Written by TWFYT
Monday November 18
"His older son...was angry." Luke 15:25, 28 NKJV
The parable of the prodigal son is about two boys and their father's love for each. The younger one dishonored his father and ended up in a pigpen. When he returned home, he had lost everything--except his father's love. So no matter who you are or what you have done--God loves you and wants you in His family. Jesus made an amazing statement: "When he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him" (v. 20 NKJV). Ancient Hebrew culture thought running was an undignified act for older men. Men wore long flowing robes, and had to pull them up around their waist to run, exposing their undergarments. But the father didn't care about what other people thought; he cared about his wayward son. Unfortunately, his older brother didn't feel that way. Do you understand why a lot of younger brothers are still out in the pigpen and don't want to enter the church? Because they're afraid older brothers will hit them with the mean hand of judgment instead of touching them with the welcoming hand of love. The older brother desires punishment, but the father provides pardon. The older brother requires guilt, but the father wants reconciliation. Here is the good news: No matter how low you have fallen, know that as soon as you return, you will discover your Heavenly Father facing you, extending open arms and a loving heart toward you.
Monday November 18
"His older son...was angry." Luke 15:25, 28 NKJV
The parable of the prodigal son is about two boys and their father's love for each. The younger one dishonored his father and ended up in a pigpen. When he returned home, he had lost everything--except his father's love. So no matter who you are or what you have done--God loves you and wants you in His family. Jesus made an amazing statement: "When he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him" (v. 20 NKJV). Ancient Hebrew culture thought running was an undignified act for older men. Men wore long flowing robes, and had to pull them up around their waist to run, exposing their undergarments. But the father didn't care about what other people thought; he cared about his wayward son. Unfortunately, his older brother didn't feel that way. Do you understand why a lot of younger brothers are still out in the pigpen and don't want to enter the church? Because they're afraid older brothers will hit them with the mean hand of judgment instead of touching them with the welcoming hand of love. The older brother desires punishment, but the father provides pardon. The older brother requires guilt, but the father wants reconciliation. Here is the good news: No matter how low you have fallen, know that as soon as you return, you will discover your Heavenly Father facing you, extending open arms and a loving heart toward you.
Posted in Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2025
January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENT
2024
January
A NEW YEAR, A NEW STARTTHIS YEAR, DO FIRST THINGS FIRSTNEVER STOP LEARNING (1)NEVER STOP LEARNING (2)GET OUT OF DEBT AND STAY OUT OF DEBTDON'T BE SO CONTROLLINGTHE SEVEN-DAY CHALLENGEPARENT, KEEP PERSEVERINGTURNING TWO FAMILIES INTO ONEPUT YOUR HEART INTO YOUR PARTFOUR PRINCIPLES FOR VICTORIOUS LIVINGTAKE CONTROL OF THE SMALL THINGSDON’T GIVE UPLEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (1)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (2)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (3)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (4)SET OTHER THINGS ASIDE AND SERVEGOD AND WORKHOW TO ENRICH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPSPROPHECY FULFILLEDDON'T SHOUT ABOUT ITYOU'RE GROWING IN GRACEWALKING WITH GODYOUR SECRET PLACEWORK ON GROWING CLOSERARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT RETIREMENT?GIDEON'S GOD IS YOUR GODTO GROW WE MUST KEEP ASKING QUESTIONSBE INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING GOD DOES
February
GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU–IF YOU LISTENDO THE WORDPRAYING WITHOUT SAYING A WORDSHOW GRACE UNDER FIREHAVING JOB SECURITY (1)HAVING JOB SECURITY (2)HAVING JOB SECURITY (3)HAVING JOB SECURITY (4)THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAYS THROUGH YOUYOUR PERSONAL GUIDESTOP AND ASK FOR DIRECTIONSYOUR HARVEST IS ON THE WAYGIVE YOUR CHILDREN CONVICTIONS TO LIVE BYYOUR LIMITED WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITYPULL DOWN THOSE STRONGHOLDSUSE THE GIFT GO GAVE YOUFINDING SELF-WORTHMUZZLE YOUR MOUTHCHOOSING A LEADERGOD KNOW'S WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUARE YOU TIRED OF LIVING IN DEFEAT?MAKE AN IMPACTBE PATIENT, GOD IS AT WORKLIVE THE LIVING WORDTAKE TIME TO WONDER AND WORSHIPBE A DISCIPLE OF JESUSTO BE CONFORMED IS TO BE CREATIVELIVE IN THE “HERE AND NOW”YOU NEED GOD'S HELP