Genuine repentance begins from a broken heart and its resultant effect can be seen on the outside as a transformed life. The Lord is not moved by your prayer and fasting, without a broken heart. It is not the will of God that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The Lord will not despise a broken and a contrite heart. Anyone who hardens his heart against God is actually destroying his own soul.

There is only one destination that a man may go to after his life on earth expires: heaven or hell. While addressing the disciples before his death, Jesus said that they knew where he was going and the way that leads there. Jesus is not one of the ways but the only way to the Father. Since heaven is commonly believed to be the dwelling place of God, then it means that one must be a follower of Jesus to enter heaven.

As it was with the salvation of Lot and his household, the Lord expects every saved person to escape for their life to the mountain without looking back or staying in the plain. Although they were saved from the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, God warned them of the danger of being consumed if they looked back or remained in the plain. Failing to heed the warning of the Lord, Lot's wife looked back and was consumed: she turned into a pillar of salt.

We have a merciful and just God who always warns us to deliver us from impending danger. But because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. It is not the will of God for anyone to perish in their sin. He wants all men to come to repentance that they might have eternal life.

Beloved, the latter part of our key text says God has created all things including you, for His pleasure. What does it mean to please God? It simply means giving Him first place in everything that you do in life. This can be achieved by sincerely seeking God to know the right thing to do, and endeavouring to do it, in every situation. Remember, the Holy Spirit has been given to the Church to lead us into all truth.