Baptist Missionary Association of Mississippi

– Department of Missions and Revolving Loan Fund –

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MERRY CHRISTMAS
The missions office will be closed Monday January 2nd for New Years.
We will reopen on Tuesday January 3rd.

Devotional by Pastor Danny Pitts

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Matthew 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Would you eat from a cup or plate that had been washed thoroughly on the outside, but was obviously filthy on the inside? The Jews of Jesus’ day followed a rigid set of rules concerning the cleaning of eating vessels and items that had to be ceremonially clean for the temple services. These rules were based on the principles God had given Moses. Soon they went beyond the laws of Scripture and added restrictions which had nothing to do with the Biblical requirements. The sign of the Godly person became the one (like a good scribe or Pharisee) who worked at keeping these extra-biblical guidelines. People were judged as righteous or unrighteous on the basis of whether they kept the minutia of the external rules.
Jesus condemned this standard.

The modern parallel to the text is Christians who feel they are right with God because they avoid gross immorality and attend worship. The scribes and Pharisees were great examples of faithfulness in these areas. Obviously these issues are very important. No one is truly pleasing God who is living in open sin and disobedience to the Lord. The difference in Jesus’ teaching is that He requires His followers to seek to be right with God on the inside. He wants us to work on having our thoughts, motivations, and desires in line with His will.

The answer to the beginning question about eating from cups or plates clean on the outside but clearly filthy on the inside is “No!”. You would not do that. The spiritual application of Jesus’ point, however, requires us to search our hearts. As we do, we will discover that constant confession of sin, repentance, and recommitting to God is required by the most spiritual of us. Do not forget that: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

God’s Wonderful Words of Life Series by D. Lavell Lee

GOD’S WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE

Message Fifteen
Repentance and Faith
Luke 24:46-48, Acts 20:17-21, Acts 26:18-21, Ro. 2:1-11, Eph. 2:8-9, Rev. 2:4-5

Luk 24:46-48 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.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things

Act 20:17-21 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 26:18-21 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 But shewed 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.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

Rom 2:1-11 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God

2Co 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast

Rev 2:4-5 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

When John the Baptist appeared in the Judean wilderness preaching, his message was loud and clear.

Mat 3:1-3 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Soon, there followed Jesus Christ and His message was also clear.

Mat 4:12-17 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

When Jesus Christ concluded His earthly life ministry, He left a message of repentance and remission of sins.

Luk 24:44-48 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 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.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

Repentance of sins and faith in Jesus Christ are a central part of the gospel message. We live in an age that is characterized by an extremely lax attitude toward sin in general and in particular, sin in our own lives. A lack of a right attitude toward sin is a good indication of an inadequate understanding of God’s holiness and love. God’s wondrous love does not excuse our sins. Perhaps some blame might lie with us preachers for not emphasizing repentance enough or not having proper respect to God’s holiness our own selves.

FIRST – The core meaning of repent and repentance.

Repent, Greek, Metanoeo, met an o eh o, To think differently or afterward, reconsider. Repentance, Greek, Metanoia, met an oy ah, reformation, by implication reversal of decision. These words mean to change one’s mind, always for the better and morally. It is a change of mind leading to a change of life. This change of mind leading to a change of life has to do with our attitude towards sin itself and the cause of sin. This also involves looking hard at the consequence of sin which in the case of a lost sinner leads to eternal separation from God in the fires of hell. This will surely strike fear in the heart of the worst sinner. But when the sinner comes under conviction of his sins by the Holy Spirit, this leads to real Godly sorrow because of sin and its defilement and damage.

2Co 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death

Godly sorrow leads one to a change of mind regarding sin. The person comes to hate sin and no longer wants to live in such a condition, and this brings real change by the grace of God coming to rescue in one’s life. In the case of the saved person, sorrow will surely set in and bring about true repentance. As seen in the seven churches of Asia, the admonition in all cases was to repent or face the chastening hand of the Lord, and the Lord’s admonition has not changed in our day and age. We are still to repent or else.

Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Repentance drives a person to seek relief from sins which can only be found in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross in our place and on our behalf. True repentance merges into faith in God Who has solved our sin problem for us and to His satisfaction.

SECOND – The meaning of faith.

Greek, Pistis, pis tis, persuasion

Saving faith is the simple childlike reliance and trust upon God to do as He says He will do when a lost sinner comes to Him in humble repentance because of his sins.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Eph 2:8 -9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It is to receive the testimony of God as true and trust Him to save us from our sins.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

Believe is a very closely related word used often in God’s word and it means to entrust ourselves to God as we take Him at His word.

Act 16:30-34 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

In these scriptural terms, God is our object of faith for true faith must have an object upon which to rest.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him

The means of bringing us to God as our object of faith is the word of God.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

As we hear the word of God, the Holy Spirit imparts faith into our hearts, enabling us to receive and believe God’s word.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith

Gal 3:1-5 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

When a saved person sins, it is the same childlike faith that brings one to repent and trust God to forgive him.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In conclusion, we have been studying God’s wonderful words of life. Our great God is so good to us and that certainly is an understatement but it needs to be said. He is absolutely holy and we are so sinful, but in His great love for us, He has provided for our forgiveness and salvation through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross in our place and on our behalf. God’s judgment against sin is certain, but to those who come to God for salvation through Jesus Christ, there is forgiveness. Romans 2:1-6 addresses God’s judgment but also sets forth God’s forbearance and long suffering with us and clearly states what our response toward God should be, and our response should be repentance toward God and faith in His forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Rom 2:1-6 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou j udgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

Sinner friend, call upon God to save you through Jesus Christ right now.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Other Messages by D. Lavell Lee

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