Devotions

Whatever happened to repentance? We rarely hear the word mentioned in most churches these days. Pastors seldom call for their congregation to grieve over wounding Christ by their wickedness. Instead, the message we hear from many pulpits today is, “Just believe. Accept Christ and you’ll be saved.” The text used to justify this message is found in Acts 16:30-31: “‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.’”

The first message Jesus delivered after he emerged from the temptation in the wilderness was the message of repentance: “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 4:17).

Jesus says of his mission, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). And he said to the Galileans, “I tell you … unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Jesus’ gospel was all about repentance!

John the Baptist also preached repentance. His message to the Jews was simple and straightforward: “[He] came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” (Matthew 3:1-2).

People came from everywhere to hear John preach and he told them in no uncertain words, “The messiah is soon to appear in your midst so you’d better get ready to meet him! You may feel excited that he is coming, but I’m telling you, your hearts are not prepared because you are still holding on to your sins!” 

John was warning the people that they had to deal with their sin before they could follow the Savior. The full, literal meaning of the word “repent” in the New Testament is “to feel remorse and self-reproach for one’s sins against God; to be contrite; to want to change direction.”

“Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). True sorrow leads to repentance — and this will cause you to want to change!

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

The Greek word for “examine” here means “scrutinize, assess.” The apostle Paul is saying, “Test yourself to see if you are walking according to God’s Word.” We are to constantly ask ourselves, “Am I changing? Am I becoming more loving and tenderhearted? Is my conversation becoming more righteous? Am I still complaining or am I beginning to speak edifying words of faith? Am I consciously trying to please Jesus?”

We should take this matter of self-examination very seriously. If you are a Christian, yet you are still apathetic about your spiritual growth, then you have not allowed God’s Spirit to do his work in you. Ask yourself if you are becoming more excited about Jesus and his Church every day. Or do you hold grudges, resentment, roots of bitterness?

It is possible for you to experience growth in many areas of your life and yet remain childish in other areas. Here is an easy test to assess whether or not spiritual growth is taking place. Simply ask yourself, “Am I thirsty? Do I want more of Jesus and his holiness?” If the answer is yes, you can be assured that you are growing, because the Word promises, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

Do you want to grow spiritually? If so, ask the Holy Spirit to shine his light on any area of weakness or sin in your life and cry out to him, “Lord, I love you and long to know you better. I want to measure up to your Word. Please help me to grasp by faith that you are at work in me, enabling me to grow up spiritually!”

Don’t forget that God stands beside you right now, even if you are in a storm. He is watering your spirit, feeding your soul, putting down strong roots in you — helping you to grow in him! 

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

Paul begins this portion of this letter by asking, “Do you not know?” It is a bit of an alarming question because the Corinthian Christians were probably almost eight years into their faith, yet he is asking them one of the most elementary of questions. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple?” Perhaps they had not been able to pick up on that fact even though Paul had taught on it before.

I want to ask that question of you. Do you really know that you are the temple of God? Are you confident? Is it settled in your heart? This God who dwells in an unapproachable light, so glorious, marvelous, wonderful, precious, loving, pure, and holy selected a place to live and it is in those whose hearts are humbled and contrite.

How does it impact you to know that this God of all creation lives in you? What does that do to all the problems and crises that you face in life? The trials and tribulation that you walk through? The sorrows of your life? The pain?

Christ lives in you, the manifest presence of God. The fire of God that led and directed the children of Israel has decided not just to go out in front of you, but he said, “Wait a minute! Catch up to me or I’ll come to you and dwell in you.” The pillar of fire, the cloud, the smoke — he lives inside of you now. The direction, the leadership, the potential, the power, the glory, the love, the fruit of the Spirit.

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us reference God in our lifestyle, in our worship experience, in our everyday walk with him. 

Perhaps you find it difficult to get into the Word daily. However, God can give you grace. It all begins with a simple prayer: “Lord, will You help me to read the Bible? Would you establish my thoughts in Your ways? Would you take me farther than I have ever gone before?”

I suggest you start by reading Matthew to Revelation in the New Testament, the Psalms, and Proverbs. Read them until they become a part of you. And read a translation that you can understand. There are some great modern translations out there that are easy to understand. You can even buy Bibles that have four or five translations across the page so you can tell the full sense of a verse of Scripture.

And don’t forget, you not only have to read your Bible, but you have to believe what you read! As written in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Let it be quality time that you spend with God, even if it is only fifteen minutes you can get in the morning. Go before the Lord with your open Bible and say, “Father, speak to me today. Speak to my mind and speak to my heart. Guide me and guard me. Let me see throughout the day how your Word will keep me.”

And then watch what the Lord will begin to do! He will open His Word to you. He will begin to lead you to places you never thought you could go, empowering you with a strength that you know is not your own. Suddenly you will find yourself with a greater thirst to get in the Word of God. You will realize that God spoke to you in advance through the Scripture about what you were going to face. And day after day, you will see that His Word is truly alive!

Carter Conlon joined the pastoral staff of Times Square Church in 1994 at the invitation of the founding pastor, David Wilkerson, and was appointed Senior Pastor in 2001.

You probably have various circles of friends that include your business world — your coworkers, partners or clients — and acquaintances you associate with on a surface level. We would have to leave the world altogether in order to avoid these kinds of contacts.

God cares most about your intimate circle, your bosom pals. These are the people you love most and who have an influence in your life. You agree on most things and you feel safe opening your heart to each other.

It is important to know that as a follower of Jesus, you will be tempted by Satan to form ungodly friendships. He will try to bring into your life someone who can destroy everything godly in you! You may think, “Wait a minute! I don’t want to start doubting my friends.” If you are true friends, knit together by the Spirit of Christ, you have nothing to fear in examining your relationships with them. But it would be wise for you to look at your friendships in the light of scripture.

A true, godly friend will always take the side of God’s Word in any matter, and not just your side because you are friends. Such a friend will love you enough to tell you the truth, even though it may hurt at times.

Beloved, your friends are a serious matter to God — because their actions have serious consequences. The Bible is very clear: “Make no friendship with an angry man … lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul” (Proverbs 22:24-25). “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Take a stand today. If you have ungodly friends in your inner circle, break them off. And always be alert to Satan’s attempts to put someone in your life who would destroy Christ’s work in you.

Pray this prayer today, “Lord, open my eyes to all my friendships. Help me to see them clearly, whether good or bad, and may all my relationships bring glory to you!”