Electives – Section 2

Biblical repentance means to “change our mind.” Changes in our behavior are a result of repentance. Our behavior is NOT the focus. It is important to remember that we must “change our mind” while remembering the grace and goodness of God. In this context, repentance becomes a joyous task of cooperating with God so as to root out the idolatry, obstacles, and distractions in our heart. Heart-training is a biblical kind of repentance that changes our heart BEFORE we sin. Doing this involves declaring the truth out loud, until we patiently and relentlessly change what our heart believes, loves, and is NOT afraid of. By this, we love God more, and we give Him freedom to do a greater work in us than otherwise would have been possible.

… (Your name), listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…training my beliefs and loves so that my heart is directed toward God, removes the obstacles between us and makes it easier for me to return to Him. It removes the idolatry in my heart even before I sin.

“return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods…and direct your hearts to the Lord…and He will deliver you…” (1 Sam. 7:3).

“And it will be said, ‘Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle out of the way of My people” (Isa. 57:14).

…training my beliefs and loves so that it directs my heart toward God, clears a path between us that becomes a “highway” so that I can more freely draw near to God and He can more freely draw near to me.

“…Clear the way for the Lord…Make…a highway for our God…Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed…” (Isa. 40:3-5).

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” (James 4:8)

“…clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple…” (Mal. 3:1). (pause to hear, believe, and love the God who is close!)

…I CAN repent by “changing my mind” to think according to the kingdom of God. Doing this helps me to be more faithful to God and it prepares me so that I can more fully receive the His kingdom here.

“…John the Baptist came…saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ For this is…”The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!’” (Mat 3:1-3).

“…the children yet to be born…should…not be…a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God” (Psa 78:6-8).

…the repentance that helps me to return to the Lord brings forgiveness and the presence of God. The payback for repentance is so great that turning from earthly sources is a price well worth paying!

“…repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). (pause to hear, believe, and love the truth!)

…heart-training consecrates me to the Lord in a way that makes it much easier for me to draw near to God and feed on Him. (pause to let yourself feel confidence because of the truth!)

“…Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come near…” (2 Chron. 29:31).

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters…Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? …delight yourself in abundance” (Isa. 55:1,2). (pause to hear, believe, and love the God who is close!)

…it helps me to trust God more fully when I train my heart in many areas of life: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” (Pro 3:5).

… (Your name), listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…directing my heart toward God is a kind of repentance that humbles me and helps me turn from sin. It paves the way for me to pray and seek the presence of the Lord. And by this, God heals our land!

“and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron 7:14). (pause to hear, believe, and love the God who is close!)

…heart-training is a practical way of living out the dying of Jesus. The benefit of directing my heart away from idolatry and toward God is that Jesus will be manifested! Heart, let it sink in that life is the goal, dying is just the process of what it takes to continually let His life show through.(pause to enjoy the truth!)

“always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” (2 Cor. 4:10). (pause to hear, believe, and love the God who is close!)

“…there was no strange god among you; so you are My witnesses…I am God’” (Isa. 43:12).

…heart-training helps me to cut off my love for earthly things and train my heart to believe and love God. By this, I become more sensitive toward God and I enjoy Him more fully.: “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and remove the foreskins of your heart…” (Jer 4:4). “…circumcise your heart…” (Deu 10:16).

…directing my heart to believe and love God helps me to trust Him more fully: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” (Pro 3:5).

…heart-training is a practical way of building my faith: “…building yourselves up on your most holy faith” (Jude 1:20). “…applying all diligence, in your faith…” (2 Pet. 1:5).

…the most direct and effective path of Christian growth involves a repentance that changes the mind of the heart. Speaking the truth with my mouth and hearing it in my heart results in a faith that improves righteous living, faith for receiving the Holy Spirit, obedience, and faith for receiving the kingdom of God…

“…confess with your mouth…and believe in your heart…” (Rom. 10:9)

“for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness…” (Rom. 10:10).

“…the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the [good news]…” (Mark 1:15).

“…faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17).

“…the obedience of faith…” (Rom. 1:5).

“…receive the Spirit…by hearing with faith” (Gal. 3:2—implied).

“So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God…” (Jos. 23:11).

“Delight yourself in the Lord…” (Psa. 37:4).

“for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Mat. 6:21).

…when Jesus comes back the church, the bride of Christ will have made herself ready by a kind of repentance that changes her thinking to kingdom thinking. .

“…the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready” (Rev 19:7).

“…[John the Baptist]…will go as a forerunner before [Jesus]…to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luk 1:17).

“…John the Baptist came…saying, ‘[change your mind], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ For this is…”The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!’” (Mat 3:1-3).