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"From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Matthew 4:17
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed...even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ...to all and on all who believe....being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood" Romans 3:21-22,24-25
What does it mean to repent? According to the Amplified Bible, it means to "change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life" Matthew 4:17. Repentance is a change of mind and heart that results in a change of behavior. It is high time for America to REPENT! "From what?" you might ask. Repent from sin! What sin? Well, let's see...
- Rogue cops brutalize, maim and murder citizens in FITS OF ANGER. This IS A SIN.
- District Attorneys refuse to prosecute rogue cops for their wrongdoings, finding excuses to uphold these rogue cops in their evil. This is oppressive wrath. This IS A SIN.
- Citizens hide behind the American Flag, using false patriotism to avoid dealing with the problem of rogue cops disgracing and dishonoring the badges they wear as well as making life miserable and harder for the GOOD COPS who serve their communities with HONOR and DISTINCTION. Jesus said, "love your neighbor as yourself." If you really "Back the Blue", then be willing to allow rogue cops to suffer the consequences of their evil so that GOOD COPS won't be placed under unnecessary pressure having to deal with frustration and hostility in the communities they serve due to the actions of rogue cops! Failure to do so is NOT LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR! This IS A SIN.
- Looting, burning and otherwise destroying businesses as well as private and public property "in the name of protesting" IS A SIN.
- Shooting up innocent people in churches and synagogues as they worship IS A SIN.
- Setting churches on fire and burning Bibles IS A SIN.
- Shooting up a crowd of Jewish people as they gather IS A SIN.
- Shooting up cops as they sit quietly on duty in a police car IS A SIN.
- Shooting up innocent people in stores and parking lots IS A SIN.
- Shooting up people in schools IS A SIN.
- Failing to end production of dangerous video games that distort the minds of youth to the point that they can no longer distinguish reality from a video game IS A SIN.
- Sending bombs to people through the mail IS A SIN.
- Bearing false witness against political opponents IS A SIN.
- Bearing false witness against ANYBODY IS A SIN.
- Manipulating the general public through the media using half-truths, gossip, lies and innuendo IS A SIN.
- Behaving in a manner that exemplifies RESPECT OF PERSONS IS A SIN.
These are just a few of the sins that have gone on too long in this nation. There are other sins that I didn't mention because they would divert attention AWAY FROM the one ones that I did mention. ALL SIN BRINGS DEATH.
I've been thinking about the unprecedented fires raging in the Western USA. These fires are destroying EVERYTHING in their path, WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION! People hide behind the American Flag, but even Old Glory can be burned to ashes by such unprecedented fires. Sin discriminates. The wages of sin DO NOT.
How much more destruction must we Americans see before we become willing to repent and turn to God? How much more destruction could there be. you might ask. Much more than the sin you've got. When you sin, a seed of destruction (death) is sown...and you always reap MORE that what you sow. (Galatians 6:7)
The Civil War was a harvest of DEATH that was the wages of the sin of Slavery. In that time period, persons in the South hardened their hearts to the Word of the Lord that was preached at that time saying "Slavery is a sin!" For their hardness of heart, the South was destroyed in the Civil War. I personally believe African-Americans of this day and time do not fully know just how badly the South was destroyed by the Civil War. I believe that information has been deliberately withheld from us. But we as African-Americans need to know the FULL truth about that so that we will realize and understand that sin never wins but will ALWAYS be dealt with by God. The sins of police brutality and murder likewise will be divinely dealt with. We need to pray for those who abuse us. When those wages of sin are paid in full, the payment can be so devastating that it can make us feel sorrow for the persons who wronged us.
It is time for ALL to search our hearts and repent of any and ALL wrongdoing. The BLOOD OF JESUS was shed for all, We need to stop the sin and take advantage of what God has provided for us through Jesus.
"What'cha gonna do. what'cha gonna do? What'cha gonna do when this world's on fire?" -- From a song I heard my maternal grandmother sing when I was little.
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