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Are You A Prodigal? - Part 1

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons."
Luke 15:11

The Prodigal Son made the following mistakes - be sure you don't make them too! 1) He wanted to control his own future! The first step into trouble is always the one that takes us away from God. Like the Prodigal, we leave home saying, "Give me." And if we're fortunate enough to survive our own best thinking, we come back saying, "Forgive me." 2) He didn't get into trouble until he left his father's house! Satan will do whatever it takes to get you out from under God's influence and protection. He'll put "a restless spirit" on you so that nothing keeps you happy, and you run around like a rolling stone singing, "I can't get no satisfaction." The two "blessed places" he'll particularly try to get you out of are: (a) your marriage: that's why you need constantly to work on it. The only reason there are weeds in your garden instead of roses is because you don't spend enough time working there. Hello! Your marriage is not just a covenant before God, it's a shelter for your passions and dysfunction; (b) your church: who's feeding you? Who's monitoring your spiritual growth? Would you let your kids stay home from school because they didn't like the teacher or want to learn? There are things God will say to you in church that He won't say to you anywhere else. Jeremiah said that God's Word was like "a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces" (see Jeremiah 23:29). You need to be sure that when that hammer falls on Sunday morning - you're under it!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Help me to know that running away from you does not work! It is only in your presence among your people that I can grow and find support! In Jesus' Name, Amen