True Repentance and God's Persistent Grace

Devotional

Day 1: The Heart of Genuine Repentance

True repentance involves a heartfelt turn back to God, willing to do whatever it takes to get right with Him. Fake repentance, on the other hand, is merely a show of sorrow without genuine change. This distinction is crucial for a real relationship with God. True repentance is not just about feeling sorry for our sins but about making a conscious decision to turn away from them and seek God's forgiveness and guidance. It requires humility, honesty, and a willingness to change our ways. Fake repentance, however, is superficial and does not lead to any real transformation. It is important to examine our hearts and ensure that our repentance is genuine and leads us closer to God. [42:44]

Joel 2:12-13 (ESV): "Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

Reflection: Think of a specific sin or habit you need to repent of. What steps can you take today to genuinely turn away from it and seek God's forgiveness and help?

Day 2: Fostering a Deep Relationship with God in the Next Generation

It's not enough to teach children Bible stories; we must foster a deep, personal relationship with God. This involves living out our faith authentically so that the next generation can see and experience what it means to know God intimately. Passing on faith is more than just sharing knowledge; it is about modeling a life of faith and encouraging young people to develop their own relationship with God. This requires intentionality, consistency, and a genuine love for God that is evident in our daily lives. By doing so, we can help the next generation grow in their faith and develop a strong, personal connection with God. [47:31]

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (ESV): "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

Reflection: How can you intentionally model your faith to the younger generation in your life today? What specific actions can you take to help them develop a personal relationship with God?

Day 3: The Danger of Worshiping the Temporary

Like the Israelites who were lured by Baal worship, we too can be distracted by temporary pleasures. These distractions can lead us far from God, making us lose sight of eternal values. It is easy to get caught up in the pursuit of material wealth, success, and other worldly desires, but these things are fleeting and do not bring lasting fulfillment. Instead, we should focus on what truly matters—our relationship with God and living according to His will. By prioritizing eternal values over temporary pleasures, we can stay grounded in our faith and avoid being led astray. [55:00]

1 John 2:15-17 (ESV): "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

Reflection: Identify one temporary pleasure or distraction that is taking your focus away from God. What steps can you take today to shift your focus back to eternal values?

Day 4: Embracing God's Persistent Grace

Despite our failures and cycles of disobedience, God's grace is persistent. He continually offers us opportunities for repentance and renewal. This grace should lead us to a posture of gratitude and genuine repentance. God's patience and love are unwavering, even when we fall short. His grace is a constant reminder of His desire for us to return to Him and live in accordance with His will. Embracing this grace means acknowledging our shortcomings, seeking forgiveness, and striving to live a life that honors God. It is through His grace that we find the strength to overcome our failures and grow in our faith. [01:01:15]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent failure or mistake. How can you embrace God's grace and use this experience as an opportunity for repentance and renewal today?

Day 5: The Power of Community and Support

The stories of the Pruitts and the Redmonds remind us of the importance of community support and prayer. Whether it's through global missions or local tragedies, being part of a faith community helps us experience God's love and protection in tangible ways. Community provides a support system that encourages us, prays for us, and helps us grow in our faith. It is through these relationships that we can experience God's love and care in a deeper way. By being actively involved in a faith community, we can both give and receive support, strengthening our connection with God and with each other. [25:51]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: How can you actively support someone in your faith community today? What specific actions can you take to show God's love and care to them?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the profound ways God works through us and the importance of genuine repentance and faithfulness. We began by celebrating the impactful ministry of Glenn and Christine Pruitt, who are dedicated to translating the Bible into every person's heart language. Their work exemplifies how God uses our unique skills to make a global difference. We also prayed for Harry and Becky Redmond, who recently experienced a devastating house fire but were miraculously kept safe. This incident reminded us of God's protection and the importance of community support.

We then delved into Judges chapter 2, examining how the Israelites strayed from God despite having clear guidance. Their story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of fake repentance, neglecting to pass on faith to the next generation, and worshiping temporary, worldly things. The Israelites' cycle of disobedience and God's persistent grace highlights the importance of true repentance and intimate knowledge of God.

We discussed how fake repentance—making a show of sorrow without genuine change—leads us further from God. True repentance involves a heartfelt turn back to God, willing to do whatever it takes to get right with Him. We also emphasized the critical role of teaching the next generation not just the stories of the Bible but fostering a deep, personal relationship with God. This is more than head knowledge; it's about knowing God intimately.

Moreover, we examined how the Israelites were lured by the temporary pleasures of Baal worship, which parallels our modern-day distractions. Worshiping the immediate and temporary can lead us far from God, making us lose sight of eternal values. Finally, we acknowledged that despite our failures, we are sustained by God's grace. His persistent patience and love offer us continual opportunities for repentance and renewal.

###

Key Takeaways

1. **Genuine Repentance vs. Fake Repentance**: True repentance involves a heartfelt turn back to God, willing to do whatever it takes to get right with Him. Fake repentance, on the other hand, is merely a show of sorrow without genuine change. This distinction is crucial for a real relationship with God. [42:44]
2. Passing Faith to the Next Generation: It's not enough to teach children Bible stories; we must foster a deep, personal relationship with God. This involves living out our faith authentically so that the next generation can see and experience what it means to know God intimately. [47:31]
3. The Danger of Worshiping the Temporary: Like the Israelites who were lured by Baal worship, we too can be distracted by temporary pleasures. These distractions can lead us far from God, making us lose sight of eternal values. We must focus on what truly matters. [55:00]
4. God's Persistent Grace: Despite our failures and cycles of disobedience, God's grace is persistent. He continually offers us opportunities for repentance and renewal. This grace should lead us to a posture of gratitude and genuine repentance. [61:15]
5. Community and Support: The stories of the Pruitts and the Redmonds remind us of the importance of community support and prayer. Whether it's through global missions or local tragedies, being part of a faith community helps us experience God's love and protection in tangible ways. [25:51]
### [25:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:51] - Celebrating the Pruitts' Ministry
[26:40] - Praying for the Redmond Family
[27:28] - God's Protection and Community Support
[29:04] - Turning to God's Word
[30:15] - Upcoming Church Events
[31:52] - Wind Shape Camp Highlights
[33:07] - Impact of Wind Shape Camp
[34:32] - Personal Story: Lost in Rome
[37:18] - Introduction to Judges Chapter 2
[39:07] - The Danger of Fake Repentance
[42:44] - True Repentance Explained
[47:31] - Passing Faith to the Next Generation
[55:00] - Worshiping the Temporary
[61:15] - God's Persistent Grace
[65:04] - Call to Genuine Repentance and Faith
[67:00] - Communion and Baptism
[73:49] - Final Announcements and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What were the Israelites instructed to do when they entered the land, according to Judges 2:1-3?
How did the Israelites respond when confronted by the angel of the Lord in Judges 2:4-5?
What does Paul say about godly grief and repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10?
In Matthew 7:21-23, what does Jesus say about those who call Him "Lord" but do not do the will of His Father?

Interpretation Questions

Why is it significant that the Israelites wept and sacrificed to the Lord but still practiced fake repentance? ([40:56])
How does the concept of "knowing" God in Judges 2:10 differ from merely knowing about God? ([47:31])
What are the dangers of worshiping temporary pleasures, as illustrated by the Israelites' worship of Baal? ([55:00])
How does God's persistent grace, as shown in Judges 2:16-18, offer hope despite repeated failures? ([01:01:15])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you may have practiced fake repentance. What steps can you take to ensure your repentance is genuine and heartfelt? ([40:56])
How can you actively foster a deep, personal relationship with God in your own life and in the lives of the next generation? ([47:31])
Identify a temporary pleasure or distraction in your life that may be leading you away from God. What practical steps can you take to refocus on eternal values? ([55:00])
How can you cultivate a posture of gratitude and genuine repentance in response to God's persistent grace? ([01:01:15])
In what ways can you support and pray for your faith community, especially those going through difficult times like the Redmond family? ([27:28])
Think of a specific skill or talent you have. How can you use it to make a difference in your community or globally, similar to the Pruitts' work in Bible translation? ([25:51])
How can you ensure that your faith is not just head knowledge but an intimate relationship with God? What changes might you need to make in your daily routine to deepen this relationship? ([47:31])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "You ever been lost like that ever? Anybody ever been lost like that? It's one of the most like helpless feelings in the world. And what was most helpless for us is that we didn't even know how we'd gotten there. We're gonna be in Judges chapter two today. The second part of kind of our opening introduction to this whole book, asking the question, how'd we get here? How'd we get off the map? How'd we come so far? How did we get so lost?" [37:18] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If you've ever found yourself feeling distant from the Lord, you need to know this very simple truth. It wasn't the Lord's fault. You know, God never moves. Right here at the beginning, it says, God says, I will never break my covenant with you. That's what he says, right? I don't know if you ever got broken up with this line. It's not you, it's me. Maybe that was just me. But that's a, that's a line, right? You might say here right at the beginning of Judges 2, it's not me, it's you, right?" [39:07] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You know, fake repentance feels good, sounds good, looks good, but ironically it'll leave you confused. You'll, you'll get down the road one day and you'll go, wait a minute, but I thought I was — didn't I cry enough? Didn't I, didn't I do enough? How did I get here? My question to you is, is there anything in your life that you, you, you probably kind of, I know, that you've kind of covered over with shows of regret, but really it's still there?" [44:25] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Is there anything better than knowing God? The one who made you? The one who has power over all of creation? The one who you can run to in times of need in the middle of the night or when you're far off? Is there anything better than knowing God? There's none. How do you know Him better and better? Well, you study His Word, yes, but not just so you can pass a test. You study His Word and you get to know Him in relationship. Experiencing. Experiencing Him, not just head knowledge, but life experience with Him." [50:54] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "You know, researchers have shown that through dopamine hits? That some of this stuff is conditioned to provide us the chemical reactions that happen in our brains are identical to those that are evident in cocaine addicts. You're a coke addict. You didn't even know it. Like this is what's happening to us. We worship the immediate and the temporary and it's no new thing. The nation of Israel was tempted to seek immediate temporary satisfaction in the form of sex and money and it's still the same today." [56:55] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "You can repent or you can have fake repentance. You can wail, you can cry, you can rename places. You can actually even go to worship and offer sacrifices and make a really good show of it and it be completely fake. Or you can be truly repentant, and how do you know? How do you know the difference? Well, when someone is truly repentant, they turn around. Their heart wide open. Willing to share it all. Willing to accept whatever it takes to get them back on track. Not shielding and protecting and hoping to save face." [43:43] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If we want our kids to know God? We have to know God, to show them what it's like not to just answer questions but to live a life with the Lord, surrendered, humble with Him. To show them how we follow the Lord, how we forgive and ask forgiveness, how we live with gratitude and compassion, how we pray, how we read, how we worship, how we know Him, because He's here." [52:36] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You know, a year or two after Natalie and I got married, we went on a trip to Italy. I can't remember if it was 2008 or 2009, what year we went. But we went on a trip to Italy. We did a lot of travel before we had children. But the closest we get today to Italy is in choosing which one of the eight pizza places in Percival we should go. If you've counted, there's eight. But we did. We went to Italy and we went to Rome. And when we were in Rome, I thought of this story because you've been watching the Olympics. I'm sure you've probably watched some things in the Olympics. I thought of this story watching the Olympics." [34:32] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Listen, I gotta be honest with you as a pastor, I, I am fully aware of the fact that last week and this week might have felt like a gut punch and some of you are like, can we go back to Psalms? Like, can we just, can we go back to Psalms? Right? Maybe you're looking at the book of Judges and you're like, how long are we gonna be in this book? Yeah. Maybe even with dread, right? But that would be to miss the overt point in all of this. It's just the reason God gave us the book of Judges." [59:11] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "You see the book of Judges is a book of grace because I've got to tell you if I was the holy one, true God. There's lots of great reasons I'm not, but if I was, do you know how many cycles there would have been? One, because after the first one, if they like disobeyed again, I'd be, you need to build a boat because there's another flood coming. Like that's what would have happened. I got, I had zero patience like him. I'm self-righteous, right? You broke my rules. There you go. I've got, God again and again sees the condition of his people and wants to redeem them again and save them again." [01:00:33] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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