SONSHIP 9 WALKING IN REPENTANCE

WALKING IN REPENTANCE

Matthew 5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn (repent): for they shall be comforted.

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn (repent) in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning(repentance), the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Once, long ago, I asked the Lord to explain to me the true meaning of Repentance. "What does it mean to repent?" Then, I forgot about it. Some time afterward, the Lord gave me an answer which shocked me. I'll share it with you.

I was doing a study on the word "iniquity" to see if any pattern would emerge which would give me a more clear understanding of what it meant. When I was finished with the study, I had come to the conclusion that "iniquity" is merely another word for the "Adamic Nature". It is something we POSSESS, rather than something we DO. In other words, INIQUITY IN OUR NATURE IS THE CAUSE OF SINFUL ACTIVITY IN OUR LIVES.

THERE WAS MY ANSWER FOR THE MEANING OF, AND THE NEED FOR REPENTANCE.

That was the ATTITUDE OF HEART which made David such a beloved person in the sight of the Lord. If you want an eye-opener, check out the places in the Psalms where David pleaded for Mercy, and for Deliverance-- not only for WHAT HE HAD DONE, but for WHAT HE WAS in his flesh.

INIQUITY comes in many different shapes and sizes-- like PRIDE, ARROGANCE, etc. To act PROUDLY, OR ARROGANTLY is the essence of WORKING INIQUITY.

I asked the Lord to do something about what I had learned-- in my own life. Thank God, He is!

Now, I am NOT a person given to introspection, or to retrospection-- by nature. My general attitude has been, "What's done is done-- don't spend time crying about it. Get up and go on."

But, in direct answer to my having asked God for some action on His part, He gave me SPACE FOR REPENTANCE.

Many times I had repented of actions which had been wrong, and had harmed other people-- doing the best I could to rectify the mistakes I had made. I knew how to do that.

But, the PROBE OF THE SPIRIT was destined to go deeper than the surface of my life. He began to show me how wrong some of my MOTIVES had been-- what had prompted some of my NON-SINFUL ACTIONS. They didn't look so good-- under the searchlight of His Spirit.

How happy I have been that God, in His Mercy, began to SHOW MYSELF TO ME-- without benefit of cosmetic cover. "I try the reins, I search the heart."

He has now brought me to the place that I cry out, with David, "Oh Lord, have mercy on me, for I am weak.(Psa 6:2) DELIVER my soul-- (Psa 116:4) "SAVE ME FROM MYSELF."

The Lord caused the Prophet Isaiah to write, Isaiah 66:2 For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those [things] have been, saith the LORD: but TO THIS [MAN] WILL I LOOK, [EVEN] TO [HIM THAT IS] POOR AND OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT, AND TREMBLETH AT MY WORD.

He caused Joel to write: Joel 2:13 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.

Jesus preached: Matthew 5:3 Blessed [are] the POOR IN SPIRIT: (the spirit of MAN) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 6:21 Blessed [are ye] that hunger (FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS) for ye filled. Blessed [are ye] that weep (over your lack of inner righteousness) now: for ye shall laugh.
Luke 6:25 Woe unto you that are full (of the self-life)! for ye shall hunger (spiritually). Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

James wrote: James 4:9 Be AFFLICTED, and MOURN, and WEEP: (OVER THE INBRED INIQUITY IN OUR HEARTS) let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.

GENUINE REPENTANCE IS A GIFT FROM GOD.

Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles GRANTED REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE.

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Oh Lord, LEAD US, BY YOUR GOODNESS, TO REPENTANCE.