Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 1 Corinthians 7:10.

Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלוהים) says:

When Belshazzar the king made a feast for his nobles, his wives and his concubines he remembered the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, My house in Jerusalem, by his father Nebuchadnezzar when he burned Jerusalem to the ground and took captives back to Babylon, including My servant Daniel. And Belshazzar brought the sacred gold vessels that had been set aside for pouring out drink offerings to Me, and he, his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them as they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, made with human hands and demonic trickery. They had stepped too far off the path of life, so I wrote on the wall and Belshazzar saw My hand as I wrote the verdict in just three words. But I want you to concentrate on one, it was the word Tekel, which was interpreted for him by Daniel as meaning, “you have been weighed in the scales and found wanting.” Daniel 5:27.

It is time for you to take a serious look at the inventory of your life, because it will determine your destiny and your reward. But this is not in a negative sense. I am here to help you with this and how to value inventory. For there is worldly sorrow and there is heavenly sorrow.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 1 Corinthians 7:10.

And just as a side note here. I did carry out all three of the words of judgment I wrote on the wall that night for Belshazzar for he did not repent. He died that night, and the Medes and Persians conquered his kingdom with Darius becoming king. And Darius is the one who funded the building of the temple and the return of the sacred vessels to Jerusalem for consecrated use once more.

Paul talks about how the way in which you build your life on the foundation of My Word, who is Christ, is tested by fire on the day of judgment, that is, the purifying fire of pure love. And whatever is not the solid gold and precious stones of love goes up in smoke. Wood, hay, and stubble do not pass the consuming fire of love. Whatever is done without love means nothing. But you must know how to define love or you will be counting wood, hay and stubble as love. I am talking about true love as I am.

But first let us look at worldly sorrow and heavenly sorrow. Worldly sorrow is regrets and remorse over not having done things for more worldly success and prestige, that held more honor with men. Heavenly sorrow is different. For I do not hold important what man does, rather, I hold it in contempt as the life of empty show. Always remember this, I do not just look at outward appearance, I look at your heart. And if your heart is right that should give you comfort and hope no matter how many unwise choices you made that did not prosper you.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7.

In the end of your life on earth only one thing matters, and that is Salvation and keeping yourself pure of idols. Belshazzar had done many proud things but the final weight that tipped the scales on his life was the worship of idols and leading others to do so, and not only the worship but using sacred vessels consecrated to My use for that. You are My sacred vessels now that the Holy Spirit dwells in you.

We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God, God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:18-21.

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 1 Corinthians 10:21.

I desire that in all areas of your life you prosper and are in good health even as your soul prospers and your soul prospers by walking in the truth, which is walking with Me, which is walking in My Word. You cannot serve two masters. Your heart must be single in its focus. For in the end it is the Word and what you did with it that will judge your life.

I want you who are having a remorse problem with your life, for I know there are many of you filled with regrets over how you managed your life, did not take opportunities you now believe you should have out of a lack of wisdom, how you dealt with and raised your family, how you managed your jobs, your time, your finances and your goals. You now believe you could have done better and you are filled with sadness, and you are saying this sadness is because you wanted to do better for Me, but it is worldly sadness and it will choke off My Word in you. It is the seed among thorns and you are allowing the accusations of Satan to enter your heart and choke off your future fruitfulness.

And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Mark 5:18-19.

Now I am going to surprise you with the answer that will fill you with joy and the Holy Spirit. The way of true heavenly sorrow. For I look at your heart.

There was only ONE person in the entire Bible that I guaranteed would be with Me in paradise and it was a man who had lived a life of crime being justly crucified next to My Son Jesus. If anyone could have worldly sorrow it would have been him. He had blown his whole life away and was ending it in shame upon a cross.  It looked like the end of all for him, BUT there was one at His side who was willing to take the condemnation away from him and put in on Himself.

But this only happened to one of the two criminals being punished that hung on either side of Jesus though God gave them both the same opportunity. And you can learn a lesson here between worldly sorrow and heavenly sorrow. But above all you can learn the lesson that I teach you again and again, but you do not listen, of the ONE thing necessary on which EVERYTHING else depends.

Now I will take you back to what each said and what took place in the Spirit.

One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds, things worthy of what we have done; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-40.

Both criminals had been with Jesus from sentencing to the walk along the way of the cross. They had beheld His demeanor and heard His amazing response and His Words. But where their hearts were was very different.

Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him. Luke 23:32.

One criminal had worldly sorrow and it made him bitter against Me. He hurled abuse at Me in My Son, he blasphemed the One who was His salvation, for whatever you do to the Son is ultimately on Me for I was in Christ reconciling the world to Myself, He and I are One. But ponder a moment, what he was saying, “If you are the Messiah, save Yourself and us!” sounds like the disciples in the storm on the sea when they awakened Jesus and accused Him of not caring, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Mark 4:38. Do you remember what Jesus asked them after He rebuked the wind and the sea? “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40.

Jesus, as I do, is looking for faith, but remember this, faith works only by love, not by fear of punishment or by regret and selfish ambition.

This criminal had worldly sorrow, he was only praying, for that was what he was doing in speaking to Jesus, to get him off the cross. Sounds like many people today, “Aren’t you God? Then heal me or deliver me or prosper me!” Many people and, even news broadcasters speaking of disasters in the world, blaspheme Me by asking why I let these things happen, why I don’t just do something about them if I am who I say I am. But they do not understand dominion authority, the leasehold, the devil, and your part for miracles. They do not understand what you permit I must permit and what you bind I must bind.

But the other criminal was of a different heart and had a different sorrow. Not a proud, “I’m okay why did this happen to me?” mentality. But a humility born of truthful acknowledgment of the inventory of his life. Listen to his words as he first rebuked the other, showing himself zealous for My honor and eager to lead the other to repentance, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds, things worthy of what we have done; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

This man honored Me before all those around the cross who were sneering at My Son. He had no anger over what had happened with his life, he did not blame Me, he took the responsibility for his life. He knew the sins he had done, his wickedness, and he knew he deserved to take the punishment due BUT he saw there was One at his side that did not deserve the condemnation that He was so willingly taking. He heard the One next to Him say “Forgive them Father, they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34. And this was the One they called the Messiah, whether with honor or with scornful doubt.

When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Messiah of God, His Chosen One.” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Luke 23:33-38.

Yes, that one sinner who hung next to Jesus had a heart touched by what he saw and he acknowledged he had sinned. He did not make Me a liar.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10.

And then he turned to Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!” Luke 23:42.

He was expressing the same thing David, a man after My own heart, prayed in Psalm 25:7: “Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your lovingkindness [chesed] remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O LORD!”

And I did as he asked. Jesus answered him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43. My Son not only assured him of salvation but spoke it with an oath.

What did this sinner do? Look more carefully because he obtained the promise of eternal life that I gave before the world began and the other did not.

He acknowledged his sin, he did not blame Me or others for what he had done. He stated the punishment was what he deserved for what he had done. He did not cry and weep saying he did not deserve it that he had done nothing that bad or tell Me all his good points. He acknowledged Jesus had done no wrong but was under the same sentence of condemnation and he acknowledged Jesus was bearing what he, the sinner, deserved on a cross right next to him.

And finally, he asked Jesus to remember him. And what does Jesus ask you to do? Remember Him, what He did for you in His body given for you and His blood shed for you every time you eat His body and drink His blood for as often as you do that you declare His death until He comes to have you that day with Him in the Kingdom.

Humility comes before honors. One criminal prayed a proud and selfish prayer, testing Me, and railing at Me to get him out of his wrong choices. The other acknowledged his sin and appealed to My unconditional love and forgiveness as seen in the punishment of the Messiah with his sentence. And I was faithful and just to forgive his sins and cleanse him of all unrighteousness due to the fountain of blood and water that flowed out of the One hanging on the wood of the cross at his side. He died with Christ and rose with Him.

I resist the proud but give grace, abundant grace, to the humble. This sinner next to Jesus received the gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace so he would reign in life, that life that is life indeed, through Jesus Christ forever. Romans 5:17.

By grace you have been saved through faith.

You may have many regrets about your past or even your present but consider this: Are they worldly regrets and are you abusing Me about them? Asking why you were not better enlightened or why I let them happen to you? Or are you looking at Me in awe to go forward to your high calling in Christ? This criminal who took Heaven that day with Jesus believed that Jesus could change everything for him by remembering him in His lovingkindness and goodness. That I could turn it around for his good. He just asked one thing, to be remembered and brought into the Kingdom with Jesus. The Way, the new and living Way, was right next to Him. He did not ignore so great a Salvation, so great an opportunity that I had put right there in his way.

You can sum all this up in one word: Love. And that is who I am. And that is what I am looking for in your heart. My image. Love. Love of Me and love of neighbor. This criminal next to Jesus had them both, he tried first to lead the other criminal into repentance and the acknowledgment of his sin before Me, and then he turned his love and awe upon the One who was there under his sentence of condemnation. He watched Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 before his eyes. For he heard Jesus quoting Psalm 22, which being Jewish, he knew from his childhood.

If you do not have love you have nothing. All the most famous worldly works and accolades, Nobel peace prizes, and good Samaritan rewards been nothing if not done with true love for Me and your fellow man.

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthains 13:1-3.

Man does not judge as I do, you go by appearance but I see the heart. I am looking for faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these, the one that tips the scales in your favor so you are NOT wanting or deficient, is LOVE. My kind of love.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Which you see in Jesus for the sinner. He came to seek out and save the lost. And that is His joy. He loves you and released you from your sins by His blood. But it goes beyond that. He then made you a kingdom, priests unto Me, His Father and your Father.

Until you look at Me with love and stop your worldly sorrow and days of depression, or until you stop accusing Me, railing at Me, pleading with Me, and/or trying to force Me to do your miracle, you will never know My power or who I am. Remember the proud criminal, who could have had the Kingdom, and the humble criminal next to Jesus on the cross who received what the other wanted so badly as simply and softly as the dewfall and you will understand. Love made all the difference.

It all goes back to the two most important commandments:

One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31.

Just in the last few hours of his life, the criminal who was saved had lived these two commandments in their fullest sense. Why? Because he was given the opportunity to see Jesus and watch and walk with Him from the prison, to the judgment seat, to the way of the cross, to crucifixion and death and what he saw in Christ moved his heart to repentance and love so that being with Him became the desire of his heart. And not just that, but he knew for this One death was not the end, that He was an eternal King with an eternal Kingdom. And he wanted to be there with Him, but not for power but for love, just to be remembered by the One who wanted all forgiven for whom He was being slain. And in seeing Jesus, he was seeing Me. It is My goodness, as manifested in Jesus, that brings the sinner to repentance.

And that is what others should see in you who have My Holy Spirit in you.

And love of Me and neighbor is the one thing necessary no matter what your assignment is along your path of life. One thing—forget what lies behind and push forward to your heavenly calling and inheritance.

Fill your life with My love and let it flow through you to others. You are concerned and anxious about many worldly things but only ONE thing will add ALL good things to you in ever greater measure. Love. My love for you and your love for Me.

One other thought: you may be wondering why My servant Luke is the only one that includes this event in his account of the life of Jesus on the earth. And yet he was not at the foot of the cross. But go back to the opening lines and then I will tell you why.

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. Luke 1:1-4.

The best eyewitness from the annunciation to the foot of the cross to the resurrection to Pentecost and beyond was none other than Mary, the servant of the Word. And Luke knew her and My beloved John who was with her. Mary remembered all, for she never took anything Jesus did for granted. “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19.

When Jesus hung on the cross, Mary was there, and she loved the mercy in Jesus even racked with pain and agony when He turned His attention to the humble criminal next to Him and did My Will. Mary noticed the lowly. “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.” Luke 1:52, was part of her song of praise as she called herself My humble and lowly handmaid for whom I had done great and mighty things so that all generations would call her blessed. She loved all that Jesus said on the cross and always treasured it in her heart. And Luke too caught her compassion for the lowly. He wrote that carefully in his account of the life of Jesus as well things she told him of the early years she had with Jesus and Joseph. Mary loved all I did and all I had done. She never doubted for a moment anything I showed her or told her. And she followed Jesus humbly and in great awe and love.

Luke had a very good eyewitness to consult. His gospel is the gospel according to Mary more than any other of the many witnesses he spoke with in compiling his account.

The repentant sinner on the cross next to Jesus, though the only one noted that he was given an oath that he would be in paradise with My Son that day, I also promised Heaven to My holy prophet Daniel and what I told him is very meaningful to you as well. I revealed to him the endtimes and the time of tribulation and told him the exact length of it. And then I told him,

“But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.” Daniel 12:13.

I promised Daniel to enter My rest, first paradise and then once Jesus died and was raised and glorified at My right hand, just I had revealed to Daniel, Heaven, and then at the end of days, on the last and everlasting day, to receive his glorified body with all of you. If you remain until My Son returns for the church, you will be caught up in the air with all the saints in Heaven and on earth and receive the final promise of redemption, your glorified, glorious, and immortal body, united again with your already resurrected spirit and soul. What a celebration that will be! None other than the marriage feast of the Lamb. Make sure you are there. For you are all the bride, the Church. I do not want one member missing. Take the cue from what I told Daniel:

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3.

You are wise to win souls.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls. Proverbs 11:30.

I love you and that is why I gave you Jesus. Love Him. Watch in love like the repentant criminal on the cross and you will be with Me in My Kingdom forever. I remember you. Do you remember Me?

“Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.” Isaiah 49:15.

“Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.” Jeremiah 2:32.

‘For My people have forgotten Me, they burn incense to worthless gods and they have stumbled from their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, not on a highway. Jeremiah 18:15.