Take heed lest you content yourself with a repentance that does not give God glory. The soul that merely dreads punishment and seeks to escape the lash has felt the judgment, but has not turned from sin itself. That is the repentance of the flesh, not the gift of the Holy Spirit. True repentance, that sacred work which the Lord accepts, makes a rainbow with her tears of grief for sin and her glances of hope at the love of Christ and His great finished work. Such repentance glorifies God. It lays the sinner low and lifts Christ high. Do you know anything of such a repentance? Answer, I pray you, as before the Lord, whom no man can deceive.
But note this well: you must not look to repentance as a condition of your salvation. There are no conditions of salvation. Repentance is a grace, a gift of God, never a price you bring to purchase mercy. Christ has paid it all. Faith and repentance are inseparable, it is true, but they both spring from the same root, the regenerating work of the Spirit. You are not to draw up repentance from the depths of your own heart, as you might draw water from a well, but to ask Christ to work repentance in you by His Holy Spirit, through belief of the truth. Look out of self to Christ, and to Christ only. The command to repent in the name of Jesus means we must preach repentance as the free gift of His hand, and that whoever has it may rest assured the work of salvation has already begun in his soul.
As for obedience, it is the gracious fruit, the proof that faith lives. Noah's faith and fear together led him to do exactly as God commanded. Obey the Lord with all your mind and all your heart, in the way of faith, if you would find salvation. Yet be not deceived: no man is really saved unless he is, in his heart, obedient to Christ. I do not say you will be perfect, but you will desire to be so. The essence of obedience lies in exactness. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left. Prove that you have grace by your accurate, scrupulous following of the Master's mind in all things. But remember, the path of obedience is generally a middle path, not a self-righteous severity, nor a careless laxity.
O Soul, think not that you can share the work and the glory of salvation with the almighty Savior! Yoke a gnat with an archangel if you will, but never think of linking your own obedience or repentance with Christ in order to complete the great work of salvation. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. You are bidden to confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you shall be saved. This is the simple doctrine: trusting for salvation to the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The moment a sinner looks to Him, the work is done.
You counsel reading John. That is wise. There the Spirit breathes life through the Word. But do not wait for some deep feeling or prolonged struggle. May the Holy Spirit make it very clear to you that there is no necessity for you to wait a long while before the blessing of salvation may be given to you, but that you may have it this very moment! Come, you needy, come and welcome. God's free bounty glorify! True belief and true repentance, every grace that brings us near, without money, come to Jesus Christ and buy. Only be sure that the repentance you seek is a repentance that breaks from sin because the love of God constrains you, and that the obedience you render is the joyful service of a son, not the bondage of a slave. Sweet sister Repentance and dear brother Obedience are charming company, but they serve the Bridegroom; they do not replace Him. Let your eye be single to Christ crucified, risen, and coming again, and you shall find that repentance unto life and the joy of salvation are yours, all of grace, through faith in His name.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, so that I can trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do. 
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