Participants: Kenny & Chris Shelton (Host), Jill Morikone & Mollie Steenson
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW017024A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:07 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN's Family Worship. 01:10 I'm Chris Shelton along with my husband Pastor Kenny Shelton 01:14 and we want to say happy Sabbath 01:15 to each and every one of you at home. 01:17 And so glad that you have chosen to take this time 01:20 to join us. 01:21 We're already having a good time 01:23 around this table, aren't we? 01:24 Yes, we are. 01:26 It's already been a piece of joy, 01:27 a little bit of heaven that helping me to feel better, 01:29 I know that, 01:30 and I pray it will help you to feel better 01:32 physically and spiritually. 01:33 That's right. 01:35 Before we get started, I want to introduce 01:36 the rest of our family here at 3ABN. 01:39 Over to my far left is my brother-in-law Bruce Chance 01:43 with his lovely wife Tammy Chance, 01:46 and I know many of you know them from many, many years. 01:49 Tammy is actually, she couldn't sing today 01:51 but she can sing, 01:53 whether she's got a voice or not I think. 01:54 That's right. 01:55 And then over to my far right is Sister Mollie Steenson, 01:59 and next to her is a lovely Jill Morikone. 02:02 And we are so thankful all of you are here with us. 02:05 And our family at home is with us. 02:07 Tonight's topic is entitled, "You can come home any time". 02:12 You can come home any time. 02:14 Pastor Kenny, would you open our Bible study here tonight 02:18 with some prayer? 02:19 Absolutely, and we're going to encourage you at home 02:21 to pray along with us if you will. 02:23 This is a very important study 02:24 and I believe it's gonna be a blessing 02:26 because we're going to invite the Holy Spirit 02:27 to take possession of our hearts and our lives and so. 02:30 Let's pray together and those of you, 02:31 maybe you can even kneel where you're at, 02:33 if not just pray along with us. 02:35 Let's pray. 02:37 Our kind loving heavenly Father, 02:38 we thank You for the beginning of the Sabbath. 02:41 We thank You that You have set aside a specific day 02:44 that we can come apart from the world 02:45 and worship You in Spirit and in truth. 02:48 Lord, we're thankful that we can invite the Holy Spirit 02:51 to be present in the name of Jesus 02:53 to be able to take control of this study. 02:57 The title is just, kind of, 02:58 gives you spiritual goose bumps, 03:00 we can come home at any time. 03:02 And, O Lord, I just pray in a special way 03:04 as we are looking and trying to find our way home 03:08 that Your Holy Spirit will lead, guide, and direct 03:10 in all of our hearts, and our minds. 03:12 And especially those that are at home, 03:14 those right now who are looking and wondering 03:17 and thinking about home, tonight, 03:19 I pray that Your sweet spirit now would draw close to us. 03:22 May our minds, our hearts be illuminated 03:24 by the spirit of the living God. 03:26 May we truly see Jesus in this program tonight, 03:30 maybe seen, heard, felt 03:32 and may decisions be made for eternity, 03:34 and I thank you, Lord, for each one that's here 03:36 and each one who is viewing in Jesus' name. 03:38 Amen. Amen. 03:39 Amen. 03:41 You know, group, not very long ago, 03:42 I was listening to 3ABN radio in the car 03:45 and I heard just part of a story. 03:47 A lady talking about this young lady 03:50 that she was ministering to in Oregon, 03:53 and the lady in Oregon, the young lady 03:55 she had been in and out of trouble for many years. 03:58 And the part that really made me feel a little heartsick, 04:02 I got part of this young lady's testimony. 04:05 And when this young lady was only six years old... 04:08 Oh, boy. 04:10 Her mother started dating a man and he didn't like children. 04:12 Oh, no. 04:14 So the mother says, 04:15 "You're going to have to leave." 04:16 So you would immediately think where she's gonna to put her 04:18 with grandma, she gonna put with aunt and uncle 04:21 or maybe even in foster care, 04:23 but that mother in Oregon, here in the United States, 04:26 put that child out on the streets. 04:29 That's poor. 04:31 And so the lady asked her, she says, 04:33 "How does a six year old survive on the streets?" 04:38 And she said, "I would eat out of trash cans, 04:41 I would sleep under bridges." 04:43 And then pretty soon she began to be abused by men 04:49 and it just ruined her basically, 04:52 she felt she had no one, no one that loved her, 04:56 no meaning in life, 04:57 and certainly no home she felt she could go to. 05:02 Unlike this on the contrary 05:05 today, we're gonna be looking at the prodigal son. 05:08 And the story about the prodigal son 05:12 from the Bible that we're gonna discuss today, 05:14 this young man he was loved, 05:17 his father did take good care of him. 05:19 But his heart wasn't always on home, 05:24 he was always looking at the lust 05:26 and the enticements of the world 05:29 and he didn't like to hear, 05:30 don't do this because it's not good for you 05:33 or, you know, walk this way, do this, 05:35 he just didn't want to obey the family rules 05:38 that were set in that home. 05:40 And so finally, he went to his dad one day and he said, 05:43 "You know, I'd like to have my inheritance." 05:45 You know, I thought about that 05:46 as if the children came and said 05:47 they want their inheritance. 05:49 They are in trouble. Right, they are in trouble. 05:53 But this father was willing 05:55 and he gave his son his inheritance 05:58 and then the son went out on his own, 06:00 and he began to live it up. 06:02 Oh, boy. 06:03 He was like the man, he was the popular guy 06:07 because all of a sudden he had all this money 06:09 and people flocked to him. 06:10 But the sad thing is 06:12 the acquaintances that flocked to him, 06:14 they just drew him that much deeper into sin. 06:19 Then a famine hit. Yeah. 06:22 And when that famine hit, 06:24 suddenly he was out without money, 06:26 he was without home, he had no one to help him 06:30 because he was no longer popular, 06:31 he no longer had that money, 06:33 and he found himself 06:35 having to take care of a swine, Pastor Kenny. 06:37 Yes. 06:39 And for a Jewish young man to take care of a swine, 06:42 that was humiliating. 06:43 Yes. 06:44 You know, many of us that don't eat pork. 06:47 Well. 06:50 You know, we kind of relate to that a little bit 06:53 because we think of it as being the meat itself being unclean. 06:56 So for a Jew, especially they didn't want to touch it, 06:59 they didn't want to be around it. 07:00 And he became so hungry he began to eat even the husk 07:04 that was left just for the swine, 07:06 that's how hungry he became. 07:08 Would you finish telling us the rest of this story? 07:10 You know, 07:12 I think probably is the way we discussed a part of it 07:14 and I think 'cause here is, 07:15 believe it or not there are many people 07:17 who have never heard this parable. 07:20 This is what it is, it's a parable. 07:21 And everything that's in here 07:23 there're spiritual applications, 07:25 and that's what I want out of it, 07:27 the spiritual applications 07:29 and almost every word you can find something 07:31 that certainly spiritual leads you to Jesus. 07:33 And I like the part, you know, you told the part 07:35 and again 'cause some might have never heard this, 07:37 that's why we want to go over and then discuss a little more. 07:39 Yes. 07:41 I like the part when it said he came to his senses, 07:44 that's just the whole deal for me right there, 07:45 he finally came to his senses. 07:47 And, you know, some time when you're growing up, 07:50 my Dad said, "If you lack the sense, 07:52 I'll help you find the sense." 07:53 But he also said, he's gonna... 07:56 Put some sense. 07:57 He's gonna help me find the sense... 07:59 Put some sense into you. He always said that. 08:00 Put some sense into you. 08:01 He didn't mean to help you. Got a little bit of whipping. 08:03 Little whipping and little... 08:04 Usually he said we're gonna knock some sense into you. 08:06 There you go. So I'll just put it out there. 08:07 There you go. 08:08 But anyway this man came to his senses 08:10 we realize in that the, you know, 08:11 he was at the very bottom 08:12 and sometime it takes being at the very bottom 08:15 before we ever look up. 08:16 When things are going our way and then we go in his way, 08:19 he never thought about ever probably going back home. 08:22 But he came to his senses, he decided, 08:23 "Hey, the best thing for me to do is just go home." 08:27 We just say sometime I had to go home and eat crow 08:29 because I'm sure he raised a stink when he left 08:32 and, you know, he just really demanded what he wanted 08:34 and he wanted his own way, he was selfish 08:37 and he didn't care about anything or anybody else. 08:40 If you really think about it, he wanted his own way. 08:42 Yeah. 08:43 And then he had his own way, 08:44 and then he found that wasn't what was the best and so. 08:46 Anyway he decided to go home quickly 08:48 and when he went home a long way off, 08:51 I love that part too where it says a long way off. 08:54 The father recognized him, 08:56 and I keep thinking about Christ recognizing us 08:58 no matter what shape that we maybe in 09:00 and things of the world we take into our body 09:03 and things we get involved with 09:04 it actually changes our appearance. 09:05 Oh, yes. 09:07 It really does, you know, 09:08 sometimes it's hard to recognize 09:10 if you haven't seen somebody, 09:11 didn't matter how long he was gone, 09:12 his father recognized him. 09:14 Amen. 09:15 And I like what it says, he ran to his son. 09:18 Maybe the son was running too, 09:20 but the father ran to the son and held him and kissed him, 09:24 and welcomed him back into the family. 09:27 And I like the part too and we'll talk more about it 09:31 is he said, bringing, 09:32 I'll more say the closed to cloak. 09:35 He did not want the other servants. 09:37 That boy was willing to be a servant, 09:38 he didn't plan on coming back, but praise God, 09:41 when you come back to Christ no matter where you have been, 09:44 He treats you as though you've never sinned. 09:45 When you confess and forsake, 09:47 He treats as though we've never sinned, 09:49 and He puts that robe around us, 09:51 He doesn't want other people to have to see all that mess. 09:55 And the father didn't want the, 09:57 you know, the servants to see his son the way he was, 09:59 so he headed the long way off, 10:01 he said bring it to me and I'll cover him up. 10:04 And so they did and of course, 10:05 then the other son was little bit angry about it 10:07 and so we'll talk more about that. 10:09 And I think that the other son was, 10:11 he was the one supposed to get double portion, wasn't he? 10:13 And so instead of getting double portion, 10:15 he thought like he was messing, 10:17 you know, he wouldn't get anything probably. 10:19 And he was trying to if we look at that, 10:21 I think we'll find, 10:22 he was kind of like the maybe the Jews of old, 10:25 he was trying to work his way. 10:28 You know, he was diligent, he went out and did 10:30 what the father asked him to do, 10:32 he was loyal, he did it, 10:33 but he did it from all the wrong reasons. 10:35 And sometimes we can serve God from the wrong reasons. 10:37 That's right. 10:38 So anyway, that just gives us a little 10:40 synopsis of what this is 10:43 and the questions that we have are awesome 10:44 and I know everybody has a lot they want to share so. 10:47 I think we're gonna glean a lot from this story 10:49 and if you want to read more about it, 10:50 you can turn in your Bibles to Luke 15 and read there. 10:54 So that there is so many things in each part, 10:57 you know, as you were talking 10:58 and you mentioned the father coming, 11:01 immediately I thought how many parents 11:04 when that child comes home 11:06 all tattered, all messed up as it were by the world, 11:11 how many of us would embrace them 11:14 or would we say, "I told you so." 11:17 What an opportunity, you see, 11:19 but that father had the love of God 11:21 and he revealed Christ. 11:22 So the first question for all of us tonight is 11:25 how are we like this prodigal son? 11:29 So jump in there. Yeah. 11:32 Jill is thinking, "Okay, do we have another hour?" 11:35 Can we go back? 11:37 Okay. Oh, you can. 11:38 Just 'cause I have a question, 11:41 so everybody can give their opinion on it. 11:44 Why do you think the father went ahead 11:48 and gave him his inheritance when he demanded it? 11:51 He didn't have to, he could have said no. 11:52 No, he didn't. 11:55 I don't know I'm asking. 11:58 Well, I think that was one of the, 12:00 you know, one of the things that he really wanted. 12:02 He pressed at home to his dad 12:04 like a child would come to us sometime 12:06 and they want this drivers, they want a car, 12:09 and they just kind of keep it up 12:10 and they want to get this vehicle. 12:12 And of course, that was, you know, in the Jewish economy 12:16 that was, really they actually divided things up 12:21 before the death of the parents. 12:25 It could be divided up in there 12:27 and if there was property involved, 12:28 then naturally long as dad was still alive 12:30 the property was still, he still occupy it. 12:33 So that was not uncommon to go and divide things up 12:36 but to give them something was, wasn't it out the ordinary? 12:42 All of a sudden we are bend. 12:44 I'm thinking too 12:46 that the son had the wrong attitude 12:49 and the wrong concept 12:51 of what it was gonna be like to be out there. 12:53 He was thinking the grass is gonna be green. 12:55 Oh, yes. Oh, don't you know it. 12:57 But the grass is not always green 12:58 and sometimes it's just meaner. 13:00 Yes. That's right. 13:01 And do you think his father might have known that. 13:03 Let's say, I'm thinking, 13:04 you know, as we read like the father 13:06 to our heavenly Father. 13:07 Yes. 13:09 He sees our hearts mourning to go often do the wrong thing. 13:12 And what is the father's ultimate goal always? 13:15 The ultimate goal is deals in redemption to save us. 13:19 And so he knows, don't you think 13:23 that when this son goes out there, 13:25 he's gonna run into the harsh realities of life. 13:28 Yes. 13:29 He's probably never had to deal with anything harsh, 13:32 any of those harsh realities. 13:34 Right. 13:35 And, you know, it even says that Jesus grew in wisdom 13:37 from the things that He experienced in life. 13:40 And so this young man maybe the father was thinking, 13:43 you know, half of my wealth, its well worth it. 13:47 If my son comes to the end of himself 13:51 and comes back with the right heart 13:53 and the right attitude, that's just a thought. 13:56 That's miracle, Mollie. 13:58 I think, yeah, 13:59 and he represents God himself in this parable. 14:02 And God, see, this part of this parable 14:05 is to teach us that God is a loving God, 14:08 not any exacting God, and as the question was asked, 14:12 I wrote down rain here 'cause we can read in scripture 14:15 that the rain falls on the just as well as the unjust. 14:19 And if our heavenly Father knows 14:22 how to give us good gifts. 14:24 Yeah. 14:25 And so I think, we were talking about healing. 14:28 There is a lot of people that have never accepted Christ 14:30 and yet they find healing. 14:33 Life only comes from heaven, only from the Father, 14:36 so I think being that loving example 14:41 he was willing to give of himself 14:43 to give that good gift. 14:45 So Jill does, I think a question, 14:46 you know, and I've come to this conclusion, 14:50 you know, reading a little here and studying and praying, 14:52 that many times that God will give us 14:55 what we asked for... 14:57 He desires our heart. 14:58 Because we keep asking for it 14:59 and just what you brought, point you're bringing out. 15:02 He knows what He's gonna do to us, 15:04 but because we continue to ask, 15:06 He goes ahead and He gives it to us, 15:07 have you found that? 15:08 Absolutely. 15:10 And I think I was gonna say, 15:11 to me in the story I see free choice. 15:13 Oh, yeah. 15:15 That's what God gave me and at the beginning 15:16 He never wanted us to serve Him out of fear but out of love. 15:20 And so Adam and Eve in the garden 15:22 were given the option of eating 15:24 of the tree of knowledge of good and evil or not eating 15:27 and choosing to live. 15:29 And so they were given free choice. 15:30 So I think when the son asked 15:32 and the father knew it was the wrong choice, 15:35 but maybe in the end he knew it would bring him back around 15:38 because God knows everything, I like that. 15:40 But I think that's our God of love, 15:42 He gives us free choice. 15:43 Okay, if you want it, if you ask, 15:46 I will let you go that route even though it pains my heart, 15:49 even though I don't want you go in that way, you can go 15:52 because I would never force you or hold you against your will. 15:55 He doesn't. 15:56 Yeah, that's another story in itself, another lesson, 15:59 He never will force us. 16:01 And I thought it too 16:02 when he was asking that question 16:04 of the children of Israel when they were in the desert, 16:07 and they wanted to meet 16:08 and the Lord sent all those quail. 16:10 Oh, boy. 16:11 He think, they got very sick the Lord knew that, 16:14 you know, so He was giving them what He knew they needed 16:17 but they were asking for something different, 16:20 so He gave them what they ask for. 16:22 The basic lesson, I think it's like 16:25 my son was praying about a job and changing jobs. 16:29 And I said, "Well, you know, 16:31 you of course you want to see God's will in it 16:33 because even though your heart tells you 16:36 that's where you would like to go 16:38 and your head says that's where you'd like to go. 16:40 If it's not within God's will, 16:42 it's gonna blow up in your face. 16:43 Yeah. 16:44 So that's kind of just the basic, don't you think? 16:46 Yes. 16:47 Because if we just choose ourselves, 16:49 we're gonna mess it up. 16:51 I think the man was trying to teach his son a lesson 16:55 because he didn't have to give him the inheritance, 16:58 you know, because he wasn't living a Christian life, 17:01 All right, so. Yeah. 17:03 I mean, he was, that's the way of teaching him. 17:05 I think that's what the man was trying to portray. 17:07 Yeah. 17:08 Isn't that, that's pretty typical live 17:10 as our heavenly Father like you say, 17:12 He's watching over us, 17:13 He knows, you know, beginning from the end, 17:15 He knows each and every one of us, 17:17 and I keep saying this that's why, 17:19 you know, the Bible is very, very clear. 17:21 You just mentioned while ago, 17:23 rains on the just and the unjust alike. 17:25 And so it was very clear 17:26 that God has our best interest at heart, 17:28 He has your best interest at heart. 17:30 And sometime things 17:32 and when I say bad things happen to good people. 17:34 Absolutely. 17:35 You know, they probably say, well, almost they, 17:37 you know, kind of like the Job situation, 17:38 you know, but a lot of time God allows those things again 17:41 to get our attention and I can see it 17:43 in this account here, 17:45 you can come home any time. 17:47 And that is what so wonderful about this, 17:49 you can come home 17:51 and if you wandered far away from God, 17:53 that song says, "Now I'm coming home." 17:56 That's beautiful to know that we can come home at any time, 17:59 but we need to come to our senses. 18:01 Yes. Yeah. 18:02 And if not and we're praying about it, 18:05 sometime God has ways to bring us to our senses. 18:08 Have you found that in everybody's life here? 18:10 Really. The refining fire. 18:12 The refining fire sometime. That's right. 18:13 Oh, wow. He's gonna get our attention. 18:16 That's how like, 18:18 you know, when we act like the prodigal son, 18:20 when we follow our own lust 18:22 rather than really praying about it. 18:24 You know, I remember reading one time 18:25 if you're praying about getting married, 18:27 you know, and you're just praying once a day, 18:29 well, you need to pray at least four times a day. 18:32 Increase that prayer 18:33 because we need an answer from God, 18:35 but many times we step out and we walk our own path, 18:39 and we're following those fires of lust 18:41 just like the prodigal son did. 18:43 And so all of these things God allows, 18:46 I love what you said, and maybe that's the basis 18:49 because heaven is our goal, heaven is our final home. 18:53 And all of these are refining tools 18:56 where that potter, you know, the clay. 18:59 And He's molding, and He's making us 19:01 into that fine pottery into the jewel for heaven, 19:05 so I think that's beautiful. 19:06 And ultimately, 19:07 you know, ultimate purpose is to redeem us. 19:10 Oh, absolutely. 19:11 And the next question, how we like the prodigal son? 19:13 And I think about that prodigal son 19:15 before he had conjured it up in his mind, 19:19 what it was gonna be like. 19:21 If I didn't have the restraints, 19:23 if I had all that money, he had figured having it, 19:25 he had painted the picture in his mind, you ever do that? 19:29 You know, and his was, you know, as the story depicts, 19:32 you know, his inheritance. 19:34 But think about this, how we like the prodigal son? 19:37 If a woman that becomes an adulterer 19:39 because she paints in her mind if I'm with this other man, 19:43 it's gonna make me so much happy or the man 19:46 or someone that steals, 19:49 if I just had that and what it does. 19:51 See, it doesn't make you happier. 19:53 Again, the grass is not always greener, 19:55 what it does is it brings damage 19:58 and harm to you. 19:59 Even if it is something, 20:01 let's say you never get caught 20:03 in your act of whatever it is that you're doing, 20:06 still brings harm and damage to you 20:09 and you still have that to do deal with so. 20:12 With me, the prodigal son, 20:13 he had this vain imaginations thinking 20:17 the things were gonna be so much better 20:19 and it just wasn't. 20:20 He just didn't, he didn't like rules, did he? 20:23 He didn't like any regulations. 20:24 He didn't want anybody to tell him 20:26 when to get up and when to go to bed. 20:27 I heard one young person said at one time he said, 20:30 "But I want to be on my own before too long." 20:33 I said, "What you're gonna do different 20:34 when you're on your own, you do it right now." 20:35 Pay your bills. Yeah. 20:39 You don't think about that. Right. 20:40 But, you know, what he said, 20:41 "Because I can stay up as late as I want." 20:44 And I thought right in there, he is not material. 20:46 That was his big deal, 20:48 I can stay up as late as I want 20:49 and go to bed when I want and get up, 20:51 reality is like you have to pay your bills, 20:53 you got a job, you have more responsibilities so. 20:54 You got to get up in the morning. 20:55 He did have his own thoughts 20:57 so I come to that conclusion to this guy. 20:58 And he was the younger son so. Yes. 21:02 You know, I thought as I was reading through this story, 21:05 and we were breaking it down and putting questions to it, 21:08 I thought how the Father's heart had to hurt, 21:11 even for Lucifer, 21:13 and because Lucifer in my mind was the prodigal son as well 21:17 and those fallen angels. 21:19 No one loved them more than the Father. 21:23 You know, and how it had to break His heart, 21:25 how He had to look down throughout all history as you, 21:29 you know, we alluded to 'cause God can see everything 21:32 and He knows what lesson we're gonna learn. 21:35 And see the harm and the heartache 21:37 it was going to cause. 21:39 You know, so we're actually as we are a prodigal son 21:42 and we're conjuring up all these things in our mind 21:44 that the grass is greener on the other side, 21:46 basically we're doing what Lucifer did, 21:49 we're just following in his footsteps. 21:52 I wonder what it would be like 21:54 if I was sitting on that throne. 21:56 What it would be like... 21:57 Well, we don't need those rules, 21:59 we can be holy without that law. 22:02 You see, we're following in His footsteps, 22:05 but many times it takes that refining fire 22:09 to bring us back to our mind. 22:11 I think sin always begins in the mind. 22:14 You know, and the Bible tells us 22:15 how it's conceived and then when it brings forth, 22:18 it comes to death finally. 22:21 But it's conceived in the mind. 22:22 So the son I believe 22:23 what you've said had these imaginations, 22:26 had these thoughts but I think sin also originates 22:30 because we don't understand the Father. 22:32 Oh, it's true. 22:33 And so the son, 22:35 I personally don't believe 22:36 had a proper understanding of his father's love. 22:40 He didn't know that the rules the father had put around him 22:43 were for his protection, were to make him happy. 22:48 God's law, James tells us is the law of liberty, 22:51 but he didn't understand that 22:53 and so all he saw was restriction. 22:56 But when he came to himself 22:58 when he was at the end of his rope, 23:00 I believe that was not only did he come to himself, 23:03 but I think he came to understand 23:05 his father a bit better and understand, 23:08 look at how my father treated everyone, 23:10 look at his character. 23:11 Absolutely. 23:13 And so I think many times in my own life 23:15 when I begin to step outside of God's will 23:17 and begin to act out, 23:19 it's because I don't even have a clear conception of God. 23:22 No. 23:23 I think He's a God of judgment instead of God of love. 23:25 Yes. 23:27 And I think if we were all honest here, 23:29 we probably all felt that way, 23:31 even keeping the Ten Commandments. 23:33 You know, how often as a child you waited to that sun, 23:37 sun was down on Saturday night so you could go do something. 23:41 I've heard the story about go and playing ball or... 23:46 Those Shelton boys. I don't know about it. 23:48 You know what I'm saying 23:49 but it's because we looked at it more 23:52 as something that wasn't as good that was rigid 23:56 and how many times that have we heard all you people, 23:59 you think the law is gonna save you. 24:01 It has nothing to do with that. Right. 24:03 It has to do with what God is given 24:05 for our own well-being 24:08 because out of love He wants to protect us 24:11 and He wants to prepare us for the kingdom. 24:13 And can you imagine 24:14 what heaven is gonna be like in the kingdom? 24:16 I mean, I've read some things that just overwhelming, 24:19 you know, traveling 24:21 and it's gonna be such a high time together. 24:25 So we just have a little piece of it here. 24:26 Amen. 24:27 Well, let's look at question number two, shall we? 24:29 It says, we've kind of already touched on that, 24:32 maybe we don't even need to, but the second question was, 24:35 our God's command and biblical instructions 24:38 throughout scripture nothing more 24:39 than restrains of our freedom? 24:42 You just gave a real good answer to that, 24:45 they're really not restraints, 24:46 they're really God's love letters to us. 24:49 He knows, I mean, we have rules for our children, right? 24:54 When they're young, you don't want them touching 24:56 that hot stove or picking up the glass that might hurt them. 25:00 And so He's given us these amazing commandments 25:04 that surpass any laws that we have 25:07 because in ten rules, ten laws, 25:10 it can cover every aspect of our life. 25:13 And yet, you can't even count 25:14 how many laws that man has on the books, 25:17 you know, trying to cover all those aspects. 25:20 So do you have any other thoughts 25:22 from question number two 25:24 than what Jill has already said? 25:25 I just had a short personal experience 25:27 if I can share them. 25:28 When I was thirteen and half I was very difficult. 25:32 I'm still difficult now, 25:34 but I mean, I was extremely difficult. 25:36 And I was involved in a certain youth group at church 25:39 and my parents saw that the activities 25:43 I was involved in 25:44 and the association of the other young people 25:47 was pulling me from Jesus. 25:49 Yes. 25:50 And so they set down a rule, an ultimatum and said, 25:54 "Jill, you cannot go to that anymore." 25:56 I was so mad. 25:59 And I hurt my parents thinking back on it 26:03 that makes me cry 26:04 because I yelled at my parents, I said, 26:09 "Who do you think you are to tell me I can't do that? 26:12 And I need to hang with young people, 26:15 you're trying to restrict me." 26:17 Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Mercy me. 26:20 And I hated them for that decision 26:25 and, you know, what they didn't change, 26:27 they said, "We don't care, Jill, if you hate us, 26:30 we don't care what happens, this is for your best good." 26:34 It took me six months of kind of struggling turmoil 26:39 till I realized that they knew what they were talking about. 26:43 And that association was pulling me from Jesus. 26:46 Absolutely. 26:48 Not saying it was the church, 26:49 it was just the certain associations 26:50 that I happened to be associating with. 26:53 And so I look at that 26:54 like the father here in the prodigal son 26:57 and then and they did it out of love 27:00 because they wanted me to make choices for Jesus. 27:03 And they didn't change no matter how much you begged, 27:06 and pleaded, and threatened, they didn't change. 27:08 And I think that's the mistakes a lot of parents make. 27:10 Oh, absolutely, yes. 27:12 You know, the kids keep on and the parents, 27:13 you know, okay, give in and it doesn't work out at all. 27:17 So I have respect for that, 27:19 that they didn't change even when you said that, 27:22 you know, that you hated them and everything else, 27:25 they didn't change. 27:26 It was the best thing they could have ever done. 27:27 I'm so thankful for 27:29 and I've told them that over and over. 27:31 Thank you for that decision. 27:32 It is so important that parents, 27:34 Christian parents stay plugged into the source, 27:37 the source of life, the source of hope, 27:39 the source of instruction, there's so much instruction 27:42 in God's Word for each and every one of us. 27:44 I know when my kids have said, "I don't like you anymore." 27:48 I could easily turn back and say, 27:50 "I love you and I love you 27:52 and this is why mommy has made this decision 27:54 because I love you." 27:56 You know, so... 27:58 The Book of James 4:4 28:00 talks about the friendship of the world is empty, 28:04 you know, against God. 28:05 And I found something I thought it was very, very interesting 28:09 that's actually in the so called Adventist home most 28:11 and lot of Seventh-day Adventists have that book. 28:13 It's very, very good, everybody ought to have the book. 28:15 And just going along what you were saying 28:17 and kind of what I experienced, I didn't like to be bossed, 28:20 I didn't like be told what to do growing up, and you know... 28:24 I don't know sure if I can use the word darn in our program. 28:28 But by Dad did say that about me 28:30 and that hurt worse than any beating 28:32 or whipping or correction ever get, he said, 28:35 "You're the darndest kid I've ever seen." 28:37 Because I was wanting to have my way, 28:41 it's the only time I ever heard him say that, 28:42 you know what I'm saying. 28:43 It was just too much for him sometime 28:46 because I always was questioning 28:47 and wanted my own way and do and so. 28:49 But the association you mentioned out, 28:52 I thought was interesting, you said here. 28:54 "Every association we form, 28:56 however, limited exerts some influence upon us." 29:00 Notice it, however limited. 29:01 Oh, I wont hurt because they're just gonna go here once, 29:03 you don't hurt because, you know... 29:05 I will watch it for few minutes. 29:06 Just be few minutes we'll watch, 29:08 it doesn't matter but notice what it says. 29:10 It says, "It is impossible 29:11 to overestimate the importance for this world 29:14 and the next of the associations 29:17 we choose for ourselves 29:19 and for more especially for our children. 29:23 You know, I wish more parents. 29:25 You told me the story about, 29:27 Mollie, meeting that little girl at Walmart, 29:29 I think it was. 29:30 Was it Walmart about a week or so a little girl came up 29:33 to you and you said... 29:35 That was at Kroger. At Kroger, okay, Kroger. 29:38 I knew when she looked at me, 29:40 like wait a minute that's not right. 29:42 It was at a store, I should've just kept it generic 29:44 and it was at a store. 29:46 And, you know, it's just so important 29:49 that as I've lost my train of thought was, 29:53 I was gonna say finding which store it was, 29:55 but how neat that the children they're looking up 29:58 that we set the right example that there is not more parents. 30:01 Those parents were home schooling their children 30:03 because it was so important to them 30:05 what environment they were around. 30:08 I did the very same. 30:09 By profession, I was a teacher 30:11 and I finished my degree in a public school, 30:14 but I knew that that's not where 30:16 I wanted my children. 30:17 I worked in the public school 30:19 and I knew that that's not where they needed to grow up, 30:22 but there is so many Christian parents anymore 30:25 they don't mind to send their children off 30:27 to any school. 30:29 Well, you know, they're gonna have to meet at some time, 30:31 but they've got to learn, 30:32 they've got to be grounded first. 30:34 Got to have the foundation. 30:35 Yes, you got to have that foundation, 30:37 and I love that that those children were telling you 30:40 they're watching 3ABN. 30:41 And their favorite program was 3ABN Today. 30:43 That's amazing. Yes, yeah. 30:46 And, you know, the mother explained 30:47 how they started watching 3ABN, 30:50 she had them watching children's programming 30:52 and the programming was okay, 30:54 but the commercials between the programs 30:57 she would find so offensive. 31:00 She just couldn't let them watch the commercials 31:02 but they knew they could watch 3ABN 31:05 and there would never be anything offensive. 31:07 And I thought that was a commendable thing too. 31:10 You know, you ask the question our God's commands 31:13 and biblical instruction throughout scripture 31:18 nothing more than restraints. 31:19 And I wanted to share Proverbs 3:1 and 2. 31:22 And I want to share it out of the Amplified. 31:25 The scripture says, 31:26 "My son, forget not my law or teachings." 31:29 Now are those God's commands in His biblical instructions. 31:32 "My son, forget not my law or teachings 31:35 and let your heart keep my commandments. 31:38 For length of days..." Do you want length of days? 31:41 "And years of life worth living," 31:43 the amplified says, 31:44 "And tranquility inward and outward 31:46 and continuing through, 31:48 'Hey, its old age thank you, Lord,' 31:52 through old age till death they shall add to you." 31:55 Do you want a life worth living? 31:58 Then there been the instruction in God's Word 32:03 is what gives us that life worth living 32:07 even throughout old age unto death. 32:10 That's right. 32:12 And then it was when the prodigal son, 32:14 when his mind returned and he began to think, 32:17 you know, the servants don't live the way I'm living. 32:20 The servants at my father's house 32:22 eat better than I do, 32:23 they didn't want nothing and he was broken. 32:27 You know, it reminded me of a story recently 32:29 that I was someone shared from Canada on YouTube. 32:33 And this missionary was giving his testimony, 32:36 they had gone into Iran and they heard stories about, 32:38 you know, going over there and something could happen. 32:41 But he thought well, you know, we're going, 32:43 we're doing the Lord's work it's not gonna happen. 32:45 They were on their way back to the United States, 32:49 they had given their passports, him and another gentleman 32:52 and they had been doing missionary work 32:54 and they never received their passports back. 32:57 And they came and they took these men 32:59 and they put them in prison 33:01 and they began to beat them and not give them the food. 33:05 And it got to the point, you know, he is praying, 33:07 he is thinking, how can a God of heaven, 33:09 how can He allow this to be happening to us now. 33:13 We were here doing work for Him, 33:15 he got to the point he thought, 33:16 you know, this is not worth it anymore. 33:19 My only way out is to commit suicide and he tried. 33:23 And when he tried to commit suicide, 33:26 he had a vision or maybe it was really happened, 33:29 I'm not sure but Jesus came and visited him. 33:34 And He reminded him that even the man 33:36 that's been beating him, 33:37 He says, "How do you think, I feel about him?" 33:39 Yes. 33:41 And he reminded him that Christ loved him, 33:45 and He gave him a reason to live. 33:48 And so when the next time the man 33:50 that came in that was doing the beating, 33:52 came in to beat him again, he said, 33:54 "You know, it looks like 33:56 we're gonna be together for a long time, 33:59 could we at least be friends?" 34:01 And he stretched out his hand. 34:03 Stretching out his hand to the perpetrator. 34:06 That's forgiveness. 34:07 And when we did that, the perpetrator began to cry... 34:10 Praise God. "How to be friends?" 34:13 And then he shared his name 34:16 and from then on they were like 34:17 by the time those men were released, 34:20 there were about four different guards 34:22 and the guy that was beating him 34:25 that he said, "You know, we want what these men have." 34:28 Yes. 34:30 And in a sense that was them coming home. 34:33 Amen. Coming home to Jesus. 34:35 Amen. Coming home to life. 34:38 And it goes along with question number four, 34:41 what hope is there for any person who is spiritually, 34:46 physically or mentally 34:48 at their lowest point in life 34:50 feeling they're no good for anyone or anything. 34:53 That's where this man was in that jail, 34:56 he had lost all hope he'd given up on God 34:59 and when he gave up on God, 35:00 God was right there to carry him through. 35:03 That's where the prodigal son was, 35:05 he had no more hope, he was famished, 35:08 he was weak, he was hungry, he was filthy, 35:13 and he thought, "I'm going home." 35:15 As, you know, the good news when you talk about, 35:17 every time somebody says hope, 35:19 you know, without hope we're almost miserable. 35:22 We have to have hope. 35:24 And I know Matthew 18, 35:26 it talks about Jesus came to seek 35:29 and save those which are lost. 35:31 Well, that gives me hope and encouragement, 35:34 seek and save those who were lost 35:35 and then it goes on in verse 12 35:37 and it says that he left the 99, 35:41 you know, the sheep, he went out to get that one 35:43 that was having some difficulty. 35:45 And so that gives me hope and encouragement, 35:48 you know, there may be a hundred sheep there, 35:50 if there is just one that's having an issue... 35:52 Well, here the one son had an issue 35:54 that Jesus will leave that 99 35:57 and He will go out to seek, to draw him back, 36:00 to reconcile him back 36:01 into the right relationship with Him. 36:04 And that to me is hope. It is. 36:06 That gives me hope and encouragement 36:08 and strength to say, we might wonder out there 36:11 but by God's grace if we call, 36:14 He's not gonna leave us out there. 36:15 Amen. 36:17 You know, what so beautiful about what you shared, 36:18 Sister Chris, is that God used the gentleman 36:22 who was being beaten to bring Jesus to someone else. 36:25 And so, we were talking in the story 36:27 about the father 36:29 and the relationship to the son, 36:30 but God calls each one of us to minister to other people, 36:34 to share the love of the Father with them. 36:37 If I can share two scriptures quick. 36:39 These are two of my favorites, this is John 6:37, 36:43 Jesus speaking, 36:44 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, 36:47 and whoever comes to Me I will never cast away." 36:52 And so you might feel like, "I'm at the end of my rope, 36:55 I've done too much, I've gone too far, 36:58 I've kicked against God for years." 37:01 And He says, "Come home, come home to Me 37:05 because I love you." 37:07 Amen, yes. 37:08 And the other one sometimes, 37:09 I mentioned before the false perception of the Father 37:13 and sometimes we think, well, Jesus loves us. 37:15 But God the Father is a little bit stern 37:18 which is not a biblical concept 37:20 but it's how Satan twist that in our mind. 37:24 And John 16:27, it says, 37:29 "For the Father Himself loves you." 37:32 Amen. 37:33 Jesus talking to His disciples, so we think God is stern, 37:38 Jesus is love, 37:40 but God's the one who sent His Son. 37:42 Son to reveal the Father's love, yes. 37:46 And though He's not stern, 37:49 it doesn't mean that when we come back to Him 37:52 that we don't face consequences for what we have done. 37:58 I'll share a quick story. 38:00 When I was little, I was five years old, 38:03 and we had a cousin that used to come and visit. 38:06 They would say now that she had ADD or something that, 38:10 you know, she was like wild as a bash. 38:13 Yeah, she needed rhythm or something, I don't know. 38:16 And so she always was into things 38:19 and where she didn't belong, 38:20 and me and her were the same age, 38:23 and we had an upstairs where the boys slept, 38:26 and there was a window that led right out to the roof. 38:28 And me and her were up there one day and she said, 38:32 "Let's just go out on the roof that will be fun." 38:35 And I said, "Oh, no, no." 38:37 I said, "We'll get in so much trouble." 38:39 And she said, "No, it will be okay." 38:41 She said, my dad was home with us and she said, 38:45 "He'll never know that we're out there." 38:46 And she said, "It will be okay." 38:48 She talked and she talked and so I said okay. 38:50 So she opened the window and she got out 38:53 and she crawled all the way to the edge of the roof 38:56 with almost her feet hanging off. 38:59 Well, I got out and I wasn't near that nervy 39:01 and she kept saying come down here and I said, 39:03 "No, I'm not going that far." 39:06 Oh, all of a sudden my dad sticks his head off the window 39:10 and I just went, 'cause I thought we were in so... 39:13 But you know what he did? 39:14 He said, "Hey, girls," he said, "What you're up to?" 39:17 He's say, just like kind and everything and I thought, 39:21 "Wow, we're not gonna get in trouble about this." 39:24 And I said, "It wasn't my idea, Dad." 39:27 I said Abby want. 39:28 And he said, "Well, that's okay." 39:31 He said, you know, I was thinking, 39:33 he said that's little bit dangerous out there. 39:35 And he said, "You know, 39:36 if you're just gonna slip and fall, you really get hurt." 39:39 And he said, "I'm thinking the best thing is for you 39:41 to ease back." 39:42 He said, just kind of start to crawl backwards. 39:45 And all the time my mind I'm saying, 39:47 "We're not in trouble, I can't believe it." 39:50 You know, "He's just talking so nicely and kind 39:53 and telling us to come back in." 39:55 I'm thinking this is great. 39:56 That was smart, you know. 39:57 And so we did, you know, where I eased back in first 40:00 and then she finally, 40:02 and all the time he was talking, be careful now, 40:04 just come back real easy, you know, on there. 40:07 Got us both in, he said, "You girls have had it." 40:10 Oh, mercy. 40:11 Oh, Yeah. 40:13 And we got a good one, we got a good spanking. 40:15 But I think about that how he encouraged, 40:18 you know, he talked to us with the right attitude, 40:20 but we still had to face the consequences 40:22 that we went against. 40:24 And it turned out 40:26 that the neighbor had seen us on the roof 40:27 and called him and said, 40:29 your two little girls are on the roof. 40:30 Oh, yeah. 40:31 And so, and I think about it 40:33 as a parent how scared you would be 40:35 when you look out and you see a five year old 40:36 on the roof, you know. 40:38 Terrifying. 40:39 But he knew just how to handle it 40:41 and he just encouraged us back 40:42 but we still suffered consequences. 40:44 You know, if he had yelled "What are you doing," 40:47 he might have scared her because she was on the roof 40:51 and she would probably fell off. 40:52 You know, what I mean, 40:54 and Tammy would have passed out and rolled off. 40:55 Yeah, exactly. 40:56 Would have been because she knew what it was like, 40:58 but he handled 41:00 the way our Heavenly Father would handle it. 41:02 Exactly. Come on back. 41:03 Yeah, I've got that Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me." 41:07 Oh, yes. 41:08 "All ye that labor and are heavy laden." 41:10 Well, that's what your dad was saying, 41:12 "Come unto me, you're about to get killed." 41:16 Exactly. 41:18 I want to share just a real quick quote 41:20 and this is found in the book of A Call to Stand Apart 41:24 by Ellen White and it reads, 41:26 "The love of God still yearns over the one 41:29 who has chosen to separate from Him, 41:32 and He sets in operation influences 41:35 to bring him back to the Father's house." 41:38 That goes so well with your story with John 6 41:42 and with John 16 and her verse as well. 41:46 But I love that because no matter how far we've gone 41:51 to the edge of the precipice 41:53 in life, you know, how far, how low we've got into sin. 41:58 I mean, if we stop and think about it, 42:00 can sin ever separate us from our Heavenly Father? 42:03 Bible says no. 42:05 No. 42:06 No, and He's putting into place, He loves us so much, 42:10 that's why we should never, ever stop praying 42:12 for our family members, one another 42:15 because He's putting into place 42:17 things that will help to bring us back. 42:20 This passage, this little quote 42:22 gave me hope even for my children. 42:25 Yes. 42:26 I have children that have wandered away from the truth. 42:29 And my grandchildren, we've got a grandson 42:32 that's thinking about going into the service. 42:35 The moment he told me... 42:37 I was getting ready, he was gonna move the ministry 42:40 and I was getting ready to call and get some gas for him, 42:43 he told me that I just started crying, and I couldn't do it. 42:46 He wants to be a Navy SEAL. 42:50 I mean, life is tough enough 42:53 without putting yourselves in harms way. 42:55 And what these people, you know, praise God 42:58 there have been people that have helped to keep us free 43:00 in this world that we live in. 43:03 But like he told me, he said, 43:05 "It didn't have to be me though, does it grandma?" 43:08 But, you know, even in conversing with 43:11 and talking with him, 43:12 I talked with him for 30 minutes on it. 43:14 You know, well, you can't do this and you shouldn't. 43:17 It's the way in which you talk to them 43:19 and remember people who give you advice 43:23 if you listen, and they love you. 43:24 That's right. You know, that they love you. 43:27 I always say that about my mother, I said it many times. 43:30 I always agreed with her 43:32 and did what she asked me to do as an adult. 43:36 You know, as being her pastor for 12 years. 43:39 But every time she gave me a piece of advice, I listened. 43:42 Amen. Why? 43:44 Because I knew she loved me. 43:45 We know our Heavenly Father loves us, 43:47 the advice, commands He has given us in His Word, 43:50 we need to listen. 43:52 And I think one of thing that encourages me 43:55 we fell so far and so deep, we can't get back on our own. 44:00 That's right. 44:02 So what you read and I hear, He's prepared a way, 44:05 He calls us through the power of the Holy Spirit. 44:09 He puts that inside of us to want to go back home. 44:12 We can't even muster that up on our own. 44:15 We've gone so far away from Him, 44:17 we were so separated from Him that we can't come back 44:20 if it was not for the wooing of the Holy Spirit. 44:23 As the Holy Spirit woos us back into that relationship. 44:27 So that shows right there He cares for me. 44:30 He cares for the one who's went so far out 44:32 that you think there is no way back, 44:35 but the Holy Spirit, when he comes back 44:37 'cause the Holy Spirit is pleading and working 44:40 and things happening in their life 44:42 to get their attention. 44:44 And so I'm very grateful and thankful for that 44:47 and I want that Holy Spirit to continue to do that, 44:49 you know, in each of our hearts and our lives 44:51 to woo us and keep us in that right relationship with Him. 44:54 I'll tell you what, 44:56 the grass is not greener on the other side. 44:58 The fields are not any better on the other side, right? 45:00 Worse. 45:01 It's worse on the other side 45:03 because it causes so much division, separation, 45:04 and the things of this world, you know, what's out there. 45:07 I've learned more and more listening to my mind of late. 45:10 And I've always not, 45:12 things of the world is just not really important 45:14 because I know we're gonna pass away so it's gone, 45:16 but more and more it's just like I had to be very careful 45:19 because I know God says go, we have to occupy. 45:24 But right quick and right quick you say right here, 45:26 occupy what doing this, now, 45:27 this is not I'm gonna waste my time on. 45:29 Almost everything I find in the world, 45:32 I'm looking and I'm saying I'm wasting my time. 45:34 Not that there're other things we do and we have to do, 45:37 your job, and different things like that. 45:38 But we had to very careful, I do 45:41 because I'm trying to look and say, 45:43 this is what's important. 45:45 Our work for God is a most important thing, 45:49 always other things will pass away, you see. 45:52 All these other things are almost like, it's foolishness, 45:55 things that were foolishness, it's empty against God. 45:57 And that's really brought home so we keep that in mind, 46:00 we'll strive to try to do the best we can 46:02 for Christ everyday. 46:04 You know, I often pray for my children and friends, 46:07 you know, I'm sure all of you have friends 46:08 that you would love to accept Jesus, 46:11 accept the truth is to pray for conviction and conversion. 46:15 Because the prodigal son here, I mean, he was not convicted, 46:19 and he was not converted until he hit rock bottom, 46:23 and then he hit rock bottom, that stony heart he had 46:27 began to change into a heart of flesh. 46:30 But he made a decision to turn. That's right. 46:33 That was his turning point. 46:35 And unfortunately for many people it takes rock bottom 46:40 before you decide which direction you want to go, 46:43 where you get serious. 46:45 The question that you started to get, 46:47 it brought my mind is when was he converted? 46:52 Is it when he made that decision 46:54 that he's gonna go back home? 46:55 Or was that the beginning of conversion 46:58 when daddy wrapped his arms around him 47:00 and he's seen that he's really gonna be restored back 47:03 that really broke his heart. 47:05 I mean, I don't know if there is just a real answer to that 47:07 but what do you think because just because he said, 47:10 "Listen, I've been to rock bottom 47:13 that doesn't mean I've been converted. 47:14 I'm at rock bottom, I hit the bottom, 47:16 there's no place for me to go but up." 47:18 His misery conquered his pride, you know, 47:23 as when he turned it was that turning point, 47:25 you got to make a decision, that's our part. 47:27 Yes. Our part is the decision. 47:29 I had a friend shared with me once about her son, 47:33 she was a praying woman 47:35 and her son was one of the sons that needed to get back. 47:40 And she said, she would pray for him 47:42 and as though she heard the Spirit of the Lord 47:47 speak to her heart. 47:48 Why is this then every time I start to bounce him off 47:50 of the sidewalk, you run and put a pillow under him. 47:55 That was what she said that was quickened to her heart. 47:59 The Lord was trying to get his attention 48:01 and she kept rescuing him from every one of his situations. 48:05 And so there are times 48:08 when the safest place for my children 48:12 is in the hands of God, Holy Father, 48:15 whatever you see is best for them 48:17 to bring them into that place with You 48:19 that You would have them there. 48:21 Father, I'll let them in Your hands. 48:23 And it is so hard for we parents 48:26 to leave them in His hands when we want to do 48:28 is go rescue, you know, from a situation. 48:32 Yes, good. That's great, Mollie. 48:34 I was thinking of what you had read, Sister Chris. 48:37 "The love of God yearns over the one 48:39 who has chosen to separate from Him" 48:40 and He sets an operation influences 48:43 to bring him back to the Father's house, 48:45 that's exactly what God was doing with that mother 48:47 and the mother's child. 48:49 Setting an operation influences. 48:51 Now, some of those influences are painful. 48:54 Some of them are the consequences 48:55 as I mentioned of our choices, 48:59 but I think God uses the gentlest means necessary 49:03 to get our attention. 49:04 And if it just takes the tap that's what who you is, 49:06 but sometimes it takes a bigger stumble or fall 49:11 or something big in order to get our attention. 49:14 And I feel like I felt a lot of ways 49:17 when I was raising my children 49:19 because as Kenny said earlier, when he talked to his grandson, 49:22 he did it in the most loving way that he could 49:25 so his grandson would listen. 49:27 A lot of times when we're raising kids, 49:31 we have the rules but we don't show that much of 49:35 "This is because I love you that I'm doing this." 49:37 Sometimes it's don't do this and don't do that, and I'm not. 49:40 You know, we need to take more time to say, 49:43 "I love you so much, this is why that I'm saying 49:46 that you can't do this or you can't be a part of this." 49:49 Because how you say something is to anybody 49:52 makes all the difference in the world. 49:55 And you don't just love them when they're good. 49:58 You can ask any of my children 50:00 and one of them is right over there, 50:01 "Why does your mother love you?" 50:03 And he'll say, I bet he'll say it just like that, 50:05 "Because I'm hers." 50:07 I love my kids 'cause they're mine, 50:09 it's not their performance. 50:11 It's not a performance-based love for my children. 50:14 Right. I love my children. 50:16 And, you know, we're looking at this prodigal son 50:19 where God finally got his attention. 50:21 And all the worst thing in the world 50:23 maybe you could think that could happen to your son 50:26 was maybe for him to windup in prison, think about that. 50:29 How many people that are out of prison have you heard say, 50:33 "I thank God that He put me in prison." 50:37 Because it was there 50:38 when I was away from all these other distractions 50:41 that he finally got my attention. 50:43 Do you know in prison... 50:45 Some of the people that go into the prison, 50:47 they have been so addicted to something, 50:49 the substance abuse for so long 50:52 that it's only once they're in prison 50:54 if that substance abuse is broken over their lives. 50:57 And if you've got a mind clouded with some substance, 51:02 you know, the Spirit of the Lord has difficulty now. 51:06 He can do anything and I'm not saying it's impossible, 51:08 but you get that cloud off of. 51:11 I really believe that we could get the cloud, 51:14 the enemy's cloud off of the minds of people 51:18 that they would turn to God. 51:19 Amen. 51:20 Oh, yes, He has us so diluted, 51:24 what's the word that Revelation uses? 51:27 He's using sorcery and we don't realize it. 51:31 I remember listening to one of Pastor Ivor's messages 51:34 and he asked the church, he said, 51:35 "Well, how many of, you guys, have faced sorcery today?" 51:38 And no hand went up till he was finished with the sermon, 51:41 because we don't... 51:43 Yes, because we don't realize, we don't recognize the sorcery 51:47 until we begin to really dig in and open up the avenues 51:51 that the enemy uses towards our mind. 51:55 I think we're probably close 51:57 maybe with this question number seven. 52:00 What lessons can be learned by the prodigal son's father, 52:04 covering his ragged appearance with his own robe? 52:09 There's so many things that brought to my mind. 52:12 When you say the robe, you know, 52:14 first thing I think about and everybody I'm sure does it, 52:16 the robe of his righteousness has to cover, 52:20 you see, my poor pathetic life 52:22 and all the things I've done wrong and all my sin. 52:25 But it's also interesting in there, 52:27 He cannot give us that robe of righteousness 52:29 while we still have sin. 52:33 If we have one unconfessed sin, 52:35 we cannot receive the latter rain 52:36 or that robe of righteousness so it's very important. 52:39 You feel, oh, I don't... 52:40 All I have to do is get down on knees and pray to confess. 52:42 He's faithful and just to forgive us. 52:44 So, it's more simple than what people thought, 52:47 they start looking what they may be have to give up 52:50 and change their life and do everything, you know, 52:52 just come to Him. 52:53 And you make such a good point. 52:55 Get down on your knees and pray because think about this, 52:58 we cannot have unconfessed sin in our life. 53:00 We're all on agreement with that. 53:02 Yes. 53:03 Boy, I had to think long and hard if I could, 53:06 you know, come up with all the sins 53:08 I've committed but when you get on your knees 53:10 and ask the Father. 53:12 I always say, search me on God thing 53:14 that I say so often God knows. 53:17 And so, Lord, lead me, show me those areas 53:21 that I need to confess before You those forgotten sins 53:25 that I've done. 53:26 "Father, what I want to do is stand before You 53:28 with clean hands and heart, help Lord, help, help me." 53:31 He'll help you. Amen. 53:33 Do you know he did that to me just a few weeks ago? 53:37 The story was brought back to my mind. 53:39 I was in first grade 53:41 and I was out playing with the neighborhood children 53:43 and we were jumping from upside down water and trough 53:47 up to a swing set pole. 53:50 And I missed it and my arm went back 53:54 and it twisted and broke. 53:56 I knew my daddy like you knew your daddy, 53:59 my daddy wasn't a Christian and I knew I was in trouble. 54:03 So I made up a story that the oldest child pushed me, 54:07 and I hung on to that story for years and years. 54:10 And right after the Lord He says you haven't told them, 54:15 you know, you haven't said you're sorry. 54:17 And it wasn't but maybe a week later 54:19 and I meet that mother and we're talking 54:22 and I said, "By the way, I didn't tell the truth, 54:25 I'm sorry about that." 54:27 They all kind of laughed at me, 54:28 but it still was important to me 54:31 that I mentioned that to her. 54:32 You confessed a sin. 54:34 Yeah, you know, and but like the prodigal son here, 54:36 you said nothing unclean. 54:39 See he had hit rock bottom and he repented, 54:42 he turned from his sin, went back home, 54:46 and so then the father covered him. 54:48 And I love this quote from the same book it says, 54:51 "The father will permit no contemptuous eye 54:54 to mark at his son's misery and tatters." 54:57 See Jesus, He doesn't browbeat us, 55:02 "I told you if you would have done this, 55:04 I told you if you lied about that boy pushing 55:06 your life would be like..." 55:07 He doesn't do that, He loves us back, 55:11 and He gives us His robe, His robe, 55:13 not ours because we have no good within ourselves, 55:16 our very best is as filthy rags that is so, you know, 55:20 many times we think we were something 55:22 but when you stop him 55:23 and put it in perspective of scripture 55:25 that the very best you can do as a filthy rag. 55:29 And I know you, ladies and you gentlemen, 55:31 have had filthy rags, that's our very best. 55:34 We're nothing without Him. 55:36 And He loves us so much that He's willing to put His love, 55:40 His righteous, He doesn't want people to make fun of you, 55:43 Bruce, when you're fallen. 55:45 He says, He washes those sins, 55:47 He throws them to the bottom of the sea. 55:51 I like the story you tell about one man that was, 55:53 came to Jesus and he was a new creature 55:56 and someone stood up at prayer meeting 55:58 and said, "Yes, but you were part of hell's angels, 56:00 you did this and you did that." 56:02 And he said, "How could I, I'm just a baby." 56:04 I'm just six months old. I'm just a baby. 56:08 He's in his 40s but he said, I'm six months old, 56:10 he made a new life. 56:12 How could I've done all these things, 56:13 that's an impossibility. 56:14 I think it's a way we all look at it. 56:16 And this is how we should treat one another, 56:17 it's not our past, our past is not gonna define us. 56:21 It's where we end up. 56:23 It's who we are now. 56:24 And when we've done wrong, we have to do quickly 56:26 'cause we have minute left, is that we have to confess, 56:29 he knew he had done two things. 56:31 He sinned against the Father in heaven, right, 56:34 and he sinned against his father. 56:35 And he was determined to go back and make it right. 56:37 And there may be someone at home, Pastor Kenny, 56:40 that you feel like you have had no home, no hope, 56:43 nothing to hang on to, Jesus is there, 56:46 and you can come home at any time. 56:49 Get on your knees like Mollie said 56:50 and ask for forgiveness, make things right, 56:53 and call upon your Father. 56:54 Would you like to call upon the Father for us? 56:56 Absolutely, let's close with prayer. 56:57 Shall we pray with us, will you please? 56:59 Our loving Father in heaven, 57:01 we thank You for the study of Your Word. 57:03 Thank You for the power of Thy Holy Spirit, 57:04 we thank You for the thoughts that You brought 57:07 for those who are listening, those who are watching, 57:09 we pray for conviction of heaven 57:10 to be upon each and every one. 57:12 And, Lord, may we find You, 57:13 and find an ample place in our hearts for You 57:17 that we might be saved in Your kingdom when You come. 57:19 Thank You for the story, 57:21 you can come home at any time in Jesus' name. 57:23 Amen. Amen. 57:25 Until next time may our precious Lord 57:27 continue to bless each and every one of you. 57:30 Amen. |
Revised 2017-08-14