HOW WE REGAIN FAVOR WITH GOD, PART 2

1. Come, and let us return to the Lord;

For He has torn, but He will heal us;

He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

2. After two days He will revive us;

On the third day He will raise us up,

That we may live in His sight.

3. Let us know,

Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.

His going forth is established as the morning;

He will come to us like the rain,

Like the latter and former rain to the earth 

                                            HOSEA 6:1-3

Come let us return to the Lord – this acknowledges how far we have moved from Him, that we have to make a solidly sincere effort to come to our senses (just like the Prodigal Son); relent and repent (change directions from destruction to restoration) and seek reconciliation. This is the first step to genuine and permanent reunion with the Holy One of Heaven.

He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken but He will bind up – we are a wounded people, with 100% self-inflicted wounds. God had nothing do with the poverty, evil, cultural sleaze and church corruption. God had nothing to do with perverting justice, 55 million abortions and same-sex “marriage” and whatever else. It was all unsaved men and women who sought to satisfy the flesh because their spiritual eyes are not open. 

So if God had nothing to do with any of this sin, how are we “torn” and “stricken” by Him? Simple -  our sin violated His statues and we are torn apart and AWAY from Him in Spirit. The corporate soul of the people is terminal unless miraculous divine intervention takes places. God is the Repairer of souls; the Healer of broken hearts and spirits and the Restorer of the Nations. But He will only be all of that to a people whose heart is repentant and are seeking Him on His terms.

After two days He will revive us and on the third day He will raise us up – This is a prophetic reference not just to the Resurrection on the Third Day after Passover of 30AD but the coming Resurrection of the saints at the Rapture. This is the event that we, who are called by His Name, look forward to!

The Father has given all of this in His Word to show us the Way back to Him. He has given us His Son and His Grace.  Those who are not born again reject  and refuse any or all of it their own eternal peril. 

Therefore, as Verse 3 instructs, do the following: 

Pursue the Knowledge of the Lord: do this by not just reading the Word of God (the Bible) with intention and passion. 

Key into a real small group Bible study or better yet, meeting with a more mature believer. 

Develop relationships with some person(s) who can assist in discipleship and mentoring so the man or woman of God can before more acquainted with the Greatness of our God, through His Love Letter to Mankind- The Bible!

This is the ONLY way we can know Him.

This is the only way we can recognize His work in our lives.

This is the only way we can learn of His goings-forth into the Kingdom realm

This is the only way we can receive healing and living water which He offers to those who repent and seek Him with longing and thirsty hearts.

This is the only way we regain favor with God.

Amen.