Return to Love

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Where are you going Prodigal?

Prodigal: I am trying to find the right direction.

Me: Maybe I can help.

1 John

¹¹For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

¹²Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

¹³Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

¹⁴We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

¹⁵Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

¹⁶Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

¹⁷But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

¹⁸My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

¹⁹And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

²⁰For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

²¹Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

²²And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

²³And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

²⁴And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

The word of the Lord is that you have to return to Love which was in the beginning. I am returning to love. I will let the Lord guide me as I return to love. So with that let me share my thoughts on love.

Thank you for all those who share your hurts with me, and trust me to be with you in compassion over your hurts and know that the Lord loves you even now.

Thank you for my wonderful family. I have a family who loves me, no matter what I say. They understand me and I feel very comfortable with them. They support me in so many ways, I know they will not turn their back on me.

Thank you for my friends. I have friends who always show me to focus on compassion, I have friends who always pray with me. I have friends who put up with the down days and times. They just support me through them.

Thank you for knowing you. I have suffered, but in it I got to meet you and know the Lord our Savior better. So how can I say all this was not worth it. The interesting thing about you is that you grew me toward Christ. Sometimes it was because I was mad but sometimes it was from your prayers, your studying of the word and it was also letting the holy spirit guide you. I respect you for all that I have seen you do. You did make a big difference in my life.

Everyone make sure that you know you are a sinner and that you need someone to pay for your sins and that is Jesus Christ your savior. Call on Him and repent and you shall be saved in eternity. Everyone be safe.

Love

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

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Ministry with God’s Spirit

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Prodigal, I don’t think you should be listening to him to much.

Prodigal: I’m thinking He’s more slippery than a pocketful of puddin’.

Me: Yes, and no good can come of that.

Prodigal: Maybe an encouraging story will help.

This is from the book You Were Born for This by Bruce Wilkinson

Billy Graham is coming to Caroni!” At least that’s how we publicized the Friday night event around the village. Darlene and I were on the Caribbean island of Trinidad for a summer of ministry, and the small local church–built on stilts to catch the ocean breezes–had come up with a big plan: we had borrowed a projector and rented a Billy Graham feature for a free film night.

Each night leading up to the showing, church members gathered to pray that many would come. And each night one of the newest converts, a teenager named Radha, told us he knew his father would never come. “Jesus is not strong enough to bring my father.” he said. We all knew that his father was the village drunk and despised followers of Jesus.

Friday night arrived. People kept filing up the stairs to the church. By the time we kicked off with songs and stories, we had a nearly full house.

Then we heard him–Radha’s father standing in the street below swearing loudly at the church, everyone in it, and anyone named Billy Graham. There was nothing to do but proceed.

A 14 year old girl stood to pray. She begged God to help Radha’s father get through the door. No sooner had she finished than we heard someone climbing noisily up the stairs. Radha’s father stepped in, scowled at everyone, and took a seat in the back row.

I smiled at Radha, then introduced the film. But when I flipped the switch, the unthinkable happened.

Nothing. Only minutes before, the projector had been working perfectly.

I began sweating profusely and praying for God to help. Several of us tried but failed to make the projector work. Then, as we fiddled with the machine, Radha’s father stood, swore a blue streak, and stomped into the night. Soon after, his distraught son left too.

What should I do–keep working on the projector or deal with Radha? The Spirit’s nudge was clear. Go see Radha. Leaving the projector to another person, I went outside.

I found Radha underneath the church, leaning against a stilt. He was sobbing. “I knew it!” he shouted at me. “I knew my father would never find out the truth about Jesus. Now he’s gone forever!”

Despite the turmoil I felt, I sensed the Spirit leading me to take a bold step. “Radha,” I said, “God was powerful enough to bring your father to the church the first time. He is powerful enough to bring him back. We are going to pray right now and ask the God of the universe to bring your father back, not only to watch the movie, but to meet Jesus tonight.”

My throat tight with emotion, I prayed a simple prayer of faith for Radha’s father. Then the two of us walked back into the church.

But one look at Darlene’s eyes told me we were still in trouble. The projector had been given up for dead. People were getting ready to leave.

If ever we needed a miracle from God, it was now. Walking to the front, I apologized for the disappointment. Then I felt nudged to pray one more time. “God, it’s Your turn,” I prayed. “We can’t fix the projector, but You can!”

Then, feeling foolish and afraid, I reached for the On switch. Suddenly the projector whirred to life! Everyone raised a shout. God had demonstrated His power in a way we would never forget.

And He wasn’t done. A few minutes into the movie, we heard footsteps on the stairs. It was Radha’s father. Without a word he walked in and took his seat again.

When the movie ended an hour later, I gave an invitation. “If you want to put your faith in Jesus Christ like Billy Graham has explained, then would you please stand and come forward?”

The first to stand was Radha’s father. With tears streaming down his face, he walked into the outstretched arms of his son.

That night a roomful of witnesses watched as the wind of the Spirit moved in our midst. We watched as He contended mightily with unseen power and worked in the heart of an angry man to bring him new life in Christ. And we watched as He showed his love and power to a doubting young man named Radha.

Ministry without the Spirit of God is merely our best efforts. Ministry with the Spirit of God is the stuff of miracles.

Isaiah 10:3

And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Because

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: As I am starting my day I would love some wisdom to stay focused on Christ.

Me: Sometimes the days are shorter than a politician’s memory.

Prodigal: HAHA, so true.

Me: I do have some wisdom to share instead of just a quick laugh.

This comes from the book Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders

Because we children of Adam want to become great,

He became small.

Because we will not stoop,

He humbled Himself.

Because we want to rule,

He came to serve.

Galatians 4:28

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Full of Grace

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: That is a whole lot of sweets!

Prodigal: Yes, I think one of these will satisfy my sweet tooth for the moment.

Me: I will share something about another sweetness called grace

This is from the book Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa Terkeurst

Grace doesn’t give me a free pass to act out how I feel, with no regard to His commands. Rather His grace gives me consolation in the moment, with a challenge to learn from this situation and become more mature in the future.

Grace is the sugar that helps the bitter pills of confession and repentance go down without choking. That’s why the writer of Hebrews says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Grace is the reason I can go to God quickly, immediately–before I’m cleaned up– and boldly ask for His help. In the midst of my mess, God is there.

Why do I not want to believe. Why do I not want to believe that you are changing things and that I can have hope. After the trials there comes a time for the sun to break in between the clouds. You look up to see part of the sun but you don’t want to believe that the clouds are going away. You don’t want to believe that it will be a sunny day. You clutch your umbrella and prepare for the rain even though you see the sun starting to shine on your face. It is then that I am amazed that God is patient that I don’t believe Him and He is calling that it will be a sunny day. God I need that patience today. God I need that grace today.

Isaiah 8:10

Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Man Overboard

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Howdy Prodigal and Shyann!

Prodigal: I am enjoying my time with Shyann even though she ain’t no bigger than a bar of soap used all day.

Me: She is small, but being small doesn’t mean you don’t have a big heart.

Prodigal: I agree!

This is from God’s Little Devotional Book for Women

A missionary was sailing home on furlough when she heard a cry one night–a cry that is perhaps the most difficult to hear when at sea: “Man overboard!” She arose quickly from her berth, lit the lamp on the bracket in her cabin, and then held the lamp at the window of her cabin in hopes of seeing some sign of life in the murky dark waters outside.

Seeing nothing she hung the lamp back on its bracket, snuffed it out, and returned to her berth with prayers for the man lost at sea. In the morning, to her surprise she discovered the man had been rescued. Not only that, but she learned it was the flash of her lamp through the porthole that showed those on deck the location of the missing man, who was clinging desperately to a rope still attached to the deck. He was pulled from the cold waters in the nick of time. Such a small deed as shining a lamp at the right time had saved a man’s life.

It isn’t the size of the deed you do that counts. It’s the fact that you do it for good and not for evil, and with a trust that God can take every deed we perform and use it for His purposes, in our lives and in the lives of others.

Let us not love merely in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth-in practice and in sincerity.

1 John 3:18

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.com

Teens

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: What are you doing Prodigal?

Prodigal: Thinking about raking some leaves.

Me: Maybe you need a left-handed rake?

Prodigal: I would be serachin’ till kingdom come for that!

Me: Well, I can share some real facts with you.

Prodigal: Sounds good to me.

This comes from Beyond Opinion by Ravi Zacharias

The single most important social influence on the spiritual lives of teens is their parents. Fathers in particular have a vital role to play in the spiritual development of their children. In his fascinating book Faith of the fatherless, social scientist Paul Vitz writes that in his study of the world’s most influential atheists (including Friedrich Nietzsche, David Hume, Bertrand Russell, John-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, and H.G. Wells), all had one thing in common: defective relationships with their fathers. Moreover, when Vitz studied the lives of influential theists (Blaise Pascal, Edmund Burke, Moses Mendelssohn, Soren Kierkegaard, G.K. Chesterton, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer) during those same historical time periods, he found they enjoyed a strong, loving relationship with a father figure.

Spending time with your child today for an hour might be more important then you think it is.

Proverbs 27:1

Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

What To Do

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Good Morning!

Prodigal: Good Morning!

Me: I wanted to start my day with God and I just finished.

Prodigal: I need more of that in my life.

Me: We all do!

This is from the book Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan for Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer by Priscilla Shirer

We pray because our solutions don’t work and because prayer deploys, activates, and fortifies us against the attacks of the enemy. We pray because we’re serious about taking back the ground he has sought to take from us.

With out prayer how am I to know if God is showing me something or not? Prayer gives you direction in your relationships and your bible reading. You can read the bible and (you should), but with prayer it can guide your course. How many times after prayer have I opened by bible and then a verse will give me comfort knowing that God just heard me. How about your relationships. How many times do you try to solve that problem in your spouse and instead of loving you become nagging. Prayer can turn a heart of frustration to a heart of compassion. Prayer adds extra connection and warmth to our Christian walk. Prayer is not another check mark that is cold and really does not effect our lives.

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Vessels

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: You finished that work quick Prodigal!

Prodigal: I was on it like stink on a skunk.

Me: Well, I am impressed.

Prodigal: I don’t think them over yonder were very productive though.

Me: Prodigal may be it is best we don’t say anything and instead let me just share.

This is from the book Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa Terkeurst and written by Melanie Chitwood

I’ve been thinking lately about how easy it is to judge others or to think I have the answers for others. For example, when I see a mother frustrated by her unruly kids, I might think, “She just needs to put those kids in a long time-out.” Another time I observe a couple having trouble in their marriage and I question their commitment to God’s ways.

In a nutshell, I can be self-righteous, just like the Pharisees. God has been making me aware lately of some of the unspoken yardsticks by which I measure others, such as: A good mom doesn’t let her kids watch too much TV and doesn’t scream at her kids. Or, a godly woman has a quiet time every day and doesn’t fight with her husband.

But then there’s Jesus who turns those notions upside down when He says, “The greatest of these is love.” What if instead of self-righteousness, we rained down love? It would sound like this: “Being a mom can be exhausting. Do you want to come over and hang out for a while?” or “I’ve had struggles in my marriage too. Do you want to talk about it?”

God is challenging me to examine my spoken and unspoken judgements of others. He wants us to come alongside others and help carry their burdens, rather than add to them with our criticism. Where the Pharisees heap coals of judgement, Jesus calls us to be vessels of His love and encouragement.

Lord help me to remember this love during the week.

Matthew 23:11

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

I’m Drowning

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: I need some encouragement today because it has been a down day.

Me: Maybe this will help you just a little bit today.

Lord, I’m drowning

In a sea of perplexity.

Waves of confusion crash over me.

I’m too weak to shout for help.

Either quiet the waves

Or lift me above them.

It’s too late to learn to swim.

by Ruth Harms Calkin

I will not let you drown, even if you don’t feel it, the Lord sees you as a precious child that He is willing to protect.

Isaiah 35:5

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be opened.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Song of Solomon

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: I hope you are having a good day!

Prodigal: The LORD has made this day good.

Me: Amen, to that!

This is from Charles Spurgeon

For several days we have been dwelling upon the Saviour’s passion, and for some little time to come we shall linger there. In beginning a new month, let us seek the same desires after our Lord as those which glowed in the heart of the elect spouse. See how she leaps at once to Him; there are no prefatory words; she does not even mention His name; she is in the heart of her theme at once, for she speaks of Him who was the only Him in the world to her. How bold is her love! it was much condescension which permitted the weeping penitent to anoint His feet with spikenard–it was rich love which allowed the gentle Mary to sit at His feet and learn of Him–but here, love, strong, fervent love, aspires to higher tokens of regard, and closer signs of fellowship. Esther trembled in the presence of Ahasuerus, but the spouse in joyful liberty of perfect love knows no fear. If we have received the same free spirit, we also may ask the like. By kisses we suppose to be intended those varied manifestations of affection by which the believer is made to enjoy the love of Jesus. The kiss of reconciliation we enjoyed at our conversion, and it was sweet as honey dropping from the comb. The kiss of acceptance is still warm on our brow, as we know that He hath accepted our persons and our works through rich grace. The kiss of daily, present communion, is that which we pant after to be repeated day after day, till it is changed into the kiss of reception, which removes the soul from earth, and the kiss of consummation which fills it with the joy of heaven. Faith is our walk, but fellowship sensibly felt is our rest. Faith is the road, but communion with Jesus is the well from which the pilgrim drinks. O lover of our souls, be not strange to us; let the lips of Thy blessing meet the lips of our asking; let the lips of Thy fullness touch the lips of our need, and straightway the kiss will be effected.

Luke 6:5

And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org