Returning to God, 101 Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Returning to God, 101----------------------------------- Date: 12/2/2001 Keywords: "cleansing" "return" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Hosea 14:1-3* 1. Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity. 2. Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity, And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips. 3. "Assyria will not save us, We will not ride on horses; Nor will we say again, 'Our god,' To the work of our hands; For in Thee the orphan finds mercy." Question What are the elements of returning to God, according to these verses?   Practical help Maybe you’ve found your way to eXXit because you have finally had it with your porn habit and are looking for a way out. Hosea 14 points the way. First – Recognize that God is inviting you (just like He invited Israel) to return to Him. Second – Recognize that it is your sin that has caused the problem between you and God (like the old bumper sticker, "Feel far away from God? Guess who moved?" Corny, but true!) Third – Ask God to forgive and cleanse you from the dirtiness of guilt Fourth – Look beyond the forgiveness to the day when you will praise God for the freedom that He will give to you Fifth – Affirm to God that you are confident that life is not to be found in porn (your Assyria, your strong horses, your idols), and that only in God is there hope for life indeed. Follow the "confession" formula of Israel found in Hosea 14, and find the restoring power of God. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2001 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."