It's Time for Christians to Repent

Yvonne Ortega doesn't back down from telling people the truth, because she knows it is the truth that sets people free and heals their brokenness. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she hones in on an often-forgotten truth: God's people need to be holy, and repentance is necessary when the Holy Spirit shows us our sin.

“It’s time for Christians to repent.

"As Christians," Yvonne says, "we may talk about and pray for revival in our country, but it’s time for us to repent of partial or incomplete obedience, which is disobedience or rebellion against God.

I (Dawn) have seen so many ministries across America and around the world focusing on the need for revival.

I traveled with a revival team for a number of years and saw what happened in churches when God's people got serious with Him about their sin. Yvonne's words may seem harsh to some people, but they are really words of love for God's people and His holiness.

Yvonne continues . . .

Joshua told the Israelites,

Be very careful to love the Lord your God (Joshua 23:11 NIV).

In verse 16, Joshua warned them, If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.

Perhaps some of us look at Joshua 23:11 and 16 and don’t think those verses apply to us. After all, we no longer live under Old Testament Law but under the New Covenant.

Here are three ways in which those verses do apply.

1. We have often kept quiet in the face of opposition to our covenant with the Lord.

We have not fought for truth. Instead, in the name of multicultural diversity, tolerance, and peace at any price, we have allowed laws and practices contrary to our love for God to abound.

Let’s repent of not loving the Lord as the Bible commands us.

In Matthew 22:37–38, Jesus replied [to an expert in the Law]: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.’

2. We have served the gods of materialism and forgotten what God Almighty has done for us.

During this pandemic, in the United States alone, thousands are in hospitals in critical condition, and thousands have died. Those in the medical field, rescue workers, and caregivers risk their lives daily to keep us safe and healthy.

• Meanwhile, we complain that we can’t get our nails done or go to the tanning booth at the spa.
• We may not be starving, but we moan about the lack of our favorite foods.
• Perhaps we groan about the social distancing restrictions at the golf club.
• At the same time, we dislike the pick-up or delivery-only policies of our favorite restaurant.

Yet, others are hurting because of a lack of money to cover necessities, such as rent or a mortgage and food. They can’t afford pick-up or delivery.

Like the Israelites, we forget all that God has given us and the miracles of the past.

We only focus on our comfort and serve the gods of materialism.

3. We have not hated sin—the works of darkness or evil that God hates.

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes (a proud, arrogant look), a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,

a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community (Proverbs 6:16–19 NIV).

Any one of those sins separates us from our holy heavenly Father God.

Ask the Lord to show you His holy heart.

Perhaps we are thinking we have confessed all our sins and never murdered anyone. We need to examine our hearts according to 1 John 3:15.

That verse says,

Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

Jesus gives us confirmation of the Old Testament in Matthew 5:17.

He says, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Look also at Romans 3:23—For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Yes, It's time for Christians to repent.

Can we stand before God and say we don’t need to repent, because we haven’t sinned and fallen short of the glory of God? Friend, ask the Lord to show you His holy heart.

Yvonne Ortega walks with a small footprint but leaves a giant imprint in people’s lives. She is the author of the Moving from Broken to Beautiful® Series through cancer, forgiveness, and grief. Yvonne speaks with honesty and humor as she shares her life and struggles to help women find peace, power, and purpose through God’s Word. She celebrates life at the beach where she walks, builds sand castles, blows bubbles, and dances. Read more about Yvonne at www.YvonneOrtega.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Delanie at Lightstock.

Reasons, Not Excuses

In this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, Dawn Wilson admits to her own struggle with excuses, and how a more biblical perspective has helped her grow to be more like Jesus.

"There really is no personal growth or progress until we stop making excuses for bad behavior, bad habits, and wrong choices."

As a young pastor’s wife, I remember counseling a woman and hearing her litany of excuses.

Finally, when I could take no more, I lovingly but firmly said, “Those are all reasons—maybe even valid reasons—for you to feel the way you do, but they are not excuses for your behavior, because you have the living Holy Spirit dwelling in you, and He can empower you to do what is right.”

The woman seemed stunned. She stopped talking, blinked at me a few times, and said, “You know, you’re absolutely right. They are reasons, not excuses.”

That kind of counsel is easy to give, but hard to follow.

I’ve struggled in my own life with a list of excuses—and God’s Spirit kindly returns the counsel that I’ve given to others.

When it comes to making wise, biblical choices, there is never a place for excuses after the fact.

We simply chose not to do what we knew was right.

• We may have been motivated by lies.
• We may have had ulterior motives.
• We may have chosen to fear man rather than God.
• We may have lacked faith at that moment, or hope.
• We may have given in to our emotions rather than living by the truth of scripture.

There can be hundreds of reasons for wrong choices.

God wants us to OWN UP to our wrong choices.

Some are sins that need to be confessed in true repentance (I John 1:8-9). Other choices are simply not wise—not necessarily sin, but not the best (Proverbs 1:7).

We can’t move on to make better choices when we cling to excuses and try to justify our words or behavior.

What should we do instead of making excuses?

1. Listen to your Conversations.

What do you say when you "mess up"? Are you always defending yourself? (See Proverbs 16:2, 25.)

What do you say to others when you make sinful choices? What do you say to yourself? Not only that: what excuses are you making in prayers to the Lord? 

I'm not kidding. I found myself excusing a sinful habit in prayer because "that's just the way I am, Lord." What was I doing? I was accusing God of making me sin!

The Lord wanted me to understand my position in Christ, and not give in to the enemy's evaluation of who I am!

How often are you making excuses?  (See Proverbs 16:2, 25; 21:2).

2. List your reasons for not following through with wisdom and obedience.

Take time to sincerely consider why you do what you do. Be honest!

The person who conceals or tries to cover up failings "will not prosper" (Proverbs 28:13a).

What motivates you to make unwise choices? Call that motivation by name.

I discovered in dealing with one of my own besetting sins, I was soft-pedaling my sinful overeating. It wasn't until I named the sinful motivation as gluttony and even idolatry that I began to see some changes in my attitudes and approach to obeying the Lord regarding my health. No more excuses!

Why do you think you disobeyed? Was it rebellion or ignorance of the truth (or something else)? Dealing with a root of rebellion or idolatry is different than ignorance—and the Spirit of God will encourage you to deal with them in different ways.

Examining the reasons behind sins and failings can bring you greater understanding.

3. Learn to acknowledge any wrong, sinful, or unwise choices—quickly!

If it is sinful, confess it (1 John 1:9) and then deal with your sin biblically. The person who confesses and forsakes sins "will obtain mercy" (Proverbs 28:13b).

Run to the cross and remember why Jesus died. No sin is too great to bring to the cross!

I remember the day it hit me.

Dawn, stop making excuses, because . . .

Jesus didn't die for your excuses!

Don't ever allow the enemy to convince you that you have no other choice. God provides a "way of escape" (1 Corinthians 10:13), but we have to be alert to it, and that's harder when you're listening to the devil's lies.

Determine to take the holy escape, not the harmful excuse!

Ask the Lord to help you, then make yourself available to Him. Keep in step with the Spirit of God! (Galatians 5:16).

4. Lean in to the unchanging Word of God and the Spirit of God.

The Lord will help you as you continue to counsel your hearts according to scripture and keep in step with the Holy Spirit. Ask Him for a heart that wants to hear and increase learning, wise counsel "and the skill" to steer your course wisely (Proverbs 1:5).

Excuses are fruitless. Rationalizing and justifying doesn't change anything.

But figuring out the reasons for our failings and then dealing with them God's way—that sets us up for a life of fullness and fruitfulness in Christ.

In what area/s of life are you making excuses? Can you see how the enemy uses that? What can you do to stop making excuses and live according to the truth?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for Revive Our Hearts and a writer at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in Southern California and have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of knerri61 at Pixabay.

How to Help Your Husband Be Holy

Julie Sanders has a knack for getting to the heart of matters. In this Marriage UPGRADE, she suggests a powerful way to strengthen marriages.

"My wants don’t always match up to God’s wants for me, but when it comes to having a holy husband, we’re on the same page," Julie says.

"We look for a mate to live 'happily ever after,' but 'happy' pales in comparison to 'holy.'"

I (Dawn) agree with Julie; and I also believe a holy husband is an integral element in a God-honoring  marriage.

Julie continues . . .

When a couple is pronounced married, some of us hear, “I now pronounce you husband and Holy Spirit.” 

With good intentions, we may enter matrimony with a plan for our mate’s makeover.

Before we say “I do,” God’s plan is underway for us both to grow more godly, producing a life more loving than we achieve on our own.

God doesn’t call a wife to change her husband.

God’s Spirit is the one who renews a life (Titus 3:5) and causes a person to become joyful, peaceful and hopeful (Romans 15:13).

Before there’s a ring on our finger or a name on a certificate, God has a plan to use our human relationships to work out His divine plan in us personally. 

1. Your MARRIAGE: a structure for holiness

Marriage results from, “what God has joined together,” (Matthew 19:6). With divine action, “they are no longer two, but one flesh,” (Mark 10:8).  

Fusing two into one isn’t easy! It creates tension and pressure as individuals learn to know each other.

To yield, share and help requires us to function in a regular structure with daily choices.

Will we respond God’s way or our natural way?

Marriage is hard, but it helps when we’re growing more holy.

2. Your HOME: a setting for holiness

A holy home helps holiness to take hold in a husband’s heart.

A house may look charming and up to date with shabby chic, whitewashed furniture or retro pieces with colors that pop. Photos with hand-lettered words like “Faith” and “Family” might adorn clean walls, and string lights may warm up the porch. 

But without hearts growing in holy ways, it’s just a well-decorated building with disappointed people inside.

Don’t get me wrong. I have string lights. A few of my colors pop, and I’m saving up to trade our sagging couch for a linen one with good lines.

But my husband’s heart is more likely to grow in holy health if I carefully curate the content of our life instead of just the collections we love. 

Even a clean house is no substitute for a clean heart.

Ask: Am I reading what is lovely and watching what is hope-filled? Am I saying what is kind forgiving?

Our hearts become what we practice. Philippians 4:8 describes the “look” we want to go for in creating a home that says, “Holy.”

3. Your LIFE: a support for holiness

A wife may not be responsible for her husband’s holiness journey, but she can cooperate with God’s plan to get him there.

Some say as a couple spends years together, they begin to look alike.  In a similar way, godly character in one spouse supports godly growth in the other.  

By removing obstacles like bad attitudes, habitual temptations, or negative influences, a wife can clear the way for God’s program of holiness in her own heart and in her husband’s.

Knowing this, “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” (Hebrews 10:24) by the way we do life beside our mate.

Career decisions, family relationships, time management, recreational choices, health needs, and raising children together all have a way of creating opportunities to encourage each other to have a holy approach by having one ourselves.

A life lived with holy habits is a life with a holy influence.

Marriage is a structure God uses to grow us, in homes where we can practice holiness in our lives, as we support His plans for each of us.

Instead of taking on a spouse improvement plan, clear the way in your own heart and engage the power of prayer for God to do the heart work in your husband only He can do.

What habits in my life ensure my heart is clean, not just my house? When my husband takes steps towards holiness, what response from me would encourage his growth?

Julie Sanders can’t believe she’s been married to Jeff nearly thirty years. Now they call the Northwest home, where on summer nights you can find them sitting under a few string lights, talking over God’s plans for them. Julie writes from her online home, “Come Have a Peace.”

Graphic adapted, courtesy of HarveyMade at Lightstock.

Make Time for God

Poppy Smith ..... 

“I have a bad habit I’m trying to break,” Popppy says. “Instead of cozying up to God first thing in the morning, I cozy up to my computer, filling my head with what’s temporary rather than eternal.”

Oh, I (Dawn) sooooo understand this. There are so many "temptations" to keep us from seeking God first, aren't there? I check email early because I work for people "back east" and want to see if there are assignments, but after that, I try to not get distracted and spend time with the Lord. Believe me, it takes intentionality!

Poppy continues . . .

You’d think that King David had his spiritual life all together—but clearly, he didn’t.

 David says, 

"My hearts says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek" (Psalm 27:8).

He acknowledges his longing for a greater closeness to the Lord, but he also recognized that deliberate choices were needed in order to experience what he desired.

His response to the stirring in his spirit required a decision of his will.

It takes more than inner yearning for us to enjoy God. It takes a conscious decision of our will to follow through on the words, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” 

For God to work inner transformation and produce a deeper sense of His presence in us takes time and some level of self-discipline. But it is possible. We can discipline our bodies and our time.

I’ve seen the Holy Spirit change me in many ways, but on a recent Sunday I decided more self-discipline was desperately needed. I especially wanted to see if I could break my addiction to checking email. 

Instead of merely not looking at my inbox for the day, I determined to not even turn the computer on.

I’d been responding like Pavlov’s dog every time my email pinged, so I deliberately fasted—I gave up one thing to give time to another.

That’s my definition of fasting, whether it’s food or anything else that has control over me.

As the hours went by I was amazed. By committing my little exercise to the Lord, I discovered that I could control myself and spend more time in His presence. I learned that I don’t have to allow email, or any other habit, to gobble up the hours in my day.

For someone who isn’t naturally self-disciplined, this was a major victory.

How about you? Is there a habit, attitude, or hard-to-break behavior that needs kicking out of your life? It won’t happen by magic, but it can be overcome if you ask God for help and follow through with personal discipline.

Paul urged Timothy to “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (l Timothy 4:7).

As you gear up for fall, here are ways to respond when your soul echoes David’s cry: “My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

• Pray for Spirit-given discipline to put a higher value on seeking God’s face before other activities.
• Pursue daily intimacy by thinking about how Jesus treated people, spoke to them, noticed and cared for them. And ask that He would live that kind of life through you.
• Practice being alone with the Father to talk to Him, to quietly listen for his direction and correction, as well as encouragement and love. 
• Persevere in the race God has set before you, inviting the Holy Spirit to change your daily choices to what matters most to your best self.

We all have the same amount of time each day. What will you take time from in order to spend it in God’s presence?

Poppy Smith is British, married to an American, and has lived in many countries. A former Bible Study Fellowship teaching leader with a Masters in Spiritual Formation, she is a multi-published author who speaks widely, challenging women to make their lives count by looking at their choices, attitudes, and relationship with God. Find more about Poppy on her website.  

Graphic adapted, Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

How to Walk as a 'Child of Light'

Dawn Wilson reminds us of the greatest transforming UPGRADE we'll ever know. 

Back in July, I read this scripture and was struck by the black-and-white nature of Paul's words to the Ephesian believers:

"... at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. ... and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ...

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:8, 10-11, 15, 17).

Paul was sounding out a warning and a challenge.  

It breaks my heart to hear of so many Christians reading "soft porn" (sometimes called "mommy porn") or watching television programs and movies they would never read or watch if Jesus sat right beside them. (Have they forgotten God is always present with us?)

It's so easy to get sucked into the evils of our culture. We become accustomed to the darkness.

I read a powerful article by Tim Challies about "Television's Rape Epidemic." He mentioned a number of popular television programs that feature rape and other sexual vulgarities. Tim closed his article with these convicting words:

"If Christians won't allow explicit scenes of sexual violence to keep them from watching television shows, what will? If scenes of rape are not over the edge, what is? If we won't draw the line there, will we draw it anywhere?"

I thought back to the controversial novel Fifty Shades of Grey. When it came out, I was amazed to hear about Christians reading the book. Then Hollywood dished up the sexually-explicit Shades of Grey (February, 2015). Christian women bought tickets. 

I'm glad the authors of another book, Pulling Back the Shades, wrote to help women understand they can be both sexual and spiritual. They also called for revival.

"Revival is not about holding our ground," Dannah wrote, "it's about reclaiming territory that has already been lost."

We need revival because we've give our enemy "territory" in our lives. The Bible says, "Give no opportunity to the devil" (Ephesians 4:27). Satan, the enemy of our souls, laughs when we play with sin, and then he becomes our greatest accuser (1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10b).

Before we turned to the Lord and received the gift of Life and Light (John 1:4-5; 8:12), we were part of the darkness. But God always calls His children to come out from the bondage and wickedness that once held them and to live "separate" from sin—separated unto Him (2 Corinthians 6:17). As ambassadors for Christ, we are not to emulate the world (John 17:15-18). We were created to do the good works God has ordained for us (Ephesians 2:10), not to continue living and justifying a wicked lifestyle.

And we can only do that because of God's transforming grace.

I am thankful for the grace of God. He saved me and make me a part of His Kingdom of Light. And as a Child of Light, I am instructed to shine brightly for the Lord (Matthew 5:16) so the world will see my good works and glorify God!

Paul emphasized it this way: live "to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:12). 

God works in us both in salvation and sanctification. I call it The Greatest Upgrade; but it's really a total transformation! Our Father will help us grow and mature in holiness and faith; and as we become more like Jesus, we will walk as "Children of Light."

We all have daily choices that encourage this process:

1. We can ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts (Psalm 139:23-24a).

2. We can confess and relinquish any sin He reveals to us (I John 1:9; Acts 3:19).

3. We can determine to practice the presence of the Lord (Psalm 139:7; 16:11a).

4. We can pray for a discerning heart (Philippians 1:9-10), asking God to make us more sensitive about sin.

5. We can cultivate a lifestyle of faith and obedience (Psalm 119:11) as we memorize and apply God's Word!

6. We can follow Jesus' example (John 1:9; 8:12), becoming more like "the Light of the World."

7. We especially can use discernment to avoid sin, and when necessary, expose the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).

As Ephesians 5:15 (The Message) says, "... watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times."

God's grace is strong, and He will enable us to walk as a child of Light!

When do you struggle most with the pull of sin? Which of these steps for walking as a holy "child of light" could help you in that battle?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Ministries, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is President of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn, co-author of the devotional, LOL with God, also wrote the chapter, "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, Image courtesy of chrisroll / FreeDigitalPhotos.net