The story of the Prodigal son reveals the importance of our understanding of God as Father further. It says in Luke15:12 that the father split the inheritance between his two sons. The story reveals how Daddy issues have two possible consequences when it comes to the inheritance/promises of God. The first son, wanted the in inheritances without the presence of His father. But in that instance he squandered everything he had been given. He learned that the presence of his father was more important than the inheritance, and that we will neglect our inheritance if His presence isn't of first importance (Luke 15:18).
The oldest son reveals his ignorance after his brother has returned and been restored to full son-ship. His first blunder is to ask a servant about what is going on instead of going to his father. If we do not have a correct understanding of God as Father, we will never learn to relate directly to Him.
The older son says to his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never game me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends (verse 29).' The elder son revealed specific lies that he was believing about His father. 1) That he needed to 'earn' his inhertiance. Much of the church still struggles as slaves, believing that God desires obedience over relationship. We try to be recognized by our merit rather than by His free gifts of mercy and grace. 2) He already had been given his inheritance (verse 12), and he had access to have a party whenever he wanted to. 3) A small side note is that we do not party enough as the body of Christ because we are too stuck being slaves rather than sons. We are set on obedience and so we never enjoy being in His presence; the truth is however, that we actually become more obedient when when 'being' with Him is more important that 'serving' Him. The closer we draw to the fathers heart the more we are transformed into the likeness of Jesus.
One of the hardest things for many Christians to accept is that there is more to a relationship with God than they have experienced. In fact, this very truth often times feels condemning to Christians rather than hopeful and exciting. The truth, is that there is always more of God to know and experience. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom (Isaiah 40:28)." God is looking for seekers, those seeking His face, His very presence. It is only in pursuing God that we are transformed from Glory to Glory (2 Cor. 3), and only with Him will we come to realize and actualize the inheritance he has given us!
The oldest son reveals his ignorance after his brother has returned and been restored to full son-ship. His first blunder is to ask a servant about what is going on instead of going to his father. If we do not have a correct understanding of God as Father, we will never learn to relate directly to Him.
The older son says to his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never game me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends (verse 29).' The elder son revealed specific lies that he was believing about His father. 1) That he needed to 'earn' his inhertiance. Much of the church still struggles as slaves, believing that God desires obedience over relationship. We try to be recognized by our merit rather than by His free gifts of mercy and grace. 2) He already had been given his inheritance (verse 12), and he had access to have a party whenever he wanted to. 3) A small side note is that we do not party enough as the body of Christ because we are too stuck being slaves rather than sons. We are set on obedience and so we never enjoy being in His presence; the truth is however, that we actually become more obedient when when 'being' with Him is more important that 'serving' Him. The closer we draw to the fathers heart the more we are transformed into the likeness of Jesus.
One of the hardest things for many Christians to accept is that there is more to a relationship with God than they have experienced. In fact, this very truth often times feels condemning to Christians rather than hopeful and exciting. The truth, is that there is always more of God to know and experience. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom (Isaiah 40:28)." God is looking for seekers, those seeking His face, His very presence. It is only in pursuing God that we are transformed from Glory to Glory (2 Cor. 3), and only with Him will we come to realize and actualize the inheritance he has given us!
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