Too many times, we have prayed to God for help and because God did not act on our own time, we turn to other sources, forgetting all that the Lord had done for us before. “In Your abundant compassion You gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hands of their enemies. But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So, You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion. Yet again, they refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.” So too my brethren, God will not forsake us, no matter how often we turn away from him. He is always waiting to welcome us back with open arms.

I have prayed with many mothers and fathers who have asked the same question, ‘What have I done wrong that my children are going astray, following worthless idols and are becoming worthless themselves?’ Imagine how God felt, when the children of Israel even though they had seen his works, proved his works and still rebelled against him. They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’ They were rebellious. My brothers and sisters in Christ, I do not know who I am speaking to this morning, but if you have done all that you could to bring up your children in the right way and they are now going astray, do not blame yourselves, instead, continue to thank God for them, turn them over to God to direct and control, pray for God to renew right spirits within them and sit back and watch God work. Don’t question God, petition him, stand in the gap for your children. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

“Again and again, the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah. Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees, the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets; but the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, to not do as they do.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, for too long we have imitated what is evil, what is worthless, and we have become futile in our thinking and foolish in our hearts; it’s time for us to turn away from our evil ways and obey the Lord.

“To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, even though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the Lord our God, and we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us now return to the Lord, our God, for it is not his will that the spirit of man that he has made to grow weak before him. Help us, Lord!

Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning, with contrite and fearful hearts, and to ask for our faith to be renewed in you, because many times we have tested you, we have tried your patience, even though we have seen the good things that you have done in our lives. Lord, we have been ungrateful, we have been following too much the desires of our own hearts, but dear Lord, help us, make us mindful, give us more reasons to believe, give us the strength to shake off every evil power that causes us to rebel against you. Lord, we can do nothing in our own strength, but we can do all things through you who strengthens us. Thank you, Lord!

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we too have been like the children of Israel, we have been disobedient, we have grieved the spirit of the Lord, our hearts have been disloyal to Him, and we have been unfaithful to His covenant. But, as Psalm 78 reminds us, He is mindful, God understand that we are but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return. Therefore, the Lord has been merciful to us; he has forgiven our iniquities and have not destroyed us. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath against us. But, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us not put God to the test.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to follow Jesus, to trust him at every turn of our lives. Psalm 81:11-12 reminds us, that, the Lord allowed his people to follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas because they refused to listen to and obey him; and Psalm 106:43 tell us that, “Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, I am pleading with you this morning to follow Jesus, to give up every idol that you serve and worship God; for there are consequences for not obeying the Lord.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, choose today whom you will serve. God may not answer you at the time you expect him too, but even if he does not, let it be known, that the God you serve is an awesome God, understand, that the God you serve, is able, believe, that, the God you serve is working your purpose out and choose to serve him. “Though each of the peoples may walk in the name of his god, yet we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.” Micah 4:5