Turn Around Now!

Ezekiel 33:11

As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die?

If you saw somebody you loved heading towards a condemned bridge and you knew the bridge was out would you let them continue to drive in that direction? Many times when we see people headed in the wrong direction or doing something detrimental but we don’t speak truth in love, it’s like allowing somebody to drive past you knowing full well that the bridge is out. We should scream, “Turn around now!”

We are all waiting on a turn around with the economy. President Obama pleaded with Congress the other night to “pass the jobs bill right away!” 13 million people need jobs right now! We are waiting on a Turn Around with our relationships. We need our marriages to get healed right now! We are waiting for a Turn Around with our personal finances, we need money right now! But could it be that God is waiting on us to Turn Around to him right now?

God doesn’t want any of us to perish or go without. He’s giving us time to get it together but he also expects those of us in the church to give a word of warning to the people we care about that it’s time for a Turn Around.

God prescribes how we are to Turn Around in Ezekiel 33:15:

1. Give back what you owe. The bible is very clear that we should owe no man anything. This is a hard one for everyone going through financial difficulties. People are filing bankruptcy, unemployed and facing foreclosure. This is not to make poor people feel worse. This command is for those who have the power to pay something back and choose not to. If you have the income to pay your bills, do so and give God the praise. If you don’t have the money pray that God gives you a way to do so.

2. Return what you stole. When Zacchueas met Jesus he told Jesus If I have stolen anything from anybody I will pay back four times the amount. He was so overjoyed to have met Jesus he was willing to pay back double what he had stolen. When you meet Jesus you can’t keep stealing and you have to give back what you stole.

3. Follow God’s decrees for Holy living. Jesus said, “if you love me then keep my commandments.”

4. Stop doing evil. Right is right and wrong is wrong. There is no right way to do the wrong thing. If you are doing something that God is not pleased with you have to stop doing it in order to experience your turn around.

When you turn from your wicked ways God will hear from heaven and heal your situation. Why should we die before our time when we don’t have to? Turn Around Right Now!

Dear God,

Thank you for letting me know that the bridge is out. Give me the courage to let others know that the bridge is out and to Turn Around Now! Thank you Jesus for being a bridge over troubled waters and a way out of no way.

In Jesus Name,

Amen