God’s definition of repentance is Ezekiel 18:30 ‘Repent! Turn away from all your offenses: then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.’ The New Testament version is found at Acts 2:38 ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’. Repentance is to end my life-style, and to begin Jesus’s life-style. The evil life is buried in baptism and the new life is born with the gift of the Holy Spirit who helps us live God’s way. God does the hard part; he forgives (if He sees that our heart is broken by sorrow) our rebellion against his words. It is our choice to reject the world; and turn to life in God’s kingdom. We read II Corinthians 7:10: ‘Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.’ There are seven things we must reject as noted in Proverbs 6:16-19: ‘haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers’. When we hurt others and ourselves, we must cease from these practices; turn to God and embrace life. I am truly sorry when I seize my throne back from Jesus and do things my way. Giving-up the rule of my life is the most difficult thing I have ever tried to do. I succeed one minute and fail the next hour. The help of God’s Spirit helps me to keep trying to get me out of God/s WAY. I know much about God, but too often fail at being like God. I pray for forgiveness every day, and some days I ask a dozen times. Asking forgiveness for sin is slightly easier in my old age; but asking for forgiveness for hurting someone today is more difficult. What is the thing most difficult for you to repent of ?
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