Calvary Chapel
of the Canyons

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
John 1:5

Coming Back

Revelation 2:4-5 give us three steps by which we can recommit our lives and get back on track with God.

"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent." Revelation 2:5

1. REMEMBER from where you have fallen.

Remember what it was like when you first came to Christ, how in love with your Bible you were, how you loved to go to church, how you loved to share in the Lord’s Table and be around other believers. Remember how exciting it was to tell others about Jesus. Remember the joy you felt about how much God loved you. Remember the peace in your heart that you felt when all your sins were forgiven. Remember the excitement of finding God’s plan for your life and the enjoyment you had in serving Him. Jesus wants you to reflect and remember the good times with God.

Ask yourself, "Why did I initially commit my life to Jesus?"

2. REPENT from your backsliding.

Repent means to change direction. Repent means to change your mind about your life now. Repent means to change your mind about who God is and to accept what God says in the Bible as the truth. Repent means to stop living as though God does not exist and to turn from any wrong doing and give it up and follow hard after God.

Ask yourself, "What do I need to give up? In what areas do I need to change my mind about God?"

3. REPEAT what you did when you first believed in Jesus.

Jesus said to repeat – to do the first works. That is, to go back and do what you did when you first became a Christian; to start all over again and begin to set aside time for prayer every day, time when you can read the Word every day, to recommit to attending church and getting active in that church, to do the first works again – to repeat what you did when you first became a Christian, by sharing your faith, by worshiping Him and thanking Him as you once did.

Ask yourself, "Why did I initially commit my life to Jesus?"

A WORD OF WARNING

The rest of verse 5 Jesus finishes with a warning – that if you do not remember, repent, and repeat, He will come quickly and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. The lampstand that He’s referring to is your witness for Christ. The influence that you are for Him will be removed. You will be, as Jesus described, salt that loses its saltiness, good for nothing and thrown out and trampled on by men. I encourage you to do the 3 R’s: remember, repent, and repeat. The prayer below may help you to make a first step of coming back to God. Pray this with all your heart, and may you once again be restored into fellowship with God.

Dear Lord Jesus, I have fallen away from You. I have left my first love and I have sinned. Please forgive me. Please accept me back. Please receive me again. Please give me another chance and help me to stay close to You the rest of my life. Please help me to repent and make right that which I have made wrong. I commit my life back to you today. Help me to plug into Your church and Your Word every day for the rest of my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and please give me the power and strength to follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Prepared L.I.F.E.

Jesus in you living His L.I.F.E. through you.

 “God has given us eternal LIFE, and this LIFE is in His Son. He who has the Son has LIFE…” (1 John 5:11-12)

Prepared for the soon return of Christ.
     Therefore we watch and pray!
Loved by God supremely!
     Therefore we follow Jesus full of Grace and Truth!
Intelligent about Jesus Christ! 
     Therefore we study the Bible!
Faithful to Jesus Christ! 
     Therefore we stay loyal to Him and His teachings!
Empowered by the Holy Spirit to Make Disciples of all nations! 
     Therefore we yield by faith to Jesus in us living His L.I.F.E. through us!