Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19 KJV
A miracle had just happened; a lame man had been healed. It was not really a new thing in those days, as Jesus was always performing such miracles, but apart from the coming of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles, with evidence of speaking in tongues, this was the first recorded miracle by the apostles after Jesus had left. The first lesson for me here is that Jesus keeps his word; he said that greater things his followers will do, and that is what happened in the account for today, and is happening in our day today. Peter would not pass over an opportunity to remind the crowd about the reason for the miracle: Jesus. This is the second lesson for me: it is the name of Jesus that underpins any miracle or change that I seek. Education, enlightenment, exposure, elocution and experience are all good, but an encounter with Jesus is the only guarantee of a miracle. The greatest miracle is that Jesus, the one who is King of kings and Lord of lords, seeks to come into a sinful man's heart and bring about an eternal change.
He is still in the business of bringing change, if I will let Him. He will not go against the exercise of my freewill, but I must submit my heart to Him willingly, out of a heart of love and appreciation. That is why today's extract starts with a charge to the crowd then and to us today: 'Repent and be converted'. It is for me to realize I need help and to seek out the One who is able to help me the right way. Repentance leads to cleansing, and then refreshing. Let it be known today that God says the prayers of a sinner are an abomination in his sight. Sin is a barrier to all that God can do in a man's life, and this is why sin must be the first thing I must deal with, if I will see the refreshing promised by God here. The prayer of repentance and daily dependence on the grace of God to live right is key to accessing the refreshing that is promised here. I cannot continue in sin and expect God's grace to abound; the bible says: 'God forbid'. Am I truly sorry for my sins and ready to renounce them, repent and return to God?
Remember, for all of God's promises, there are conditions. Refreshing is subject to repentance. I can weep and cry for as long as I want, but if there is no true repentance, God is not obligated to release refreshing. What would the refreshing from God give to a man who is not sorry about his sin, and does not seek to change? Grace is available, but even grace expires once the earthly phase is over. For every supply that God also gives, an account will be demanded. God has no problem supplying all that I need; after all, no demand of earth can exhaust the resources of heaven. But if he gives me, I can be sure that it will be sufficient, but it will also make a demand for right living from me. Just as Peter spoke to the crowd then, so does he speak to us today: Repent and be converted. There is not much time left; Jesus returns soon. Events around the world prove this. If Jesus returns right now, what state would he find me: repented and refreshed, or unrepentant and rebellious? As always, the choice is mine to make. God's time of favour is here.
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