Repentance

Mark 1:4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Luke 3:3
He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Luke 5:31-32
Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Luke 17:3
So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

It's been a while since I have actually sat down and written a new blog, so bare with me if I don't get my point across very well. 
I've been doing alot of thinking about what it means to be truly sorry for something.  I know that before I was saved I would always say the sinners prayer and tell God I was sorry for all of the things I had done.  Was I really sorry?  NO!  Since I wasn't really sorry it should be easy to see why I was never really getting saved by reciting the sinner's prayer.  It is of the utmost importance that when we ask for forgiveness, that we realize and are truly sorry about our sinful lives.

Today's verses show us how important true repentance is.  In Mark 1:4  John is preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.   Same message in Luke 3:3.  It's very important when we look at Luke 5:31-32 that we see who Jesus came  to call.  Not the righteous but the sinners who REPENT.  Luke 17:3 In " steve" terms this says if someone sins explain it to them, but if they repent then forgive them.  We forgive them because they are repentant. Why?  Because He forgives us if we are truly repentant.

The bottom line to all of this is simply for you to think about your life.  Think about when you said the sinners prayer or came forward in front of the church to get saved.  Were you really sorry for your sinful life?  Did or do you really believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for YOU?  If not, please just pray that God will show you His grace through Jesus.

My book is going good.  Please keep telling people you know who may want to hear the no frills truth about biblical salvation.  Go to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Westbow Press and  look for "30 Days of Conviction"

God Bless!

A Simple Truth--(Revisited)

Simple Truth (Repost)

 James 1:22

English Standard Version (ESV)

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Just to let everyone know, I received the first copy of my book in the mail yesterday.  I will post a link on this blog site and my facebook page as soon as I figure out how to do it. LOL!!!

This has got to be the one of the most meaningful verses in the New Testament.  Don’t let it’s short length fool you, we must understand what it is talking about.  You know for years before I was truly saved, if I had seen this verse and focused some prayer on it, I would have known I was hell bound.  It is simply telling us that if we hear the word, but never tell anyone about it, then we are deceiving ourselves.  To break it down even more:  If we go to church, go to Sunday school, and even go on Wednesday nights to prayer meeting, but never tell anyone about the gospel...........then we are probably not saved.  I think when he says we are “deceiving ourselves”, he is saying what I knew to be true along time ago.  I would do everything in my power to feel confident in my eternity, but never did. Why?  I wasn’t saved.  How could I have known?  I never told anyone about Jesus and what He did on the cross for them.  I was a hearer only.

I used to do the church thing, heck , some Sunday mornings I might even sing, but come Monday morning no one around me could tell that I was any different than them.  Why?  Because at that time, I wasn’t any different than them.  You know, there is a major difference in a truly saved person, and someone who just puts on a show.  I know because for years I put on a show.  If the Holy Spirit isn’t guiding you then there is no way you can walk the straight and narrow.

 (¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.) Mat 7:13

This verse sums up what I am trying to say.  Strive to be different.  Tell others about Jesus.  If you are on a road with a million people and they are all going the same direction, and you start going the opposite direction: Wouldn’t you be easy to recognize?  Just think about what it means to be truly saved.  Are you going against the grain?  Be different.  Be proud of your salvation.  If you don’t think you are saved, then please ask God to forgive you for your sinful life.  Tell Him you are sorry.  Now turn your life over to doing His will not yours.  Don’t put it off any longer.  Remember and ponder on this thought......There are no unbelievers in hell.  Once you breath your last, you will be in Heaven or hell.  It is your choice.

God Bless! Please buy a book when it comes out.  There is nothing I would love to do more, than writing about Jesus and what He did for me and you.

Are you truly saved? Re-Post

Are You Saved?

Conviction

As the bible means--Sense of guilt and shame leading to repentance.  The Hebrew word yakah gives us the idea of conviction.  It means "to argue with" "to prove" and "to correct".

Repentance

As the bible means-- Change of mind, and can also refer to regret accompanying an awakening that wrong has been done in one's life.

These two ideas are more important than any I can think of for a person who doesn't know if they are saved.  They are very important for the person who said a prayer at some point in their life, but never really felt sorry for their life and turned ownership of their future over to God.  I can't impress upon you enough that just saying a prayer won't get you into heaven.  You have to feel conviction and repent.

Matthew 3:2  REPENT, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  

Mark 1:4  John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of REPENTANCE for the FORGIVENESS of sins.

Luke 3:8  Bear fruits in keeping with REPENTANCE.  And do not begin to say to yourselves, "we have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for abraham.

Mark 1;15  And saying "the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, REPENT and believe in the gospel.

As i said earlier, these two ideas are of the utmost importance for someone who can't really decide if they are saved or not.  Now sometimes the devil will find ways to put doubt in our lives about our future, but he can't take our peace about our eternity because if we have been convicted of our sinful life and repented, then we are saved and should have a peace about our eternity.

I will always talk about true repentance in my messages because like I have said before, I went for years assuming that I was saved.  Now deep down, I knew i wasn't, but I had people tell me "Steve you are just over thinking this"  "Do you believe in God and Jesus?"  "then you are saved"  Please, I implore you, DONT listen to anyone else tell you that you are saved.  Eternity is too long to base it on what someone else says who can't see your heart.  You know if you are really saved.

One of the main ways to let us gauge our relationship with God is found in Luke 3:8.  It says to bear fruits in keeping with repentance.   Meaning do the things that the Holy Spirit tells you to do.  Tell others about Jesus.  Find some way to evangelize.  It doesn't have to be from a pulpit.  I remember a christian play I watched one time that had an awesome illustration of what we are to do for God.  A football player that got saved said "football used to be my god, now it's my pulpit"  We should use any chance we are given to tell the lost about Jesus and what he did on the cross.  

I may have gotten a little long winded today, but I just got to writing and couldn't stop.  If you don't feel saved right now and are feeling like your life has been wretched and sinful, then you may be being convicted.  Tell God you are sorry for your life.  Thank Him for sending Jesus to sacrifice Himself on the cross for YOU.  Turn your life over to God.  Ask for guidance through prayer and reading His word.  If you just did this then Welcome to the family of God.  Shoot me an email and let me know, I just love hearing about changed lives. sedwardn92@yahoo.com

God Bless!

 

Please forward this to as many email addresses as you know.  I am trying to get more people to follow the blog. Thanks!