As much as it seems a taboo, this word repentance, it's actually an amazing word.. to turn your back to sin, and turn your eyes to God. There's a sense of grace in it, to have this opportunity to even turn back to God, that shows His mercy, whether or not you notice it, it shows His grace, no matter what you have done, He is able to forgive, if you turn your back to sin and turn to Him, to get down on your knee and say, Yes, I declare, you Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Saviour, that I admit I am a sinner and I need you in my life, I thank you Father God for sending your son, my Lord, to die for me, so that I can be set free, from the bondages that hold me down. Amen.
This isn't a prayer only for those who are unbelievers, it can be for those who have fallen away, for those who just fell away. Repentance, is necessary, God is able to work in us a great work, if we allow Him to, He can change the heart, that we constantly battle with, He has faith, and we can have faith in Him, that He will finish anything that He starts in us for His name sake.
Romans 3:21-25New Century Version (NCV)
How God Makes People Right
21 But God has a way to make people right with him without the law, and he has now shown us that way which the law and the prophets told us about. 22 God makes people right with himself through their faith in Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in Christ, because all people are the same: 23 Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard, 24 and all need to be made right with God by his grace, which is a free gift. They need to be made free from sin through Jesus Christ. 25 God sent him to die in our place to take away our sins. We receive forgiveness through faith in the blood of Jesus’ death. This showed that God always does what is right and fair, as in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins.I like the amplified version for verse 23 in particular:
Romans 3:23Amplified Bible (AMP)
23 since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God,As good as we are, we have all fallen short, some might think they fell too far, and that there's no hope for them, I say to you who think this way, that is not true! Christ died even for the worst sinner and can change them completely! To you who say I sin a little, but my good out weighs my bad, I say, does breaking one law and keeping the rest make you justifiable not to be arrested and tried by the law? Either way we have fallen short of the glory of God, in His eyes, we are like dirty rugs, yet in His love for us, He sent His son, my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to die for all of us! includes the worste to the best of us. But it all requires this action of repentance, to turn to God, accept His help, and turn away from the evil that was once capturing us like a master to a slave.
There's so much I could write in this one post, but I will leave it as it is for now. I hope this year will be a blessing for you, that you will find peace, that you know God is ever waiting, and when you seek Him you will find Him, that He will help you through this year, ride on His help, and be strengthened beyond all measure!
Many Blessings!
-Chris