The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  2 Peter 3:9

If you are not a Christian, if you have not repented, then you are not in God’s will.  

What does it mean to repent?  To repent means to change one’s mind; to change one’s mind about your sin (sin separates one from God); to change one’s mind about who Jesus is (He is God); to change one’s mind about what He did for you (He died in your place); to believe in His death, burial and resurrection (not yourself);  to change one’s mind about trying to earn salvation (it is a gift); to change one’s mind about who to trust for salvation (trust Jesus Christ and His merit alone).  Changing one’s mind results in a change of direction.

Many years ago, I conducted religious surveys in several rural towns in our area.  The survey was composed of seven questions.  The first five questions were general information questions concerning current religious affiliation, religious background, etc.  The fifth question was a yes or no answer about whether or not one would go to heaven.  The last and most important question was:  If you died today and stood before God and He asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?  

Eighty percent of the answers received to the last question fell within two categories.   God would let me into heaven: 1)  because of who I am, and 2) because of what I’ve done.  The eighty percentile group for these two categories was consistent throughout each community regardless of that community’s religious majority.

Interestingly, those two categories: because of who I am and because of what I’ve done, are the very reasons we cannot enter into God’s presence.  Who are we?  We are sinners, guilty before God.  What have we done?  We have turned each one to our own way and God hath laid on Him (Messiah Jesus) the iniquity of us all.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 6:23

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  Acts 16:31

Will you submit to His will?

In the parable of the sower, the seed is the word of God, therefore it is all good seed.  Although it is all good seed, there can be a great difference in the results from seed to seed.  The difference in outcome depends upon the type of ground each seed falls upon.

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And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.  And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.  And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

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And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

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The sower soweth the word.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts (desires) of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Mark 4:1-20

Are you a sower of the Word?  Don’t become discouraged in well doing, for you shall reap in due season, if you faint not.

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…..let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…. 

I Love to Tell the Story

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know it’s true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

Refrain

I love to tell the story!
‘Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story, More wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies Of all our golden dreams,
I love to tell the story, It did so much for me,
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

 I love to tell the story, ‘Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet!
I love to tell the story, For some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own Holy Word.

I love to tell the story, For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting To hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
‘Twill be the old, old story
That I have loved so long.

Words: A. Catherine Hankey, 1834-1911
Music: William G. Fisher, 1835-1912