We Are the Prodigal

August 27

Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

Luke 15:18

Shell had kept her distance from the zealots in her family for years. Her

thought? If you want to believe in Jesus, fine. Just leave me alone. Then something

had happened that she couldn’t explain in rational, humanly possible terms. It

had God’s handprint all over it; she could no longer deny the truth. “There is

a God, and He cares!”

With this newfound realization came understanding: she’d been selfishly

doing as she pleased because she wasn’t going to live by anyone’s rules but her

own! Now she understood how blatantly she had snubbed her nose at God! Oh,

what have I done in my arrogant belligerence, she thought. Not knowing what to

do, she called her mom. Through tears of joy, her mother assured her that God

could and would forgive her of everything if she just asked Him.

In stark contrast to how she had lived her life, she knelt beside the couch

and said through tears, “I know now that I’m a sinner, Lord Jesus. And you

have no reason to forgive me, but everyone who knows You says I can ask and

You’ll forgive every wrong thing I’ve done. So I’m asking now that You for-

give me and come into my heart and make me clean, show me how to live a

life worthy of Your sacrifice. Amen.” Mother and daughter alternated between

laughter and tears, both thanking God for His infinite mercy and grace.

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Each of us has sinned against God and need His forgiveness. Many of us have

made a lifestyle of it, thinking we could escape judgment. Others want salva-

tion but are under the impression they don’t deserve another chance. Neither

statement is valid.

We cannot unashamedly reject Jesus Christ and expect mercy, nor are we

beyond the depth of His grace if we turn and invite Him into our heart.

As in the story of the prodigal, we have been separated from God by sin.

And as the prodigal’s father, God is waiting to run to us the moment we turn

and head in His direction.

Prayer

“Lord, sometimes I do foolish things and get lost. Lead

me home to where You are. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Assembly Line Christianity

August 26

Be imitators of God.

Ephesians 5:1

Jessie’s passion meter was stuck on “I’m here” and didn’t seem to register any

higher. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want a deeper relationship with Jesus;

he just wasn’t sure how to go about getting it. And six months of attending this

church hadn’t helped. It was “Come as you are, we’ll accept you. Do as we tell

you and everything will be wonderful!” Yet, he didn’t seem to know any more

about Jesus than he had when he’d first started here.

“Everything here seems tailored to mold people into some kind of autom-

aton,” he’d shared with another newbie, as they were referred to in the mem-

bership class. “Doesn’t this feel kinda plastic to you?” he suddenly asked.

“I guess I never thought about it,” was the man’s casual reply. “What do

you mean?” he countered.

“Well,” Jessie began, “I feel like we’re all on this big assembly line headed

for the final production stage with nothing but superficial understanding. It’s

like a cookie-cutter mentality. As if they’re just trying to turn out Christians,

and there’s no understanding required to graduate.” Feeling the need to qualify

his comment, Jessie added, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they don’t love

Jesus, but it’s like there’s nothing required for membership. We’re not required

to share what we believe or why. Do you know what I’m getting at?” Jessie

asked.

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Whose likeness are we trying to imitate? Are we looking for the truth, or are

we playing follow the leader, regardless of where the leader is headed?

Many of today’s churches offer a brand of religion that falls short of God’s

example in Jesus Christ. And people blindly follow, thinking, “If it walks like

a duck and talks like a duck, it must be a duck,” never understanding they are

ignorantly tempting hell.

It absolutely matters what we believe and why because simply saying the

name of Jesus will not gain us entrance into heaven. If we do not confess Jesus

as Lord and are not required to ask forgiveness through repentance where there

is no turning from sin (understanding we will not do this perfectly), then we are

deceived. We will be held accountable, regardless of our professed ignorance.

Prayer

“Lead me on the one true path of salvation, Lord.

Show me the way. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Beetle Boots and Levis

August 25

If anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ … do not believe it.

For false Christs and false prophets will appear.”

Matthew 24:23

It was two days and counting; summer vacation was over. “You never get us the

original!” Elliott said with the frustration of a fifteen-year-old. “Everybody else

in school will have genuine Levis and Beetle Boots. Not some lame knockoffs

like these!”

“Honey,” his mother began, “we can’t afford the originals. Those boots and

jeans are three times as much as these, and they don’t fit our budget. This is

the best we can do.” Had Elliott been thinking about anything but himself, he

would have been able to see the hurt in his mother’s eyes. But he wasn’t, and he

didn’t. All he could see were cheap imitations that would elicit ridicule from his

peers at school. They’d take one look at these off-brand jeans and low-heeled

boots with the zipper on the side instead of in the back, and they’d say what

they always said, “Whutsamatter, Bennett? Mommy still dressing you?” Kids

could be cruel, and these lessons seemed unfair.

With that thought in his head, Elliott headed for his room. I’ve gotta

figure a way to get what I want or everyone’ll think I’m uncool! And with that, he

slammed his bedroom door on the world.

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There is a knockoff for everything; someone has counterfeited the original and

is looking to profit from it. And in most cases it’s not life threatening.

However, there is one counterfeit that we must not buy, and regardless of

the cost, we must purchase the original!

Satan has staked his claim to the throne of God and comes deceiving

those who would listen to his sales pitch. His minions tell us we’re uncool and

won’t be accepted unless we buy what they’re selling.

Jesus, knowing sin is tempting in the early stages because it feels good,

warns us so we will be on guard, because there are always consequences. To

make the wrong choice in this case will be eternally fatal.

Jesus is the original; there is no other way to salvation.

Prayer

“Lord, help me see past all the bells and whistles

when Satan comes to deceive. Help me discern the

lies and seek the truth. In Jesus’ Name, amen. “

 Unobservant

August 24

The disciples came to him … ”Tell us,” they said … what will be the

sign of your coming?”

Matthew 24:3

Craig pulled in the driveway, thankful to be home from vacation. He was tired.

The kids were asleep in the back; Marie was out cold too. He decided to unload

the car before waking anyone. No sense in them being awake at 3:00 a.m.

He’d walked past the living room three times, taking each piece of luggage

to the appropriate room. This time, however, on his way out the front door, he

glanced into the living room and realized something wasn’t right. Strange, he thought, something’s different, but what? Oh well. He’d figure it out eventually.

Finished unloading the car, he carried each child to their bedroom, got

them into pajamas, and kissed each on the forehead as he covered them up.

Returning to the car, he woke Marie and assisted her into the house. Half

bleary eyed, Marie walked through the front door, took one look into the living

room, and jolted wide-awake, a shock replacing her sleep-filled eyes, “We’ve

been robbed!” she blurted out.

“What?” Craig said in surprise. Then it registered: the TV, DVD player,

MP3 player, and Bose stereo were all gone! How could I have missed that? he

thought, followed by Marie’s question, “Didn’t you notice there was no TV

when you turned the light on in here?” she asked incredulously.

“I noticed something was different; I just didn’t know what,” he said

sheepishly.

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In truth, we, like Craig, are prone to miss things once in awhile. Especially in

spiritual matters. Granted, to miss being robbed is a biggie, but consider this:

even the disciples missed what Jesus was trying to say. So much so that He

warned them to “keep watch” (verse 42), knowing they would probably let their

guard down without His encouragement.

End-time signs are all around us: “Wars and rumors of wars; Nation rising

against nation; famines and earthquakes … the beginning of birth pains.”

But whether Christ comes in the next ten minutes or ten thousand years,

we are to watch and interpret the signs, preparing for His coming by sharing

the gospel.

Prayer

“Lord, help me be sensitive to everything important

that’s going on. Show me where to focus my efforts

for Your kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Waiting in Fear

August 23

The wicked man flees though no one pursues …

Proverbs 28:1

Day after day he waited for the phone to ring or for the police to knock on his

door. Ever since he’d found that wallet, he’d been living in a constant state of

fear. He knew he should have returned it to the owner when he’d found it. But

when he discovered those six one-hundred-dollar bills, something had come

over him.

He’d removed the cash and thrown the wallet, credit cards, driver’s license,

and all into the Potomac River. He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since! He

just knew someone was going to figure it out; then they’d come calling.

Finally, unable to deal with the constant pressure of waiting to be caught,

he’d gone to the forty-seventh precinct and turned himself in, saying he wanted

to repay the money he’d found, but he couldn’t remember the man’s name.

Unable to substantiate his statement due to the lack of evidence, the

detective had finished taking the report and told him, “If anyone files a report

about a lost wallet, and if he chooses to file charges, we’ll be in touch. Without

someone pressing charges, we have no reason to hold you.”

Leaving the station, he felt worse than before. He had no idea if someone

would ever claim the lost wallet or not. He’d sacrificed his clear conscience

in the heat of the moment, and now he couldn’t get free from the guilt of his

actions.

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When we begin to do the wrong thing, our conscience automatically responds

by alerting us. This is not right! If we fail to respond correctly, the Holy Spirit

convicts our heart in an effort to bring repentance and return us to a right

relationship with God.

What we do in that moment will determine whether we walk in integrity,

without the constant over-the-shoulder looks, or wait in fear for the phone to

ring.

Unscrupulous behavior breeds evil and fear. If left unchecked, it desensi-

tizes our hearts, building an uncrossable chasm between us and God.

It is far better to repent and face the consequences than it is to live waiting

in fear.

Prayer

“Lord, Help me resist temptation when I’m weak or

unprepared. Keep my heart pure. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 The Egg Minister

August 22

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give.

2 Corinthians 9:7

The two-story Cape Cod blended well into the surrounding countryside. And

the 6.2 acres of land it sat on was sufficient to allow the boys room to grow.

Ron and Rochelle had purchased this little piece of country for the expressed

purpose of raising their three boys outside the lights of the city.

Ron had built two outbuildings, a kennel for the dogs, and a workshop for

himself. One day, Rochelle asked Ron to add a chicken coup to the side of the

dog kennel. Standing on the porch, Rochelle smiled as she fondly remembered

that day two years ago when God had called her into the ministry. Not just any

ministry, mind you; He’d called her into the egg ministry. Ron had thought

it a strange request but had built it nonetheless, saying, “Chickens you want,

chickens you get.”

Rochelle hadn’t immediately explained her plans, mostly because she

wasn’t quite sure what those plans were exactly. All she knew for sure was that

God had given her a desire to own a few laying hens. It seemed a reasonable

desire; they would enjoy fresh eggs, and the boys would learn about raising

chickens.

As the hens began to lay, Rochelle discovered they had more eggs than

they could use. With this unexpected bounty, Rochelle realized she could bless

a few of the neighboring families. And so it began, a ministry that now saw

Rochelle giving dozens of eggs to family and friends.

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Such simple projects generate a tremendous impact. Giving of our lives is the

most personal service we can offer. To give money is good; we are all supposed

to assist in financing the kingdom of God.

But when we give something for which we have labored, it tells others we

have taken time to share our lives.

Not all of us are called to move to the country and raise chickens. But we

do each have the ability to step outside ourselves, seeking new and unique ways

to serve. Ministry begins when God plants a desire in our heart. It’s up to us

to make it grow.

Prayer

“I want to be about Your business, Lord. Show me

where I might be of service. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Walking It Out

August 21

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

Romans 10:15

Sandra and Ginny had been friends for almost ten years. In that time, they

had shared their lives. The most important thing they shared was a deep love

for Jesus, and for over nine years, they had committed to deepening that

relationship.

Two years into their friendship, God led them to begin prayer-walking

their neighborhood, rising in the predawn hours to walk and lift their neigh-

bors and their needs to God.

They watched in wonder as God brought neighbors into their lives with

critical timing: someone facing a tremendous struggle or the loss of a family

member. They were able to witness God’s love and spend time with each one in

prayer. They simply followed God’s lead.

They had been prayer-walking for three years when they felt God asking

them to assemble the neighborhood so He could weave their lives together. So

they set to work planning the first block night Sharp Road would ever experi-

ence. They dropped off invitations to every family, asking them to bring one

covered dish, lawn chairs, and an appetite. That inaugural evening had been a

remarkable success!

Five years later, they still gather monthly at a home determined the prior

month. Volunteers are never in short supply, and the fellowship is sweet.

Sandra and Ginny count it a privilege to be part of the movement of God

that has seen seven people, to date, accept Jesus as their Savior.

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Paul’s prayer at the beginning of chapter ten is that the Israelites might be

saved. He makes the case that anyone believing on the name of Jesus will be

saved. Then he sets about challenging their conviction and commitment to

Christ. “And how can they believe in one of whom they have not heard?” He’s

asking them to go tell others about Jesus.

Knowing Jesus is only the beginning for those who are saved. Telling oth-

ers about the freedom and joy we have in Christ should be, like Paul, the desire

of our heart.

Walking it out means taking each opportunity God provides to share His

Son.

Prayer

“Lord, lead me to those who have never heard of You. Guide my

feet to who needs to hear about You next. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”