Me: Sometimes your up and sometimes your down.

Prodigal: Very true, and I need the cross.

Me: I do too.

This is from the book Bold Love by Dr. Dan Allender & Dr. Tremper Longman III

It is nearly impossible to wrap words around the wonder of this event. Death on a cross was considered to be an ignoble, shameful death, reserved for the most despicable criminals. The Cross appeared to be the Evil One’s most successful, glorious moment. He’d destroyed God; he’d disrupted the one relationship–The Trinity–that seemed to be independent of his control. The satisfaction in the heart of the Devil as he shamed glory must have been beyond measure.

But the Cross, like a brilliant conundrum, was, in fact, the height of glory. What appeared to be the death of God, the shaming of the prized only begotten Son of the Most High, and the dissolution of the Trinity was actually the most glorious interplay of justice and mercy, worked out in perfect harmony by all members of the Godhead. It was the powerless disarming the strong, and the shameful shaming the proud.

This is the heart of the gospel, and it is based on a tremendous irony. God won the greatest war of all–the war against the Devil himself–not by killing, but by dying. When Jesus died on the cross, He incisively defeated Satan and all his evil hordes.

Jesus is not walking the earth dying on the cross today and Satan is not trying to stop Jesus. The battle still exits though and we are the players. You have been shamed by doing what is right. The devil used his players to make it seem that you are not doing the right thing and have loss touch. Guess again, Jesus will use you to die to self and then the battle will be won!

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Me: Look at all those helmets!

Prodigal: Yes, they really wanted protection.

Me: Well I can discuss with you another type of helmet that is mentioned in the bible.

Prodigal: Let’s hear.

This is from the book Overcoming Spiritual Blindness by James P. Gills, M.D.

Paul tells us that the helmet of salvation represents hope (1 Thess. 5:8). Hope is the sure confidence and expectation promised to the believer in God’s Word. It is worked in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Many believers’ heads have sustained, and survived, heavy blows because they knew that God the Father Almighty works for good in their lives. Hope, as armor, gives us the assurance that the Son of God will not fail to shepherd us through our trials. God will prevail for us, and through us, not in our own strength but that which He supplies.

The helmet of hope protects our heads from mortal wounds, and it also allows us to advance with our hands and free. Rather than covering our heads with our hands in fear, we can proceed with our heads up, hands ready–courageous and confident. Our King and Captain urges us on as He speaks to us through the Word: “For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you” (Isa. 41:13). “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” ( Rom 15:13).

Mark 2:45

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: Is it already time for a rest?

Me: Sometimes you are a lot slower than other days. That means more rest.

Prodigal: I am happy for God’s grace.

This is a video devotion on proverbs

click here to watch the video

Proverbs 5:10

Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger (KJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: Where are the shepherds?

Me: I have a story about the shepherds.

Prodigal: I am ready to listen.

This is from the book The Greatest Life of All Jesus by Charles Swindoll

Shepherds were the social outcasts of their day, a necessary yet ostracized caste without whom the temple could not function. While they tended the animal required for ritual sacrifice, the conscientious Jew–ever concerned with purity–spurned shepherds as too unclean to stand among other worshipers. Imagine the reception a dirty migrant worker would receive at the door of a sophisticated country club, and you will understand where the shepherd ranked in Hebrew society.

While the rich and powerful in Jerusalem formed factions, alternately resisting and sweet-talking Romans, blissfully unaware of the momentous event taking place in the countryside, angels appeared to the people most likely to understand what was happening. Imagine how the outcast shepherds felt when they heard their king’s palace was a stable and His cradle was a feeding trough. At last, they had a king who shared their low station, who would care about the things that mattered to them. Perhaps this king would value His subjects more than conquests and the acquisition of more and more wealth.

Keep yourself humble and low. Remember that is how Jesus remained. That is how you love and serve others. A place of pride makes it all about you.

Mark 2:43

And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: This is an old typewriter.

Me: They use to write books on it.

Prodigal: How was the Bible written.

Me: I just read about that.

This is from the book Bold Love by Dr. Dan Allender & Dr. Tremper Longman III

As Christians who have grown up with the Bible in our culture, we sometimes treat it as a book that fell out of heaven whole. We have to remind ourselves constantly that God used a number of different authors living over a 1,600-year period (circa 1500 BC to AD 100). Over this lengthy period of time, God slowly unfolded His plan of salvation and relationship with His people.

As we keep this in mind, we see that God’s people have been at war with the Enemy since the Fall (Genesis 3). The Fall showed clearly that God had an enemy, and ever since that time, all people are on one or the other side of the battle. As Saint Augustine put it, an individual is either in the City of God or the city of man. In Genesis, we see God’s curse on the serpent clearly delineates the two sides: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15). From this point and for the rest of history, there is vicious conflict between God and Satan, and between those who follow God and those who reject Him. Think of Cain and Abel, the line of Lamech and the line of Seth, Moses and the Egyptians, the Israelites and the Philistines, David and Goliath, and Elijah and Ahab. The list could go on and continues to this very day.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: Let’s enjoy our time together!

Me: Yes, I agree. We need to focus on the good times that we are together.

This is a short video devotion on Proverbs

click here to watch devotion

Proverbs 5:9

Lest you give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one; (KJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: Sometimes I do feel anger.

Me: We all do at times.

Prodigal: What to do?

This is from the book Bold Love by Dr. Dan B. Allender & Dr. Tremper Longman III

We want someone to pay. The desire for immediate vengeance is usually not a conscious, moment-by-moment desire, but when a significant loss, insult, or injury occurs, we often feel an energy of anger that far supersedes the event itself. In most cases, the energy of murder goes back further that the present event to memories of past harm that are unresolved.

I have felt that emotion of anger surge within in me and want to take over. I forget all else and the needs to satisfy that anger seems overwhelming. What I do not realize is that first desire is usually not one that God would like me to act on. I need to forgive and wait on the Lord to act.

Habakkuk 2:3

For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Me: That is a dark spot.

Prodigal: Yes, and it blocks the sun.

Me: Even, if the sun does’t seem to be shining, it always is.

Jesus will walk with you down your long dark tunnel. At first even His presence may seem far away. But if you look, and feel, He is there. Right by your side you can feel Him standing there. Suppose you had to walk this path alone? But you don’t -He is actually there. You can talk with Him. Share your bitterness, your anger, your guilt. Tell Him how depressed you are. Tell how afraid of the darkness your are. Tell Him how lonely you are.

He provides courage in that dark tunnel life has forced you to walk…

While you may see no light at the end of your tunnel, you never know when the tunnel will curve. And right around that curve may burst the light of a great new day. You cannot see it from where you are now, but it is there.

Then, too, every tunnel ends someplace. Otherwise it would just be a cave. And life is definitely not a cave for the Christian. Jesus verified that by His resurrection. Listen closely and you may hear his voice bidding you to quicken your pace.

I remember a time of tunnel walking years ago. The darkness was suffocating-so dense I could feel it. No light at the end of my tunnel could be seen. I prayed-or tried to-but I couldn’t seem to get through the ceiling. Sleep was impossible, so I went outside and walked around in the night. When I looked up, the stars were all there. Not one was missing. I thought surely there would not be one left, but I was wrong. And the God who put them there was also right where He had always been. The next morning the sun rose just as it had always done. The birds were singing, too. Not even they failed me. The day came when the tunnel took a sudden and unexpected turn. There was light-lots of light. There were answers to prayer, too. It didn’t happen overnight, but it did happen. Your tunnel will have light at its end, faithful Christian. Just keep walking.

Robert Maner

Mark 2:40

And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: I am lovin’ this quilt.

Me: I am too! It is turning out pretty nice.

Prodigal: It is a perfect spot to watch our video!

This is a short video devotions on proverbs.

click here to watch the video

Proverbs 5:8

Remove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Prodigal: It looks like the clouds are rolling in.

Me: Yes, but I think it will be a short shower.

Prodigal: I hope so.

Me: God will be with us.

This is from the book Psalm 91 by Peggy Ruth and Angelia Schum

Late one night, soon after building our new home in the country, our family was faced with a severe weather alert. The local radio station warned that a tornado had been sighted just south of the country club–the exact location of our property. We could see several of the React Club vehicles parked on the road below our hill as the members watched the funnel cloud that seemed to be headed straight for our house.

I had never seen such a strange, eerie color in the night sky or experienced such a deafening silence in the atmosphere. You could actually feel the hair on your body stand on end. Some of our son’s friend’s were visiting, and to their surprise, Jack quickly ordered our family to get outside with our Bibles (even though we were in our pajamas) and start circling the house- quoting Psalm 91 and taking authority over the storm. Jack had our children out speaking directly to the storm, just as Jesus did.

The eerie silence suddenly turned into a roar, with torrents of rain coming down in what seemed like bucketfuls. Finally Jack had a peace the danger had passed, even though by sight nothing had changed.

We walked back into the house just in time to hear the on-location reporter call the radio announcer and exclaim over the air, with so much excitement he was almost shouting, “This is nothing short of a miracle –the funnel cloud south of the Brownwood Country Club has suddenly lifted up and vanished into the clouds.”

You should have seen those kids jumping and hollering. It was the first time my son’s friends had observed the supernatural at work.

James 2:12

So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org