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Caused to Return
By John Piper

Cause us to return, O Lord, that we may return! (Lamentations 5:21, my translation)

There is no hope for God’s people unless God causes them to return from their sliding and leaping into sin and unbelief.

The book of Lamentations is the bleakest book in the Bible. God himself had decimated the apple of his eye: Jersualem. 

• The Lord gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations. (Lamentations 4:11)
• He has killed all who were delightful in our eyes. (Lamentations 2:4)
• The Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. (Lamentations 1:5)

So how does the book end?

It ends with the only hope there is: 

Cause us to return, O Lord, that we may return! (Lamentations 5:21)

That is my only hope — and your only hope! 

Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32).

Not if you return. But when you return. I have prayed for you! You will return. And when you do, it will be my sovereign grace that brought you back from the precipice of apostasy.

Christian, this is true for you. This is your only hope of perseverance in faith. Glory in it.

Christ Jesus is the one who . . . is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

He will cause us to return. Therefore, “to him who is able to keep you from stumbling. . . be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever” (Jude 1:24–25). Amen!

America. One nation, under God. A land of opportunity and freedom. The birthplace of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. And the nation she bravely represented as she signed the articles of impeachment against Donald J. Trump. To properly mark this momentous occasion, Nancy Pelosi signed her name proudly, with a set of unique and beautiful black and gold pens emblazoned with her signature. 

More…

How to Repent
By John Piper

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

A vague, bad feeling that you are a crummy person is not the same as conviction for sin. Feeling rotten is not the same as repentance.

This morning I began to pray, and felt unworthy to be talking to the Creator of the universe. It was a vague sense of unworthiness. So I told him so. Now what?

Nothing changed until I began to get specific about my sins. Crummy feelings can be useful if they lead to conviction for specific sins. But vague feelings of being a bad person are not usually very helpful.

The fog of unworthiness needs to take shape into clear dark pillars of disobedience. Then you can point to them and repent and ask for forgiveness and take aim with your gospel bazooka to blow them up.

So I began to call to mind the commands I frequently break. These are the ones that came to mind.

• Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Not 95%, but 100%. (Matthew 22:37)
• Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Be as eager for things to go well for him as you are for things to go well for you. (Matthew 22:39)
• Do all things without grumbling. No grumbling — inside or outside. (Philippians 2:14)
• Cast all your anxieties on him — so you are not being weighed down by them anymore. (1 Peter 5:7)
• Only say things that give grace to others — especially those closest to you. (Ephesians 4:29)
• Redeem the time. Don’t fritter away the minutes, or dawdle. (Ephesians 5:16)

So much for any pretensions to great holiness! I’m undone.

This is much worse than vague, crummy feelings. Ah, but now the enemy is visible. The sins are specific. They’ve come out of hiding. I look them in the eye. I’m not whining about feeling crummy. I’m apologizing to Christ for not doing specific things that he commanded.

I’m broken, and I’m angry at my sin. I want to kill it, not me. I’m not suicidal. I’m a sin-hater and a sin-murderer. (“Put to death what is earthly in you,” Colossians 3:5; “Put to death the deeds of the body,” Romans 8:13.) I want to live. That’s why I’m a killer — of my sin!

In this conflict, I hear the promise, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Peace rises. 

Now, prayer feels possible and right and powerful again.

A great presentation and validation of the US Constitution.

David DeGerolamo

January 27, 2020

Mrs. Pelosi:

I watched Pam Bondi and Alan Dershowitz give presentations today before the United States Senate, Justice Roberts, White House Counsel and the House Managers concerning the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. I was extremely proud of their presentations from both a Constitutional and fact based perspective. I believe that the House of Representatives under your leadership uses the Constitution from a flawed understanding for their own purposes although I am sure that you would disagree.

I am writing this letter in the sincere hope that you also watched their presentations and were able to discern what happens when adults are present in the room. May the Lord also give you discernment concerning your position in the government and the consequences of your abuse of power.

Sincerely,

David DeGerolamo

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