DATE: FRIDAY 21ST APRIL 2017
THEME: CURE FOR BACKSLIDING
Memorise:
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19
Read: Jeremiah 3:11-15
3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and | will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and lwill not keep anger forever.
3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and | will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and l will bring you to Zion:
3:15 And lwill give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
MESSAGE
Backsliding is such a terrible condition that any child of God who backslides must quickly seek for restoration. The danger with backsliding is that a backslider may perish with his or her enemies like Samson did, or lose all he or she had gained in God like Judas lscariot (Judges 16:30, Acts 1:16-20). The good news is that God has provided a remedy for backsliding. ln today's Bible reading, we see the loving God calling and inviting backsliding Israel back to Himself. This is a pointer to the fact that God wants to restore all backsliders.
"Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every tree and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for l am married unto you: and l will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:"
Jeremiah 3:13-14
The above verses of Scripture contain the cure for backsliding. Restoration for the backslider starts with an acknowledgment of sins and a contrite return to God. In other words, the cure to backsliding lies in genuine repentance. Repentance is a complete turnaround from one's sins with a determination never to return to those sins any more. This was what Samson failed to do throughout his twenty years of being judge over lsrael. To make matters worse, he always ascribed his victory and achievement to his strength. Hear what he said after one of his victories in Judges 15:16:
"...With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.”
There is no record of him giving glory to God even once. When he should have prayed for mercy, he prayed a wrong prayer, asking God to strengthen him one more time, so that he could avenge his eyes! Due to the mercy of God, and because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, God still granted him his request, and he died with his enemies (Romans 1 1 :29, Judges 16:28-30). ln Acts 3:19, we see some of the great benefits of repentance. These include forgiveness, the blotting out of sins and the experience of a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Beloved, are you in a backslidden state? I encourage you to return to God through the Lord Jesus Christ today. Read 1 John 2:1-2 for a better understanding of your heritage in Christ. As you do these, the joy of salvation and the victory over sin will be restored to you.
Action Point:
Pray for restoration if you a backslider. If by His grace you are still standing, pray that you will not backslide, and also pray for all backsliders in the Body of Christ that you know.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Numbers 10-11
Jeremiah 17:14-27
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 11: l HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
no turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
My cross I'II carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me,
The cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me,
The cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Click here to watch hymn11
Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens, ( Friday, April 21st, 2017) - CURE FOR BACKSLIDING
1.Thank you, Father, for the salvation of my soul and for the grace to still be in you.
2.Lord, l acknowledge and give you glory, for all your gifts and blessings, in my life.
3.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.
4.Father, please, let your mercy override every judgement of sin in my life, in Jesus' name.
5.Father, l come to you with a heart of repentance, please, accept me back and forgive all my sins, in Jesus' name.
6.Father, please, don't let me die in my sin, redeem me from every path of destruction, in Jesus' name.
7.Father, please, restore unto me, the joy of your salvation, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, give me total victory over sin and all the activities of the flesh, in Jesus' name.
9.Father, let every attempt of Satan to cause me to backslide and go back into the world, be frustrated, in Jesus' name.
10.Father, please, uphold me till the end by your right hand of righteousness; don't let me fall, don't let me fail, in Jesus' name.
11.Father, restore, all backsliders and fallen heroes in the body of Christ, in Jesus' name.
12.Your Personal Petitions.
(Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR PASSAGES
Numbers: 10. 1. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2. Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3. And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4. And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. 5. When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. 6. When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. 7. But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. 9. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. 10. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God. 11. And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 12. And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 13. And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 14. In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 16. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17. And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle. 18. And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21. And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came. 22. And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25. And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28. Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward. 29. And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel. 30. And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. 31. And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. 32. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. 33. And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34. And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. 35. And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. 36. And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.
Numbers: 11. 1. And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. 2. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. 3. And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them. 4. And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5. We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6. But our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 7. And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 8. And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9. And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. 10. Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. 11. And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12. Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 13. Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 16. And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 17. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. 18. And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 19. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20. But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? 21. And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. 22. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 23. And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. 24. And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. 25. And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 26. But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. 27. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 29. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them! 30. And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. 31. And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. 32. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. 34. And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. 35. And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth. -
Jeremiah: 17. 14. Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. 15. Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now. 16. As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee. 17. Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. 18. Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. 19. Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; 20. And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: 21. Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; 22. Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. 23. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. 24. And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; 25. Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. 26. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD. 27. But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
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