SIN.

It's not a popular word or a popular teaching. Even in church. We prefer not to be convicted of sin and prefer to live a self-righteous life in a bubble of believing the best about ourselves. Yet self -righteousness is counterfeit faith. It is living a lie. True faith involves being willing to look at your own sin for what it is, turn away from it, and turn toward God. There is a word for this process, and just like the word "sin" it is not a popular word or concept. It is REPENTANCE.

Repentance and salvation go hand in hand. It is a radical turning away from sin that is accompanied by evidence.

INVITATION: Do you have the courage and the teachable spirit to enter into a week focused on repentance? Are you willing to allow the Lord Jesus Christ to "search you and know you" at the deepest level? Are you ready to begin living an authentic and honest faith rather than a self-righteous counterfeit faith? What if wrestling with something honestly and faithfully is living with more honesty and integrity than pretending to live perfectly.

MONDAY: Matthew 3:1-2: John the Baptist preached in the wilderness and the desert. He did not mince words. That will become abundantly evident in this week's Bible study! This teaching comes during the season known as "Lent." It is a "wilderness" season in which the focus is to journey with Jesus toward the cross. Are you in a wilderness or desert in your life? Are you willing to heed the words of John the Baptist to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near?" Could your wilderness season be in part because of lack of true repentance of the "sin that so easily entangles" that is in your life? (Heb. 12:1-3). Are you willing to have a prayer time today for Jesus to search your heart, your mind, your emotions, your time, your talents.......your entire being?

TUESDAY: Matthew 3:3-12: John the Baptist addressed the religious leaders and elite and basically called them names. He said to "produce fruit in keeping with repentance." What do you think that might mean? What is fruit that is NOT in keeping with repentance? You are invited to spend some time today wondering and praying about the difference between "fruitfulness" and "productivity." How do you spend your time, energy and emotions on a day to day basis? Are there any "idols" or "disordered attachments" that come to mind in your life you might need to confess and repent of? Could you be living a counterfeit faith?

WEDNESDAY: Matthew 4:17: Pastor Adam talked about things repentance is NOT:

Only an academic change or exercise
Exclusively about regret (feeling sorry)
Only about remorse (sorrow)

Repentance and salvation go hand in hand. The Christian journey and the Gospel have some hard callings involved. Adam didn't make this up. John the Baptist didn't make this up. This is Scriptural, hard truth taught by Jesus Christ, as evidenced in this verse. Recognizing personal sin and then repenting is not about shame. Shame is not from God. Conviction and repentance are! Repentance is about freedom in Jesus Christ and living with joy and abundance. As you realize a few things that repentance is NOT, are there things the Holy Spirit might be nudging you about? How might you pray in repentance and then turn away from sin today?

THURSDAY: Pastor Adam used an ancient book by Thomas Watson in his teaching, "The Doctrine of Repentance." The verses below will invite you into time with the Lord regarding these Scriptural points related to the true meaning of repentance.

Romans 3:10: Must contain the "SIGHT OF SIN." You must see that you are a sinner. You are NOT God. Have you spent too much time , energy and emotion on trying to be "good" and living a burdensome faith of behavior modification? Are you willing to call sin what it is in your life?
Psalm 51:17: SORROW. True sorrow and a broken spirit is involved in repentance.
James 5:16: CONFESSION OF SIN. Have you confessed your sin to God and perhaps a trusted other? This verse speaks of being "healed." Have you ever considered that unconfessed sin could be causing some of the problems and discomfort in your life?
SHAME OF SIN. This is not a self wallowing pity, but a personal realization that it is YOUR sin and MINE that put Jesus on the cross. Perhaps this season of Lent is a good time to focus on this? Perhaps such a focus can help loosen the chains and the "shackles" that may bind you in your life and bring freedom and healing on many levels?
Romans 12:9: HATRED OF SIN. Watson says "Christ is never loved until sin is loathed." How do you feel about your sin? Is it a secret "pet" in your life? How might you pray about God helping you to get to a point of loathing this sin? You do not have to do it alone.
Ezekiel 14:6: TURNING AWAY. Watson stated, "Repentance means little if it does not lead to reformation." True repentance involves turning from your sin.

FRIDAY: Matthew 3:7: We have already looked at this verse, but it is worth noting these words were spoken to the two sides of the religious culture of the day: those who were rules oriented (Pharisees) and those who were oriented more by the desire for political and social standing (Sadducees). Are either of these areas of focus primary in your spiritual life? Are you missing the main point of a life following Jesus? Are you WILLING to enter into the main point of a life following Jesus? It calls for hard things: dying to self, turning the other cheek, loving your enemies, etc. There is a reason Jesus' kingdom is referred to as the "upside down kingdom." Are you willing to be counter cultural and counter intuitive for the cause of Christ and the benefit of others? Even those who don't "deserve" it?

SATURDAY: Matthew 7:21-23: Looking "right" and "clean" on the outside does not mean anything if your heart is impure. Self -righteousness is counterfeit faith. It is all about the "I" instead of about God and the things of God. How is your heart stance regarding the things of God? The REAL things....not just the external things? God looks at the inside....not the outside. Do you need to clean house this week? It can be painful to have the "furniture rearranged" but it sets us free to be all God created us to be.