…But they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent…” Jeremiah 5:3
An evil, wicked darkness continues to mount in our land and Christians appears content with, “…holding to a form of godliness…” (2 Timothy 3:5).
Have our hearts become hardened to God’s word? Have we become spiritually numb? I believe we would agree that the church, as a “light” for the land, seems all but gone out. The “church” has become intoxicated from her lethargic approach to the way, truth, and life of the Gospel, exchanging along the way, “truth for lies” (Romans 1:25). We need to be revived (Psalm 85:6)! Christendom needs a “fresh wind” ushered in by genuine repentance! Jeremiah 5:3 says, “…They have refused to repent.”
The Spirit of God compels me to say, “Tell My people to repent or enter into the consequences of your unwillingness (Isaiah 30:15). While prayer for revival is greatly needed, it will be hindered unless we first repent. Without repentance, we will encounter the wrath of God, and in some ways, I believe we’re already experiencing it! Repentance certainly begins in the heart of a believer and as it was with Nehemiah, repentant leadership led by God helped the people through repentance. Therefore, we must preach and proclaim the word of repentance and then lead repentance from the pulpit to the parking lot! In Revelation Chapter 3, in His letter to the church of Laodicea, the Lord makes a sharp distinction between the conditions of being hot or cold and being lukewarm. Sadly enough, this church didn’t know its own condition. The people said, “we’re fine” but Jesus said they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked”. Jesus told them to be “zealous” to repent. Repentance is granted when our sorrow is genuine (2 Corinthians 7:11). God’s grace gives us mercy to repent and the word of God convicts us that we need to repent. Here is a strong principle we dare not miss in God’s word to Jeremiah, if the leaders had been faithful to be joined to God’s counsel and preach His word to His people, the people would have turned back from their evil ways (Jeremiah 23:22). Do you see that? God knows that if we preach what He speaks, it will produce what He seeks (Isaiah 55:11). The power of God is in the Holy Ghost “preached” word, delivered by Holy Ghost filled shepherds who see and hear (Jer. 23:18) God calling His people to repentance! Have we refused to repent? Beloved, the time is now let us stand in God’s counsel and preach with fervor, the word of God on repentance and allow God to return His people into a “fresh fragrance” from His presence (Acts 3:19)!
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