Day 87: John 10:10

One advantage of living in 2015 is having "LIVE" sermons! This is especially awesome when your soul is longing for praise and worship songs! Ryan and I have been listening to a series through West Side Christian Church out of Springfield called Finding Your Way.... The sermon today was amazing and emotional. It isn't up yet online, but last weeks is so start there or wait till tomorrow to watch.... Below is what God spoke to me through listening to the sermon.. It's always important to remember that God can use one message and speak it to multiple people in a different way...

http://www.wschurch.org/Arena/default.aspx?page=3960&promotionId=2783


The sermon today focused on the point in your life that you are stuck in a cycle... You have done things on your own either with finances, a relationship, parenting, etc. and  you just stay  there.... You wallow in a place called the "sorry cycle"... You can't get out of the place you created for yourself. You walked away from God on this issue and bad things continue to happen and you stay there. 

The series is based on the story of the prodigal son. If you are unfamiliar with this story here it is:) 
Luke 15:11-32(NIV)The Parable of the Lost Son11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“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.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”


In Luke 15:17- This was the beginning that he began to own his choices and realized it's him not others- he told himself the full truth about himself and situation. He stopped wallowing and took the first step towards God. He stopped blaming others. When you put the verses 18 and 20 together it shows the son knew he needed to do something and then did it!!! 

We all have those "things" in our life that we haven't turned over to God. Those "things" keep getting worse and worse... God wants us to direct our lives and those "things' toward him! In 1 Timothy 6:19 God wants us to take hold of the life that is truly life. 

So often I may hear or see something and think to myself... "Well, that sounds like so and so or I know someone who needs to do that..... It is SO important to not blame others for the "things" in your life that aren't good. We must begin OWNING our own choices and DIRECTING our life towards God.

Tonight I wrote down one of my "things" and stuck it on the frig! My focus this week is to own this "thing" and continue to take steps towards Christ.

Have a blessed Week!