The missed lesson in the story of the prodigal son

Most of us know the story of the prodigal son; if you do not you kind find it in Luke 15 starting in verse 11. Allow me to recap.

            Son says “Dad I want what will be mine when you’re dead, I don’t want to wait”. Dad gives it. Kid travel to the hottest party spot and then surrounds himself with people and parties until broke. Famine hits (think economic downturn) and he is out of cash. He finds himself in debt to a man that has him working in pig pins feeding them, he is considering eating that stuff they eat, remembering the good old days. Then he decides to go home.

Luke 15

            ¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

So here we have a son of entitlement, thinking that all should be given to him. Much like we have today with kids living at home until they are 21-26 and some even older. There are people in their 30s still having parents pay for things for them. This is a generation of prodigal spirits. A society that says, I am entitled, I deserve this and that, I should not have to work and be patient. I want it now.

            So rather than argue, the father out of love gives the desires to the kid. Much as our heavenly Father has given to us freely, we have the freedom to choose, even if that choice abuses his good and loving nature. When the boy starts to return home, he knows that he has nothing of value left, he has tried to do it his way and has failed, he knows he deserves nothing. He decides he will beg to be a servant in the fathers house. He realizes his own failure and dirtiness and knows that if his father will have him he, will serve him. The act of the father taking him back in all his filthiness, despite all he has done, makes the boy want to serve him. He realizes that his father’s servants have good and happy lives of abundance, when he has squandered all he had. He realizes the intelligence of the father plan, and a goodness that he has abused.

            He goes home and is welcomed back. We have all been told that this is the way it is, that God loves us just like this prodigal son, and will accept us back, and He will!    …………………… But we see a change in the son in scripture. It is often overlooked. He went away with the heart of arrogance and self-desire. He returned with the heart of the servant, in humility. When we develop the heart of a servant then we truly can move into our true role in the house of the father. The arrogant son caused the father pain, the house was divided. But the humble servant that returned to him restored the family. Remember that the Father that accepts us regardless of circumstance, also desires to create in us the heart of a servant.

For even Jesus came to serve (Mark 10:45), and we should daily desire to be more Christ like.

Prayer:

Lord develop in me the character of a servant, ever willing to place my hands in the work of your kingdom. Let my desires be the completion of your activities. May others never hear me complain but always rejoicing in what you place before me. You are great and I am worthy only through the blood of your Son Jesus, thank you for welcoming me into your house. I love you Father. Amen

Does the your church share the gospel of Jesus?

It is with a unique mindset I begin this blog today.

I have struggled over whether to write this. The question comes from the fact that some who read this may be able to determine the churches that I mention, please realize that is not the point. There is no malice in the writing and I would ask that none of the readers even consider which churches I reference only the occurrences. This is an issue that can be found in too many churches and the Lord has burdened my heart with this.

My wife and I have been attending a church together for over a year now. In that time we have seen Sunday school and then eventually Wednesday night services canceled in the name of restructuring. I am in agreement that it was needed and I think that the idea was accepted as a good thing by the congregation, lack of progress weighs on some, but there is no lack of support. The pastor is a powerful worship leader, a gifted evangelist, and so we have what people would deem anointed worship meetings on Sunday morning. The music is phenomenal and we are blessed, but not growing.

I recently set in a meeting of the Sunday school remnant that met on their own accord and listened to people speak of tough spiritual times, they spoke of feeling they are in a holding pattern, hard times spiritually. I believe this is because they are in a holding pattern in the physical in regards to the church. Children of the kingdom were meant to serve and for those truly committed to serving and who had been serving the church, they are unsure of an outlet for that service. They desire to serve but they are struggling as there is no outlet and they feel they are linked to this physical church. They also know in spirit that there is something missing.

My wife and I began attending another church on Wednesday evening for a small group, we follow the preaching by podcast, and have attending a time or two. We both agree that it is not the type of church we prefer. These services are not as powerful and seem not to have the same flare. But they are growing, they are seeking to involve their members and have allowed us an outlet to serve the community, and without any pressure for us to leave our church home. Not a week goes by where they are not active in doing something in the community. Sometimes just quietly going to the park and picking up trash.

They are doing all the things the other church is not. They have published worship times, website, community involvement, outreach, small groups, and children’s ministries. I had thought to myself, clearly this is the reason they are growing. No it is not. I thought they get all members involved, giving them an area to serve, that must be the reason. No, a servant will serve regardless of whether their church organizes it for them. So why are they growing?? What is the secret??

There is no secret, I realized the other day what the difference is, it is obedience to the great commission. Keep in mind this is not meant to hurt feelings or step on toes. Most of you that read this have no idea the churches and those that do, understand this plays out all over the country in the same way. This is not unique. One church is sharing the gospel, people are being saved, heaven is rejoicing weekly for the lost sheep saved (Luke 15:1-7). As heaven erupts in rejoicing the church grows. Not only do they share the gospel every Sunday but they teach there people how to share it. Jesus is enough, no secret needed. Now the church that is not growing is great at worship and they love God, and they have fallen into a pattern. They have settled for the presence of God and worshiping together (there is nothing wrong with this) but there is no outreach, it is an inward presence. The church corporately is not sharing the Gospel. There had been no one professing salvation and no baptisms. After a year of attending I had to ask if the church even believed in baptism. I cannot remember the last time salvation was shared during Sunday morning, the sermons seem to soley address the saved. I asked a member that had been there longer than me about this, I almost cried, they said there had been no baptism in years (they had never seen one). Be honest, we all know a church like this one, you may even attend one. They gain member by doing better at something than others, or by creating an anointed environment, perhaps they have the latest and greatest music, coffee, or awesome youth group. They grow through transfers, or not at all.

I think Peter Haas says it best in latest book, “Sunday Morning is for Lost Sheep”, he states Substance Church was designed with the lost in mind. I think they all should be. If you are sick you go to the doctor, if you know you need a higher power to help, if you are prompted by the spirit to get help, you go to a church. Every Sunday somewhere there is a person that walks in needing to hear the gospel. Teach the flock, but also address the lost sheep. What good is anointed worship if heaven remains silent, grieving for the lost sheep that did not get to hear the gospel. 

Ask yourself 2 things and then read below:

Have I shared the gospel with anyone?

Is my church sharing the gospel from the pulpit and the classroom?

Please join me in praying that all churches will develop a burden for the lost, and that Jesus will always be shared, and the lost sheep will always be allowed to respond. We do not need revival to reach the world, this is a misconception, here is why. Remember Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”(Mathew 28:18-20) We need to share the gospel and disciple. It is brilliant really, here is why, 1/3 of the world’s population claims Christianity. Let’s assume half of them just answered that because it was popular. If we assume only 1/6 truly are believers, and for each one a person is saved and discipled in a five year time then repeats the same. In less than 15 years every person would be a Christian or at least heard the gospel. I used low numbers. I used long time periods. With God all things are possible, quicker than we can imagine, if we are willing to be used. God can do it in a little time as He chooses, but we must be willing to follow the great commissions.  Please join me (pray for revival if you feel led too) but pray always for boldness and to use the Spirit of boldness to share the gospel. Tell someone about Jesus and then lead you church in the direction of doing the same. When the kingdom grows, heaven rejoices.

The overlooked miracle

The overlooked miracle in the story of the feeding of the 5,000

Matthew 14:13-21

Often times people dispute this miracle, they even say it most likely only appeared to be 5,000. It may have only been several hundred people. As if feeding several people by multiplying loaves and fishes was more understandable. 

But this is not the miracle I want to address. The miracle I want to address is the one of hearing the teaching of Jesus. I often speak to 80 people in a closed environment and without a PA system it is hard to make sure that everyone can here. Can you imagine a high school graduation, Sunday church service, a concert, a candidate speech, or a ref at a NFL game trying to address everyone without the benefits of modern technology? But here we have 5,000 men not including the number of women and children (and I believe the bible is accurate, it was 5k) hearing Jesus teach, we have no information anywhere in scripture that states any of them had trouble hearing. If so they would have left. You don’t hang around at a concert if you don’t hear any music.

So why could they hear him? Because he was Jesus? Because it was a miracle? I believe that that they could hear Jesus the same way that we can hear from him. Through a miracle, this is what the Holy Spirit speaking to us really is, a miracle.

I believe that we should prepare to hear from God in the same way that these people prepared. So what did they do that allowed them to hear from Jesus. What positioned them for the miracle?

Personally and individually

1.     We see that they went to where they knew Jesus was. (they realized where he was going and ran it says to get there) 
2.     They moved in faith (they brought there sick knowing he could heal them) 
3.     They positioned themselves to hear the word (To hear we must we must quiet all else and be still at the feet of the master) 
4.     They forsook all personal well-being to hear Jesus (no food or supplies, just ran after him)

As a group

1.     They acted in unison (they all wanted to hear, as a church or family we must too)
2.     They did not forsake the needy (they brought those who could not bring themselves) 
3.     They made seeking Jesus a family affair (they brought wives and kids)

If we can learn to do these things individually and as a group we can hear the words of Jesus through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is our miracle.

Mission Organizations, Missing the Mission Minded

Let me begin by stating that I have a burden on me from God to serve. To gather the information needed to make a Spirit filled decision I began looking into different organizations. I have a group I am burdened for but not sure the best path to take. I am yet unsure of just where the Lord will open the door but I am certain he will.

That being said I see a glaring problem with mission organizations. I would be willing to state is is also an issue in the church, and for some of us in our personal lives. We have all heard it said that if Jesus showed up today a lot of churches would not let him in.

but.........

I would also say that they would not let in Paul, a known murder. What about the woman at the well, Jesus used her to spread his message, but not us - she has simply been married too many times. Thomas, of course not, he admitted to having doubts. David, well we are impressed with that Goliath thing, but you had an adulterous affair that lead to murder, man after God's own heart, maybe, but we can't use you to spread the good news. How about the good Samaritan, surely he......., no ............ wrong ethnicity. 

Does this sound crazy? of course it does but it all happens, all the time. See Jesus makes us a new creation, and we dance and shout about it at churches, we write songs bout it. But we don't believe it, if we did, there would be no missionary positions unfilled. When a missionary group can take a person and disqualify them based on past, we don't believe. When a church quiets the new convert because they are too fired up, we don't believe. When you apply for a job and they say, you realize this is a black/white/Hispanic church, we don't believe. When we decide to use the sins that were forgiven to dictate worthiness and disqualify God's children, we don't believe.

If we were filed with the Spirit, allowing the Spirit to bear witness one to another as the only requirement, the workers would not be so few. I fear we will have a lot to answer for when we stand before the Savior and he says, why didn't you use the workers I sent you, why did you not believe. The harvest was lost.

I pray that the Lord change my character if need be, but that I never hear those words from the Savior.

Atheist, fear the name of Jesus

The ever angry atheist.

It seems every tweet or post that mentions Jesus has a angry person who doesn't believe in God but is monitoring the web to bash your faith.

example: "Prayer is pointless and so is your faith." or "Sick people like you think your empty thoughts have meaning."

Pulled from my personal account, sent to me by the random stranger, based solely on the #Jesus. I wished him peace, offered prayer and let it wash under the bridge.

But then I became convicted over this, how angry does one have to be to hide behind non-belief, but monitor for the mention of a name. How broken do you need to be? Just a chance to bash the believer to strike at the Father. How does an organization in one state raise funds to sue to remove a picture of Jesus that has been hanging over 50 years in the same place. They of course won and the school must pay 95k in fines. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/07/ohio-school-district-agrees-to-keep-portrait-jesus-off-wall-pay-5g-fine/


But how angry do you have to be? how hurt?

Have you ever heard of anyone bashing Buddhist in the name of freedom from religion. Or have you ever seen an atheist attacking Islamic rights. No in fact foot washing stations are going in all over the place. At tax payers expense. http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2013/06/san-francisco-airport-uses-public-money-to-construct-foot-washing-station-for-muslims.html

So why no uproar, simple, it is the name of Jesus. There is power in the name. Its why they seek to get rid of the name, they seek to rid society of the pictures. It bothers the atheist, because in the presence of Jesus they are afraid, because his victory is undeniable.

Philippians 2:9–11 

9 pTherefore God also qhas highly exalted Him and rgiven Him the name which is above every name, 10 sthat at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and tthat every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 14:12–14

12 p“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 qAnd whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be rglorified in the Son. 14 If you 3ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Pray for our lost brothers, there pain reaches the ears of Jesus in heaven. Every denial a plea, oh how he must want to rush to comfort them, pray the Holy Spirit give opportunity, and may men of God move with boldness to share the love of Jesus in these hurting lives.  

Pornography: Killing Men, Killing Children

Pornography: Killing Men, Killing Children

I find myself off work today, was getting ready to head to the gym (a futile effort it seems), when I read a story on the fact that underage drinking is rampant in North Carolina (http://www.christianpost.com/news/a-calamity-that-threatens-to-blight-north-carolinas-history-105670/ ). Please read it if time allows.

Follow me a moment as I chase a rabbit, as right now you probably think that I titled this wrong, I am a Lean man (career not size), an efficiency educator, I make a living finding root causes, my brain went into mode. Some of you will be familiar with “5 why” methodology, the rest of you, Google knows all!! Look it up. 

This was the path I took today:

• 1.     Why are more teens drinking- answer- because they have the opportunity to
• 2.     Why do they have opportunity- answer- less supervision
• 3.     Why less supervision- answer- single parent homes
• 4.     Why single parent homes- answer- absentee men
• 5.     Why absentee men- answer- men don’t find pleasure in family

Now as you know I should have reached my answer, during prayer time I was talking to God and the Holy Spirit revealed to me some things. There was one more answer:

Why do men not find pleasure in family- answer- porn

Porn is used by the devil to alter where a man’s attention belongs. It changes his idea of beauty, it changes his idea of pleasure, and it changes his idea of his role in a relationship. Porn corrupts a man’s views on women, no longer are they to be cherished, but they are simply objects to satisfy his selfish wants. When this becomes the case, even if he has someone he will always want someone else, nothing matters but the gratification. Porn changes a man’s view of what attractive is, how he sees beauty. No longer is his wife rocking his child beautiful, the devil has convinced him of another picture of beauty. No longer is the young teenager someone to be protected, but a sexual object to be exploited. 

So we have men who decide their needs are more important than others, due to the lure of displaced ideas of pleasure and beauty. They have determined through the bombardment of satan that there role is to receive in a relationship, not to give and care for others.

When generations of fathers behave this way other issues arise. They bring it into society, now in the workplace where porn is accepted, guys openly share pictures and websites. Their sons develop the same warped view. Then the next thing you know we have a generation of young girls that believe they must degrade themselves, turn themselves into the type of person that the boys now want. Porn comes from a dark corner to everyday life. Lurid behaviors that used to be reserved for bars and clubs are now occurring in schools. Little girls believe there worth is based on looks and actions, they must become the porn star in order to please the man that only wants the fantasy that porn has provided him. 

So we have a society of teens who have no fathers at home, because they have developed a warped view, many moms are out portraying themselves as that warped view trying to find the next man to fill the void in their life. Meanwhile children are living as they please and unfortunately not a very moral life.

What does God and his word have to say on this, let me share what I located.

Men need to be aware that the devil is real and that he is constantly trying to drag you into a lifestyle that will disrupt the way God has intended things to be. The devil is there waiting to consume you.

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 

The devil know that one of the best ways to deceive you is to change the way you think, if he can change your perceptions of the world the Lord created then he can introduce sinful natures in your life. Through cunning the devil will lead your thoughts astray. Where your thoughts go you will follow, and whether politically correct or not, where men go society follows. The devil knows this is how God created it, so he targets men, often through women. The devil used “the 2 ways to a man’s heart” in the Garden of Eden, a woman and food. This was to play on his desires, and get his desires out of align with God’s plan, just as he does to men today through pornography.

2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 

As men of God we must make a stand, we must do as the word commands and begin to correct this issue. We must make a stand in our workplace, social networks, and home life.

Ephesians 4:27 ESV

And give no opportunity to the devil. 

God tells us that if we will be obedient to him, submit our lives to him, make a stand for God the devil will flee. He attempts to corrupt the thoughts to prevent the work you should be doing for God. He seeks a foot hold to keep you quiet when you should be loud. God’s promise to us through his word says the devil will flee. We need to believe that and stand upon it.

James 4:7 ESV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

What does the Bible say about beauty? Why is the truth so much better than the lie of the devil? Why is God’s plan the right way? Why will we be happier?

God is beauty! He has designed us in his image, given us a life of communion with Him. He can fill our homes, relationships, and every part of our life with that beauty. How dare we let he devil take that from us.

Psalm 27:4 ESV  

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. 

God intends men to represent the love that Christ has shown us, by showing others, through loving our wives, and by extension our children. What an honor, to lead a household for God, to receive the blessing of children. Why would we let the devil take this away?

Ephesians 5:25-33 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ... 

God has placed a time for everything in his plan, and when we walk in his plan we will be surrounded by the beauty of life. We were meant to walk in God’s ways always and forever. We do not always know or understand God’s ways, some will never be revealed and others revealed as we grow and seasons change. We must have faith in the things we do not understand about God, and we can base that faith on what we do understand. And what we can understand now is that the devil has released evil into the lives of men through pornography. We see the damage it has caused. God’s plan is opposite of that and so that should breed in us a faith that his ways are better.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.