He was Her Prodigal?

She stood there with the other women in the throng of people who had gathered to witness the event.  Her countenance was heavy, her heart was full of grief and sadness.  The noise and shouts of the crowed were drowned out by the overwhelming ache she felt within her heart. With her head bowed, her thoughts journeyed back to his boyhood days remembering the  joy and excitement which he had brought into their lives.  The lad was the apple of his Dad’s eye, they went hunting together,  fishing and even assembled weekly with others to worship God.  The couple had great hopes and plans for the boy, but alas he fell into the wrong crowd.  Now she was standing there watching her unrepentive son face the consequences for his sin.

She was not alone, yet she felt all alone.   She knew her God was there with her;  but there was also another lady standing near, whose son was sentenced to the same type of punishment.  The reddened tear-stained eyes of the women were focused on their respective sons.  Perhaps there were times when they had eye contact with each other; maybe they occasionally grasped each others hand in a comforting ‘I understand your pain’ grip.  So many thoughts whirled with in her mind…………..perhaps if only she………

Her son was brought up in a home that worshiped God.  He knew right from wrong, but…………..her thoughts came to a sudden halt………..her ears picked up on a nearby conversation…”What did he do?”   “Did he murder someone?”  “Was he a thief?”   She glanced at the woman beside her, she could see the intense hurt within her swollen eyes. and then it dawned on her…………..he was innocent; a man condemned to death because he was hated by the people.  They are saying that he claimed to be God!  Is He indeed the promised Messiah?

With a renewed understanding the women once again turned and gazed upon the three crosses.  Her son was on the right; the other woman’s son was in the middle.  His name was Jesus.  The crowd grew silent, there was a conversation between those who were being crucified.  She strained her ears to listen.

She heard one of the malefactors say, “If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us”  And then, her son spoke,  “Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?’  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss.”  As she watched in amazement she saw her son turn toward this Jesus and say, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”  Excitement began to fill her heart, is she hearing what she thinks she is hearing?  Can it really be?  All of her doubts were wondrously eliminated once the words of Jesus fell upon her ears.  “Verily, I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”  Her son repented!

This is perhaps the most profound ‘death-bed‘ conversion ever recorded.  This once sorrowful mother of a prodigal son, left that day knowing that he had repented and was with Jesus in glory.  Can you just picture her walking with Mary, together toward their respective homes.  Their souls most assuredly were filled with the wonder of the miracle that just took place at the crucifixion.  Yet, how much more would they rejoice in just three short days!

This event has been recorded as the Greatest Story ever Recorded.  Jesus was born to die upon Calvary for our sins.  He became sin for us;  He knew no sin.  It began in that manger where he was wrapped in the swaddling burial cloths, a foreshadow of  His Father’s will for Him.  My friend, Jesus ended his earthly life doing exactly what He was called to do – save the Lost.  The thief was saved just  prior to his soul being taken into eternity.  There are two lessons here, maybe three.

1.  We need to continue doing the Lord’s will for our life until He comes again, or takes us home

2.  God gives us every opportunity to repent of our sins while we are alive and remain.

3.  Keep praying for your prodigal………….It may well be that salvation may come to that lost soul.

The Ultimate Prodigal!

I cannot begin to comprehend the distraught a man must sense when he first discovers that his son has become involved in a homosexual life style.  For a Dad who loves the Lord and believes in the Bible this has got to be a most devastating realization.  Painful emotions most assuredly must grip his heart; hurt, anger, disbelief and even guilt.  How much more is the disbelief when it is the mans first born son, his heir, his pride and joy?

The seems to be a special bond between a man and his son.  A camaraderie of sorts that women often share with their little girls.  Anticipation of having him grow up, play sports, find a good wife and bring forth the next generation are a few of the many visions a Dad has for his male child.   There is often that noticeable pride in the voice as a man shares the accomplishments of his budding protegé so to speak; let alone the way his chest seems to expand as he talks (boasts).  This scenario is shattered, literally destroyed when the Dad discovers that his son practices sodomy.

There is a problem with the term homosexuality.    A murderer is a murderer and a homosexual is a homosexual.  Both are lifestyles that people choose to follow, and both are sinful practices.  No one is born a murderer and no one is born with a genetic make up for being a homosexual.   It would be similar to having a horse born with a pig head.  It just does not happen.  God intended for a man to be a man in every sense of the being.

So where does a Dad go from here?  He love for his son is so great that he wishes he could just erase the sin and get on with life.   Some Dad’s have literally disowned their misfit of an offspring, perhaps to salvage their male pride.  God fearing men have not been exempt from this life trauma and even Bible preaching Pastors have had to deal with a son who chose to participate in a homosexual relationship.  The struggle within the souls of these men must be agonizing to say the least.

We know from the Bible that God hates sin.  The sinful practice of sodomy is especially an abomination to the most Holy God.  The practice is totally unnatural.  The Lord Jesus has set forth the example that we are to hate the sin but love the sinner.  It is ok for a Dad to continue to love his son who is involved in a homosexual life.  God commanded his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners……………..Regardless of the sin, God continues to love the sinner.  Understandably God cannot ‘look upon’ the sin, nor condone it, nor make excuses for the practice of the sin, and neither should the Dad involved in the same type of situation.  Oftentimes God allows harsh circumstances to evolve in ones life to bring them to himself, thereby setting the example for Dad’s to follow.   This is like ‘tough love’.  When a Dad learns of his son’s homosexual practices, he needs to prayerfully consider initiating specific guidelines or restrictions for the expressed purpose of guiding his son toward repentance.

Men who love the Lord usually keep an open door of communication with their son to reassure him that he is still loved.   The son could be included in family gatherings but the ‘friend’ is not.  Just as God cannot tolerate sin in his house,  the wayward son should not live at home, nor should the parents provide financial assistance that would sustain a homosexual relationship.  It is imperative that the Dad seek wisdom from the Lord and be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in dealing with his son.   The Lord gave the example of a man being won to the saving knowledge of Jesus by the Godly example of the wife and so much more so the example of the Dad to the son.  Oftentimes, verbal witnessing or admonishing will fall on deaf ears and create unnecessary tension.  Some things can only come about by fasting and prayer, with a Godly example.

For those of us who have not been subject to this particular trial in our life, may we ever be mindful to lift these Dad’s before the throne of grace, that they might one day rejoice in the repentance of their prodigal son.

“TAX COLLECTOR GETS CAUGHT’

“TAX COLLECTOR GETS CAUGHT’.

 

A touching story about a young man who through away his life, but God gave him a new one!

Will Obama spend Eternity in Hell?

The very first Commandment states that Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  During his entire time in office Mr. Obama has chiseled away at Christian liberties, yet allowing the Muslins to practice the very liberties that he forbade Christians.  Allah is an enemy of the Living God.  The Koran contains the agenda of the Muslim people to rid the world of  Christians, and especially American Christians.  This cult is the mastermind of Satan himself.  We are not just talking about humanistic dogma, this is a manual for destruction of the doctrine of Christianity as set forth in the Word of God.

The practice of sodomy is an abomination to God.   God destroyed  Sodom and Gomorrah  because of the blatant practice of this distortion of God’s Word.   Many Americans were sickened by the sight of the homosexual marching band that participated in Presidents inaugural parade.  The promoters of this perverted sin have championed their ‘right’ to marry.  Marriage was designed by God to be the union of a man and a woman.  Thus the second institution established by God, the home, is being tainted by same sex marriages.  Mr. Obama has ignored the Biblical teachings of God and has established a hedonistic practice which must truly anger the Heavenly Father.

Mr Obama has been proven to be a habitual liar and a deceiver.  From the beginning he would not produce his genuine birth certificate and persistently denied that he was a Muslim.   Since then an encyclopedia could be written on all of the instances of altered truths that have come out of his mouth.  ” Thou shalt not bear false witness”, is another of the Ten Commandments which throughout the Bible, God states time after time that he hates lying.  Satan is the father of Lies, he is the great deceiver.  So when one practices lying, guess who he is emulating.  Granted, all of us are guilty of pervaricating, telling little white lies, exaggerating or whatever label sounds more acceptable, but in God’s eyes, lying is lying!

According to the Scriptures, all murderers will have their place in the Lake of Fire.  The practice and promotion of  the killing of unborn babies is murder!  The President nor any one else has the right to allow the destruction of the life of the unborn.  This is also true of the practice of euthanasia, when it comes to those folk who are deemed a ‘burden’ on society, such as the nonfunctional elderly or the handicapped.  Yes, my friend, these murders are being practiced every day in our society.  Withholding life sustaining food. fluids and medication is called murder.  The Obamacare is designed to establish the elimination of those folk who are not considered ‘salvageable’.  The President and his liberal friends forced this legislation upon the American people.

Thus far we have mentioned the sins of worshipping false gods, promoting homosexuality, permitting abortions and euthanasia, and practicing lying.  Fortunately this is not the end of the story.  Believe it or not, there is hope for people like Barack Obama.  The Bible outlines in John chapter 3 the simple plan of salvation designed by God for sinful man.  Let’s take a look……………

A Jewish leader by the name of Nicodemus came seeking understanding from Jesus concerning the miracles which the Lord had performed.  Jesus turned this into an opportunity to teach Nicodemus that he must be born again.  Needless to say, Nicodemus, a learned master in Israel did not understand what Christ was telling him.  In the following verses we learn, as did Nicodemus, the need to be saved.   This promise of God is applicable to all men for that all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God, even Barack Obama.  For God so loved Mr Obama that he sent his only begotten Son to shed his blood on the cross of Calvary for his sins.  In Romans 10:13 we are told that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  In other words, if Barack Hussein Obama would admit that he is a sinner, deserving of spending eternity in the Lake of Fire, believe that Jesus died on the Cross for his sins,  confess those sins and ask Jesus to save him, he would be born again, a new creature in Christ.  Seemingly improbable?  Not so, if God will save a man like Paul, who viciously murdered and persecuted Christians, then he can and will save not only Mr Obama, but anyone who calls upon the Lord to be saved.

Knew it – but Blew it – Hobab

As a youngster, I always looked forward to summertime and family reunions on Grandpa’s  farm.  My cousins and I would thoroughly enjoy climbing into the haymow,  running into the pasture and getting into all sorts of mischief.  Each year we would reminisce about last years antics and then proceed to make new ones to be shared the following year.  My Dad and his five siblings would relate their accomplishments of the year, new babies would be fussed over and the women folk would dish up one of the hardiest down on the farm meals that would cause any mouth to salivate.   Reunions can be a sad time as well, such as in the passing of a loved one or the  deployment of a family member in the military.  God records in his Word, a family gathering that not only entails the sadness of loved ones moving to another country, but also the heart wrenching disappointment of a particular family member choosing to remain behind.

The story begins in the Wilderness of Paran.  Moses had led the children of Israel out of Egypt and they were in route to Kadesh-Barnea.  As the Cloud of God rested in the wilderness of Paran, Moses and his family took advantage of the opportunity to have a family gathering of sorts.   Moses of course, was present as well as his wife Zipporah, their children,  Miriam, the sister of Moses, Jethro, her father and Moses’ father-in-law, and Hobab.  This is the only place in the Bible that this person is named, and he was the brother of Zipporah.  Their father was Jethro, the Midianite.

During the festivities of the gathering Moses has the opportunity to share with Hobab about their journey to the place where God said that He would give them.  It would be interesting to know if Hobab responded as most unsaved relatives and sort of tolerated the conversation so as not to cause any ruffled feathers, or perhaps the man was one of those head nodderers who sat there with a sly grin on his face.  Irregardless how Hobab responded, Moses took advantage of the opportunity to share His God with his brother-in law.  During the conversation, it is recorded in Numbers 10: 29, that Moses asked Hobab to come with them.

The world’s people can come up with a plethora of excuses why they do not want to journey with us to heaven.  Some are just down right ridiculous.  In verse 30 we learn that Habab stated that he would not go, but that he would depart to his own land, and to his own kindred.  Hmmmm!  Now wait Hobab, your sister and your father are going with Moses, and they are kindred.!   Moses pleaded, “Leave us not, I pray thee, forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the Wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of  eyes.”  Hobab had talents that could be used for God, and as a result he would receive any goodness that the Lord bestowed upon Moses and his family………….

Hobab sustained his answer.  What could possibly keep him from journeying into the Promise Land with God’s people?  Well, let’s check out some historical practices in those days.  Jethro, Hobab’s father was not just any ordinary Midianite.  He was their high priest.  The custom of the Midianites was that when the High Priest stepped down, his oldest son would become the new High Priest of the Midianites.  Hobab was the oldest son, and he knew that when he returned to his people there would be much celebration and praise as he accepted this coveted position among the Medianites.  The wealth and fame that would be his was just too much for him to sacrifice in order to accompany Moses on their  journey.

Isn’t this so typical of the unsaved in today’s world.  Instead of accepting the opportunity to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus, they hold onto their fortune, fame and friends.  Hobab knew that he had a golden opportunity to begin a new life with his father and sister, but he chose to return to his heathen lifestyle.  Can you imagine how Moses must have felt when he returned to his tent to face his dear sweet Zipporah?  How he struggled in sharing with her that her brother had refused to journey with them?  Perhaps tears of sorrow trickled down the cheeks of this dear lady as she contemplated the fate of her rebellious brother.  There are those today, who can relate to the sorrow and heartache that Moses and Zipporah experienced, when a love one refuses to accept Jesus as their Saviour.

The Bible does not specifically state what ever became of Hobab, but we do know that in Numbers chapter 31, the  children of Israel under the direction of Moses, after God spoke to him, armed themselves and warred against the Midianites as the Lord commanded; and in verse 7 it states that they slew all the males., and the Kings, and others.  Hobab?

Women in the Word – Woman of Samaria

In Bible times the water well was sort of meeting place where people from surrounding towns would meet and fellowship as they were drawing the needed water for the day.  God records several instances in the Bible where significant events took place at a well.  Moses met his second wife, Zipporah at her father’s well in the desert.  Isaac’s wife, Rebekah was found at the well of Mesopotamia, and Jacob fell in love with Rachel at the well of Haran.  Our story today begins at the ancient well of Jacob as the Lord Jesus stops on his journey to Galilee.

It was the middle of the day and the journey was a long and tiresome walk.  Much to the surprise of his disciples, the Lord Jesus chose to travel through the Land of Samaria. (John 4:40)  The Jews and the Samaritans had a racial hatred that kept them apart; they were devout enemies.  God always has a purpose and a plan for the decisions that he makes and chosing to travel through Samaria was no different.   Once they arrived at the well, Jesus sent his disciples into the nearby village to purchase bread.  This is one of the few times in the Scriptures that we see Jesus alone, by himself.  He was alone in the desert when tempted by Satan and he was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to his crucifixion.  As with those incidents, there was something very moving and appealing about this particular event in the life of our Lord.

Our story continues as we see Jesus sitting alone at this well, staring down into the cool spring water.  His concentration is broken when he hears the sound of sandals walking upon the stone pathway.  When he looked up he saw a woman with her water pot on her shoulder approaching the well.  This was indeed an unusaul site in that not only was she alone, but it was in the hottest part of the day.  In Bible times it was the custom for groups of women to go out to draw the days water early in the morning, or at the evening hour, when it was cooler.  They would chatter among themselves, perhaps sharing highlights from the previous days events.  However, this woman came alone, in the hottest hour of the day.

As with others in the Bible, God has chosen not to reveal her name, only referring to her as the Woman of Samaria.  We can conclude that she was not wealthy because the women of affluence did not draw their own water in those days.  From what is written we gather that this woman was not old, perhaps middle-aged.  Her face had lingering traces of a departed beauty.  From her conversation it is evident that she had a quick, engaging, and pleasing mind.  She had given herself to passion and now the fires of passion had burned themselves out in her.  Despised by her neighbors, she comes to the well alone, weary in body and depressed in spirit.

Upon seeing her, Jesus asked her for a drink of water.  The Woman of Samaria was able to discern by his appearance that he was a Jew and she expressed her surprise that he would even talk to her let alone ask for help.  The Bible does not indicate that she was in any way discourteous to Christ or that she intended to refuse to give hm a drink..  In fact, the woman’s way of talking must have pleased Jesus, for she did ask him why he, a Jew would ask for a drink of water from  her, a woman of Samaria.  Her honesty is revealed in that she did not attempt to hide the fact that she was a Samaritan.

Jesus answered by telling the woman that if she only knew who he was, and what he could do for her, she would ask him and he would give her living water.  The Samaritan woman did not understand that the Lord was referring to the Holy Spirit, for she asked him how that she was to draw this living water when he had nothing to draw with.  The Lord Jesus further explained to her that the water her referred to came from a deeper well and was so much better that with one drink of this water, one would thirst no more.  He emphasized that whosoever drank of the water from Jacob’s well would thirst again, but those who drank of the water that Christ gave to him would be from a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

This conversation had begun with Jesus asking the woman from Samaria a simple question, now it had evolved into her making a request of him.  She perceived that Jesus looked and spoke as though he could make good what he said, so she asked him to give her this water.  She liked the idea that she would no longer thirst and would not need to make the long hard journey each day from her village with the water pot on her shoulder.

The Samaritan Woman did not anticipate the response that she received from Jesus.  He asked her to go call her husband.  We are made aware of her penchant for telling the truth when she answered that she did not have a husband.  Jesus was impressed with her honesty and replied, “Thou hast well said”, I have no husband, for thou hast had five husbands and the man who thou are living with is not thy husband.  She was amazed that Jesus had knowledge of her history and her life.  She was certain that she was not dealing with any ordinary man for she said, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.”  A sense of reverence and respect for Jesus must have  overwhelmed her to the point that she was ashamed that he would know of her sinful life.  She must have desperately wanted to change the subject.

Jesus then explains to her that God is a spirit, and they that worship him must do so in Spirit and in truth.”  The woman was aware that the Messiah was coming which is called the Christ and when he did come that he would make known all these things.  Jesus then confessed that, ” I that speak unto thee am He.  By the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the woman acknowledged the truth of Christs Messiahship.  Her ignorant mind had grasped the secret of true worship and of Christ’s mission.  In the glow of her newborn faith, she had to tell others and share with them all that she had heard and experienced.

The disciples were somewhat astonished when upon returning they found Jesus talking to the Samaritan Woman.  In those days, women were considered inferior to men and men did not speak to women in public, not even to their wife, sister or mother, let alone a woman of such despicable character.  Jews especially never spoke to a Samaritan because of their long-standing hatred of each other.  However, Jesus disregarded these social barriers when he talked with the Samaritan woman. Upon seeing the disciples,  the Woman of Samaria hurriedly left, leaving her water pot behind.  She was determined to return and learn more from Jesus.  Full of her great discovery and with the passion of an evangelist she declared the truth unto the men who knew her only too well.   She invited them to come and see a man who told her all the things the she ever did.  Christ had awakened her to a new and better life, she was a new creature, old things had passed away.  The men of the city must have discerned the change in this woman  and because of her earnest witness many of those men went out to see Jesus.  For two days they listened to His teachings , and came to believe in him, and accept Him as the Christ, the Saviour of the World.  This was not only because of what the first native evangelist in Samaria had said of him, but also because they had heard Him for themselves.

The Woman of Samaria became such a witness and a testimony for Christ that when Philip came to preach in Samaria he experienced such a great revival of souls in Samaria that there was great joy in the city.  Christ had met the woman of Samaria at the well and eagerly reached out for her soul.  He appealed to her knowledge of her sinful nature; presented her with the remedy of the Living Water; then acknowledged that he was the one who could provide that Living Water.   This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ…………….He is still reaching out to souls today.  Won’t you accept the Living Water that Jesus has to offer?

ex1