Disciplines 3 and 4

 1. After receiving God’s love and worship comes repentance/con – fession  2. Worship makes a statement about who God is and repentance makes a statement about who we are

 1. The Bible and Jesus make repentance central  2. After John the Baptist’s call to repent (Matt. 3:2; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3)  Jesus centered his preaching on a similar call: Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 5:332

 1. The 12 disciples were to preach the same thing (Mark 6:12) as was the early church (Acts 3:  2. Acts 17:30 states that God “commands all people everywhere to repent.”

 1. O.T. term means to “turn” or “return”  2. N.T. term means to “change the mind”  3.Word thus means a shift of basic orientation—a new viewpoint or perspective

 1. Major difference between Sin and  sins 2. “Sin” refers to a basic separation from God and the underlying broken relationship 3. “sins” refers to specific problems, usually behavioral, such as lying, cheating etc. Illustration

 4. If Sin is dealt with sins will naturally be dealt with as well  5. Confession goes with repentance—If one recognizes their orientation is wrong (repentance) it is tacit admission (confession) that the old way was faulty

 1. Deep true repentance is not easy— demands honesty with God, self, others  2. Many err by focusing repentance of small things when major problems are ignored  3. Many avoid repentance by pretense, denial, or excusing

 1. Few believers understand the power of true repentance and confession— brings freedom, peace, relief as we can truly receive forgiveness  2. Frank Warren and “post secret”— over 600,000 responses  3. James Pennebaker and “Opening Up”

 1. We need to be involved—I believe daily  2. This must first of all be to God but with care to others and ourselves as well. See James 5:16  3. This will have powerful spiritual, emotional and physical results

 1. Following repentance and confession we are ready to seek God’s guidance for our lives.  2. This is a key in prayer and a vital part of the interactive relationship between humans and God

 1. In the Old Testament was a regular thing—Ex. 29:43-46; Ps In the New Testament is a key work of the Holy Spirit—John 14:26 and 16:13, 14 as well as many examples in Acts 3. God is available to guide even those outside His fold—John 10:14-16

“All who are under the training of God need the quiet hour for communion with their own hearts, with nature, and with God. In them is to be revealed a life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practices; and they need to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness wait before Him the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us ‘ Be still, and know that I am God’, Ps, 46:10. This is the effectual preparation for all labor for God.” MH p. 58

 1. Experiences with abuse and misuse  2. Questions based on world view  3. Lack of believable models  4. Fear of deception and demonic  This neglect causes us to miss many blessings

 1. Scripture—more than a cognitive reading Nature and quietness Our history Counsel of Godly people Still small voice 6. Writing/journaling can be a help

 1. By Bible. No experience above the Word  2. Wise counselors  3. Reason  4. Previous leading  5. State of mind at time

 1. Almost never, especially at the beginning, are messages given for other people.  2. Crucial messages are often repeated. Notice the example of Samuel  3. The language of heaven must be learned like any other language to understand properly

 1. I believe we should seek God’s guidance daily  2. The experience of communion and purpose that come from a sense of God’s direction is wonderfully fulfilling, life changing and healing