Comments on: Being Prodigal http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2010/01/being-prodigal.html The discipleship guide to christian spiritual growth Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:13:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: admin http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2010/01/being-prodigal.html/comment-page-1#comment-980 admin Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:48:03 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=946#comment-980 Martha--The timing of your words is perfect. I have been bouncing back and forth about writing a Bible reading resource for people. I keep pushing it back and pushing it back, but as I read your words about immediate obedience I feel convicted to move forward. I love the image of entering the promise land that you shared. It is easy for our focus to get lost on the giants and forget that we have a very big God who will stay true to his promises. Someone once said to me, "When in the dark, do what God called you to do when you where in the light." I have found that when I obey immediately God has a way of unfolding greater blessing or responsibility upon me than what I initially saw possible. I am reminded of the Psalmist words, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." A lamp illuminates a short distance ahead of us and allows us to move safely, but if we want to see more of the path then we have to move. Thank you so much for your words this day. They have been a blessing to me and an encouragement. Have a blessed day. Martha–The timing of your words is perfect. I have been bouncing back and forth about writing a Bible reading resource for people. I keep pushing it back and pushing it back, but as I read your words about immediate obedience I feel convicted to move forward. I love the image of entering the promise land that you shared. It is easy for our focus to get lost on the giants and forget that we have a very big God who will stay true to his promises. Someone once said to me, “When in the dark, do what God called you to do when you where in the light.”

I have found that when I obey immediately God has a way of unfolding greater blessing or responsibility upon me than what I initially saw possible. I am reminded of the Psalmist words, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” A lamp illuminates a short distance ahead of us and allows us to move safely, but if we want to see more of the path then we have to move.

Thank you so much for your words this day. They have been a blessing to me and an encouragement. Have a blessed day.

]]> By: Martha http://thepracticaldisciple.com/2010/01/being-prodigal.html/comment-page-1#comment-978 Martha Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:42:59 +0000 http://thepracticaldisciple.com/?p=946#comment-978 God sometimes can surround us with people that exemplify immediate obedience to God, and He is doing that to me right now. As I wrote last night in my journal, it is humbling and quite challenging to see myself being stuck in neutral rather than just putting my actions in drive and moving forward in God's will. It's not easy, and many times inconvenient, to be obedient, yet this example of the Prodigal is one such blessing that results from obedience. Of course, there are many examples around me right now where the fruits in God's kingdom are luscious and large - kinda like the fruit found by the 12 appointed tribe leaders when they crossed into The Promised Land - they found fruit that was SO large that it took all of them to carry just one vine of fruit back to show their fellow Isrealites. And we see the result of obedience vs. disobedience in this story as it unravels as well - 10 of the 12 said "we can't go there because those BIG people will annihilate us" And what happened, they forwent the luscious fruit for fear of moving forward in faith! The examples of fruit surrounding my life right now: a new friend who reached out to me and invited me to lunch yesterday and who is launching a series of women's retreats. She listens to God, takes heed of what theme he lays on her heart and she immediately gets to her easal and writes it down, and then starts to write the lessons - IMMEDIATELY. Her first retreat was last weekend and she said the result was RICH. I have another friend who started a ministry with horses almost 4 years ago, totally relying upon God's calling. She ALWAYS listens, sees a need, and takes action - she also started a Bible study in her home that has grown to a nearby small church. Now she is starting an exercise class because people expressed to her a need and she immediately went to work finding a place to hold the exercise classes. IMMEDIATE OBEDIENCE. Then I witness a young woman of 16 launch a website and proactively seek ways in which to earn money to fulfill her goal of purchasing a cow for a needy family - OBEDIENCE. And now I see this story of the Prodigal and realize God's confirmation of His promises of rich rewards for obedience. Sometimes we don't know what the rewards will be or when for that matter, but I see examples of them all around me right now. These are but a few of the saints that immediately obey God's desires and commands, resulting in large fruits for His kingdom. Praise be to God. May His glory continue to radiate. So what's it going to be? I think there is only one answer to that question, and that is that I choose obedience. Thank you, Practical Disciple, for your obedience and witness to living in Christ daily. God sometimes can surround us with people that exemplify immediate obedience to God, and He is doing that to me right now. As I wrote last night in my journal, it is humbling and quite challenging to see myself being stuck in neutral rather than just putting my actions in drive and moving forward in God’s will. It’s not easy, and many times inconvenient, to be obedient, yet this example of the Prodigal is one such blessing that results from obedience. Of course, there are many examples around me right now where the fruits in God’s kingdom are luscious and large – kinda like the fruit found by the 12 appointed tribe leaders when they crossed into The Promised Land – they found fruit that was SO large that it took all of them to carry just one vine of fruit back to show their fellow Isrealites. And we see the result of obedience vs. disobedience in this story as it unravels as well – 10 of the 12 said “we can’t go there because those BIG people will annihilate us” And what happened, they forwent the luscious fruit for fear of moving forward in faith!
The examples of fruit surrounding my life right now: a new friend who reached out to me and invited me to lunch yesterday and who is launching a series of women’s retreats. She listens to God, takes heed of what theme he lays on her heart and she immediately gets to her easal and writes it down, and then starts to write the lessons – IMMEDIATELY. Her first retreat was last weekend and she said the result was RICH. I have another friend who started a ministry with horses almost 4 years ago, totally relying upon God’s calling. She ALWAYS listens, sees a need, and takes action – she also started a Bible study in her home that has grown to a nearby small church. Now she is starting an exercise class because people expressed to her a need and she immediately went to work finding a place to hold the exercise classes. IMMEDIATE OBEDIENCE. Then I witness a young woman of 16 launch a website and proactively seek ways in which to earn money to fulfill her goal of purchasing a cow for a needy family – OBEDIENCE. And now I see this story of the Prodigal and realize God’s confirmation of His promises of rich rewards for obedience. Sometimes we don’t know what the rewards will be or when for that matter, but I see examples of them all around me right now. These are but a few of the saints that immediately obey God’s desires and commands, resulting in large fruits for His kingdom. Praise be to God. May His glory continue to radiate.
So what’s it going to be? I think there is only one answer to that question, and that is that I choose obedience. Thank you, Practical Disciple, for your obedience and witness to living in Christ daily.

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