Lamont Sherley

A person can feel sorry for what he did and still keep doing it. We have to let that sorrow lead us to repentance. We have to turn from our sins and change the way we live.

2 Corinthians 7:8-10 (KJV) For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Paul regretted the sorrow his letter caused them. But when he saw that they received the correction and repented, he rejoiced. The letter had accomplished what it needed to accomplish.

There are two different Greek words involved here. Metamelomai means to regret or feel remorse. Metanoia, translated repentance in this passage, means a change of mind. When we repent of sin, that change affects how we live. We recognize that God is right, acknowledge that we have sinned, and turn from what we were doing.

Feeling bad about sin doesn't give us permission to continue in it. We can cry, apologize, and say we wish we hadn't done something, then go right back and do it again. We need to obey the Lord and His Word.

Look at Judas.

Matthew 27:3 (KJV) Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

The word translated "repented himself" is a form of metamelomai. Judas felt remorse. He knew he had done wrong, and he returned the money. But his sorrow ended with him taking his own life. Feeling the guilt of what he had done did not bring him back to the Lord.

God deals with a child in the womb as a person, and Scripture names three people He knew or called before they were born.
Jeremiah, known before he was formed in the belly.
Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV) Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb.
Luke 1:15 (KJV) For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
Paul, separated from his mother's womb.
Galatians 1:15 (KJV) But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

David wrote Psalm 22 long before Jesus was crucified, and the Gospels show it fulfilled at the cross.
The cry from the cross.
Psalm 22:1 (KJV) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
Matthew 27:46 (KJV) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
The mocking words of the crowd.
Psalm 22:8 (KJV) He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Matthew 27:43 (KJV) He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
His hands and feet pierced.
Psalm 22:16 (KJV) For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
John 20:25 (KJV) The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
Lots cast for His clothing.
Psalm 22:18 (KJV) They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
John 19:24 (KJV) They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
John said plainly that the soldiers did this so the Scripture would be fulfilled.

Go to church today and worship God with His people.
Hebrews 10:25 (KJV) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The church in the Book of Acts gathered often. They kept on in the apostles' doctrine, in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42 (KJV) And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
They met daily with one accord, they praised God, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 2:46-47 (KJV) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

There are only two things anyone will hear when they stand before Jesus.
Matthew 25:21 (KJV) His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Matthew 7:22-23 (KJV) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Look at who heard "depart from me". They cast out devils and did wonderful works in His name. A person can be in every service, give the most in the offering, and be used in the gifts of the Spirit, and still never know Jesus.
Someone else can pray in a closet where nobody sees, put a mite in the offering plate, know Jesus, and hear well done.
I would rather come to Jesus beaten, bloody, and broken and hear well done, good and faithful servant, than see miracles all my life and hear Him say He never knew me. He was beaten and broken for us, and He told us to carry our cross.
Luke 9:23 (KJV) And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Your mom and dad can't stand before Him for you. Neither can your pastor or your Sunday school teacher.
Philippians 2:10-11 (KJV) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Know Jesus for yourself. Be the salt and be the light.

After Elijah was caught up, Elisha took up his mantle, and the first thing the people of Jericho brought him was a problem.
2 Kings 2:19 (KJV) And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
The city looked good. It sat in a pleasant place, and it had a spring. But the water was bad, and nothing would grow.
Maybe your life looks like that. You got the promotion. You read the books. You went to counseling for your marriage and your family. You did everything you could to make it look good, and the water is still bitter and nothing is growing.
Here is what Elisha did.
2 Kings 2:20-22 (KJV) And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
That city had everything it needed except the salt. Elisha cast the salt into the spring, and God healed the water.
Jesus said you are the salt of the earth. When you walk into a home, a church, or a neighborhood where the water has gone bitter, God wants you to be the one He uses to bring healing there.

Matthew 5:13 (KJV) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
For most of history, salt was how people kept their food from spoiling. It preserved the meat and the things they lived on. When Jesus called His people the salt of the earth, He was telling them what their job is. God's people are here to preserve.
The enemy is attacking minds right now. He is attacking families, marriages, and homes. So what are you doing to preserve your family? What are you doing to preserve your church and your neighborhood?
The mayor, the governor, and the president can't preserve those things, no matter what letter is next to their name. That job belongs to the body of Christ. Wars, elections, gas prices, and the economy will keep changing. The question is whether those things are influencing you, or whether you are the one influencing them.
Your sons, your daughters, your mother, your father, and your neighbors are counting on you. God called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, and if you have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, you have His name applied to you.
1 John 4:4 (KJV) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

How to stand against the devil according to Scripture:
Put on the whole armour of God.
Ephesians 6:11 (KJV) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Our fight is not against flesh and blood.
Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Loins girt about with truth.
Breastplate of righteousness.
Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Shield of faith.
Helmet of salvation.
Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:14 (KJV) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Ephesians 6:15 (KJV) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Ephesians 6:16 (KJV) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Ephesians 6:17 (KJV) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Ephesians 6:18 (KJV) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Nowhere in the Bible does God tell living people to pray to the dead.
Scripture lists a necromancer among the practices God calls an abomination.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (KJV) There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Isaiah asked why the living would seek unto the dead.
Isaiah 8:19 (KJV) And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
There is one mediator between God and men.
1 Timothy 2:5 (KJV) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Jesus said we are to worship God only.
Matthew 4:10 (KJV) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Asking a living Christian to pray with you is one thing. Asking the dead to hear and answer prayer is talking to the dead, and God forbade it.

Isaiah called the Son who would be born the everlasting Father.
Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
That same child is called The mighty God. When Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus said that he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father.
John 14:9 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
God was manifest in the flesh.
1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.