Proverbs 4:11-13

I have taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,
And when you run, you will not stumble.
Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.

“Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings”
Jeremiah 3:22

Awhile back, I’d taken up racquetball again. I hate treadmills and cardio, but I will run endlessly around in circles to chase a silly little ball with a racket.
One time, I was running to get a shot, and somehow, I pivoted and landed flat on my back. Some guy who was on a treadmill stopped and said, “Are you okay?” I was okay, but I had to take some Tylenol afterward.

The thing was, I wasn’t planning on falling. And a lot of times that happens to us spiritually. People fall, and they weren’t planning on it. But maybe they were setting themselves up for a fall.
I think when a person falls away spiritually, it’s because there’s neglect in their spiritual life. Because they’re failing to move forward, they naturally (but not immediately) start going backward.

Then one day they wake up and say, “How did I end up in this state? How did I end up in this place I’m in? I don’t remember when this happened.” That’s because it happened gradually.
The Bible warns about backsliding in Jeremiah 2:19: “‘Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the Lord your God, and the fear of Me is not in you,’ says the Lord God of hosts” (nkjv).

Then, in Jeremiah 3:22, God says, “Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings” (nkjv).
We need to be on guard against this, because the Bible says that one of the signs of the last days will be people falling away from the faith. We want to be very careful that we don’t become those people. And if you’re not moving forward, then you’re automatically going backward.

- Greg Laurie

COVID-19 Crisis Prayer - Pastor Mike

Today's Prayer

Prayer Topic    Pray for Plans Diverted

In our current crisis and related shelter in place orders, many significant life events have been cancelled and diverted.  Events such as graduations, weddings, funerals, camps, conferences, church gatherings, family reunions, vacations and holidays, the birth of a child, and the death of a loved one to name a few.  Our Lord knows the sorrow of missing these significant life events.  It is HE who can walk us through that sorrow by His grace and by His Spirit.

Pray that we would not despair in the dismissal of these events.  Pray that we would trust the fact that God is working in this crisis.  Pray that we would remain hopeful that He will somehow restore a sense of peace in His will and His ways.  Pray for creative ways to recognize and celebrate these important life events though we are restricted in doing so face to face for now.  Pray for an extra measure of grace for the death of a loved one, where the family could not visit that loved one in the hospital.  Pray for the reminder that though that loved one may have died without the physical presence of a loved one, Jesus Himself was present for the believer, receiving them unto Himself that where He is, they would be also.

Pray for the birth of babies.  With the restrictions in place for hospitals, family members are not allowed to celebrate that birth as was before.  Pray for hopeful hearts to hold that child in arms in the future.  Pray for those young people whose school accomplishments will not be recognized with ceremonies.  That they would not believe their accomplishments are lessened by the lack of a graduation ceremony.  Pray for families as this spring/summer looks quite different and challenging for us.  Pray for the grace and peace of God to navigate these next months in particular.  

Pray for a restoration of the ability to acknowledge these life events and to do so for the glory of God, while trusting in God by faith.  Pray that the Lord would show us how He will take what was intended for evil and use it for good for His glory and our good.