God Blog

Approaching God One Thought At A Time

Repentance means you change your mind so deeply that it changes you.
- Bruce Wilkinson

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Repentance

An oldie but goldie, the concept of personal and corporate repentance is foundational to
Biblical Christianity. Out of vogue amongst the situational ethics of modern life, it remains the cornerstone of appropriately approaching God.

Unfortunately, if and when the term is used, it's full Scriptural meaning is often understated if not completely lost in translation. For a society growing ever more enamored with
Meism, resulting in unprecedented levels of entitlement and immorality, there is hardly a more crucial yet overlooked concept.


Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.


- Acts 3:19 NIV


A million earth's could literally fit into the sun, an average size star of which there are 100-400 billion in our
Milky Way Galaxy. The observable universe contains at least 100 billion galaxies with perhaps 200 billion trillion suns and a trillion trillion planets. Amazingly, even such unfathomable creations account for 4% or less of the mass of the universe, the remaining 96% or more comprised of dark matter and dark energy. All spread across a growing canopy with an observable radius of 100 billion light years of space-time. All arising from a singularity one million trillionth the size of a proton. In this the first of at least three heavens...

The relevance of the
age, size and composition of the universe is the second most compelling reason for an in-depth discussion of the importance of repentance. The first is the undeniable fact of human mortality. While bloodless if not painlessness aspects of modern society allow for a certain distance and denial, illness and disease not to mention pain and death are specters each of us must face.

Obviously the
great questions of human existence deserve our utmost attention, yet more often than not they're eclipsed by the necessities and niceties of life. Nevertheless it remains an inescapable fact that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" adrift in an inconceivable vast and hostile universe equally so.

Adding to the gravity of our situation is a growing body of scientific evidence revealing the incontrovertible presence of ubiquitous
intelligent design, far beyond just mere appearance, woven throughout the fantastic fine tuning of the universe. Even overlooking the undeniable proof of the existence of God by bypassing the impossibility of creation appearing out of nothing or ex nihilo, the odds of natural selection alone producing advanced life on earth is currently 10 to the 24 millionth power (10 X 24 million zeros). In layman's terms it's like an individual winning the California lottery 3 million times playing a single ticket in each drawing.

For those honestly looking it's easy to see that simple logic in conjunction with modern science conclude not only that
God exists but has gone to extreme lengths to provide our current place and time in cosmic history allowing mankind to arise and flourish. Sadly, billions continue to return the favor by relegating Omnity to mythological status, all the while failing to appreciate the compelling reasons to believe in the God of the Bible whom both the record of nature and Scripture atest "is a consuming fire."

Identifying just two of many underlying reason regarding the need for a modern discussion on the subject of repentance quickly satisfies the question as to why? This begs the question of what exactly is Biblical repentance?

In this regard,
Quantum Christianity acknowledges a tremendous debt deeply owed to Eugene Peterson, the author of a number of excellent works including The Message: The Bible In Contemporary Language. The MSG, God Blog's favored version, is far and away the most motivating rendition of Scripture. Particularly when it comes to identifying the tremendous need for repentance, inside and outside of modern Christianity.

The concept of repentance is directly and indirectly raise and reinforced
hundreds of times throughout the Old and New Testament. Beyond a myriad of Bible stories exemplifying the virtue, words like repent (78), repentance (24), humble (73), contrite (4) serve as constant reminders.

Jesus Himself opened, extended and closed His earthly ministry with calls for repentance. After His baptism by John, who's hallmark was demanding God's people to repent, and His wilderness victory over Satan, Jesus immediately begins commanding Israel (and by extension all of mankind) to walk salvation's path of repentance:

  • "When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." Matthew 4:12-17 NIV
When Christ appointed His disciples as ambassadors to extend the good news and power of the Kingdom of God, again repentance was the theme:

  • "Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them." Mark 6:6-12 NIV
When detailing the breadth of His great commission, Jesus continued to reinforce the centrality of repentance:

  • "Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." Luke 24:44-49 NKJV

In his extremely well thought out and written book,
A Long Obedience In The Same Direction, Eugene Peterson describes repentance in the following manner:

  • "The usual biblical word describing the no we say to the world’s lies and the yes we say to God’s truth is repentance. It is always and everywhere the first word in the Christian life. John the Baptist’s preaching was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt 3:2 RSV). Jesus’ first preaching was the same: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 4:17 RSV). Peter concluded his first sermon with "Repent, and be baptized” (Acts 2:38 RSV). In the last book of the Bible the message to the seventh church is “be zealous and repent." (Rev 3:19 RSV).

  • Repentance is not an emotion. It is not feeling sorry for your sins. It is a decision. It is deciding that you have been wrong in supposing that you could manage your own life and be your own god; it is deciding that you were wrong in thinking that you had, or could get, the strength, education and training to make it on your own; it is deciding that you have been told a pack of lies about yourself and your neighbors and your world. And it is deciding that God in Jesus Christ is telling you the truth. Repentance is a realization that what God wants from you and what you want from God are not going to be achieved by doing the same old things, thinking the same old thoughts. Repentance is a decision to follow Jesus Christ and become his pilgrim in the path of peace.

  • Repentance is the most practical of all words and the most practical of all acts. It is a feet-on-the-ground kind of word. It puts a person in touch with the reality that God creates. Elie Wiesel, referring to the stories of the Hasidim, says that in the tales by Israel of Rizhim one motif recurs again and again: A traveler loses his way in the forest; it is dark and he is afraid. Danger lurks behind every tree. A storm shatters the silence. “The fool looks at the lightning, the wise man at the road that lies—illuminated—before him."

  • Whenever we say no to one way of life that we have long been used to, there is pain. But when the way of life is in fact a way of death, a way of war, the quicker we leave it the better. There is a condition that sometimes develops in our bodies called adhesions—parts of our internal organs become attached to other parts. The condition has to be corrected by a surgical procedure—a decisive intervention. The procedure hurts, but the results are healthy. As the Jerusalem Bible puts verses 3-4, "How will he [God] pay back the false oath of a faithless tongue? With war arrows hardened over red-hot charcoal!" Emily Dickinson’s spare sentence is an epigraph: "Renunciation—the piercing virtue!"
Simply put, Scriptural repentance is God's reasonable requirement in response to mankind's fallen nature and behavior.

Evidenced by the human conscience and acknowledge throughout history, the most precise explanation of repentance is introduced in the Old Testament and subsequently developed in the New in response to individuals and/or societies yielding to
temptation and sin. The Jewish version views sin as the act of violating one or more of God's commands. As wikipedia explains, "Hebrew has several words for sin, each with its own specific meaning. The word pesha, or "trespass", means a sin done out of rebelliousness. The word aveira means "transgression". And the word avone, or "iniquity", means a sin done out of moral failing. The word most commonly translated simply as "sin", het, literally means "to go astray." Just as Jewish law, halakha provides the proper "way" (or path) to live, sin involves straying from that path."

While encompassing the Jewish perspective, classical Christianity expands the concept in much broader detail. In the New Testament, sin not only incorporates actions, but thoughts, words and attitudes. The Greek word hamartia, translated "sin" 170 times literally means "missing the target." Applicable as an archery term, Christ and His apostles explain fallen human nature itself is in a constant state of sin, or missing the mark of God's holiness and design for man. In layman's terms we are not sinners simply because we sin but rather we sin because we are sinners by fallen nature.

For such beings as we, honest and heartfelt repentance is both an event and lifelong process fully encompassing our
mind, heart and will. Seen from this perspective, repentance is best expressed in the military terminology "Halt, about face, march!" A process best illustrated by God's perfect formula for repentance 2 Chronicles 7:14:

  • "Solomon completed building The Temple of GOD and the royal palace—the projects he had set his heart on doing. Everything was done—success! Satisfaction! GOD appeared to Solomon that very night and said, "I accept your prayer; yes, I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship. If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health." 2 Chronicles 7:11-14
In the simplest of algebraic formulas the LORD states that IF His people will complete four requirements of repentance: A+B+C+D will equal EFG!

  1. HUMBLE THEMSELVES
  2. and PRAY
  3. and SEEK His Face
  4. and TURN from their WICKED WAYS... THEN (and only then) the He will:
  5. HEAR from Heaven
  6. and FORGIVE their SINS
  7. and HEAL their Land
This passage addresses the quantity and quality of the components of honest and lasting repentance. Heartfelt humility and serious prayer, diligence in seeking God and embracing sanctification comprise Scripture's four spiritual laws providing access to answered prayer, forgiveness and spiritual if not physical healing. All part and parcel of walking out the necessary steps of following Christ.

Other examples of the myriad of Scriptures directly and indirectly addressing the importance of repentance, made possible by the unfathomably
costly atonement of Christ, include the following:

  • "Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this? The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.' Isaiah 53: 1-6 The Message

  • "Seek God while he's here to be found, pray to him while he's close at hand. Let the wicked abandon their way of life and the evil their way of thinking. Let them come back to God, who is merciful, come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness." Isaiah 55:6-7 The Message

  • "Let's take a good look at the way we're living and reorder our lives under GOD. Let's lift our hearts and hands at one and the same time, praying to God in heaven: "We've been contrary and willful, and you haven't forgiven. "You lost your temper with us, holding nothing back. You chased us and cut us down without mercy. You wrapped yourself in thick blankets of clouds so no prayers could get through." Lamentations 3:40-45 The Message

  • "Do I hear you saying, 'That's not fair! God's not fair!'? "Listen, Israel. I'm not fair? You're the ones who aren't fair! If a good person turns away from his good life and takes up sinning, he'll die for it. He'll die for his own sin. Likewise, if a bad person turns away from his bad life and starts living a good life, a fair life, he will save his life. Because he faces up to all the wrongs he's committed and puts them behind him, he will live, really live. He won't die. "And yet Israel keeps on whining, 'That's not fair! God's not fair.' "I'm not fair, Israel? You're the ones who aren't fair. The upshot is this, Israel: I'll judge each of you according to the way you live. So turn around! Turn your backs on your rebellious living so that sin won't drag you down. Clean house. No more rebellions, please. Get a new heart! Get a new spirit! Why would you choose to die, Israel? I take no pleasure in anyone's death. Decree of GOD, the Master. "Make a clean break! Live!"Ezekiel 18:25-32 The Message
Wikipedia explains: In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs: שוב shuv (to return) and נחם nicham (to feel sorrow). In the New Testament, the word translated as 'repentance' is the Greek word μετάνοια (metanoia)... 'to think differently after'. Metanoia is therefore primarily an after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness."

The Apostle Paul, the New Testament's greatest and living example of repentance states it this way:

  • "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2
Putting the "penance" in repentance, Scripture reinforces the need for a change of both attitude and action in the first of only two alter calls recorded in the New Testament. Establishing himself as the Baptist, John calls Israel to repentance yet note his accusation and its timing.  In the middle of his audience obediently responds, he stops them short with a strange question:

  • "Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Luke 3:7
What makes John's accusation so bizarre is the obvious answer to his question, "Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"  One easily imagines the crowds confused glances as they answer, "you did you crazy preacher..."

John seems to rubs Israel's nose in their unworthiness to even repent.  And this before they had even met, much less rejected, their Messiah.  The no doubt offended and perplexed church of his day, pressed by his menacing warnings, cried out in confusion:

  • So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."... And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. Luke 3:10
John's less than "seeker friendly" message is accentuated by his style and further sharpened by his directives.  He demands more than words or emotions.  Like his cousin Jesus and all Biblical orators he clearly shows saving faith requires action, not attitudes or platitudes.   Additionally, the Baptist seems to agree with Jesus, Paul, James, and the Apostle John that the second great commandment, to love one's neighbor, also fulfills the first commandment's duty to God.

The concept of "Halt, about face, march!" is also reinforced in the old riddle, "When is a thief not a thief? The Biblical answer is not when someone stops stealing (that's just an out of work thief)...

  • "If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need." Ephesians 4:28
Herein lies one of several grave errors in modern Christianity's understanding of Biblical repentance. All too often initiates are bid simply to "believe" in the Cross of Christ with little or no discussion of serious and deep repentance, much less the need to carry one's own:

  • "One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple." Luke 14:25-27 The Message

  • "Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this...Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:3-7, 11-13
Cheapening God's grace and forgiveness by short-circuiting our pursuing and experiencing deep and ongoing repentance results in three particularly unfortunate misunderstandings:

1. Lack of Appreciation: "Easy believism" almost always translates to continued ignorance of sin as well as a lack of gratefulness:

  • "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:41-47
2. Lack of Awareness: Careful Scriptural archeology and Biblical forensics reveals a history of eternity wherein the course of human history is shaped against a backdrop of a fantastic and unfolding heavenly rebellion and drama, a tiny piece of which is recorded in the Book of Job. From Adam and Eve's fall in the Garden of Eden to Judas and Peter's betrayals in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Bible is replete with examples of devilish temptation and deception entrapping the hearts and minds of men:

  • "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

  • "Run away from infantile indulgence. Run after mature righteousness—faith, love, peace—joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God. Refuse to get involved in inane discussions; they always end up in fights. God's servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil's trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands." 2 Timothy 2:22-26 The Message
3. Lack of Preparation: An understandable if not expected result of a combined lack of appreciation and awareness is the failure to appropriately prepare for the rigors of current and future spiritual challenges. Oppositions to faith arise from many sectors, fueled by a range of issues from mortality to demonic resistance. As seen in Christ's terrible parable of the 10 Virgins, preparation is the key to endurance and thus the rewards of salvation. The process of repentance is foundational to donning the full armor of God in hopes of being able to withstand the onslaught of the Evil One:

  • "And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out." Ephesians 6:10-18 The Message
4. Lack of Perception: Failure to begin and continue the event and process of radical repentance supports a false impression that our state as a species and society, secular and religious is far less precarious than in fact it is. Scripture repeatedly warns to judge with "righteous judgement."

  • "Prophets and priests and everyone in between twist words and doctor truth. My dear Daughter—my people—broken, shattered, and yet they put on Band-Aids, Saying, "It's not so bad. You'll be just fine." But things are not "just fine"! Do you suppose they are embarrassed over this outrage? Not really. They have no shame. They don't even know how to blush. There's no hope for them. They've hit bottom and there's no getting up. As far as I'm concerned, they're finished.'" GOD has spoken." Jeremiah 8:11-12 The Message

  • "Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God's fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased. The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—"First the people partied, then they threw a dance." We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them. These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else." 1 Corinthians 10:1-11 The Message
5. Lack of Appropriate Response: The synergistic effect of issues 1-4 conspire to all but insure the vast majority of individuals and families, churches and denominations, nations and entire societies fail to grasp much less meet God's requirements in the areas of obedience, thankfulness and productivity. Furthermore, such mass delusion creates a tenuous grasp at best on even the most basic tenants of Biblical Christianity such as living faith and salvation, seeking God and morality, social justice and judgment much less more subtle concerns such as issues with God and end time prophecy. What is desperately needed are quantum and prophetic Christians who aspire to be men of God full of understanding like Abraham rather than simply godly men like Lot who paid dearly for being clueless in Sodom. Meeting the requirement for such a transformation may be best hoped for by fully responding to Peter's additions to faith:

  • "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 2:3-11
Genuine and honest Biblical study and application requires spiritually quantum balance and equilibrium. For example, as a decades old prayer partner once noted in regards to resolving the tension between accurately discerning Scripture and the centrality of the Holy Spirit, “Evangelism without prayer is Fruitless, Prayer without Evangelism is Faithless. Scripture without the Spirit is Lifeless, the Spirit without Scripture is Baseless.” With this mind, let us more prayerfully study the Bible, recognizing Scripture itself must be "spiritually discerned."

Perhaps the most insightful and challenging repentance checklists was authored by none other than
Charles Finney. Arguably the most spiritually powerful man to walk the earth since the apostles, he was holed famous as a key player in America’s 2nd Great Awakening. See extensive library collection of sermons and books. Prior to his untimely and tragic death, Keith Green as the founder of Last Days Ministries paraphrased and promoted this list outline entitled, “Breaking Up The Fallowed Ground.” This one page trifold tract may be purchased from Last Days Ministries. Click here to view pdf.

Mindful of these and a myriad of other such warnings, we do well to individually and collectively practice the vanishing arts of
brokenness and repentance, honesty and humility. Let us cease trading presumption for faith, in our prayers and worship, teaching and fellowship. Having done so, by all means let us cautiously yet boldly approach Omnity’s throne of grace to obtain mercy in these times of need, remembering our God, the Creator of 50 billion trillion suns is indeed “a consuming fire.”

  • See to it that you do not refuse [to listen to] Him who is speaking [to you now]. For if those [sons of Israel] did not escape when they refused [to listen to] him who warned them on earth [revealing God’s will], how much less will we escape if we turn our backs on Him who warns from heaven? His voice shook the earth [at Mount Sinai] then, but now He has given a promise, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the [starry] heaven.” Now this [expression], “Yet once more,” indicates the removal and final transformation of all those things which can be shaken—that is, of that which has been created—so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for our God is [indeed] a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:25-29 AMP
Or as the American author Annie Dillard puts it:

  • “On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return.”
Some of the most dramatic depictions of the kind of individual and corporate heart wrenching brokenness that may yet avail at this late hour ironically can be found in a variety of well known movies. After 70,000 hours of strategical seeking and serving God, all culminating in extensive research and writing, I strongly suspect the application of the spiritual metaphor exemplified in the few minutes of the courtroom interview of Denzel Washington at the end of the movie "Flight" holds the key to the best chance modern Christianity and even the vast majority of prophetic Christians have in overcoming worldliness and Satanic deception thereby saving our souls and those of others. Preferable before but if necessary during judgment and/or Tribulation, “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, word of their "testimony" and not loving their lives unto death.”

Reminiscent of
Peter's 2nd great confession, it may be that only the kind of ruthless repentance and honesty portrayed in this scene can save the day. Dualistic and double-minded as this pilot, who's amazing skill saved countless lives while his alcoholism (worldliness) had and would continue to jeopardize far more, it’s high time we awake from our worldly stupor. Coming to the end of ourselves, and the service of two masters, might we declared as he later did in explanation of his phenomenal change of heart, “I just couldn't tell one more lie.” Refusing to mar the memory of a dead flight attendant (his past lover and drinking buddy) when by doing so he could have walked away a wealthy hero and free man... instead he chose shame and imprisionment (metaphor: prisoner and bondslave to Christ) to become a lover of the Truth...


Author’s Note

By all indications, upcoming years and decades are likely to present ever more challenging spiritual and social, financial and physical situations for ourselves and
families, friends and neighbors. Making matters worse, the state of current research and ministry strongly suggest that all aspects of today's anemic and all but powerless Churchianity are too subjective to successfully compete against the concrete demands and ubiquitous distractions, inflamed desires and mass deceptions presented by modern life.

Among the means at our disposal to combat such circumstances is the concept of moving beyond "praying for" into the realm of "pressing in" with the
quantum hope of "praying through."

While individually Christians have over the years attempted as much, clearly our individual and even collective efforts have fallen far short. I myself have attended and/or led over 1,000 corporate prayer meetings and have yet to see Bethesda's waters significantly stirred, much less the promised and desperately needed "
rivers of living water" or even "fountains springing up into eternal life."

Ruthlessly
honest appraisal suggests that seeing our family and friends, fellow colleagues and Christians so often taken captive by this or that, the "strong man" among us must be bound to have been so personally and collectively plundered.

My sincere prayer is that none of the above is even remotely true. Would to God that the tenants of
modern Christianity prove largely correct. May everything be going to heaven rather than "hell in a hand basket.” Yet, should the preponderance of Scripture and evidence suggest the remotest possibility that the foregoing is even close to the truth, responding with regular and revitalized corporate prayer seems the least we can do. I don't mean what passes for prayer today, but rather something far more desperate, perhaps along the model of Azusa street?

Note: The tract entitled, “Breaking Up The Fallow Ground” by Charles Finney, perhaps the most power and insightful Christian to walk the earth since apostolic times, was paraphrased by the famous and influential recording artist Keith Green prior to his untimely death. Click here to download pdf.


Update 2022

For my part I've spent 40 years strategically seeking and serving God with a single focus:

1. Is
Modern Christianity and/or Churchianity working?
2. If not, why?

As a Charismatic minister, with better than average understanding of Biblical truth, the journey led me to the following inconvenient truths

1. 1/3 of my doctrine was accurate.
2. 1/3 of my doctrine was in error.
3. 1/3 of the Bible's most crucial points were either undervalued or missing altogether.

Furthermore, I've found this sad equation is far more often the rule rather than the exception.

With this in mind I've sent over a decade developing a topical Biblical commentary entitled, Quantum Christianity, showcased on my site GodBlog.net.

This was all long before 2020...

If there was ever an acceptable time to confuse Christianity with a pleasure cruise, rather than a Battleship, those days are past.

As Paul warned: “And if the [war] bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?” 1 Corinthians
14:8 AMP

It should be abundantly clear things changed substantially in 2020. Nationally and globally, the world has never scene the like of even the following short list:

1. Covid-19 and variants, of questionable origin, mandates promoting and/or requiring untested and dangerous MRNA “vaccines” and “boosters” with negative efficacy and even deadly side effects revealing unprecedented control of healthcare and politics by the collusion of pharmaceutical companies and bureaucrats. To the point of threatening the removal of medical licenses of physicians prescribing safe and reliable treatments proven effective against respiratory and other illness. Example: In 2015 Ivermectin won the only Nobel Prize award for treatments of infectious diseases since six decades prior. Also report by Fortune Magazine (not right wing magazine) reveals that a simple home remedy of saline solution used for "Twice Daily Nose Flushing Can Reduce Covid Hospitalization and Death Researchers Find" by 85%. This study was conducted Fall 2020, and could have helped prevent 3/4 of Covid deaths.
  • Sample Daniel Horowitz: "Twice Daily Nose Flushing Can Reduce Covid Hospitalization and Death Researchers Find" by 85%
  • Sample Link: Steve Deace **9/15/22 Circumvent Medical Cartels with Dr. Harvey Risch** Simple straight talk from preeminent honored immunologist and cofounder of The Wellness Company TWC.health
  • Sample Link: **Ivermectin Nobel prize** In 2015, the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, in its only award for treatments of infectious diseases since six decades prior, honored the discovery of ivermectin (IVM), a multifaceted drug deployed against some of the world’s most devastating tropical diseases. Since March 2020, when IVM was first used against a new global scourge, COVID-19, more than 20 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have tracked such inpatient and outpatient treatments. Six of seven meta-analyses of IVM treatment RCTs reporting in 2021 found notable reductions in COVID-19 fatalities, with a mean 31% relative risk of mortality vs. controls. During mass IVM treatments in Peru, excess deaths fell by a mean of 74% over 30 days in its ten states with the most extensive treatments.
  • Sample Link: Daniel Horowitz: **The Risk of Cancer from Both the Shots and Perpetual Mask Wearing with Guest: Dr. Colleen Huber | 6/3/22** “Clot shots. Poisoning of Americans (World) beyond belief, as they prepare to stick babies as young ad 6 months old. HOW IS THIS NOT THE ISSUE OF OUR TIME? That it perpetuates the virus, destroys the immune system, and causes every ailment known to man… And yet to this day, it’s like it doesn’t exist. It’s a complete lockout…” “If you don’t get it you have your career destroyed. If you do get it you have your body destroyed. And then everything they plan on doing there on down with it. And everything it represents, with biomedical state, track/trace, transhumanism... Dr. Colleen Huber: Neither Safe Nor Effective: The Evidence Against the COVID Vaccines (Cancer Researcher/Get eBook).

2. Economic and institutional, social and quarantine lockdowns crippling businesses and institutions, education and families, from the elderly to children.

3. Individual mandates, social distancing and mask and "vaccine requirements restricting interaction, breathing and health.
  • Sample Link: Steve Deace: **A Clarion Call Go On The Offensive** Interview with Dr. Peter McCullough
  • Sample Link: Steve Deace: **8/24/22 The jobs/Dr. Ryan Cole**Excellent interview with Dr. Ryan Cole who has treated over 500,000 Covid patients and has impeccable credentials explaining the clot shots are extremely dangerous and genetically mutating.

4. BLM and Antifa’s spreading of widespread rioting and looting, violence and lawlessness in the name of blatantly FALSE narratives such as Critical Race Theory (CRT) and systemic police brutality. Both undermining the foundations of society by “calling good evil and evil good.” All the while elevating career felons like George Floyd to sainthood status while ignoring the plague of black on black violence and murder, particularly within liberally controlled inner cities like the Obama’s Chicago.

5. Campaigns of disinformation and destruction by the emerging Iron Triangle of liberal governments, legacy media and global corporations influencing and poisoning the hearts and minds of billions.
  • Sample Link: **Crimes or Cover Up** Glen Beck Exposing The Worlds Most Dangerous Lie: History of C19 conspiracy with dates and facts.

6. Wokism’s ridiculous and dangerous plandemic of social engineering’s impact on lower and higher education, spread by the super carriers mentioned above.

7. The impact of Transgenderism’s incoherent and devilish reversal of truth and goodness on genuine science and health care, parenting and morality, teens and children.

8. Political attack on democracy, particularly in the U.S. by election fraud, boarder crossing and registration tampering.

9. Worldwide manipulation and control of all the above, as well as governments and economies, national budgets and banking, healthcare and communication, goods and services… by global elites implementing a Great Reset thus instituting a New World Order.

10. Conservatives and Christians fail to appropriately respond:
Such atrocities, and more, have been researched and documented, warned against and explained in detail by reliable professionals in related fields. For just a few examples see sample links above.




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