Gtcotr/ss011417
Never underestimate a person who is going in the right direction.
The
most important thing you own is your future.
The
past happens so quickly, and it cannot be changed.
We
must not allow something we cannot change to change us.
The
future has not been written yet.
You have no promise greater than the future.
Let’s
look at a passage in the Book of Luke, chapter 15, that shines a light on the
steps a person can take when they feel lost or imagine they need to move to a
better place in life.
The
first 10 verses of this chapter confirm the fact that God loves to see people
take positive steps to get their lives in better shape. Specifically, all of
heaven rejoices when a person gets back on the right road. In fact, …
Luke 15:7 “I say to you that
likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”
Luke 15
11 Then Jesus 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 falls to
me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.
13 “And not many days after,
the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there
wasted his money with wild living.
14 “But when he had spent
all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
15 “Then 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 gladly have
filled his stomach with the husks that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to
himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and
to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 ‘I will arise and go to my
father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before
you,
19 “and I am no longer worthy
to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
20 “And he arose and came to
his father. But when he was still 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 to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer
worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to
his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring
on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23 ‘And bring the fatted calf
here 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.
This
young man is thought to have been educated and we know he was heir to some
amount of land, animals, servants and goods. However, the road he chose led him
down a wrong pathway and into ruin. Not only was he poor but he was also
mentally and emotionally drained. His bad choices brought him to the brink of
despair. He was lost …
One
thing I love about the God of the Bible is that He will never leave us in
despair. Every time one of His children makes a bad decision or experiences a
hardship in life, God shows us way to make it better while He works on fixing
everything for us for all eternity. As long as there is breath in this body, God
offers us redemption and a way to a better day.
All
we ever need to do is to get back on course. Allow me to offer some steps we
can take to begin making life good again.
1. Recognize the
fall.
a. Remember from whence
ye are fallen … (Revelation 2:5)
b. Take an honest look
at where you are versus where you should be.
c. Imagine what you
would say to someone else who was in your situation. How could they make it
better – paint the picture …
d. Ask yourself the
question: Where did it or Where did I go wrong?
e. Forget the remedies
for a moment – focus on the cause …
f. Why am I in this
pigpen?
2. Repent of your
sins.
a. Sin indicates an
error in judgement, thought, speech or deed.
b. Repent means to
change directions.
c. In order to repent
in the right way we must:
i. Own the fall … Own
the error.
ii. Accept your failure
1. Your fault or not …
it didn’t work!
2. What did you do or
not do that contributed>
3. How did you process
the fall … even if it wasn’t your fault … how did you respond?
d. Just fess up to
yourself and to God … that’s enough to make a right turn.
i. Find a way to just
be honest with yourself …
ii. Don’t accuse or
blame others … leave them to God.
3. Return home – come
back home to the Father’s house.
a. Don’t allow yourself
to wallow in the mire
b. Take steps to get
out of the pigpen and back on course
c. The first step is
the hardest and then the next steps get easier
d. If you fall, get
back up and keep going
Revelation’s
Remedy:
Revelation 2:5a “Remember therefore from where you have
fallen; repent and do the first works.”
The only thing you have left is the future. What will you make of
it?
