Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Tuesday, 28 November 2017 "Forgiveness Requires Repentance" by Duane Brush - Isaiah 1:10-20

Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Tuesday, 28 November 2017 "Forgiveness Requires Repentance" by Duane Brush - Isaiah 1:10-20
Isaiah 1:10 Hear what Adonai says,
you rulers of S’dom!
Listen to God’s Torah,
you people of ‘Amora!
11 “Why are all those sacrifices
offered to me?” asks Adonai.
“I’m fed up with burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fattened animals!
I get no pleasure from the blood
of bulls, lambs and goats!
12 Yes, you come to appear in my presence;
but who asked you to do this,
to trample through my courtyards?
13 Stop bringing worthless grain offerings!
They are like disgusting incense to me!
Rosh-Hodesh, Shabbat, calling convocations —
I can’t stand evil together with your assemblies!
14 Everything in me hates your Rosh-Hodesh
and your festivals;
they are a burden to me —
I’m tired of putting up with them!
15 “When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
no matter how much you pray,
I won’t be listening;
because your hands are covered with blood.
16 “Wash yourselves clean!
Get your evil deeds out of my sight!
Stop doing evil, 17 learn to do good!
Seek justice, relieve the oppressed,
defend orphans, plead for the widow.
18 “Come now,” says Adonai,
“let’s talk this over together.
Even if your sins are like scarlet,
they will be white as snow;
even if they are red as crimson,
they will be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel,
you will be eaten by the sword”;
for the mouth of Adonai has spoken. 
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God’s forgiveness requires earnest repentance. There is a shallow view of God’s forgiving grace that rejects any necessary response from those forgiven. Such a view is not biblical. We are forgiven by God’s grace through Jesus Christ, but this grace both requires and enables our cooperation.
The religious leaders of Isaiah’s day had their ritual down pat. Even though their hearts were in rebellion against God they continued to offer sacrifices in God’s name, observe the traditional festivals, even praying the prescribed prayers. Such insincere worship was detestable in God’s sight.
God offers forgiveness:“'Come now,' says Adonai,

'let’s talk this over together.

Even if your sins are like scarlet,

they will be white as snow;

even if they are red as crimson,

they will be like wool.

If you are willing and obedient,

you will eat the good of the land;

but if you refuse and rebel,

you will be eaten by the sword';

for the mouth of Adonai has spoken."(Isaiah 1:18-20). God will forgive, but we must wash and be made clean, we must remove evil deeds from God’s sight, cease to do what is wrong and do what is right, we must seek justice and defend the oppressed. Only then is God’s forgiveness proven real in us.---
Hymn for Today: "Just as I Am" by Charlotte Elliott
1. Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
2. Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot;
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
3. Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt;
Fightings within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
4. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind;
Yes, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
5. Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
6. Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
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Thought for Today: Kefa answered them, “Turn from sin, return to God, and each of you be immersed on the authority of Yeshua the Messiah into forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh!(Acts 2:38)
---Please pray: That many people in Albania will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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