Back to Worship!
Terry R. Baughman

“So they went out and preached that people should repent” (Mark 6:12 NKJ).

A turn-around is required when God calls us to follow Him. The natural inclination is to follow a path which leads away from God, and toward evil. Isaiah cried out, “Let the wicked forsake his way, … let him return to the Lord” (Isaiah 55:7 NKJ). That is ever the call of the Spirit to the unrighteous. God is unwilling to allow us to go our own way and leave His presence, without an invitation, a plea to return and repent. Peter said He is, “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJ).

We walk on opposite trails as we pursue the path of our own desire. Often we find ourselves vacillating back and forth, sometimes seeking His way, and then being drawn back down the road of rebellion. Somewhere the decision must be made to repent, take the nearest exit, and return to the Father’s house from where we have departed.

The idea of turning around, is seen in the writing of the prophet Jeremiah. He revealed God’s heart when he wrote, “‘O Israel,’ says the Lord, ‘if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more’” (Jeremiah 4:1 NLT). Throughout his prophecies Jeremiah pled with the people to return their hearts, their loyalty, and their worship to the Lord. Yet they persisted in their rebellion against God. Backslidden in heart they were enamored with idols and caught up in pagan worship. True repentance leads back to a pure relationship with God and renews a spirit of worship to the one and only Lord of Glory. 

Repentance is an about-face, a 180 degree change of direction. Jesus came preaching a message of repentance. He said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:32 NKJ). He brought new life and an eternal hope of salvation. Luke wrote, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10 NKJ).

A return to worship and the decision to follow the call of Christ requires an altered mind and a change of heart. Though we may make that cognitive decision, it is often a challenge to pursue His path and follow His voice. That is where the conversion is essential. Peter said, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19 NKJ). 

It is through the Spirit we receive power to overcome the flesh, defeat natural desires, and follow Christ fully. Transformation in heart and mind results in a passion to worship Him. As Jesus said, “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (John 4:23 NKJ).  

Among the final words of Jesus was the commission to preach the Gospel to the world. He said, “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47 NKJ). That message was declared not long after Jesus ascended into Glory and the Holy Spirit was poured out in an upper room in Jerusalem. Peter proclaimed, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38 NKJ). That message continues to be preached around the world. Hearts continue to be stirred to return to the Lord, and the Spirit continues drawing people back to worship!

Theme passage:
“Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7 NKJ).

Back to Worship!
Terry R. Baughman

“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” (Hosea 6:1 NKJ).

The writing of the prophets often contain a call to repentance. In times when God’s people had forsaken Him and turned to idols or adopted the practices of pagan nations around them, the voice of the prophet called them to return to the One true God!

The act of repentance is seen as a return to God. When the wayward comes to an awareness of their sin and transgression against the Law of God, the correct response is to return to Him, seek His forgiveness, and find restoration. 

One of the most beautiful stories of all Scripture is that of the lost son, or what is commonly called the prodigal son. The original meaning of prodigal refers to, “spending money or resources freely and recklessly, or being wastefully extravagant.” So well-known and enduring is the story of the prodigal son that now the definition of the term includes, “one who returns after an absence.” 

Jesus told the parable (which could have been a real story), of a son who petitioned his father for an advance on his portion of his inheritance. The father agreed, gave the son his portion, and stood on the lane watching him leave home. After some time of wasteful and excessive partying, the prodigal found himself alone and destitute. At this juncture of life he came to his senses and realized that the servants at his father’s house lived better than he was living. Only then did he take steps to return to the path that took him away, and walk the long road home. 

Though the prodigal intended to ask to become a servant to his father. He did not know that the father had long been watching the lane in hopes that someday he would see his son return. On the day that dream became reality he ran to meet his son with fresh garments and a full heart of love to restore the lost son to his home. 

Many of us have tried the path of our own choosing. Some have even retraced the steps of the prodigal and followed his lead in life, only to come to the same conclusion. When all resources are depleted and hope seems lost, there is still an opportunity for repentance. In the pig-pen experience there is an option to change. It’s no place to live, and the grace of the father is offered to all those who will leave their past, and return to the Father’s house. 

The depth of love the father had for the lost son is seen in his exchange with the older son, the one who had never left home. The father said, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found” (Luke 15:31-32 NKJ).

Every worship service is an opportunity for restoration. Every sermon is a call to return to the Father’s house. Every random encounter with someone from the past is a reminder of how far we have gone and the great distance He is willing to travel in order to reach us. 

​Let every prodigal feel the love of the Father as He compels us to return. May the grace of God lead us to repentance and restoration. He is watching and waiting for us to return!


Theme passage:
“Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7 NKJ).

Back to Worship!
Terry R. Baughman

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16 NKJ).
God responds to prayer. He has given many assurances that He will answer when we simply call out to Him in our time of need. Sometimes prayer is just a desperate cry, a whispered plea, or a petition with very few words. Whatever the method or reason, prayer is our sincere request to God for intervention. God will hear us when we pray!

James compared our most effective prayer to the prophet Elijah. He wrote, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:17-18 NKJ). Simple prayers answered with incredible results. God backed the prophets prayer and withheld the rain until the day that Elijah prayed again for the rain to return. It was a dramatic sign from heaven agains the false prophets of his day. The miraculous event was to demonstrate the power of the God of Israel, the one true eternal God!

It’s not so much about us as it is about aligning ourselves with God’s purpose. What is God desiring to show this world through us? When we pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” we can expect incredible things to happen. Pray in His will! John wrote, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15 NKJ).

​Call out. Cry aloud. Pray intently, courageously request anything for which we can believe. James said, “Tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!” (James 5:16 TPT).

Theme passage:
“Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7 NKJ).

Back to Worship!
Terry R. Baughman

“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6 NKJ).

The prophets declared the accessibility of God; He is available when we come seeking Him! Jeremiah assured us, “You will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:12-13 NKJ). This promise came right after the passage where it was revealed that the very thoughts of God toward us are of peace and His plan is, “to give you a future and a hope” (vs. 11). The God of Glory is not an angry God just waiting around the corner to catch us in our sin bringing swift judgment, but He is One who is patiently and lovingly waiting for us to turn our hearts to Him. 

The story of the entire Bible is the revelation of God’s eternal purpose. It brings us hope and assurance that God is working all things for good, that He is a good God, and that He is present with us when we seek Him. The character of God is revealed in that His mercy endures to all generations!

Among the many lessons given in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus issued a steadfast promise, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJ). God encourages prayer and assures us of His attentive response if we will simply ask, seek, and knock. 

To seek is to diligently search for something desire. Answers to our most pressing needs are not always apparent and readily available, but the assurance of His promise leads us to continue looking, searching, and seeking. Jesus said “seek, and you will find!”

In the parables of Jesus, the Kingdom of Heaven was likened to a merchant seeking beautiful pearls. In his search he found one that was so superior to any other that he sold all that he had to obtain it. Some have likened this to our search for God, signifying that Jesus is our Pearl of Great Price. However, we have nothing to give, nothing to sell that would ever enable us to purchase the value of salvation which we have freely received. 

A better understanding of the pearl of great price, is that Jesus willingly gave everything so that He could redeem us from sin and unite us with Him. It was by His blood we have been redeemed and by His sacrifice we have been purchased. He who had everything gave it all so that we who were nothing, might be made something in Him.  

In the reality TV show, “American Pickers,” the stars traveled small towns and distant places to dig through antiques and storerooms to discover things of value. They negotiated a price and bought items for their collections or other antiques they planned to sell. These were people who made a business of seeking valuables. Similarly, Jesus came seeking things of great value to Him that others may have viewed as worthless. Only God can see the true value of the soul. It was written, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10 NKJ).

Knowing that Christ has done so much to save us, why wouldn’t we seek Him and respond to His great love? Time is of the essence. The prophet admonished the people, “Call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6 NKJ). He is near and He is available to respond to our cry. Seek Him! He is here!

Theme passage:
“Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7 NKJ).