by Tan Kok Kim
( Matthew 3: 8 )( Acts 11: 15 -18 )
Now I believe it could be true in our lives, because I believe each one of us had this experience of the Holy Spirit comes in to show us to ourselves and convict us and really begin, want to show us how shameful we must be for who we are, and what we really are in the light of Him. But you know what happen? I believe that in that decisive moment, when the Holy Spirit is working, it could be in a message like that, it could be in a Church service, it could be while you are reading your Bible, it could be while one day we did something wrong, we went to the backyard, we went to the kitchen, we went to the car or whatever, you start to cried out, " God! why is it that I feel so horrible about myself." Yes, we begin to confessed, "I am what I am, because I don't have it in me to live the way You want. God! I am sorry, not just what I did Lord, I am absolutely horrible, I am so selfish, I am so terribly greedy."
But instead of crying out to God, instead of coming to God, instead of confessing, instead of coming before the Lord, folks, this is what happened, I believe to most people, guess what happen? You see, how many of us know that, we don't like that? We don't like that kind of feeling, that's why it is later in the same book by Jeremiah 17:9, that Jeremiah begins to said: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately Wicked: Who can know it?" You know why? Because we don't want to put to that state, we don't want to feel shame for who we are. For some reasons, we become very clever, we become very trickery in our minds, we start to justify ourselves, in fact, we even tell ourselves, "You know, you really not that bad, you ok, it's just a bad mistake, it's one of those things come and go in life, it's ok."
Isn't it strange? Ourselves tell ourselves that? It's ok. Because why? Because given times, I'll be ok, I'm not that bad after all, because there is still some good in me, just last week, you know, I just went to the old folks home and blessed 100 old folks, I just took a Pastor out for a big huge five stars meal, I means there is still something good about me, l am OK." We do that, don't we? Because the flesh lied to us, the devil comes and deceived us.
1
Instead of stay on on course and go to God, "God! it's not because of what I have done, it's not the good deeds, it's not what I have." But you see folks, we want to be in control, do you know that? REPENTANCE IS GOD TAKING CONTROL OUT OF US, ANTI REPENTANCE IN US, SIMPLY MEANS WE WANT TO BE IN CONTROL, and God doesn't wants us to be in control, repentance simply means we totally removed our hands from the gear, God is the driver in the seat, we get out, we stay as a pillion rider, and God is going to take us through the journey of our lives.
But we want to be in control folks, you and I, we don't want to feel like that, you know why it is strange? It's not only adults, who don't want to feel like that, it's not only adults that had escape like this in a very subtle way and "very spiritual way," not only adults do that? Do you know that even children do that? That's why children never like to be confronted, children don't like to be told they are wrong, children don't like to be shamed. In fact now, we are living a culture where parents are defending children to a point, we don't want children to feel shameful, because it's negative feeling, we like our children to be feel confident 100%, full of self confident, we don't want to see children do something wrong and we point a finger at them, we shield them, we protect them.
BUT YOU SEE, THE SPIRIT OF GOD DON'T WANT TO SHIELD US, THE SPIRIT OF GOD PRESS THIS POINT HOME RIGHT UNTIL IT GOES INTO THE DEEPEST PART OF OUR BEINGS, THAT IS WHAT REPENTANCE. It press the point until we admit, until we stand up and we said, "God, I'm sorry I hurt your heart, I broke your commandments, I'm not worthy, I walked on your blood, God, I'm horrible, it's not just what I did, but inside me that something that is evil, I'm wrong about me, God have mercy on my soul." Folks, He is hearing crys from us, He wants to hear us praying like this, He wants us to come before Him and said that, "God, I'm so sorry, I'm not remorseful, I'm not even regretful, I'm past all of that, I'm telling You that God, I'm like this, I'm so terrible inside, if You don't change me, I'm finished." That's why John the Baptist said.. This is the statement..
Matthew chapter 3, John the Baptist make some very profound statement concerning repentance, his message is on the promise if we repent like this, this is the promised. God promised all of our lives, His promised us: Verse 8. It was John, but it was as good as the entire New Testament principle is clearly revealed for us, he said, "BRINGS FORTH THEREFORE FRUITS MEET FOR REPENTANCE:" The word fruits there was plural, which means more than one, many fruits. Now, what are the fruits of repentance? When a man truly come into that place of repentance, what are the fruits that follows our lives? When John the Baptist, when Scriptures make that statement. "There are fruits that are meet for repentance," I believe this is what John was referring to, I believe this is what Heaven is wanting to vindicate, and I believe that you will agree with this.
Do you know it's strange that once a man and a woman knows shame in himself or herself, not what he or she did, they will know shame in every other things? They will know shame in acts, in deeds, in words, in conduct, in behaviour, in lifestyle. Yes or no? Once a man truly has repented, and know who he really is in his heart, in the light of God, once he has really transected and come into that repentance, true repentance in before God, folks suddenly, from knowing shame in himself, isn't it strange immediately he starts to know shames in every other things, he will know that to say those things are shameful, to do that is shameful, to dress like that is shameful, to take that course of road is shameful, to behave like that is shameful, you know it's strange isn't it? Folks why? BECAUSE IT IS GOD DEFENCE FOR OUR LIVES SO THAT WE WILL NEVER COMMIT SINS IN LIFE. WHEN WILL YOU STOP DOING WRONG? WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE SHAMEFUL.
What's the problem today with our Churches? How many of us know that we have Christians sitting in our meeting, who don't even know they're shameful? To act, to do, to perform many other things? Yes or no? Christians, they don't even know they're shameful, they don't even shameful to talk like that, they don't even know it is shameful to act like that, they don't even know it is shameful to behave like that, they don't even know shameful to dress like that, no shame. We are living in a culture today, all over the nations of the world today, it is no shame. It's no shame to have no manners, it's no shame to live morally loose life, no shame, why? How can that be? It will be folks, BECAUSE WE WILL NEVER KNOW SHAME IN ANY OTHER AREA OF OUR LIVES UNTIL WE KNOW SHAME IN OURSELVES.
THE MOMENT WE KNOW SHAME, GOD BRINGS US FRUITS, we know shame in every area, and when that happened, when a man starts to know shame in every area of his life, folks, how many of us know that his heart will be fill with HUMILITY? Yes or no? HE WILL BE FILLED WITH HUMILITY. Will I be be right if I tell you, I think that person is going to live very softly and circumspectly in his life? He will be very considerateness, he will be very gentle, he will be very wise, he will be careful with his words and his conduct, IT'S CALLED HUMILITY.
Where does it comes from? It comes, because this man knows shame in himself. That's why there is a lot of people who said, "I'm sorry brother, I'm sorry sister, I have done this." And then. "You are forgiven brother, you are forgiven sister." Two weeks, two months down the road, they do the same old things again, why? BECAUSE THEY ARE SORRY FOR THE ACTS THEY DID, THEY ARE NOT SORRY FOR WHO THEY ARE, THEY WERE SHAMEFUL FOR WHAT THEY DID, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN FOR WHO THEY WERE IN THE LIGHT OF GOD.
Finally The Acts, I believe it is one of the greatest promised given in Scripture CONCERNING A LIFE OF REPENTANCE. Acts 11:15-18, it was Apostle Peter. "And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, "John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE."
What is the promise of repentance? What's the promised, when a man comes into repentance? It is so quick, it is almost like, it will comes to you in two seconds, the Bible said, and God said, if you truly repent, it comes straight into life, and the life there is NOT OUR NATURAL LIFE, IT IS THE LIFE OF GOD. It's once again corresponds to the statement that Jesus make. "Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Meaning, repent and the Kingdom of God is immediately, instantly, simultaneously, spontaneously available to us. REPENTANCE IS UNTO LIFE, IT'S COMING TO LIFE.
That's why in Acts chapter 2:37-38, where we read earlier concerning when they were pricked by the Holy Spirit, or pricked by the message that they heard from Peter, the Bible said: Then Peter immediately answered them, they said: "What shall we do?" "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the GIFT of the Holy Ghost." Peter didn't say, receive the experiences of the Holy Spirit, he said, received the GIFT, WHICH IS SINGULAR, NOT GIFTS, BUT GIFT. Received the gift of the Holy Spirit, meaning he said, the moment you repent, you know what God promised?" I'll give to you the very person of the trinity, I'll give to you the very personhood of God, I'll give to you the personality of God in your life, I'll give to you the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit, I AM not going just to give you experiences, I AM going to give you the person of the Holy Spirit in your life, Amen.
That's what stabilized us, that's what confirmed us, that's what maintained us, that's what steadied us, that's what healed our minds, that's what brings broken, fractured back into normality, that's what finally delivered us from all hurts, and all of the emotional breakdown, that's what every area of our lives is all healed totally, completely and thoroughly.
God wants every man and woman to repent. "Repent, behold the Kingdom of God is at hand." REPENTANCE is one of the most glorious experience in our lives, it is a life that keep us in the place of VITALITY, it is repentance that keep us in that place of LIFE AND COMMUNION, it is repentance that cause us to DEPEND ON HIM AND TOTALLY RELY ON HIM, AND ABANDON OUR LIVES TO HIM, because once we live in the place of repentance, we will rely on Him, because we are not in control, GOD IS IN CONTROL, when God is in control, WE WILL TRUST HIM FOR EVERYTHING AND IN Everything. AMEN. SHALOM.
For further reading please visit TAN KOK KIM
( Matthew 3: 8 )( Acts 11: 15 -18 )
Now I believe it could be true in our lives, because I believe each one of us had this experience of the Holy Spirit comes in to show us to ourselves and convict us and really begin, want to show us how shameful we must be for who we are, and what we really are in the light of Him. But you know what happen? I believe that in that decisive moment, when the Holy Spirit is working, it could be in a message like that, it could be in a Church service, it could be while you are reading your Bible, it could be while one day we did something wrong, we went to the backyard, we went to the kitchen, we went to the car or whatever, you start to cried out, " God! why is it that I feel so horrible about myself." Yes, we begin to confessed, "I am what I am, because I don't have it in me to live the way You want. God! I am sorry, not just what I did Lord, I am absolutely horrible, I am so selfish, I am so terribly greedy."
But instead of crying out to God, instead of coming to God, instead of confessing, instead of coming before the Lord, folks, this is what happened, I believe to most people, guess what happen? You see, how many of us know that, we don't like that? We don't like that kind of feeling, that's why it is later in the same book by Jeremiah 17:9, that Jeremiah begins to said: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately Wicked: Who can know it?" You know why? Because we don't want to put to that state, we don't want to feel shame for who we are. For some reasons, we become very clever, we become very trickery in our minds, we start to justify ourselves, in fact, we even tell ourselves, "You know, you really not that bad, you ok, it's just a bad mistake, it's one of those things come and go in life, it's ok."
Isn't it strange? Ourselves tell ourselves that? It's ok. Because why? Because given times, I'll be ok, I'm not that bad after all, because there is still some good in me, just last week, you know, I just went to the old folks home and blessed 100 old folks, I just took a Pastor out for a big huge five stars meal, I means there is still something good about me, l am OK." We do that, don't we? Because the flesh lied to us, the devil comes and deceived us.
1
Instead of stay on on course and go to God, "God! it's not because of what I have done, it's not the good deeds, it's not what I have." But you see folks, we want to be in control, do you know that? REPENTANCE IS GOD TAKING CONTROL OUT OF US, ANTI REPENTANCE IN US, SIMPLY MEANS WE WANT TO BE IN CONTROL, and God doesn't wants us to be in control, repentance simply means we totally removed our hands from the gear, God is the driver in the seat, we get out, we stay as a pillion rider, and God is going to take us through the journey of our lives.
But we want to be in control folks, you and I, we don't want to feel like that, you know why it is strange? It's not only adults, who don't want to feel like that, it's not only adults that had escape like this in a very subtle way and "very spiritual way," not only adults do that? Do you know that even children do that? That's why children never like to be confronted, children don't like to be told they are wrong, children don't like to be shamed. In fact now, we are living a culture where parents are defending children to a point, we don't want children to feel shameful, because it's negative feeling, we like our children to be feel confident 100%, full of self confident, we don't want to see children do something wrong and we point a finger at them, we shield them, we protect them.
BUT YOU SEE, THE SPIRIT OF GOD DON'T WANT TO SHIELD US, THE SPIRIT OF GOD PRESS THIS POINT HOME RIGHT UNTIL IT GOES INTO THE DEEPEST PART OF OUR BEINGS, THAT IS WHAT REPENTANCE. It press the point until we admit, until we stand up and we said, "God, I'm sorry I hurt your heart, I broke your commandments, I'm not worthy, I walked on your blood, God, I'm horrible, it's not just what I did, but inside me that something that is evil, I'm wrong about me, God have mercy on my soul." Folks, He is hearing crys from us, He wants to hear us praying like this, He wants us to come before Him and said that, "God, I'm so sorry, I'm not remorseful, I'm not even regretful, I'm past all of that, I'm telling You that God, I'm like this, I'm so terrible inside, if You don't change me, I'm finished." That's why John the Baptist said.. This is the statement..
Matthew chapter 3, John the Baptist make some very profound statement concerning repentance, his message is on the promise if we repent like this, this is the promised. God promised all of our lives, His promised us: Verse 8. It was John, but it was as good as the entire New Testament principle is clearly revealed for us, he said, "BRINGS FORTH THEREFORE FRUITS MEET FOR REPENTANCE:" The word fruits there was plural, which means more than one, many fruits. Now, what are the fruits of repentance? When a man truly come into that place of repentance, what are the fruits that follows our lives? When John the Baptist, when Scriptures make that statement. "There are fruits that are meet for repentance," I believe this is what John was referring to, I believe this is what Heaven is wanting to vindicate, and I believe that you will agree with this.
Do you know it's strange that once a man and a woman knows shame in himself or herself, not what he or she did, they will know shame in every other things? They will know shame in acts, in deeds, in words, in conduct, in behaviour, in lifestyle. Yes or no? Once a man truly has repented, and know who he really is in his heart, in the light of God, once he has really transected and come into that repentance, true repentance in before God, folks suddenly, from knowing shame in himself, isn't it strange immediately he starts to know shames in every other things, he will know that to say those things are shameful, to do that is shameful, to dress like that is shameful, to take that course of road is shameful, to behave like that is shameful, you know it's strange isn't it? Folks why? BECAUSE IT IS GOD DEFENCE FOR OUR LIVES SO THAT WE WILL NEVER COMMIT SINS IN LIFE. WHEN WILL YOU STOP DOING WRONG? WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE SHAMEFUL.
What's the problem today with our Churches? How many of us know that we have Christians sitting in our meeting, who don't even know they're shameful? To act, to do, to perform many other things? Yes or no? Christians, they don't even know they're shameful, they don't even shameful to talk like that, they don't even know it is shameful to act like that, they don't even know it is shameful to behave like that, they don't even know shameful to dress like that, no shame. We are living in a culture today, all over the nations of the world today, it is no shame. It's no shame to have no manners, it's no shame to live morally loose life, no shame, why? How can that be? It will be folks, BECAUSE WE WILL NEVER KNOW SHAME IN ANY OTHER AREA OF OUR LIVES UNTIL WE KNOW SHAME IN OURSELVES.
THE MOMENT WE KNOW SHAME, GOD BRINGS US FRUITS, we know shame in every area, and when that happened, when a man starts to know shame in every area of his life, folks, how many of us know that his heart will be fill with HUMILITY? Yes or no? HE WILL BE FILLED WITH HUMILITY. Will I be be right if I tell you, I think that person is going to live very softly and circumspectly in his life? He will be very considerateness, he will be very gentle, he will be very wise, he will be careful with his words and his conduct, IT'S CALLED HUMILITY.
Where does it comes from? It comes, because this man knows shame in himself. That's why there is a lot of people who said, "I'm sorry brother, I'm sorry sister, I have done this." And then. "You are forgiven brother, you are forgiven sister." Two weeks, two months down the road, they do the same old things again, why? BECAUSE THEY ARE SORRY FOR THE ACTS THEY DID, THEY ARE NOT SORRY FOR WHO THEY ARE, THEY WERE SHAMEFUL FOR WHAT THEY DID, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN FOR WHO THEY WERE IN THE LIGHT OF GOD.
Finally The Acts, I believe it is one of the greatest promised given in Scripture CONCERNING A LIFE OF REPENTANCE. Acts 11:15-18, it was Apostle Peter. "And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, "John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE."
What is the promise of repentance? What's the promised, when a man comes into repentance? It is so quick, it is almost like, it will comes to you in two seconds, the Bible said, and God said, if you truly repent, it comes straight into life, and the life there is NOT OUR NATURAL LIFE, IT IS THE LIFE OF GOD. It's once again corresponds to the statement that Jesus make. "Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Meaning, repent and the Kingdom of God is immediately, instantly, simultaneously, spontaneously available to us. REPENTANCE IS UNTO LIFE, IT'S COMING TO LIFE.
That's why in Acts chapter 2:37-38, where we read earlier concerning when they were pricked by the Holy Spirit, or pricked by the message that they heard from Peter, the Bible said: Then Peter immediately answered them, they said: "What shall we do?" "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the GIFT of the Holy Ghost." Peter didn't say, receive the experiences of the Holy Spirit, he said, received the GIFT, WHICH IS SINGULAR, NOT GIFTS, BUT GIFT. Received the gift of the Holy Spirit, meaning he said, the moment you repent, you know what God promised?" I'll give to you the very person of the trinity, I'll give to you the very personhood of God, I'll give to you the personality of God in your life, I'll give to you the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit, I AM not going just to give you experiences, I AM going to give you the person of the Holy Spirit in your life, Amen.
That's what stabilized us, that's what confirmed us, that's what maintained us, that's what steadied us, that's what healed our minds, that's what brings broken, fractured back into normality, that's what finally delivered us from all hurts, and all of the emotional breakdown, that's what every area of our lives is all healed totally, completely and thoroughly.
God wants every man and woman to repent. "Repent, behold the Kingdom of God is at hand." REPENTANCE is one of the most glorious experience in our lives, it is a life that keep us in the place of VITALITY, it is repentance that keep us in that place of LIFE AND COMMUNION, it is repentance that cause us to DEPEND ON HIM AND TOTALLY RELY ON HIM, AND ABANDON OUR LIVES TO HIM, because once we live in the place of repentance, we will rely on Him, because we are not in control, GOD IS IN CONTROL, when God is in control, WE WILL TRUST HIM FOR EVERYTHING AND IN Everything. AMEN. SHALOM.
For further reading please visit TAN KOK KIM
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