“Come let us return to the Lord He has torn us to pieces but He will heal us; He has injured us but He will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in His presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
— Hosea 6:1-3

As I read the whole chapter of Hosea 6 the Lord began to show me that He was calling the backslider home. He was calling all those who listened to the voice of many other lovers: Those that listened to the voice of money, careers, families, fun, and even those who are in church just going through the motions every Sunday.  Verse 6 says, “For I desire mercy not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” 

God is calling back children who fallen away, who served Him because their parents said so. He has called them and they are ready to come. Recently, we heard of a pastor and his wife who 15 years ago pastored an on fire youth group. They felt the Lord say to have a reunion of the kids who were a part of this youth group. Many have strayed away and are not serving God presently. The response to the planned reunion was very positive with some planning to come from other states to attend. We believe it is because God is calling the backslidden home.

One night in prayer, we called home the backslidden of the city, praying and singing Hosea 6. The Lord says, “As they begin to turn, they will begin to see the favor of the Lord to turn even more.”

— Renaid

As I have been meditating on John 4 recently, I have again been reminded of a way for us, as parents, to pray for our children.
 

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” (John 4:39-42)

 
I believe what the Lord has shown me in this is that like the Samaritans who first believed in Jesus because of the testimony of the woman Jesus met at the well, many of our children believed because we told them they should. In no way do I discount a decision for salvation made by young children, but I also think that many of our children need to make ‘adult’ decisions for Christ as well.

What we see in this passage is the townsfolk moving from believing because of the woman to believing on their own because of hearing Jesus themselves. Most of our children don’t need to hear another sermon – they need to have a firsthand, ‘in your face’ encounter with the risen Savior. They need to experience God’s love and power so that they will believe, not because we told them they should, but because they know He’s alive and real.
 
Father, we ask you by Your Spirit, to invade the lives of our children. Let your goodness and kindness lead them to repentance. We break off all the fear and condemnation, and declare that like the prodigal son, they will return and find a loving Father who is waiting with outstretched arms. Let the celebrations begin!

— Ray

Ray & Renaid Almgren are the founders of Fire For the Nations, an itinerant and international ministry. They are also co-founders of House of His Presence Pittsburgh, what will eventually become a 24 hr house of prayer.

Ray is a 1979 graduate of Christ For the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas.  Both Ray & Renaid are ordained through CFN’s Fellowship of Ministers and Churches

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2009

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