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Fear not for I am with thee

And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come...
- Revelation 11:18

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. Psalm 27

blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. Psalm 41


Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. Psalm 37

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Isaiah 33

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior… Isaiah 43

the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: …Strengthen you the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you…in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water…And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness…the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isaiah 35

Work of Mothers

 

 

 

Work of Mothers   Devotion   9/21/2009   scott

 

[This chapter is based on Exodus 1 to 4.]

The people of Egypt, in order to supply themselves with food during the famine, had sold to the crown their cattle and lands, and had finally bound themselves to perpetual serfdom. Joseph wisely provided for their release; he permitted them to become royal tenants, holding their lands of the king, and paying an annual tribute of one fifth of the products of their labor.

But the children of Jacob were not under the necessity of making such conditions. On account of the service that Joseph had rendered the Egyptian nation, they were not only granted a part of the country as a home, but were exempted from taxation, and liberally supplied with food during the continuance of the famine. The king publicly acknowledged that it was through the merciful interposition of the God of Joseph that Egypt enjoyed plenty while other nations were perishing from famine. He saw, too, that Joseph's management had greatly enriched the kingdom, and his gratitude surrounded the family of Jacob with royal favor.

But as time rolled on, the great man to whom Egypt owed so much, and the generation blessed by his labors, passed to the grave. And "there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph." Not that he was ignorant of Joseph's services to the nation, but he wished to make no recognition of them, and, so far as possible, to bury them in oblivion. "And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land."

The Israelites had already become very numerous; they "were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed

Exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them." Under Joseph's fostering care, and the favor of the king who was then ruling, they had spread rapidly over the land. But they had kept themselves a distinct race, having nothing in common with the Egyptians in customs or religion; and their increasing numbers now excited the fears of the king and his people, lest in case of war they should join themselves with the enemies of Egypt. Yet policy forbade their banishment from the country. Many of them were able and understanding workmen, and they added greatly to the wealth of the nation; the king needed such laborers for the erection of his magnificent palaces and temples. Accordingly he ranked them with the Egyptians who had sold themselves with their possessions to the kingdom. Soon taskmasters were set over them, and their slavery became complete. "And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor." "But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew."

The king and his counselors had hoped to subdue the Israelites with hard labor, and thus decrease their numbers and crush out their independent spirit. Failing to accomplish their purpose, they proceeded to more cruel measures. Orders were issued to the women whose employment gave them opportunity for executing the command, to destroy the Hebrew male children at their birth. Satan was the mover in this matter. He knew that a deliverer was to be raised up among the Israelites; and by leading the king to destroy their children he hoped to defeat the divine purpose. But the women feared God, and dared not execute the cruel mandate. The Lord approved their course, and prospered them. The king, angry at the failure of his design, made the command more urgent and extensive. The whole nation was called upon to hunt out and slaughter his helpless victims. "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive."

While this decree was in full force a son was born to Amram and Jochebed, devout Israelites of the tribe of Levi. The babe was "a goodly child;" and the parents, believing that the time of Israel's release was drawing near, and that God would rise up a deliverer for His people, determined that their little one should not be sacrificed. Faith in God strengthened their hearts, "and they were not afraid of the king's commandment." Hebrews 11:23.

The mother succeeded in concealing the child for three months. Then, finding that she could no longer keep him safely, she prepared a little ark of rushes, making it watertight by means of slime and pitch; and laying the babe therein, she placed it among the flags at the river's brink. She dared not remain to guard it, lest the child's life and her own should be forfeited; but his sister, Miriam, lingered near, apparently indifferent, but anxiously watching to see what would become of her little brother. And there were other watchers. The mother's earnest prayers had committed her child to the care of God; and angels, unseen, hovered above his lowly resting place. Angels directed Pharaoh's daughter thither. Her curiosity was excited by the little basket, and as she looked upon the beautiful child within, she read the story at a glance. The tears of the babe awakened her compassion, and her sympathies went out to the unknown mother who had resorted to this means to preserve the life of her precious little one. She determined that he should be saved; she would adopt him as her own.

Miriam had been secretly noting every movement; perceiving that the child was tenderly regarded, she ventured nearer, and at last said, "Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?" And permission was given.

The sister hastened to her mother with the happy news, and without delay returned with her to the presence of Pharaoh's daughter. "Take this chid away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages," said the princess.

God had heard the mother's prayers; her faith had been rewarded. It was with deep gratitude that she entered upon her now safe and happy task. She faithfully improved her opportunity to educate her child for God. She felt confident that he had been preserved for some great work, and she knew that he must soon be given up to his royal mother, to be surrounded with influences that would tend to lead him away from God. All this rendered her more diligent and careful in his instruction than in that of her other children. She endeavored to imbue his mind with the fear of God and the love of truth and justice, and earnestly prayed that he might be preserved from every corrupting influence. She showed him the folly and sin of idolatry, and early taught him to bow down and pray to the living God, who alone could hear him and help him in every emergency. She kept the boy as long as she could, but was obliged to give him up when he was about twelve years old. From his humble cabin home he was taken to the royal palace, to the daughter of Pharaoh, "and he became her son." Yet even here he did not lose the impressions received in childhood. The lessons learned at his mother's side could not be forgotten. They were a shield from the pride, the infidelity, and the vice that flourished amid the splendor of the court.

How far-reaching in its results was the influence of that one Hebrew woman, and she an exile and a slave! The whole future life of Moses, the great mission which he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to the importance of the work of the Christian mother. There is no other work that can equal this. To a very great extent the mother holds in her own hands the destiny of her children. She is dealing with developing minds and characters, working not alone for time, but for eternity. She is sowing seed that will spring up and bear fruit, either for good or for evil. She has not to paint a form of beauty upon canvas or to chisel it from marble, but to impress upon a human soul the image of the divine. Especially during their early years the responsibility rests upon her of forming the character of her children. The impressions now made upon their developing minds will remain with them all through life. Parents should direct the instruction and training of their children while very young, to the end that they may be Christians. They are placed in our care to be trained, not as heirs to the throne of an earthly empire, but as kings unto God, to reign through unending ages.

Let every mother feel that her moments are priceless; her work will be tested in the solemn day of accounts. Then it will be found that many of the failures and crimes of men and women have resulted from the ignorance and neglect of those whose duty it was to guide their childish feet in the right way. Then it will be found that many who have blessed the world with the light of genius and truth and holiness, owe the principles that were the mainspring of their influence and success to a praying, Christian mother.

 

 

The Magi’s Gifts

 
 

Dear Friend,

 
 

Do you remember how many Wise Men there were in the story?  Three, Could have been, but we don't know for sure.  You see, the Bible tells us that the Wise Men brought three gifts, but it doesn't say how many Wise Men there were.  Several hundred years after Christ the early Christian church decided that there were three, and they even named them.  But the Bible is silent on the number of the Magi.  You can read the story here at Matthew 2.

 
 

Now, here's question number two.  Do you remember what the three gifts were that they brought to the Baby Jesus?  That's right Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Have you taken time this season to think about what these three gifts represent?  Here some ideas that I thought of as I was reading this over –

 
 

The Gold represents everything of value.  In Bible times, gold was very valuable, and with it one could buy food, oil, land, anything.  So when the Magi came and opened their treasure chests and presented the Christ Child with gold, it's the same as you and I opening up our lives, and dedicating to God everything of value that we have.  Don't hold anything back from God!  "The greatest praise that men can bring to God is to become consecrated channels through whom He can work. Time is rapidly passing into eternity. Let us not keep back from God that which is His own. Let us not refuse Him that which, though it cannot be given with merit, cannot be denied without ruin. He asks for a whole heart; give it to Him; it is His, both by creation and by redemption. He asks for your intellect; give it to Him; it is His. He asks for your money; give it to Him; it is His."  Acts of the Apostles, page 566.

 

The Frankincense was very special incense, and incense in ancient time was always burned during worship.  The frankincense represents our worship.  We have to give God our entire worship, otherwise other things will creep in and take the place of our worship to God, and before long we are too busy.  In the sanctuary, incense was always burned at the times of worship, and it become synonymous with prayer.  Make time for God every single day.  Spend time in prayer, and as our prayers rise to our Heavenly Father He is more pleased than if we burned tons of incense.

 
 

The Myrrh was a very costly ointment used in ancient time to emblem people upon their death.  Myrrh represents our dying to self.  I am reading a book my brother gave me about missionaries working in China.  Here's a paragraph that has really spoken to my heart:  "When offerings are received during house church meetings in China, evangelists sometimes find they have absolutely nothing to put into the bag.  So they literally step into the offering bag themselves and unconditionally offer their whole lives as a living sacrifice to the service of God."  And that's what the myrrh represents.  We die to our plans, our ideas, our rights, and our agenda for our lives, and we give God permission to use us entirely.  "Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, 'Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.' This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ."  Steps to Christ, page 70.

 
 

Have a great week!  I'm praying for you!

 
 

Mark

 
 

Repentance Part #2 August 10 2009

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
- Psalm 51:10

the prayer of David after his fall, illustrates the nature of true sorrow for sin. His repentance was sincere and deep. There was no effort to palliate his guilt; no desire to escape the judgment threatened, inspired his prayer. David saw the enormity of his transgression; he saw the defilement of his soul; he loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he prayed, but for purity of heart. He longed for the joy of holiness--to be restored to harmony and communion with God. This was the language of his soul: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord
imputeth not iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no guile."
Psalm 32:1, 2.

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to
Thy loving-kindness:
According unto the multitude of Thy tender
mercies blot out my transgressions. . . .
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my
sin is ever before me. . . .
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . .
Create in me a clean heart, O God;
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence;
and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;
and uphold me with Thy free spirit. . . .
Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, Thou
God of my salvation:
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy
righteousness." Psalm 51:1-14.

Repentance such as this is beyond the reach of our own power to accomplish; it is obtained only from Christ, who ascended up on high and has given gifts unto men.

Just here is a point on which many may err, and hence they fail of receiving the help that Christ desires to give them. They think that they cannot come to Christ unless they first repent, and that repentance prepares for the forgiveness of their sins. It is true that repentance does precede the forgiveness of sins; for it is only the broken and contrite heart that will feel the need of a Saviour. But must the sinner wait till he has repented before he can come to Jesus? Is repentance to be made an obstacle between the sinner and the Saviour?

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The streets are watching only to devour. She has you captive and you cannot break free. You try but do not have the power to free yourself. She has you under her spell. Destruction is within her kiss; she is what every man, woman and child lust for - THE GAME. Her time has come, she is facing the day of doom. Flee from her or you will feel the fist of God too www.outskirtspress.com/scotthinton Order your copy Of THE GAME Inspiring for All ages

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THE GAME

Scott Hinton

Outskirts Press, Inc.

Denver, Colorado

 

 

 

 

This is a work Nonfiction. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher.

The Game

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2008 Scott Hinton

V2.0

Cover image copyright Scott Hinton

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and re-views.

Outskirts Press, Inc.

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ISBN: 978-1-4327-0721-7

Outskirts Press and the "OP" logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

chambers of death. Hear me now therefore, O you children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her (the game), and come not near the door of her house (set). To keep you from the evil woman (the game, lustful fashions, fashion cars) from the flattery (promoting the glory of the game) of the tongue (hip-hop is the mouth of the game) of a strange woman (the game is strange, because God is not responsible in the creation of the game).

Don't lust after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids. Lest you give honor unto others, and your years unto the cruel (prison). Lest (while in prison) strangers be filled with your wealth; and your labors (all the hustling you ever did be in the stick-up kids' treasury) be in the house of a stranger; and you will mourn (stress, cry) at last, when your flesh and your body are consumed (dying) (Proverbs 7:24-27; 5:7-8; 6:24-25; 5:9-11). Be-ware of evil angels that speak to your conscience; they tell you if you give me your soul I will give you fashions, money, SPINNING RIM'S on phat rides, beautiful dime pieces on the passenger side, or all around you, on the back of your stretched out chrome street bike; and ice to deck you out like a Christmas tree; like the ones you see in my videos. The unlearned child goes forward in full force to serve these fallen angels; like a lamb to the slaughter to obtain wealth to fulfill the dreams the demons tell them. The
pride of dress and fashions of the world are all created by Satan to excite the fallen nature of humanity. Sin takes control of them, and finally Satan will be their ruler and king; to move them whenever he pleases (this brings on the wrath of God; he is mighty in battle, and the wicked will soon see this when probation closes in the earth).When sin has mastery over the higher faculties (decisions, reasons, choices), the carnal mind will only think of rebellious things to satisfy their uncontrollable lustful passions. Those that have received these material possessions from Satan are all used; the women show much flesh, and become simple-minded over fat diamonds, money, and the glory that surrounds the men in the game; whether they are drug dealers or rappers and R&B singers. The men also use their body, material possessions, and fashions to bring souls under the condemnation of the law of God. Condemnation is the result of sin; lust for worldly gain is to enter the straight gate that leads to eternal destruction. But those who lust to be rich in this world to please their selfishness and not the cause of God do enter this path of misery and sorrows; they do fall in the pit of foolishness. Therefore, Christ is not thought of in their thoughts and if they do mention Christ, it's done out of sin to gratify their selfishness; they want Christ to serve with them in their sins. They are lost without a clue of the coming wrath. They know not what the prophets said, (Prepare ye the way of the way of the Lord, repent ye and be thy converted, for the minister (Christ) of God hold not the sword in vain, for the day of the lord is dark and gloomy. Woe to them that call on his name and call the evil good and the good evil, for thus saith the HIGH & LOFTY ONE). IT IS WRITTEN: and they

Shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he raiseth to shake terribly the earth. The bling on the wrist, around the neck, in their mouth, on their pinky fingers, in their ears, on their body parts, their spinning rims, fancy cars, fashions, who's doing what among the stars, their mu-sic, and videos, all of this will be far from their minds whenever the Lord comes to this earth to take vengeance on his adversaries. Those who know not, and obey not God, are those who care not to know, and prosecuted those who rebuke their ways by the gospel of Christ. They will run to the rocks and the mountains saying fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of the lamb. They turn from the true God for idols of fashion and vain glory.

 

51 Scott Hinton

 

You who reject God for fornication and orgies; Woe to you! Wailings shall be in all the streets, they all shall say in the highways, ALAS! ALAS! In all vineyards shall be (lamentations) and that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols wailings, for the Lord who's terrible and great in power will pass through, WOE unto these people who call on his name and seek the day of the Lord and love to do evil and hate the good! To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light as if a man did flee from a lion and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a ser-pent bit him Amos 5:16-19. Satan stirs up his controlled vessels to broadcast his fashions, to keep defiance lit. Many sell their souls daily for the love of gain and possessions, and riches, and for material possessions; their mind is formed to despise righteous habits; this will have its place in the lake of fire. Ye men and women; seek not gain to do evil; you women cover your vain tattoos on your body parts, hoping that you look sexy for demonic men (and women who love women). Cover your thighs, your breasts: the great judge sees you, and your deeds are written in the books in heaven, and the payback for this rebellion is eternal punishment (death without resurrection). You people in the game run for your life; run from the world to Christ, for this world put the prince of glory to death; and God will revenge him. For the hour of judgment is going on even as you read this book; your actions are measured. Give glory to God who made the heavens, the sea, and the waters, but woe to the money-hungry women that seek to rob men's pockets; as a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion (this means in He-brew: understanding, intelligence, behavior, reason, judgment)
(Proverb 11:22). In other words, what intelligence do pigs have? What understanding do they have? To those that love to eat swine, the pig looks good at a pig picking; but that's all it's good for. Looking good; it may even taste good, but it's not good for your health. Pigs have no morals and its meat kills; it's the number one animal that causes heath problems. Just like these half- naked women that dance in the game (in the hip-hop & R&B videos) they are only good for show, because their brain is without discretion and many of them shame their own mother; they have no understanding, reasoning or judgment. They are wicked women that hurt many people around them. Listen to what the creator has to say to you who are of Sodom and Gomorrah. Proverb 16:16 says how much better is it to get wisdom than gold, and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! Pride goeth before destruction. Destruction will be unexplainable; we cannot even imagine the mind frame the wicked will be in at the second coming of the Lord.

An inspired writer of God wrote this about what will happen in the end the wrath of Satan increases as his time grows short, and his work of deceit and destruction reaches its culmination in the time of trouble, God's long-suffering has ended. The world has rejected his mercy, despised his love, and trampled upon his law. The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation, and the Lord withdraws his protection, and leaves them to the mercy of the leader they have chosen. Satan will have power over those who have yielded themselves to his control, of time: and he will plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds (Revelation chapter 7) of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old (great controversy).

53 Scott Hinton

This is why the devil created the game, to keep the mind enslaved to his devices and each day the flesh grows stronger, and the good traits grows weaker, so in the end time, these people will be so drunk that it will be hard to choose the good because they love the devil and his styles. People want money for fashion, and fashion leads to other evils; half-naked women posted up by costly cars and trucks, molding young men and women's minds. The game is the reason people rape; young people have become so thick and old-looking; Satan tempts unbalanced minds to lust off their young flesh. The devil tempts men who lust for gain to inject steroids in meats and drugs to produce quick and fat cattle. What does this have to do with the game? The steroid that is digested with the dead flesh gets into the blood, and what do steroids do in the human body? They pump you up. Now you have 13-year- olds looking like 23-year-olds, 14-year-old males are having strong sperm and hair on their face. This is all in Satan's plan to elevate lust in this world, to accomplish his end time plan. Kee54 the Game

The mind enslaved to his devices and each day the flesh grows stronger, and the good traits grows weaker, so in the end time, these people will be so drunk that it will be hard to choose the good because they love the devil and his styles. People want money for fashion, and fashion leads to other evils; half-naked women posted up by costly cars and trucks, molding young men and women's minds. The game is the reason people rape; young people have become so thick and old-looking; Satan tempts unbalanced minds to lust off their young flesh. The devil tempts men who lust for gain to inject steroids in meats and drugs to produce quick and fat cattle. What does this have to do with the game? The steroid that is digested with the dead flesh gets into the blood, and what do steroids do in the human body? They pump you up. Now you have 13-year- olds looking like 23-year-olds, 14-year-old males have strong sperm and hair on their face. This is all in Satan's plan to elevate lust in this world, to accomplish his end time plan. Keep the drunk. Filled with toxic junk and with impure blood, the mind cannot function properly; it will submit to any wild mess that flies across the table. In the game, lions seek that dollar; even if it's to work for Satan and glorify sin, or be naked posted up by big trucks and cars. Designing sinful hangouts and clubs, all of this and more are tools Satan uses to develop the mind for destruction so our hearts will not be ready when Christ comes to this world on the clouds.

55

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Repentance Part #1   Daily Devotional   8/8/2009   P. Scott

 

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
- Acts 2:37

how shall a man be just with God? How shall the sinner be made righteous? It is only through Christ that we can be brought into harmony with God, with holiness; but how are we to come to Christ? Many are asking the same question as did the multitude on the Day of Pentecost, when, convicted of sin, they cried out, "What shall we do?" The first word of Peter's answer was, "Repent." Acts 2:37, 38, at another time; shortly after, he said, "Repent . . . and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out," Acts 3:19.

Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.

There are many who fail to understand the true nature of repentance. Multitudes sorrow that they have sinned and even make an outward reformation because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring suffering upon themselves. But this is not repentance in the Bible sense. They lament the suffering rather than the sin. Such was the grief of Esau when he saw that the birthright was lost to him forever. Balaam, terrified by the angel standing in his pathway with drawn sword, acknowledged his guilt lest he should lose his life; but there was no genuine repentance for sin, no conversion of purpose, no abhorrence of evil. Judas Iscariot, after betraying his Lord, exclaimed, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." Matthew 27:4.

The confession was forced from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a fearful looking for of judgment. The consequences that were to result to him filled him with terror, but there was no deep, heartbreaking grief in his soul, that he had betrayed the spotless Son of God and denied the Holy One of Israel. Pharaoh, when suffering under the judgments of God, acknowledged his sin in order to escape further punishment, but returned to his defiance of Heaven as soon as the plagues were stayed. These all lamented the results of sin, but did not sorrow for the sin itself.

But when the heart yields to the influence of the Spirit of God, the conscience will be quickened, and the sinner will discern something of the depth and sacredness of God's holy law, the foundation of His government in heaven and on earth. The "Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," illumines the secret chambers of the soul, and the hidden things of darkness are made manifest. John 1:9. Conviction takes hold upon the mind and heart. The sinner has a sense of the righteousness of Jehovah and feels the terror of appearing, in his own guilt and uncleanness, before the Searcher of hearts. He sees the love of God, the beauty of holiness, the joy of purity; he longs to be cleansed and to be restored to communion with Heaven.

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