Repentance Brings Mercy!   By James L Lantz

Jesus launched His earthly ministry preaching and saying that men must repent and believe the gospel! The gospel is good news! Jesus came to save us from our sins!  Mark 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.  The God of heaven had revealed to Daniel how He would break the Roman empire (feet of iron and clay) into pieces with the Stone cut from the mountain without hands.  Daniel 2:44  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.  There is a big reason that Jesus preached that people must change how they think and how they act. Jesus said that we must believe that He is the Christ! If a person denies that they are in need of salvation, deliverance, healing, or protection they certainly will not look to Christ for help. When a person acknowledges their need for the Savior they acknowledge that they are a sinner separated from God by sin. This is a drastic change from when they thought that they didn’t need God’s help for anything. The first thing necessary to enter the kingdom of God and to access kingdom benefits is to have the revelation of who God is and what our position is without Him. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but rather to save the world. Condemnation came on everyone through Adam’s sin and without Christ there was no hope for any of us.  Ephesians 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:   When we hear the truth that Jesus is the Savior, the Deliverer, the Healer, the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, Protector, and Financier we have a choice to make. We will either believe and obey or we will reject and go our own way. Repentance causes us to think differently, when repenting from sin we have a godly sorrow and now we begin to do what we haven’t been willing to do or we quit doing that which we should not do. Repentance is coming into agreement with the will of God which allows His power to flow toward our area of need. It pleases God when He can reward us for believing Him!

Mercy is not us receiving what we deserve but rather a gift that God gives to those who humble themselves before Him. God’s desire is that none would be lost but that all might be saved! God’s mercy is so much bigger than we would think. Jesus taught His disciples to pray that the Father’s will would be done in the earth as it is in heaven. Our sample prayer in Ephesians request that we might comprehend the breadth, length, depth, and height of love and to know the love of Christ.  Eph. 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,  God’s mercy towards His beloved man is very great!  Psalms 145:8&9 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to

all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

1. King Ahab’s repentance!

      Ahab was a very wicked King in Israel and yet he understood something about God’s mercy!

1 Kings 21:25  But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.  There was a vineyard owned by Naboth in which King Ahab coveted. Naboth refused to sell Ahab his vineyard saying the Lord forbid him. There is instruction in the word that their inheritance must be kept in the family. Ahab allowed his wife to send out letters with the Kings seal to orchestrate a plan in which Naboth would be falsely accused and then stoned to death. When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead he went to take possession of the coveted vineyard. The word of the Lord came to Elijah the prophet, saying, go meet King Ahab at the vineyard and pronounce this judgement of death on he and Jezebel and the cutting off of his posterity. When Ahab heard those words he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. The word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, See how Ahab humbles himself before me? because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring this evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring this evil upon his house.

2. Jonah’s repentance!

The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying, arise and go to Nineveh and cry against it for their wickedness is come up before Me. Jonah didn’t like this assignment because he knew how merciful God is and that upon their repentance judgement would be removed and he would look like a false prophet. Jonah boarded a ship to flee from the presence of the Lord so the Lord sent a great wind to stir up the waves causing the sailors to fear for their lives. When it was discovered that the storm had come because of Jonah’s disobedience they threw Jonah into the sea. The Lord had a great fish to swallow Jonah and after being afflicted inside this fish for three days and three nights he cried unto the Lord. This situation looked hopeless, his disobedience had brought on this great suffering, but he remembered that the Lord was very merciful and very powerful. Jonah refused to die in disobedience and began to sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving declaring his obedience and God’s deliverance!

Jonah 2:7-9  .  .  .  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

3. The Prodigal son repented!

This young man asked for and received his inheritance while his father was alive. He soon left home and spent his new found wealth living the high life. At the very time that he ran out of money there was a famine in the land and the only job he could get was feeding pigs. He was in such want that he desired to eat the husks that the pigs ate yet no one gave him any. Then he came to himself, remembering that at his father’s house even the servants had plenty to eat. He decided that he would humble himself and return to his father and ask if he could be his servant.  Luke 15:21  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.  This father was watching for his son to return and when he saw him a great way off, he had compassion, and ran, and fell on his son’s neck, and kissed him.  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. This son had exchanged his entitlement thinking to one who wanted to serve and now was the time for mercy and restoration. This father immediately moved the conversation from what this young man deserved to the mercy he desired to give and called for immediate restoration. Bring the best robe, and put it on him, put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, let’s make a feast, and eat and be merry, for my son was dead but now is alive.

The above accounts and the parable of the prodigal son beautifully illustrate how God responds to every person who will repent and come to Him for mercy! Notice how quickly God releases mercy to those who genuinely repent. God is looking for those who will receive his mercy for their life, their community, their family, their health, their joy and peace, their provision, and any other need!

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

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.    Luke 15:31  .  .  .  Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

The Godly Wife And Mother!

These are the solemn words which King Lemuel’s mother said to him:

“You are my own dear son, the answer to my prayers. What shall I tell you? Don’t spend all your energy on sex and all your money on women; they have destroyed kings. Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink wine or have a craving for alcohol. When they drink, they forget the laws and ignore the rights of people in need. Alcohol is for people who are dying, for those who are in misery. Let them drink and forget their poverty and unhappiness.

“Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless. Speak for them and be a righteous judge. Protect the rights of the poor and needy.”

How hard it is to find a capable wife! She is worth far more than jewels!

Her husband puts his confidence in her, and he will never be poor.

As long as she lives, she does him good and never harm.

She keeps herself busy making wool and linen cloth.

She brings home food from out-of-the-way places, as merchant ships do.

She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and to tell her servant women what to do.

She looks at land and buys it, and with money she has earned she plants a vineyard.

She is a hard worker, strong and industrious.

She knows the value of everything she makes, and works late into the night.

She spins her own thread and weaves her own cloth.

She is generous to the poor and needy.

She doesn’t worry when it snows, because her family has warm clothing.

She makes bedspreads and wears clothes of fine purple linen.

Her husband is well known, one of the leading citizens.

She makes clothes and belts, and sells them to merchants.

She is strong and respected and not afraid of the future.

She speaks with a gentle wisdom.

She is always busy and looks after her family’s needs.

Her children show their appreciation, and her husband praises her.

He says, “Many women are good wives, but you are the best of them all.”

Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears, but a woman who honors the Lord should be praised.

Give her credit for all she does. She deserves the respect of everyone.

Proverbs 31  Good News Translation