How you think God sees you?
How do you see God?
Do you see God as looking down waiting for us to mess up so He can punish?
Do you see God as a grandfather figure just patting everyone on the head ?
The Bible says in 1John 4:16 GOD IS LOVE; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Jesus told a parable in the Bible about a son that had ask his Father for his inheritance so he could leave his home and live on his own.
This story is known best as the Prodigal son but, I want to focus on the Father and his love and forgiveness.
Let’s look at this as a parable of the Father as God and each time the son is mentioned let’s put our name there.
Luke chapter 15 verses 11 thru 22
Lu 15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
Lu 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
Lu 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Lu 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
Lu 15:15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Lu 15:16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
Lu 15:17 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!
Lu 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Lu 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
Lu 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Lu 15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Lu 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet
According to the Old Testament it was accustom to stone to death a rebellious son. You were to take him out in the street and announce it and everyone would throw stones at you until you were dead.
But it was the love of the Father that he would give his son his inheritance and in that day it was accustom for sons to do that although it would be an embarrassment to the Father.
This was no small inheritance because this father must have been rich because he had servants, gold and cattle.
In modern day terms, he partied hard, I would image he paid for everybody’s drugs and laid it on a table for all to use, bought drinks for the house and so on.
I would say he had a lot of friends for that period of time.
But the son spent it all on riotous living as the Bible puts it. Same as today, think your having a good time with drugs, alcohol…its riotous living.
Bible says that he. joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. and verse 18 says and no man gave unto him
This citizen sent him to feed his pigs and live with them. He was probably one of his partying friend. Hey, what are friends for.
You feed my pigs and you can eat with them.
The Bible says he was glad to have the husks to eat and no man gave unto him.
The son was down as far as anyone could go in life.
Then the Bible says he came unto himself in verse 17
He realized his security and needs met by his father when he was home.
He said my father’s servants have bread to eat and I’m going to starve! Here with these pigs, But he came to himself…
He realizes that his Father could supply his every need.
God has promised you won’t starve. He is going to meet your needs.
He never promised to meet your wants or your luxuries, but He will meet your needs.
And the greatest need you poses is to have a relationship with Him…..God is love….
But the Bibles says that God’s love surpasses all human understanding.
Ro 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Ro 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now that’s great Love...that’s agape Love...unconditional
The son came himself and was rehearsing what he was going to tell his father so he would take him back. I will tell my father I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
So he arose and was on his way home and the Bible says But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
The son was repenting to his father what he had rehearsed but, the father was just to happy to listen…the father knew his heart…he knew it was true repentance.
While the son was still talking the father told his servants to Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet
Did the Father tell his Servants to bring some sticks cause we are going to beat the hide off of him…..NO to Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet
The robe stands for honor; Robe of righteousness
The ring stands for mastery. Belonging to the family
The shoes stand for the status of son. Servants went barefoot but the children of the family wore shoes.
The most important thing anyone can do in their life is lay everything at Gods feet. Let Him take control of your life…allow Him to place the Holy Spirit in you to live forever more.
He covers your sins with the blood of Jesus…. He places the Holy Spirit which marks you as one of His forever. He puts your name in the Book Of Life with a promise that when you die you will go to Heaven to live forever more.
Jesus Himself records something else that happens when people repent of their sins and ask Christ in their heart in Luke chapter 15.
The Bible says in verse 10 I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth
Now we know that there are Angels in Gods presents but, who else is there? The Bible says in
II Corinthians 5: 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
As soon as we die we leave this old body behind and instantly we are in His presents or if you are not His ..you will lift your eyes unto Hell.
The ones that were saved that have gone on before us, our family members and love ones.
I would say that there is an announcement in Heaven when a family member accepts Christ as their Saviour. Attention please.. to the family of Ronnie Miller.
He came out of the pig pen and now belongs to Jesus and will join you soon.
Joy in Heaven over one sinner that repented.
It’s the love of the Father in Heaven…it is…. for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that who so ever would believe on Him would have eternal life.
We have seemed to have used the word love to where it doesn’t have any meaning anymore. It seems to just be an everyday word.
We say we love ham biscuits but, do we love ham biscuits 2 weeks old?
We say we love our car but, do we love it when it leaves us stranded on the highway?
There is always a condition when we love. Even with each other.
But Gods love is unconditional.
There is nothing you can to do make God love you more! There is nothing you can do to make God love you less!
His love is Unconditional,
The son was not eating with the pigs.
All that his father had is his…
He was sealed with a promise of grace by the Holy Sprit and welcomed home by the Father with over whelming love.
If you get nothing out of this today …remember God loves you unconditionally.
Love in Christ Jesus, Ronnie Miller
www.themillersbiblestudy.com
