Return to the Father

 Jer.4:1
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

Israel, God chose these people to show the nations of the world that there was a God in heaven who ruled the affairs of men. Truth was revealed through Abraham and his descendants, and the many prophets that God sent to reveal God’s plan for all that will follow Him. But the hearts of the people turned away from the commandments that God had given them to live by. They wanted to be like other nations of the world who served idols and gods of nature, or images of earthen clay. This was an abomination to the God that called Abraham out of his country to serve a God that cannot be seen by men, but one that is seen by faith. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God called out to Israel to put away their sin and return to the truth they once knew. Israel left the ways of Jehovah God, they backslid from the teaching of their fathers. God still loves the backslider. He still chases and desires those that have left the faith to return to Him. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The conditions for those who once knew the Lord are required by all who want to reconnect and have fellowship with Jesus Christ. Confession and repentance, a turning away from sin are not negotiable. He loves us, and wants us, but we must be willing to leave our sinful way to follow wholly after God.  He waits with open arms and is faithful to call us back. Drop the sin that so easily besets us and let us run back to the one who loves us and desires to forgive us.

The Promise to Return

 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

The Lord promised that someday He would return. Scoffers and unbelievers throughout time have doubted that Jesus will return to earth again. It has been a long time since this promise was made, and one can be tempted to doubt if His return will happen. But time is not relevant with God. God does not count time that way we do. A hundred years may seem like a long time, but to God it is but a vapor in light of eternity. It is God’s desire that everyone come to the knowledge of His love and grace. He patiently waits for His creation to turn their heart toward Him. God waits even for the scoffers to see their sinful ways and repent from their unbelief. Our present culture, especially in the US, has turned their hearts away from God. The concept of Jesus returning back to earth to rapture His church is viewed as religious fanatic idealism. But His promises are true, and someday He will split the eastern skies, and we who believe will be caught up in the air, and so shall we ever be with Him. He will not fail to keep His promise.

Be Ready

 Luke 12:40

You too, be continually ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

 

Be ready! The word of Jesus to His disciples. Two questions; ready for what, and how to be ready? The owner of the home was unprepared when a thief came into his house in the night. The owner most likely was asleep or preoccupied with the cares of life. Maybe he failed to lock his doors, or set his alarm. Most likely if he would have known that an intruder was going to break into his home that night, he would have made sure that his house was secure and possibly armed himself for protection. Jesus said, like this unsuspected thief, His return to the earth will be without knowing the time and day He would return. But, He made it clear that He would return and told them to be ready. What does it mean to be ready? Jesus says, those that are ready will have their lamps filled with oil. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. As we are occupied with the work that God has called us to do, we are to be diligent and live our lives as if He would return today.  Like the foolish virgins without the oil, there may not be time to get ready. Let’s keep our lamps filled and trimmed, to be continually ready for His return!

Return Back

 Nehemiah 1:9
But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen…

As long as we have breath, it is never too late to turn back to God. No matter what we have done to grieve Him from our life, He is always reaching out, entreating us to return back to Him. The conditions are simple, keep His commandments, live your life according to His word. His promise is true, He will not turn you away. Jesus said “Come unto me all of you who labor and carry a heavy burden, I will give you rest”. The load of sin is heavy, the guilt is hard to bear, labor not any longer, turn to Jesus, He will accept you with open arms.

Turn Back To God

 Isaiah 55:6
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

There are times in our lives that we sense that God is near. Things in our lives happen, and God reveals Himself to us wanting us to draw near. But in this passage, Isaiah was speaking to a people that turned their heart away from God and living self absorbed lives. They only cared about themselves and only that which gave them satisfaction. They refused to walk in the way of the Lord and follow God. God in His mercy, makes the plea to turn around and return to the right path. He who made heaven and earth and formed man wants his creation to return back to Him and take the way of righteousness. He is near and is calling out to everyone who will listen to turn from their wicked ways, humble themselves, pray, and seek the face of God, He will forgive their sins and wicked ways.

Look Toward the Holy Temple

Jonah 2:4, 7 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple…When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

Did Jonah turn his back on God? We do know that he refused to do what God wanted him to do. I believe Jonah wanted to do the right thing, but was caught up in his own fears and prejudices. Nineveh was a wicked city and it showed no tendency toward serving God. Weather Jonah sense that it was of no use, or if he feared what the people would do to him, he fled away from what God wanted him to do. He jumped from the fire pan into the fire when he decided to board the boat that would whisk him away. It was at sea, in the storm and eventually in the belly of the big fish that Jonah looked to God for help. He remembered what it was to be in the presence of God and to sense God’s glory. He realized that God would not forsake him. Even as Jonah fled, God was chasing him. To think that the God of the universe loves us so much that He pursues us in spite of ourselves. Like the prodigal son who remembered his home and looked to toward his father, Jonah looked back toward the holy temple, and remembered the goodness and mercy of God. It is never too late to turn to God. If we turn from our ways of disobedience and turn our hearts toward the holy temple, God will receive us.

Sorrow in this Life

John 16:22  And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

Sorrow is part of life. Emotion of sadness and disappoints are experiences we all have. Jesus recognized that such emotion are inevitable, but He does not want us to live there. There is a tomorrow and there is the promise of the Holy Spirit. When He comes, He will fill our hearts with joy and even tho we will experience sorrow, we can be assure that the Holy Spirit will be there with us and help us through those difficult times. He is our Comforter and in time of need, He will not leave us or forsake us. Yes, Jesus has returned to the Father, but he has sent His Spirit to live with us. One day, Jesus will return to gather all those who love Him. Sorrow on this earth will be gone, and we will live forever in His presence. 

Hold On

Rev. 3:11 “Behold, I come quickly; hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”-

Hold on! It will not be long before the return of Jesus. It is tempting to just give up the fight. Satan knows that his days are numbered and he is doing all he can to cause the faithful to let go of truth and the battle against sin. Holding fast to what God has given in through Christ. Holding on to His love and grace, holding on to what is true and right. We must not give up on those that we have been praying for salvation. We have a crown of righteousness given to us because we have been washed in the cleansing blood of Christ. We must not let the things of this world distract us from serving God and keeping His commandments. It is possible to let go and loose your soul, but through God grace we can hold fast to eternal life and believe God to keep us in the hour of temptation to give up.

The Rapture

1 Thess 4:16 “For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first;”

This could be the year that Jesus returns to earth to rapture those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. It has been over 2,000 years since Paul wrote these words of hope and anticipation. It is still true today, The Lord is coming back to this earth some day. We know not the hour or time He will return, but His return is imminent. We live in a day where we can see the signs of His coming. Our own nation is increasingly becoming a nation where Christ and His word are no longer valued. The idea that all religion lead to eternal life or to a better place after death is the accepted teaching in our society. There has always been war and rumors of war, but we now live in a global international world. The middle east is in continual unrest, and Christian are being persecuted for standing for Christ and truth. Our hearts desire that all will come to the knowledge of Christ and be saved. We cry, “Come Lord Jesus, come” The end will soon be here, this just may be the year.