ttob18

The Testimony of Believers

Lesson Eighteen: by turtle

Every now again I make strange mistakes that seem to have a purpose. A purpose how?
Well last week we did the book of Matthew again instead of Luke. And will I did not catch
the error until today and it is Saturday. Yet when I review the lesson, maybe it is important
to place such a lesson here as a reminder how important people are, and the importance of
spiritual food. This weeks lesson is on being lost and being found. Who is worthy to receive
Christ all are sinners, yet all are worthy to be found. God does not desire anyone to perish.
He desires us to know Him, but we got to want to know Him. God desires us to obey him.
He desires to give us the desires of our hearts. To have a perfect relationship with God is to
be in submission to the will of God and exchange we get much more, we get the blessing of
being a willing participant to the will of God, not just a person running the race of life, but
running a race toward God.

Let us begin our study with things being lost. All of us feel lost at sometime or another.
However are you lost from the kingdom of God. Are you missing from God. Does God have
your face on a milk carton searching for you. Of course He needs not a milk carton to know
where you are. After all He created you in His image. In His likeness. He created you and
know how many hairs are on your head, no doubt He knows where you are. Where can you
go from God’s Spirit where can you hide. You can not.

Jeremiah 23:23-24
(23) Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
(24) Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not
I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

God is everywhere. Sometimes we forget this, but He is right there besides us. Cain had
sinned and God knew Cain went from His present, yet He knew Cain was in the land of
Nod. Even when the devil and all His angels are cast into the fiery pit God still will know
where they are. However God wants us to know we are loved and sought after. He does it in
the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son. They seem like simple
stories but the value of each is important. Let us begin by looking at Luke 15.

Luke 15:1-7
(1) Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
(2) And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and
eateth with them.
(3) And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
(4) What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the
ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
(5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
(6) And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto
them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
(7) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more
than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

The attention that the finding of one sheep seems trivial, but ask a parent who lost a child
and they find the child alive. Not only alive but unharmed. A missing child gone but not
forgotten, search begins from the time the missing child is discovered missing to the time he
or she is found. Once found celebration of sorts take place, all based on how long the child
was missing. However the mother and father are usually greatly relieved to find the child.
Why should we think when one receives Christ God is not delighted over that one more so
then the ninety-nine that got saved. It has nothing to do with the fact God does not love the
other ninety-nine, it has to do with that those already found know Him, and will spend
eternity with Him. God goes and speaks to each of hearts hoping we will listen to Him. He
wanting to lift off the path of destruction. We must remember God created all of us, so we
are part of His children. Yet as long as we reject God we can not be part of His family. God
refuses to allow us in His kingdom as long as we resist His authority in our lives. Teenagers
that run wild often go running away only to the hope of their parents to come under the
shelter of their home or at least to make things right through communication. However
some never return, and they are often felt lost to their parents.

The value of a person is compared to a lost coin. A coin search for because it got lost. The
house swept clean by a broom in hopes to find the missing coing and soon the treasure of
the coin is found to be place with the rest. Yet that coin was worth the hunt. I light had to
be lit to find it.

Luke 15:8-10
(8) Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a
candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
(9) And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together,
saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
(10) Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that repenteth.

The light that lit the room represents Christ the light that is brought into the world so that
all might shine for God. That light brings forth the reflection so it is easily seen. Even with a
little tarnish the coin is still cast a little light or sparkle off it. We are much like the coin on
the floor almost being swept out the door, but the light of the candle catches the coin. With
a little correction from God, just like a little polishing to the coin from the one that found it
will bring back its gleam. God does not just want to find us but He wants to do the
polishing. He wants to say Here is my child come rejoice. Look how shiny she is, with the
reflection of the light. How bright do we shine with Jesus. The woman rejoices calling those
around to celebrate with her. Jesus does the same for all that receive Him as Lord. We have
to want to be found.

The next story of the prodigal son. There was a man with two sons. One wanted all of his
inheritance and other one stayed at home. In the parable the son squanders his inheritance
to the point, he is doing and living and doing the worse job imaginable for a Jew. He is
feeding the pig and eating some of their food for nourishment. We might compare it to
living on the streets.

Luke 15:11-32
(11) And he said, A certain man had two sons:
(12) And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that
falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
(13) And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey
into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
(14) And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to
be in want.
(15) And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his
fields to feed swine.
(16) And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no
man gave unto him.
(17) And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have
bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
(18) I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and before thee,
(19) And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
(20) And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father
saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
(21) And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and
am no more worthy to be called thy son.
(22) But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and
put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
(23) And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
(24) For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began
to be merry.
(25) Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he
heard musick and dancing.
(26) And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
(27) And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf,
because he hath received him safe and sound.
(28) And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated
him.
(29) And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither
transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I
might make merry with my friends:
(30) But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots,
thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
(31) And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
(32) It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead,
and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Now the son got tired of eating pig slop, and decide living as his father servant would be
much better then the predicament he found himself in. The son then heads out to his father
property to see if he be even welcome home. Along the way he wondering what will his
Father say he finds he lost the fortune. However the Father sitting outside sees his son
coming down the road and runs to greet him. Not only runs to greet him but puts a ring on
his hand and throws a party for his son. His son was lost from him but now he is found. The
Lord knows we do not always use what He gives us for His glory. He knows that even with
knowledge of who He is we often fail, however what He wants is for us to come back to Him.
He wants us to stop rebelling, however it is our choice. However when we return God
blesses us. God rejoices when we repent and turn back to Him. Not only Him but the angels
also in heaven. The way He bless us is gives us faith to endure so we will not run from Him
again, but strength and grace to endure the test of time, until we join Him in heaven,
despite our circumstances. What holding you back to come back to God. It is individual
choice. Just because you fail once does not mean you will do again, God has better things
for you.

In each of these stories three different things are lost. One a person, one a coin and the
other a sheep. Sheep being already a sheep, that gone astray, the coin being a coin that
once shown for God, and the other one son that took the heritance and lost it for his own
pleasure, only to realize to be just a servant in the kingdom of God would even be far better
then not being in the kingdom. Sometimes we do have to see the other side of the fence to
know how good God’s kingdom is. Yet God does not need us as servants but to be His
children. You do not stop being a child just because you go in the wrong direction for a
time. He loves you and desire us to return. Come home today and repent knowing God is
waiting. Ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, and ask for the leading of the Holy Spirit to
guide and direct you today. Many God word penetrate your heart, that you can understand
God is seeking you.

Then there is one more son that is jealous because his brother is getting all the attention.
However the father rebukes his son, but saying your brother was lost but now is found. His
Father was not with holding the blessings from his son that remained, all that His Father
had was already His. He could of slaughter a calf anytime for his friends. He just had not
asked. We need to remember to ask God for those things we need or desire.