Of Parents and Prodigals

This is Michael Carbone with the Truth Network were partnering with Bible league international on open the floodgates Bibles for Africa in many parts of countries like Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania and Mozambique as many as 9/10 Christians are denied God's word by corrupt governments majority religions in poverty and remoteness five dollars and the Bible.

$100 since $2500 sends 100 call 800 yes word that's 800-937-9673 thank you for caring. Hello this is Matt slick from the match look like podcast right defend the Christian faith and lay out our foundation of the truth of God's word are chosen Truth Network podcasts is starting in just a few seconds.

Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network encouraging prayer, God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything encouraging prayer Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling and many other books on prayer provides weekly physical insight help you learn to mom and now you're new to the encouraging prayer broadcaster podcast retained writing about prayer. You may not know that a big part of what he is to help parents Chronicles. Pray for their kids go to his website James Banks.org.org. You'll notice that a very popular part of it is the prodigal prayer with thousands of requests have been lifted up by those who love Chronicles and so James also has a prayer team that prays for each request and they pray for them at the prayer meetings at peace church.

James you said that this week you discovered someone else in the Bible who had prodigal children and it really surprised you select talk about that right Rob you read the book of first Samuel so many times but this time something really jumped out at me. Maybe it's because we had so many requests for the parent to prodigal's lately and it's really been on my heart but first Samuel eight starts with the heartbreaking work as Samuel grew old. He appointed his sons to be judges over Israel: but showed his oldest son's Held Ct. in Beersheba, but they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money, they accepted bribes and perverted justice just think about that for a moment. Again, they were not like their father this is Samuel Gary special servant of the Lord. He was given an answer to prayer to his mother, Hannah, and dedicated to God for service in the tabernacle. He's the one whom God spoke to when he was so young and remember what that was about. That's an amazing story. He thinks Eli the priest is calling him right in the night and he goes to him and Eli realizes it's the Lord speaking to Samuel and tells him to say speak Lord for your servant is listening. Yeah. And what a great prayer mean for any time but then God does speak to Samuel and again he's just a boy but God gives to this message to Eli about Eli's own prodigal sons in his own ministry and will have to tell them that God is going to judge them for their unfaithfulness and then of course that happened in the heartbreaking so see what you mean about how this has to be first annual because he grew up around Eli some mistakes.

Eli made him looking at Samuel.

He was a man who really tried to walk with God. So you know he did his best to make sure that his own sons did as well, but that verse you read they were not like his father. I mean man that stuff it had to be tough on Samuel because he had a sensitive heart towards God and not only that first Samuel told his sons actions were one of the reasons Israel wanted a king and got regarded that is rejecting his guidance and his sons had a big role in that.

But the reason I I thought it would be helpful to look at this today is because so many times as I've worked with families with Chronicles.

I've noticed that some of the most devoted godly people who have a son or daughter is chosen to go the other way. I've seen the same thing. I think it really helps to talk about that because that's not how parents often see it. But you know, after all, Adam walked with God pretty closely and his son Jamie and I just spent off all you got another example and parents with Chronicles often carry a sense of shame or guilt, and they feel like if only I done something differently and what I discovered is that so many families suffer in silence and there are more than you know. Personal Chronicles is my best selling book and you know we've been amazed how God is taken out all over the world, but sometimes these parents feel judged by others. Sometimes they may even feel that God is judging them for something in their past. So what you think it is that so many dedicated believers have goals in their life.

You know God alone knows all the reasons but a few things come to mind first is because there dedicated take care they want their children to discover what they have in Jesus, so they pray with sensitive heart they feel the distance of their loved ones lives in another concern for them and carry them every day in prayer and course. The truth is, faith is never inherited. We have to come into it on our own or it means nothing. Our children have to decide for themselves no matter how hard we may try we cannot make them believe also your adversary the devil's attack on people who are faithfully serving God.

I've seen this again and again he targets their families to discourage those who are really trying to make a difference for the kingdom to. Can you think of some other biblical examples absolutely immune you mentioned but in the Old Testament. Just think of David, the Bible describes David as a man after God's own heart and he messed up badly with the incident – even Uriah, but Dr. gave him and restored him and David was absolutely devoted to God. But then look at what happens with his own son Absalom. I bailed and caused a revolt in the whole nation. I mean it was yeah and I just think of David's words after Absalom dies, Absalom, my son, my son think about another really good King Josiah. Josiah had let this huge roof worming Israel leaving the whole nation back to God but is sons who would follow were just absolutely wicked one is captured by the kingdom. Egypt and he is replaced by his brother, Joe Heitkamp, who was later taken captive by the king of Babylon, and the king says about both of them that they "did evil in the Lord side see which mean damage or side. Samuel, these are all devoted servants of God used them during conflict accomplish incredible things and that's why wanted to talk about them today to encourage parents who are faithfully serving God and someone they love is a prodigal, just know you are in good company. Knowing God's word and he knows exactly what you are going through and this probably would be good if we just took a little extra time today to pray for these families and pray with them right now. Please pray long as you're listening for the hope that only God can give.

Because as I've seen in my own life with my own son. God is faithful and he is able to bring good out of circumstances that we never expected he could turn around, that sounds great let's do it. Father, we do lift up these families and we praise you. We thank you. You truly are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. So we pray your encouragement for these parents that they would be strong that it would be filled with your love that they would love their prodigal's with the love that only you can give or that you would protect them and deliver them from the evil one and and the last them and bless their children to know you are not private. These young men and women would come to their senses.

Like the prodigal son himself and see that their father is waiting with open arms ready to run and put a robot on Lord you know better than we do the things in the people that they need in their lives in order to bring them closer to you and we long for that.

With these parents rent total agreement with those grandparents and maybe even great grandpa's as we join with them and love Jesus name I pray. Amen. Remember, dear one, you are not alone, for God knows and cares. So let's pray together hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website James Banks.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina.

May God bless you and encourage you to pray.

This is the Truth Network