1585 The Joy of Coming Home

God has an encouraging word today, Bible-based preaching of the Dr. Don Wilton in these next few moments.

Dr. Wilson's message the joy of coming home is in some ways inspired by the joy of getting back together next few months you will hear the very first time we've been able to gather again as a worship service gathering in Barnett Park spread over 7 acres. Thankfully, being in the coming together see each other even from a six or 8 foot distance and worship the Lord together. Perhaps you have been feeling that since of disconnectedness. You can't be in the park with us right now.

We would love to pray with you and for your connecting in TW online.org while you're there, sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don that's TW online.org sign of an email today receiving it tomorrow. Let's connect Dr. Don Wilton Bibles with you on the means by which you can follow along in God's word always encourage you Jesus told a most amazing story and it was a real story. This actually happened. Some of you going to say to me how do you know that it actually happened.

The reason I say that is because Jesus never had never had the reason to call the story to make up something Jesus is truth and when he told us the story he was speaking about here because you are here he was talking about me. I'm here. That's how much God loves you and if you hear nothing today. I want you to know how much the Lord Jesus really loves you and we often use that wonderful passage in Romans God is working all things together for the good of those that love him. That includes a virus that includes a road accident that includes your alcoholism and I'm talking to you today because God is speaking to you. It includes your back with that addiction. It includes the struggle that you have being faithful in your marriage. It includes where you are to the God allows things to happen. He causes all things to come together and you are not are not here by accident today and you are not listening to this by mistake. In fact, you did not design to come and to listen you did not decide to come yesterday brought you here.

You did not design that you need to stream live you are about to switch the soul something stopped because he loves, and this is what Jesus said in Luke chapter 15 in verse 11. It was a man who had two sons, younger ones victories father father give me my share of the estate.

So the father divided his property between not long after that, the younger son got together all he had and he settled for a distant country and there he squandered his wealth in wild living off to get spanked everything. There was a severe virus that's a bigger part of severe famine that came across the whole country and he began to be in the so he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country sinking to his fields to feed the pigs belong to fully stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything when he came to his senses. He said how many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving today. I will sit out and I'll go back to my father and say to father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired men so he got up and went back to his father. But while he was still a long way his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him and he ran to his son and he threw his arms around any case sons safety and father arrived sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. The father say 3/7 bring the best robe and put it on.

Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet bring the flap and cough until it let's have a feast and celebrate for the son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found in so they began to celebrate I want to speak to you just for a few moments on the joy of coming home. The joy of coming back on and invite you today to come back. Oh I'm getting fight you today to come back to God. I'm going to invite you today to take hold of this, one who loves you so much I want us to consider this relatively young man's life for things number one you had a goal, no doubt about it. Bible tells us he had everything reminds me of me reminds me of my own life.

It reminds me of our life together and reminds me, even during a period of time like this when we look back and how readily we understand what we once had.

He had an old second thing that we must consider is that he took little something deep down inside of this young man began to dwell up. He said I want what is mine. All of a sudden his own self became the center of all that he owned all of these possession. I want I want more.

I'm not content this this content into these right there in the midst of all he had. The Bible says that he went to his father and he said give me give me give me. I wanted all and he took little consider this man what he did with it.

Bible says he went into a far off land. He left his father's house he went to another place in the sprinkler goal. He took what was his put it in the center of the zone universe and the Bible says that he lived lavishly. He took what was his and he said I'm going to do it my way. I live according to what I desire. I'm going to throw caution to the wind. I'm no longer going to can consider the value of investment. I'm no longer even going to consider the consequence of my action.

I'm just simply going to take what is mine because it's mine and I'm going anywhere I want and I'm least of all not going to have my father's house telling me what I should do. I will no longer be accountable to anybody and I'm no longer have any interest in community and to my spiritual connectedness.

I'm gonna lay everything aside, not minute walk away and I'm going to take what is mine and that's exactly what he did. You have it all and he took it all and he spent little and as a result of that verse 14 tells us he lost little. He ended up in the bottom of the barrel. He ended up with nothing and ultimately he ended up with nothing in these hard this young man came to a point yes way. Evidently he lost all his financial backing these means of income. The ability to live and to live lavishly, but most of all he lost these meaning, he lost his purpose, he lost these why we have a picture care of a young man who was lonely, isolated in a far distant plan trying to keep open graves of society receiving help because he would threw up until that point he genuinely believe that his possessions were the key to his friendships and as soon as those possessions were gone. He's friends playing by going to be found in the Bible tells us that this young man came to his saints. Verse 17 he came to his saints. All of a sudden caps). His desperation we see this picture Jesus wants us to know that right there at the bottom of the barrel. All of these greatest need, right there at the point to be zone the height of his loneliness.

We find this young man coming to his senses and that's what it takes to.

Are you willing to come your sense and to come to your senses means that all of a sudden, by the power of the Holy Spirit you recognize that what you walked away from is what you need to turn and walk back toward that there is no greater place to be than right there in your father's house.

I met the greatest joy that you and I will ever experience the joy of coming out Jesus shared the story with us because he saw us because he knows us he stands.

Jeremy looks upon the crowd with compassion he sees are seated in a chair.

He understands our needs. He recognizes the desperation of our addiction grapples with alcohol. He recognizes the wall that rages within us, and he sees us exactly where we all and he invites us to come to our senses and to dive under invite you to come to your senses wherever you all and God has been speaking to you.

God has been using this time to share with you just how much he loves you and so it is Jesus wanted us to know that in this attitude of repentance toward God. This young man stood up and he began to head back in the opposite direction away from the foreign land in which he found himself and directly toward his father's house. That's what Jesus said if you love turn from your wicked wife.

I will I will hear from heaven and I want to give your said but you got to be willing to get up and come to your senses and turn in the opposite direction and come back hello. Jesus calls us to come back hello America hello I'm time to come home. You know that as we interrupt Dr. Don and since we do so so you know were praying for our country praying for each other. Our phone number is available 24 hours a day at 86689. Feel free to call with you and for you at 866-899-9673. We also love connecting with great resources we haven't been to our website lately TE W online.org is a powerful resource about Daniel. Here's Liz with all the details this month at The Encouraging Word. We would like to spotlight a new ministry resource book of Daniel DVD viewing DVD you will experience for our courage of conviction and miracle we own this resource will encourage your conviction will not call at 866899 married Daniel for your gift of $20 averaging really know the were available for so much more right now at 866898668999673 back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton.

I want you to send write this young man is Jesus thinking celebrating with joy.

Note a couple of things. When he came these father was right there and what was God telling us that without him we cannot, God is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with this young man came home he came home to where his father was. He came home to his family is a beautiful picture here of an incredible family. The family of the father, the family of God. Yes, with all the different disposition. Even the other son you might be sitting next to the other son. Did I you might be seated next to the other daughter today. That's why God brings us together because he loves us so even in our own disposition even in our own struggles. His father was. Not only was he saw the home buddies covering was at home. The Bible says that his father ordered that the best close should be prepared in place on the back of these disparate son, all of us need to be covered in price by the warm embrace of the covering about heavenly father Bible tells us that when this man was replete with blessings could abort any motor call that he wanted to go to bone on any vacation he wanted to go could abort any close study design that he ended up with nothing. Nothing monies back. Nothing any stomach and nothing in his heart and he came back home and was these father and his father immediately placed on him. The covering that would take care the very essentials of the need even on these human body. It was right there in his father's home.

Not only was he's covering at home buddies ring was at home. The father turned of the servants and said get that ring put it on a spring right there in the house of God. What is it all about. It's the ring of the covenant of God. God is made of competent with all of those of us were sinners in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him comes into a covenant with him every 45 years ago I placed a ring on the finger of my right and from that day until this day. That ring has symbolized a comment between two people who love one another in sickness and in health, I'm told us to talk and the love that is exemplified by the ring which we where and God.

When Jesus Christ gave his life for us. He places within our hearts and through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

He establishes his covenant with us and places a spiritual ring on our fingers and the son weighed hello and God placed that ring on his finger and said I am with your son, abide in you and you and me. I'm everlasting life. When he came home his food was at home celebrate with joy. Jesus wanted us to know this young man came to his senses, look what happened to him. His father was he's covering was his ring was at home. His friend was at home.

Bible told us Jesus wanted us to know that when he was on the zone. There was not even anything for him to eat. Jesus giving us a picture you care about what it means to come back hello to be part of a church family with the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is high and lifted up because it's right there among God's people in the presence of Almighty God, that you gonna read the word of God and feast upon the word of God you guys encounter the spirit of the living God guide you into all truth, and your soul and your mind is going to become strengthened and fortified and nourished by the power of spirit of God within you come back home. I'm inviting you today to come to your senses. My friend, God has a purpose for you and he loves you greatly. Finally and conclusively, his heart was your lot will identify with that. The great relation degrees, no place like home.

How much we've missed even in a practical sense.

Just being able to gather together as a church at home how much we miss that fellowship together how much we miss out hello the places where we grew up the things that we identify with that place where we receive nourishment and instruction, and accountability. That place where we grow spiritually in the knowledge and admonition of the Lord, that place where people love us even beyond reason I'm inviting you to come to your senses and come back home in 1997 some football experts even contended that Ryan leaf quarterback Washington state was potentially more promising than the quarterback from the state of Tennessee.

Brother Manning that really believe that Ryan leaf came from a very fine family. I've seen pictures of them like you have mother, father, brothers grew up in a wonderful environment, hunting, fishing, doing things together when it came to football that were there for him as he rose up through the ranks of high school.

People began to say, look at that young man. He's got a lot of potential. Eventually went to Washington state where he excelled and at the same time at the University of Tennessee, Pike Manning was becoming a household name.

So it was that if the NFL draft of 1998 people sat on the edge of their seats, wondering who would be the number one pick and it went to Peyton Manning, adopted by the Indianapolis Colts. Ryan leaf was number two Dr. by San Diego so it was the stole strapping young man with every kind of potential. You could possibly imagine. How could anybody want anything more than to be a quarterback in the National Football League receiving the kind of payments that he did.

He went from living in a beautiful home with wonderful parents a great college in the accolades of college life that we promise you could possibly imagine. Dr. number two by the San Diego Chargers and almost from the very first game that he played his ego took control of his life to the three things that were most important to him money power and prestige. That's Ryan leaf story, what not to do this young man more than anything else. I want to make money on you giving me $40 million a year. But that's not enough. I'm worth more than that, I will have the power it was roundly agreed to one of the catchphrases during these greatest years of Washington state that was saved. What was the difference between Ryan leaf and God. The difference was that God didn't think he was Ryan leaf.

This young man began to strike teams with and he said I made a major my life on moneymaking I'm use my money to demonstrate the power that I have. I meant a rise in price. The because I'm somewhat we know the story very quickly. He's emphasis on money, power and prestige began to overtake the things that were fundamental to his life. He began to lay them aside. He began to fall out one game offer another lasting only a few short years in San Diego being traded and then traded again. People would come up to him coaches that love them and would say can Ryan please come back oh parents would call him and say so.

Got back on any sponsor would cite them so back and God would call out demons. I didn't come back. Well, every time someone said no to him, he discarded them. He wrote I listen to the church. I'm not going to listen to that teacher. I'm no longer going to listen to my parents.

I don't care about my whole all I want is money and power and prestige. So it was, he began to take just one drink all how in this what's wrong with that. Anyway, what's all the fuss.

Everybody else does it, one drink of alcohol turned another. He had no idea about his propensity before he knew it alcohol was becoming his new God.

And so it was that he lost his job and he's ego began to take hold and he found himself in a foreign land and he was even offered a job for you. My menial job as an assistant high school football coach and even began to steal from the students to take care of the addictions that he had incurred through painkiller and other substance abuse that he had gotten bolted. These coaches would cite Ryan Blackwell's parent since I saw God was crying out there and come back in the inevitable happened. God said okay I'll close a virus to come upon you, he stole one too often and they arrested him and you and I remember the mugshots of that right former number two pick*Washington state being sentenced to prison being taken up to jail in Montana.

Ryan leaf tells the story of how his life got so low as he said in the pigpen of his life that he was want to commit suicide.

Taking his own life. There is nothing else for him.

Then all of a sudden he kind don't talk to Ryan leaf today. Now, probably in his 40s approaching 50 on Nora has been you know is a man evidently full of joy serving others teaching others. He came back home he saved the three most important things to him all number one is spirituality. His relationship with God. Number two community that you get through your relationship with God through other believe number three accountability on stroke but also to one another to blogging people in the Bible God himself came willing to come home you're ready to come home to step out in faith really is a simple prayer. You could even repeat it right after me, Lord God, I realize I've messed up but I turned my back on what I've been controlling ask you to take over my life.

I believe you are the son of God Jesus. I believe you died on the cross for me and I ask you to save me in your name I pray, amen. Oh, if you've stepped into that wonderful step of faith with us. We would love to help grow you and that faith won't you give us a call.

Dr. Don has wonderful free resources available for you right now he wants to put in your hands. Call us at 866899673. That's 866-899-9673. That number in more ways to connect her on our website as well@gwonline.org 24 hours a day with you and for you. Let's get online GW online.org