June 17, 2013 / Every Day God: Its Not too Late to Return!!
Hosea 1:2-9
Amplified Bible (AMP)
2 When the Lord first spoke with and through Hosea, the Lord said to him, Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of [her] harlotry, for the land commits great whoredom by departing from the Lord.
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and bore him a son.
4 And the Lord said to him, Call his name Jezreel or God-sows, for yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel and visit the punishment for it upon the house of Jehu, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5 And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.
6 And [Gomer] conceived again and bore a daughter. And the Lord said to Hosea, Call her name Lo-Ruhamah or Not-pitied, for I will no more have love, pity, and mercy on the house of Israel, that I should in any way pardon them.
7 But I will have love, pity, and mercy on the house of Judah and will deliver them by the Lord their God and will [a]not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by equipment of war, nor by horses, nor by horsemen.
8 Now when [Gomer] had weaned Lo-Ruhamah [Not-pitied], she became pregnant [again] and bore a son.
9 And the Lord said, Call his name Lo-Ammi [Not-my-people], for you are not My people and I am not your God.
Hosea 3:1-5
Amplified Bible (AMP)
3 Then said the Lord to me, Go again, love [the same] woman [Gomer] who is beloved of a paramour and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins [used in the sacrificial feasts in idol worship].
2 So I bought her for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley [the price of a slave].
3 And I said to her, You shall be [betrothed] to me for many days; you shall not play the harlot and you shall not belong to another man. So will I also be to you [until you have proved your loyalty to me and our marital relations may be resumed].
4 For the children of Israel shall dwell and sit deprived many days, without king or prince, without sacrifice or [idolatrous] pillar, and without ephod [a garment worn by priests when seeking divine counsel] or teraphim (household gods).
5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God, [inquiring of and requiring Him] and [from the line of] David, their King [of kings]; and they shall come in [anxious] fear to the Lord and to His goodness and His good things in the latter days.
This story shocks me every time. That God would instruct a man to go out, find a prostitute, and marry her. To signify how Israel had turned away from Him. To basically display and actually live out, in real life, for the world to see and gawk at, a prophecy to the nation of Israel.
He actually bought Gomer back, after she had strayed numerous times. He obeyed God's instructions to the letter.
He actually bought Gomer back, after she had strayed numerous times. He obeyed God's instructions to the letter.
Hosea 3:5
New International Version (NIV)
5 Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king.They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.
I like the NIV version of verse 5. They will come trembling to the Lord.
Maybe you're not doing horrible things. Maybe you simply long to be close friends with Him like you used to be. Maybe you long to be in His presence without feeling guilty. Maybe you've drifted. And you find yourself continuing to drift.
Its okay if you're trembling a little. Just come.
So here is a boat load of scriptures about returning to the Lord.
Luke 15:11-24
Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them.
13 And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.
14 And when he had spent all he had, a [a]mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.
15 So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.
16 And he would gladly have fed on and [b]filled his belly with the [c]carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better].
17 Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.
20 So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [[d]fervently].
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]!
22 But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.
23 And bring out that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us [f]revel and feast andbe happy and make merry,
24 Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to [g]revel and feast and make merry.
Isaiah 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them.
13 And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.
14 And when he had spent all he had, a [a]mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.
15 So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.
16 And he would gladly have fed on and [b]filled his belly with the [c]carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better].
17 Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.
20 So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [[d]fervently].
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]!
22 But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.
23 And bring out that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us [f]revel and feast andbe happy and make merry,
24 Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to [g]revel and feast and make merry.
Isaiah 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Isaiah 44:22 "I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."
Zechariah 1:3 "Therefore say to them, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Return to Me," declares the LORD of hosts, "that I may return to you," says the LORD of hosts.
2 Chronicles 30:9 "For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."
Nehemiah 1:9 but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.'
Job 22:23 "If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,
Jeremiah 24:7 `I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.
Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.
Hosea 6:1 "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.
Hosea 12:6 Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually.
Joel 2:12"Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning;
Psalms 51:1-2 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin.
Acts 2:37-38 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 1:27 Zion will be redeemed with justice And her repentant ones with righteousness.
2 Chronicles 15:4 "But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him.
Joel 2:12-13 "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.
Jeremiah 3:12 "Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, `Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD; `I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious,' declares the LORD; `I will not be angry forever.
Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Hosea 14:2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips.
Joel 2:13 And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.
Malachi 3:7 "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you say, `How shall we return?'
Deuteronomy 4:30 "When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice.
1 Samuel 7:3 "Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."
So hopefully after you read all these scriptures about returning, you won't be so hesitant! Its not too late! You are never too far gone to return! If there's the teeniest desire in you for Him, He sees it! Maybe no one else sees it, but He does. And He waits patiently.
"Dear Jesus, someone who's reading this today feels ashamed and embarrassed of her behavior. And yet, she really wants to return to You. She is scared. And trembling. I pray that these words I've written along with the return scriptures would speak to her heart! Help her to return! Back to her blessings! Even though she's shaking and trembling. In Jesus precious name I pray. And Thank You! AMEN."
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