“Repent…While There’s Still Time!”

Revelation 2:21, “I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality” (NLT)       

If there’s anything we ought to be thankful and grateful for, it’s the fact that when God tells you to repent, He gives you TIME and GRACE to do it! However, if you don’t, there is a price called ‘Consequences’ that you’ll have to pay. The word “Consequence” is defined as: “a result or effect.” Its Latin Origin “Consequentia”, from “Consequi” literally means “to follow closely.” In other words, you can make whatever choice you like, just remember that your choice is never alone, consequences are always in its company…following closely at that! 

Listen to the text: “I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality. “Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering…[she] will suffer greatly unless [she] repents and turns away from her evil deeds…” (Revelation 2:21-22 NLT). This Scripture is an arrow to the heart of that stubborn sin you want to keep holding on to. Remember: The Scripture says, “I gave her time to repent, BUT SHE DOES NOT WANT TO TURN AWAY…” In other words, she has a way of escape provided for her, and yet she deliberately refuses to take it!  

1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].” (AMP) God’s Responsibility is to Provide You With a Way of Escape; However, Your Responsibility is to Pray for the Discernment to See it and the Wisdom to Take it! 

Please keep in mind, Sin is Always a Choice, and like it or not, so are the Consequences! Because if you didn’t choose, you wouldn’t suffer the consequences of a choice you did not make! Which is why personal accountability and responsibility need to always be vital in the life and walk and decision making of every person! And even more dangerous, if you choose to continue in sin, you risk reaching a place where your ability to say “No” is so weakened, you become enslaved to what you’ve chosen, even when you’re full aware of the consequences!  

Romans 1:28-32, “Since they didn’t bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose. And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating. Look at them: mean-spirited, venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers. Bullies, swaggerers, insufferable windbags! They keep inventing new ways of wrecking lives. They ditch their parents when they get in the way. Stupid, slimy, cruel, cold-blooded. AND IT’S NOT AS IF THEY DON’T KNOW BETTER. THEY KNOW PERFECTLY WELL THEY’RE SPITTING IN GOD’S FACE. AND THEY DON’T CARE—WORSE, THEY HAND OUT PRIZES TO THOSE WHO DO THE WORST THINGS BEST!” (MSG) 

The Word of God still holds true: “Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.” (John 8:34 AMP). Note, as a believer, you are to master sin, not become a slave of sin! Genesis 4:7, “If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], BUT YOU MUST MASTER IT.” (AMP). Which is why we should obey the admonishment of Romans 6:18, “And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose, and action).” (AMP). In other words, you will either be a slave to sin or a servant of righteousness, however, you cannot under any terms be both! So, in the words of Joshua, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.” (Joshua 24:15 AMPC).  

So, what will your CHOICE be today? Are you going to repent while you still have time? Or are you going to wait until the clock stops and so does your opportunity for redemption? 

Remember: As long as you prefer Dealing with your sins, you won’t seek Deliverance from them!  

Now, the Greek word for ‘Repentance’ is ‘Metanoia’; and it means ‘to change, to turn around and go the other way.’ Look at it like this: Can you imagine driving along a path and on both sides of the road you see sign after sign saying: “Cliff Ahead”; “Turn Around”; “Stop”; “Dead End”; “Keep Out”; “High Voltage”; “Danger Going Forward”; “Wrong Way”; “Flammable”; “Danger of Death”; “Warning”; “No Trespassing”; “High Risk”; “Caution”; “Toxic Hazard”; “Do Not Enter”; “Asbestos”; “Chemical Storage”; “Radioactive”; “Demolition in Progress”; “Fall Hazard”; “Keep Driving and You Will Die!”; “Countless Others Have Died On This Same Path!” Now, can you honestly tell me even if you’re in the car listening to your favorite songs, with your loved ones with you, driving down your favorite road, enjoying beautiful scenery and a beautiful day, that you would still keep driving, Even After Reading the Signs Posted On Your Path?! NO! So, Why Are You Continuing Down the Unrepentant Road You’re Traveling On? You Do Realize It Leads to Death Don’t You?! “There’s a way that looks harmless enough; look again – IT LEADS STRAIGHT TO HELL” (Proverbs 16:25 MSG). Still Want to Remain On This Journey? If Not, Repent While There’s Still Time, Change, Turn Around, And Go the Other Way! 

Psalm 119:9-16, “How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the MAP OF YOUR WORD. I’m single-minded in pursuit of You; DON’T LET ME MISS THE ROAD SIGNS YOU’VE POSTED. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in Your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from Your mouth; I delight far more in what You tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from You, I attentively watch how You’ve done it. I relish everything You’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.” (MSG). 

One counselor writes, “I kept trying NOT to commit a particular sin, praying about it over and over, only to do it again. Finally, I got mad at God and cried out, ‘Why don’t you help me with this?’ He answered, ‘Because you aren’t disgusted with it yet. You’re still enjoying it.’ I protested, ‘I do not. I hate it.’ God replied, ‘If you hated it enough you’d quit it.’ In that moment I realized that I enjoyed the rewards of sin more than the rewards of obedience. I also discovered something else; I couldn’t hate sin enough by the power of my own fleshly will, to come to true repentance. I stood helpless in corruption. Repentance is a gift of love which comes from God. And until that love is allowed to work in us, touching and exposing those carefully guarded areas, we cannot change.”  

Does that sound a little like your prayers? “Lord, stop me. I don’t want to do this anymore. I hate this. I want to change. Etc…” Well, if truth be told, unlike Moses, we don’t want to stop sinning because we are, “…enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.” (Hebrews 11:24-25 TLB). Now that Scripture in full declares, “It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the grandson of the king, but CHOSE to share ill-treatment with God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.” (TLB). Remember, Your Sin is Your Choice and Your Consequences Follow Closely Behind!  Moses had a choice to make and so do we! So, you have to stop with the, “Lord, if you want to help me You can take this away from me” prayers! And take more accountability and responsibility for the deliberate choices you’ve been making to “…enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” It’s time to stop attempting to justify sin, make excuses for it, reason about it, or label it with pretty unassuming names! Today Simply Repent While You Still Have Time, or Suffer Greatly Says the Word of God! And last I checked the Bible still states: “…So will the Words that come out of My mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them…” (Isaiah 55:11 MSG). We love to shout that God keeps His Word…well, make sure you keep that in mind while you’re “…enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.” Because if you refuse to repent while you still have time, this will be the Word that He keeps concerning you: “Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering…[she] will suffer greatly…” So, are you still shouting over the fact that He keeps His Word?! 

Furthermore, the Word of God declares: “The day of the Lord’s return will surprise us like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the heat will melt the whole universe. Then the earth and everything on it will be seen for what they are. Everything will be destroyed. So you should serve and honor God by the way you live” (2 Peter 3:10-11 CEV) The Message Bible, says it like this: “But when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief…Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life?” (MSG). And that word “Essential” is defined as “Absolutely Necessary.” Yes, it is Absolutely Necessary, for us to Repent While We Still Have Time and Live Holy Lives Because: “…the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.” (Matthew 24:36 MSG).              

Believe it or not, but we need to be constantly reminded of Christ’s return. Why? Because critics have denied, rationalized and cast doubt! In fact, the Bible warns “First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, they’ll mock, “So what’s happened to the promise of His Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing’s changed.” (2 Peter 3:4 MSG). And that’s exactly how the world is living, but worse than that, that’s how the CHURCH is living! And why is that so dangerous for us? Because the Bible declares: “That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless]” (Ephesians 5:27 AMP). Did you catch that? He’s coming back for us, the believer, the church. However, He’s not coming to take us back just any kind of way! We are to be “…WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE…” The New Life Version says it like this: “Christ did this so the church might stand before Him in shining-greatness. There is to be NO SIN OF ANY KIND IN IT. IT IS TO BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME.” (NLV). Be honest now, can the church today really say this is our testimony? And since we know the answer to that question is a resounding ‘NO’, don’t you think now is a really good time to repent and return, especially since we don’t even have the privilege of knowing God’s time-table?! 

With that said, let’s be mindful of a few Scriptures:

1 Peter 4:17-19, “IT’S JUDGMENT TIME FOR GOD’S OWN FAMILY. WE’RE FIRST IN LINE. If it starts with us, think what it’s going to be like for those who refuse God’s Message! If good people barely make it, What’s in store for the bad? So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust Him. He knows what He’s doing, and He’ll keep on doing it.” (MSG)

Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.” (AMP)

Hebrews 12:14, “Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.” (AMPC)

Luke 12:47, “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and yet did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will be beaten with many lashes [of the whip].” (AMP)

James 4:17, “So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.” (AMP)

Matthew 24:39-44, “The Son of Man’s Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field—one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill—one will be taken, one left behind. So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.” (MSG)

1 Peter 5:8-11, “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.” (MSG) 

Matthew 25:1-13, “God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep. “In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bride-groom’s here! Go out and greet him!’ “The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’ “They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’ “They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked. “Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’ “He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’ “So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.” (MSG)

Are you now beginning to see just how vitally important it is to restore your relationship with the Lord?! People of God, no matter how bad you’ve messed up, no matter how far you’ve fallen down, repent, and be restored, today, while you still have time! Remember: Even in an hourglass, it does finally reach a point where the last grain of sand falls, and there’s no more time left. Therefore, remember 2 Corinthians 6:2, “For He says, ‘At the acceptable time (the time of grace) I listened to you, and I helped you on the day of salvation.’ Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.” (AMP) Embrace this time of grace or miss the day of visitation! Luke 19:41-44, “When the city came into view, he wept over it. “If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! BUT NOW IT’S TOO LATE. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They’ll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. ALL THIS BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T RECOGNIZE AND WELCOME GOD’S PERSONAL VISIT.” (MSG) 

Listen: Despite what the naysayers and mockers would have you believe, Christ’s Coming is not Speculation! In Fact, the New Testament refers to it over 300 Times! I Guess That Makes it a Pretty Big Deal Don’t You Think?! Even Peter says, “The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost. The day of the Lord’s return will surprise us like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the heat will melt the whole universe. Then the earth and everything on it will be seen for what they are.  Everything will be destroyed. So you should serve and honor God by the way you live. You should look forward to the day when God judges everyone, and you should try to make it come soon. On that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and everything else will melt in the heat. But God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth, where justice will rule. We are really looking forward to that! My friends, while you are waiting, you should make certain that the Lord finds you pure, spotless, and living at peace.” (2 Peter 3:9-14 CEV). That’s our challenge today!

Then, Paul adds, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NLT).  

So, are you “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” (Titus 2:13 NAS)? Are you living as though it’s near, by staying grounded in the Word? Are you diligent at home and at work, grabbing every opportunity to sprinkle salt and shed light? (Matthew 5:13-16, “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” (MSG)? If you are being salt and light, don’t stop, if you aren’t, get started!  

One Christian leader issues this warning, “If you’re not ready to fly, get your ticket fast. As long as they’re available, they’re free. But don’t wait. About the time you make up your mind the whole thing could’ve happened, leaving you looking back instead of up. What good is a ticket if the event is over?”               

In a Nutshell: Repent…While There’s Still Time! 

Revelation 3:19, “Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will].” (AMP)

Acts 3:19, “So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];” (AMP) 

Acts 2:38, “And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (AMP) 

Matthew 3:8, “So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin];” (AMP) 

2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 

“Repent is perhaps the most hopeful and encouraging word in the Christian vocabulary.” (Jeffrey R. Holland) 

“Repentance may be old-fashioned, but it is not outdated so long as there is sin.” (J.C. Macaulay) 

“People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent.” (Bob Dylan) 

“Repentance is like antiseptic. You pour antiseptic onto a wound and, at first, it stings. Then it heals.” (Timothy Keller) 

“Repentance is real, and it works.” (Allen D. Haynie) 

“True repentance hates the sin, and not merely the penalty; and it hates the sin most of all because it has discovered and felt God’s love.” (W.M. Taylor) 

“There is no repentance in the grave.” (J.C. Ryle) 

“Genuine repentance must bear the seal of a corrected life.” (Lewis F. Korns) 

“There is no eraser for your mistakes, but there is repentance.” 

“Repentance is a process and not something that happens at one particular moment. It requires consistency.” (Francisco J. Vinas) 

“To repent of sin is as great a mark of grace as not to sin.” (Thomas Brooks) 

“No one can begin a new life, unless he repent of the old.” (Saint Augustine) 

“Regret is not a proactive feeling. It is situated in disappointment, sorrow, even remorse. It merely wishes things were different without an act to cause a difference. However, repentance is different. Repentance is an admission of, hatred of, and turning away from sin, before God.” (Monica Johnson) 

“Repentance is not only turning from sin but running to God for forgiveness.” (Tim Conway) 

“Sin and Hell are Married Unless Repentance Proclaims the Divorce.” (Charles H. Spurgeon) 

“Just as chalk can be removed from a blackboard, with sincere repentance the effects of our transgression can be erased through the atonement of Jesus Christ.” (Boyd K. Packer) 

“If it were not for repentance and forgiveness, I would become discouraged and discontinue my labors.” (J. Golden Kimball) 

“Repentance is a characteristic of the whole life, not the action of a single moment.” (Sinclair Ferguson) 

“Only through repentance and faith in Christ can anyone be saved. No religious activity will be sufficient, only true faith in Jesus Christ alone.” (Ravi Zacharias) 

“God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination.” (Augustine) 

“A Christian isn’t a man who never goes wrong, but a man who is enabled to repent.” (C.S. Lewis) 

“Sometimes the journey will seem long – after all, it is the journey toward eternal life. But it can be a joyous journey if we pursue it with faith in Jesus Christ and hope in His atonement. I testify that the moment we set foot on the path of repentance, we invite the Savior’s redeeming power into our lives.” (Stephen W. Owen) 

“Whatever the cost of repentance, it is swallowed up in the joy of forgiveness.” (D. Todd Christofferson) 

“Repentance is not a punishment, it is a privilege.” (M. Joseph Brough) 

“Repentance is the true turning of our life to God, a turning that arises from a pure and earnest fear of Him; and it consists in the mortification of the flesh and the renewing of the spirit.” (John Calvin)

“The sun may rise tomorrow, but you may not. Repent today.” 

“Repentance, as we know, is basically not moaning and remorse, but turning and change.” (J.I. Packer) 

“The important thing to remember is repentance is the prelude to revival. The Church must first repent.” (J. Edwin Orr) 

“There’s a difference between remorse and repentance. Remorse is being sorry for being caught. Repentance is being sorry enough to stop.” (Greg Laurie) 

“Satan does not want you to repent at all. But if he fails in his attempt, the next best plan is to delay your repentance. He tries to tell you that it will be easier later on. That’s a lie. The longer things go on, the harder it gets to repent. Don’t wait. Do it today!” 

“The depth of our repentance will determine the depth of our revival.” (Frank Bartleman)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #BeRestored
Feel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “How to Stop Wasting Time?”