a glimpse towards Sunday 10.24.14

Over and over throughout scripture, God’s people are called to turn back to their Creator. Brokenness, selfishness, ambitions, Satan’s whispers… all work against us and push us away from the heart of God.

Turning back to God is called repentance. It’s a literal 180. An about face. A U-turn.
A teenage King Josiah helped turn the entire nation of Israel back to God (II Chronicles 34). Change begins on the heels of repentance.

As a young kid, I remember week-long revivals where repentance was the subject of some loud, preacher yelling. Sitting in the second row as a green nine-year-old, I knew the traveling evangelist was shouting at me. “YOU need to repent of your sin. You need to repent of your smokin’, drinkin’, cussin’, carryin’ on, and SEXual immorality,” the man behind the pulpit would theologize. His preachin’ finger would wag directly at my face. I was convicted every time. The hundreds of folks behind me must have known my need to repent too. My bright red ears were glowing with guilt. At the age of nine, I may not have been guilty as charged, but I did begin learning the concept of turning back to God. Change, I could see, would begin with repentance.

What gets conjured up within your soul with the very word “repentance?” It can often stir some very negative waters. The Bible directs, however, how times of refreshing come with seasons of repentance (Acts 3:19). How cool is that? The revival preacher never quite made it to that point. I don’t remember the part about God’s kindness leading to our repentance either (Romans 2:4). But the turning and changing thing I got. Cool.

Is the about face a personal or corporate concept? Biblically, it seems to be both. How do you view the need for repentance? Is it for other folks? Could it be slotted for whole groups of people? Would there be room for our church… Cumberland Community Church… to repent? Why would we need to? What change would happen if WE did? You in?

On Sunday, we’re continuing our “Life-Giving Living” series from I Peter 2:9-12. We’re teaching for transformational, gospel change. Change begins with repentance.
You think you could turn? You think CCC needs to do a big, corporate 180? I wonder what God would do if we did.

Let’s gather on Sunday and see what God has for us. I promise to teach my heart out. Would you promise to be a part of the US at 9 and 11 a.m.? Come ready for God to move and speak and change. I would ask you bring a friend tired and done with religion. Pray for change. Repentance. Revival. I’m excited to be with you and teach.

Blessings,

Weekly Giving | 10/19/14

$24,216.83

Weekly Need $29,000.00