Luke 15:11-24.
11 And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them.
13 And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.
14 And when he had spent all he had, a [a]mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.
15 So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.
16 And he would gladly have fed on and [b]filled his belly with the [c]carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better].
17 Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.
20 So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [[d]fervently].
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]!
22 But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.
23 And bring out [e]that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us [f]revel and feast and be happy and make merry,
24 Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to [g]revel and feast and make merry.
The parable of the prodigal son shows how shambolic we become when we leave God's presence and God's love and clemency towards us. This account talks about the life of a very rich father who is having a harmonious life with his two sons and his servants. The father enjoys the communion with his sons. One of the sons is captivated by the father's riches and he chooses the riches over the sweet relationship he is enjoying with the father. He leaves to a far land, squanders what he has. He later realises his folly. He decides to smoke the peace pipe with his father by returning to him in humility. This parable is a clear illustration of our relationship with God. It depicts two kinds of believers. The first is the unfaithful believer who gets carried away by his gifting and easily gets corrupted by the world. The second son is an epitome of a believer who loves the Lord genuinely and is well rooted in Him. He is faithful in all situations.
Many of us had a harmonious relationship with The Lord when we accepted Him into our lives. We were willing to forgo our favorite tv shows for prayer. We were willing to switch off the tele and forfeit our favorite sporting events just to be in His presence. His joy was our joy. His pain was our pain. Then we began to grow in Him. The Lord began to bless us, shape us and give us spiritual gifts which we never expected or dreamed of. Some got so mesmerised with their gifting that they began to idolise it asking for more, and seeking less of the giver. Gradually they began to take their focus of God and started to be attention seekers. Their actions showed that they didn’t need God. They gradually drifted from The Lord and finally decided to flirt with the world.
They will chase after the things of the world which they abhorred initially. They will join the world to mock the cross. They will use their gifts and resources to draw attention to themselves instead of God. Prayer dies. Bible study is nonexistent. They despise other believers and feel comfortable with the world hoping that their gifts will keep them to stand the hostility of the world. They forget that the source of their blessing has been cut off and they live in delusion. Any time we seek blessings and gifts at the expense of an intimacy with God that's the price we pay.
The rebellious believer begins to feel and see the wickedness of the world. There is no more oil to fuel his gifts. His blessings are cut off. His gifts gradually get corrupted. He begins to feel the isolation the world has for him. All his lovers in the world live him in his depressing state. He begins to move around if he can find spiritual nourishment. At this stage some will go to some churches or cults to find refuge only to find their souls still hungry. If it is a church, some may enter churches that preach watered down sermons. The rebellious believer now comes to his senses. He recalls the intimate relationship he had with God. He remembers the peace he enjoyed. Now he is contemplating. He looks spiritually unkempt. He is fully of bruises. His spiritual garment is torn and stained. He is filled with the odour of the world. He looks wretched but he is still hopeful.
Isaiah 1:4-6
4 Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised and shown contempt and provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they have become utterly estranged (alienated).
5 Why should you be stricken and punished any more [since it brings no correction]? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint (feeble, sick, and nauseated).
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness or health in [the nation’s body]—but wounds and bruises and fresh and bleeding stripes; they have not been pressed out and closed up or bound up or softened with oil. [No one has troubled to seek a remedy.
]The rebellious believer makes a decision to go back to God. He humbles himself. He is willing to take up any position in the kingdom of God. He takes a bold state and goes back to God. God in His great love and mercy accepts him, forgives and restores him.
What lesson are we learning from this parable? Any time we seek God's blessings instead of a walk with God, we are likely to lose focus on Him. The devil will begin to sow pride and greed in our hearts just to get our attention. When this happens we are likely to seek our own way. We are likely to turn a deaf ear to fellow believers. We reach the stage where we want praises from people. We become people centred and not God centred. We need God's grace to walk daily. His word and prayer is our fuel. If we neglect these and look at our gifts it may appear that we have a source of power initially but we will soon fade out and fall for the world. We would eventually corrupt ourselves, promoting the kingdom of the devil and fighting God's kingdom. Eventually we will be stealing his tithes by lavishing it on the nonsense of the world. We will begin to patronise licentious materials. Our hearts will grow cold and we will start slandering, criticising and backbiting God's people. Our hearts will be full of envy and hatred instead of love. We will bear bad fruits because we will not be feeding from Him. We will not be partaking of the bread of life. Even in our rebellious and backsliding state God still calls. Sometimes He uses the harsh conditions in the world to draw us closer to us. He may allow the world to exploit us so that we will feel hurt and disappointed.
When He disciplines us we should be quick to discern that He is calling us to come back home. We have to step out bodly and return to Him. If we continue to stay in our rebellious state our conscience will eventually be seared. It doesn't matter how deep you have fallen. Just humble yourself and get back to God. Take that bold step of faith and return to The Lord. Don't continue to stay in the dung of this world. Don't let your guilt rule your life. His grace is there for you to get things right with Him. His blood is able to cleanse your conscience from dead works. You will ask I have tried so many times and I have failed. Don't give up. Keep on trying. During my rebellious and backsliding days I used to groan in my heart. I was caught in masturbation for 6 years. I was full of self righteousness. When I made a decision to surrender and rededicated my life to the Lord He didn't change me in a day. He continued to nurture me and showed me true love which He still does. Never give up. Persevere and keep on praying. The Lord is willing to accept you back only if you are willing. Just make that decision.
Glory To Jesus.
11 And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them.
13 And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.
14 And when he had spent all he had, a [a]mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.
15 So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.
16 And he would gladly have fed on and [b]filled his belly with the [c]carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better].
17 Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.
20 So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [[d]fervently].
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]!
22 But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.
23 And bring out [e]that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us [f]revel and feast and be happy and make merry,
24 Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to [g]revel and feast and make merry.
The parable of the prodigal son shows how shambolic we become when we leave God's presence and God's love and clemency towards us. This account talks about the life of a very rich father who is having a harmonious life with his two sons and his servants. The father enjoys the communion with his sons. One of the sons is captivated by the father's riches and he chooses the riches over the sweet relationship he is enjoying with the father. He leaves to a far land, squanders what he has. He later realises his folly. He decides to smoke the peace pipe with his father by returning to him in humility. This parable is a clear illustration of our relationship with God. It depicts two kinds of believers. The first is the unfaithful believer who gets carried away by his gifting and easily gets corrupted by the world. The second son is an epitome of a believer who loves the Lord genuinely and is well rooted in Him. He is faithful in all situations.
Many of us had a harmonious relationship with The Lord when we accepted Him into our lives. We were willing to forgo our favorite tv shows for prayer. We were willing to switch off the tele and forfeit our favorite sporting events just to be in His presence. His joy was our joy. His pain was our pain. Then we began to grow in Him. The Lord began to bless us, shape us and give us spiritual gifts which we never expected or dreamed of. Some got so mesmerised with their gifting that they began to idolise it asking for more, and seeking less of the giver. Gradually they began to take their focus of God and started to be attention seekers. Their actions showed that they didn’t need God. They gradually drifted from The Lord and finally decided to flirt with the world.
They will chase after the things of the world which they abhorred initially. They will join the world to mock the cross. They will use their gifts and resources to draw attention to themselves instead of God. Prayer dies. Bible study is nonexistent. They despise other believers and feel comfortable with the world hoping that their gifts will keep them to stand the hostility of the world. They forget that the source of their blessing has been cut off and they live in delusion. Any time we seek blessings and gifts at the expense of an intimacy with God that's the price we pay.
The rebellious believer begins to feel and see the wickedness of the world. There is no more oil to fuel his gifts. His blessings are cut off. His gifts gradually get corrupted. He begins to feel the isolation the world has for him. All his lovers in the world live him in his depressing state. He begins to move around if he can find spiritual nourishment. At this stage some will go to some churches or cults to find refuge only to find their souls still hungry. If it is a church, some may enter churches that preach watered down sermons. The rebellious believer now comes to his senses. He recalls the intimate relationship he had with God. He remembers the peace he enjoyed. Now he is contemplating. He looks spiritually unkempt. He is fully of bruises. His spiritual garment is torn and stained. He is filled with the odour of the world. He looks wretched but he is still hopeful.
Isaiah 1:4-6
4 Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised and shown contempt and provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they have become utterly estranged (alienated).
5 Why should you be stricken and punished any more [since it brings no correction]? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint (feeble, sick, and nauseated).
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness or health in [the nation’s body]—but wounds and bruises and fresh and bleeding stripes; they have not been pressed out and closed up or bound up or softened with oil. [No one has troubled to seek a remedy.
]The rebellious believer makes a decision to go back to God. He humbles himself. He is willing to take up any position in the kingdom of God. He takes a bold state and goes back to God. God in His great love and mercy accepts him, forgives and restores him.
What lesson are we learning from this parable? Any time we seek God's blessings instead of a walk with God, we are likely to lose focus on Him. The devil will begin to sow pride and greed in our hearts just to get our attention. When this happens we are likely to seek our own way. We are likely to turn a deaf ear to fellow believers. We reach the stage where we want praises from people. We become people centred and not God centred. We need God's grace to walk daily. His word and prayer is our fuel. If we neglect these and look at our gifts it may appear that we have a source of power initially but we will soon fade out and fall for the world. We would eventually corrupt ourselves, promoting the kingdom of the devil and fighting God's kingdom. Eventually we will be stealing his tithes by lavishing it on the nonsense of the world. We will begin to patronise licentious materials. Our hearts will grow cold and we will start slandering, criticising and backbiting God's people. Our hearts will be full of envy and hatred instead of love. We will bear bad fruits because we will not be feeding from Him. We will not be partaking of the bread of life. Even in our rebellious and backsliding state God still calls. Sometimes He uses the harsh conditions in the world to draw us closer to us. He may allow the world to exploit us so that we will feel hurt and disappointed.
When He disciplines us we should be quick to discern that He is calling us to come back home. We have to step out bodly and return to Him. If we continue to stay in our rebellious state our conscience will eventually be seared. It doesn't matter how deep you have fallen. Just humble yourself and get back to God. Take that bold step of faith and return to The Lord. Don't continue to stay in the dung of this world. Don't let your guilt rule your life. His grace is there for you to get things right with Him. His blood is able to cleanse your conscience from dead works. You will ask I have tried so many times and I have failed. Don't give up. Keep on trying. During my rebellious and backsliding days I used to groan in my heart. I was caught in masturbation for 6 years. I was full of self righteousness. When I made a decision to surrender and rededicated my life to the Lord He didn't change me in a day. He continued to nurture me and showed me true love which He still does. Never give up. Persevere and keep on praying. The Lord is willing to accept you back only if you are willing. Just make that decision.
Glory To Jesus.
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