Latest / The Daily Word / October 14 – The Refreshing Power of Repentance
Transcript
- Brandon: Well, welcome once again to the Daily Word Podcast. What an amazing day that today is. Why? Because it's the day the Lord has made. Come on, Brandon. Cool, cool out. hey, hope you're doing well today. Hope you're having a great day wherever you are listening from, whatever you're doing today. it sounds cliche and cheesy, but it really is the reality. The Bible says we can rejoice every single day because it is the day the Lord has made. And so hope you're having a great day today. today's October the 14th, and I want to share with you from Acts chapter three. It is the New Testament reading from our life journal reading plan. It's the kind of rhythm of this podcast. We're sharing the New Testament reading every day in hopes of encouraging, strengthening you and your walk with God, but also reminding you that just like God's speaking to us, God wants to speak to you. that being said, Acts chapter three, it is the passage today. And want to read to you from verses 19 and 20. It's a very simple thought, but here's what it says. Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. Listen to this, so good, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus. Repent and turn from your sins. That times of refreshing may come. I got a really honest question from someone the other day at church. very honest question, very good question. They said, Brandon, can ask you a question? If Jesus forgives all of my sin, which he does, if the life I now live in Christ is one that is not one of earning or deserving, but it but it's one of receiving, which it is, what is my motivation? What's my motivation? For obeying God and walking according to his word and his ways. Now you might be like super Christian, like, my gosh, how could they even think about asking that? That's ridiculous. Do do they even love Jesus? But if you're honest with yourself, come on, let's take off our super Christian hat. It's a question that maybe we don't ask, how do I say it? we don't ask out loud. But we kind of wrestle with on the inside. I mean, like, I know this isn't that bad, but it's not exactly what God wants me to do. I mean, like, I know it's probably not the best, but you know, and we all have these little areas. You know, I heard one pastor calling little pet sins. you know, this is the it's it's it's my thing. And I know technically it's not right, but and and we kind of We like take the grace of God and the forgiveness of Jesus and we just kind of put it over like, but but it's fine though, because you know we're living by grace, not by works. We're living by by what Jesus has done, not earning or deserving. We don't want to be legalistic. And we we might not be as bold to ask the question, like, hey, why should I obey the Bible if like he forgives me anyways? But we kind of think it. We we have areas of our life that if you were to really get down to the nitty-gritty of scripture, that I bet every single one of us, someone could look at us and someone could go, Well, why are you doing this? Well, why are you saying that? Why are you looking at that? Why all of us got these little areas and and we don't ask it, but we think it. If we don't think it, we kind of just live it. yeah, it's it it's a gray area. And this passage for me, it reminds me. Of the answer that I gave to this gentleman, because here's what I said I said, well, I said, I'll give you a twofold answer. Number one, Uno in Spanish, also a great game, shout out to Uno. Number one, salvation is not an issue of us just believing in Jesus, in his existence and reality, but salvation's a matter of surrendering our life to the Lordship of Jesus. Remember, Romans 10 says if anybody would believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is the Lord. That's why Jesus goes, Hey, why do you keep calling me Lord, ruler, master? But then you don't listen to me. That doesn't make sense. And so, number one, the motivation for following or obeying the word of God is that well, he's the Lord of our life. And if you ain't following him and you're not walking in his word and in his ways, I would ask you the question today is he really the Lord of your life? Even the demons and hell. Believe in Jesus reality. They they know who Jesus is, but he's not the Lord. Can I ask you a question? Do you believe in Jesus only, or is he the Lord of your life? So that was my first answer. I I said, secondly, my man, the motivation for walking in the ways of God is that sin leads to death. Romans 6 23 says, the wages of sin, it is death. The results of sin, hurt, pain, destruction, relational term oil, things not going well. The book of Proverbs says it this way the way of the transgressor is hard. Here's the reality there is not a middle ground. There's two ways. It's either the ways of our flesh, that is sin. Or the ways of life, that is the word and the ways of God. And Jesus said, I've come to give you life and life to the full, life abundantly. And here in Acts chapter 3, it says, Repent, turn from your sin, make a U-turn, and let Jesus blot out your sins. But listen, he says, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of God. That struck me today. That refreshing, like a like a vacation, refreshing and just the ease and the rejuvenation of my soul and replenishment and the the the the deep exhale that I need. Refreshing comes not from going on vacation, not from getting away and doing the thing you most refreshing comes in the presence of God and in the ways of God. Jesus said, My ways are the ways of life and life to the full. Refreshing comes when you are in the presence of God. And I want to remind you and I want to encourage you today. Sin will lead to hurt, destruction, pain, turmoil. The way of the transgression is hard, the Bible says. And so are there areas of your life that you're compromising? Do you have sin in your life? Do you are there things in your life that That you're not honoring God by the way you're you're speaking, you're acting, you're relating to other people, how you're stupid. Is there sin in your life? I I would say I I would I would repent from that, I turn from that because sin, even if you don't feel it now, it always eventually leads to stuff that we don't we don't want, we don't like, that's hard, that's difficult, that's and and by the way, we've we've so normalized the dysfunction. That sin leads to, that we just think that's normal life. Can I tell you that's not normal life? That is not normal life. That is not the way God intended for us to live. No, there is a way of joy and peace and life and ease that we are meant to be living in in every area when we follow the ways of Jesus. So repent. Turn from your sin today and and let the ways of God and the presence of God bring refreshing to your life. That would be my insight and application. That I'm saying, Holy Spirit, search me today and know me and see if there is any unclean thing in me. And I repent from it. I turn from it. I give it to you. And I receive your forgiveness. And I want to, in your presence and in your ways, start feeling, living in the refreshing of God. I just want to read it one more time, so it's so good. Repent and turn from your sins, that times of refreshing may come in the presence of the Lord. I pray that's how you would live today. You'd repent of any sin in your life and you would let the times of refreshing from God come to you. Let's let's pray and let's just receive this today. Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gift of salvation and for the forgiveness of sin that only comes through your finished work. God, today, for myself, anyone listening, we repent and turn from our sins and we receive your forgiveness. God, even right now, I pray that the cleansing And the washing of the righteousness of God would wash over people. Even right now, as people are listening and lifting up their hands and saying, God, I repent from that. I turn from that. Wash them and cleanse them today by your blood, by the righteousness of Jesus. And I pray that in your ways and in your presence, refreshing of every kite type would come to our life. And we would experience the refreshing of the Lord because we've turned from our sin and to you. In Jesus' name. Amen. Hey, love you so much and hope you you were encouraged today. We'll see you tomorrow on another episode of the Daily Word Podcast.