Come Back

The speaker begins with a prayer, asking for wisdom and understanding for the listeners. They then address those who have turned away from God or feel disillusioned with the church. They encourage reading 2 Peter 2, which discusses false teachers, and remind listeners that flawed humans do not reflect God. They emphasize that Jesus sacrificed for everyone's second chance and encourage turning to God for forgiveness and guidance. The speaker urges finding a supportive community that does not judge, and emphasizes that church is not just a physical building, but a gathering of believers. They remind listeners that God loves them and wants a relationship with them, despite any past hurts or experiences. They stress the importance of relying on God during difficult times and trusting in His plan. The speaker encourages reading the Bible and sharing God's word with others. They end with a final prayer of gratitude and a plea for God to not give up on them. Father, I come before you today through your Son Jesus Christ and I lift up each and every person listening. I ask that you open their ears, their hearts, and their minds, Lord. Father, I ask that you give them wisdom, understanding of your word, and allow them to hear what they need. Father, I want to thank you and give you praise and glory, because without you, none of this would be possible. And I pray all of this in Jesus' name, amen. Hey there, it's Anna with God's Podcast. And today I want to talk about a few things and I want to ask you a couple of questions. Have you turned away from God? Have you lost your way? Do you feel like so-called Christians speak of God but don't live a life in God? Have you left a church because of how you were treated or because of how they may have acted? That Christians can be so hypocritical and judgmental or that you don't want to have anything to do with them because of how they treated you or you had a bad experience? Well, I want you to turn to your Bibles and read 2 Peter 2. It talks about false teachers and their destruction. But I want to remind you, when people act like this, this is not of God. This is not a reflection of God, but of flawed humans. We are all sinners and even sinners are in church and lose their way and can take it out on others. No one is perfect and no one ever will be. We can only strive to be like the one that is, Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us, who sacrificed for us so that we can have a second chance. So if you have lost your way, I want to remind you and read from Jeremiah 50 verse 6. My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place. This verse can be a reminder to you that everyone gets lost at some point, sometime. They go astray. But God's arms are open to you. Don't let that change your view of a perfect Jesus. Jesus did not have an imperfect life. He lived as no other person with a special kind of love, kindness, passion, and purpose. Don't let his sacrifice for you go in vain. He died so you can live, so you can go to God through him, so you can be forgiven. If these reasons I have listed are why you have chosen to turn away from the church or your belief in God, don't let it be. Please don't let it ruin what God has in store for you, his plan for you. I have said it before in previous podcasts. I don't believe you have to belong to a church. And when I say church, I mean a building with four walls and someone in charge. I do believe you have to belong to a church through Christ. It can look very different than the four walls we think about today. Church is what you make of it. Church is coming together and communing and worshiping, giving praise with others who love the Lord. And if you have lost your way, I encourage you to find your community, your people who uplift you, hold you accountable, study with you, show you grace, mercy, kindness, and not any type of judgment upon you. Because it is not of God. Because God does not shun you. He does not push you away or even make you feel unworthy. It was the individual, the lost, the standards of what the church that caused you to turn away. God loves you and may have allowed you to feel that way because it was not right for you. It was not where God wanted you. He was working on your behalf so you could be led to his plan, his purpose. Listen, God removes you from situations because he can see the grander picture. He knows the plan for your life. You may have been caused pain and misunderstanding so you can turn to him. So you can lean on him, depend on him. We don't understand at the time why we are taken out of situations, but have to be reminded God does and it is for our good. This is the time you turn to him, lean on him, depend on him for understanding, wisdom, and to align your heart with his. This is the time you ask God to bring you like-minded friends who love God and who will communion with you, uplift you and not judge you, and keep you accountable and church together. He will bring them. Don't let this experience, your hurt, or a lost individual deter you from God. Don't let the enemy win your heart or your mind. Come back to God. He wants to have a relationship with you. His arms are open for you. We are living in a time that there is so much going on, so much darkness, so much deception and evil that we need God's light. We need God. God is the way and the truth and you can find this in John 3. I ask you to read his word. Turn to him because he has the answers for you. Don't let a church, don't let an individual deter you from God and what he has planned for you, from his love, from his guidance, from all that he wants for you in this life. Don't let hypocritical people and their sin and their sluggishness deter you from God's unconditional love. His arms are wide open for you. He goes out to find you. Let him lead you back. I thank you for coming each and every week. I thank you for listening. And if you are in this situation, pray about finding people that will communion with you, that will church with you. It can be easy as a Bible study each and every week, going over God's word, listening to each other's, understanding of what God is telling you. Church is what you make of it. It's in your heart. It's God. He has a home there. Allow him in. And if you feel someone else needs to hear God's word, share this with someone else because we all need God. Uplift them, help them come back to God. Thank you for listening. So until next episode, keep bibling, keep spreading God's word and start communing, having church each and every week, even if it's not in four walls with a director or a pastor or somebody in charge. It can be you who's in charge. You can start it yourself. Father, I come before you through your son, Jesus Christ, and I lift up each and every person. Lord, I ask that you find the ones that are lost, that have turned away from you, that need you so desperately. I ask that they return to you so they can feel your unconditional love, so that they can be in communion with you, so that they can praise you and thank you and glorify you and see all of your work being done in their life. Father, I just want to thank you. I want to glorify you because without you, I would not be able to share your word. You give me the confidence. It is through you that I am able to do this. And I praise you in Jesus' mighty name, amen. God, don't give up on me yet.