Month: June 2022

Kitchen Table Devotions

“The Prodigal”

Day 22

I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.            Luke 15:18-19

We never find relief by feeling good about feeling bad, yet we try to do that all the time.  The young man got up and decided to go to his good father and then admit he did bad, felt bad, and deserved bad.  That’s a recipe for failure.  Our Father loves us, values us, and had plans to prosper us but we must be willing to give up on feeling good about feeling bad.  The Bible says, “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death (2 Corinthians 7:10).  Don’t head to the Father believing you’re unworthy to be called a son.  God never felt that way about you or me.

Kitchen Table Devotions

“The Prodigal”

Day 20

I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.            Luke 15:18-19

Don’t ever forget that you’re not the judge of you.  Faith acts but it doesn’t act on itself.  That’s what got us into this mess.  Faith believes and behaves according to someone greater than self.  And it’s so easy to believe what we think, feel, or say but it’s not what we know, it’s what He knows.  It’s not where we are but where He is.  It’s not what we’ve done but what He did that matters.  Don’t be seduced into just being sad, that accomplishes nothing.  The younger son said, “I am no longer worthy”.  That’s a lie.  The Bible says, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷ Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7  Don’t settle for feeling bad to feel good about life.

Kitchen Table Devotions

“The Prodigal”

Day 20

I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.                 Luke 15:18

Faith without works is dead (James 2:17)  There comes a time when we must act.  God will work for us, but He won’t act for us.  Have you ever noticed how many people who wanted salvation, healing, or deliverance, came to Jesus?  Jesus even said, “Come to Me, al who labor…” (Matthew 11:28).  Acting is our choice, and the truth is that anyone can stay in bed; it takes no faith to stay sick, sorry, and sad.  Faith acts! Remember, you have a father.  His love never ends but He never makes you begin.  Today, arise and go to Him who knows you most and loves you best and leave your yesterday so you can live in your tomorrow in Jesus name.

Kitchen Table Devotions

“The Prodigal”

Day 19

But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! Luke 15:17

Where there is love there is more than enough.  Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees; sometimes we can see what’s around us because of who’s with us.  For the first time, alone in the consequences of his choices, the younger son sees his father for who he is as a good man.  The Bible says that bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33).  Jesus said to recognize (judge) a tree by its fruit (Matthew 7:18-20).  When recognizing a man, don’t just look at him, look at those around him.  Do you want to be like those around that person?  Where there is love, there is more than enough to make those around you loved too.  Look for that!

Kitchen Table Devotions

“The Prodigal”

Day 18

But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! Luke 15:17

Sometimes the best thing love can do is nothing.  Until we get honest about life, we can’t make headway in life.  Judgment is woven into the fiber of creation.  We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-9).  Life can become more defined when life gets more difficult; it’s hard to see anything bad when everything is blurred.  That’s where our enemy wants us to live.  And this is where living in the light impacts those dwelling in the dark.  He remembers his dad and the life he lived in love.  It’s at this point that life-changing decisions can begin to happen.  It’s never over when love rules.  One more chance for one more day because the One who loves you longs to see you again.

Kitchen Table Devotions

“The Prodigal”

Day 17

But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! Luke 15:17

It’s a beautiful thing when we can finally just be honest.  It’s too bad that honesty usually follows frustration and failure rather than faith but embrace it when it happens.  Remember, we can’t walk in love and not operate in truth.  The Bible says that love rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).  Until we’re honest, we are held hostage to our own sinful ideas and infidelities.  But it’s our choice that leaves us captive.  The life we’re living right now is the one we’ve chosen.  The truth is that if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9) which frees us but if we conceal our sin we can’t freely talk with God (Ps 66:18).  Honesty is a beautiful thing and the beginning of something new and wonderful.

Kitchen Table Devotions

“The Prodigal”

Day 16

But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! Luke 15:17

Honesty is the first step to humility and humility is the door to help.  Jesus once said that if we would abide in His Word, we would be His disciples and we would know the truth that would set us free. (John 8:31-32)  We all need  “Come to Jesus” moments in life but it won’t happen until we’re willing to get honest about our lives.  When this young man began to accept that his life wasn’t working, he was able to think about the life that does.  He had played the fool and failed but his father’s love didn’t fail or finish.  Sometimes the simplest thing to do is to just stop and think about what’s working and what’s not.  Think about this, God’s love never finishes or fails to work in our lives.