change your mind to that of the Father’s. (Phl 2:5 ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.’)

If your thinking and the Lord’s don’t agree, one of you need to change your mind… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

 ‘So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God… For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed…’ Joel 3:17a; 21a

Joel began with a prophecy about the destruction of the land and ended with a prophecy about its restoration. He began by stressing the need for repentance and ended with the promise of forgiveness that repentance brings. Joel was warning the people to wake up (Joe 1:5), get rid of their complacency, and realize the danger of living apart from God.  This is Joel’s reference to their blood that has not been cleansed, their blood had become contaminated from their sinful acts as they wondered away from the Father. 

Broken fellowship is a sin that’s caused by man’s willingness to wonder in the world and venture after the visual lust it offers. This broken fellowship causes man to neglect their need for the Lord in their folly. Don’t find yourself waiting to need God until you need God. The Father hasn’t changed His position, He’s exactly where we left Him, we just need to change our priorities. 

Restoration is promised, it’s repentance that’s our problem… HSAY 

Daily Wisdom

 ‘I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten… “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD…’ Joel 2:25a; 26a

Don’t you hate making the same mistake twice? It’s better to prepare/prevent than it is to repair/repent. Consider how many ways we apply this, we take steps to ensure cars, homes, finances, health… yet often leave our hearts a drift. Failing to repent/repair our hearts, will often cause us to repeat our actions causing ongoing effects.   

If the Jews would never again experience a disaster like this locust plague ("my people shall never again be put to shame"), how do we explain the captivity in Babylon, their slavery under the Greeks and Romans, and their persecution under Hitler? It is important not to take these verses out of context. This is still part of the "blessings" section of Joel's prophecy. Only if the people truly repented would they avoid a disaster like the one Joel had described. God's blessings are promised to those who sincerely and consistently follow him (2 Chron “IF my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.’)

Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! (Psa 112:1)… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Joel 2: 13 “And rend your heart, and not your garments…”

Don’t gamble with God concerning your time and your heart, both are too valuable. Procrastination and Justification can have painful results both spiritually and physically. That’s the power and promise offered in repentance; the Father does not hesitate in His restoration of our spirit. Don’t deceive oneself with religious acts of the heart, deep remorse was often shown by tearing one’s clothes. The Father does not call us to outward displays of penitence without true inward repentance (1 Sa 16:7). Even Assyria was willing and able to respond to Jonah’s warning and got their heart right. Make sure your attitude towards the Father is correct, and not just your appearance. Remember, man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Failure isn’t final, but lack of repentance keeps the wound from healing… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

Heb 12:17b “… for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.”

This short passage, in full context, reflects upon Esau’s inability to endure in his suffering. Thus, he was willing to sale his birthright without fore thought to his pain being but a moment of discomfort, which only led to sorrow in his spirit later. According to the Bible, there are two kinds of sorrow (though he sought it carefully with tears): (1) worldly; and (2) Godly. Of the two, only Godly sorrow leads to true repentance (2 Cor 7:8-9,10). Repentance may include “remorse” (made you sorry – vs 8), but remorse is not repentance. Judas may have been remorseful over what he had done to Jesus, but he did not “change his mind”; he only regretted what he had done to an innocent man; in Esau’s case himself. Hell is full of sorrow, but only for the consequences of sin. The rich man who died and went to Hell uttered not a word of sorrow for his actions, only sorrow for his pain (Lk 16:19-31). You can weep over sin and even express great sorrow, but until you “change your mind” and agree with God there’s no repentance. Esau's story shows us that mistakes and sins sometimes have lasting consequences (Gen 25:29-34; 27:36). Even repentance and forgiveness do not always eliminate sin's consequences. But sorrow that leads to true repentance repairs the soul and strengthens our Spirit for tomorrow.

People on earth hate to hear the word repentance, those in hell wish they could hear it one more time… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” Mt 3:8

John the Baptist calls us to repentance that is rooted in the heart allowing spiritual fruit to flow freely in our lives. As a tree is known by its fruit, so is repentance known by its good works and sincere repentance (2 Cor 7:11). This call requires more than words or rituals, it’s a change of behavior that is seen in life changes that bring forth obedience and servitude in our life. God looks beyond words and religious activities; comparing our walk with our words?

Father open my eyes to see areas of temptation and sin in my life that spoil the fruits of your spirit… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

“That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” Heb 6:18

The two immutable (unchanging) aspects to God’s character are, his inability to lie and thus to change his word. In (vs 15; 17) Abraham obtained his promise from God in the covenant given through him for salvation to all. Without an objective, immutable plumb line for truth, no one can ever say that something is right or wrong. All they can ever say is that they like or dislike something. While they have that right, it doesn’t make them right. If you’re in disagreement with God’s word by how you live, you’re lying to yourself and one of you need to change your mind and position. To change your mind (repentance) as to God’s is not torture or torment, but transformation to his likeness. It’s not measured by the tears in your eyes, but by the change of your heart and mind.

You don’t have to change to go to God, going to God is what changes you!

HSAY … Todd

Daily Wisdom

“… knowing that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance?” Rom 2:4

A confrontational/judgmental approach to one’s sin leads only to an argumentative response.  The same sin when approached in the goodness/love of God allows one’s spirit to weigh its actions.  In other words, the more attractive we find God, the less our hearts desire ungodliness. Finding Him as our pleasure changes our hearts/minds (repentance), turning our affections from sin and onto God.  And the more we pursue after Him in love the more our love is perfected through Him (1 Jn 4:18), the greater victory we have over our sin and our hearts change; Repentance.  In fact, how can we keep the greatest commandment unless we are being spurred on by God’s love?  Yes, we love because He first loved us (i.e. a response – a change of heart).  Therefore, a change of heart is what is required to follow after God in love – with all your heart, soul and mind (Mt. 22:37-38).  The greatest destruction permeating our society today is man’s inability to see God’s love; as a Christian that alone is your greatest responsibility, to show a love that leads one to repentance.

HSAY … Todd