Prodigal Son.

In the parable of the prodigal son Jesus outlined the type of love the Father has for us and that we should show each other. (Luke 15:11-32) The youngest child of a rich family spent years squandering his inheritance living a life involved in numerous contemptible sins. Jesus showed that despite this, on seeing his son return home the aged father ran to his child with open arms. He did not wait to question the sons current actions, did not attempt to determine his sons motives and repentance, nor give him a period of lower status as punishment.

  Nowhere in the Bible does it discuss a detailed process for returning to Christianity, nor give a timeframe in regards to how long before been allowed back to your faith can take place. Paul simply stated that a person who is a wrongdoer should be avoided. When they are no longer practicing the wrongdoing there is no reason to keep shunning them. The New Testament never specifically extends shunning to immediate family members. Rather Paul stated at 1 Timothy 5:8;

"Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith." So Bible principals are the importance for all Christians to love and live by. Paul stressed love for others as he built a Christian foundation for all to this day to follow.

The making of a Christian from been merely a person who before that never knew God nor knew the love Christ had for others is a long task to complete. The Christian who follows Christ thou need not worry because Christ required only two Commandments of all Christians, love your neighbor as you would yourself and second Love God with all your heart soul and mind. Two requirements that take time to endure and become a custom to doing.

The prodigal son had seen his life's savings vanish with bad decisions, Jesus came to let others know their decisions reflect nothing on how to achieve life everlasting, the world offers only pain and heartache and Jesus knew the people were alone. Alone, they had no teachings to follow, their leaders were always striving for self gain and prominence, they wanted others to see their showy display of life. Jesus scolded them due to their traditions and their making up rules never in conjunction with scripture.

Scripture first is the reason for Christian growth and Christian love, without this Holy book we will be lost as the Pharisees and Sadducees were of Jesus day. Man has no authority over us, God and Christ symbolize authority, safe authority and  loving and justified to help us lead a Christian life.
As you read this look around you at those using opinions based on philosophy or tradition and then use the Bible to react with knowledge and faith given to you through the word Of God.

Do Not Add or Take Away.

The following words come from the American standard version bible, its content is valid based on been used predominantly by numerous faith based religions across the globe.
 18  I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
¹⁹ And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
²⁰ But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.
²¹ And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken?
²² when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18;18-22. The words of a God giving instruction to his people at the time concerning prophecy or prediction.

Notice the soothing response From Jehovah the God of the people of Israel? Do not be afraid of them, they will according to the Lord pay the ultimate price by his own actions towards them. actions will involve death, The Bible is a pure book that was written with holy spirit as its sole guide, the importance of this book is one taken seriously by God and by those who wrote the 66 books guided by holy spirit.

Christians should heed its instructions when attempting to introduce a doctrine based on the end of the world of any date or period of time, they should read passages such as this to help them understanding that when a prediction is made it will receive scrutiny from the most high if not fulfilled.  We see this among many religions, they use bill boards to introduce an end time event, they use tracts or even pamphlets  to convey messages of calamity about to unfold.

So what is the significance of this opinion ? I write this based on the terrors we see today, we have an Islamic movement trampling on the beliefs of others based on their version of the scriptures they follow to correlate their version of the end of this world, as so many religions scramble for recruitment of others to join their cause the one true book the Holy Bible gives us a inside look with warnings of what we as little people loved by an awesome God tell us to steer clear of. Prophecy is left to God to give to those he entrusts, those he entrusted no longer live on this Earth, the Bible is the guide to eventuality  it gives us the patients to live on in desperate times and in good times, allow God to decide the end and DO NOT ADD OR TAKE AWAY ANYTHING IN THE SCRIPTURES.


I leave you with scripture from the book of Revelation to help define the meaning of what Christians need to live by.
¹⁸ I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book:
¹⁹ and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. Revelation 22;18-19.

Faith

Faith...complete trust or confidence in someone or something. This is such a revealing factor in todays world of mistrust and confusion, we seek to love a God we cant see yet we feel his presence within us in times of sorrow, happiness, love, pick one and you can rest assured it is comforting to any Christian who serves a God we can not see.

Paul had faith as did Moses when faced with trials they could never comprehend a man to face, through all their trials they clung to Christ and to God for guidance and assurance that everything would turn out ok. Todays world is different then Paul's or Moses world, we face trials at greater speeds with technology speeding us around a chaotic world filled with hatred and sorrow.

Christians who love adapt to these changes as scripture reassures them that all these events are paramount in order to complete what God wants to take place. I can site scriptures to reassure us that all this will soon end and if a Christian reads the best book in history they to will strengthen their faith in ways that help them live through these awful times.

Remember this verse when it comes to hard times,,,Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Jesus strengthens us. also remember what peter says. Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5;7. We need faith because without faith were hopeless and lost in a world where not believing unless its visual to the naked eye has become a reality. So continue the good fight of faith and know your not alone.

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1;3-4 Just imagine in your minds the coming day of peace and love for all mankind.

How do we Love?

How should we love? Do we pick and choose in order to please those who love conditionally? Two questions to ponder with and very important questions when identifying who you claim to be and really want to be. It is often the small, easy, cheap, affordable, insignificant, simple acts of love and kindness that do the most to help people experience the love of Jesus through your life.  So the guidelines are very clear we love as close to we can like Christ would want us to love others,

There is so much pain and loneliness in the world, you can be pretty sure the person next to on the street or the person scanning your food at the grocery store could use a kind word, a smile, or a helping hand. Get off your cell phone and talk to them. Get to know them. Ask them how their day is going and actually remember the conversation. Remember their name.  We all need a little encouragement from time to time.

Christ set a perfect example of kindness and love. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus showed His love for others by blessing and serving the poor, the sick, and the distressed. He told His disciples, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15;12.) A commandment we see needed in many areas of the world Tough to do for sure but actually doable,

So when you pick and choose what distinction do you reach? The financial aspect of a person? The demeanor of a person? The overall character of the person? I suspect we all dig deep into who we our first before we determine the quality we want to be associated with.  Jesus had no pick and choose approaches except when it came to truth, he specifically wanted truth to reflect his qualities for people and when challenged on this issue it became clear those lacking truth were not doing well after Christ made his acquaintance with them.

So before we choose how we associate always know that Christ is the overall decision maker that we should try and  measure our own decisions from, you see Christ allowed Love and allowed forgiveness that was felt from his heart to your heart, never try to determine if your position is greater then anyone else's because the greatest decision you make is always from the outlook of others and not from your own hearts, failure to decide on your own is a major part of who we do not want to become.

People who love do not judge others in any situation, they leave this up to God and Christ to make the overall determination on who is worthy and who deserves the outcomes they face. Never fear loving others who seem unwilling to love themselves it is a first step in making people believe in who they need to be.

Matthew 5;7

Happy are the pitiful, because they shall be pitied. Matthew 5;7. Pitiful a word defined in the dictionary as; an expression of contempt and pity, the way the word pathetic might be used. You might also see it used in reference to something unfortunate or deserving of pity — like a homeless mother and her child, begging for money on the street.

So showing pity or mercy, take your pick in choices of words is a quality Jesus expressed mankind had to have in order to be shown pity to themselves.  Do we show pity? As Christians it is necessary to show not only love or forgiveness we need to show an action of pity in order to create a serious Christian attitude towards those needing a Christian shoulder to lean on.

James chapter 2 verse 13 brings it out in a much more subtle way, it emphasizes the need to attach this quality in order to achieve a justified reward in the end. " For justice is pitiless to him who has not showed pity; pity flouts justice.  In other words pity triumphs over Judgement and this powerful scripture places many in a watchful eye from Christ who is the one given full reign on deciding the eternal travel a person will take in the next new world we as Christian seek to be apart of.

I looked to an old proverb for clarification on what is needed in order to keep an elder or a person who leads the congregation in a frame of mind similar to what Christ was saying on the sermon on the mount to his disciples and a crowd of people who listened to the master teacher show pity and reveal how pity trumps Judgement.

Whoever stops up his ear to the cry of the lowly one will himself call and not be answered. Powerful words from Proverbs 21;13.  So, Continue being merciful, just as your Father is merciful Luke 6;36 so strive to be a Christian with a quality of mercy or pity Jesus will search out those in the time of the end that have such a rewarding quality to smile with them and take their hands and call out their names as members of a world filled with those meek in spirit.