Day 14 | 40-Day Lenten Fast & Devotional

For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy:“I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15

Good morning, good morning. Grace and peace be unto all of you, my father's children. It is in fact, day number 14 of our 40 day Lenten devotional and fast experience. For this week, we've been focused in on the area of forgiveness as well as repentance. Today, I want to really kind of hone in on repentance, especially since on yesterday we did do a discussion as related to forgiving yourself. So today, if we could focus our attention, take a look at the book of Isaiah, the 57th chapter. I'm only going to read the 15th verse. You should find these similar words: “For this is what the high and exalted one says, he who lives forever, whose name is holy,  I live in a holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and a lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart  of the contrite.”

Okay, that word contrite, it literally has an essence of humility, which is attached to accountability. Humility along with accountability is how we get to the place of having contriteness with heart. This is an easier said than done thing because most of us as Christians,  we walk around  and even in the essence, it's the spirit to which we seek forgiveness. Some of the things that we do, we just genuinely assume that God is supposed to overlook or look past. We say stuff like God know my heart and we'll continue to put someone who is contrite. This area of contriteness is it means that ultimately I've come to a place where not only do I recognize my wrongdoing, but I'm also committed to rectifying it that I live my life in such a way  as though I'm aware of how quickly I could slip back or how a grievous it is to God's heart.

Some of us have decided that we have and...we do it all the time. We minimize or categorize our areas of sinfulness. And the reason we do it is we often compare it to other areas in other people's lives. I mean, I'm bad, but I ain't that bad. I'm jacked up, at least I'm not this. And the spirit of contriteness recognizes that my life is filthy rags, literally.

Heartily sorry for the places that I've transgressed, the places where I've mis-stepped.  So much so that I am committed to not letting it happen again. I am committed  to ensuring that it won't repeat.  And when I'm contrite, says, listen,  that  he came to revive the heart of the contrite.

When we look at repentance, there should be an area of grief associated in it. And the grieving  is  the notion of allowing yourself  to be fully connected  to how you have transgressed against God,  to how God looks at our sins. And there should be some grief associated with us acting outside of His will, outside of His purpose, or not even representing His heart. There should be some grief involved. And God comes to revive the grief that takes place. This is how we started this mission, not only what, week and a half ago, two weeks ago. Two weeks ago, we started with the area of repentance. So seemingly here at this point, we should look to our same notion that we did on Ash Wednesday, the spirit of contriteness.

Humility with accountability will allow you to recalibrate so that you can walk in His will and walk in His purpose.

So, on today, allow yourself to take a look back over your life on the things that you need  to seek God's repentance for.  Walk in righteousness. Allow God to revive your contrite heart.  Don't look past the tacit areas where we have grieved ourselves against the Lord. But ultimately, like on yesterday, taking that spirit of contriteness but moving forward with an effort to not be in the same place where you have to be grieved over the same sin.

So, I pray this is incredible for you. I can't wait to see you guys tonight. Bible study's at 6p. Be right here in Ezekiel and stay tuned for that meal. I'll talk to you soon. Be blessed. Have an incredible day.