Repent

Repent: it is a simple word. it is an oft used word.
Yet the true profundity of the word has never been understood by most.
Repent means to turn from sin.
Easy right?
Yet first there must be an acceptance that there is sin.
First there must be a general reckoning with one's self that there is sin , not a sickness, a disease, a cultural affectation, a foible, or a quirk. SIN
Not a preference, not a gene, no sophistry or rationalization of our actions but a genuine view that what we do, are doing, will do is sin.

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

We must recognize that there is sin in all of us. There are no varying degrees, there is just sin.
There is none without sin, there are no good men we are all tainted by this. We are all damaged and doomed because of it.
We have even become so immune to it's presence that we have started lessening it by giving it different names, by explaining it away, by making it normal.

in our churches we have allowed that which violates the very Word of God that we say we preach and follow.
We have allowed perversions in the church, we have allowed the purity to become tainted.
It does not matter the reason or the justifications for what we did.
It only matters that we have allowed it. That we have turned The Holy into the holy. We have allowed watered down "versions" to take the blood out. To take the sin out. To take the standards out.
We have let the world in to entertain and now we are naught but showmen.

When I was growing up you would see preachers out on the corners, you would see signs with John 3:16, you would see people walking the streets saying repent.
Now we have none of that we have shackled ourselves to the church. we have made it so that they have to come to us.
We have limited ourselves.
We have pulled the conscience of the world into a very tiny space, one so out of the way that they no longer heed us.

We, the church, have acquiesced to their demands and accepted them into our midst and instead of assimilating they have changed us. They have gained prominence in our church yet they preach a message of sedition, a message of lies.
They are having a blessing of an abortion clinic by "faith" leaders!

We have politicians making laws that go against their professed faith. We have Hollywood pushing forth an agenda. We have a government who is making their own way instead of the way of the people.
And what are the people doing? Sitting at home hoping the next politician can fix it.

Where is R.G, Lee's Payday Someday.
Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the hands of an angry God?
Billy Graham preaching Sexual purity.
Billy Sunday preaching against alcohol.
D. L, Moody reaching two continents with fire and zeal?

We have pockets of true revival going on in this world.
But the greater populace has no idea for the need of Christ, the need for repentance. They have no idea that the void in their heart is their need of Fellowship with God.

We need true repentance. We need the men and women of God to stand up and declare their sin, see it as God does, and turn from it. We need our churches to stand up see their sin and turn from it.
We need true repentance in this land.
We need true leaders standing up preaching Holiness, preaching purity, preaching an angry righteous God.

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This verse is so over used we no longer take it as it is.
God spoke to Samuel in a dream and spoke that to him.
Are we any less than Samuel or Israel? Is God a respecter of people that He will give some more than others?
No He is not.

Act 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Act 10:35  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Act 10:36  The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

From the Ascension on it has been preached that repentance is necessary. That all must repent and come to the Lord.
Peter preached in the first great revival repentance.
It is as true now as it was then.

We need repentance from complacency, from mediocrity, from fear of offending, from the very lack of fervor that has afflicted the every day Christians that says someone else will do it.
There is no one else, if not us then who? the apostates will speak in our place if we leave the void.

The repentance must start today if we are to turn this nation back to God.
It must start in the men and women in the pews for by no other way will it come.

It must start in the Christians, the teachers, preachers, van drivers, sound system engineers, song leaders, pew sitters et al.
.We must pray for the introspection of the Spirit that will allow us to see things as He does. To cleanse us and make us pure again.To reset our moral compass to point to His purity instead of our own ideas of purity, sin, and holiness.
We must have a re-awakening of the Fear of God, the true respect He deserves and the fear and trembling at  the very thought of standing before the most Perfect and High God.
If we think we are good enough, pure enough then we are not. We must ask for His Holy Spirit to show us our shortcomings, where our thoughts are not in accordance with His, where our sight is not as clear as His, Where our actions are not as altruistic as we think. Where our motives are less than they ought to be.

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus is the Christ. The Way the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the answer to the ills afflicting us, the drugs afflicting them, the drink, the depression.
How will they know lest we tell them?
How can we tell them lest we repent and get back on track?
How can we repent when we do not recognize Sin?
How can we repent if we never acknowledge that there is a need for it?

We must repent and realize that we have a need.