Confession and Repentance and Mercy 

“"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?    When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 

“"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 

“"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,   I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 

“"They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’   "He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 

“"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."”                        Matthew 25 

We have all sinned and let the Lord down in both greater and lesser ways.  As written  by the Apostle John, anyone who says they have not done so is a liar. 

Let us turn to God in repentance for our sins and solemnly and meaningfully undertake to live whole heartedly for Him for the rest of our lives.  Seeking Him in repentance for both willful disobedience, and casual ignoring of His word to us individually and as groups of people. 

Resolving to seek the Lord Jesus earnestly to know His mind and will, and set out resolutely to accomplish those things He wishes done while He leaves us here on earth–entrusted with the saving of the rest of the  human race ... 

Who Knows but that God might relent from What He has Warned Us of? 

As John encourages us in His first letter chapter one, 

“ ¼  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

“If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 

2:1 ¶   “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.  But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” 

Think what God can do with your surrendered life by His Holy Spirit. 

Are you willing to steadfastly support those who are called to go? 

There are still literally billions of people around the globe who have not yet even  heard about the true Lord Jesus, let alone had the chance to have their sins forgiven. 

Let God move your heart for people elsewhere – are you called to go as a missionary long or short term? Are you called to adopt a missionary lifestyle in New Zealand or abroad? 

Think of the people who God wants to reach out to.   Are you available to go for Jesus? 

God is wanting to reveal His Glory, and has chosen to do this by having a people of love and holiness living in faith in the Righteousness of Christ – will He find such obedient ones in this land and beyond? 

Its up to you. 

    ¶“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self–controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

      “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;   for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." 

    “Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.  For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,  but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.  He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 

    “Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. 

    “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 

¶     “For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,  but the word of the Lord stands for ever." 

    “And this is the word that was preached to you.” 

1 Peter 1:13-25