2 Corinthians 7:9-10:
Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
The other day my wife and I were watching Dr. Jeremiah on a Christian station. He was talking about Hebrews and Christ being our High Priest. Towards the end of his sermon he made a comment that really rang true with me because I have been screaming and yelling about this for years.
Here's what he said and I paraphrase:
In my ministry I do something that isn't very common anymore and I'll continue to do this until I die...when we call people to repentance we ask them to get up out of their seats and come forward and be counted. After all, if people can't take a stand for Christ who died for them among friends what chance do they stand among those they do not know?
I looked at my wife and I said very passionately, YES! God bless Dr. David Jeremiah at Turning Point Ministries for doing what the Bible asks us to do. Now you may be asking, so Stef, what does this have to do with 2 Corinthians 7 anyway?
In our churches today there is a trend, I speak from being an observer of church life for over 37 years, to make things easy for people today. We ask folks to bow their heads and close their eyes and in the darkness of their minds try with all their might to raise a hand, as though we are putting a huge demand on them at the raising of ones hand. Furthermore, we do all we can from our pulpits to be politically correct. After all we don't want to make anyone angry or we don't want to hurt their feelings and damage their self-esteem by exposing the sin in their lives, do we?
When I was eighteen and I accepted the Lord in a parking lot of a grocery store, the Holy Spirit asked me to start going to church to learn from others He wanted in my life to influence me in the ways of the Lord. I read the New Testament through and through in months because as a Jew, I was so excited, that the Messiah I was taught about as a child had not come, did in fact come to earth and did something so special for all of us who believe that I couldn't learn about Yeshua fast enough. Yeshua became my new Superman Hero at eighteen. I was besides myself with discovering the truth! When the Holy Spirit told me to make a list of everyone I had offended or stole something from or hurt, I didn't think He was being hard on me, I welcomed the opportunity to finally deal with the offenses I caused and allow God to show me how to make them right. I was experiencing "Godly Sorrow" that led me to repentance in a really big way. Was I scarred? Yes. Was I nervous? Yes. Did I wonder how it would all turn out? Yes. But, I just met my Messiah and nothing and I mean nothing was going to stop me from doing what His Word said I should do no matter how uncomfortable I felt. I obeyed the Lord and made a legal size two page list that took me two days to go through. I went and saw everyone I could eyeball to eyeball to make confession to them and if I could not see them I called. To my utter amazement, after I told them I had a life-changing experience, I had found my Messiah, Jesus Christ and He asked me to get a hold of you to discuss something with you, they all responded with this statement, "Stephan, we wish you well in your journey, what you did took a huge amount of courage and we forgive you!" I must say this here, I have shared this very personal story not to bring attention to myself or to brag about how terriffic I am for being willing to go through this. Believe me when I say, it was the Holy Spirit's heavy hand that was on me that led me to do this. I give God Almighty all credit and glory that He moved on my young heart the way He did.
Not watering down the Bible and allowing God to speak to our hearts as outlined in scripture is the way to preach. Their is a "sorrow" that leads to life. I know it led me to a new life in Christ and going to those people to make face to face confession was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do. In retrospect, I wouldn't change a thing and I'd do it again if the Lord asked me to. That experience taught me to be careful what I say, how I act and how I treat people.
As I write this and I relive the experience I have chills running down my spine because of the truth that is contained within this report. The easy path is not the path God asks us to walk. The narrow path is the right path that leads to life!
Have you experienced first hand Godly Sorrow that leads to repentance? If not, you may not know Yeshua, Jesus Christ.
If you're not sure where you stand with Him, call on Him right now and be willing to walk down the narrow road of Godly Sorrow that surely will lead you to repentance and to eternal life.
Until next time God willing...
Keep looking up because Messiah's return is at the door!
'But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman's hand.' Ezekiel 33:6
Peace and Love in Jesus The Messiah,
Shalom v'ahava b'Yeshua Ha'Mashiach
שלום ואהבה בישוע המשיח
Bro Stef
Watchman & Publisher
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ~1Thessalonians 5:1-6
Recent Comments