Calling All Backsliders

Greetings,
I have a word to share with each of you. A word that may be hard to hear; I know it's hard to write. It's a word that has been on my heart for better than a week. It's a word that will bring forth a harvest of righteousness or more hardening of the heart. Maybe the word isn't for you, maybe it's for someone you know and love. I believe it's a call from the Almighty One; a call that will help us discern the thoughts and intents of our hearts before Him (of Whom we must give account).

Proverbs 14: 9-16
9. Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor.
10. The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy.
11. The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of .
13. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief.
14. The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above.
15. The simple believes every word, but the prudent man considers well his steps.
16. A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident.

Verses 12 and 14 are the main focus for this word. There is such focus these days, especially throughout America, on being blessed and happy. The problem is when we are the ones who define what "blessed" and "happy" are. We are so easily upset when we don't get our way. We become jealous of others when it appears they have more toys, more money, more people in their churches, more people "falling under the power", more...whatever, than we have. We feel that since we did God such a nice thing by "getting saved" then we are entitled to the blessings. Notice the word of God. There is a WAY that SEEMS right...the BACKSLIDER in heart is filled with his OWN WAYS...

The call from God is for each of us to turn to Him with ALL our heart. To lean not on our own understanding but in ALL our ways acknowledge Him as Lord (the One Who has the right to rule over us). To lay aside our supposed grievance with God because He didn't perform as we expected. To quit holding God accountable to our theology; instead, to take Him at HIS word.

Backsliders in heart are those who find themselves in the wilderness; they never cross to the promised land. They become hard hearted to the point that nothing moves them to God any more. Oh, they still may go to "church" but they've quit being part of the church. The ways they once knew and embraced have been replaced with more important things. Things such as being "right", "comfortable", "rested", "having family time", "making more money", etc. Backsliders are FILLED with THEIR OWN WAYS. That means they can not be filled with God!

The children of Israel left Egypt and began to follow God. God had a specific route to take them. He didn't ask their opinion about the route, or anything else. He just told them to follow. But, as we all know, follow was the hardest thing for them to do. Every time they murmured about what God was doing they became more and more set in their OWN WAYS. THE WILDERNESS WAS GOD'S METHOD OF DELIVERING THEM, NOT FROM EGYPT, BUT FROM THEIR OWN WAYS. I've noticed, in my life and in others, that it's easy to start out with God. He's all we'll ever need, we're so quick to say. Sometime down the road of life, however, there are decisions we have to make: who do I trust in this situation, what's the path the Lord is taking me, etc; or, we become offended at God or one of His kids when things don't go as we thought they should. We let ourselves get worked up and start becoming cold to the promptings of the Spirit of God. We pull back from faith and start living according to our own ways and knowledge. WE BACKSLIDE.

It's time to answer the call of God and RETURN to HIM with ALL OUR HEART! The Lord is building a people who will SHOW FORTH His Glory and Power. He is igniting a fire among those who will stand before Him and allow Him to strike the match, light the torch, and set us ablaze with the Fire of God. He will do that with those who allow themselves to be FILLED WITH HIS WAYS!
Backslider in heart, turn to GOD!!!

I will close with some scriptures of HOPE. If your heart is stirred by this word and you are hearing God call you, IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO TURN FROM YOUR BACKSLIDING WAYS. Also, for a really stirring message by Charles Finney, please see the link on the blog site entitled "the Backslider in heart".

Isaiah 55:6-9
6. Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.
7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
8. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,'' says the Lord.
9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Hosea 14:4-7
4. "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him.
5. I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, and lengthen his roots like Lebanon.
6. His branches shall spread; his beauty shall be like an olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.
7. Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall be revived like grain, and grow like the vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

Psalm 32:1-7
1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.
2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile.
3. When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.
4. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
5. I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,'' And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6. For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him.
7. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

1 John 1:9
9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This is the day to run TO God. Turn from YOUR WAYS and submit to HIS, regardless of how hard it will be. The Grace to obey is right before you, if you'll only start by admitting your sin and your need for Him. I pray for you now that you will hear the voice of God and repent of backsliding and turn back to the God you once knew. Remember, He is STILL able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all you ask or even think. Answer His call and let Him reveal Himself to YOU.

Pastor Jan