Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading titled Parting Words was written by Dave Brannon.

As he neared the end of his life, John M. Perkins had a message for the people he would leave behind. Perkins, known for

advocating racial reconciliation, said, repentance is the only way back to God. Unless you repent,

you will all perish. These words mirror the language of Jesus and many other people in the Bible.

Christ said, unless you repent, you too will all perish in Luke 133. The Apostle Peter said,

repent then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out in Acts 319.

Much earlier in Scripture, we read the words of yet another person who desired that

his people would turn to God.

In his farewell address to all Israel, the prophet, priest, and judge Samuel, said, do not be afraid.

You have done evil, yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.

This was his message of repentance, to turn from evil and follow God wholeheartedly.

We all sin and miss the mark of his standard.

So we need to repent, which means to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus, who forgives

us and empowers us to follow him.

Let's heed the words of two men, John Perkins and Samuel,

who recognized how God can use the power of repentance to change us and to people he can use

for his honor.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 Samuel chapter 12 verse 1 and verses 19 through 24.

Samuel said to all Israel, I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.

And picking up in verse 19, the people all said to Samuel, pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die.

For we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.

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