ASSIGNMENTS

1. Once a day read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Keep the scripture where you will see it often each day.

3. Find a scripture each day that tells of someone who repented and study the events to learn what true repentance is.

4. Write about a struggle you had with a sin that was difficult for you to repent of, or something that you need to repent of and overcome.

5. Plan to tell the class about your experiences with repentance.

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DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS

MONDAY - VERSES: Joel 2:12-13	PRAYER THOUGHT: Holy God, Help me to recognize how offensive my sins are to you and help me to feel the same disgust with them that you do.

TUESDAY - VERSES: Hebrews 12:15-17; Genesis 25:30-34; 27:33-34 PRAYER THOUGHT: Master, help me to realize that if I don't turn from my sin now, I may not be able to later.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 PRAYER THOUGHT: Father, help me to come to you humbly with a tender heart full of godly sorrow over my sin.

THURSDAY - VERSES: Luke 15:7,10	PRAYER THOUGHT: Creator, help me to remember that I was created pure and that you will rejoice when I turn back from sin to righteousness.

FRIDAY - VERSES: Luke 3:8; 13:3,5	PRAYER THOUGHT: Eternal Lawgiver, help me to tell others that we will all face judgment if we do not repent.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Acts 26:20; 2 Peter 3:9	PRAYER THOUGHT: Great Judge, help me to remember that you want everyone to repent so they can spend eternity with you.

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You may be a preacher if while shaving, you've pointed at yourself in the mirror and shouted, "REPENT!" just to see what you look like doing it.

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Marshall Keeble explained repentance by telling of a dog that was trying to bite his leg. He had a cane and hit the dog on the head with it. He said that after he did that, it repented.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 98

REPENTANCE - 5-29-14 TO 6-5-14

SCRIPTURE - Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

COMMENT – God has never been pleased by empty shows of religious piety no matter how extreme they may have seemed to those who watched or how sincere those around may have believed them to be. God wants only pure and undefiled devotion and obedience that comes from the heart. We often say when someone is just going through the motions that their heart isn't in it. There are many who have religious lives that are just like that and they can do all the right things and say all the right things, but their heart just isn't in it.

SONG - LORD, I'M COMING HOME

1) I've wandered far away from God, Now I'm coming home; The paths of sin too long I've trod, Lord, I'm coming home.

CHORUS: Coming home, Coming home, Nevermore to roam; Open wide Thine arms of love, Lord, I'm coming home.

2) I've wasted many precious years, Now I'm coming home; I now repent with bitter tears, Lord, I'm coming home.

3) I'm tired of sin and straying, Lord, Now I'm coming home; I'll trust Thy love, believe Thy Word, Lord, I'm coming home.

4) My soul is sick, my heart is sore, Now I'm coming home; My strength renew, my hope restore, Lord, I'm coming home.

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THOUGHTS

I've known preachers who have coached their brethren into confessing that they have done "wrong" even when they claim to have done no wrong. A preaching brother told me a few years ago that he, himself, has confessed and asked forgiveness for doing many wrong things over the years, for the sake of peace and being conciliatory, when he believed that he'd done nothing wrong. He seemed to suggest that we should all try to express more such "humility" before the brethren. It just looked exactly like lying to me.

A few years ago I confronted another brother with some lies that he'd been caught in and I reminded him that he had done the same thing a few years before. He said, "You can't bring that up! Number one, I repented of it! Number two, I never DID it!" It would be funny if not so tragic. Take care and best wishes. - Tim Nichols

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"It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord...." --Abraham Lincoln, 1863

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PREPARE FOR JESUS, PART 2

BY MARK McWHORTER

In ancient times, it was not unusual for a king when he traveled to send servants ahead of them. These servants were to work on the road which the king would be traveling on. They were to level it out and remove any rocks which were on the road. This would make it much easier for the king to travel and reach his destination quicker. It would also possibly prevent any harm from coming to the king.

In Mark 1:3, we read, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." The word 'prepare' in the verse is the word the Greeks used for the preparation of the road for the kings.

John the Baptist was preaching to the Jews that they should prepare the way for Jesus. But John was not telling the Jews to work on the roads. John was telling them to work on their minds. John preached repentance. John was inspired by God to tell the Jews that they needed to make their minds level. They needed to get all of the bad thoughts out of their minds. They were to get all of the "rocks" out of their minds. They were to get rid of their sins. By doing all of this, they would be preparing their minds to accept what Jesus would tell them when he came.

Some Jews did what John preached to them. And those Jews accepted Christ when he came. But the majority of the Jews did not prepare their minds. They left their minds unlevel and with rocks. Thus, they did not accept Jesus. And they ended up crucifying Jesus.

Make sure you prepare your mind to accept Jesus. Read your Bible. Learn what you must do to obey God.

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Repentance means stopping the sin, not excusing in, not hiding it, not ignoring it, not doing it less. Consider the story of a man who was stopped by the police for running a stop sign. He said he had slowed way down. The policeman pulled him out of the car and began to beat him. The man began screaming, "Stop! Stop!" The officer replied, "Do you want me to stop or just slow down?" When God points sin out and says, "Repent!" He does not mean slow down, He means stop. When we stop the sin there is also something good that we need to start.

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THE HEART OF THE MATTER

INTRODUCTION - ACTS 17:30; 3:19

I. TRUE REPENTANCE IS NOT. . .

A. SAYING "_______ ________________"

B. BEING SORRY YOU GOT _______________

C. BEING ___________ YOU DID IT

D. ______________ YOU HADN'T DONE IT

E. ___________ ABOUT IT

F. TELLING ________ SIN YOU COMMITTED

G. ASKING GOD OR OTHERS TO _______________ YOU

H. RESPONDING TO THE __________________

I. ________________ NOT TO DO IT AGAIN

J. DOING _______ THINGS TO OUTWEIGH THE _______

K. CHANGING ________ BEHAVIOR BECAUSE . . .

L. TEARING YOUR ____________, _____________, SITTING IN SACK CLOTH AND ____________, ETC.

II. TRUE REPENTANCE IS . . .

A. A CHANGE OF ___________ / ____________________

B. A DESIRE TO TURN AWAY FROM _____ AND

_______, AND TOWARD _____ AND ____________ TO HIM

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

INTRODUCTION:

A. ACTS 17:30

B. REPENTANCE IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR SALVATION, YET WE OFTEN DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS.

I. TRUE REPENTANCE IS NOT. . .

A. SAYING "I'M SORRY"

B. BEING SORRY YOU GOT CAUGHT

C. BEING SORRY YOU DID IT

D. WISHING YOU HADN'T DONE IT

E. CRYING ABOUT IT

F. TELLING WHAT SIN YOU COMMITTED

G. ASKING GOD OR OTHERS TO FORGIVE YOU

H. RESPONDING TO THE INVITATION

I. PROMISING NOT TO DO IT AGAIN

J. DOING GOOD THINGS TO OUTWEIGH THE BAD

K. CHANGING SINFUL BEHAVIOR BECAUSE . . .

1. THE DOCTOR SAID

2. YOU WANT TO PLEASE SOMEONE

3. YOU GOT CAUGHT

4. YOU CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE

a. TOO EXPENSIVE

b. PHYSICALLY TOO DEMANDING

L. TEARING YOUR CLOTHES, FASTING, SITTING IN SACK CLOTH AND ASHES, ETC.

II. TRUE REPENTANCE IS . . .

A. A CHANGE OF HEART / ATTITUDE

B. A DESIRE TO TURN AWAY FROM SIN AND EVIL, AND TOWARD GOD AND OBEDIENCE TO HIM

CONCLUSION

Joel 2:12-13) Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: {13} And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

(Hebrews 12:15-17) Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; {16} Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. {17} For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

(Luke 15:7) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

(Luke 3:8) Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

(Acts 26:20) But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

(Acts 3:19) Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

(2 Corinthians 7:10-11) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. {11} For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

(2 Peter 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

(Genesis 25:30-34) And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. {31} And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. {32} And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? {33} And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. {34} Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

(Genesis 27:33-34) And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. {34} And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

Luke 24:46-47 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: [47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and

be converted, that your

sins may be blotted out,

when the times of

refreshing shall come from

the presence of the Lord;