The 3-R’s to Christian Success

 

Revelation 2:5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

Back-in-the-day, before going to church I used to tune in every Sunday on the television to watch one of America’s greatest preacher/teacher – the late Pastor D. James Kennedy. I learned so much from watching the weekly Sermons and featured issue. I was blessed to have been able to meet Dr. Kennedy twice and continue to read his ministry’s publications, support the ongoing ministry and watch recorded broadcasts occasionally. Their monthly magazine “Impact” has changed a little for the better and now has a Devotional of great little gems from Pastor Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. For May 5^th they write: “Remember the threefold prescription of our Savior: remember, repent and return. May God grant that we might remember our first love and from whence we are fallen. What a tragic term “fallen” is. You are a fallen woman … you are a fallen man.” I’d add that this is a fallen world also. “Repent from your spiritual apathy. Return to your first love for Jesus.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

“It took the precious blood of Christ to forgive our sins, and nothing less than that will suffice. We cannot be redeemed by contrition or repentance alone, but we cannot be redeemed without them. This is the plain teaching of the Scriptures. If we can catch ourselves and repent from the “small sins” – such as an unkind word, or a covetous thought, or a lustful stare, or a hateful intention, or a prideful contemplation, then return to righteousness is not so hard. If we do not heed the Holy Spirit and instead we let things slide, we become backslidden and the return is much harder. If we live in daily repentance, we continue in His light.” Remove the lampstand and you have darkness. Walk by faith, walk in the light, walk in the Spirit, follow Jesus. Remember, repent and return are the 3-R’s to Christian success.

Philippians 1:27 “Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

In Christ, Brian