WRONG TURN?

Insomuch as any one pushes you nearer to God, he or she is your friend. –Anonymous

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Have you taken a wrong turn headed down a sinful road? Are you out of church? Have you quit reading your Bible? Has life closed your mouth that once sang praises unto the Lord? 

Are you wondering how you can recalculate and get on the right road to victory? Are you like the prodigal son, have you came to yourself and making your way back to the Heavenly Father? 

Making your way back may seem hard, but the Lord is right there with you and His people will be there for you. 

As a friend let me tell you the truth, Satan and this old world wants to bring you down and defeat you, don’t let Him! Start off by GETTING UP, GETTING READY and GOING TO CHURCH this morning!  Find Christian friends that will hold you accountable and push you closer to the Lord! Find the ones that are willing tell you the truth in love and compassion!

RETURN TO THE JOY YOU ONCE HAD!

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Luke 15:24

While you are alive there is always time for you to return to the joy you once had. When the prodigal son returned home he was expecting the father to put him out with the hired hands, that’s not what he did. He did not rebuke him, chastised him, or punish him for his willful disobedience. What he did do was rejoice in the fact that his son had returned to the family he left. How do you think the son felt? We don’t know but I can’t help but to think his cup was running over!

Been out of the will of God long? There’s room at Calvary for you! The Heavenly Father is waiting for your return.

IF YOU WILL…HE WILL!

What we mean by salvation is this-deliverance from the love of sin, rescued from the habit of sin, setting free from the desire to sin. -Spurgeon

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: Luke 15:21-23

             The progression of slipping away from the Lord is staggering. One glimpse at another woman or one touch from another man is the beginning of the end for some marriages. A night out with the fellas or an evening shopping with the girls starts out really innocent but ends up leading you away from what you once held to high esteem. A click of a mouse leads to some of the wickedest temptations on this planet causing men, women, boys, and girls to lose focus on the lord.

             Don’t sit there and think this cannot affect you! I know some men who use to attend church, ride a bus ministry, sing in the choir, serve on some board at church, and even preach but now they are so far away from God you couldn’t tell them from a lost man. I know some women, who use to attend church, play the piano, serve on some committee, sing in the choir, and even taught Sunday School but now you couldn’t tell them from a lost woman. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman we are all tempted. Some of us were drawn away but we didn’t have to and we definitely don’t have to stay away!

             As with the story of the prodigal son, you have never gone too far! There is still hope for you that have slipped off into some heinous sin. The Lord offers second chances and third, fourth, fifth, etc. Will you be delivered from the love of sin, the habit of sin, and be set free from the desire to sin? Will you acknowledge your sin to God? Will you humble yourself before God? Will you repent and turn back to Him? If you will…He will forgive you! If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9