06/06/2026
We can’t grow in our relationship with God when chosen and cherished sins stand between us and Him. We’ve all fallen short of the glory of God, but we can—and should—repent of our sins when the Holy Spirit brings them into our minds (Eph. 4:30).
The secular world bombards us with messages of independence, indulgence, and self-promotion—the opposite of the principles of God’s kingdom. Interestingly, the first words recorded in the Bible by John the Baptist and Jesus were similar. John said, “ ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ ” (Matt. 3:1, 2, NKJV). Jesus said, “ ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’ ”
The kindness and goodness of God leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4). Repentance involves two steps: (1) sincere pain and sorrow for our sins; and (2) the honest decision to abandon sin. In the Bible, repentance is almost always connected to forgiveness. We genuinely repent; God forgives. It’s that simple (1 John 1:9, Rev. 3:19). “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9, NKJV). As we personally prepare our souls for the Second Coming, God is giving us time to make things right with Him.