By Tope Banso
“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; we speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!” ( 2 Corinthians 5:20 New Living Translation).
Jesus, in the conclusion of His parable of the lost sheep, said that there would be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7).
Similarly, concluding His parable of the lost coin, Jesus reiterated in verse 10 that there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents. If you have strayed from God, come back to Him today.
There was rejoicing when the prodigal son returned home after he had come back to his senses. The father received him back and threw a lavish welcome party for him (verses 17-24). You may have given your life to Jesus before but you backslid. Or probably you have never given your life to Jesus at any time. Repent and come back to God. He is waiting for you.
Amos 5:4-5 says, “Now this is what the LORD says to the family of Israel: ‘Come back to me and live! Don’t go to worship the idols of Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba. For the people of Gilgal will be dragged off into exile, and the people of Bethel will come to nothing’” (New Living Translation).
Verse 6 says, “Come back to the LORD and live! If you don’t, he will roar through Israel like a fire, devouring you completely. Your gods in Bethel certainly won’t be able to quench the flames!” (New Living Translation).
The LORD told the Israelites that if they returned to Him, and obeyed His commandments, though some of them were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, He would gather them from there. He would also bring them to the place which He had chosen as a dwelling for His name (Nehemiah 1:9).
Come back to God; don’t be like the backsliding nation of Israel. The LORD said to Prophet Jeremiah in the days of King Josiah, “Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. And I said, after she had done all these things, ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.” (Jeremiah 3:6-7 New King James Version). God gave Israel a divorce certificate. Her treacherous sister, Judah, didn’t fear because of that, but played the harlot also (verse 8).
Despite all the punishments that the LORD brought upon Israel, she refused to return to God (Amos 4:6-11). The LORD told the people living in Jerusalem that they refused to return to Him even after He sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy everything they had worked to produce (Haggai 2:17). Don’t be stubborn; come back to God.
Return to the LORD, and He will return to you (Zechariah 1:3; Malachi 3:7). It doesn’t matter how far you’ve gone away from Him, and how deep you have sunk into sin; don’t be afraid to repent and come back to Him. Even if you’ve served Him before, but wandered away, come back into the loving and warm embrace of God. He is waiting for you. He says if you return to Him, He will restore you so you can continue to serve Him (Jeremiah 15:19).
God is your stronghold; He is your place of safety. Come back to God. “Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners, for there is yet hope! I promise this very day that I will repay you two mercies for each of your woes!” (Zechariah 9:12 New Living Translation).
You may not be a prodigal son or someone who has rebelled against God. You may be like the elder brother of the prodigal son or you may be a relation or friend of someone who has rebelled against God. What are you doing about the person? Don’t you desire that he or she should come back to God?
The servants of the father of the prodigal son told the older brother, “Your brother is back” (Luke 15:27a New living Translation). But his attitude was wrong. Your sinner-brother or sinner-sister should come back to God so that there will be rejoicing in heaven, and so that your Father’s heart can be glad. Share the message of salvation with him (her). You may have been preaching to him (her), but he (she) has not surrendered his (her) life to Christ, never give up.
It may not be your message that will draw the person to Christ. Show the person love and keep doing another thing Jesus said you should do: “Then He said to them, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2 New king James version). Pray that God would send to him (her) someone who will preach to him (her) and he (she) will give his (her) life to Jesus.
Repent and come back to God! “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; we speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!” ( 2 Corinthians 5:20 New Living Translation).
If you’re not born again, repent of your sins today and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Whoever comes to Him, He will by no means cast out.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I repent of my sins and come back to you; Father, let every backslider come to repentance and come back to You; O Lord of the harvest, send labourers into Your harvest.
This is wisdom for living, and it’s worth sharing. Please share.
(For more inspiring messages, visit: www.cedarministry.org).
Pastor Banso, an Abuja-based minister, heads Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria
cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com
Tel No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947