Luke 15:11-32 KJV 11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

How many years go by and families that live some distance away rarely see each other. Some members desiring to go home and others desiring only to stay away even longer. No return is ever the same, some welcoming and some not. Some good and some bad, in truth I think it really the anger some feel of being so far apart and others is the sin or transgression of another not willing to forgive. Whatever the reason it not a good visit is it up to each and every individual to make the visit meaniful. For ever good visit it is a blessing and a welcome oasis from long distance and memories that fade with time that are now once again renewed. Today I am writing on the story of the prodigal son. A wayward son, who life went in the opposite direction his father had planned for him. He went about going to parties, having fun with friends and spending all his inheritance that his Father gave him when he asked for it. This prodigal chose a new group of people to live with. A people who will did not necessarily treat him well. He was force to tend and live with the pigs and tend to them feeding and eating whatever they did. In other words he was living in the pig sty trying to survive by working and not making it very well. His clothes were probably muddy and stinking and the slop was probably not very good tasting either. Yet it was better then no food. Then one day the man realized the hire servants in his father's household were well treated even having fresh bread to eat. Now why would he want to live with this new family of his if his old one servants were better treated then the new family members of his new family. Yes he divorced his new family and decided to return to his father's house and beg forgiveness in hopes to be hired as a servant. It does not say how long the journey from one village to the other, but I suspect it was more then a days walk. It was the welcome that the man got from his father that surprised him. His father had seen him some distance off and ran to meet him. Hugging and kissing him because he had not known the where abouts of his son, or if he was dead or alive. Oh how his father missed him. How he longed to see him. He told his father he had sinned and was unworthy to be his son and wanted to be a servant. His father told his servant to go and get a robe and ring for his son. He put a new robe on his son and dressed him, even putting shoes on his feet. He then told his servant to fix a feast and to invite all his friends. He was celebrate the return of his son. The brother was jealous when he seen all that his father was doing for his brother. In fact he was angry. But it is his father's response that tells the tale, my other son was lost but now his found. Let us rejoice in his return home. His brother did not understand the seriousness of his absence. God's children rejoice when another sinner gets saved. God's people rejoice for that person is no longer lost. It matters not what a person sin is, if it did matter to each of us, for we know what our own destination was before we got saved. We too were destined to hell. We too were lost once upon a time. Yet upon salvation we are now saved. You can waste your life in the pig sty or you can join the king's kid club by receiving Christ as Lord and Savior. What is the king's kid club, it is become born again by Christ suffering on the cross for our sins. All we have to do is believe in Jesus and turn away from sin. Turn away from the life of sin. Some say I do not really do that many wrong things. It only takes one sin to separate us from the love of God. It only takes one sin for us to be lost for eternity. It only takes one sin to be cast in the fiery pit called hell. It only takes one sin to realize our need to turn away from sin and receive Jesus Christ as Lord. He paid the price for sin. It does not mean because we receive Christ we are now wealthy in material things, but we are now on the road to wealth in spiritual understanding and blessings. Our first blessing upon salvation is salvation for eternity. It salvation once receive that can not and will not be given back. It is that get out of hell free card you do not want to ever loose, and you are sealed and marked by Holy Spirit of promise upon receipt of receiving Christ as Lord and Savior and that mark can not be removed. Do you want to get saved, take a look at the How to be saved page and it will give you verse and well as information on how to receive Christ as Lord. Yes, that button at the end or top of the page. Consider receiving Christ today for all the benefits He is already willing to provide for you today. He will change your life for the better. Dear Heavenly Father help those to understand that they too can have eternal life, it not just for saved, it for the lost to receive. In Jesus precious name, Amen. Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: Romans 10:9-13 KJV 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. http://www.turtle30cshell.com