Repent and Believe Podcast w/ Cynthia Smalls

Glory be to God! ** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: The difference between true repentance and false repentance. Many understand the term repentance to mean "a turning from sin." Regretting sin and turning from it is related to repentance, but it is not the precise meaning of the word. In the Bible, the word repent means "to change one's mind." The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8-14; Acts 3:19). An unrepentant person knows that he or she has sinned and refuses to ask God for forgiveness or turn away from the sin. The unrepentant show no remorse for their wrongdoing and don't feel the need to change. Unrepentance is the sin of willfully remaining sinful!

The word repentance means to change one's way of life as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness. In repentance, a person is given a true sense of the heinous nature of sin and, hating it, they turn to God through Christ with the desire to part ways with it. It is a gift that God gives to us and true repentance leads to eternal life (2 Tim. 2:25). The Bible does make it clear that not all repentance is genuine, though. Paul said to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11, "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point, you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter." Based on this Scripture and others, here are some of the distinguishing characteristics between true and false repentance:

True repentance does not regret parting ways with sin; false repentance does. Because God grants us a clear view of our sins in repentance, we don't regret the loss of them. False repentance is characterized by a continual longing for the "old life." Although a person may have made certain external changes in their life, their heart is continually drawn back to the sins they miss. Jesus said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Lk. 9:62). He also said, "I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish" (Lk 13:3). Therefore, we all must be mindful that the Day of the Lord is fastly approaching! If we deliberately live a life of unrepentant sin and habitually live wicked lives, our only expectation is of fiery judgment that will consume God's enemies. "It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath]" (study Hebrews 10:24-31)! Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!

Glory be to God! ** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: The believer's walk in Christ. Following the teachings of Jesus. Any discussion of how to live a born-again life, should focus first and foremost on the teachings of Jesus Christ, which we can read about in the Bible. The entire Bible is full of insight into who God is, our sinful predicament, God's plan to redeem us, and how we should live in light of these realities. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." Jesus' teachings in the Gospels, in particular, encapsulate the themes found throughout Scripture and help us understand what it means to be a follower of His.

Let us pray Father, how grateful we are! That we serve a loving God who demonstrated His love for humanity by sending us a Savior - The Lord Jesus Christ who willingly went to the cross to die for our sins. He took the punishment that was rightly due to us, for we sinned against you Father. But Christ Jesus paid the penalty for our wrongdoing by suffering and enduring the agony of the cross. He was absolutely sinless! Perfect beyond all imagination. Not only that, but obedient to Your will; walking in complete subjection to You. Christ Jesus made atonement for our sin, reconciling us back to You. His blood was shed so that our sins may be forgiven, that through repentance, we may receive the free gift of salvation, of which we could not have possibly earned by our own efforts. It is a free gift, that we say "Yes" we receive it! By Your grace and Your mercy and long suffering, You have transferred us from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Your dear Son. Your Word Father, shows us now that we are born again, we are expected to live obedient lives. Lives with a purpose that serves Your will and bring You glory. We are to produce good fruits of righteousness. We are to be diligent, faithful, righteous, holy, and firm in our belief in Jesus. No longer do we allow sin to be a motivating factor in our lives. We are done with sin!! And with Your ever-giving grace, when we miss the mark, we confess our sin and we repent and we come to You for forgiveness and the blood of Jesus continually cleanse and purge us from all unrighteousness. But Father, our mindset is to "Go, and sin no more." How blessed are we that we have Your Word for it teaches us how to be holy! Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!

Glory be to God!

💥 **Please make sure you tune in... lost souls are on the line & they need to be snatched from 's fire!

** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today as I discuss another hot button topic: What's Wrong With Denominations? They're Unbiblical!! Folks, Jesus our Great Shepherd, exhorts us to let no one deceive you. Church denominations are NOT of Christ, NOR of the Father! There is ONLY ONE CHURCH, ONE BODY and they both belong to Jesus, of which He laid down His life for!! These rogue denominations came about from men and women of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth! They abandoned the true Church of Jesus Christ; and as withered, broken-off branches and twigs, coaxed and enticed other believers to leave as well and be "members" of their new sect. So now, these members identify themselves by the denomination they "belong" to.

These "founders" have fallen from grace and had the unmitigated gall to slap their names and the methods of their beliefs on a church building and call themselves: Catholics, Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Methodists, Mormons, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Wesleyans, Charismatics, Adventists, Nazarenes, and the like...including all non-denominationals! All these broken-off branches, a.k.a., denominations, practice the "schism" (division) that Paul aggressively rebuked the church at Corinth for doing this very thing, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13). Paul exhorts us in Galatians 5:19-21, that idolatry, factions, dissensions, variance, and strife, etc., are works of the flesh. The apostate church who are practicing division, the Bible is clear, these self-appointed "leaders" and deceived members (who worship mere mortals and not the Christ) will not inherit God's Kingdom. We must not be part of anyone's spiritual crime! Paul also exhorts us to withdraw ourselves from men of corrupt and depraved minds who teach that godliness is gain!

Those who have started these denominations, have departed from Christ and He never ratified their schismatic endeavors! The real Jesus Christ IS NOT in any of these churches! We are commanded to "mark" and "avoid" them that causes "divisions" and "offences" (study Romans 16:17-18)! Amen! 🎯 Repent and believe and turn back to God!

Glory be to God! ** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: Jesus’ life was the ultimate lesson in righteousness, and He has sent us a Helper to teach us to learn righteousness of Him: The Holy Spirit! He is our Teacher in righteousness! Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing! The state of the union with humanity is grim: All men “are under sin” (Romans 3:9; 5:12). No matter who you are. No matter what you’ve done. Apart from Jesus Christ, we are all sinners in desperate need of a Savior, according to the Bible!

Therefore, men need to be saved. And since no righteousness is of their own, salvation is impossible without the mercy and grace of God. Men, left to their own merit, on their own good deeds, cannot be saved. It’s impossible. Because, the very best they can do (“our righteousnesses”) is worth absolutely nothing!! Actually, any “good” a sinner might do apart from God is disgusting in His eyes (Isaiah 64:6). Therefore, there is no way salvation could be based upon “works of righteousness which we have done.”

Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:3, 5-6). One must become spiritually alive, born again, in order to be saved ("enter the kingdom of God”). And how does one become spiritually born? By their own efforts? No! All people without Jesus Christ are spiritually dead. How does a dead man bring himself to life? He cannot! But, the Lord can! Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!

Glory be to God! ** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: The bad news is that true and perfect righteousness is not possible for man to attain on his own; the standard is simply too high! The good news is that true righteousness is possible for mankind, but only through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have no ability to achieve righteousness in and of ourselves. But born-again again believers possess the righteousness of Christ, because “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is an amazing truth!! On the cross, Christ Jesus exchanged our sin for His perfect righteousness so that we can one day, stand before Holy God and He will see not our sin, but the holy righteousness of the Lord Jesus! Amen!

This means that we are made righteous in the sight of God; that is, that we are accepted as righteous and treated as righteous by God on account of what the Lord Jesus has done. He was made sin; we are made righteousness. On the cross, Jesus was treated as if He were a sinner, though He was perfectly holy and pure, and we are treated as if we were righteous, though we are defiled and depraved! On account of what the Lord Jesus has endured on our behalf, we are treated as if we had entirely fulfilled the Law of God and had never become exposed to its penalty. We have received this precious gift of righteousness from the God of all mercy and grace. To Him be the glory!

And sadly, this sin-laden, vile, deceitful world says "NO!" to this wonderful Good News! Listen as I share an account of when preaching the Gospel to a lost soul who is dying from cancer, this hypocritical world says, "don't do that!" "She's going through enough already!!" You will see just how hypocritical their comments were in response. They say they have love for this person, but have no problem watching this person die in their sins! SMH! And this is what makes the preaching of the Gospel in this present evil age all the more critical, as we see history culminating and human beings dying every SINGLE day in their sins - GOING STRAIGHT TO A BURNING ! Nonetheless, the Gospel will go forth! Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!

Glory be to God!

** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: A “walk” in the Bible is often a metaphor for practical daily living. The born-again life is a journey, and we are to walk it—we are to make consistent forward progress. Walking in the Spirit means that we yield to His control, we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us. To walk in the Spirit, is the opposite of resisting Him or grieving Him (study Ephesians 4:30). Our whole way of life is lived according to the rule of the gospel, as the Spirit moves us toward obedience. When we walk in the Spirit, we find that the sinful appetites of the flesh have no more dominion over us!

We, as reborn of the Spirit, are commanded not to grieve Holy Spirit! When we do not allow Him to be seen in our actions or we do what we know is wrong, we suppress or quench the Spirit (study 1 Thessalonians 5:19). We do not allow the Spirit to reveal Himself the way that He wants to. We grieve the Spirit by HABITUALLY living like the pagans, by lying, by being angry, by stealing, by cursing, by being bitter, by being unforgiving, and by being sexually immoral. To grieve the Spirit, is to act out in a sinful manner, whether it is in thought only or in both thought and deed.

Of all the gifts given to mankind by God, there is none greater than the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples that He would send the Spirit into the world and He “will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment” (John 16:8). The Spirit’s presence within us enables us to understand and interpret God’s Word. Jesus told His disciples that “when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). He reveals to our minds the whole counsel of God as it relates to worship, doctrine, and holy living. He is the ultimate guide, going before, leading the way, removing obstructions, opening the understanding, and making all things plain and clear. He leads in the way we should go in all spiritual things. Without such a guide, we would be apt to fall into error. Those who walk in the Spirit “eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope." Those who walk in the Spirit “will not gratify the desires of the flesh." Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!

Glory be to God! ** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: In order to live holy and righteous, we can't be part of this world's satanic culture! Obedient living, leads to holy living, and it all comes down to a choice. "You cannot drink [both] the Lord’s cup and the cup of demons. You cannot share in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons [thereby becoming partners with them]" (1 Corinthians 10:21). Although we are in this world, we are commanded not to be of it! This is vital for our sanctification! Those of us who are truly born of the Spirit of the Living God, are being set apart from this world unto God, to live by His grace. For God's amazing, remarkable, and undeserved grace, "teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives" (Titus 2:11-12).

🚩 2 Timothy 2:22 - "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

Remember, we are not trying to live a holy life in order to earn salvation; living a holy life is a natural outgrowth of being saved by God’s grace and filled with His Spirit!

In order to address the question of how to live a holy life, we must first understand what holy means. To be holy means to be set apart or separate from sin and evil. God is holy—completely separate from everything that is evil (1 John 1:5). God calls us to be holy, just as He is (1 Peter 1:16, quoting Leviticus 19:2), but it’s vital to understand that apart from God, this is impossible. We must have the Holy Spirit indwelling us and filling us with His holiness. We can only live a holy life through the power of the Spirit; thus, the first step to living a holy life is to accept Jesus as Savior (Ephesians 1:13).

Beloved, we can live a holy life by being obedient to God in all areas of life (1 Peter 1:14–16). Knowing and obeying God’s Word is key (John 17:17). Hiding God’s Word in our hearts keeps us from sin (Psalm 119:11). When we live in obedience to God, we are staying separate from evil. We are offering our bodies as “living sacrifices” to God (Romans 12:1–2). The purpose of living a holy life is to glorify God and display His nature to those around us (Matthew 5:16). Living a holy life of obedience to God is living in true freedom from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:6)! Amen!

🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!

Glory be to God!

** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: Today's text: Matthew 7, 13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."

Jesus is the Narrow Door. He is the straight gate. He is that narrow path that leads to eternal life into His Kingdom. The "broad way," is the way to eternal destruction! People who don't want Jesus, who don't want to strive to enter through the narrow door, want the "world." The "world" and its paths are open to the masses. On the "broad way," there are no restrictions. You can worship many false gods. There is no accountability for sin, rather the world's mantra is "Live and Let Live!" They say, "I won't point out your sin, as long as you don't point out mine!" "I may not agree with every disgusting thing you do, just like you don't agree with every disgusting thing that I do!" To each its own," is the battle cry of the "world." And many, just like Jesus said, will be in that "broad" "wide" way that leads to destruction, both in this life and the life to come!

Beloved, we could literally destroy our lives today by going by the ways of this "world." We lose so many spiritual opportunities to be a blessing to the Kingdom and to glorify our Father and Savior, by gaining this whole world and then lose our soul to 's fire! Jesus called it! 36 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Mark8)? Is there anything you are willing to forfeit the Kingdom for? Because if so, you are headed for destruction both now and in the life to come. The Lord Jesus tells us straight out, that few come to Him and that many choose the kingdoms of this world, rather than picking up their cross, living clean, holy and righteous following Him! They rather have the tempting delectables of this "world" which are only pseudo in nature, because not all that glitters is gold. In Christ, we can have eternal life today as we know Him and the Father better and better and live an abundant life, as we await His soon return to receive our eternal inheritance, the Kingdom of God! Eternal life awaits those who "endure until the end!" Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!

Glory be to God! ** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: What does it mean to walk with God? Because many people claim they walk with God, but they don't! Nothing in their life reflects that they are walking with the Holy One of Israel! That is why we must know: what does it look like when one, who is born-again, walks with their Savior?

When walking with God, our Heavenly Father, we desire to please Him and we allow Him to work in our lives to make us into the image of His Son. We can’t walk with the LORD, if we’re living in darkness. You can’t have God and evil!

Lest we forget, Christ Jesus exhorts us to "strive to enter through the narrow door" (study Matthew 7:13-14, Luke 13:23-24). HE is the Door! He tells us so, in John 10:9, "I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security)." He also tells us in John 14:6 that He is THE ONLY WAY TO THE FATHER! No man can get there, except they come to the One who willingly went to the cross, laying down His life - paying for the sins of the entire world: THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! Therefore, we choose the narrow path over the broad wide way to eternal destruction. One can enter God’s Kingdom only through the strait narrow gate. The highway to is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way!

When we walk with the LORD, we draw closer to the LORD with all our heart. He becomes our focus. Our hearts long for Him. Our heart seeks His presence. Our desire to have fellowship with Christ and be like Him, will grow while our worldly desires will decrease! We seek to eliminate from our lives everything that does not enhance our walk with Him (Hebrews 12:2)!! Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!

Glory be to God! ** 🙋🏾‍♀️ STAY TUNED UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE! ** 🚩TUNE IN EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS FOR NEW EPISODES! Follow me on Facebook under AuntCynthia Whitaker 😊💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I discuss: I absolutely love correction. A precious sister in the Lord, Ellie, who listened to my podcast on the extended teaching on Divorce and Remarriage dated July 7, 2022, brought the below correction to my awareness. And I totally agree with her on what Paul was teaching on in 1 Corinthians 7:15, "But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace." It wasn't until recently, by the Holy Spirit, that I now fully understand about when an unbelieving spouse abandons (divorces) their believing spouse. This does not give the abandoned spouse authorization to remarry. So I just want to make that correction.

Both Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ confirms that only death fulfills the marital vow. Not adultery, not abandonment, not abuse, nothing, only death! Christ Jesus gave the only exception for divorce and that is fornication.

In summary, here's the correction: "Therefore, the believer who is abandoned (divorced) by his or her unbelieving spouse is NOT free to remarry. They are not under bondage to try to convince the unbelieving spouse to not leave them and they are not under bondage to perform marital duties of any sort when the unbelieving spouse abandons them because God has called believers to peace. Also, Paul had just told us in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 that a woman who is separated from her husband is to remain unmarried or to be reconciled to her husband. Paul also told the man whose wife left him to not divorce her. That abandoned husband is to uphold his marriage covenant with his wife that left him."

PLEASE TUNE IN TO HEAR the full posting of sister Ellie's response so that we all can be edified! Glory be to God!