Fellow believers,

[IKTCA]

I have visited several Christian internet forums but nowhere I find one like Deeper Fellowship. I like our fellowship so much that I even applied for Moderator, not to strike down posts but to facilitate our worship through godly fellowship. I will report back to you one way or another.

I have something that has been in my heart for a while. Jesus started his work by preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." We all became believers through repentance. No one can call Jesus the Lord without repentance.

Since we obeyed the command, "Repent," when we became believers, has this word of Jesus been used up? Or, does this word ever stand before us? What are your thoughts?

 

[LegomasterJC]

We must continue to change our ways from the old way of living to the New way, following Christ, being led by the Holy Spirit and Praising God.

 

[Macca]

"Anyone who says he has no sin in him is a liar" 1 John.
Reoentance is a continual thing as long as we live.
Macca.

 

[angelwind]

I wish I heard more preching about repentance...seems even the evangelists do not say:

"Repent" for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

[angelwind]

Dear iktca...we would be greatly blessed if you served here. I love this forum too. It is what drew me to CF.

I have visited several Christian internet forums but nowhere I find one like Deeper Fellowship. I like our fellowship so much that I even applied for Moderator, not to strike down posts but to facilitate our worship through godly fellowship. I will report back to you one way or another.

 

[nhzname]

I don't hear alot of preaching on repentance, but I know that in my personal relationship with the Lord, His Holy Spirit continues to convict me of my sin, and in repentance I come before the Lord seeking His forgiveness. As long is His Spirit is at work in us, I don't think the word can ever be used up. Praise His name!

 

[Evie]

I have visited several Christian internet forums but nowhere I find one like Deeper Fellowship. I like our fellowship so much that I even applied for Moderator, not to strike down posts but to facilitate our worship through godly fellowship. I will report back to you one way or another.

I have something that has been in my heart for a while. Jesus started his work by preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." We all became believers through repentance. No one can call Jesus the Lord without repentance.

Since we obeyed the command, "Repent," when we became believers, has this word of Jesus been used up? Or, does this word ever stand before us? What are your thoughts?

yeah,we can't grow in Christ without repentace. We need to ask for forgiveness everday. I have always thanked Him for His fresh mercies everyday!!!

 

[IKTCA]

Thank you friends for your thoughts. I also believe that repentance is a continual process. You all confirmed it for me.

I do not lie or cheat any person or government. I have no resentment against anyone. Harbored resentment causes such a great pain in me that I have to bring it up before the Lord and seek forgiveness until peace returns. I do not watch pornography. Road rage has become old days. I give to the poor. I read the bible and pray everyday.

When I was just found, I had much to repent. As the Lord continues to cleanse me with his words, I seem to have less and less to repent. But in the bible I read promises that tell me that I am not THERE yet.

I know the Lord wants me to be pure and I am not. In the old days, such knowledge would make me restless. But I am not that restless.

Overall I seem to have settled in the mindset that I am an okay Christian. Even the word, "Repent," which I so affectionately held on in the early days seems to be loosed on me.

I am not talking about false guilty feeling. I want to have a genuine resolve in me to be pure and obedient. Why is there no resolve in me to reach THERE? As I repented on lies and anger when I was just found, must I not repent with the same conviction for not being pure? Why am I feeling as if the Lord's words were becoming loose on me? Any thoughts? I ask you to pray for me. Thank you.

 

[angelwind]

"MY thoughts"...I think when we are focused on "purity"..."holiness"...we are actually not looking at the Lord. Try seeking "HIM"...seeking His face. I have found this focus to be very fruitful for every area of growth.

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of those who SEEK HIM, WHO SEEK THY FACE--even Jacob.

Psalm 24:3-6

 

[Pilgrim1951]

I want to have a genuine resolve in me to be pure and obedient. Why is there no resolve in me to reach THERE? As I repented on lies and anger when I was just found, must I not repent with the same conviction for not being pure? Why am I feeling as if the Lord's words were becoming loose on me? Any thoughts? I ask you to pray for me. Thank you.

Iktca, you cannot create conviction or repentance in yourself. Just as Angelwind said, just seek Him, seek His face. All we have to do is give ourselves to the Lord, continuously, and He will do whatever work He desires to do in us. Your heart's desire seems to be for God. He will show you where He wants you to go spiritually. Don't let the enemy take from you what God has given. Stop striving to create anything in yourself -just keep seeking His face, and trust Him to "...make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight..."

 

[IKTCA]

It is so good to know that I have genuinely concerned fellow believers in Deeper Fellowship. Will they not also pray for me? I will do as you brothers and sisters suggested and will seek the face of the Lord.

By the way, seeking holiness and purity is in obedience to the word of God, "Be holy," and "Blessed are the pure in heart." It is my duty to keep these words.

I cannot fake up repentance. When the Holy Spirit comes, he will give me genuine repentance. My lamentation is that my brothers in my church and I are settled in the I-am-an-okay-Christian mentality and do not seek the depth of the Truth.

Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,
from there I will search out and take them;

and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea,
there I will command the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them.

And though they go into captivity in front of their enemies,
there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them. (Amos 8:3-4)

When we read these words of God, my brothers and I must fall on our knees and confess, "Father, we are so wicked and deserve to be bitten by the sea-serpent and killed by your sword." But we don't. We just don't feel any. Did God threat in vain? No, he himself said he did not threat in vain.

These are the things that sadden my heart. God's words of wrath are in the bible but we read them as if the words had nothing to do with us. Our hearts truly became like a stone. That is my lamentation. Please pray for me and the brothers of my church. Thank you.

 

[whatseekye]

A lot of people "preach" against repentance in the sense of questioning its necessity or goodness. I have found that when I bring up the subject, a common reaction is for people to argue against the notion by bringing up grace right away or some other argument. So repentance is seen by some as something that is a sticky subject. Perhaps it's because many people came to Christ without a dramatic conversion experience or they were raised as Christians and never felt they struggled or had a showdown with the Lord. Maybe some people haven't experienced victory over sin or they feel they are not growing spiritually, and that concerns them, maybe even leading to doubts about their spirituality.

But you are right that Jesus started his ministry by preaching repentance, and later on the apostles (Peter? and others?) said "REPENT and believe". I think it's good to remember that the word repentance is metanoia which means a change of mind. So one of the first things you do is repent of your unbelief in Jesus Christ, and so your mind changes and you believe in him. Another thing that happens is that you hate sin, whereas you used to love sin. That's a radical change. If a sincere Christian continues to sin, it's more subtle than "gee I love to sin" since often it's not blatant sin that a person struggles with. Although I have to admit that there are even sometimes Christian brothers and sisters who are still doing the biggie sins. We exist in a broken world and the flesh is always a struggle for us. But we shouldn't fear sanctification even if it is painful at times.

For example, I have actually heard one of my Christian sisters (local) tell me that she thinks that I shouldn't pray too boldly for people because maybe they can't handle being convicted. I would never even think such a thing! I trust God to always do what is good and He knows how to work in a person's life. Yet, for some reason praying for others does seem to help so I keep praying for all my Christian brothers and sisters who have problems that seem to keep afflicting them for years. We all need to keep growing, and repentance, (I have heard), brings revival. Remember, in your church, even if you are just one person who is puruing holiness, that means that you are one person who can sincerely and unrestrainedly pray for others and can encourage others by loving them and being a good example. If you are sincere you won't be self-righteous. Pride is the worst sin of all.

 

[whatseekye]

It is so good to know that I have genuinely concerned fellow believers in Deeper Fellowship. Will they not also pray for me? I will do as you brothers and sisters suggested and will seek the face of the Lord.

By the way, seeking holiness and purity is in obedience to the word of God, "Be holy," and "Blessed are the pure in heart." It is my duty to keep these words.

I cannot fake up repentance. When the Holy Spirit comes, he will give me genuine repentance. My lamentation is that my brothers in my church and I are settled in the I-am-an-okay-Christian mentality and do not seek the depth of the Truth.

Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,
from there I will search out and take them;

and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea,
there I will command the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them.

And though they go into captivity in front of their enemies,
there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them. (Amos 8:3-4)

When we read these words of God, my brothers and I must fall on our knees and confess, "Father, we are so wicked and deserve to be bitten by the sea-serpent and killed by your sword." But we don't. We just don't feel any. Did God threat in vain? No, he himself said he did not threat in vain.

These are the things that sadden my heart. God's words of wrath are in the bible but we read them as if the words had nothing to do with us. Our hearts truly became like a stone. That is my lamentation. Please pray for me and the brothers of my church. Thank you.

Amen brother. I will pray for you! Pray for me. I will also remember to pray for your brothers and sisters at church.

The verses that spring to my mind are "fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" and "work out your salvation in fear and trembling". May all of God's people learn to walk in ways that please Him so that they may go on to help others learn to walk straight paths that also please Him!

"In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
-- Hebrews 5:12-14

An interesting study is to search for the word "milk" in the NT, and to read about all the concern that Paul and other apostles had for their brothers and sisters to grow up in the Lord and to know the whole counsel of God. 1 Cor and Hebrews is good on this subject. Also James and 1 Peter.

 

[Greenthumb]

I have something that has been in my heart for a while. Jesus started his work by preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." We all became believers through repentance. No one can call Jesus the Lord without repentance.

Since we obeyed the command, "Repent," when we became believers, has this word of Jesus been used up? Or, does this word ever stand before us? What are your thoughts?

.

 

[IKTCA]

Sister G,

Deleting your post is of no use since I have already read it.
Thank you for the word from Revelation. I am going to bring it up at the proper time to our church. Since that word is from Jesus and the LAST book of the new testament, we will have no excuse such as "Ah, those words are for the Israelites of the old times. They don't apply to us."

I give thanks to the Lord for giving you the wisdom. I hope the same Lord who gave you the wisdom will give us a true repenting heart. Amen.

Brother Rupert

 

[Greenthumb]

Hi iktca (what does that stand for, anyway?),
Yes I was aware you had read it. I think I was in here when you were yesterday. Anyway. The reason I deleted it was because I was thinking and thinking about it and something else came to me only I couldn't get my mind around it. Still can't! I was trying to add something and got frustrated. (I think it was too late at night). It's interesting how somethings are so persistant. I think God plants something in our minds and then does not give us peace about it until we fully know what it is He is trying to say to us. Which is what I like about your posts. You are not afraid to question yourself and test yourself against what the Bible really says. Keep it up.
Greenthumb

 

[IKTCA]

Sister G,
I wait in anticipation to hear another word of wisdom from you soon. Thank you for the encouragement. I need lots of it. By the way, iktca stands for I Kneel To Christ Alone.

Sister W,
Having someone who prays for me is like having an army. How more can one do for another believer? I will also remember you in my prayers. And I have reflected on your posts. When our (me and my brothers) knowledge of God grows, we can read the words of God's wrath and repent. But we are still milk drinkers. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I learned much from your posts.

 

[Greenthumb]

The reason I deleted it was because I was thinking and thinking about it and something else came to me only I couldn't get my mind around it. Still can't! I was trying to add something and got frustrated. (I think it was too late at night). It's interesting how somethings are so persistant. I think God plants something in our minds and then does not give us peace about it until we fully know what it is He is trying to say to us.

I came to a conclusion this afternoon, that it wasn't that I was supposed to be adding or changing anything! Which was probably why I was so frustrated. What I was supposed to be doing was listening to what it said!! And acting on it. I sometimes wonder why it is so hard to see that God is meaning a verse for my own benefit and not someone else's. Not that it isn't good to share, but I need instruction just as much as the next person. And sometimes even more! Thank you brother Rupert for your understanding.
I thought of another meaning for iktca -- I Know That Christ Arose -- Amen!

 

[IKTCA]

I sometimes wonder why it is so hard to see that God is meaning a verse for my own benefit and not someone else's.

Since we know it, let us practise it. Let us warn each other when we stumble.

Sister G,
I have a lamentation on this subject. When a believer reads the bible for his own edification, the words will fulfill the purpose of the One who spoke them. Darkness in him will be exposed, God's forgiving grace will become his, and his heart will be filled with praise and thanksgiving. A message coming from his mouth will be a heartful plea and witnessing.

But if a believer reads the bible in order to prepare a message for others, he is at the risk of losing the grace. The words may pass by him, leaving no mark in his soul. I often hear sermons prepared this way. They are logical presentation of some godly subjects.

Not often I hear sermons coming from the depth of the preacher's heart, pleading to the congregation to seek the grace of the cross, begging them to learn the love of God by reading his words of love, often with tears and sighs, just as Paul' letters are.

"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD (Amos 8:11)

The days are here and now.

Sister G,
I am not writing this to blame preachers. What do I gain by judging other believers? I am writing this only to plead to you to pray for your preacher. I also ask you to remind me that I must do the same. Prepared or not, preachers stepped into this burden. Let us pray for them with brotherly compassion.

Brother Rupert

 

[angelwind]

Since we know it, let us practise it. Let us warn each other when we stumble.

Sister G,
I have a lamentation on this subject. When a believer reads the bible for his own edification, the words will fulfill the purpose of the One who spoke them. Darkness in him will be exposed, God's forgiving grace will become his, and his heart will be filled with praise and thanksgiving. A message coming from his mouth will be a heartful plea and witnessing.

But if a believer reads the bible in order to prepare a message for others, he is at the risk of losing the grace. The words may pass by him, leaving no mark in his soul. I often hear sermons prepared this way. They are logical presentation of some godly subjects.

Not often I hear sermons coming from the depth of the preacher's heart, pleading to the congregation to seek the grace of the cross, begging them to learn the love of God by reading his words of love, often with tears and sighs, just as Paul' letters are.

"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD (Amos 8:11)

The days are here and now.

Sister G,
I am not writing this to blame preachers. What do I gain by judging other believers? I am writing this only to plead to you to pray for your preacher. I also ask you to remind me that I must do the same. Prepared or not, preachers stepped into this burden. Let us pray for them with brotherly compassion.

Brother Rupert

This is certainly a meaty read dear brethren...thank You Lord for what is being shared here...by each one.