Verse of the day

Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong. Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God's love for us].

1 CORINTHIANS 16:13‭-‬14 AMP

https://bible.com/bible/1588/1co.16.13-14.AMP

Psalms 3:3

But thou, O Lord , art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
Psalms 3:3 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.3.3.KJV

Commentary:

If you are a believer out there, you must know that the Bible says that you have an adversary, the devil, who is relentlessly at work against you and any progress you wish to make in your godliness and labour of Love. His purpose is to destroy, still, kill anything good in your life.

However, there is a flip side of that coin... and it is that you have a loyal Partner, Friend and Family in the person of God, Author of Life and Creator of all things. 

He is and will always be for you because His love for you is infinite.

This is the best news ever because your enemy the devil in all his might is no match to GOD. 

So our verse for today acknowledges the presence of this real enemy but in the midst of that realisation it elevates our spirits to understand that God is equally present and he is our shield and defender against the enemy and anything he can throw against us. 

We are safe and secure... we are more than conquerors and we can walk with our heads up high.

Amen!

Heavenly loving father, thank you for being my shield.

1 Corinthians 15:57

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.15.57.ESV

Commentary:

The key word today is Victory!

Yes, victory over defeat, death, failure, hopelessness, helplessness, fear, despair, doubt and unbelief.

Thanks be to God for our Victory obtained through Christ. 

In other words, there is for you a victory stored up in Christ and by Christ over whatever challenging situation you are facing right now, which keeps your head down and your soul downcast.

All you need is to realise that Christ is your victory and He invites you to appropriate your triumph through faith in Him and His perfect works for you.

This is what the Bible means by "we are more than conquerors..."

So wait no longer! Rise up and walk in your victory over pornography, sexual immortality, poverty, laziness, hate, unforgiveness, idolatry, hypocrisy, sin and death.

The Lord Jesus Christ has already done all the work, all you have got to do is to draw near Him and He will draw near you. Repent, believe and be baptized.

Ask me how?

Thank God, the Word became Flesh!!!

In John 14:1 we read the words of Jesus Christ to His disciples: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”

Jesus Christ perceived that His time to be physically removed from His disciples through the humiliation of the Cross was at hand. Knowing the gruesome experience His crucifixion will be for His disciples, Jesus undertook to encourage them. He foresaw the confusion, despair, and fear in the hearts of his disciples. Why was Christ so eager to encourage his disciples? He really knew that they will be looking for an answer and most importantly His awareness of their emotional rollercoaster was not simply from a cognitive standing point but much more, He understood their emotions by personal experience because being clothed in the flesh the Son of God shared in our feelings of pain, anxiety and confusion. 

What am i saying? The trouble in the heart of the disciples which Jesus is addressing is not a simple concept to Him, He knows or can fully relate to it personally on an emotional level. This truth is the more relevant for us today! Whatever trouble and pain or confusion we may be facing in our personal lives, we have a man at the right hand of God who feels comprehensively what we feel and stands day and night in the face of God interceding for us so that we may receive the help and courage we need to overcome our trying moments. Knowing the above is a fantastic and liberating truth that grants us peace and faith in God even in the midst of trouble like Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.

So, It was necessary for the Christ to partake in flesh and blood in order for God to have an experiential exposition to the full range of our human experience. Temptation, fatigue, pain, hurt, anxiety, to name only those, were all things God couldn't fully relate to in terms of our human experience until God the Son became flesh.

1 Chronicles 29:13

And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.
1 Chronicles 29:13 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1ch.29.13.ESV

Commentary:

Thanksgiving and praise work hand in hand.

Today, you are encouraged to be thankful and express thanksgiving and praise to God.

Come to think of it... it is quasi impossible to express thanksgiving to God without ultimately raising up a praise to His name. 

Someone said: "when the praises go up, His blessings come down."

People are more concern about getting blessed nowadays but they have lost the secret which guarantees God's blessing upon their lives.

Be thankful, let your praise rise up and see how God opens up the heavens and sends you a blessing that nothing can contain.

Thank you Lord for this word. From now on I chose to be thankful!

Shalom.

Account for your Faith in Christ.

Here bellow is a real Q & A I had with anonymous (A friend of mine). I share this to help my reader to be able to also give a good account of their faith if push comes to shove. 

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Question: 

Why have you believed in Jesus Christ? What is your goal?

ANSWER:

Hi Anonymous! 

I hope you are well. I must say, your question puzzled me. 

For it makes me think of a scenario where a drowning person in the middle of the sea is asked the question to know why did s/he allowed the lifesaver to pull him/her out of the water. Or asking a dying person with a terminal disease why are they giving their arm to receive the injection of the only authenticated serum which can cure their disease and save your life.

Such question can be considered absurd because a dying man doesn't have a choice! Death is the direct result of the fall. We were created to live and enjoy God forever. Satan tricked us and through sin he caused us to die.

When by God's Grace and Mercy we hear the call of Christ through His preached Gospel, we can only open our arms wide and receive life, abundant life. 

So to answer the question why choosing Christ, the answer would be how could i not? 

He is the essence of life and without Him we can do nothing!!! Our Lives have no meaning and no purpose when Christ is excluded from them. He alone puts everything into perspective for us. 

Rejecting Him is embracing death... I was created for life and abundant life.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." John 10:1‭-‬5 ESV

If you are among His sheep... you will not miss His return. You can only worry if you are not sure of where you are standing. I will encourage you to make sure before it is too late.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 ESV

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." John 3:16‭-‬21 ESV

“For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."” Romans 10:5‭-‬13 ESV

This was very long but necessary. I hope I have answered your questions. If you need more clarity don't hesitate to ask again. 

Peace to you.

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The word says, today if you hear his voice do not harden your heart. Stop looking for meaning, purpose and significance outside of Jesus Christ. You will come up empty.

Today if you open up your heart, true change may come to you. 

Wait no longer...

Feel free to reach out, we are here for you!

GOD HAS A HUMAN FACE – JESUS!

God, Author and Source of life, Creator of heaven and earth, I Am who I Am, has a human face and His name is Jesus!!

Apart from the person of Jesus Christ, most of the descriptive languages the bible records concerning God are quite difficult to understand. Therefore the best shot we have to knowing, understanding and relating to God is through His only begotten Son - JESUS, by the Power / enablement / illumination of the Holy Spirit. So Jesus Christ alone bridges the Gap between man and God and therefore He offers men a unique opportunity to know God for real! He is simultaneously God’s decoding to the human experience and man’s perfect example of how to relate to God. This is the reason the Bible refers to Him as the Second Adam and Lord simultaneously.

So it is credible to think that the Godhead has a full grasp of the human experience through Jesus Christ... similarly, our best chance of knowing, understanding and relating to God is through Christ alone. In Him and Him alone men and God find a middle ground from where we can begin to build a lasting, profound and meaningful relationship. So the study of Christ work and person are indispensable in our ability to relate to God. Anyone who desires to know God MUST come to Christ. Any other attempt outside of HIM is a futile exercise. "Know The LORD!"

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2co.12.9.ESV

Acts 20:24

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:24 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/act.20.24.ESV

Reckless Love

Prayer is Paramount!

WHO IS GOD?

Did you know that the Christian GOD is in fact a personal and relational Being who wants to relate to us and be intimately known by us? The Scripture is filled with proof and evidence to this assertion. This very truth is in fact our single pursuit as a ministry - K.E.Y.S Ministries.

To know God and make Him known.

Just for starter - Please if you own a bible open it in John 14:1-31. Alternatively you can search it on Google. Read it slowly up to 5 times. Once done, come back on this page and carefully consider what follows.

The key verses for us in that scripture are the ones which record the one million dollars question - Who is God? (Paraphrased)

Here it is - John 14:8-10

"Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works."

Everything that follows the above text is simply an expansion or further elaboration by Jesus Christ of how we can arrive to the certainty of our personal knowledge of God. Jesus gives a complete exposé on the Godhead (God) and how we should relate to Him - Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

Hence John 14:1-31 is the cornerstone of my assignment to the body of Christ and the world.

It is my belief that this passage offers the best insight in our quest to know who God is.

So if you, as human, have ever asked yourself the question to know who God is, the answer is given here - John 14:6-7 "6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”"

So you want to know God? You really, really want to know Him? START with CHRIST!!!

Jesus Christ is the KEY who will unlock the mystery of the fullness of God to our limited human mind.

Why Jesus you ask? Because He said so (John 14:6-7) and because in Him (that is in His body) THE FULLNESS OF GOD and THE COMPLETE ESSENCE/NATURE OF MAN have been made ONE in the HYPOSTATIC UNION. Thus Jesus Christ is representative of BOTH NATURES and the only one who can bring us full understanding of who GOD is.

...To be Continued...

2 Corinthians 7:1

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2co.7.1.ESV

Desiring God - Pornography!

I surrender

Hebrews 9:28

so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:28 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/heb.9.28.ESV

Romans 8:26-30

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:26‭-‬30 ESV

http://bible.com/59/rom.8.26-30.ESV

RZIM Q&A

Repentance!! By Charles Spurgeon

You Cover Me

God's Verdict over Mankind.

God has built a case against mankind in His supreme court. Romans 3:9-18 lays out His charges against us.

No One Is Righteous - [Because, no one seeks God and no one fears and reveres Him]

[9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,

10 as it is written: 

"None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, 

not even one." 

13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." 

"The venom of asps is under their lips." 14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." 

15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 

17 and the way of peace they have not known." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."]

Faced with these charges, every honest human being must plead - Guilty!!

Christ is our only hope! (John 3:16, Acts 4:12) Call upon the name of the Lord now and be saved.

On our own we can never satisfy and meet the standards of Christ. He said it Himself, without me you can do nothing. John 14:6 "6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Come running, all of you into the mercy seat.

ASK ME HOW!!!

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.1.14.ESV

Biblically Defining Sin and the Sinner.

What is sin?
It is anything we do, say, think which offends God and go against His will, person, authority, word, moral standard. Whether this offense is done consciously or unconsciously, does not matter. When it happens, we have sinned.

The Bible has several terms to express the range of our offense to God. Sin is therefore missing the mark, going astray, transgressing, rebelling and being in a godlessness state (i.e: utterly wicked).
The result is total death and eternal separation from God.

The sinner therefore is whosoever that has that natural inbuilt capacity and ability to sin. 

Hence the Bible declares that this is the condition of every single human beings.
Rom. 3:10-12, 23. Bad news!

Rom. 3:24-26. Good news!

The discourse that expound on the two above mentioned realities (Bad news and Good news) is what we refer to as the Gospel Message. This message is destined for every single human being on the face of the earth.

It is therefore imperative that we understand and recognize that man is not a sinner because he sins but he sins because he is a sinner. 

In other words it is not our bad deeds that turn us into sinners deserving God's wrath but rather our fallen nature and total depravity which compel us to carry out bad deeds and dishonor God, that is what earn us the qualification of Sinners.

We are born this way... Fallen creatures! One may as well say that it is over for us even before we could start. True! But thank be to God for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! He is our open door to mercy and grace.


Kiss the Son and Live!!!

Amen.

James 1:2-3

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
James 1:2‭-‬3 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jas.1.2-3.ESV

God is GOOD all the Time!

I love this piece, it is not my own. Read it attentively i know it will bless your heart.

A King had a male servant who, in all circumstances always said to him; My king, do not be discouraged because everything God does is perfect, no mistakes. 

One day, they went hunting and a wild animal attacked the king, the servant managed to kill the animal but couldn't prevent his majesty from losing a finger. Furious and without showing gratitude, the King said; if God was good, I would not have been attacked and lost one finger. 

The servant replied, 'despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good and everything He does is perfect, He is never wrong'. Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his servant. While being taken to prison, he told the king again, God is Good & Perfect. 

Another day, the king left alone for another hunt and was captured by savages who use human beings for sacrifice. On the altar, the savages found out that the king didn't have one finger in place, he was released because he was considered not "complete" to be offered to the gods. 

On his return to the palace, he ordered the release of his servant and said; My friend, God was really good to me. I was almost killed but for lack of a single finger, I was let go. But I have a question; If God is so good, why did He allow me to put you in prison? 

His servant replied; My king, if I had not been put in prison, I would have gone with you, and would have been sacrificed, because I have no missing finger. 

Everything God does is perfect, He is never wrong. Often we complain about life, and the negative things that happen to us, forgetting that everything happens for a purpose. God knows why you are reading this message today, please bless someone with it by sharing it. 

God is good and perfect!! My dear friend, a good attitude will determine your altitude. When you look at your life, career, job or family life, what do you say? Do you praise God? Do you blame the Satan? A good attitude towards God makes Him move on your behalf. Just sit down and say, Today , I am thankful I had a peaceful sleep, I am thankful I am alive with possibilities, I am thankful I have a roof over me, I am thankful I have a job, I am thankful that I have Family and Friends. Above all, I am thankful that I have God in my life . 

Be blessed and don't be envious or shocked when others are prospering because you don't know what they have been through to get there (test, trials and tribulation) so thank God for what you have. "Little is much when God is in it. It Is Well With God's grace.

And everyone says Amen!

Verse of the Day!

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.13.20.ESV

Thanksgiving!

Dear Heavenly Father, Father of all the nations of the earth,

I humbly come to you right now as your creation and child in the Name of my Lord and Saviour - Jesus, the Christ, to say thank you:

Yes, thank you for the breath of Life, thank you for my health, thank you for the gift of intellect, thank you for my salvation by grace through faith and eternal life, thank you for the clothes on my back, thank you for a place to sleep, thank you for the air i breath, thank you for the food you've provided, thank you for the gift of family, thank you for your financial blessing upon me and my posterity and finally thank you for your special call upon my life...

Wow, time and space will not allow me to thank you for the sun, the earth, the seas, the wind, the fauna and the flora, the angels that surround and protect me, the government, the church, my looks, etc...

*Sigh!... does it ever end?

To give thanks to you for all i am and where i am at this point in time is not a favor, it is a privilege. This i know and believe whole heartedly because of what i read in Psalm 100:

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

1 A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Hallelujah, The Lord is God, He made us and we are His, the sheep of His pasture...

Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord....!!!

In the matchless Name of Jesus Christ i pray, AMEN!

Why John 14?

In John 14, Jesus Christ explains the Godhead to His disciples and how after His physical removal they were going to not only continue to relate to Him as if He never left, but more so to Godhead (Trinity) on a day to day basis with immediate and direct access whenever the need would arise.

The encouragement i find in 14 is therefore the fact that we too who are in Christ today, more than 2000 years after he physically walked in and around Judea, we can relate with Him just like the disciples did. We too can personally Know Christ and have a real relationship with the Godhead - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 22:4

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

Proverbs 22:4 ESV

https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.22.4.ESV  

Psalms 42:11

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Psalms 42:11 ESV

https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.42.11.ESV

THE PRODIGAL CHILD!

The Prodigal Child, also known as the parable of the lost son, is a biblical parable found in Luke 15. The word Parable finds its roots in the Greek verb παραβάλλω – “to throw by the side of, to compare”. Gabel & Wheeler (1990:189) write: “The parable originally was a brief story that used details from ordinary life to illustrate a moral point, like the parable of the two house builders in Matthew 7:24-27, and it was an effective teaching device because it put things in terms that people could understand and made them easy to remember.” The Lord Jesus has often made use of parables in His teachings as illustrative device to reveal in simple relatable terms the complex and difficult concepts of divine truth.

It is therefore imperative for us to discern the divine revelations the Lord Jesus Christ is conveying in this parable in order for us to grow spiritually.

Luke 15:11-24 - English Standard Version (ESV)

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

The text can rightly be divided into 2 major sections:

1. The lost son – Vv. 11-20a;

2. The loving and compassionate father – Vv. 20b-24;

In Jesus’ days, faith and communion with God was earned at great expense because of the ever expanding laws that the religious leaders of that time imposed on all sincere seekers (Matthew 23:1-36). This situation certainly distorted the general public view of who God truly was. It had probably created an image of a distant and far removed entity that had no peculiar interest in human condition and suffering and was not concerned about human affairs, because He was far too Holy and Transcendent.

Through this parable, the Lord Jesus Christ comes to dispel this myth and reveal unto His direct audience and the believers of today that Our God is in fact a loving father who is keenly aware of our fallen condition and He longs to see us promptly turn to Him for mercy and the salvation of our souls. God is more interested in saving people from all walks of life without distinctions, rather than damning and condemning mankind without a genuine opportunity of reconciliation and restoration.

The above is indeed the truth explicitly revealed in the first 2 parables of Luke 15 – Joy in heaven over one sinner repenting. The third parable carries on the exact same truth.

Let us turn to our text now – Luke 15: 11-24.

Vv. 11 - 20a: The lost son

-                      HIS ARROGANCE:

When Jesus told this parable, He was fully aware of the laws of inheritance for the Jews (Deut.21:15-17; Numbers 27:8-11). According to these scriptures, in order to speak of inheritance the master of a household (father) must be dead or in a physical condition that prevents him to continue to provide effective leadership for his household. The law also stated that first male born (heir of a family) always received a double portion of the inheritance in comparison to his brothers. In this tradition, a father ruled as a little king over his household; a rebellious child was punishable of death (Deut.21:18-21).

The younger son in our parable here presented himself before his living and healthy father and demanded to be given his portion of the inheritance. This was an open act of rebellion against his father. Doesn’t this ring a bell in your mind? Open rebellion against authority! This is exactly the state of the human heart in relation to God, isn’t it?

The arrogant belief that we can do well all by ourselves… that we don’t need someone in the sky dictating what we can or can’t do. Humanity today is characterized by a complete lack of reverence for God. Mankind in general wishes to have nothing to do with God anymore. This rebellious disposition is the direct result of the fall (Gen.3). Man expresses in every way possible a total rejection of God, His word and His authority.

-                      HIS FALL:

Back to our text, the actions of the younger son were punishable of death. Yet the good father does not fight with him. He gives him what he asked for. This very much rings a bell with Romans 1:18ff. When we insist on having our way, God will ultimately abandon us to the self-destructing desires of our hearts.

In a short span of time, the prodigal son sells all the goods he was given as an inheritance and takes off with his newly acquired wealth to a far remote region away from the presence of his father. There, he wasted away all his fortune in careless living. This child who was royalty in every way found himself in the field with pigs deeply longing for what theses filthy animals were feeding on. [This is exactly what sin does to us dear friends. It removes us from the palace unto a pig’s life]

-                      HIS REPENTANCE:

V.17 “…he came to himself…” O how I wish that many of us will come to ourselves today as we read through this sermon! How I wish that many in 2018 will come to themselves and realize that Jesus is all they need. Not another romantic relation, not more money, not another church, not another Job, not another country but simply Jesus. Let us come to ourselves and realize how low we have fallen!

The younger son realized how great his sin was that with much remorse he acknowledged that he wasn’t even worthy to be called the son of his father anymore (V.19). A broken heart! This is what should accompany every act of repentance. When last did you really have a broken heart over your sins and rebellious attitude toward God, His word and the church?

Vv. 20b-24: The loving and compassionate father

-                      THE FATHER-GOD’S HEART REVEALED (Profound compassion and mercy):

Just like our Heavenly Father waits eagerly on us to turn from our wicked ways and to come back to Him with truly broken hearts, the father in the parable was always on the lookout, awaiting the return of his rebellious child. In V.20b we read: “…the father saw him and was moved with pity… he ran and embraced him…”

CAUTION - When the Bible says that God loves sinners, it does not mean that He is pleased with them or that He approves of their ways. He finds pleasure and great joy only in the righteous. But his love toward sinners is expressed in compassion and mercy. So the father took pity upon his son because he loved him dearly and it broke his heart to see him in the condition he was.

There are two key reasons why the father ran toward the returning son.

First, moved with compassion he couldn’t resist from running to his son who had found reason and was returning home.

Secondly, it was a protective move because this son was punishable of death for what he had done. If any other person of this area had recognized him and gotten to him first, his death sentencing would have been inevitable. So before anyone could get to him, the father made sure to get to him first and he kissed him, assuring his son that he did not come up to him in judgment. He was rather offering mercy, forgiveness, and restoration.

So, what is Jesus revealing unto us in this parable? Our Heavenly Father to this day earnestly awaits the return of all rebellious children into His loving arms (2Tim.2:4; 4:9-10).

God continuously seeks out repentant sinners, and He rejoices greatly every time a rebellious soul runs into His loving arms through His SON JESUS – the way, the truth and the life.

Indeed, it is in Jesus alone that the Justice of God is satisfied and His Joy is made complete.

CONCLUSION

Vv.22-24 we encounter again the theme of celebration like in the previous two parables.

The young brother had done a despicable thing. He dishonored not only the father, but the entire family by putting them in great financial risk. He had no right to come back! He had nothing more to get from his father. He took all that was his and wasted it. Just like many of us are wasting the precious breath of Life God has given us. Instead of honoring Him with our lives, we are choosing to waste it in futilities and degrading behaviors. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. Return immediately for He will not cast you away! He said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. The God that we serve is a God of second, third, etc… chance.

It doesn’t matter what you did, how you did it, where you did it or how long you have done it. Should you come to yourself today and turn to God with a truly broken and repentant heart, He will restore you.

APPEAL:

Are you a rebellious child who realizes that you have been rejecting God’s authority over your life? GOD is eagerly waiting on you to come home. Seek Him with all your heart (2Chrn.7:13-14; John 3:16; Rom.10:8-13).

Heb_11:20-21

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph.