"Holding On"
I give all praise to our Lord Jesus Christ for another opportunity to come to you with the Gospel. Praise God, the only Gospel, the only way to God, and that is through Jesus. It is a blessing to me to be called to carry that Gospel. Where God is sending me, not many want to go. While in a trial I often find it hard to understand and don�t always take it well. I�ve been tried in one area for about 3 years now. The situation would get better for a period of time, but then turn completely around the opposite direction. I toiled with it! I tried everything I knew. I cried before God about it. Then it would all repeat. At times I thought my heart would break and that I would have to just sit down. After 2 extremely hard weeks and a particularly hard Friday, it all came to a head. I spent the day Saturday in the valley of decision! I questioned everything I represent � my calling, my very Christianity. Don�t guess any of you ever went through that! That�s when God whispered to me and gave me vision and clarity. We all know that we can�t communicate to a child when it is having a fit! Well, God waits on us to get still too! God revealed these trials, this one certain one, was not just for my growth, but to bring a message � to make me able to identify with others. I can read every book there is, but if I ain�t been there myself, then I really can�t feel your pain. The area I�ve been battling for so long is the relationship with my daughter. God showed me that He let the situation improve at times to lighten my load. Then they would return to the bad state. I�ve now tasted the hurt of my mother and those that loved me in the days when I ran as a prodigal! I have tasted the hurt of the father in Luke 15! I�ve tasted the hurt that our Father in Heaven feels for Hid children! I have tasted the hurt that many of you loving parents have felt over your children going off in rebellion. I have in times past tasted the hurt that the prodigal son felt himself. I have suffered much because of my past choice of sin. BUT GOD has brought it to be for good. This message has come hard, and at a time when for three weeks I tried to write another one. I went to bed with this burning in me and woke me up with its burning. The title is �Holding On.�
I believe we are living in the perilous last times spoken about in II Timothy 3. We are seeing parts of these scriptures manifested before our very eyes. All down through time children at some point have been disobedient to parents, against authority, but never on such a scale as today. With the �anything goes� mentality, immoral teachings in schools, with music and TV, a parent�s job is almost impossible. The devices of satan are many and more alluring than ever. As fathers and mothers we have a great challenge, and the burdens and heartaches are many. Our Heavenly Father has many children and His heart is greatly saddened by most of them. Still yet He gave us example after example, instruction upon instruction on how to deal with our children. Just stop and look how He has dealt with us! He continuously extends His love and waits for us to come home. He loves and He waits. He doesn�t force us, drag us back, lock us away, or keep �holding on�. God lets us do our will, and we often learn the hard way before coming home.
In Luke 15, starting at verse 11, we find such an example that God has given us. Yes, I�m sure you�ve all heard the Prodigal Son a thousand times. Well, today you get it a different way, the way God gave it to me for comparison of each parent�s relationship to their children. And also of God�s relationship to us. Verse 11 says, �A certain man had two sons�� Being a father of 3 I need to point out some things to you, especially to those who have more than one child. You see, Bethany, my oldest daughter, went to be with the Lord 15 years ago at a very young age. Then there�s Cassandra � a beautiful and fiery red-head, 16 years old, curious and �knows everything about life.� My youngest is Justin, 12 years old, a very meek young man who loves the Lord. One child gone in death. One wants to explore sin (this is the child that stirred this message). One child that seeks God and to please Him, with Mom and Dad. I know too well what this father in Luke 15 was going through. The one child, like in verse 12, that�s demanding and wanting to explore ALL the world has to offer. I can identify with that Father. You see, like any father, like me, I�m sure ol� dad there in that chapter had a little to say to his son, much like I have Cassie. I�m sure he was a bit reluctant to cooperate in any way with his son going any other way but God�s way. His first instinct is to protect that child even from a scratch on the knee. No doubt the father, like me, had once taken a path of rebellion, and learned from it. I�m sure that father tried to tell his child all these things. As a father you just want to wrap your arms around them and hold them, never letting them go into a world filled with danger, heartache and consequences that can follow for a lifetime. I�m convinced he warned his child of all these things. After all, has God not warned and pleaded with each of us? This man had 2 sons and the younger wanted to go off and see the lights of town! Did he love this son more than the elder? NO! A father loves all his children and directs the attention they need at that time while loving them all. There in verse 13, we see the younger of the 2 � he took all he had and went off to a far country. Now, this one was younger, for sure not as mature as the other. All he could see was the enticing things over in town. Maybe someone told him about them, how good it was, what a big time he�d have, how pretty the girls were� All the things that clouded his judgment and took control of his senses, completely blocking all his training and dad�s warnings. I can almost see that father now, heart broke, tears streaming down, walking his boy to the end of the lane, hugging him one more time. I can hear, �Son, I love you � you let daddy know if you need anything. It�s dangerous. Remember, you�ve always got a home here.� I think his dad called that out until his boy was plum out of sight. I think he then went weeping before God for his son�s safety, pleading with God, reminding God of His promises to fathers who are obedient. I can see him now, daily coming before God and glancing out down that road for his son to return. Never giving up on God. The father �HOLDING ON� to God�s promise!
Still in verse 13, the boy had left, quite relieved dad didn�t latch on to him and force him to stay. At the end of this verse, and in 14, reality starts to set in. I can tell you, when sin�s short generic pleasures wear off and you start hearing God�s Word, it�s a bad time! When you start hearing all a mother, father, or grandparent�s words ring louder and louder, it�s a hard time! There�s pleasure in sin but for a season. Seasons are SHORT! When your pockets are empty, your friends gone, your belly empty (verse 14-16), no one to love you and no place to lay your head � it�s a bad time! When all that embraces you is loneliness, that�s when shame comes in. Like in verse 17, this is when you start to come to yourself! When you hear the click of handcuffs, the squeaking of leather as pistols are holstered, and the clash of steel as a door closes you into a 6x9 grey room, steel and concrete� THAT�S when you start to come to yourself and say, �Boy, I had it good back at home � I wish I had listened to my father.� That�s when a prodigal starts to realize (verse 18) that he has done wrong against his father and all who love him. That�s when (verse 19) he will settle for anything, any rule his father has, if he could just get back home. You see, sometimes people have to hit rock bottom before they see how wrong they�ve been, and how all the truly green grass is at home. This is when a child finds themselves �hanging on� to the good they once had, and they start heading home.
Now, this is the part I really like, in verses 20-24. It is a wonderful example of how our Heavenly Father reacts when we come home, and of the rejoicing in Heaven. It is also the very example I live by concerning my children. It�s the way I found some of my family and church when I came back. I can see that ol� dad now, his daily glance down the road � by the way, that was not a glance of �wonder if he�ll come home�, but a glance of expectation because of God�s promise! He looked out down the road, and I can hear him scream, �My boy, my boy!� I can see him do a little dance down that road to meet and embrace him! That father accepted his son�s repentance, and he wasn�t found saying, �I told you so.� No, he had nothing but love and total acceptance with all compassion for his returning son. He restored that son like he had never left home, like nothing had ever happened! Fathers, mothers, take careful note of that. That�s exactly how God is by us, the perfect example, and we are to follow it. I must with Cassie, you with your children, and the church with backsliders and sinners. I urge you to study this example as children and church members rise up to leave. Remember, and be found �Holding On� to Jesus and all God�s promises!
You know, I love all my children. Cassie and Justin unique in their own way. Both gifts from God, as was Bethany. Cassie has chosen a path like we talked about in last month�s message. I�ve been there, I�ve lived it. I know all the troubles and the danger. I know that because people who love me �held on� in prayer, I missed dying out there! God�s Grace was extended to me. Now, I�ve made many mistakes with my daughter in �holding on� the wrong way. I must take her to God in prayer when rumors come to me. I have to be careful of satan�s tricks, each of us as parents must! Yes, we have been there. Yes, we may know that they can make wrong decisions. We can�t do anything about it except pray, trust God, leave the door open and the light on, extending love to them. I didn�t say condone the sin, but use wisdom in loving your children. The alleys and streets, the bus stations are full of children being preyed upon by the worst of the devil�s servants. Children that are ashamed and feel they can never come home. Suicide rates for teenagers is at its highest. They can get hold of things it seems impossible to get free of, but we must leave the door open and mouths of condemnation SHUT. I�m learning, God�s teaching, and I hope you accept what the Spirit has had to say. I have a dear Sister in the Lord in Russell Springs who hasn�t seen her son or barely heard from him since the 70�s. �Sister, in the name of Jesus I prophesy you will see that boy again.� Mark it down and keep �HOLDING ON� to Jesus! Church, pray for the prodigals, and all the hungry, sick and abused children of the world.
In Christ's Love, Bro. Don George
YOU'RE INVITED!
If you live near or will be visiting the beautiful country-side within the area surrounded by Dale Hollow Lake, Green River Lake and Lake Cumberland, we invite you to join us at our home church, House Upon A Rock Tabernacle. We are richly blessed with the Presence of God in our House!
The church is located near Columbia, Russell Springs and Jamestown, KY, in Russell County, on Hwy 55 at the junction with Hwy 1058. For more information, just contact us or visit the Church�s website.
Service times are Sundays @ 9:45am and 6:00pm; Thursdays @ 6:30pm (Central Time).
