In Luke Chapter 15 Jesus shares a wonderful parable with us about a young man who we call the prodigal son. Now I find it odd we call him the prodigal son when the Bible does not call him such. We Christians are good at naming things the Bible does not name, for example no where in the KVJ Bible are the words; Mount of Transfiguration, claim, or rapture found. The real Lord's Prayer is John Chapter 17, not Matthew Chapter 6. We must be careful to use Biblical words, terms, and expressions if not we can easily get over into new thoughts, examples, and expressions not supported by the word of God. Dear friends we need to be careful in this area.

In Luke 15:11-13, Jesus tell of a father who had two sons whom he divides out their goods from his and gives to them all that they were due. Now after some time the youngest son took his goods and “journey into a far country” spending all he had on “ riotous living,” in other words he wasted all of his money, but the older son stayed with the father at home. There are many wonderful life lessons we can draw from this parable, so many truths just pop out at us to ponder and meditate on. Most often we hear this text and a message on forgiveness quickly follows. Did you know your amount of forgiveness is not based on God's love for you? Oh no my friend, our forgiveness is based and conditional on our forgiveness towards others, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:” (Luke 6:37 ) Our forgiveness is dependant on the measure and more important how we forgive others. If we forgive others truly from our heart we too will be truly forgiven by others from their heart, but if our forgiveness is lip service, then the truth is far from us as well as others' forgiveness. At the same measure, no more no less, we forgive we will be forgiven by God and others.

Another message we often hear is regarding the older brother getting offended at the father. “And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:” (Luke 15:28-29) Us getting offended is a big issue to God. As a matter of fact, getting offended at God and others is the greatest obstacle in our lives in hearing from God. When we get offended again and again at God and others it is nothing more then a manifestation of open rebellion to God's dealings and judgments in our lives. Here the older brother got offended and sadly missed out on the fellowship with the father and his younger brother and so much more. “ Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Psalms 119:165) This place of great peace is God's desires for us. A place in Him where, “nothing shall offend them.” In the Greek it reads, “and nothing shall cause them to stumble and fall out of the way.” For this to happen we must “love thy law” and always do that which is truthful, righteous, and full of integrity. It is no wonder we are in great peace” for we are able to clearly hear from God and know His direction and focus for our lives. Oh what “great peace” comes to us when we move correctly with God nothing can move us. No nothing causes us to stumble and fall out of the way God has for us to go we are established, rooted and grounded like a tree planted by the rivers of living waters.

Now there is another message which I believe is the main point of the parable and is seldom voiced. This message is our great need to come to our senses and turn towards the life God offers. Please notice the father did not go after his young son. The father let his son go with all he had and knew he would waste it. Many would say, the father should have went and searched for is son in the far country and brought him home, but he did not. Well, so too our heavenly Father will give us things, even spiritual things, and then let us go spending them until we have only nothing left. The father in all of his wealth and power allowed his youngest son to come to the end of him self. “And when he came to himself , he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise (turn towards) and go to my father , and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee ,” (Luke 15:17-18) Our heavenly Father, in all of His glory, power, and authority loves us so much He too will allow us to come to the end of our self. When we are in sin God does not come after us nor does He force Himself on us, oh no He patiently waits. This waiting is a passive seeking to save that which is lost. Jesus said, “I stand at the door and lock . . .” (Revelation 3:20 ) He does not kick the door in. Like the young son's father, God is waiting for us to come to our self and realize what is needed to be restored back to relationship with Him. For this to happen we must realize what sin is doing to us and all who we hold dear, then “arise and go to my father.” Knowing what sin will do in our lives is not enough, there must be a turning away from sin towards the life of God, and lastly we must confess and believe what we have said and done is wrong before God and man. The word “confess” in Romans 10:9 means we agree with God what He is saying about us is true. Apart from His Son's death on the cross, God is saying, “For we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) There must be a heartfelt confession with our own mouth and words, “ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) One of the greatest problems in the church today is, it is filled with people who have never had a true conversion from true confession, because of what we call the sinner's prayer which is nowhere found in the Bible. Repeating another's words will not do it, individually and with a heartfelt reflection we must look deep within our lives and thoughts and truly understand our great need to turn toward God. Please notice the young son went to the father, the father did not go to the son. This too is the pattern for us we are to turn toward the heavenly Father for things we need not only for salvation, but for all things we need as we grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father is waiting for us to come to our self, arise and go to Him, so we can confess with our mouth and believe in our heart, so we might be saved, healed, strengthened, whatsoever we lack all is found in Him.

Brethren please do not misunderstand me I need forgiveness, to be saved, healed, strengthened as much as the next person, but let us not forsake this vital truth and requirement to turn from darkness and move towards the glorious light of the life of God. It is our responsibility, like the young son, to turn from death towards life and not God's responsibility to come get us. I wish He would at times, but God, like the father in Luke 15, hopes we will come to the saving knowledge of our desperate need for Him in our lives. Let us turn aside from our ways and turn towards the life that God offers so freely to us. Let us love Him enough to come to Him, He is hoping we will and is waiting for us to turn towards Him.