A FRIEND

THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON 

'...He was lost and is found.' Luke 15:32 NIV

The Prodigal Son didn't really know who his father was or how his father felt about him until he left home. Looking back, he thought, 'I left the best thing I ever had.' After ending up in a hog pen he 'came to himself' (Luke 15:17). Looking around, he thought, 'This is not how I was meant to live.' At that point his life took a dramatic turn. Upon his return, his father threw a big party.

When the Prodigal Son got a revelation of who his father was, he discovered who was; then he could really celebrate. Until you discover who God is, and who you are, there's nothing to celebrate. You'll just keep trying to buy love, get people to like you, try to win their friendships, try to make connections, try to be with the right people at the right place at the right time in order to get to the right destination, etc. But once you know Who your Father is, and who you are, you get to go back home and take your rightful place at the table. No more loneliness. No more guilt. No more lacking.

Listen to the Father's words: 'We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' (Luke 15:32 NIV) When he left home the Prodigal Son was saying, '...Give me my share of the estate...' (Luke 15:12 NIV) But he discovered that you can have all the 'stuff' in the world, yet it means nothing without the assurance of your Father's love. Get the idea?

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND

[Jesus said,] “I have called you friends.” —John 15:15

One of the ironic consequences of the sweeping growth of social media is that we often find ourselves more personally isolated. One online article warns: “Those who oppose leading one’s life primarily or exclusively online claim that virtual friends are not adequate substitutes for real-world friends, and . . . individuals who substitute virtual friends for physical friends become even lonelier and more depressive than before.”

Technology aside, all of us battle with seasons of loneliness, wondering if anyone knows, understands, or cares about the burdens we carry or the struggles we face. But followers of Christ have an assurance that brings comfort to our weary hearts. The comforting presence of the Savior is promised in words that are undeniable, for the psalmist David wrote, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4).
Whether isolated by our own choices, by the cultural trends that surround us, or by the painful losses of life, all who know Christ can rest in the presence of the Shepherd of our hearts. What a friend we have in Jesus!

I’ve found a Friend; O such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound me to Him.

Those who know Jesus as their Friend are never alone.

Indecision Can Be Deadly

"Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity" (Psalm 37:1).

When you find yourself in times of trouble and your back is against the wall, it's usually a result of one of two things: foolishness or the enemy. Let me explain.

God has a plan for your life and God's plan is always a good plan. The devil has a plan for your life and his plan is always a bad plan. Following God's plan will bring peace and contentment. Following the devil's plan will always bring strife, destruction, and death.

The Bible,God's word, tells us that we have placed before us life and death. Actually there are three choices. We can choose life or we can choose death or we can choose not to choose. Only one choice will bring life. The other two choices will bring destruction and confusion.

One of the two wrong choices invites the enemy into the camp where he brings havoc and mayhem. The other wrong choice leans toward your own understanding. The understanding and wisdom of man is a better choice than an alliance with the enemy. However, the end result is still the same.

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Over the years I have seen people make the wrong choice in life, but indecision can also be deadly. Last week I was watching a major league baseball game. The batter hit a line drive into the outfield that looked like it could be caught. The runner on second started running toward third but stopped halfway there. He couldn't decide whether to go to third or to go back to second. The ball wasn't caught, but dropped in for a hit. However the runner on second was easily tagged out because he couldn't make a decision.

God's Word tells us that we must decide. When it comes to the moral issues of the day, we cannot be silent and say nothing. Abortion, homosexuality, and Christian rights cannot be ignored. We cannot allow the enemy to rule our lives because of our indecision. Jesus said in Revelation 3:16 that He would rather for us to be hot or cold because if we lukewarm, He would spew us out of His mouth. There's a reason He used that terminology.

Some Bible commentaries say that back then, physicians would use lukewarm water to produce nausea and vomiting. So those Jesus spoke this to emphasize exactly what He meant. One version of the Bible translates that verse in a way that people today can relate to: "Because you are not one thing or the other, I will have no more to do with you" (Rev. 3:16 The Bible in Basic English).

We have the truth and deception placed before us. Take the truth and leave deception and indecision behind.