The Season of Repentance, the Season of Returning.
Ecclesiastes 3:14 GNB
“I know that everything God does will last for ever. You can’t add anything to it or take anything away from it. And one thing God does is to make us stand in awe of him.”
This is a supernatural time to prepare, a time to return, a time to continue on with The LORD in covenant. This is the season of the wedding rehearsal.
Every season
Indeed is for purpose,
Help us see the times
You’ve set for service.
We are Your body
Your feet and hands,
May we never be found,
Afraid to take a stand.
Help us hold fast Your truths
never water down,
Remember the word of God
first a verb and not only a noun.
Called to be doers
and walk in alignment,
With Your set purposes,
discover our assignment.
To everything there is a season
A time for every purpose under heaven.
Pour out our hearts willingly
Purified of all leaven.
Commit all our ways
Earnestly to You Lord,
Hold fast to Your truths
Obedient to Your word.
Taking delight
In Your Holy plans,
order our steps
by Your commands.
The season has come
And the time is at hand
Show us Oh Lord
how to take our stand. (excerpt from poem © laurette laster – Signs and Seasons)
A time to become one with the Almighty
This morning as I was meditating and thinking about the verses in the bible that use the words and the phrases, “return to Me says The Lord, and I will return to you.” A truth occurred to me. One I already know and when I explain this, most of you will realize you have known this too. However this morning it was a light bulb moment. These verses and phrases are a uniting or a joining together. The verses are pointing to future events as well as right now circumstances. Then now and future events, that join together, first and last, old and new, types and shadows being fulfilled and thus illuminated at the appointed times.
The majority of the verses that instruct us to turn, shuv or return, Teshuvah are found in the first Testament or The Old Covenant. Or as some say the Old Testament. That wasn’t new to me, but the ‘why’ is what hit my spirit this morning. When we have broken covenant there must be reconciliation and a restoration period. There is a time to repent, acknowledge the wrong or transgression and then a time of making restitution for the wrong committed. This is the proper way to Teshuvah. This is how to continue on with the relationship. God doesn’t play the denial game or cover up sin. He atones for sin until the appointed time of our Messiah. Each of these verses and scriptures is pointing to our Messiah.
While listening to preaching and teaching today, often repentance is down played or overlooked all together and not taken seriously. Failure to truly, thoroughly repent affects our ability to have faith or act on faith, toward God. Our faith is a direct result of our work of repentance.
God is basically saying and calling out to the upcoming generations; hey you……Come over here and look at what I am going to do. Come away with Me, Look what I am planning, Return to me I have a huge blessing to share with you. I am going to be unwrapping mysteries and giving gifts soon (The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed), and you do not want to miss out on this. Repentance is the invitation into all that God has planned for us, the church. Read 1 Corinthians 2:9.
We know that The New Testament or the Renewed Covenant is necessary because the old was to show us how far we missed the mark. The First Covenant is a type and shadow of what was to come. Mankind continued to transgress against the law. The law was there to show us that we couldn’t obtain righteousness on our own and by works and that we needed a Savior, a Redeemer and a Restorer of the breach between God and man. Jesus is the Bridegroom and the church is the Bride of Christ.
Sin is missing the mark, or transgression of the law. What law? We miss the mark and transgress the law of love. The law was perfect and we know Jesus said “I have come to fulfill the law, not do away with it.”
Jesus when teaching would say; you have heard it said, but I say……………………….. Then He would show the way to fulfillment of the law.
Do you recall Jesus first message? From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, (Matthew 4:17 KJV).
Do you know what Jesus disciples taught when our Lord sent them out? So the disciples went out, telling everyone they should repent of their sins and turn to God. (Mark 6:12 NLT).
We should look at Jesus departing message to His disciples after His resurrection? And said unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47 KJV).
The message does not change. So why would we attempt to change it? User friendly is counterproductive to the power of God we need to have a transformed life.
God is still wooing us today. Just as it was with Moses it still is a time of preparing our hearts to accept His covenant of marriage. When God was dealing with the children of Israel and the sin of the golden calf, He had already prepared in advance how to eradicate the stain of sin out of His midst. He was ushering us into eternity and preparing to send His only begotten Son, Jesus, at the appointed time. In sending Jesus, who is The Way, The Truth and The Life, God was making a way for us to return, to Teshuvah, and unite with Him. Now we are told to repent in order to prepare the way for Him.
Think about a marriage proposal. When the man proposes to the woman, she will become one with him in covenant, Holy Matrimony, and then be a co owner of all he has.
Zechariah 1:3 Therefore say to the people, ‘this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return (Teshuvah) to Me, and I will return, (Teshuvah) to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
Meditate on that for a moment. I picture a first dance between the Bridegroom and His Bride. Can you see and imagine this?
It is our engagement invitation. To return is a proposal to restore right relationship. I have had religion but I delight in relationship with our Lord. I pray we return with our whole heart. We do not want to miss the Wedding Supper of The Lamb. You have a name place card with your name is engraved on the palm of The Father’s hand. Will your seat be empty? Not if I have anything to do with it. Who are you concerned about making it?
Recently we celebrated a grandson’s birthday at our house. As the family was leaving, Greg said, “Let’s take hands and pray before you leave.” Our youngest grandson jumped in the SUV saying I am not praying. He was saying I am not going to pray. Greg said “Lord help _ _ _ _ _ be a good boy and be obedient.” We each encouraged _ _ _ _ _ to join us but he declined the invitation. Then we all grabbed hands and began to pray. Seeing that we were going to continue without him and that we had ask but weren’t not going to make him participate, _ _ _ _ _ said,” wait, don’t pray without me, and don’t do it without me”. I said ok come on then. He jumped out of the SUV and got in the circle and we prayed and blessed them before they left. He was all full of smiles and glad he wasn’t left out.
The scenario I just described made me think about the season we are in. This special time and a season of being ask to participate and join hands with family (other believers) and pray. We do not want to be on the outside looking in when The Marriage Supper of The Lamb is taking place. Nor do we want our loved ones to not be there. There won’t be time to say wait don’t continue without me. No the time to make that decision is now.
Pray this prayer
Dear Heavenly Father. During this special Mo’edim and appointed time of Your grace, I ask You for special favor for ____________. Father I am asking You to offer _____________ an invitation to repent. Lord Your word tells me that it is the grace of God, Your grace and unmerited favor that leads a person to repentance. I’ve been telling ___________ to change but I now realize __________ needs a revelation of Your goodness and love. Lord I am asking with my whole heart that _______________repent and return back into right relationship with You. Lord I ask that _______________ be obedient to Your call. I ask that ______________ be changed and have a new heart and another mind and leave the old behind. Lord Jesus I pray ______________will ask You into their heart and that You will be Lord of their life forever. Amen
Hebrew 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse Him
Don’t miss this season of Teshuvah
My favorite time of the year
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette
Through All Seasons 