“…if you seek the LORD your God, you will FIND HIM if you seek Him with ALL YOUR HEART and with ALL YOUR SOUL. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then IN THE LAST DAYS YOU will RETURN to the LORD your God and OBEY Him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; He will not ABANDON OR DESTROY YOU or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which He confirmed to them by oath.” (Deut. 4:29-31)
Our God is a God of intimacy, Jesus taught us that the greatest commandment is, “‘LOVE (agapaō: to love unconditionally and sacrificially as God Himself loves) the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind.’ This is the first and GREATEST commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)
In the last days we will, “…repent of our sins and turn to God, so that our sins may be wiped away.” (Acts 3:19) We will do this because, “…godly sorrow produces REPENTANCE (metanoia: to change one’s mind) leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corin. 7:10) God reveals to us the consequences of living in sin so we CHANGE OUR MINDS and ask for forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to FORGIVE US our sins and to CLEANSE US from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
As a result we give, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been BORN AGAIN, (“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corin. 5:17)) because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with GREAT EXPECTATION, and we have a PRICELESS INHERITANCE (“as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17))—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” (1 Peter 1:3-4)
Your Personal Pastor –Bill Stockham