Whatever that thing is that you can't stop sinning, it is not worth what you lose for not being in right relationship with God. It may be painful, and you may require professional help to accomplish it, but the benefits far outweigh the endurance it takes to truly repent.
[00:00:00] Let us pray, pray together on our knees
[00:00:07] Let us pray, pray together on our knees
[00:00:14] When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
[00:00:21] Oh Lord, never see all the knees
[00:00:27] Welcome to the Bible Speaks with Elgin Carelock
[00:00:30] The Bible Speaks is a weekly ministry of Harvest International
[00:00:33] Our prayer is that the Bible Speaks will encourage you in your study of God's Word
[00:00:38] You will be able to contact Elgin at the address given at the end of this broadcast
[00:00:44] And now, here's Elgin
[00:00:46] Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
[00:00:52] Through another edition of Words of Inspiration
[00:00:56] In yesterday's discussion, we examined spiritual growth
[00:01:01] We discussed how the Bible portrays spiritual growth as an ongoing journey
[00:01:06] Facilitated by engaging with the Word of God
[00:01:10] Living out our faith in practical ways
[00:01:13] Experiencing and persevering through trials
[00:01:16] And continually deepening our relationship with Christ
[00:01:21] With that being said, one of the key components in our spiritual growth
[00:01:26] And deepening our relationship with Jesus is repentance
[00:01:32] Our scriptural inspiration comes from John 2 verses 12-14
[00:01:41] And reading from the New International Version it reads
[00:01:45] Even now, declares the Lord
[00:01:48] Return to me with all your heart
[00:01:51] With fasting and weeping and mourning
[00:01:54] Wren your heart and not your garments
[00:01:57] Return to the Lord your God
[00:02:00] For he is gracious and compassionate
[00:02:03] Slow to anger and abounding in love
[00:02:06] And he relents from sending calamity
[00:02:10] Who knows?
[00:02:12] May turn and relent and leave behind a blessing
[00:02:16] Grain offerings and drink offerings
[00:02:20] For the Lord your God
[00:02:23] In our scriptural text, the prophet Joel is speaking to the people of Judah
[00:02:28] Regarding the plague of locusts that has devastated the northern tribe
[00:02:33] While the Bible does not specifically say if Judah had a direct effect by the locusts
[00:02:40] There were reverberations that caused them to have effect on many fronts
[00:02:46] In verse 12, God says, even now
[00:02:50] Which is a powerful expression of God's character and his approach to our failings
[00:02:57] It encapsulates a profound truth about God's readiness to forgive and restore
[00:03:04] Emphasizing that no situation is too dire for redemption
[00:03:09] If people turn back to God with genuine contrition and commitment
[00:03:15] Even during the time that God is delivering his wrath for sins
[00:03:20] And even as severe as the devastation was
[00:03:24] God was ready to forgive them
[00:03:26] But there had to be a genuine contrition or repentance
[00:03:31] Repentance is fundamentally about a change of mind and heart
[00:03:37] It involves turning away from sin and turning toward God
[00:03:44] Leading to a reorientation of our lives according to God's will
[00:03:51] In other words, a transformation which Paul spoke of in Romans 12 verse 2
[00:03:59] Because our Heavenly Father loves us so much
[00:04:03] We sometimes take advantage of His forgiveness and only stop our sinful behavior for a season
[00:04:09] But when that sin results in chastisement or God allows us to experience the consequences that come with that sin
[00:04:17] We go into deep contrition, fasting and wailing until the heat of the situation subsides
[00:04:25] In the second part of verse 12
[00:04:28] God says to return to me with all your heart
[00:04:32] And in that God is calling for a profound inward change of heart
[00:04:37] A full commitment rather than a half-hearted gesture
[00:04:42] This inward transformation is meant to reflect the change in priorities, values and behaviors
[00:04:49] Realigning God's commandments and His ways
[00:04:55] Fasting accompanies prayer and scripture to denote a special intensity of spiritual effort
[00:05:02] Indicating that the individual or community is prioritizing spiritual nourishment
[00:05:08] And communion with God over physical sustenance
[00:05:13] Weeping and mourning here are expressions of genuine sorrow and contrition for sins
[00:05:19] In the biblical context these actions show a heartfelt acknowledgement of the pain and separation that sin is caused between people and God
[00:05:30] Mourning in this sense is linked to a realization of how one's actions have grieved God and damaged relationships within the community
[00:05:40] In verse 13, God says to rent your heart, not your garment
[00:05:47] In the Old Testament and in little in the new, believers tore away their clothes as a powerful expressive action that communicated a range of intense emotions and spiritual states
[00:06:01] From mourning and repentance to horror and prophetic declaration
[00:06:05] This act was deeply embedded in the culture and religious practices of the time
[00:06:10] Serving as a visible expression of sincerity and depth of feeling
[00:06:15] God is saying instead of tearing away your clothes, tear away sin from your heart
[00:06:21] The symbolism here is the difficulty of tearing away something that is deeply embedded
[00:06:27] The willingness to endure that pain, which was born of the flesh, as a way to restore the proper relationship with God
[00:06:36] Paul refers to it as those things that so easily beset us in Hebrews 12 verse 2
[00:06:43] This is a reference to that which we have not surrendered, but hold close and do in darkness as if the Father can't see it
[00:06:51] It is those things that God requires to bless you fully, which is evident in the part B of verse 13
[00:06:59] Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity
[00:07:09] Finally, in verse 14, reading from the New Living Translation, the prophet says, who knows?
[00:07:18] Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse
[00:07:23] Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before
[00:07:29] This is an encouragement of God's sovereignty and power
[00:07:33] Joel was not given the message that God would make a change in their impending situation, but he assures them if they repent, he is certainly able to
[00:07:44] Brothers and sisters, I leave you today with an admonition
[00:07:48] Whatever that thing is for you, it is not worth what you lose for not being in right relationship with God
[00:07:56] It may be painful and you may require professional help to accomplish it, but the benefits far outweigh the endurance it takes to truly repent
[00:08:06] I thank you for spending time with me on today and I look forward to our discussion on tomorrow
[00:08:12] Until then, God bless
[00:08:21] This program is cared for by listeners who care
[00:08:28] Your prayers and financial investment in this ministry helps to keep the good news on the air
[00:08:34] We look forward to hearing from you and invite you to write us at Harvest International
[00:08:39] Post Office Box 6690 Ocala, Florida 34478
[00:08:45] Again, that's Harvest International Post Office Box 6690 Ocala, Florida 34478