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| Volume 20 Number 12 December 2018 | Page 14 |
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| Volume 20 Number 12 December 2018 | Page 14 |
Editor's NoteTam Raynor
“O Lord…Bring my soul out of trouble! And…cut off my enemies, and…destroy all the adversaries of my soul…” (Psalm 143:11-12). Adversaries are opponents, challengers, rivals, enemies, foes or antagonists.
What are soul-adversaries? Jealousy, prejudice, hatred, murder, cowardice, ungodly language, laziness, brutality, cheating, stealing, lying, slander, gossip, lusting for any kind of self-gratification that God says is bad (e.g., like alcoholic drinking, sex outside of marriage, power, money), and putting anything on this earth (e.g., sleeping, people, hobbies, sports, jobs) above God and His commands. All things like these have the mission of keeping our souls from living in the Land of Light and Life (Heaven). The weird thing is that we give in to them every day! What is wrong with us?
Most people put up with bullies, including whole towns and nations—until someone stands up against them, even if it means death. Behaving like Abel, Joseph, Daniel, Elijah or Jesus (who all obeyed God rather than humans) is a huge risk most of us won’t take.
Jesus wants to rescue us from our soul-adversaries. However, we have to have the guts to allow Him! This coming week, make a list of your own soul-foes. Throw them into God’s hands (1 Peter 5:7). Make serving Christ every day and the entire year your primary goal (Matthew 6:33).
The Prodigal Son
and the Older Brother
Martha Lynn Rushmore
My question is, “Which brother sinned more?” (Luke 15:11-32). The younger brother went to his father and asked for his inheritance. This was rude and wrong. He treated his father as if he were dead. Inheritances come after the death of a parent. He left and went into a far country. He lived a riotous life— partying, drinking and wasting his inheritance.
After the younger brother wasted all his money, there came a famine in the land. He had no one to which to turn because his so-called friends turned their backs on him. They used him for a good time. He ended up feeding the hogs. If he was fortunate maybe, he ate some of their food.
This young man finally came to his senses. He thought of his father and the hired servants. He knew the hired servants were treated well by his father. So, the prodigal decided to go back home and ask his father if he could be treated as a hired servant.
As the son was heading home, his father saw him a long way off and ran to meet him. He threw his arms around his son. The father told the servants to bring a robe and a ring for his son. He also told them to go out and get a fatted calf and prepare it for a feast in honor of his son’s return. He was lost, but, then, he was found. There was much rejoicing in that home.
The older brother stayed home and continued to help his father take care of the home and fields. After working in the field, he came home and asked about all the commotion and partying. He was told that his brother returned home. There was much rejoicing.
The older brother was not happy, though. He went to his father and said to him that he had been faithful to him, helping him in the home and in the fields. The elder son never had a fatted calf prepared for him. The father never threw a party for the older son. The prodigal’s brother was very jealous of his younger brother receiving so much attention, especially after what he had done to his father. The father told his elder son that everything would belong to him after his death. The prodigal brother was lost, but, then, he was found. Now, I ask again, whose sin was worse?
God is the same with us. He watches for our return, and there is much rejoicing in Heaven when we return to the Father. It does not matter what our sins are, because God is always ready to receive us back into the fold. Brothers and Sisters, I am afraid the attitude that we may have could cost us our souls.