In Luke 15, Jesus tells a parable of the prodigal son. He tells of a time when one of a father’s sons shows disrespect to his father, and then leaves home to ‘find a better life.’

In most cases of the above scenario, the son would be disowned, disinherited from his father’s estate.

But that’s not the case in this story. On the contrary. The dad’s reaction to his son’s return home is remarkable. He goes against everything that would have been expected in society. He welcomes him home with open arms.

This gracious, forgiving father represents God.

I’ve been the prodigal daughter. I shut God out of my life in my early 20’s and was determined to live life ‘my own way.’

How’d that work out for me? I was miserable. I kept wondering why bad things kept happening, while others around me flourished or seemed to be having a fun and easy life.

It wasn’t until I was at the end of myself, broken and damaged, that I turned to God and asked for help.

I’ll admit I thought I had blown it. I thought I had done too many bad things for God to ever forgive me. But, just like the prodigal son, God took me back with open, loving arms and I’ve never b been the same since.

The prodigal daughter is home.

Luke 15: 3-7 "- “So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Pride can be a dangerous thing. The opposite of being prideful is being humble. Are you too proud to ask for help?

Proverbs 16:5 - “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.”

I can remember my own kids, more specifically, my daughter, as she was a, let’s just say ‘active’ toddler. As her strong-willed character began to blossom, I became more aware of what I needed to do to enable her character to submit to my will. Often times her stubborn pride won, but over time, she learned to obey and learn from my teaching.

God hates pride and prideful people. These people often use power and authority to destroy other people’s lives, sometimes even their own life.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed help, but was too proud or embarrassed to ask for it? Did you assume that you could ‘do it yourself?’ How did that work out for ya?

All you have to do is ask God for help. He’s closer than a text, email or phone call away.

If you’ve ever helped someone in need, you know the feeling you get of sheer joy! Take that and increase it one hundred fold, and that’s how God feels when we ask him for help.

If you’ve been a Christian more than 24 hours, then you can’t deny that your faith has already been tested.

Moments after my conversion to Christ, the devil was trying to tell me, “that didn’t work, you’re not saved.”

Testing our faith is one way that God determines our authenticity. God knows our heart already, He just wants to bring it out in our character.

I’ve had my faith tested many many times over the years. Most of the time I failed the test. But, the wonderful thing about God is that He kept testing me because He knew that He would use me for His glory some day. And, thank God, those days are here.

If someone would have told me 20 years ago that I would be going on mission trips, I would have said they’re crazy. But, true to His promises, God has placed me in the mission fields and I’m loving serving people and being a part of God’s great commission.

If you’re a Christian and you tell me you’ve never had your faith tested, then personally, I would question your faith. But, that’s not up to me to decide, is it?

Are you trustworthy in your walk with God? Have the trials you’ve gone through shown your authentic faith in God?

Trust God in everything, always, in every circumstance, in every trial.

James 1:2-4 - “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Everywhere you go, you’ll see someone taking a picture of themselves, a selfie. I’ll admit, I’ve done it. But some people take it too far. They take selfies when they’re eating their favorite food, or standing in front of a famous landmark.

Does it sound like we’re obsessed with ourselves? Are we solely thinking of ‘me’ all the time?

Philippians 2:3 - “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

The Bible clearly states to not merely look at our own personal interests, but to look at the interests of others.

Often people will build themselves up while tearing others down.

As a Christian, our pure desires and motives should be to give to others, not expecting to receive anything in return.

The opposite of selfishness is love. Love is focused on pleasing others, while acting in ‘selfie’ mode is pointed to satisfying the flesh.

See how long you can go without taking a ‘selfie.’ You may be surprised that the more you take your mind off of yourself and look to the needs of others, the longer you stay focused on what matters.

Serve others before serving yourself.

I heard the above statement yesterday and it is so true.

John 11:33 - “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.”

The best thing we can do for people when they are hurting is to listen. Open up your heart and really listen to what they’re saying, or even what they’re not saying. When people are discouraged or troubled, they don’t want advice from us, they just want to tell us their pain. Be receptive to people who are depressed or upset about something.

Once someone realizes that you are listening to them and that you are giving them your full undivided attention, then they can start to heal. Then, they can feel safe enough to open their hearts.

Being a good listener is one of the most powerful tools to any friendship or relationship.

Less talk and more listening will open doors to the soul.

Most people don’t even care if you’ve had the same hurts, gone through the same trials that they have; they just want to be heard.

Open your heart and ears to someone today.

We all love the thrill of victory. Some say they get a ‘high’ out of watching their team win a game. I love it when I follow a recipe and the results are mouth watering!

Everyone loves to win, but how are you winning in life? Do you occasionally have little victories on the job that keep you motivated? Are you looking for opportunities to put a spark in your marriage? Are you consistently seeking to serve others?

God wants to give us victory in everything. He wants our life to be successful, our marriages to thrive and each generation to be better than the past.

Victory in anything requires being prepared, being ready for the battle. To obtain victory in Jesus, you must know Him, surrender your whole life to Him, have faith that His promises are true, and trust that He will equip you with the skills and tools needed to win the battles of life.

The Bible is full of victories. Let’s not forget David and Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, God takes a small young shepherd boy, who was an unlikely warrior, to defeat a giant whom everyone was scared of.

What battle or battles lie ahead for you? Are you creating your own line of defense, or are you relying on God to fight for you?

The victory in this life has already been won.

Get on the winning team with Jesus!

1 John 5:4 - “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

Some of you may know someone who always wants things perfect; someone who likes things in order and gets stressed out if they’re not.

Nobody’s perfect, and if you’re a Christian, you know that our perfection is only found in Jesus, and when He takes us home to live with Him one day, our lives will accomplish perfection.

Jesus doesn’t expect us to be the ‘perfect’ Christian. He asks that we obey Him and succumb to His will, daily. How do we do this? Practice. To be good at something, anything, it takes practice.

So what does this look like? It starts with reading God’s word, understanding life from God’s words. It means knowing God personally, intimately, and spending time with Him.

It also means carrying out His commands of loving one another, serving each other, giving your time and resources to the needy and to those who don’t know Jesus.

Practice makes perfect. Giving your all, every day to God’s will won’t make you perfect, but it will lead you to perfection in Christ.

James 1:4 - “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

There have been seasons in my life when I’ve felt like God was silent. And then there have been seasons of blessings overflowing.

I’ll admit, it is hard to stay thankful in the dry seasons. It’s hard to praise God when life is falling apart. But, I’ll also admit that by praising God, by focusing your thoughts on Him, this is when God is so close. It’s times like these that I can feel God’s arms around me. It’s a peace that you only understand if you’re a child of God.

I think God feels it too. I know the feeling of being needed. Don’t you know that God loves it when we’re reaching out to Him; when we cry out to Him for help? He loves His children and wants nothing but the best for us. He cares when we’re crying.

Whether it’s a dry season of trials, or a rainy season of blessings, I give God thanks. And, I constantly stand amazed at the answered prayers and miracles along my life’s journey.

Be patient in the dry seasons. Know that God’s working behind the scenes. Praise Him regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in.

Stand amazed at God’s presence. Stand amazed at His promises and never forget that He will never stop loving you.

John 4:13-14 - “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”