Spontaneous Emergence

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Howdy Prodigal! That looks like junk.

Prodigal: What ever it is, it has been out in the rain for awhile and has some rust to it.

Me: Do you think that it could be useful with something?

Prodigal: I don’t know.

Me: Me either, it is out of my expertise. I do want to share from the Scientific American.

This is from John Horgan in Scientific American

Some scientist have argues that, given enough time, even apparently miraculous events become possible–such as the spontaneous emergence of a single-cell organism from random couplings of chemicals. Sir Fred Hoyle, the British astronomer, has said such an occurrence is about as likely as the assemblage of a 747 (jet) by a tornado whirling through a junkyard. Most researchers agree with Hoyle on this point.

Why could people believe in this but yet could not think that there was a God. Or maybe it is that you are running from God? Don’t run from God because God is love and it is worth the discovery.

Matthew 7:8

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

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Forbearance

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Ready to take the picture?

Prodigal: Cheese!

Me: There I got a good picture of you that time!

Prodigal: I think it turned out great!

Me: Thank you for not being critical of my picture taking abilities.

Prodigal: I am just happy to receive a picture.

Me: Thank you!

The Secret of Happiness by Billy Graham talks about forbearance

“Forbearance” is a word which has been almost dropped from our modern vocabulary. It means to abstain from condemning others, to refrain from judging the actions and motives of those about us.

The Bible says: “With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love”(Ephesians 4:2).

This generation is quick with the deadly thrust but slow with the ointment of healing. The harsh criticism of others and unfair appraisals of those about us may hurt them, but it hurts us more. The unjust condemnation of others has a boomerang effect. I hurl my vindictive indictments with the hope of crippling others, but, alas, I discover that I am hurt more than they are.

Do not get caught up in condemnation of others and criticism. This will just bring more of the same. We are to return the condemnation and the criticism with love that can only be given with the Holy Spirit. God sees all and also knows our hearts. Allow God to deal with their hearts and focus your attention on how you can remain in love.

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for His name in serving the saints, as you still do.

Hebrews 6:10

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Studying The Odds

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Look at all the pigs!

Prodigal: Yes, are they all the same?

Me: I don’t know.

Prodigal: Maybe one of them is special, what do you think the odds of that are?

Me: I don’t know the odds of that but I was reading about other odds.

This comes from the book I have a Friend Who’s Jewish Do You? By Don Goldstein

One of the most amazing studies conducted was recorded by Professor Peter Stoner in Science Speaks. The purpose of the study was to determine the odds of one man in history fulfilling all the prophecies recorded in the Scripture that point to the Jewish Messiah. There are over 300 Messianic prophecies in the Scriptures. Stoner chose just those that are clearly defined and specific for his study. To begin, eight prophecies were chosen that were totally beyond the human control of Yeshua:

His place of birth (Micah 5:2)
Time of birth (Daniel 9:25)
Manner of birth (Isaiah 7:14)
Betrayal (Zechariah 11:12,13)
Manner of death (Psalm 22:16-18)
Piercing of hands, feet, and side (Zechariah 12:10)
People mocking (Psalm 22:7,8)
Burial (Isaiah 53:9)

The compound probability of just these eight prophecies being fulfilled is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (1 in 10 to the 17th power). To understand this number, take that many silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They would cover the entire state two feet deep. Next, mark a single silver dollar, fly over Texas, and drop it anywhere. Then blindfold someone and let him parachute in anywhere he wants. The coin he picks is just once chance. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets had of writing eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man.

Now let’s raise the odds using 48 prophecies. We find the chances of one man fulfilling just 48 of these Messianic prophecies to

be (1 in 10 to the 157th power.)

Psalm 46:11

The Lord of host is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

The Beauty Around

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: It is so beautiful out here!

Me: There is beauty all around us, you just have to look for it.

Prodigal: Sometimes I forget to look for it.

I will quote today from the book Overcoming Spiritual Blindness by James Gills M.D.

When we see life as God does, we really see. We begin to see His wisdom, His goodness, and His design, and we begin to trust Him–to depend upon Him. Then, we enter a true, heartfelt communion with the Lord Jesus–a person-to-person relationship that progresses to a vital, impassioned faith. Outside of this enabling light of God, however, we are lost and blind. A great many things can obstruct our spiritual sight and block our vision to a beautiful walk with God.

Walking with God means we have to take time in our schedule. God really likes us to show our love to Him. Love often means time. How do we show love to our spouses and our family. We spend time with them. We make them feel on top of our todo list even if it is for 15 minutes or one hour. The amazing thing is when we do slow down then God will point to all kinds of beauty around us. He is waiting to show that to you today. You just have to spend the time with Him.

Romans 12:2

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincousneling.org

In a Hotel Room

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Prodigal are you getting ready to rest?

Prodigal: Yep, it has been a long day away from family and friends.

Me: I will share with you a poem that maybe will help you tonight with all your emotions.

A Psalm In a Hotel Room

I’m alone, Lord,

alone,

a thousand miles from home.

There’s no one here who knows my name

except the clerk,

and he spelled it wrong,

no one to eat dinner with,

laugh at my jokes,

listen to my gripes,

be happy with me about what happened today

and say that’s great.

No one cares.

There’s just this lousy bed

and slush in the street outside

between the buildings.

I feel sorry for myself

and I’ve plenty of reason to.

Maybe I ought to say

I’m on top of it,

praise the Lord,

things are great;

but they’re not.

Tonight

it’s all

gray slush.

Proverbs 6:20

My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Serving Money

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Prodigal, are you painting?

Prodigal: Yep, and I am really enjoying it!

Me: You should paint everyday!

Prodigal: If only I could afford too, I would.

Me: Even being able to paint every once in a while is nice

John Piper talks about money and our hearts.

Serving money means looking to money to provide you a service and to provide your help and meet your needs. Serving money means planning and dreaming and strategizing and maneuvering to be in a position to maximize our wealth and what money can provide for us. Money is the giver and the benefactor in the servant-master relationship…You look to money to do good for you…So what Jesus is saying is that we should serve God…We look to God to be our helper, our benefactor and treasure. To serve Him would be to plan and dream and strategize and maneuver to be in a position to maximize our enjoyment of God and what He alone promises to be for us. God then, not money becomes the giver and the benefactor in this servant-master relationship.

Whether you have money or no money, your joy comes from the Lord.

Daniel 2:20

Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.

Not Garbage At All

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Hello!

Prodigal: She can’t hear you. She is deaf. You can wave to her though.

Me: Ok, I will. I just read a story about some deaf people and I would like to share.

This story is from the book The God Who Hung on the Cross by Dois Rosser Jr. and Ellen Vaughn

In a town called Nurabut, there is a church in an area predominately populated by deaf people. Most of the local population scorns people who cannot hear; in fact, the local term used for them is the same as the word for “garbage.”

The pastor and believers in Nurabut knew that God sees people with disabilities quite differently. So they learned sign language and began to connect with the hearing-impaired community, building friendships and letting them know of the overwhelming love of Christ. Gradually the congregation began to grow…and now that little church is overflowing with members who will not hear with their ears this side of heaven, but who will praise the Lord in unforgettable ways.

Christ never sees your faults as you do. He will go to great lengths to help you feel that you are not alone with what you are struggling with today. You might not be deaf but you may have a fault that makes you feel like garbage when you are around others. Don’t believe that Christ sees you like that. Don’t believe that this minute or this day. Christ doesn’t want you to stay in that condemnation.

Acts 20:24

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Jennifer Van Allen.

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

The Red Umbrella

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: We were just looking for you!

Me: What do you need?

Prodigal: My friend would like to hear an encouraging story.

Me: Well this story comes from the book Stories for the Heart complied by Alice Gray

As the drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of Midwest farmers were in a quandary as to what to do. The rain was important not only in order to keep the crops healthy, but to sustain the townspeople’s very way of living. As the problem become more urgent, the local church felt it was time to get involved and planned a prayer meeting in order to ask for rain.

In what seemed a vague remembrance of an old Native American ritual, the people began to show. The pastor soon arrived and watched as his congregation continued to file in. He slowly circulated from group to group as he made his way to the front in order to officially begin the meeting. Everyone he encountered was visiting across the aisles, enjoying the chance to socialize with their close friends. As the pastor finally secured his place in front of his flock, his thoughts were on the importance of quieting the crowd and starting the meeting.

Just as he began asking for quiet, he noticed an eleven-year-old girl sitting in the front row. She was angelically beaming with excitement and laying next to her was her bright red umbrella, poised for use. The beauty and innocence of this sight made the pastor smile to himself as he realized the faith this young girl possessed that the rest of the people in the room seemed to have forgotten. For the rest had come just to pray for rain…she had come to see God answer.

retold by Tania Gray

Hebrews 12:11

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Bear Another’s Burden

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Are you trying to send a message Prodigal?

Prodigal: Yep, just want to spend some time with those I love!

Me: I am sure something will get figured out this week!

Prodigal: I know it will!

Today’s book is from Dr. Larry Crabb and is Men & Women Enjoying the Difference

A good relationship is one in which each person uses his or her resources primarily to promote the other’s well-being and not his or her own, regardless of the cost. Martin Luther put it even more strongly when he wrote: “To love is not to wish good for another person, it is to bear another’s burden; that is, to bear what is painful to you and which you do not bear willingly.” (I presume willingly here means something like naturally.) When we say that God is love, we mean that the three Persons of the Godhead always relate with perfect other-centered energy toward one another and toward their creatures. Good relating is therefore other-centered relating.

Busy, Busy and maybe a little bit more busy. That is what you are feeling right now. Well with that business you forget to focus on loving someone and helping them carry their burden right now. I know you don’t have time. I know you don’t have energy really. So ask God for the extra energy and figure out how to help carry that person’s burden right now. God will allow you the strength to do it all.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Boundless Wisdom

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Howdy, Prodigal!

Prodigal: How are you, I am just getting up to start my day.

Me: Start your day and ask for wisdom.

Prodigal: What do you suggest?

Me: I will share with you from the book Living On The Ragged Edge by Charles Swindoll

Wisdom, among other things, is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve those ends by the most perfect means. It sees the end from the beginning, so there can be no need to guess or conjecture. Wisdom sees everything in focus, each in proper relation to all, and is thus able to work toward predestined goals with flawless precision.

All God’s acts are done in perfect wisdom, first for His own glory, and then for the highest good of the greatest number for the longest time. And all His acts are as pure as they are wise, and as good as they are wise and pure. Not only could His acts not be better done: a better way to do them could not be imagined. An infinitely wise God must work in a manner not to be improved upon by finite creatures.

I am grateful for God’s wisdom. It has made a path in my life that I did not always understand at the moment but unfolded into something that was wonderfully designed. Our Lord please continue to guide my life with YOUR wisdom and may I praise you how it will all look a year from now!

1 John 3:11

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

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org