A Call to Repentance!

The Lord says, "Seek ye me," "Seek the Lord." Isaiah 1:3 tells us the animals know their masters but the children of God know not theirs, they have forsaken the Lord. Forsaken means to leave, depart, neglect or abandon. How God's heart must have been broken, how sad. However, it is not different today, God is still saying, "Seek ye me!" God continues in Isaiah Chapter 1 to express His weariness. Could we relate this to present day living and our attitudes?

What purpose is the multitude of our sacrifices to me, he says? He wonders and comments "I am full of them." They werent repenting and offering, just offering, kinda like going through the motions. Can we relate to that? Do we skip the heart condition in our sacrifices to God? Do we skip the step of making things right before God and man? We all know what we do to sacrifice for God. Whatever service that may be. Why do we do it? What motivates us? Are we joyful or murmering and complaining? When we have issues unresolved and push them deep within our hearts, ignore them, and just plain try to smooth them over our fellowship is broken with God, sin separates us from Him, yet we show up as if nothing is wrong. We come in His sanctuary unclean and act like here I am all is OK, and He knows the heart. Oh how we need to repent!

He tells them and us, Bring NO more vain oblations, incense is an abomination, so are the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of the assemblies, I cannot deal with, it is iniquity even in the solemn meetings, HE SAYS, my soul hates your appointed feasts, gathers, celebrations, they are trouble to me. Because they were gathering for themselves and claiming it under Him. He had nothing to do with it. Lots of activities and programs, but really, how much is really involving HIM. Hear me, not about HIM but involving HIM? There is such a difference.

Many of us can go through the motions of religion and we do what appears to look right all on the outside, and the things we participate in, organize, or support can ALL be good things. God looks at it as an outer show, He wants our hearts. God can care less about the busyness and amount of "things" we can do in His name. He wants YOU and ME. He doesnt want our faith in rituals and doings, He wants our faith in being, being at His feet! Seeking HIM, not what we can stay busy with.

A CALL TO REPENTANCE....WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF OUR HEARTS?

He further goes on to say, He will not watch our hands up in worship, nor hear our prayers, he says our hands are unclean, put away your evil doings learn to do well, seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless and plead for the widows.

God is tired of our doings, it is the message throughout the entire old testament! How tiring it is to talk the same talk over and over and over again. STOP going through the motions with our outer show and commune with HIM, get to KNOW Him and rest at His feet to Hear Him.

He says, we become as harlots, we are cheating on God, we are murderers, rebellious, thieves, loving gifts more than giver, following after our rewards, disobedient. God is saying you are committing adultery against me in every way and cheating me of my relationship with you.

God says in Jeremiah 2 what iniquity have you fathers find in me that they have gone far from me?

God is innocent! He begs us, "Come let us reason together." God is trying to get our attention, in every part of scripture that we would not be like the Israelites, He has given us His Word to teach us and guide us into truth and not be mislead by the wickedness of our own hearts.

He says, IF you be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land. Sounds to me IF is conditional along with YOU (me and you) are obedient, he follows with a BUT, IF you refuse (choices we make) and rebel we shall be devoured.

Examing our hearts is a daily process. It is a "checking" in of sorts. Running through our minds and tearing down strongholds that come upon us from unclean spirits that we entertain. We must KNOW our Scriptures and engraft them into our hearts. We must have a humble heart of repenting daily for falling away, our flesh, distractions, and the mental battles of deception.

Let us reason together as believers and encourage one another to repent, turn and seek God with a pure heart. Unload the "junk" that is blocking your heart from fully engaging with HIM.

Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand! Isnt that interesting they are the very first words recorded in the scriptures as Jesus began ministry. Repentance is a daily exercise to evaluate where are we at, and where should we be going. To repent means to change direction. How important it is to navigate our hearts daily.

May we all be aware of what is going on in our hearts and lives, and that we are seeking Him with everything we have.~Be Blessed.