Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 God Wants Us to Be Happy How to make change possible.

 Today’s lesson is about change. From a biblical perspective change is about repentance, we’re really talking about repentance.

Sermons in a Sentence!  The key to success is to remove the opportunities to fail.  If you want to experience the abundant life promised by God then you must first experience an abundant death.  Good data is hard to argue with. (A new one!)  If nothing changes, nothing changes!

Let’s set the stage for this series of lessons.  What is repentance?  Why is it so important to God? why does He command it?  Why should it be important to us?

Repentance is:  According to the dictionary: Deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like. Regret for any past action.  We tend to define repentance as a feeling, just a feeling.  God’s word defines repentance as feeling coupled with an action that changes the relationship that an individual has with God. Let’s focus on that from God’s word…

Isaiah 30:15 “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

Luke 3:3, 7-8 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins… 7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Paul said this as well in Acts 26 to King Agrippa “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.”

Luke 5:31-32 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Acts 20:21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Romans 2:3-5 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

2 Corinthians 7:8-10 …I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,

Hebrews 6:4-6 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. This is a stern warning that must be kept in the context of verse 1, Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings…

Ezekiel 33:11-13 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’

Luke 13:1-8 But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

Why should repentance be important to us? Because it is directly connected to our salvation, there is no eternal life with God without repentance. Repentance is a part of the “Abundant Death” that we must experience in order to have an “Abundant Life.” In other words repentance can’t be half-hearted or only address part of, or some of, the sin in our lives.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Revelation 3:18-20 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

What shall we do? Acts 2:37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Invitation If nothing changes, nothing changes… So, are you right with God or not? Here is His promise for you today: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.