REPENTANCE IS THE FIRST STEP TO A NEW HEART

     We are born with an evil heart. The result of the heritage received from the sin of Adam. Jer. 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? As we grow up the wicked  heart begins to show. Good parents will train us so we can live and act in the society without destroying ourselves and others. Our real need is a changed heart. At some time we all need to recognize this and appeal to God for a new, righteous heart. God loves to give out new hearts. Created within us is a desire to know our God and God uses this to draw us to Himself.
     Repentance is the first step. Repentance is the recognition of God’s estimate of the hopeless character of our hearts till renewed by the Word and Spirit of God. The meaning of repentance is a change of mind. The necessity of changing one’s attitude toward self, toward sin, toward God, toward Christ. John preached to sinners, “Repent (change your mind) for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Mankind needs to face their sin and helplessness; and then face Christ as the one all sufficient Savior to give remission of sins and a new, cleansed heart. Job is our example of a change of mind after God had questioned him. He answered, “I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
      Repentance is the beginning of the short trip to believe and receive Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and obtaining a new heart that loves Christ and loves righteousness.  

~Lewellyn Tewksbury  April 22, 2017