"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." (Luke 15:20 NIV)

The Parable of the Lost Son - and/or the day God ran! (Luke 15:11-24)

This is a wonderful parable that Jesus told about a son who asked his father for his inheritance. He then departed for foreign lands where he squandered his money on wild living until it was all gone. Finally, after losing everything including all his friends, he became so desperate that he took a job feeding pigs and he was so hungry that he was tempted to eat the pig slop. He then came to his senses, changed his attitude, realized his sinfulness towards his father, and decided to go home. He planned to ask his father for a servant's job.

But, according to the story, his father saw him a long way off, had great compassion for him, and ran towards his son with great joy!

This parable is meant to teach us about God's great love and compassion towards us. The young man in the story represents us, and the father in the story represents God. Notice that the father "saw the son afar off, and ran towards him." God ran! And, that's how God is towards us! He sees us "afar off, runs toward us, with great compassion!" Another verse says it this way, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8 NIV)

Here is another fun version of the prodigal son with a lot of letter F's. Enjoy!

Feeling footloose and frisky, a feather-brained fellow forced his fond father to fork over the farthings.

He then flew far to foreign fields and frittered his fortune, feasting fabulously with faithless friends.

Fleeced by his fellows in folly, and finally facing famine, he found himself a feed-flinger in a filthy farmyard.

Feeling frail and fairly famished he fain would have filled his frame with the foraged foods of farmyard fodder fragments.

‘Fooey’, he figured, ‘My father’s flunkies fare far finer." The frazzled fugitive fumed feverishly, frankly facing the facts.

Frustrated by failure and filled with foreboding, he forthwith fled the foreign farmyard, back to his family.

From faraway, the father focused on the fretful familiar form on the horizon and flew to him and fondly flung his forearms around the fatigued fugitive.

Falling at his father’s feet, he floundered forlornly. ‘Father, I have flunked and fruitlessly forfeited family favour.’

But the faithful father, forestalling further flinching frantically flagged a field hand. ‘Fetch forth the finest fatling and fix a feast.’

The fugitive is found! “Unfurl the flags, with fanfares flaring! Let fun and frolic freely flow!”

“Former failure is forgotten, folly is forsaken! And forgiveness forms the foundation for future fortitude.”

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God." (Rom. 8:26-27 NIV)

Sometimes we don't know how to pray

Sometimes were confused, in pain, or emotionally distraught. Sometimes it's because we don't know all the facts surrounding a particular situation. But, this passage of scripture acknowledges that problem with a great promise: "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us... And, He, who searches our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God."

In other words, God searches our hearts and repairs our prayers

He understands the situation perfectly, and knows what we SHOULD be praying for. He then turns whatever prayer we are attempting to pray into the perfect prayer that we SHOULD be praying!

HE KNOWS all the facts of the situation and fixes our prayers for us "in accordance to the will of God."

Wow, what a promise. God turns our ordinary prayers into perfect ones! This takes a lot of pressure off!

By the way, a poem I have enjoyed reading over the years is about the proper way to pray. It is funny and makes a valid point. Enjoy!

The Prayer of Cyrus Brown

By Sam Walter Foss

(Public domain)
“The proper way for a man to pray,” Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes, “And the only proper attitude Is down upon his knees.”

“No, I should say the way to pray,” Said Reverend Doctor Wise, “Is standing straight with outstretched arms, And rapt and upturned eyes.”

“Oh, no, no, no,” said Elder Slow, “Such posture is too proud. A man should pray with eyes fast-closed, And head contritely bowed.”

“It seems to me his hand should be Austerely clasped in front, With both thumbs pointing toward the ground,”Said Reverend Doctor Blunt.

“Well, I pray while resting every day,” Said Mr. Henry Pack. “So I should think you say your prayers While lying on your back.”

“Last year I fell in Murphy’s well — Headfirst,” said Cyrus Brown. “With both my knees a’stickin’ up, And my head a’pointin’ down."

“And I made a prayer right then and there, The best prayer I ever said, The prayingest prayer I ever prayed, A’standing on my head.”

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8 KJV)

There are two parts to salvation, grace and faith. You are saved by grace but it's through faith!

Grace is God's part.

It's His unmerited favor. It's a free gift. You cannot work for it. You cannot earn it.

Faith is your part!

It is your positive response to what God has already done for you by His grace!

Without faith, you cannot unlock the power of grace! What is faith? It's what you must do in response to what He has said. Simply put, you've got to believe what he has already provided in His Word in order to receive.

"If you (by your faith) declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,'and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, (by His grace) you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." (Rom. 10:9-10 NIV)

"Freely you have received, freely give." (Matt. 10:8 NIV)

A simple definition of the word "fellowship" is "more than one fellow in the same ship". And, in many ways we are all in the same boat! We live in a world that includes others, and we do need one another!

Sometimes we need a helping hand ourselves and sometimes we can offer one to someone else who needs some kind of help or encouragement.

Encourage one another!

We have a distinct advantage as Christians because we have His help to do what is needed. We have His Holy Spirit, we have His written Word, and we have each other! "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,” (1 Thessalonians  NIV). Because we are blessed, we can bless others!

"Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate, and humble." (1 Peter 3:8 NIV)

"Is this not the fast that I have chosen for you? To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6 KJV 2000)

 The answer to these four questions are all "yes" for you!

The bonds of wickedness are loosed from you! Heavy burdens are undone from you! Oppression is away from you and you're now set free! And, every yoke is broken from you!

All were proclaimed and paid for you by Jesus!

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Gal. 6:9 ESV)

If you keep "doing good" you will eventually reap (succeed),

If you do not quit! This is an important promise to hold on to! I have found personally that the road to practically any kind of positive achievement is usually found "uphill," and it is important to learn how to be a good "climber," so to speak.

Unfortunately, many don't persevere and quit out of discouragement when the going is slow or gets tough. Dale Carnegie, author of "How to win friends and influence people", said, "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

He was so correct! And, the really great news is that we as followers of Christ are NOT without hope! We do have the "blessed hope." (Titus 2:13). We have God's help available to accomplish anything! (Phil. 4:13).

Don't quit!

Because, quitters NEVER succeed EVER, and there are countless people who have succeeded by simply keeping on! "In due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." (2 Cor:5:20 NIV)

We are aliens in a foreign land! 

Ambassadors, by definition, represent their home country while working and living in the country to which they've been appointed. It's the same way for Christians who are God's ambassadors here on earth! Our real home is in heaven and we are like aliens who are visitors in a foreign land (1 Peter 2:11).

When people see you, who do they see?

Sure, they see the physical"you", that's true, but did you know that as Christ's ambassadors, when they see you, they should also see Jesus? Our promise of the day says it very clearly, that "we are Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."

Another verse puts it this way, "as he is in the world, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17 ESV).

And, how do you do this ambassador job correctly?

You allow the Holy Spirit to fill you and do His transforming work within you! When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, "spiritual fruit" is produced, and that is what people will notice! "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV). When people see these things in you, they will be seeing the character of Christ because He is all of these things!

Hiroo Onoda

"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36 NKJV)

Hiroo Onoda, was a Japanese soldier who didn't know the Japanese had surrendered and that World War II was over, so he hid in the deep jungle and continued fighting it for a full 29 years more! He didn't have to! In October 1945, he came across a leaflet from the local islanders saying “The war ended August 15th. Come down from the mountains!” But, he didn't believe it. He decided that it must be Allied propaganda trying to get him to give up.

We marvel and shake our heads at stories like these, but many Christians are doing exactly the same thing! They are continuing to fight a spiritual war that has been fought and won for them by Jesus over 2,000 years ago. The enemy has been completely defeated by what Jesus did for you on the cross! Jesus said, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). He completely paid for your freedom!

However, the enemy rages on as though the battle has not been won! But, the only "tools" he has left are deception and lies! He is a liar, a deceiver, and a thief, and he continually tells God's people that they are not free! And, unfortunately it works when people believe his lies! Even though they are free they continually behave like prisoners of sin!

 Our promise today says it very clearly, "Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed!"

What does this "freedom" mean to God's kids? Because of what Jesus fought and won for you, you get: (just a short list here, there is actually much more!)

Freedom from the Old Testament law

"For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Rom. 3:28 NIV). And, "Through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses." (Acts 13:39 NASB)

 Freedom from guilt

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 5:1 NASB)

 Freedom from condemnation

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Rom. 8:1-2 ESV)

 Freedom to come boldly to God in the time of need

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16 NKJV)

 Freedom to call God your father and Jesus your brother

"God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Gal. 4:4-7 ESV)

 Freedom from fear and anxiety

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18 ESV). And, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7 KJV). And, "Be anxious for nothing." (Phil. 4:6 NASB)

 Freedom from eternal punishment (hell)

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but shall have everlasting life." (John 3:16 NKJV).  And, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23 NASB)

 Freedom to serve God

"Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)

 Freedom to claim and apply all His thousands of promises found throughout the Bible

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ." (2 Cor. 1:20 NIV)

 Therefore, the battle is won for you by Jesus!

You are free and victorious! You don't have to do anything except to continue to stand firm in the truth! "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Gal. 5:1 NIV)

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1:13-14 NIV)

He HAS rescued us from darkness! 

Notice that this promise declares that "He HAS rescued us from the dominion of darkness." It is written in past tense because it is a done deal! It is finished, paid for, and completed! Now, because of this, you no longer are a part of the old covenant system of being separated from God by a wall of sin and darkness! (Matt. 27:51) - You are now a member of "the kingdom of the Son He loves!" You have been redeemed and have been given total "forgiveness of sins." You can now come boldly to God at any moment to instantly find mercy and grace in the time of need! (Heb. 4:16 NIV). This is a bold promise!