The One Step We Miss

It all started with an SOS from a counselor who was talking with a young woman after a meeting where I had spoken.Herfrustrated counselor just said, "Boy, she’s really hard." And, sure enough, Kelly seemed really shut down. I said, "Kelly, do youwant to have a relationship with Jesus?" When she said yes, I asked her why. She responded, "Because part of me is missing,and I know it’s Him. But if you only knew how many times I have tried to accept Christ, and nothing happens." Well, I wasstuck - until the Lord gave me one question for Kelly - and it changed everything. It might change everything for you.

I asked this young woman, who really wanted to know Jesus but could never seem to get the relationship off the ground, thisquestion: "Have you ever told the Lord you are reallysorry for your sin and you’re ready to change?"She had said yes toJesus - but missed an important ingredient in turning to God - sayingnoto sin.

Our word for today from the Word of God comes fromActs 3:19- a roadmap to belonging to Jesus Christ. Here is what itsays,"Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from theLord."Now, when you turn to Jesus, you’re turning from the sins that He died for...that’s repentance. You can’t hold Jesus inone hand and the junk that killed Him in the other. You can’t turn to the West to watch the sunset without turning your back onthe East. You can’t face two directions at the same time.

When you start to name the sins of your life - even of the past couple weeks - you realize what it is you need a Savior for. Then you visit the Cross of Jesus to be saved, rescued from that sin.

Unfortunately, repentance is the missing page in many a Gospel presentation. We skip over the cancer of sin lightly and we goright to the cure before the person has faced their disease. It could be that the reason that your commitment to Christ has nevergotten off the ground is because you never really repented of your sins when you turned to the One who died for them.

There’s no real power in your life as a Christian until you let your heart be broken over your sin. When Kelly heard the step shehad missed, the tears suddenly started coming. She bowed her head and said, "God, I’m sick of the junk." That’s whenconfession began - and, in her case, saving faith.

Could it be that the reality that you’ve been looking for begins with really being sorry for the sin that is breaking God’s heart? Itis, after all, sin that killed His one and only son on the cross. I’m not sure a Savior can mean all that much to you until you seethe seriousness of the sin He died to save you from. You want Jesus. You believe in Jesus. Repentance may be the one stepyou’re missing. But you can tell Jesus right now, right where you are, "Lord, I’m so sorry for the sinning I have done, I’m sick ofthe junk, I’m ready to change and I’m turning to You, Jesus, to forgive me and change me."

If you have not really begun your Jesus-relationship and you want to, I’d like to send you the booklet I wrote about it calledYours For Life. Just let me know you want it. Today this can be your new beginning.

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Today's Daily Wisdom is written by Ron Hutchcraft, based on his popular radio broadcast,"A Word With You"."A WORD WITH YOU" daily devotionals are now available via e-mail. To subscribe send a blank email to:awordwithyou-subscribe@hutchcraft.com,or to request the "Yours for Life" booklet, fill out the form on this site:http://www.gospelcom.net/rhm/yours/yflorder.html. Ron Hutchcraft Ministries has been on-line with Gospelcom since February, 1996, providingpractical answers to real life issues. (c) 2000 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.PO Box 400, Harrison AR 72602