Prodigal: We can watch your video outside!
Me: Yes, we can!
Proverbs 1:18
These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Jesus Paid It All
Me: What a nice building!
Prodigal: Yes it is, the things you see when you travel around!
Me: Yes, and here is a reminder about another part of the world!
This is from the book Voices of the Faithful by Beth Moore
To religious persons where I live, heaven is a lofty dream. They believe that good deeds and others’ prayers help them climb their way up to heaven. The better a person, the closer to heaven one is at death. The concept of salvation by grace is foreign, as they think it is earned.
My pastor and I were meeting with a friend to discuss her recent conversion and her understanding of her decision. Using 10 coins as an example, we posed the following scenario to her: “You are a sinner, and your debt to God is 10 zloty. How much are you going to pay, and how much is God going to pay?”
She was confused and asked for clarification.
“For example, will you pay the full amount?” We pushed all the coins toward her. “Or will God pay the full amount?” We pushed the coins away from her. “Or will you pay half and God pay half? We shifted the coins into two piles of five zloty each. “How much of the 10 zloty must you pay to get yourself to heaven, and how much of your debt must you let God pay?”
Smiling my friend placed her hands on the coins and pushed them into one pile. She said, “I want God to pay it all!”
My heart jumped for joy as I realized that she was not relying on herself for salvation. We cannot earn our salvation, for only God’s grace can save us!
Michelle, Central and Eastern Europe.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts. 4:12
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Getting Better
Me: Have you had a good time?
Prodigal: Yes, and I am ready to just listen to what you have to share.
This from C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity
One last point. Remember that, as I said, the right direction leads not only to peace but to knowledge. When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him. When a man is getting worse he understands his own badness less and less. A moderately bad man knows he is not very good: a thoroughly bad man thinks he is all right. This is common sense, really. You understand sleep when you are awake, not while you are sleeping. You can see mistakes in arithmetic when your mind is working properly: while you are making them you cannot see them. You can understand the nature of drunkenness when you are sober, not when you are drunk. Good people know about both good and evil: bad people do not know about either.
2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
You Can Avoid it All
Me: Who is your friend?
Prodigal: Monkey, and he could talk the hide off a cow.
Me: So, I just might have some discernment around them.
This is from the book God, but I’m Bored by Eileen Guder
You can live on bland food so as to avoid an ulcer; drink no tea or coffee or other stimulants, in the name of health; go to bed early and stay away from night life; avoid all controversial subjects so as never to give offense; you can mind your own business and avoid all involvement in other people’s problems; spend money only on necessities and save all you can.
You can still break your neck in the bathtub, and it will serve you right.
Matthew 13:12
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Chronic Dependence
Me: Looks like you are busy with your blocks!
Prodigal: I love them!
Me: Whatever oils your tractor is fine with me!
This is from the book Abraham by Charles Swindoll
This chronic dependence upon self as opposed to living by faith is referred to as carnality by many theologians. It’s based on carne, the Latin word for meat or flesh. It’s the idea of living life by human ability rather than looking to, and leaning upon, God and His promises. Invariably, when we choose carnality, we find temporary satisfaction followed by deeper need….and eventual death.
Lord, help me see how I am holding on to things of the flesh today. My spirit really wants to follow you in complete trust. I know that the enemy has been whispering seeds of fear in me. I do not want to listen to the fears and then follow in my flesh. Please Lord, just direct me as I surrender all thoughts and plans to you!
Matthew 12:30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Women Lovin’ Jesus
Prodigal: I am ready to watch another video!
Me: I hope that it encourages you in the Lord
Proverbs 1:17
Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Church is Famishing
Me: Where are you going Prodigal?
Prodigal: I just gonna go over this fence right quick.
Me: If you break your leg, don’t come hobblin’ to me.
Prodigal: You always think the worse.
Me: Just let me know how it goes….
This is from the book The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
The world is perishing for lack of the knowledge of God and the Church is famishing for want of His Presence. The instant cure of most of our religious ills would be to enter the Presence in spiritual experience, to become suddenly aware that we are in God and that God is in us. This would lift us out of our pitiful narrowness and cause our hearts to be enlarged.
Our Lord and our God who has the world and universe working perfectly at this moment but would still show up in our spirit if we decided to praise Him right now!
Mark 13:35-37
You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Too Stupid
Me: I like your friend!
Prodigal: Someone was calling her stupid.
Me: That was not very nice.
Prodigal: I think she needs encouragement now.
This is from God’s Little Devotional Book for Women
A partially deaf boy trudged into his home one day after school. In his hand, he carried a note. It was a note from school officials, suggesting that his parents remove him from school. According to those wise officials, this boy was “too stupid to learn.”
Upon reading the note, the boy’s mother vowed, “My son Tom isn’t too stupid to learn. I’ll teach him myself.” And that is exactly what she did.
Many years later when Tom died, many Americans paid tribute to him by turning off their lights for one full minute. This was a fitting tribute, for Tom Edison invented the light bulb–along with motion pictures and the phonograph. In all, he was credited with more than a thousand patents. He also had a gift for powerful, motivating words. You will read several of his quotes in this book.
Neither you nor anyone you work with its beyond learning. No one is beyond discovering new ways to express talent, enthusiasm, creativity, and love. No one is beyond receiving affection and encouragement.
Never give up on yourself, no matter what anyone else says. Stand up for others, and encourage them to stay the course as well. Your heavenly Father hasn’t given up on any of you. And He never will.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Happy Are
Me: Are you having a good day with your friend?
Prodigal: She is great to be around and also as bright as a new penny!
Me: Well enjoy your time and I will share something to encourage!
This is from J. B. Phillips
“Blessed” in the authorized version is very nearly the equivalent of our modern word “happy.” So that Jesus, in effect, gives us a recipe for happiness in the Beatitudes. So as to make the revolutionary character of His recipe more apparent, I will quote first a little version of my own, of what most non-Christian people think.
They think: “Happy are the pushers, for they get on in the world. Happy are the hard-boiled, for they never let life hurt them. Happy are they who complain, for they get their own way in the end. Happy are the blase, for they never worry over their sins. Happy are the slave drivers, for they get results. Happy are the knowledgeable men of the world, for they know their way around. Happy are the troublemakers, for they make people take notice of them.”
But Jesus said, “How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort. Happy are those who claim nothing, for the whole earth will belong to them. Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness, for they will be satisfied. Happy are the merciful, for they will have mercy shown to them. Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God. Happy are those who make peace, for they will be known as sons of God.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Same Kinda of Person
Me: I think that means we should be happy.
Prodigal: Yes, I agree.
What kinda of person are you?
Well you are the same kinda of person as me.
We are the Lord’s love.
At this moment some of you have an impressive list of a ton of works that you have done in the Lord’s name.
At this moment some of you are so weary that you cannot do much for the Lord.
We are the same.
We are the Lord’s love.
At this moment everyone likes you and you cannot fit in all the different social events.
At this moment some of you have had no one reach out to you today.
We are the same.
We are the Lord’s love.
At this moment you gave a donation to that church that helped complete the building fund.
At this moment some of you gave the last two dollars in your wallet in the offering bin.
We are the same.
We are the Lord’s love.
At this moment you helped spread the gospel to 100 people this week.
At this moment some of you could only remind yourself of the gospel to help you get out of bed.
We are the same.
We are the Lord’s love.
At this moment you prayed an hour today for the nation, the city, the church and your family and neighbors.
At this moment some of you could only pray Lord help me.
We are the same.
We are the Lord’s love.
At this moment you feel God’s peace and His spirit of love.
At this moment some of you feel God has left you.
We are the same.
We are the Lord’s love.
Who are you?
The Lord’s love.
Who am I?
The Lord’s love.
Can we treat each other like that?
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org