Come Back

 

(photo from amazon.com)

Pastor Ken Willard repeatedly drew me back into his sermon; actually, quite appropriate, since he brought a “Come Back” message.

Using Micah 7:7-8, he began to call us back. Not just to God, but to the land of the living. Let’s face it, anyone who has a working television in their home, or who plays with social media has been affected by the current state of our nation.

“Therefore I will look unto the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in the darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.” (KJV)

I’ll admit, I never understood the latter part of this verse: “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17 (KJV)

According to Pastor Ken, this means that your friends were born to be there for you when you find yourself in a place of trouble. If we think we’re going to prosper in life, it’s likely we’ll need friends. They may not be lifelong friends that we’ll intimately share our days with forever. But the friends that God provides for your times of adversity could as easily be friends from childhood who’ve stuck around a long time, or friends you’ve just met.

Insisting on doing things without accepting help, may prove to take us a lot longer, if we accomplish them at all.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, “For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” (KJV)

“At the place of challenge, sometimes there’s a fall.” – Pastor Ken

When we’re challenged and we fall, sometimes bouncing back isn’t about proving anything to the challenger, but more for proving to ourselves what we’re made of.

But, whether we’ve “fallen away from God” or we just find ourselves in a tough spot, God designed us to be like rubber balls, not hacky-sacks. We’re supposed to bounce back. And we aren’t underinflated, so we won’t just sit there when we fall, we’re still filled with the breath of Life.

Realize this, we’re just as anointed while we’re sitting in that dark place as we were when we felt like we were pleasing God. His gifts and calling are without repentance, meaning He doesn’t take them from us. (Romans 11:29)

“The best place to be when you’re in the worst place is here, in the presence of God; here, in the body of Christ, with your brothers and sisters; the ones born for your adversity.” – Pastor Ken

Those weren’t his EXACT words, but as I tried to keep up with him, that’s what it sounded like to me.

So, think “comeback thoughts”. Let God light your way and look for the friends He’s already laid in your path.

There’s no depth that any of us have dropped to that Jesus can’t reach us.

(photo from ebay.com)

Trouble Trusting God?

Is the problem with trusting God that you feel He’s let you down?

If I’ve failed you, I hope you would come to me about it. Offenses divide us, driving a wedge between us. God deserves no less. Talk with Him about it. Let Him shine His light on the matter.

Today I learned the definition of the word prodigal: one reckless in their spending. I presume that means in their spending of money, but how are you spending your life?

At the appointed time – Christ came into the world as a newborn.

At the appointed time, He was crucified.

And again, at the appointed time, He rose from the grave.

At the appointed time – we all meet Jesus. When I meet someone new, I choose whether to carry on with them in relationship or not. God allows us that same choice with Him. But at the appointed time, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Him as Lord. (Philippians 2:10-11)

Lord, I offer up a prayer for all the prodigals, for those straddling the fence and for those of us who are weak or hurting.

Lord, You’ve not lost hope –

You’ve not lost faith –

You see us as we are

You love us as we are

You’re not able to doubt

You’re creating and recreating Your image in us

You never lose sight of us

You know, Lord, that we’ll not walk so far away that Your arm cannot reach us

Nothing takes You by surprise, nothing

You’re not willing that any should perish

Thank You for peace that melts even the stiffest shoulders

and the hardest of hearts, the pain-filled, the frightened and the angry

Thank You for grace

Thank You for love that never ends

For the one praying for the lost –

The enemy will try to deceive you with words that there is something required on your part for the salvation of your loved ones. Treasure in your heart the knowledge that it is by grace that we are saved, and by grace alone. (Ephesians 2:8-9) The salvation of your loved ones is not a reward for anything you do or don’t accomplish in this life.

Selah.

Actively Waiting

No one is beyond the reach of God’s almighty hands, filled with grace and mercy. Nor is anyone’s self-righteousness great enough to pass from this world to the next without torment.

We all fall in that middle ground – the place where God reaches out to, with love beyond measure and limitless compassion, to give us His righteousness. By His kindness, He draws us to repentance – because at some point, we turned away from Him. Though most of us have tasted that sting of rejection, unlike us, He never turns away; He never gives up on us. As long as there’s breath in our lungs (both of which He’s provided for us,) He waits. He actively waits. While He waits for us, He calls to us. He reaches out to us. He sustains us. He blesses us. He protects us. He shows Himself to us all day long, even in our sleep. Though we ignore Him and refuse to acknowledge Him at every turn, still, He waits.

After a gardener plants his seed, he actively waits for his harvest – watering and fertilizing and hoeing and anticipating….

After a woman discovers she’s pregnant, she actively waits for her child’s arrival – providing nourishment, preparing herself for delivery, excitedly making preparations to care for the child, anticipating….

God has planted His seed in us. He actively waits for us to come to Him. With greater anticipation than the gardener or the mother, He waits.

He waits, simply, for us to return to Him.