Repentance
There were another two shootings last night in Kalamazoo (one near campus, one off of Duke in the south part of the city). I hear the Lord saying that repentance is what cancels the assignment of the enemy and advances the purpose of God by angelic releases that bring understanding.
The problem of our hour is a defiant attitude toward God...expecting Him to change the situation without a willingness to humble ourselves and change our hearts.
Repentance always starts with those who seem the least needing repentance... This is what a leader does... Leads the way by action, not just words, into the response God is looking for.
Cloaking defiance in praying...claiming all the promises of God without yielding to the warnings...giving in to the necessary heart change... Is still defiance. It doesn't address the issue, which is rebellion to Jesus' leadership. Jesus is returning. He is going to make His people ready for that reality.
The Biblical pattern is not to cry out "we win"... The Biblical pattern... The one that works, cries out " God forgive us for our rebellion". This is the response angels get sent to. There is a massive difference between these two, and both are offered in the name of God. One is shown in the Bible to be acceptable to the Lord.
Daniel 9:16“O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us.
17“Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate.
18“O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
19“O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
20Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God,
21yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.
22And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand.
Genesis 4:2Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.
4Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,
5but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
7“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
I repent, Lord. Please forgive us for our idolatry, for making life mostly about us, and mostly not about your return. Forgive us for participating in a false value system that empties the soul and leaves the heart unsatisfied... Trading things for real substance of heaven. Help me to give over my whole life... My dreams and desires to the return of Jesus. Spare my family, my church, and my city....the guilty and the innocent. Give us time and hearts to repent, Lord.
The problem of our hour is a defiant attitude toward God...expecting Him to change the situation without a willingness to humble ourselves and change our hearts.
Repentance always starts with those who seem the least needing repentance... This is what a leader does... Leads the way by action, not just words, into the response God is looking for.
Cloaking defiance in praying...claiming all the promises of God without yielding to the warnings...giving in to the necessary heart change... Is still defiance. It doesn't address the issue, which is rebellion to Jesus' leadership. Jesus is returning. He is going to make His people ready for that reality.
The Biblical pattern is not to cry out "we win"... The Biblical pattern... The one that works, cries out " God forgive us for our rebellion". This is the response angels get sent to. There is a massive difference between these two, and both are offered in the name of God. One is shown in the Bible to be acceptable to the Lord.
Daniel 9:16“O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us.
17“Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate.
18“O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
19“O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
20Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God,
21yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.
22And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand.
Genesis 4:2Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.
4Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,
5but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
7“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
I repent, Lord. Please forgive us for our idolatry, for making life mostly about us, and mostly not about your return. Forgive us for participating in a false value system that empties the soul and leaves the heart unsatisfied... Trading things for real substance of heaven. Help me to give over my whole life... My dreams and desires to the return of Jesus. Spare my family, my church, and my city....the guilty and the innocent. Give us time and hearts to repent, Lord.
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