Repent and Return!

August 17, 2026, Monday Message:

Acts 3:19 NLT, Peter, preaching in the Temple: “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”

Paul is giving everyone the Cliff’s Notes condensed version of how to get right with God. You may know it as the Reader’s Digest condensed version. Friends, coming under God’s umbrella may not be as complicated as you think!

“Repent and Return.” It’s that simple. God already knows you’ve sinned and the Bible says that ALL have sinned, so that’s a pretty inclusive group! What everyone needs to do is realize what has gone wrong, repent for those actions, and then turn back to the Lord. Put God back up on his pedestal. Give him the place in your life that he should have had all along.

In the Hebrew language, the process is described as turning, like we were headed North but should have been going South. Ideally, we should be growing closer to God, but sin left us falling away. We were backsliders. NOW is the best time to turn or (re)turn to God. Closer to God is always better than farther from God.

Adam and Eve were the first to sin, to think they could be like God. They could not. They had to realize their mistake, their sin, and place themselves back under God’s care. Understand that God still loved them. While they had been sinning, God was making clothes for them.

When God’s people were still doubting, (doubting the Lord is a sin…) God sent 10 plagues, convincing Pharaoh to let God’s people go! When God’s people were afraid to trust in Yahweh, (not trusting Yahweh is a sin…) little David decided to take on the mighty Goliath. It was easier to convince God’s people to return after Goliath’s defeat!

If anyone asks you what to do to become a Christian, to square things up with the Almighty, explain “Repent and Return.” Don’t overcomplicate it. Realize that God WANTS everyone to Repent and Return!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church