Tag Archive | God

Repenting when it’s hard!

Question: As a Believer, why do I still struggle to repent of certain sins?

Answer: Believers must recognize that as they struggle to repent, they are actually fighting a spiritual battle against Satan. Know that Satan does not want you to repent of your sins. Instead, he wants to keep you in bondage to him. But, Praise God! Our Heavenly Father is far more powerful than Satan will ever be. You must fight back by praying to God for His Holy Spirit to give you all the strength and guidance you need to repent of your sins!

Remember to stay strong by regularly reading God’s Word, The Holy Bible. It helps to remind yourself what God has to say about the need to repent of our sins: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV)

Jesus told of the need to repent. For example, in Revelation 3:19, Jesus told the Laodiceans, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Similarly, in Acts 17:30-31 the Apostle Paul says, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man (Jesus) whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Of course, in addition to reading God’s Word about repentance, you must also truly desire in your heart to want to turn from your sinful ways. You must want to stop desiring your old sinful lifestyle. This change is well described in Colossians chapter 3. Here the Apostle Paul reminds us that we need to “put off the old man,” participating in evil desires such as fornication, wrath, blasphemy, filthy language, and other sinful behavior.

He goes on to say that we must “put on the new man,” showing such things as kindness, humility, and forgiving one another. We must “put on love” (v. 14). “And let the peace of God rule in your heart…and be thankful.” (v. 15)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual sons, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (v. 16)

While we are never going to be perfect in this life, God’s word tells us how we can continue to grow in our Christian walk. The Scriptures tell us that in order to resist sin we should: have a sincere heart to want to change to please God, read His Word regularly, pray for help from the Holy Spirit, and stay away from those things that we know will tempt us.

God loves us and hears our prayers. He is faithful to provide us with the help we need to live to please Him. Stay strong in the Lord!

How many ways to Heaven? Jesus says, just one!

Apr4

Question: Are there many different ways to Heaven?

Answer: No. Jesus says there is just one way to Heaven and that’s through Him! In John 14:6, it reads, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” (NKJV) Believers know that Jesus does not lie. Therefore, we can be assured that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus, as our Lord and Savior! Jesus does not say that there is any other way. In fact, many other scriptures in the Holy Bible confirm this. For example, in Acts 4:12, the Apostle Peter says of Jesus, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” John the Baptist says in John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son (Jesus) has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Also, in 1 John 5:10-13, the Bible gives another summary on the only way to God in Heaven. It says, “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony; that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

These scriptures are the words of God. Believers know that they are true. Sadly, even some Christians will try to deny God’s Word. They do not want to admit to others that not every person will go to Heaven even if they are doing so-called “good deeds” or saying they believe in some type of “god.” This “One way to God” teaching sounds mean, divisive, and unfair to them. What these people forget is that God is a loving God. Remember that John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son , that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s offer of salvation is given to all people groups.

God wants us to realize that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to take the punishment for our sins — although Jesus remained sinless. He wants us to ask His forgiveness for our sins and repent. He wants us to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and be saved. However, He has also given us free-will. It’s up to each able-minded individual to decide to accept or reject Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior. Those who harden their own hearts and refuse to accept Jesus as their Savior have condemned themselves to eternal separation from a holy God. In other words, they choose Hell over Heaven! Still, they are making this choice for themselves.

Renowned Pastor Greg Laurie does a beautiful job of explaining that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus. Listen to this 3 minute 13 second video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch0Qcd-wufY&feature=youtu.be

Believers must continue to pray for all those who reject Jesus Christ and the teachings of God’s Holy Word, and who believe that there are multiple ways to Heaven. Pray that they realize that God’s words are true. Pray that they accept that when Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” He meant it! He IS the one and only way!

(Reposted from my January 24,2014 Blog)

Will the real Christian please stand up?

Mar4

Question: Why is it that so many people call themselves Christians, yet they take opposite stands on many of today’s social issues?

Answer: Many of these people are Christians in name only. If you question them about their beliefs, you’ll find that they don’t actually believe God’s Holy Word. They simply pick and choose the parts of the Bible they like and dismiss the rest. They believe that Jesus was a good religious leader. However, they don’t understand that they need to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They may not want to live their lives the way God commands us to live in order to please Him.

Therefore, when it comes to taking a stand on today’s social issues, true Bible believing Christians will desire to follow God’s Word. In John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” ( NKJV) Believers will agree that if God calls a behavior sin, it is sin. Period. No matter how many laws are passed or how many people vote for it, if God says it’s wrong, then it is wrong. Each one of us will stand before God one day and answer for our sins. If we haven’t accepted Jesus as the only One who died on the Cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins, we will not go to Heaven. (Read John 3:16).

If you are calling yourself a Christian, you need to start reading the Bible to find out if you are living as God wants you to live. Feeding the poor, helping needy children, and doing other good works are wonderful things. But they do not make you a Christian. Jesus says in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to me in that day ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

Romans 1:18-32 details why we all should feel guilty when we disobey God and embrace sin. It also tells us of the destructive results that come from embracing sin. So if you see someone who is calling themselves a Christian while also being unrepentant in approving of things that God calls sin, take notice. You should pray for the discernment of God’s Holy Spirit to know if they are really Believers. In Matthew 7:20, Jesus says, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

So make sure you’re not a Christian in name only. As the common saying goes: if you were on trial accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict? Be sure, by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Understand that Jesus took the punishment we all deserve when He was put to death on the cross. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Praise God that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and lives with our Father God in Heaven! Commit to living your life to please Him while we’re on this earth. And, rejoice in knowing that as true Christians, we’ll be able to join Jesus in Heaven one day!

Follow me on Twitter: @valclarksplace

Re-posted from my Oct. 29, 2015 Blog

Are you hiding from God’s Word?

Jan8

Question: As a Christian, does it really matter if I don’t read the Bible much?

Answer: Yes, it actually does matter. God has blessed us with His word! He wants us to know what He has to say to us. Knowing His word gives Believers the firm foundation we need to live our lives to please God.

Jesus said, “…whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25 NKJV)

The Apostle Paul prepares Timothy for the ministry by telling him “that from childhood you (Timothy) have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15)

Paul goes on to say, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Therefore, knowing how important God’s Holy word is to our lives, you would think Christians would be seeking to read, listen to, and study God’s actual words to us much more instead of many making excuses not to. They actually end up “hiding” from God’s Word. The reasons why they don’t read the Bible regularly vary.

For example, some people say they don’t have the extra time in their busy schedules to read the Bible. But many of these same people find time to watch television, check their social media, engage in their favorite hobbies, and hold lengthy conversations on their phones. If they really wanted to do it, they could easily give about 15 minutes to reading a chapter in the Bible.

Others say they just don’t understand the Scriptures when they read them. This group needs to know that Bible translations like the New King James Version (NKJV) or the English Standard Version (ESV) along with various Study Bibles can help their readers understand the Scriptures. Of course, if you have reading ability problems, you can get recordings of others reading the Scriptures word for word for you. And remember to pray for the Lord to give you understanding as you read His Holy word! Our God is faithful, so He will help those who sincerely seek His help!

Still, there are other people who don’t really want to know God’s Word. They know God condemns sin, and these people don’t want to face the truth of their unrighteous living. They don’t want to feel convicted by God’s words.

We read about this in 2 Timothy 4:3-4. The Apostle Paul warns Timothy that “…the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.”

However, instead of hiding from God’s word, these people need to know that the Scriptures also tell us that if they will accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, repent and ask Him to forgive their sins, He will do so. (John 3:16; Acts 3:19)

Of course, just knowing Scripture isn’t enough. Even Satan can quote Scripture. Remember how he did just that when he tried unsuccessfully to tempt Jesus (Read Matthew 4: 5-7.) Once we know what God says, we are to act accordingly. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…” (James 1:22)

So, stop hiding from God’s word! Start reading it today. It will change your life — if you let it!

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas!

Dec3

Question: In the hustle and bustle of the season, how can I make sure I’m keeping Christ in Christmas?

Answer: Even dedicated Christians can sometimes find themselves consumed with every tradition of the holiday season except what’s most important. They can forget that Jesus really is the reason for the season! Christians know that this is the time of the year we choose to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should make the time and make the effort to keep Christ in our Christmas! But, if we know this, then why don’t we do it?

Unfortunately, some Christians can get as consumed with creating the picture-perfect Christmas experience as the world does. They fill themselves with anxiety trying to get the best super sales on the most popular gifts. Adults get worked up over seeing their peers gifting themselves with the latest “must-have” gadgets and new technology. They wear themselves out trying to keep up with the trends of the crowd. They forget to pause, reflect, and be thankful for the greatest gift – Jesus Christ.

Likewise, many Christian families find themselves in turmoil during this season. Married couples fight over which in-laws they are going to spend Christmas Day with. Parents argue over how much money they are going to spend to make sure their children have this year’s hottest toys. They fill the family calendar with so many seasonal activities that they find themselves exhausted. Yet, they fail to make time for the most important things – reading, meditating on, and discussing God’s Word.

Most importantly, during this season of spending extra time with family and friends, too many Christians fail to include in their discussions talk of their walk with the Lord. They tend not to share with their family and friends how God has brought them faithfully through this year. They are willing to talk about everything else but Jesus. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Don’t have a Jesus-free Christmas! See that you and your family are keeping Christ in Christmas. There are many ways you can do this. For example, plan to take your family to a church Christmas program that tells the story of Christ’s birth. While decorating the tree, play or sing Christmas hymns that give praise to our Lord. Make sure to share with your family and friends how God has blessed you this year. And, always make sure your family knows the story of the birth of our Savior. Luke 2: 1-20 spells out in detail how Jesus was born in Bethlehem. This Bible passage may be one you’d even want to read aloud together. Listen to a reading of this account by clicking here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCKpwaRxIww&feature=youtube_gdata.

And, have a very Merry CHRISTmas!

(Re-posted from my December 2014 Blog)

Helpful Links:

Focus on the Family www.focusonthefamily.com

Crown Financial Ministries http://www.crown.org

The Christian Broadcasting Network www.cbn.com

World Magazine http://www.worldmag.com

Are you living the “thankful” life?

Nov12

Question: How can I stop complaining so much and remember to be more thankful?

Answer: Start by taking a few moments right now to thank God for the many blessings in your life! Ask God to forgive you for all the times you’ve failed to give Him the glory for your life. Our Heavenly Father knows that none of our lives will be perfect, for only Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. God knows that we often have to deal with frustrations and disappointments. He knows that we can find these times hard to deal with. He has given Believers His Holy Spirit to live in us, and to guide and strengthen us as we deal with these challenges. It’s through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can learn to live the “thankful” life during both good times and hard times.

God commands us, as Believers, to be obedient to His Holy Word. He wants us to live our lives to please Him. Multiple times in His Word, He lets us know that part of being obedient is being thankful. For example:

-In Psalm 92:1, His Word tells us that “It is good to give thanks to the LORD…” (NKJV)

-Psalm 100:4-5 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.”

-Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

-First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

So, we see in these scriptures and in many others why God wants us to be thankful. He wants us to value and appreciate all that He has done and continues to do for us because He loves us. Of course, we are to be most thankful for the ultimate way God showed His love for us: by giving us His Son, Jesus Christ! (Read John 3:16)

Believers are thankful that God gave us Jesus to die on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins and that Jesus rose again on the third day to live with God forever in Heaven. We are thankful that we’ve accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, have asked Him to forgive us of our sins, and have repented of our sins to also be able to live in Heaven one day.

For these reasons and many others, we have so many blessings in our lives for which to be thankful. God wants us to be thankful at all times – when things are easy and even when things are difficult. He wants us to know that He is always with us and has given us His Holy Spirit to help us.

Through the power of His Holy Spirit in us, we can live the “thankful” life!

Reposted from my November 12, 2022 blog post.

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Don’t be afraid to let your light shine!

Oct8

Question: How do I get over being so hesitant to share my faith with others?

Answer: Always start with prayer! Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to give you the discernment to know when you should share your beliefs with others and that you will know what to say. Most people will quickly reject your message if they feel like they are being ambushed. Make sure you are dealing with them in a way that reflects God’s love for them. By approaching others in this way, you will be able to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 NKJV)

One of the first areas you should focus on when letting your light shine is in your attitude. Is your outlook on life reflective of your biblical beliefs? Do you think such things as, “Nothing good ever happens to me!” or “If it can go wrong, it will go wrong!” When you look at life in these ways, you are not showing the faith Believers are supposed to have in God. Instead, you should remember that our loving Father has promised to bless His children.

God’s word says, “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek; and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened…. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:7-8,11)

Know that what God has for you is for you! He will bless you according to His will for your life! You should make sure you are reflecting this biblical outlook on life in your communications and conversations with family, friends, and others. Doing so will be letting your light shine!

Also, in your conversations with others, you should be expressing your thoughts in ways that reflect God’s love. Are you always being critical of others? Are you often putting people down? Are you using foul language or telling or laughing at dirty jokes? Are you constantly spreading gossip? If so, you are not being “salt and light” for the Lord! Ask Jesus to forgive you and repent of these sins. He will forgive you. Then, you won’t look like a hypocrite when you tell others about how much of a Believer you are! They will be able to match your talk with your profession of faith. (See Colossians 4:6)

Of course, another way you let your light shine is through your actions. Do you try to do things to help those in need? Do you treat people fairly and with respect? Do you try to encourage those who are dealing with challenging situations? Are you reading your Bible, attending church regularly, and giving financially to the work of the Lord? You are being “salt and light” for God when people see you doing these things!

Do you continue to lie, cheat, steal, or engage in sexual sin? If so, then you’re reflecting the darkness of Satan rather than the light of God. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8)

And what about our willingness to share our faith? By not sharing our faith with others at the appropriate times, we may look like we are ashamed of our beliefs. Be aware of Jesus’ warning about this: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

Bottom line? Don’t be hesitant or afraid to share your faith in God. Tell others how He has blessed you. Let them know that they also can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. So, go ahead– be bold. And let your light shine!

Are you really putting God first?

Sep3

Question: How can I be sure my decisions put God first instead of just pleasing myself?

Answer: You can start by making sure your decisions don’t go against the word of God! The two ways you can be guided with this is by praying for the Holy Spirit to help you, and by studying to know God’s word. In reading the Bible, we learn about the many promises Our Heavenly Father has made to us. One of these promises is that He will be there for us, and He will give us His Holy Spirit to guide us.

Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:13 NKJV)

Unfortunately, there are times when we try to talk ourselves into believing that what we want is equal to what God wants. But this may not be the case. For example, we may want to support those who promote sinful behaviors, especially if they are people we like. We convince ourselves that it’s okay to support their sinful agendas as long as we’re not actually committing these sins ourselves and we like the good things these people may also do.

But God’s word says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7-8). If your support helps these people or others sin against God, then you are sharing in their sin! You are choosing to put their desires ahead of God’s commands. That’s not putting God first! As Believers, our first obedience must be to God. For to God, obedience is better than sacrifice. (See 1 Samuel 15:22)

A different type of example of not putting God first could happen in the way we respond to our achievements. When given the opportunity, we may enthusiastically give credit for our success to many people– our parents, teachers, mentors, and even ourselves. While acknowledging the help of all these people is fine, we must remember to give the main credit to God! He is the one who blessed us to be able to achieve that success by providing us with the various people, skills, wisdom, and opportunities that helped us to achieve. Therefore, make sure to give God the credit for His many blessings in your life.

Now, we are not perfect people. The only perfect one to walk this earth was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! So, there are going to be times when we fail to put God first. Just remember that God loves us even when we fail Him. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you keep God first in your life. He will guide you and keep you on the right track.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3: 5-7)

Amen!

Staying calm through the chaos

Aug6

Question: As a Believer, how do I handle all the chaos going on in the world?

Answer: Trust God and remember that He is still in control! Even though we know that we need to have this strong faith, sometimes doing so can be difficult. Many of us may struggle to stay calm as we deal with the challenges in our lives. For example, many people or their loved ones are struggling with health issues. Some people are dealing with financial problems. Still others may be trying to repair personal relationships or resolve problems at their jobs. All of these issues we deal with personally. They can make our daily lives hard and even chaotic at times.

Then, there are also the troubling issues we face when we look around our world. We anxiously follow the news about wars and conflicts happening between nations. Our hearts go out to the many innocent victims who suffer because of these conflicts. We may wonder if divisions among various groups in our own country will lead to more instances of animosity, violence, and chaos in our communities.

And although the Bible warns us that many people will turn away from God in the final days (2 Thessalonians 2:3) it’s still hard to believe as we see it happen. We watch as many in our culture go against God’s Word just as He warned through the Prophet Isaiah: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil….” (Isaiah 5:20 NKJV)

They act as if they know better than God, when obviously they do not and never will! “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes…” (Isaiah 5:21) The Apostle Paul clearly describes them by saying, “Professing to be wise, they became fools,” (Romans 1:22)

And we feel the tension as we prepare ourselves to resist those who are trying to force their promotion of sin on the rest of us. As Believers, we must recognize that these challenges which cause chaos in our world are actually spiritual battles. They can be dealt with only by following the Word of God. We know that we can be “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” We can trust God to take care of us through all situations (Ephesians 6).

But, before you are ready to follow God’s Word, you must accept God for who He actually is, our Almighty Father, the Creator of Heaven and earth (Genesis 1). You must accept His Son Jesus Christ as our One and Only Lord and Savior. Accept that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to life on the third day to take the punishment we deserved for our sins. You must ask Jesus for forgiveness for your sins, turn from your sins, and live your life to please Him! (John 3:16, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 John 1:9, Acts3:19)

Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to comfort, strengthen, protect, and guide you as you deal with all the challenges of life. Pray that you will be blessed with the joy, hope, and peace that only God can provide. Also, pray for those in need around the world and for repentance and salvation for all the spiritually lost.

Remember the words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians. He reminds us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).”

Believe and follow God’s Word. Then you will know how to stay calm through the chaos of life!

What do you need to repent of today?

Jul1

Question: God knows I like getting my own way. Does He really expect me to change my ways?

Answer: Yes! God commands us to put Him first, not ourselves. In Exodus 20:3, the Lord says, “You shall have no other gods before me.”(NKJV) So, if getting your own way means doing something that displeases God, then He expects you to change. For example, if you prefer to keep siding with people, organizations, or things that promote sin, rejecting the commands of God, He expects you to change. If you don’t, you are making these things into idols or “little gods” in your life. You are choosing to put these things ahead of pleasing the true and living God. This is wrong! God expects us all to repent and turn away from all sin!

So, what would prompt Believers into wanting to support these sinful things anyway? Well, sometimes it’s because changing our way of thinking can be hard. An example of this is when we really like someone and don’t want to acknowledge any fault in them — even when they promote sinful things. We may make excuses for why the sins they are promoting really aren’t that bad. We may rationalize that other folk out there are doing worse things. Those other folks may be doing worse things. But we still must admit that the sinful behaviors of the people we like are also wrong. If we don’t repent, we will have to answer to God for calling these sinful people good and giving them our support. God says in His Word: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” (Isaiah 5:20a)

Another reason Believers sometimes call “good” what God says is sinful is because we don’t want to be seen as unintelligent, anti-social, or hateful by the world. But by studying God’s Holy Word, we learn what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had to say about this. In John 15:18-19, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Jesus goes on to say that those who treat you this way do it “because they do not know Him who sent Me.” (v.21) In other words, the world does not know and follow God.

Even when you hear people who promote sin say things that appear to affirm God, they are in reality working against God. You need to turn away from following after such people. Repent of your sins and pray for God’s Holy Spirit to help you live for Christ.

Remember that you will never be perfect. Only Jesus Christ walked on this earth and never committed any sin. Therefore, when you fall short and sin, ask Jesus to forgive you and repent. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Likewise, pray that you will be honest with God. Ask Him to reveal to you what you need to repent of today. Jesus said, “…Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus also said that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7) That’s how much God loves you and cares about you.

So, do what is pleasing to God. Repent today!