Paul found himself writing to the church of Galatians. He knew the importance of bring the lost in but also the backslider. The need for repentance is great for the backslider, but it also of need of the church. When revival over ten years ago broke forth in my heart my life began to change once more. I was as saved as I was at six, but my life was out of sink with God’s word. I was not drunkard, or a drug addict but a typical housewife, doing normal day activities, and my life was in my heart out of sink with God’s word. Struggling with faith not because pain but pain removal was a gift or a boost of faith.

It was not God had forgotten me, or my husband yet we choose to just go about our own way in life. Fighting against the worldly deems of basic life. Not thinking about God or Christ but just living. I realize I leaving God out and even refusing to open my Bible knowing if I did I go back to church. God began to do a work on my husband heart we went to a revival service. Not something my husband would of normally asked to do. It was my sign God was in what was happening in my life. Yet it was not last. For it was the first answer to a prayer six months earlier. I ask God to work in my husband heart and I would go back to church. I guess I figured that prayer would not happen. And realized how wrong I was. God desires to restore the church. Desires to restore each person to his altar of grace. God began to do a work both in my husband and me. Husband suffered with pain and God did not choose to heal him when He did me. My husband had been the breadwinner, so it would make more since for him to be healed then me. Yet God’s calling in life is not revocable, but it still a choice of obedience or disobedience. It is a choice of desire and non-desire. Jonah found himself not desiring to do God’s will, but following anyway after God showed Jonah His wrath. Then one has to deal with obedience willing or grumble about God’s will to deliver.

Paul a man who carried his cross not like Jonah but willing took the strips on his back and even was stoned. Yet he got up preaching from one town to the other. Is one’s attitude in check? My attitude was not always in check everyday of my sharing God’s word at first. I felt like I was being forced to share. Then I realized I was and what I experienced was not of God. Yet God was watching over me and providing his words for my mouth to speak of His love. People want to control people for profit or gain sometimes. Sometimes there is selfish reason. God reason for control is to bring back to a fallen believer the need of His word. One has to hear and study it to know whether it still has value after repentance of a backslider. Does it still of the same weight in one’s life.

To know the difference of sowing to the flesh and sowing to the Spirit takes understanding what the difference is. Backsliders who were raised in the church and know the word of God, knows the difference as the prodigal son. Yet a believer from later life knows immediately the difference between the world of sin and salvation. It is not good to be in a backsliders shoe, but we all are from time to time. Hopefully we do not get to a place we lay our relationship with God to the side, instead keep in tuned with Him. God will keep our life in check through his word if we will listen. God will enable the believer to carry their own cross with the help of Jesus. God raises his people up and pulls them inline to his word. Yet something we need to remember is God also sends his people forth to help bring the backslider in and the heathens. God only needs his people to allow His Spirit to flow freely in their life as a witness, counselor of love and comfort to both the lost and the backslider. The conviction of sin God does on his own. That is why those that teach the law are said to be least in the kingdom of God. It is not about legalism but a right relationship with God. The law is in society to control society. The law of God is meant to set people free from sin and corruption in life journey and to enhance one’s life for the betterment of living to glorify the ways of God. The ways of God were first given with telling the importance of obeying God. Yet it takes believing God’s word not just obeying to be saved. We cannot honor God with our doubts of whether or not God’s way is better.

Dear Heavenly Father call your people back to you, your way, using your people as instruments for restoration and not chastisers of sin. In Jesus precious name, Amen.