A call to repent and obey...

We don't use the word repent very often and I'm sure some people couldn't even tell us what it means. But recently I've been praying for many of my friends and about the need for repentance and then I had this devotional prayer in my inbox this morning.

Dear God, I am so concerned about some of my friends and family members who are living in sin. Even Christians can make wrong choices and fall into a life of sin. I pray right now, that the Holy Spirit would move in a mighty way to convict them of their sin and their need to repent. I pray that you would give them strength and direction to step up out of that pit and return to you as their first love. Please, for their soul and sake and your glory, move in these special situations. And for those who do not know you, please bring people and circumstances into their lives that your power may be shown and their eyes may be opened. Save their souls and change their lives. May all glory and honor be unto You, My Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, amen.

You see in the prayer where is said, please bring people and circumstances into their lives?... Maybe I'm that person, or maybe not, but just yesterday I was able to talk to a friend that is facing divorce and is living with another man and all she wants is "for it to be over"... Well forgive me if I sound harsh, but exactly how is this suppose to be over? When you have children involved, and parents, and the new family of blended children and exes and their extended family, and then you have the hurt that the soon to be ex-spouse is suffering, (even if it is mostly due to his own unrepentance) ... It will never be over...

Life is about choices and consequences... If we choose to obey the teaching of God that we get from His Holy Word, then our lives will be blessed through Obedience...

However, if we choose our own thoughts and ways and knowingly go against what God's Word says about something, then, I'm sorry, but you will have to suffer for those choices...

It's the law of reaping what you sow...

You may think that you are okay... Doing what you want to do, instead of what the Lord has laid out in His word of what is right and wrong... But are you truly blessed? Do you have peace? Are you safe and secure in knowing that the Lord is your guide?

Everyday I go to the Lord and ask Him to reveal to me the things that I am not doing right... I humble myself daily to keep from getting proud and arrogant and thinking "I know best"...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares
the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 58:8,9).

This scripture clearly tells us that our thoughts are not the same as God's thoughts... His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. So how can we know what God wants us to do?

If you have thoughts that are so foreign to anything you've ever thought and you are praying for a breakthrough in a certain area, then search out those thoughts, no matter how crazy they seem, and then turn to the scripture, which is God's love letters to us, and see if it will guide you to your decision...

However, if you are just flat out living in sin, then the first thing you need to do is repent, then turn, and obey the Lord...
First and foremost... God loves sinners....Never think for a minute that you aren't loved by God... Right where you are, doing what you're doing... He loves you!!!

God rewards obedience...
"Return to me and I'll return to you..." Zechariah 1:2...

I love you and hope this ministers to you today.
Lea Anne