Without a doubt God is calling America to RETURN and to PRAY FERVENTLY as never before.
Unfortunately, we were not able to attend the March for Prayer lead by Franklin Graham, nor THE RETURN led by Jonathan Cahn in Washington DC last Saturday. However, we listened online. Both gatherings drew many thousands of people and for this we greatly rejoice. People traveled to the events from all over America because they believe it is high time to publicly stand up for righteousness and let it be known that we will pledge ourselves to pray for America to return to God from whom we have gone astray.
There are those who teach that there is no need to preach repentance—to turn from sin and come back to God because they say the amazing grace of God has already covered ours ins.
The word “repent” is used seven times in the book of Revelation: 2:5 2x; 2:16; 2:21; 2:22; 3:3; and 3:19. Each time Jesus Christ Himself urges and calls the church to repent,
The question is that if grace had already covered all their sins at the cross, why would Jesus Christ, after His ascension to the Father’s right hand, call these churches to repentance? This mandate from Jesus to repent does not nullify His amazing grace. Rather, it affirms it.
God provided at the cross the amazing grace of forgiveness for sins that are past and in order for us to receive that forgiveness, God gives godly sorrow that enables us to repent (turn away) from our sins and turn back to Him.
In dealing with present and future sins in the Christian life, we go to 1 John 2:1, 2: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; And he is the propitiation (mercy seat) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Godly sorrow and repentance from sin is not only for sins of the past, but also for sins of the present and future. I am sure that God does not want us to be cringing and groveling over our daily sins and failures to the point we lose sight of the victory that He has given us over the power of sin.
How can we worship and sing the songs of the redeemed if we are constantly taken up with the guilt of our sins? No, God is calling us to greatly rejoice in the salvation He has so graciously given us.
It is possible to have grief over “the sins that easily trip us up” (Hebrews 12:1) and at the same time greatly rejoice in the cleansing and forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus—the spotless blood of Jesus that was shed for all ours sins, past, present, and future.
Just as Christ wants us to take up our cross daily and follow Him, we should always be a returning, joyful, and singing people according to Isaiah 51:11: “Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”
This Scripture encourages us to rejoice with trembling. Psalm 2:11 says: “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” The NET translation says “Serve the LORD with fear! Repent in terror!”
We should not be worshipping, praising, and putting on a show while we are knowingly walking in sin. This is why we must examine ourselves before we partake of the bread and wine.
To be continued.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell