Coffee Break
"This Isn't Right"
"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'!" Luke 15:17
Our verse is taken from the story of the prodigal son. At this point he is in the pigpen and starving to death. Finally, he comes to his senses and decides to make a change. Let me give you my "translation" of what he was saying in the verse above. He was saying, "This isn't right, even the servants in my father's house have more it eat than I do. This isn't right, I have all I need at home and I am sitting here in need. This isn't right, I am an heir but I am living worse than a beggar."
I am wondering this morning if you can relate to the young man? Are there things going on in your life to which you can say, "This isn't right!"? As Christians there are things that just "aren't right" for us. They have no place in our lives- yet they may be in our lives. Here are some examples of what I am talking about- some "this isn't right" things.
This isn't right-- for you to be living with unforgiveness.
This isn't right-- for you to be blessing God and cursing men.
This isn't right-- to be living after your own fleshy desires, selfish wants and a self-centered agenda; focused on self.
This isn't right-- that you put what you want before what God wants for you.
This isn't right-- that Christ isn't the center of your life.
This isn't right-- that you are living in adultery and fornication.
This isn't right-- that you are stealing and coveting.
This isn't right-- that you aren't making time for the Lord (in prayer, Bible reading and worship).
This isn't right-- that you are spending everything on yourself and not helping meet the need of those who are hurting.
This isn't right-- that you are not walking in love.
This isn't right-- that you aren't loving God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind.
This isn't right-- that you are ignoring God, not listening to His voice, not keeping His commands.
The son in the pigpen came to his senses because he remembered who he was and knew that this was not where he was suppose to be. He remembered that he was his father's son and should be living in his father's house- loving and serving his father. As children of the Lord, we need to stop and look at our lives and do some remembering also. We need to remember who we are and what that means. It means that we are to live close to the Father, love Him, follow Him, serve Him, do those things that please, honor and glorify Him, and don't have any part of those things that don't. When we live our lives in a manner that is contrary to who we are in Him, then nothing is going to be right.
Have a great day. For those who are the children of God, there are some things that just aren't right and should have no place in your life.
For further reading:
Ephesians 5:1-5 - "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world."
James 3:9-11 - "Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?"
Luke 15
Parable of the Lost Sheep
"Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that He was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! So Jesus told them this story: 'If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!"
Parable of the Lost Coin
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
Parable of the Lost Son
"To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: 'A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, 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. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything."
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant'.”
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son'."
“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began."
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return'."
“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ "
“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
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Coffee Break is written by Lorraine Ezell
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Hi, Thanks for sharing such a wonderful piece of information. I must say that while reading your post I found my thoughts in agreement with the topic that you have discussed, which happens very rare.
This was a good coffee break topic. I often feel like some things aren't right in my life. When we get these feeling we need to acknowledge them. I like to stop and think of them. I try to fix them as they come up. If it isn't right then stop it. Thank you for reminding me of this thought.
The devil doesn't know how to sing, only how to howl.
Great work dude, u gave nice post to us. Thanks for spending the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic.