A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse March 31, 2018 Back to the Truth Scripture Reading – James 5:19 - 20 (NLT) “My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." 

Jesus Christ was, is and forever will be the Truth, the One who is able to save from sins and set the heart free to serve the living God. Remember with me right now that moment in your life, when the truth of His love was revealed to your heart, and you responded in believing faith, and were saved.

Take a moment for the years that His grace has kept you and has been more than enough for you in each and every situation that life throws your way. During Easter weekend this brings you great cause for reflection and thanksgiving.

Now consider another thought. Do you know anyone who was following after Jesus, but has wandered away from the Truth? Allow the Spirit of God to pray through you right now for that individual. Ask Him to put people, and situations in their pathway that will bring them back. Perhaps even the Lord would lead you to restore this individual to that same believing faith that is owned by every believing person of faith, that Christ Jesus came to save sinners like us! Tomorrow evening you could invite them to join you and hear, ‘The Tomb is Empty Now’!

Today's text reminds us that when God uses us in the place of restoration, being that prayer, or if He opens the door for us to be the vessel of honor used to bring back a lost sister or brother, that His smile is upon such an obedience. Not only has that individual come back into the fold of Christ Jesus to experience the cleansing of every sin. But also in the process of you being one who brings an individual, 'Back to the Truth', and seeks that the lost and wondering ones would be saved and walk in the fullness of the light of that salvation - you too experience that fresh cleansing and fullness of joy, because you are acting like the Lord who loves us all so.

And so may we like He, leave the 90 and 9 and seek out that one, lost and in danger - in thoughts, words and actions, bringing them back to Jesus with great rejoicing. 

Prayer Heavenly Father, I remember that the simplest truth is that Jesus loves me, has died for me, and has forgiven me as I come in faith to Him. I remember those who are wandering away from that. Help me to be used by You to bring restoration and healing into their lives, I pray in Jesus name. 

Memory Verse:  Ephesians 2:4 – 5a NLT “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.”