The impenitent are beyond help, yet God guides us to repentance (Jeremiah 15)

 Jeremiah 15

Key verse: When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. (Jer 15:16, Rev 2:17)

A penitent heart is one that sincerely regrets the sin in one's life, sin that alienates us from any relationship with God. A repentant heart is one that humbly accepts that it is only through faith in God's grace that we are brought into a right relationship with him.

A) Jeremiah's intercession will not change the fate brought on by wicked leaders.

1-3) LORD, "Moses or Samuel's intercession wouldn't move me to help, destined for death, war, famine, captivity, I send destroyers, sword to kill, dogs to drag, vultures devour, wild animals what's left.

 4) Because wicked things Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah did in Jerusalem - I make my people object of horror to all kingdom of earth.

 - Principal: one leader can make a huge difference on everyone in community.

 - Manasseh a 12 year old king, idolatrous, repulsive acts of pagan nations LORD dispossessed, he rebuilt altars of Baal, like Ahab (2 Kings 21:1-18) . Manasseh, first born of Joseph means "God made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house" (Gen 41:51).

 - I'm seeing this play out in Revelation 2, where church leaders need to repent: reject Balaam, food offered to idols, sexual sin, reject Jezebel misleads into sexual sin and eating food offered to idols.

• A "modern version of food offered to idols" could be interpreted as any activity or practice where someone excessively prioritizes or dedicates themselves to something non-spiritual, like material possessions, fame, or even a particular lifestyle, to the point where it takes precedence over other important aspects of life, essentially acting as a form of worship or devotion to that thing, even if it's not a traditional deity; examples could include spending excessive time on social media, prioritizing work to the detriment of personal well-being, or obsessive focus on appearance or wealth.
• Some Christians interpret "food offered to idols" as participating in activities that could be seen as supporting practices considered idolatrous by their faith, even if they don't directly worship an idol themselves.

5-7) Jerusalem alone, because they abandoned LORD, destroyed, no more second chance having refused to change evil ways

 - Principal: God gives people chances to change, Holy Spirit at work in our lives, to reject the Holy Spirit is the only unpardonable sin. 

8-9) wealth and opportunity goes away suddenly, childless, disgraced, humiliated - LORD spoken

B) Jeremiah conversation with the LORD brings restoration

10) Jeremiah, sorrow, wish I wasn't born, I'm not lender foreclosing, or borrower refusing to pay, yet cursed.

11-14) LORD, I'll take care of you, your enemies plead, I give them your wealth for sin rampant in land

15-18) Jeremiah, you know, give me time, I discovered your words, devoured them, yet suffering continues, wound is incurable, your help uncertain as a dry spring. 

19-21) LORD, return to me, I will restore you so you can serve me. Speak good words, influence them, they'll attack but I make you secure, protect, rescue you, safe.

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Give attention and expect to get something (Acts 3:4-5)

Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them...what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” - Acts 3:4-6

If your bored in church, try giving your attention and expecting to get something. Let God speak to you through the singing, testimonies and sermons. Let God surprise you with miracles of healing and capabilities you didn't know where possible. 

Today at church a 103 year old woman Jean Smith, who's been a member since 1951 shared this verse.

Psalm 31:14-15, "But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands;

Here father had written this in calligraphy on April 25, 1932 and given it to a friend in need. The caption above each verse gave special meaning, "Personal" above "My", "Course of life" above "times", "Present" above "Are", "union" above "in", "nail-pierced" above "Thy" and "safety" above "hand."

She had never heard this story or seen this work of art from her father until her husband's funeral in 1971, that friend gave this to her and shared how important our personal relationship with the Lord is. The prayer under the verse says, "I would be quiet Lord, Nor tease, nor fret, not one small need of mine wilt thou forget!" 

Now this woman makes nice copies and give them to people to encourage them. We never know how a kind gesture can change the course of a persons life. 

I've noticed this plague at my mom's house serval times and she's relayed the story. We talked about how wonderful it is in BSF to share what God is doing in our lives this week. Disciples, making disciples. What a beautiful day at church with family! 

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Knowing Jesus, the will of God

Knowing the will of God is a subject of great interest in the world today. In BSF this year we study the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1-3). This is God's gift, to make the future known, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. We are blessed when we read and take it to heart. 

Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Luke 13:22-29 give this lesson in the context of judgement and repentance (Luke 13:1-5), spiritual growth (Luke 13:6-9), Jesus heals us on the day of rest (Luke 13:10-17), the disabled dies like a seed breaking out into a tree (Luke 13:18-19 - We lose our disabled life, and find eternal life in Christ John 12:24-26), like flour is transformed by yeast our life is transformed by the Kingdom of God (Luke 13:20-21). Salvation comes from entering into a relationship with Jesus (Luke 13:24, a "one at a time" narrow door), not through community service (Luke 13:25-30) or saving your own life (Luke 13:31-35). 

The phrase workers of lawlessness, reminded me of Cain and Abel, Cain brought produce, Abel brought his affection. Workers of lawlessness earn wages, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). The gift of God is called Faith (Ephesians 2:8-10), not a job to do. We are saved by faith, through grace to do the good work God's called us to (family). 

To know the will of God we have to hear the Word of God, we have to focus on Jesus (John 1:1). In Hebrews we Understand the old testament in the light of Jesus Christ

Jesus’s heavenly authority: John 3:11-13; 5:19; 8:18, 26-29

• Jesus came from heaven, tells us, he sees what the Father is doing, "Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.", Jesus is one witness, his Father who sent him is the other. 
• So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.”

Jesus fulfilled the Law and prophets (Matthew 5:17-18), Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), Christ has indeed been raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20), and has power over death (John 1:4; 11:25-26), Jesus reigns (Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 2:8-9). 

Jesus died for my sins (Romans 5:8), freed me from sin’s penalty (Psalm 103:11-12; Isaiah 38:17; Romans 6:23; 8:1-2), freed me from sin’s power (Romans 6:1-14; 8:3-11; Philippians 2:12-13) and freed me from sin’s presence (1 John 3:2).

We are living stones and a royal priesthood (Exodus 16:34, 19:6, 28:21; 1 Peter 2:5, 9, Isaiah 65:15, John 6:35, Rev 2:17)

Jesus will return for everyone, living and dead will see him and mourn (Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 12; Matthew 24:30)

• Job 19:26, "And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;"
• Heb 9:27-28, Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

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Sensing God's pleasure motivates our devotion

I was thinking about repentance this morning, about my friends at Teen Challenge who seem to continue to fall away and come back after several times. Our friends who started Alpha, Jeff and Sheri wanted us to do a course on repentance. Repentance is a key theme in the teachings of Jesus and the early church. From the very beginning, Jesus proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Similarly, the apostles called people to repentance, urging them to turn from sin and embrace the grace of God (Acts 3:19; Mark 6:12). In this week’s lesson John recorded Jesus’s letters to the churches at Pergamum, Thyatira, and Sardis. He commended their faith but also exposed their sin and called them to repentance. “Whoever has ears to hear” responds to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and repents from sin.

Repentance is not just a command but a grace, a foundational element of the Christian life (Hebrews 6:1). It is essential to the Gospel itself, coming by the Word of God and the Spirit (Acts 2:37, 10:44; Zechariah 12:10). This grace humbles a person inwardly and leads to a visible transformation.

• Repentance requires believing the truth about our sin and receiving God’s gift of salvation and forgiveness through faith in Christ.
• The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, revealing the ways we fail to meet God’s righteous standards. The Holy Spirit also empowers us to turn from sin and turn to God in obedience. 
• Coming to Christ for salvation involves repentance. Growing in Christ also involves regularly confessing and repenting from the sin the Holy Spirit reveals. 

Repentance represents God’s gracious kindness to us—sinners in need of His forgiveness. 

• When I do not recognize the peril I am in because of my sin, I do not believe in the need for repentance. Without forgiveness through Christ, I carry the guilt and penalty of my sin. When as a believer I fail to regularly repent as the Holy Spirit convicts me of sin, though my salvation remains secure, I fail to enjoy the full benefits of spiritual growth and walking with Christ. Without repentance, my spiritual growth is stunted. 
• When I believe that God’s kindness leads me to repentance, I experience the hope, forgiveness, and cleansing that comes from Christ’s atoning sacrifice. I trust the Holy Spirit to expose my sin and empower me to live a redeemed life, sensing God's pleasure motivates my devotion. God’s grace continues to meet me and transform me.

True repentance can be compared to a spiritual medicine, containing six key ingredients:

1. Sight of Sin: The prodigal son "came to himself" (Luke 15:17) when he realized the depth of his sin. Without illumination—without the light of life—we remain blind to our faults. Repentance starts with seeing our sin as God sees it.
2. Sorrow for Sin: Genuine repentance is accompanied by sorrow, not for the punishment of sin but for the sin itself. Zechariah 12:10 speaks of those who mourn deeply for having pierced the heart of God. This sorrow is not a superficial feeling but a profound brokenness of heart, as illustrated by the woman who wept at Jesus’ feet (Luke 7:38).
3. Confession of Sin: True repentance includes confessing our sins with sincerity, not half-heartedly. A real confession acknowledges specific sins, not vague generalities. We confess not just to admit wrong but with the resolve not to repeat the sin, following the instruction of Isaiah 1:16, "Cease to do evil."
4. Shame for Sin: Ezekiel 43:10 and Ezra 9:6 depict a holy bashfulness, a deep sense of shame before God. Every sin brings guilt, and the more we recognize God’s holiness, the more we blush at our own unworthiness.
5. Hatred of Sin: Repentance leads to a heartfelt hatred of sin. We no longer see sin as a minor flaw but as a great offense against God (Romans 7:13). True repentance fosters in us an aversion to sin in all its forms, both in ourselves and others.
6. Turning from Sin: Repentance is not complete without turning from sin. The prophet Joel calls us to "weep and turn" (Joel 2:12), not just outwardly but with a change of heart. Genuine repentance is a lifelong turning from sin, never to return. It is a turning to God, much like the prodigal son, who arose and went back to his father.

Ongoing conviction of sin and repentance are components of sanctification and spiritual growth (2 Corinthians 7:10).

• God desires our wholehearted devotion. As we grow spiritually, we recognize and turn from specific sin. How regularly and joyfully do you experience God’s new mercies as you confess your sin and repent? When you look back over your life, can you identify a particular sin from which God has delivered you? 
• Recognize repentance as God’s gracious gift to you (Acts 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25). What helps you welcome the purifying prompting of the Holy Spirit? We should not delay or avoid repentance but run to the fountain of cleansing Christ provides. How does repentance allow you to experience God’s unconditional love and abounding grace?

In conclusion, repentance is more than a moment; it is a grace-infused transformation that begins with recognizing sin and ends with a life fully turned toward God. Let us, like the prodigal son, rise from our sin and run into the arms of our gracious Father, knowing that true repentance brings both forgiveness and a deeper love for Christ.

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The mind trained by Faith, the ascended life (James 3:13-18)

Listening to The Mind Trained by Faith - Bill Johnson

The mind is worth renewing (Romans 12:1-3), the un-renewed mind is hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). Your mind is independent, your free will/choice is protected so that God can illustrate bringing heaven to earth (Matthew 6:10). To hear what the Father is saying, do what you see him doing, as Jesus did (John 3:11-13; 5:19; 8:18, 26-29) and said we will do (John 14:12-14). The yielded imagination, becomes the sanctified imagination. A sanctified imagination is positioned for visions and dreams (Joel 2:28), postured to hear from God (Psalms 27:8). The renewed mind is the target of the Lord, every day of our lives (Romans 12-15). We can see clearly, God before us like a pillar of fire (God precedes all who follow his way). Faith comes from the heart (Romans 10:10), not the mind. But the renewed mind creates a context for faith, like the banks of a river create a context for the river flowing. The centurion understood the ways of God and Jesus called it faith (Matthew 8:5-13). Faith will demonstrate itself in kingdom understanding. Faith comes from surrender not striving. Faith is the product of yielding to the Spirit of God, the Word of God and the experiences he lead us into, to think and see differently. Be faith we understand (Heb 11:3). 

• The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind [of/set to/governed by] the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6-8
• In view of God's mercy, give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
• Jesus was radiant when he was transfigured before them (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2–3, Luke 9:28–36), his clothes like lightening. 
• ...Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Enemies of the renewed mind, disengage us from God, disguised as virtuous ideas but they don't result in peace and righteousness. 

James 3:13-18 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic (bait of Satan is offense). For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness

Jesus’s heavenly authority: John 3:11-13; 5:19; 8:18, 26-29

• Jesus came from heaven, tells us, he sees what the Father is doing, "Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.", Jesus is one witness, his Father who sent him is the other. 
• So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.”

Joel 2:28 fulfilled 

• Luke 1:67 Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
• John 7:39 He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
• Acts 2:17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
• Hebrews 1:1 On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets.
• Numbers 11:17  And I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put that Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.

Jesus transfigured with Moses, Elijah witnessed by Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2–3, Luke 9:28–36)

The renewed mind is brilliant, seeing God and able to prove the will of God: Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. We prove the will of God, heaven on earth. We see God's purposes, the greater reality (eternal), and impact the temporal (here and now). 

Illustration, a painting is found and it's signed "Van Gogh" - so you take it an expert to see if it's really from him, he's studied the life of artist, subject mater, style, brush strokes, medium/oils, colors, every bit of his personality in his painting. Carbon test on the canvas, after weeks - it's determined this is an authentic Van Gogh. A piece of art that may have been worth 100 dollars in now worth 100 million. The point is after thorough examination, it's proved (Romans 12:1-3 "Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.").  

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