THE OVG Monthly Juvenile Newsletter (JULY)

THE OVG Monthly Juvenile Newsletter (JULY)

 P.O. Box 4162
Battle Creek, MI 49016
 
July Juvenile 
Motivational Letter
1 of 2
 
7.16.17

Young people,

This letter is from Mr. BD, B.D. StreetPriest who comes in with Grandma Cherrie on the 1st and 2nd Sunday of each month. For those of you who were in attendance last week, we continued on this subject of “Loyalty is a Choice” from the week before and went on to discuss “Giving God Your Loyalty Because He MADE You Royalty”. Grandma Cherrie and I were there at the beginning of this month when I began “Loyalty is a Choice” and left you with a homework assignment to read Luke 15 “The Prodigal Son” as many of you did which was solely for your ultimate benefit. For those of you who did your homework last week, you are ahead of the game and for those who did not, I will bring you up to speed here and equip you with the proper understanding of how these stories apply to our lives.

In the book of Luke chapter 15, Jesus goes through several scenarios that apply to where many of us are today including me when it comes to managing the affairs and decisions of our lives. What Jesus is speaking about is this chapter is the management of our lives and the joy He and all of heaven has when one sinner decides to turn from the idea of “Doing Them” and allows the Holy Spirit through the word of God to govern and control their lives. Although God (Jesus) is our master, we are the managers He has put in place to govern the affairs of our lives; the Ecclesia, governing body of believers who have been given the right to be heirs of Christ when the appointed time comes. Either at the time God has pre-ordained or when we come to your senses (right-mind). Once you do decide to break free from the bondage of sin through the power of God, then and only then can you break free from the hand of the enemy and follow the steps (it’s a process) given in Grandma Cherrie’s handout on T.U.R.N. Trust-Understand-Repent-New Life. With that, let’s get into Luke 15 in the Message Translation (MSG).

Luke 15 (MSG)

The Story of the Lost Sheep

 15 1-3 By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story. 4-7 “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

The Story of the Lost Coin

8-10 “Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.”

The Story of the Lost Son

11-12 Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me. 12-16 “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any. 17-20 “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father. 20-21 “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’

22-24 “But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time. 25-27 “All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound. 28-30 “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ 31-32 “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”

In 1-3 the church folks was tripping, so you should not worry about people judging you because some will do that when they don’t understand your relationship with Christ because Jesus seeks to save all them that are lost! And in verses 4-7 Jesus goes straight into that fact, talking about a lost sheep where he explains how a good Shepard will go out to get one lost soul over ninety-nine saved souls. This context describes how He cares so much about you that he will leave everyone else to usher you into His presence. Verses 8-10 talks about the lost coin and if you’ve ever lost some money, I don’t care if it was a buck or two, you will break your neck looking for that cash and that’s what this is about, so I don’t need to go into that. God did more than break his neck, He gave His onkt begotten son for your soul salvation! The point I want you to see is that God is faithful to them who trust Him and loyal to all his children and even more before you become his child. His mercies are renewed day by day and when you choose him, he will make a way!

            Now for your homework, I want you to read and come up with how this applies to the story of the Lost Son. In your words, use the back of this page to compare and contrast exactly how these stories are the similar or different from one another. Explain how you came to this conclusion with scriptures to support your ideas or opinion. We look forward to seeing you soon and pray you keep the faith in the meantime and between time!! Hopefully you are out by the time Grandma Cherrie and I return but if not we will see you on Sunday August 6th at 3:30pm EST.

Blessings, 

“B.D.” the StreetPriest” 

 


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