A look back, before moving forward

I am finished the first 4 lessons in the book. Lesson 0ne was on Revival. What is revival? Who needs revival? Well we know it is a spiritual awakening, recognizing our need for God and being restored into an abundant close relationship with Him; a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. We all need that.

Lesson 2 , on humility was very eye opening for me. My eyes were opened to areas of pride in my own life. We need to humble ourselves before the next step will do us any good.

Lesson 3 was on honesty. Coming clean before God, and allowing Him to make our hearts into honest hearts. A "little white lie," is a lie as any lie. Sometimes even silence can be a lie. There are times to be silent and times not to be. I think God is quick to reveal to us what we are to do, if we walk with Him daily.

We then went on to repentance in lesson 4. Without humbling ourselves and being honest before God, repentance won't be possible. These were all in a very good order of what we needed!

I hope you have all been blessed during this study. It has been helpful for me and encouraging too. I have been thinking about how it isn't actually this study, nor the book and not other people either, who can revive us. It is only God Himself. Only He deseves the credit for the good things done in our lives. We are using these tools to learn and seek, but ultimately it's all only through our savior that we will find and be fulfilled.

So, if you are behind don't be discouraged about it. Just label any post you are adding later with the lesson number. The important thing is that God will meet your needs where you are at. Just walk through it with Him. Also just this book or even the videos will do in our lives what God is able to do through His word, the Bible. Make that the # 1 thing to read.

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are proved right when you speak

and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,

sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts

you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God,

the God who saves me,

and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice,

or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.
In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;

build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices,

whole burnt offerings to delight you;

then bulls will be offered on your altar.

REPENTANCE? YES, REPENTANCE!!

- The Big Turn-Around
"Notice the complete absence of blame on David’s part, once God convicted him of his wrongdoing (Psalm 51:1-6). Why is it so important to accept full responsibility for our own sins?" - (pg.63)

God deals with us personally. Why? Because He is a personal God. The only sin that God will convict you of is your sin. (Job 9:20) If I think that I share responsibility of my sin with someone else, I commit another sin.

It’s important to accept full responsibility for our own sins because it’s the only way to be honest, before God and ourselves, and to be set free. (Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.")
I can confess my part and remind God that my sin wasn’t all my fault and that others had something to do with it too, but what does this show about me?! Pride, Self-righteousness, deceit, judgmental attitude…
Is this repentance? NO!
"…Every child of God who is seeking after Him (God) with a whole heart must realize that repentance is not an option but a requirement." (pg.64)
"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation, without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." 2 Cor. 7:10
Godly grief = salvation (life; saved from sin and death; restored back to God)
Worldly grief = death (continual burden and sin; separation from God)
Are we ready to turn from the things that we have been doing till now, accept full responsibility for our sin, and turn to God and His good and perfect will?! It’s time. It’s time for repentance. It’s not an option. How serious are we and how badly do we want a closer walk with God? If we refuse to repent, this is the last lesson in the book for us. We can’t move on. Let’s repent from all the sin that God has been showing us in this study so far. (pg.33-35; 54-55)

REPENTANCE? YES, REPENTANCE!!