Repentance and a Renewed Hope

Repentance and a Renewed Hope

Repentance and a Renewed Hope

May God give us hope in this darkening hour. Read and savor each verse below and allow His Spirit to invigorate our hearts afresh.

“For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples. But Jehovah shall rise on you, and His glory shall be seen on you.”
Isaiah 60:2

“And nations shall walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawning.”
Isaiah 60:3

“Lift up your eyes all around and see; they are all assembling; they are coming to you. Your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be supported on the side.”
Isaiah 60:4

May we lift our eyes to see that the “fields are white unto harvest”. The world will know that we are His disciples because of the purity of the love that has bound us together IN HIM.

“Then you shall fear and be bright, and your heart shall dread and swell. For the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you; the wealth of nations shall come to you.”
Isaiah 60:5

It is the fear of the Lord in our midst that causes us to be “bright”. Our hearts will be enlarged because of the abundance of His mercy.

Therefore:

Sanctify Yourselves!

“Sanctify yourselves,
for tomorrow Jehovah
will do wonders among you.”
Joshua 3:5 (ESV)

The Call to sanctification always precedes His Wonders in our midst.

The Call to Separation

“Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the LORD.”
Isaiah 52:11

There is a Call going out at this late hour; a call to purity, a call to separation, and a call to serve the Lord alone. The ways of the world have infiltrated His priesthood. That which is to be a heavenly Body has become a worldly corporation. The call to holiness and sanctification has become a message of belief rather than a plea for righteousness and obedience.

Whenever the priesthood becomes worldly the hearts of His people become cold and indifferent. Doctrine and teaching replace the fire and passion of the Holy Spirit, and they find comfort in doctrinal correctness rather than the pulse of His power within.

“Let us lift up our heart with our hands
unto God in the heavens…”
Lamentations 3:41

It is when the works and worship of His people come from their hearts that they bring joy and honor to Him. Too often, over time, our devotion to Him becomes mechanical and routine.

“He who kills an ox is as if he struck a man; he who sacrifices a lamb is as if he broke a dog’s neck; he who offers a present is as if it were swine’s blood; he making mention of incense is as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their way, and their soul delights in their abominations.”
Isaiah 66:3

In Israel’s sad history, the inspired keeping of the feasts and offerings became a means of pride and arrogance. So today, our offerings to Him, if not arising from pure hearts, become offensive and worthy of judgment. In recognition of our need for HIM, we can respond to the Call of Him to be a separated people.

When the heart is set on choosing its own way and refuses the council and the admonitions of His Word, the offerings of our lips, our confessions, can be offensive to Him. The Lord ever seeks the hearts and affections of His people, not an outward piety that denies His power. We must allow His Word to affect our conduct and begin to walk rightly before Him in humility and fear. True sanctification of the Spirit requires obedience.

“having the appearance of godliness,
but denying its power. Avoid such people”
(“from such turn away” KJV)
2 Timothy 3:5

What are some of the characteristics of these people?

“always learning and never able to arrive
at a knowledge of the truth…”
2 Timothy 3:7

Many love to talk about scriptures, they appear knowledgeable but purposely deny the power to become sanctified by not submitting to the truth. They walk in pride, considering themselves “spiritual” as they feast with His own, unperturbed by the indifference within. They serve God in the spirit of Cain (jealously), succumb to the covetousness of Balaam, and refuse correction in the pride of Korah’s rebellious ways.

“Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.”
Jude 1:11-13 (ESV) (this is the correct translation from the Greek)

There is a separation coming to HIS church, a word of repentance, a renewed sense of His Glory that will usher in a new obedience unto HIM. In His presence unforgiveness and pride are purged, and the true people of God will flow in harmony. The fire of His purifying love will fuse them into the Unity of His Spirit. There will no longer be any tolerance for the schisms, the sects and sectarianism by those who are alive unto Him.

Turn Us

In Christ, we have been sanctified unto the Father, but it is in our response to Him that we Sanctify ourselves unto Him!

“But sanctify the Lord God
in your hearts…”
1 Peter 3:15

“He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches…”
Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22

Related Post: Repentance the Path to Glory

Brian Troxel