The text for this morning's message is found in 2 Corinthians, chapter 7,

verses 5 to 13.

For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn,

fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by

his coming, but also by the comfort with which He was comforted in you you sorry with my letter I do not regret it though I did regret it for I see that

that letter grieved you though only for a while as it is I rejoice not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting.

For you felt a godly grief so that you suffered no loss through us.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and

brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness

to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment. At every point you have what on account of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your zeal for us

might be revealed to you in the sight of God.

Therefore, we are comforted.

Well, this is the last Sunday of 1984 and everybody who is honest here.

If you take the time and the trouble to look back,

we'll have some regrets.

Even though we can count our blessings and name them one by one, the list of our blunders is

long, too. Res resolutions unkept, bad habits unbroken, anger, unconquered,

scripture unmemorized, letters unwritten, opportunities not taken.

The higher your goals and the keener your conscience the bigger your regret.

So it can be a real depressing time of year for people who care about following God.

So I want to talk about regret this morning

and the text that I want to use is 2 Corinthians 7,

...