Repentance crossed my devotional path again this morning. The message of the devotion was centered around the topic of being sold out to Christ, not selling Christ out to our sin. Christ had our sins nailed to the Cross with Him and because Christ is eternal, it wasn’t just for the ones at the time He was nailed there, it included all of us and all of our sins: past, present and future.

Long before Jesus walked this earth, Joshua was leading the Israelites into their Promised Land. He said to them, in part, at this point of time, …”choose you this day whom you will serve….” Joshua 24:15. The repentant plan hasn’t changed since Joshua told this to the Israelites–“choose you this day whom you will serve”. This can only be a lifetime commitment when we understand how to carry it out. It is a commitment one must make each and every day. The message says “this day”. This day is each day of our earthly life. In this present life we are temporary and of the flesh. When I committed my life to Jesus at an early age, I meant it for my lifetime. However, what I’m learning all these years later is that my repentant plan must be carried out with the commitment and understanding of EACH day. God’s Strength is found within the present day. That is when He in His Strength is with me.

This whole thing might seem trite to some, but for me it is a huge reality I want to better live out than I ever have before.

The New Testament tells us in many occasions how important a single soul is to Jesus/God our Father. Christ points this out over and over. I write this because of its relevance to us today. The Word of God never changes in its meaning and purpose. These truths of our importance to Jesus are as real today as they were when He walked this earth.

One of Satan’s great strategies is to devalue us in our minds so we don’t think Christ even sees us, let alone cares for anything and all things we are going through. If we believe this bondage, we have a difficult time with the Freedom Christ can give and does give.

As I was reading my 90-day devotional this morning, the message was exactly what I’m writing about–Christ’s focus on each and every one of us and how deeply He cares for each and every one of us. What got to me was my ability to believe this is true for me! I didn’t have any doubts as I was reading it. Instead, I had this huge sense of gratitude!

I lived so long wishing Christ would love me. I had all of these things I wanted Him to do to show me He loved me. When I finally removed my blinders and saw what Christ had already done for me and accepted His Love the way He was giving it, I found the Freedom He offers–Peace that passes all understanding! I wanted my past removed–Christ wanted it used. Who would ever think such darkness would be used to reflect brilliant Light!

I’ve never tackled this topic of Repentance like it is hitting me these days. I’ve always looked at repentance as a synonym of confession. But, they are quite different. They link together alright for one must confess if one is going to repent. However, if one commits to one or the other alone, well, the plan just won’t work. What I’m also seeing is that the need to confess is recognized and handled when one’s own “flesh strength” is weak. However, I’ve always tried to do the work outlined in a repentance plan in my flesh’s strength which has failed miserably each and every time when I do not follow the Spirit’s nudges which come from scriptures like James 5:16 which tells me to confess to someone I trust for in so doing I find healing.

It is very easy for me to be on the receiving end of someone’s call or face to face talk when repentance/confession is their need. But, to put myself in the one reaching out makes my pride scream–“you can do this on your own–be tough!” And, that is where the question, “How is that working for you?”. comes into play. It fails every time.

I’m truly loving this repentance focus. God is wanting me to realize His Plan of man helping man when His Holy Spirit is the driver for the help man gives to his fellow friend.

All of my life I’ve been confessing sin. For the first 60 years I confessed sins done to me along with my own but those sins done to me just left me as ugly as my own. I could never find “cleansing”. When I finally awoke to my confused thinking I let the sins done to me go for they were not mine to confess. That was a huge step for me. I still have my selfishness to deal with and confess, but where I find myself spinning is in the arena of repent. Repent is the remorse for the sin/s and a plan to not repeat the sin/s needing confession.

I’ve said many times that while I was in my childhood I tolerated the sexual abuse of my brother due to his own terrible abuse from dad. He needed an outlet for his own hurts and I was that outlet. Little did I know its consequences. Today I understand this, but I’ve wanted the temptations it leaves me with to be obliterated–yet they are not. I confess this and feel much remorse for it. The plan to stay sober one day at a time is my best plan and it allows me to draw daily upon God’s Holy Spirit. Learning to do this has been its own awakening. God is so Faithful and so is His Holy Spirit within me. Learning to Trust Him and to follow His Lead has provided its own reward–FREEDOM one day at a time!

Today’s focus for my devotions hits a homerun. It is separating the difference between confessing and repenting. We may confess our sin, but if we don’t repent, we will be repeating this sinful behavior over and over again. The difference between these two is huge. Confess is admitting the sin takes place in one’s life and we confess it. Repent on the other hand is what our next step should be and that is to take the necessary steps so we don’t repeat the sin we confessed. There are so many examples one could give demonstrating this, but I’m sure if this is relevant, you understand.

God’s Word guides us to both confessing and repenting, but one needs to take the steps in order for God’s freedom to step in. The battle for this has been won by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We can choose to accept this freedom by completing each of these two steps: confess and then repent by taking the needed steps. It is that simple, yet, our pride and selfishness can be a huge interference. I choose to take the steps. Please join me.

God is driving a point home for me of late. His Son Jesus lives in me and I live in Him. Along with this truth, there can be no idols but Him–Jesus. I don’t want any other idols, but there are things that can easily become one and this is what God is wanting me to see. These idols can be something I see in this world or it can be something I see in my mind.

Spending time with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit each morning is a very healthy start for the day. But, if I don’t keep them in the forefront of my mind, it is so easy to let other things begin to creep in. I love how faithful God is to us, keeping us continually reminded of His importance to our daily living. In this living 24/7 for Him, we have genuine FREEDOM. Oh, how wonderful it is to live in this FREEDOM!

Living in Christ and Christ living in me is an eternal promise, yet has a relevant meaning for each and everyday. Today’s focus is that I can have no other gods before me. Of course, any addiction one struggles with falls into this “gods” category. As I was looking out of the window where I have my devotions I can easily see all of the flowers in bloom and this brings much peace to my soul. I love gardening for the beauty it provides and I can easily take pride in my yard. Do I idolized it? I jokingly say I do, but in reality I thank God for the chance to be a gardener hoping He will give me gardening duty in heaven!

Reflecting on the topic of gods before me is something that becomes very apparent when living in Christ. Darkness is very visible in the Light of Christ and cannot remain in His Light. I don’t want any idols in my life so I’m asking Jesus to let me see what He wants me to so that He and I can tend to them.

I wrote last Sunday about Christ living in me and I living in Christ–II Corinthians 5:17. The reality of this hasn’t left me but continues to grow within me with a desire to understand this reality in its breadth and depth. As I was journaling earlier this morning I had one of the guys reach out telling me he had relapsed last night but today he was going to be sober for the next 24 hours. I know this gentleman well and his story sounds a lot like each one of us who is breaking free from the bondage of addictive sin. This is when I asked Jesus what He wanted me to know about this? His response was immediate. He brought me to His Words in Matthew 7:7-8. It says “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

As I was processing Jesus’ response to me with these two verses I visualized myself standing “in Jesus” knocking on the door of “living in Christ and Christ living in me” asking for help to understand what this reality is. I told Him I will wait for Him to open this door of knowing and understanding.

Today my grandson leaves returning to his base. This ends the wedding festivities and company. Life slowly returns to its normalcy and such wonderful memories left behind. It is a week to cherish!

There are so many things to reflect upon at a time like today thanking God for His ongoing blessings. Grandchildren are one of the most precious gifts God provides. Then as they grow up they marry and you can double the amount of them. Of course, the great grandkids can also be a step after that, but I’ll let that come as it may!

Times of reflection are a real JOY when one focuses on God’s rich blessings!

I’m late getting today’s entry written. I had an early morning counseling appointment so I figured I’d write this afterwards. God continues to open my mind to the needs around me. Along with the appointment I just finished, I called a person who had asked for counseling. As I talked with her to set an appointment she said she wasn’t going to do so after all. She is approximately my age, but had been abused severely throughout childhood, even to the point of her mother trying to kill her and she spent two months in the hospital not expected to live. As we talked she said she changed her mind about coming, she just gets too upset and she doesn’t want to be upset at this point in her life.

I know this crazy emotional upheaval one goes through for I went through all of them myself before I had any help. Even after help, there are times when thoughts and emotions reoccur that you want to stuff rather than face. This poor lady will need more prayer before she is ready to let herself be angry and bitter for the sake of overcoming with God’s help. The needs are great but our GOD is greater if we will only give Him the chance.