Don’t Just Stand There – Repent

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THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

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The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

The Divine Command and Invitation

“O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God (repentance); for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. 3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. 4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” Hosea 14:1-4

Returning to the LORD is synonymous with repenting.

“Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3, 5

Jesus Christ is the “Prince of Peace” and yet if you don’t repent and DO YOUR LIFE HIS WAY – OBEYING HIM METICULOUSLY, you will continue to be filled with misery, guilt, confusion, strife, unrest, shame, guilt, and no peace – because you are unrepentant and vile in His holy eyes (Isaiah 9:6-7).. Shut your mouth. Shut your stupidity and repent now. Die the death. What is the definition of insanity? And yet you still wonder why you have no peace and rely on mood drugs and psycho-babble and every other satanic cheap substitute? Repent sinner. You are a vile sinner in need of the only Savior who will not bless your life until you repent and lay it down flat before Him. Hell awaits your wicked soul. The fruit of your life makes it clear that you do not know Him and your eternal soul is hanging by a spider thread over the flames of eternal damnation.

Repentance is not just a one-time fix all. No, we must return to the LORD if we at all wane from Him. We must abide in intimate union with Him (John 15:1-6; Revelation 3:20). He wants to dine and to sup with His children (John 21:12; Revelation 3:20).

Throughout Israel’s history, through which we are to learn, the LORD called them back to Himself from their sin (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11). Even in their vile, hard-hearted rebellion, God called His people to repent – to “return” to Him. He has not changed (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Today the LORD still beckons and beseeches us to present our bodies a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1).

When we remain in close fellowship with Christ, our hearts remain soft and pliable. This is the divine intention for His children.

“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Ezekiel 36:24-27

The reason God unites us with Him in the new birth is to take us from among the lost and bring us to His land, sprinkling clean and cleansing water upon us, delivering us from all idolatry, granting us a new heart, putting His Spirit in us, taking away those hardened places, and giving us an heart of flesh so that we walk in His Words and do them.

It’s a special blessing when we are outright, up front, transparent and tell others “I was WRONG… will you please forgive me?”

If we don’t confess any sin we may have committed, our hearts will become hardened against the LORD.

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” Hebrews 3:12-15

This invitation to return to Him is a divine invitation that our LORD delights to see come to pass. Yet first we must realize that we are separated from Him. There are so few who lead and who write books today in Christ’s name who preach on the sins listed in Scripture or repentance. So, most churchgoers have no conviction of sin much less the quickening to repent.

Jesus Christ says:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Why remain in our sins since they are dealt with at the cross? Why not be honest and admit, confess, and receive divine grace to overcome?
There’s no reason to carry the heavy burden of sin and the associated guilt it brings. Returning to the LORD and relinquishing any sin that may have been committed is essential to resting in Christ our LORD.

Did the Father not establish His holy “throne of grace” where we freely receive His mercy (undeserved forgiveness) and grace (overcoming power; divine enablement)? Because of Christ’s precious blood, does the LORD not beckon and invite His children to “come boldly”?

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

As seen in this Hebrews passage, due to the “finished,” perfect work of Christ, our sin debt is “paid in full” and therefore the only reason a child of God would retain any sin is due to not taking God up on His “benefits,” including the forgiveness of sins (John 19:30; Psalms 103:2-3, 11).

The obedience of faith, repentance, confession of sin, and abiding in Christ are essential (Luke 13:3, 5; John 15:1-6; Hebrews 11:6; 1 John 1:9, etc.). God has conditions for the application (applying) of the blood of Jesus. One must meet those requirements.

The LORD tells us in His Word that He is not willing that even one of His children perish (2 Peter 3:9).

Fellowship and Fullness of Joy

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2:1 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 1:3-2:2

It’s not really that difficult and boils down to who we truly love the most – the LORD or ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). What excuse shall we have on that Day? We simply must lay down our lives afresh, bringing our words of confession before Him – drawing nigh to Him and He promises to draw close to us as we do (James 4:7-11).

To the remnant who remain, who “abide” with and in Christ, all our sins are washed away in the blood of the Lamb! (John 15) They truly fear the LORD and therefore will confess all sin and receive His mercies.

“3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies … For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:3-4, 11-12

Honesty Goes a Long Way with God

As it was when John the Baptist preached to the false religionists of his day, lame moral coward counterfeits hate when they are called to man-up and render real repentance and the fruit of good works to prove it (Matthew 3:7-10).

Recently I was blessed to serve with a brother in Christ who just got out of prison. He had murdered someone and was in jail since 1988. He’s a vibrant brother who loves Jesus. God is “Holy, holy, holy,” and so those who hate someone are just as guilty as if they had literally killed someone (1 John 3:14-15). Those who look on someone else in order to lust have already committed adultery in their hearts and are just as guilty before the Almighty as if they had done such (Matthew 5:28). This begs the question:

What stone have you and I to throw? (John 8:7-11)

Jesus scattered the religionists with what He said to the crowd of Pharisees who had thrown the adulterous woman at His feet. The Son of God said: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7) They were gone. Those who unduly condemn others will be separate from Christ who came to forgive all men. Self-righteousness is sure damnation (Matthew 21:31). Those who vainly believe they are in and of themselves righteous and therefore condemn others, will be scattered into eternal damnation (Luke 18:9-14; Romans 2:1-7; James 2:13). All those condemning men who were religious leaders fled the scene. Only the humbled woman whose sin was revealed realized her great need of the Savior’s mercy. She was the only one left there with Christ. In eternity, the only people who are with Christ will be those willing to admit their sin and fall upon the mercy of the LORD in repentance and returning. Jesus taught that honesty goes a long way with God (Luke 8:15; Proverbs 28:13). They come boldly before His throne of grace and mercy as needed.

“So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?” John 8:7-11

We should answer His call today to lay down our lives afresh (repentance). This is so we can meet and know Him now as merciful Savior and LORD and not later as our Judge. Each one of us has this choice to make. None of this (having a real relationship with Christ) requires or pertains to the church attendance or other religious activities so many pastors today have made important. Fellowshipping with Him and His beloved body is to be “daily” not weekly – it’s to be perpetual (Acts 2:42-47).

WHAT’S the Difference?

See if you can discern this truth …. “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” (2 Corinthians 12:21) …

There’s no mystery to the fact that we have all sinned even after He found and saved us. Yet, only some choose to repent – return to the LORD and thereby be delivered from sin (Hosea 14:1-2). “Have not repented” is the telling difference. Those who truly repent – turn back to the LORD and amend their ways – are promised forgiveness, fulness, and eternal glory with Christ.

Have you repented – returned to Christ’s feet in brokenness and humility? (Matthew 5:3; 18:3-4)

To Cover or to Confess

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

There’s a Time Limit on His Invitation

“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7

Prayer: Holy Father in Heaven, thank You so much for sending Your only begotten Son for the whole world and for my sins. This moment, I choose to return to You. I lay it all down and give my life into Your holy hands. Into Your hands I submit my spirit – the whole of who I am that You made me to be. Jesus please still me. Please help me to slow down this life You have given me and to sit before You to commune with You. I love You my LORD Jesus and thank You for Your unspeakable gift of salvation! In Jesus’ name, amen!

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Our Sin Should Lay us at His Feet [podcast]

LORD, Change Me

Apostasy

Eating the Fat, and Drinking the Sweet! [podcast]

Mourning Trumps Merriment in Christ’s Kingdom

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I’d like to walk in Your bless-ed joy, filling my life to overflowing, no matter what’s transpiring. LORD, I ask You to do Your deeper work in my heart, in my life. Please set apart my life to truly glorify You, being full of the fruits of Your righteousness. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Everyone desires the joy of the LORD, right? Yes, yet only those who are willing to devour His Word – to get it into their hearts and keep it flowing into their hearts, will experience that great joy of the LORD which is our strength! In context, the joy of the LORD is the strength of those who read it, hear it, embrace it, adhere to it, and keep it flowing into their mind and heart daily! (Nehemiah 8:8, 10)

“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly (directly), and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. … 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:8, 10

After they had feasted on God’s Word, the elders of Israel said to them: You are now full of the Word. Now “Go your way”, that is, go home and be blessed to “send portions” of the bounty of the LORD you’ve been filled with today to overflowing. “Freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8) Let your cup run over and bless others! Let your light shine into others, may your cup run over onto others, to bless them with the bountiful blessings of the LORD you have received.

We have to eat the fat and drink the sweet of the Word of God to be filled with the joy of the LORD which is our strength!

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16

Nourishing the Body of Christ

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6

DO people know they can find the rich treasures of God’s Word when they walk into your life, when they visit your social media page? (Colossians 3:16) Will they be “nourished” by the milk and meat of God’s bless-ed Word when they are graced to be in your company?

“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise.” Proverbs 21:20

Holy Father, we ask You in the name of Jesus to make us happy in Jesus as You’ve forgiven and freed us from our sin and so of all people on Your earth, only Your people can be truly happy in Thee dear LORD. Please bless each of Your beloved saints to be anointed for the death and burial of the self life and raised up in Your blessed resurrection grace and joy. In Jesus’ name let it be dear LORD.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:11

Joy in the LORD

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Abiding

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Gethsemane Preceded Calvary

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:42-44

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23-25

Shall We Freshly Declare the Cross to be Front and Center in our Personal Lives?

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

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“Hid with Christ in God” “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 The safest place in the universe is in the cross of Christ: “your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Our place of protection is […]

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3 Resurrections to Celebrate 1. Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 27:64; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, etc.). 2. Your resurrection at the moment of regeneration and daily resurrection (Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:3-14; 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Ephesians 2:6). 3. Final resurrection into glory or damnation (John 5:28; 29; 1 Corinthians 15). Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours and that we need not fear death. Dancing on hell’s grace. Read 1 Corinthians 15 serveral times. “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and […]

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Abiding

“Rend Your Heart, and Not Your Garments” [podcast]

Who Does God Look to? Who Does God Dwell in?

Beware of any man pretending to represent Christ who isn’t praying and preaching for you to be possessed by a humble and contrite heart.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:3). A low condition. ‘Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted’ (Matthew 5:4). To mourn over our sin and our utter wickedness before a holy and righteous God. Those are the ones who will receive the comfort and ‘joy in the Holy Ghost’ (Romans 14:17).” Karen Cochran

Abandoning Our Own Sin, Our Own Way, for God and His Better Way!

To “rend your heart” is a biblical phrase meaning to tear open your heart in radical sincerity, true humility, and genuine repentance.

The phrase comes from Joel 2:13 in the Bible: “Rend your heart and not your garments and return to the Lord your God.”

One source notes the following:

“Context and Deeper Meaning:

Cultural Background: In ancient times, the Jewish people would tear (rend) their clothes as a public, highly visible display of grief or repentance.
The Spiritual Message: God is warning that outward rituals (like ripping clothing) are meaningless if the heart remains unchanged. Rending your heart implies breaking through your pride, letting go of excuses, and being completely vulnerable and authentic before God.
The Reward: The verse goes on to say that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Tearing open your heart allows you to experience His forgiveness and restore your relationship with Him.”

To see an example of rending one’s physical garment in representation of rending their heart, see Acts 14:11-18.

Where is the LORD Looking?

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God” Joel 2:12-14

“What a gracious invitation is contained in these words. How tenderly the Lord reasons with his people. And what an encouraging assurance it folds up with. Reader! do not fail to observe that this call of the Lord, the accompanying grace to incline the heart to the observance of it is implied. It is most blessed ever to remember that when the Lord thus comes forth in his endearing invitations, he is secretly inclining the heart to accept them. Grace must first enter the heart, or there will be no inclination to obey.” Robert Hawker

“Jeremiah’s message was never meant to leave the heart in despair. Every warning from God carried an invitation to return. The Lord does not expose empty religion to shame His people, but to heal them. Repentance is not the loss of hope, it is the beginning of hope. Christ still receives every soul that comes with humility, and He gives living faith where there was only habit, peace where there was only fear, and joy where there was only emptiness. The call remains the same today, to draw near to Him with a sincere heart, trusting that His mercy is always greater than our weakness.” Dan Blincoe

A Fresh Start with God Always Begins with Humility and True Repentance

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19

Concerning rending our hearts before the LORD, one source notes:

The classic Bible passage on this concept is Joel 2:13, where God commands: “Rend your heart and not your garments”. In ancient biblical culture, tearing (or “rending”) one’s physical clothing was a customary, visible display of extreme grief, despair, or repentance. Through the prophet Joel, God is essentially telling His people: Stop doing the empty, outward religious ritual of tearing your clothes to show everyone how sorry you are. Instead, let me see true, inward brokenness over your sins.

Examples of Rending Physical Garments

In the Bible, the physical act of tearing clothes was used as a dramatic expression of deep emotion in several well-known narratives:

Joseph’s Brothers (Genesis 37:29, 34): When Reuben realized Joseph was not in the pit, and later when the brothers brought Joseph’s blood-stained coat to Jacob, they tore their clothes in grief and despair.
Job (Job 1:20): After hearing that he had lost all his wealth and his children, Job stood up and tore his robe as an outward sign of his overwhelming sorrow.
King David (2 Samuel 1:11-12): When David received news of the deaths of King Saul and Jonathan, he and his men tore their clothes to mourn.
The High Priest (Matthew 26:65): In a dramatic display of hypocritical outrage, the high priest tore his own garments when Jesus declared He was the Son of God, falsely accusing Him of blasphemy.

The Spiritual Meaning of “Rending the Heart”

The concept of “rending the heart” contrasts an outward show with inward reality.

Genuine Repentance: Tearing your heart means being vulnerable, acknowledging your brokenness, and deeply repenting of sin before God.
Prioritizing Relationships over Rituals: God desires a sincere heart—true sorrow and a desire to change—more than he desires traditional religious pageantry or dramatic, public displays of grief.
The Promise of Forgiveness: In Joel 2:13, the command to rend the heart is immediately followed by the promise of grace: “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love”.

God sees beyond our external habits and religious actions, requiring instead a humble, contrite heart to fully experience His mercy.”

God’s Mercy

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?” Joel 2:12-14

In God’s Word, where we see men who tear open their garments…. This holds the illustration of rending our hearts before the LORD.

Don’t render outward tearing, no, rather, tear open your inner man, your heart—be honest, sincere, exposed, and vulnerable to the LORD whom you trust.

Let’s attempt to get at, to ascertain what God is commanding of His beloved people to do in this “rend your heart” passage.

“Joel 2:13: Rend your heart—Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite. Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet you with heavier judgments.

For he is gracious—Good and benevolent in his own nature.

Merciful—Pitying and forgiving, as the effect of goodness and benevolence.

Slow to anger —He is not easily provoked to punish, because he is gracious and merciful.

Of great kindness—Exuberant goodness to all them that return to him.

And repenteth him of the evil—Is ever ready to change his purpose to destroy, when he finds the culprit willing to be saved. See the notes on Exo_34:6, Exo_34:7.” Adam Clarke

“Joel 2:12-14: III. DIVINE APPEAL TO JUDAH TO REPENT (2:12-14)
Even now, the LORD calls the people to repentance. It is not too late to return to Him. But it must be more than outward ritual. Their turning was to be with all their heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

To rend our hearts is the consistent message, mandate of God to His people of all ages and eras.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:18

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalms 51:17

In Joel 2 the LORD reminds those who are backslidden that He “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? …”

They must meet His stated conditions to receive His blessings ….

He promises that He will forgive them as they…..

“Joel 2:12-27: THE AVERTING OF JUDGMENT
To rend the garment is easy, but a broken and contrite heart can be imparted only by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The love of God should bring us to repentance. He takes no pleasure in our miseries and if men repent and turn from their sin they find an immediate and loving welcome to the Father’s heart and home. Joel had called for the trumpet to announce war; he now directs the trumpet blast to summon the people, from the highest to the lowest, to plead for help. Prayer and true repentance and faith bring an immediate answer. As the husband yearns over his erring but repentant wife, and is indignant with those who have maltreated her, so will Jehovah remove from us, when we turn to Him, those who have cruelly oppressed us.
The great things Jehovah did against Egypt and Babylon are an earnest of what He will do again. The earth (and all the creation of God) … have good reason to rejoice in what awaits them. God promises not only to forgive sin, but to make us happy and well provided as if the locust and cankerworm had never settled upon our lives.” FB Meyer

Religious hypocrites, counterfeits, emphasize the outward to cover their inner darkness, rebellion.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Matthew 23:23-25

“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Mark 7:6

"Blessed are the Poor In Spirit" [podcast]

Jesus’ longest recorded message to His people stands on the foundation of the very first words our Savior uttered in this sermon on the mount. The foundational truth of the entire sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) is found in the very first words of our LORD when unveiling this elaborate, far-reaching, and profound message to His disciples of all ages. Here are His first words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 Note, “poor in spirit.” Not poor financially or religiously. The two should be mutually exclusive. The Greek word translated into English as “poor” is PTOCHOS. It […]

"I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice": What does this really Mean? [podcast]

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:13 Jesus specifically instructs us to “go ye and learn what that meaneth.” UNTIL, as an individual, you begin to realize just how wicked you really are, you will never begin to appreciate what our KING and Savior did on that cross! Matthew 9:9-13 – Jesus calls Matthew 9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith […]

How to Walk in the Certainty, the Assurance of Salvation [podcast]

Real, actual assurance only comes from possessing authentic salvation – which begins with humility and true repentance, an original Gospel essential (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Luke 13:3; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:21, etc.). Heretical calvinists and eternal security frauds rob people of true assurance which ONLY comes from having a faith that works, is obedient to Christ. Read 1 John chapter 3 and embrace what the LORD is saying. Here’s a taste – “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the […]

The Importance of Pureness of Heart [podcast]

“He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.” Proverbs 22:11 With pureness of heart, our words shall issue forth with grace and seasoning and be more readily received by those who hear. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6 David’s Prayer “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they […]