This section of our web site will be dedicated to providing links to resources and articles about repentance, prayer, and worship. These will be added in the coming days. Please enjoy the following article by ReignDown USA President, Dr. Walt Kallestad.
Why Repent?
Among the very first recorded words of Jesus, He gave the non-negotiable command: "Repent of your sins and Believe the good news" (Mark 1:15).
Out of all the words and directions Jesus could have spoken, why did He choose repent of your sins and believe the good news? Certainly I am not qualified to completely understand the mind of God; nevertheless, one thing I know for sure is that I desperately need to continually repent of my sins and believe the good news.
Repenting and Believing is the only way to keep God in first place, at the very epicenter of my life. Repenting is at the bedrock of humility. Repenting is acknowledging that:
Life is littered with the lesser gods of power, materialism, pride, achievements, recreation, talents, sex, drugs, control, and the list goes on. All of these idols too often compete for first place in our life and end up squeezing God out.
Jesus comes on the scene to begin His public ministry and emphatically exclaims that He is what life is all about. Believing in Him is not one of the ways to abundant and eternal life... believing in the good news of Jesus is the only way to live. Jesus said: "For God so loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Jesus' call to everyone to repent and believe is not bad news -- it's good news. If Jesus calls to repent, it means that forgiveness and healing is available. Without forgiveness and healing I am declined to a life of brokenness and destruction. The only way to reconciliation and restoration and health is through repentance. God promises this: "and if 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 7:14).
The benefits of repenting and believing are outrageous. Yet, why is it so difficult to repent and believe? For me, it was pride and rebellion. From the very beginning of my life I've found it a whole lot easier to point out what is wrong with everybody else before I'd admit I was wrong. I wanted so much to look like a good guy. I also found myself spending more time thinking about myself, my needs, my dreams, and my things a whole lot more than I ever thought about anyone else -- including God. Another great obstacle for me was my self sufficiency and my own capability. I wanted to do everything myself and my way. The last resort was to ask anyone for help -- especially God. Certainly in a crisis or tough times I'd call on God... however, for most of my life I relied on myself. This rugged individualism and self-made success ideal is the way everybody is supposed to live -- right?
NO! Not according to Jesus. Jesus said REPENT -- LET GO and LET GOD! BELIEVE -- FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I TRUST HIM! That's FAITH! If life is all about me, life is all up to me! However, if life is all about God, then life is all up to GOD!
As for me -- I have chosen to make my life all about repenting and believing the way Jesus commanded! How about you?
I pray you will take that stand and join us for ReignDown USA!
Dr. Walt Kallestad, President
ReignDown USA
