Tag: purpose

The Prodigal’s Pain

The Prodigal’s Pain

Isaiah 66:9

“Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” Says the Lord; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” Says your God.

This verse is powerful, God is saying why would I cause pain and not let something good come out of it. Why would I waste a trial in a persons life? why would I let the test not be a testimony? Why would I let the very pain that my child is experiencing not have any good come from it?

I have been brought to this verse many times in the past. With the passing of a loved one, a broken relationship, we’ve all experienced pain. And there was always a purpose behind it.

You see, “…He has put eternity into man’s heart…” – Ecclesiastes 3:11. God put in our heart, eternity. There’s nothing that this World offers that replaces, fills, permeates the desire that our hearts long for — the Creator, God. Your friend or family member who has once tasted and seen and felt the love of God at one time who is now living life to the fullest, so they think. In the World. They feel the pain, and so do we. But we have to remember that there is a purpose with the pain.

Much like the Prodigal in Luke 15 who packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land. He spent all that he had carelessly, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. “When he finally came to his senses” the pain had finally caught up with him and he said to himself “At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!” So he returned home to his father.”

But today, as I was praying for a family member who have strayed away, who once knew Him, the Lord showed me an analogy of Isaiah 66:9 of the person who I was praying for.

A pregnancy is nine months, nine long months of having discomfort, sick, carrying extra weight that they have to carry until the time of the birth. Much like the Prodigal, they too are experiencing pain, discomfort, the shame and guilt. But remember that God has to cause the pain, the discomfort to lead them back to Him. His love is relentless, He is always pursuing the hearts of those who have known Him and have not yet known Him. It’s His kindness that leads us to repentance. It’s all part of His plan.

If you know someone who is a prodigal, don’t stop praying, don’t give up. They are of the Lord’s, He sees them where they are, even if they have forgotten Him, He has not. There is purpose in the pain, your prodigal is coming home!

In Him: FEARFULLY & WONDERFULLY MADE

PSALM 139:14 “I PRAISE YOU, FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE; WONDERFUL ARE YOUR WORKS, MY SOUL KNOWS IT VERY WELL”

I believe that what is said of us from others can alter the perception of who God says we are. 

Identity – the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

We can be Influenced by so many voices. Telling us of how we should look, act, or speak. Society today is telling us that we are not fearfully and wonderfully made but we may have been a mistake, or an accident.

YOU WERE BORN ON PURPOSE FOR A PURPOSE!

THE WORD OF GOD CLEARLY TELLS US THAT WE ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE AND THAT HIS WORKS ARE WONDERFUL.

MY NOSE — NOT A MISTAKE, FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

MY BODY— FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

MY PERSONALITY – FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

— JUST AS A POTTER PUTS A PIECE OF CLAY ON THE WHEEL, THERE’S A PURPOSE BEHIND EVERY INDENTION OF THAT CLAY.

WHEN GOD FORMS SOMETHING HE SHAPES IT SPECIFICALLY FOR HIS PURPOSE.

WE ARE ALL MADE DIFFERENTLY WITH UNIQUE SKILLS, PERSONALITIES AND TRAITS THAT GOD USES FOR HIS GOOD AND GLORY. HE DIDN’T CREATE YOU ALONG WITH THE MASSES, HE IS INTENTIONAL WITH ALL THAT HE DOES.

WE ARE HIS MASTERPIECE

“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED UB CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.” — Ephesians 2:10

— WHEN THE WORLD TELLS US THAT WE ARE DEFINED BY OUR STRUGGLES, ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR APPEARANCE, HIDE IN GOD — THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR LIFE AND SOURCE OF TRUE VALUE IDENTITY AND WORTH. IN HIM ONLY OUR TRUE IDENTITY IS FOUND AND OUR WORTH CAN NEVER BE SHAKEN.

PRAYER:

I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM.

I CAN DO WHAT GOD SAYS I CAN DO.

I CAN BECOME EXACTLY WHAT GOD SAYS I CAN BECOME.

I’M NOT DEFINED BY MY FEELINGS, MY WEAKNESSES, OR MY INCLINATIONS.

I AM COMING OUT OF THE LIES.

I AM COMING INTO THE LIGHT.

I WAS BORN ON PURPOSE FOR A PURPOSE!

Purpose of His Presence

There is nothing like going on vacation to see those who you haven’t seen in such a long time. Knowing the activities and adventures that you will embark on are priceless. The time that you will spend together laughing, maybe crying about stories that you have experienced in the past are priceless. Maybe it’s just a phone call to hear their voice that you haven’t heard in a long time. That time together is priceless.

That is how it is with the Lord, David says in Psalms 63:5

“Daily I will worship you passionately and with all my heart. My arms will wave to you like banners of praise. I overflow with praise when I come before you, for the anointing of your presence satisfies me like nothing else. You are such a rich banquet of pleasure to my soul. – Passion Translation

Q: So What is The Purpose of His Presence?

A: He, the Holy Spirit keeps you from wandering and causes you to separate (consecrate) anything else that is trying to take His place.

Matthew 4:18-22

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”[a]20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

There was something about Him that made these men leave behind their lives their livelihoods all that they have ever know they threw it away for the cause of Christ. What was it? They saw His Presence so valuable.

Psalm 16:11

“You make known to me cthe path of life; 

in your presence there is dfullness of joy; 

at your right hand are epleasures forevermore.”

Do you see His Presence so valuable and so priceless?