R737 The prodigal Dead, Pt.2

Use of encouragement and will find it today in the Bible itself, Bible-based preaching Dr. Don Wilton it's so good to what you have done and all of us The Encouraging Word we stand ready to do just that. To encourage you to find it today as we study God's word.

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I was thinking about the prodigal. We got also to questions today by asking them number one what is the prodigal o'clock. What is a prodigal o'clock. Let's have a look at this together in the light of God's word number one I prodigal belongs to the Lord a prodigal belongs to the Lord, prodigal's all believers. You might say to me pasta. How do I know if I'm a prodigal believer or if I'm just a lost person living in sin, you can judge that by the reaction that you have concerning who God is in the light of your sin.

You see, my friends, I prodigal similar is always a believer is a man or a woman or a boy or a girl when they find themselves in the pigpen when they find themselves in the midst of their sin. It's not a matter of whether or not all in certain issue is that as they find themselves in.

They assume it bothers them because they are soon troubled. That's the spirit of God. That's the mark of a believer. I remember many years ago a man coming to see me on you him he was a kind of a friend of mine. He came to see me sat down and he told me about the fact that he was living in sin, then he just busted just bursting. We talked a little more.

He began to control himself told me little boy burst into tears again. Then he burst into tears.

I mean, he was crying uncontrollably, telling me about Eason and I remember looking at him and saying to my friend why are you crying he looked at me and he said to me, my friend Don he said I'm crying not just because I'm in sin but because I know that God has got a hold of my heart and what I'm doing is wrong in the presence of God and I'm coming to my senses that's what he was saying to me he was saying I'm coming to my senses) my people. But friend I know that I'm a I'm a believer that I belong to him. I've had people over the years.

Whatever means have come to me. I don't know where like coming to try and find sanction for this, try and get permission for their sin will get a stamp of approval for their sin. I don't know but I've had some people who come to me over the years and told me about their sin and when we begun to talk about it together. His two brothers or a brother and a sister in Christ, as I have fault in my heart. After that person and say to them will what you think about it and basically bottom line. They said well I'm in sin and I want you to know that I'm going to continue to do exactly what I want that person is not a prodigal letter lost person you see frames sin in the life of a believer once stop you from going to heaven, but it will rob you of your joy. Sending the lack of an unbeliever may not rob you of your quote unquote joy but it most definitely will return by the way, to say that soon is not delightful. Much of the sin of the world once tasted has a sweet taste. That's why when Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden. God said to them, you must not think of the fruit of that tree. There was nothing wrong with that fruit. I want to suggest you. It was the best fruit in the garden.

I remember our trip overseas. Last year we were in a place where they grow pineapples.

I'm going to tell you something. We were given pineapples from pineapple country. That was the best pineapple that you could ever imagine. Looked in the Godman said to Adam and Eve, you can have anything you want, but of that tree you do not touch because it is the tree good and knowledge and it is the tree of knowledge and evil and I want you to eat that tree.

You are being condemned because of your sin because Satan don't touch who said that sin is not delicious.

Sin is sin because God said don't do it. What is a prodigal o'clock the body goes all believers lost people that you and me. That's why I can stand you today and tell you I been a prodigal many times, but many many times I've been a prodigal number two prodigal's question God, prodigal's question God folks listen very carefully. Can you imagine knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and get questioning him what an audacity.

God does not prevent us from asking questions of him wrong with that but what God doesn't put up is when we question him is a big difference I can ask all kinds of questions of God cannot Lord I'm I'm in a fix.

Can you help me. What I don't understand what I need to do heavenly father. Would you show me which way to turn Lord Jesus, my son, my daughter are bringing me great grief not interested in spiritual things. What can I do, Lord, give me wisdom as I handle the six-week loss every kind of question about heavenly father because his IME father. He wants us to Austin, but don't ever question God, don't ever question God, prodigal's question God ask what they do they? They question who he is, what right has what jurisdiction he has what discipline he had.

You see, the prodigal is the one who gets up and says I know that you're my father but I'm not going to stay on the discipline you my father but I don't need your protection you my father, but I'm not going to be accountable to you that's questioning God number three what is a prodigal. I prodigal tykes detours I listen to particles tightly to his folks probably my least favorite thing to do when you going down the highway.

You know you have to get an appointment you get quite near it. Time is running out and all of a sudden there's that sign that says the true and so all of a sudden you turn off go down the beaten track back this road back that road you got the words one detour leads to another friend listen to this type i.e. prodigal is somebody who takes detours and when you type detours you all riding in God's permissive will raw the dam traveling in God's divine will, God's divine will is exactly the highway. God wants you to be journaling on God's permissive will is the detour that God permits you to type which is outside of his divine will.

It believes all ways to pin because anything outside the divine will of God is what it sin against God. It's not being obedient. It's not doing what God wants us to do number four prodigal's failed to trust the Lord prodigal spiral to trust the Lord you just think about Isaac Isaac Udall God spoken there were promises ad infinitum. God gave to him. His wife, but when the water hit the wheel wanted to do. He lied lied to cover his unbiased. I guess the operative question Isaac had a relationship with God. He was a believer in God. He was a child of God, not Isaac said even in the midst of a foreign camp even when confronted by the Philistines or not Isaac to have said, you know I'm in a predicament, but God brought me here. God made me a promise. God gave me my wife. I rest my case. I don't know how we got to get out of this one, but even if it costs me my life, I will trust the Lord my God you see prodigal's failed to trust the Lord. Number five prodigal's get smart with God, prodigal's get smart with God just have a look with me.

For example, in Genesis chapter 26 and from verse 21, and are you looking they let me explain to you what happened there was Isaac he was disobeying the Lord as it were.

He found himself in general with King Abimelech in the Philistines. He was in the promised land he was taking a detour, if you please arrive and so they began to build wills if you don't know this folks, the building of wills.

The construction of water wells in the desert was the very essence of life that they didn't live in the upstate of South Carolina with more control over the place they were in business. I had nothing. The well was a symbol of the ultimate will and when I had Walter I could feed the animals. I could walk to one another. It was life. It was literally the source about will the Philistines look around I see all these wills of Isaac so you know they did, they became jealous of him. So they got their concrete mixers play back the concrete truck stop and they filled up old wells with concrete not on what concrete looked like back in the time Isaac folks, the Bible says they stopped up they will nightclub them up. They rendered them useless until eventually.

Isaac built one of the Playskool Rehobeth which means to make room in the Bible tells us from verse 21 of chapter 26 that when he broke the will Rehobeth. All of a sudden, for whatever reason, the Philistines could no longer going to stop it.

It had Walter, he was able to draw water for these animals and for his family and he was able to be placed. But here's what happened when that happened, guess what the Hebrew text tells us when finally he's animals.

These horses and donkeys could be watered properly instead of Isaac thanking God. You know what he did.

He put his hands on his shoulders and he said what thank you God. At lost. You've shown up shortly.

Hebrew text tells thank you very much. I mean he's sassy God writing these fights.

He got smart with him. I mean, he was just downright kinky. He was an you might say to me will pasta your old fashion. I can't help but it's the way I was brought up by my mother and father tell you it bothers me folks when I'm around teenagers smart Alec prepares. I don't if you've ever heard a teenager that looks up to a mother or father and says, and so you think you all boys and girls don't do that. Don't talk to your parents like that. I bought some grown teenagers. I've seen some young college student spoke to their mothers and fathers in the most horrid, wise I tell you it's not pleasing with God and the Lord one click to get away with it. By the way parents. Some of you just sit there and do nothing about it. That's the biggest problem you just sit there and lie down and you let the children talk to you in any way, you got nothing in your you just inviting a whole lot of problems, and your children take advantage of. I meant to tell you something, my friend. If we become concerned with human mortals like you and me treat one another disrespectfully. Can you imagine this man. Isaac stayed on the threshold of God's standing there in the place of God in siding with no thank you for showing up.

No one. Isaac was miserable half his life. Don't kid yourself folks. Isaac didn't have a life full of roses.

He had his ups and downs more downs than ups, as did Moses. Moses stood at the threshold of Pharaoh's court. Yet Moses got smart with God. Moses stood at the base of the criticized God's. And he said something God, God said, let me tell you something and not tell you what God did Moses God told him you see the promised land that the voice of Dr. Don Wilton, our teacher here on The Encouraging Word radio broadcast will continue with today's message in just a moment, please don't go away, but I wanted to let you know on behalf of Dr. Wilton. We stand ready to encourage you. It's a key part of who we aren't The Encouraging Word you can call us at 866899 word or visit us online@theencouragingword.org phone number again is 866-899-9673 or meet us online The Encouraging Word.org we enjoy the opportunity of seeing how God intersects our lives because God's built us for community you were not meant to go it alone, we stand ready to jot the number down storing yourself love to connect with you at 866-899-9673 or online@theencouragingword.org. Now back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton about the prodigal dad prodigal's get smart with God. Number six. Prodigal showtimes of great weakness showtimes a great weakness Jacobs.

A good example. Isaac's a good example.

Abraham is a good example is a good example. Joseph is a good example. Prodigal showtimes of great weakness, hard to describe.

Yeah they they love the Lord living for him in your care comes that drug. Here comes that alcohol comes that immoral behavior and they just come.

I don't if you ever meet somebody who's just constantly just falling just cramping so weak, don't never seem to be able to stand up just all the time just falling flat on their face. Well, at this is somewhat Blackwater prodigal might look like.

What does this teach us what is this teach us what is this how does this help me here I am on the prodigal I've been in the pigs piņata and about you, what is this teach us number one. It teaches us that the Lord speaks to spot ourselves. I love that Dr. Wright throughout these narrative accounts you we find time without number God just continued to speak it kind of puts the shoe on the right foot does not know sometimes we talk about all that we can do for God and we forget that the most important thing is what God does for us right there in the midst of the pigpen right there in the midst of our sinfulness and weakness, God still speaks. You know why he speaks because were indwelt by his spirit. By the way, the Spirit doesn't come and go. Did you know that the spirit of God doesn't come into my heart. Main site will most often Tina the spirit of God drills in me I mean by the spirit. But I do not experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit and armor all the fullness of the Holy Spirit because my sin is me of the presence and the power of the one who dwells in me. So the Lord speaks despite ourselves. The second thing it teaches us is that the Lord keeps his word. He always does. The Lord keeps his word time without number. They so many times your in this passage. In these narratives here in the Old Testament, this time without number God keeps his word.

God is saying something my friend he did. That's why he says I will hold you in the palm of my hand. That's why you cannot be saved. One minute and loose with the next.

That's why the man who grew up in his father's house, despite the fact that he went off to the foreign laminated up in the pigpen.

He came back and he was invited to come back into his rightful place in the father's house. God doesn't change his mind, God the father did inside of the son will you need to reapply for your status and say that pretty that I tell you what.

Before I give you this ring and prepare a meal for you yes what you gonna have to do not. He said, you're welcome arms open.

That's a God of grace, folks God of grace.

Number three. What it teaches us is that the Lord does allow detours. He does doesn't get that it to us as an excuse and if you ever use that as an excuse you're in trouble because then you're trying to tap into the grace of God will said shall I continue in sin that grace may abound, God forbid, friend.

If you find yourself saying what God's going to welcome me back anyway so I'm just going to go. I can be here tomorrow. You know what it is most likely that your nonbeliever if that's what you say. I believe it will never say that I believe I will never site will God's gonna forgive me anyway so I'm just going to go. I can cheat on my wife. The I believe will never site believers fall into sin folks they succumb to sin.

And so the third thing that the Bible teaches us with regard to this is that the Lord does allow detours. They all his permissive will number for the Lord does give second tranches he does.

There are people today who worship with us. Thousands upon thousands if not hundreds of thousands with the bad weather in West North Carolina and people all across worship with us every Sunday. There are people psycho got messed up when you take me back. Absolutely yes absolutely yes, but there's one requirement you got a repayment you sent it I just get up and say what I think I'm going to do this you gotta repayment is if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and claims us from all unrighteousness and number five what it teaches us is that the Lord does reward faithfulness. He does.

God is faithful and he rewards faithfulness. He does that. I tell you the rest of the life of the prodigal son must've been incredible. How about you, you know him would you trust him as your personal savior.

Would you surrender to him. Would you give them your role would you unashamedly say Lord nothing in my hands, I bring, but simply to thy cross will I cling folks there are people in different categories here today as a lot of folks here today who know and love Jesus just like me on one of the as a lot of us to sin constantly and some of us have tried to take our inheritance in March offered to some strange place were not happy within the pigpen. Are you coming to your senses today. Are you willing to stand up. Step out look up to tell you what's gonna happen when you look up you going to see your heavenly father standing there with his arms outstretched friend is nothing more wonderful and coming back to him.

I'm tinier. That's what revival is all about praying God would seem to revival upon our people cannot revive something that doesn't have an element of life in it already. Revival is for believers folks crusades awful unbelief. Maybe today you saying man I'm just flat. I have made a stop on the lawn not living for the Lord. It might be something nobody else knows about have to be some gigantic monumental thing folks in sin. It doesn't matter if it's a dime, or if it's $1 million. Sin is sin if it's a dime you will be in the pigpen and if it's $1 million you be in a pigpen at all leads in the same direction as someone here today.

Site pasta before the Lord Jesus. God is spoken about half today.

I need to get back on track. I need to get up and walk out. I need to publicly take my stand. I need to do that.

It's been a great day of Bible study here on The Encouraging Word and Dr. Don Wilton back in just a moment with more but I hope you heard those last four words so powerfully. Do you know him in my own life my own to estimate the mean sorcery because I knew about him so many years, but I didn't know him and when I made that choice to confess my sins and to come before Jesus asked him to save me to confess my belief in him, But change my life and it will change yours. Just like it's change.

Dr. Don Wilton we would love to speak with you. Pray we could maybe answer some questions show you some truth in God's word about how you can know that you belong to Jesus.

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