I dealt with the Prodigal years ago in a Ministers Conference and how it parallels the lives of some who are (a) in the Kingdom and (b) horribly unfulfilled in their walk with God and (c) making critical mistakes. (Ironically, I'm thinking about using it again in an upcoming meeting...)
Looking at the story you find that the Prodigal was basically a story of an attitude in desperate need of a change. He says in one verse "Give me the portion of mine inheritance that belongs to me" and then just a few verses (and a whole lot of misery later) he comes back and says, "I'm not worthy to be called a son... just make me as one of thy hired servants."
The message was simply titled, "The Long Hard Road from GIVE me to MAKE me".
Elder, sounds like it will be one awesome message tomorrow!!!!
BTW, I believe it was you, just a few years ago, who preached a tremendous message about forgiveness here in Oregon at our District Family Camp.
Again... good stuff! Sounds like that 'IT' may have been addressed from a pulpit perspective before, huh?
One I worked with on the road back when was 'The 3rd dimension of Lost'. Might apply to your cause....
Luke 15--Chapter of lost (or backslidden) things...
1-The lamb. Shepherd (or pastor) has the resposibility to preach you back. Teach you, love you, help you. He went and 'found' the lamb.
2-The coin. 'She' swept the house. Sometimes the church has to find you. Maybe someone was hurt in the church by someone. Their return may depend on someone making it right--forgiveness.
3-The boy. He was lost or backslid, but had to 'find' himself. Too many struggling in the church have not found their own reason for staying and doing right.
For sure. Not good enough, not worthy, not deserving. How could God even want to give what was given before and walked away from?
I think I'm sitting right on top of accepting the 100% fault for some problems, and figuring out how to accept that God's gifts aren't based on worthiness.
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Originally Posted by BoredOutOfMyMind
Enthusiasm is not found in the Bible, but it is a good principle.
Sometimes we have to accept we are 100% of the cause of some of our problems and then decide to move on.
For the backslider, sometimes they have the perception that they are not good enough.
5 mistakes/mis-steps they make are: [in this order]
1. Pride
2. Laziness/Idleness
3. Cowardice
4. Worldliness
5. Deny God
So are you saying those that backslide do all that. I dont think so. Maybe in a FEW cases but I think there are alot that have a love for God, They are just struggling with issues. Maybe some are hurt by others and have a hard time getting through it
just a thought
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John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
One I worked with on the road back when was 'The 3rd dimension of Lost'. Might apply to your cause....
Luke 15--Chapter of lost (or backslidden) things...
1-The lamb. Shepherd (or pastor) has the resposibility to preach you back. Teach you, love you, help you. He went and 'found' the lamb.
2-The coin. 'She' swept the house. Sometimes the church has to find you. Maybe someone was hurt in the church by someone. Their return may depend on someone making it right--forgiveness.
3-The boy. He was lost or backslid, but had to 'find' himself. Too many struggling in the church have not found their own reason for staying and doing right.
Just thoughts.....
Amen.
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
Not sure if anyone said this or not and I'm too tired to read through all the threads, but one mistake is believing that they can pick up where they left off when they return.
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
Enthusiasm is not found in the Bible, but it is a good principle.
Sometimes we have to accept we are 100% of the cause of some of our problems and then decide to move on.
For the backslider, sometimes they have the perception that they are not good enough.
No arguments with anything you have said, brother. I would mention, though, that the principle of enthusiasm can be supported with scripture, as we find the admonition in scripture, that, whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; likewise, the instruction to love the LORD our God with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength; and then there are multiple verses that use the phrase "whole heart" as the measure by which we should do such things as turning to God, praising God, seeking God, and keeping His precepts.
Accepting we are the 100% cause of our troubles and then moving on is part of real repentance.
And as for the perception that one is not 'good enough', a good diet of the Word of God, acknowledging that His grace and mercy and forgiveness make us accepted in the beloved, and that He is the one who heals our backslidings and loves us freely, and that He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west....
See, the biggest problem with the unbiblical notion of 'self forgiveness' is that it causes the focus to be on self (a teaching of humanism, not scripture), whereas a focus on recognizing that God has forgiven us, no matter what our feelings are (there's another big struggle, that of subjecting feelings to the truth of God's Word) puts our eyes where the need to be for us to successfully develop a relationship with Jesus: on Him.
Looking at the story you find that the Prodigal was basically a story of an attitude in desperate need of a change.
He says in one verse "Give me the portion of mine inheritance that belongs to me"
The first step a backslider takes in leaving Christ is pride ....
As expressed by the prodigal son ... GIVE ME ... THAT BELONGS TO ME.
Whether you are a sinner sitting on a bar stool, the suicide threat on the psychiatrist's couch, or a religious legalist sitting in the judge's chair and/ or insecure saint on the church pew ....
When the focus is on self ... me, me, me!!!
PRIDE and DISOBEDIENCE sets in ... we no longer rely on his righteousness ....
18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Why is this the "first" step?
Because the first step and most important step in entering the kingdom is humility and relying on his righteousness-
Mt 18:3-4
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
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Psalmist said: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise
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Psalmist also said:
God looks upon the lowly,
but the proud he knows from afar.
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So if we lose "humility", we take that first step backward. The prodigal son demonstrated a humble and contrite heart when he returns to his father.
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and then just a few verses (and a whole lot of misery later) he comes back and says,
"I'm not worthy to be called a son... just make me as one of thy hired servants." .
Okay, folks... I'm doing something I don't guess I've ever done before. I'm generally VERY meticulate about my messages whether they be preaching or teaching. I've been moved in my spirit several times in the past and now intend to teach on my Sunday Morning Services for a while on this subject: "Mistakes Backsliders Make"
I've never done it before but I'm going to put it out here and let some of you help me preach for the next few weeks. Here's the general layout:
I do believe it's possible to backslide and be lost.
I've seen people backslide from the beginning of my walk with God.
I've noticed that some come back in and do fine but many - perhaps even the majority - never quite make it after coming back to God.
I'm not interested in making this a standards debate (yes, I preach spiritual disciplines to my people) and I'm not interested in debating the essentials of the New Birth (I believe in repentance, water baptism in Jesus Name and receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues). What I'm looking for are the observations that YOU have made as to why some backsliders never quite 'make it back' spiritually.
Okay... here's the list of what I'm looking at just to give you a pattern to follow:
MISTAKES BACKSLIDERS MAKE...
1. You can't 'ease' back into the Church. (Most backsliders know too much to do it halfheartedly)
2. You can't expect to feel like you did the first time. (Just as a 'first kiss' doesn't always feel like a 'first kiss' you can be assured that once you know God intimately some things won't exactly feel like they used to... you operate on knowledge and relationship instead of infatuation and response.)
3. Trying to maintain 'carnal' loyalties generally doens't work. (Living for God means sometimes separating from certain carnal influences that drag you back down.)
4. It's a mistake to just 'seek to be saved' instead of striving to find fulfillment in God. (Spiritual 'fire escapes' never quite have the foundation that a solid relationship with God produces.)
YOUR TURN... some of you who have backslidden and came back sucessfully should have some great answers!
I've only read this first post so I don't know what others have written. As a former backslider the most important thing for me was to know that God was still there for me and wanted me back. He used an evangelist giving him the gift of knowledge to work in my life again the night I walked through the doors.
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