Bands of Love

How does God draw His people (His Children) back to Himself when they are away (distance)? Through His Love

Hosea 11:1-4 KJV
1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

Romans 2:4 KJV
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Jeremiah 31:3-4 KJV
3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

Parents must not provoke their children

Provoke - definition according to Webster Dictionary
1a – to arouse to a feeling or action
1b – to incite to anger
2b – to stir up purposely, like to provoke a fight

Internet Dictionary
1 to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex

Synonyms of the word provoke are: irk, annoy, aggravate, infuriate, irritate, rouse, instigate

Ephesians 6:4 KJV
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Notice that the father (and both parents) need to focus on nurturing (1. feeding and protecting 2. to support and encourage and 3. to bring up; train; educate) and admonish (1. To caution 2. To advise against 3. To reprove in a mild manner) while they stay away from provocation. Love does force but rather always leaves a way of escape if the other person wants out. Not saying we will spiritually turn them over to the devil but we will hold them up in prayer (intercede for their soul) while they experience the reality of their own decision until they see for themselves that they need to make a positive change toward God.

Colossians 3:21 KJV
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

This verse specifically mentions fathers because they are typically more likely to render the judgments of sin over the pure mercy of love. Since natural fathers are supposed to represent The Father God we must favor mercy over judgment. – Refer to James 2:13 If we are to love like God, our Heavenly Father Loves our love is to be without strings attached and that means our love must be pure and unconditional.

Biblical examples of love in action when one has been drawn away

The Lost Sheep

Luke 15:4-6 KJV
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Notice the shepherd didn’t beat the sheep for wandering away or for not simply following the shepherd with the flock. The shepherd also didn’t punish the sheep because mercy prevailed.

The shepherd rejoiced to get the sheep back, his focus was on the end result not the past mistakes and/or disobedience, no punishment was noted.

The Wayward Son

Luke 15:17-24 KJV
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Notice the father didn’t punish the prodigal (1. wasteful or recklessly extravagant, 2 lavishly abundant. 3 one who is wastefully extravagant) son but rather welcomed him back with open arms. Why, because he had compassion (love) upon him. Remember love never fails. – 1 Corinthians 13:8

Notice the father didn’t blame the child for the error of his ways. We must avoid blaming our love ones because they typically know when they have done wrong and if they don’t know they have done something wrong blaming them for something they are ignorant of is pointless.

Notice: the disobedient son returned when he was ready, not necessarily when the father was ready because if the father would have had things go his way, the son never would of left. In reality the father was ready to receive his lost son the instance the son was ready to come home. Home should always be the place of love and if God’s love isn’t being sensed when they do come home they will feel unwelcomed thus discouragement will prevail pushing them away from you and God as opposed to drawing them closer to you with God.

Note: The difference between the sheep and the son is that the sheep wandered away by mistake he purposely did not want to be around other sheep. Sometimes little sheep just don’t keep up or certain sheep get distracted from the flock (herd) but a true sheep always wants to be around other fellow sheep because that is in their nature. However the son didn’t mistakenly walk away from his father he purposed to move away. Thus, the father didn’t venture out looking for his son but rather trusted in the fact that his son would one day realize that the short season of sinful pleasure will come to an end. Upon that revelation the wayward son would know exactly where to find the stable loving father and his family (mother and brethren and sisters included). The walk (example) of the father requires patience and peace, tolerance and faith which are all particulars of love according to 1 Corinthians 13:4-13.

Thoughts when standing for a wayward child

So if you are praying for a distance child be sure to patience and peaceful while you are waiting for them to come home because that will most definitely define how you respond to them when they do come home in Jesus Name. Amen.

If you are praying for a wayward child that is in love don’t fight against the love they are experiencing because you can’t win in a fight against love. If it is true love (as opposed to fleshly lust) it comes from God and you can’t win in a fight against the essence of God’s creation (presence) of love. Instead let your Godly Love be so strong and consistent that the child can see the truth of God’s love toward them and your love toward them that they want to come back toward (to) God and back toward you. God created pure love and if people think that is what they have they will fight to keep it at all cost. So demonstrate that God’s Love accepts you as you are and when you are ready to grow in God the Lord Himself will deal with you on exactly what you need to do next.

The child (he or she) has got to feel your love independently of their (the childs) actions. People must know you love them even when they are in disobedience because they must know they can always come back to God, and likewise they can always come back to you. We never speak a language of one and done because that is ungodly since God’s love is always an open door for us whenever we want to come back into God’s loving-kindness and care by doing what is right in Christ Jesus. Amen!

As fathers we want (strive to, desire) to accurately represent Our Spiritual Father, God not just a natural father with good intentions.

General thoughts when standing for anyone away from God

In times of sin always remember to show mercy toward people but clear judgment against sin. We must always separate the sins committed by a person from the godly nature of the person. We by faith believe that the person is good and holy unto God but must become stronger in heart to resist the temptations of sin to the place (position) of victory over it (the sin).

Luke 6:35-37 KJV
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Be sure to be merciful by using forgiveness as a tool of godliness to get the job done because this is critical for both parties, the forgiven one and the one releasing forgiveness because doing things God’s way is what releases God’s blessing upon the situation in whole. Furthermore being offended can lead to sorrows, accidents and/or troubles because it opens a door to the destroyer.- Philippians 1:10, Hebrews 12:15 and John 10:10 If the loved one who is away from God becomes offended at the servant of God due to a sense of judgment it will be harder to convince them to return back to God.-Proverbs 18:19 and Matthew 18:5-7

Psalms 103:8-13 KJV
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

When people truly are following God returning from a time of absence (outside of His fellowship) they will come back to the people they know who live for God, until that day and time comes we must be longsuffering, patient, merciful, prayerful and loving to accurately represent (show) God’s heart to them.

Note: We don’t want to train people to only do what we say (as mere men and women) but rather it is much better to teach people how to follow God so that they can get acquainted with doing what God is saying to them at that time. God does things a certain way not just anyway. Therefore we must demonstrate God’s Way when working with people for that distant person to accurately see (focus on) God. How you do what you do is just as important as doing what you do. The tone of your actions may even speaker louder than your spoken words since both are sending a message be sure they are in unison. As Christians we must speak using God’s Words of Love and be one who demonstrates the loving nature of God’s, as a sincere child of God, because our words and actions must agree.

All people must learn how to love others through the love of God being outwardly expressed toward others since you can’t teach people how to love without living love before them. Amen!

Examples: When Angela prayed for my salvation it was critical for her to be a loving doer of the Word of God. She lived God before me with an outward expression of love. She avoided preaching to me, nor did she exalt herself over me but rather partnered with God to help me. Thus, she led me by love to the Lord Jesus Christ so that the Lord Himself could take me from there. Her loving me unconditionally allowed place for God to revel Himself personally to me to fix things in me that only God could do. Angela faithfully and lovingly did her part and glory be to God He most definitely did His Holy Spiritual part to get me saved and filled with the Holy Ghost when I surrendered to become a disciple of Christ Jesus. Amen!

When dealing with our own children we had to let them know that even when we disagree with their decisions we still love them and we are always there for them if we can help. We don’t ever endorse sin but we won’t allow sin to stop (or quench) our great love for God’s children and yes we do count them as God’s children by faith. For we walk by faith, not by sight.-2 Corinthians 5:7

Quotes by ihlcc:
You can’t be led by the Spirit of God when you are being pulled by the chains of man. – we must be willing to break every chain of man and the evil one

As long as the sail boat is tied to the dock it can never truly sail by following the Wind of the Spirit into the ocean of God’s possibilities.