AMBER ALERT: Come Back, Wandering Children!

AMBER ALERT: Come Back, Wandering Children!

Written by Felicia McKnight

7/8/15

Then GOD told me, “Fickle Israel was a good sight better than flighty Judah. Go and preach this message. Face north toward Israel and say: “‘Turn back, fickle Israel. I’m not just hanging back to punish you. I’m committed in love to you. My anger doesn’t seethe nonstop. Just admit your guilt. Admit your God-defiance. Admit to your promiscuous life with casual partners, pulling strangers into the sex-and-religion groves While turning a deaf ear to me.’” GOD ’s Decree. “Come back, wandering children!” GOD ’s Decree. “I, yes I, am your true husband. I’ll pick you out one by one— This one from the city, these two from the country— and bring you to Zion. I’ll give you good shepherd-rulers who rule my way, who rule you with intelligence and wisdom. “‘Turn back, fickle Israel. I’m not just hanging back to punish you. I’m committed in love to you. My anger doesn’t seethe nonstop. Just admit your guilt. Admit your God-defiance. Admit to your promiscuous life with casual partners, pulling strangers into the sex-and-religion groves While turning a deaf ear to me.’” GOD ’s Decree. “Come back, wandering children!” GOD ’s Decree. “I, yes I, am your true husband. I’ll pick you out one by one— This one from the city, these two from the country— and bring you to Zion. I’ll give you good shepherd-rulers who rule my way, who rule you with intelligence and wisdom. (Jeremiah 3:12-15 MSG)

***BREAKING NEWS***

• Smash and grab robbery….
• Home invasion….
• Road rage shooting….
• Murder suicide….
• Prostitution sting bust…..
• Doctor arrested for child porn….
• Bruce turns into Katelyn….
• Gay Marriage legal in all 50 states…..
• ISIS terrorist threat….
• Mass killing in a black church….

These seem to be the frequent headlines that have popped up on my phone and e-mail inbox in the past few weeks. Many have left me sad, angry, or astonished! Most things I don’t understand why. There are some days I want to disconnect from all news outlets and just sneak over to the Internet for weather and traffic updates.   Each day the news is a reminder the world is becoming a darker place with evil lurking all around. It saddens me and hurts my heart to see the craziness each day. As I read today’s scripture passage I was blown away. When I read it I see today’s news headlines as a modern day wayward Israel. As I was praying God reminded me that people are beginning to conform to the patterns of the world. Society has fallen off from Biblical principles and living however we so choose. Evil is lurking all around and things are getting worse rather than better. My heart aches for our nation and people as a whole. I am more saddened by those that don’t know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My message today is one of hope and restoration as I pray for many to know CHRIST and for those who have backslidden to return to Him.

Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever. (Jeremiah 3:12 NKJV)

The beauty of this passage is that God is committed to love us. He is merciful. His anger is for a moment. This passage was before Christ yet we are reminded in John 3:16 why Christ was needed. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 NKJV). God’s desire is for each of us to turn from evil ways and wrong doings. He wants us to turn from a life that is not pleasing to Him according to His word. He wants us to return to Him and repent. It doesn’t matter what sin we are living in. God is ready to receive each one of us just as we are. His blood that was shed on the cross cleansed all of our sins and unrighteousness. We just need to accept Christ and recommit our lives to Him, a loving, merciful savior.

“Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings.” “Indeed we do come to You, For You are the LORD our God. (Jeremiah 3:22 NKJV)

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, (Acts 3:19 NKJV)

The Bad News….

“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NIV)

The Good News….

“And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV)

The good news is that when you come to Christ and repent all your sins become your “were”. No matter what your struggles are surrendering to Christ means that He washes you clean. He sanctifies you. At the cross He justified your sins.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:8-12 NIV)

An Amber Alert is a mass notification system that alerts the community about missing children and to assist in the search for and safe return for them. God has issued an Amber Alert for His children today.

GOD ’s Decree. “Come back, wandering children!”

God gave His son so that we as a people can be redeemed! He is praying for this nation “come back wandering Children.” Will you return to Christ today?

And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’ (Acts 2:21 NKJV)

Be blessed and encouraged!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us unconditionally. Thank you for your mercy and your grace. Lord, we pray for all those souls who are lost and don’t know you as their Lord and savior Jesus Christ. We pray that they will surrender their lives and allow you to be their Lord and Master. We pray for those that once knew you but have gone astray. We pray for their safe return back to your loving arms. May they all know your unconditional love. May they all know that regardless of what they’ve done is the past that nothing can separate them from your love. May we all be aware of any wrongdoing that are not pleasing to you. Help us to come to a place of repentance and surrendering all to you. Have mercy on us, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out our transgressions. Cleanse us with hyssop, and we will be clean; wash us, and We will be whiter than snow. Create in us a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and grant us a willing spirit, to sustain us. (Psalm 51:1, 7, 10, 12 NIV). In Jesus Name. Amen

Click here for Salvation Prayer

Book Review: Lost & Found: Finding Hope in the Detours of Life by Sarah Jakes

Book Review: Lost & Found: Finding Hope in the Detours of Life by Sarah Jakes
Written by Felicia McKnight
10/31/2014

Sarah Jakes, daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes, has written the memoirs of her young life. She tells her journey of how she wanted a life of love and happiness. She struggled to connect with the church and with God by allowing Him to lead her to her destiny. Sarah Jakes set out on a self-directed journey. Instead of finding her way to a fairy tale lifestyle she found her way to several dark places.

As a teenager Sarah wanted love and a sense of belonging. She wanted someone to talk to but couldn’t find anyone she could relate to at the age thirteen with the issues she was dealing with. As she set off on her journey of finding hope she ended up in the wrong places. She found herself pregnant at thirteen, a mother at fourteen, didn’t complete college, rejected, settling for less than God’s best, and a marriage full of infidelity which ended in divorce.

As I read this book I was engaged in every page and encouraged, because it is a very transparent story that we don’t often see enough of in the church. As I read her story and her mishaps I was able to see some of my own mistakes that I’ve made along life’s journey. It’s amazing how things look when you are on the outside looking in yet you can totally relate. I found myself thinking at some of her story lines “I did the same thing or I’ve been in the same situation”, but thank God for a God of grace who can steer us to the right path.

As I reflect on Sarah’s story I think of so many of God’s children who look for love and acceptance everywhere except to God himself. We tend to look to people, relationships, drugs, alcohol, lifestyles, and poor choices all for love, acceptance, and validation when these are all things God has promised us through salvation. When we stray from God He gives us plenty of warnings and open doors to get on to the right path. We often can get so caught up that we miss God in his multiple attempts of deliverance. We continue to make mistake after mistake and wrong choice after wrong choice. I’ve learned in my own life and in the observation of others that we cannot receive complete deliverance until we want it for ourselves. People can fast, pray, encourage, and lecture us until they are blue in the face, but nothing will happen until your own mind is made up that you want change. The first step to God’s grace is realizing when you’ve had enough of things going wrong and enough rock bottoms. It’s when you realize that you can’t live a life of self-sufficiency, but you need the guidance and power of an all sufficient God. Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom or stripping us to nothing for God to get our complete and total attention so that He can lead us back on the path He has in store.

This is where grace comes in. Before we can receive God’s grace we first have to admit that we’ve messed up and that we are in such a low place that God is the only one who can bring us out. We have to acknowledge our faults to God. The wonderful thing about God is He was there all along patiently waiting for us to return to Him. God is a God of restoration and He can restore the souls and the lives of His children. Sarah Jakes who found herself in several places of darkness is now sharing her redemptive story not only in this book, but in various speaking engagements and platforms across this nation.

• If you have ever been so lost that you tried to find your way instead of relying on God….
• If you ever allowed yourself to be mistreated by someone and mistook it for love….
• If you have ever reflected on the mistakes you have made and wondered if life could ever be better…
• If you ever wondered who you would have been if you would have made better lifestyle choices or career choices…
• If you have ever wondered if your destiny was blocked by your poor choices….

Then this book is for you. Sarah Jakes experienced all of these but now she is a living testimony that if you will yield yourself and surrender to God and allow Him to perform His perfect will in your life, then you can receive all the wonderful things He has in store. Your mistakes are not in vain. God can turn your mess into a miracle. He can turn your mishaps into a testimony that can help others overcome and lead them to a place of hope, restoration, and destiny. We have all had places in life where we have been lost, but there is a redemptive place to be found. God is just waiting for us to turn and surrender ALL to Him.

Thank you Sarah Jakes for being transparent and sharing your story! Be Blessed and Encouraged on today.