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The parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us that even as we have fallen from our faith and gone back into would he will be overjoyed if we sincerely repent of our sins and return him. God loves us dearly even while we were sinners. If we sincerely repent of our sins and ask for forgiveness he is merciful to forgive us. His grace is bestowed upon as our faith in the the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed us from Gods wrath.

The King shows grace in this parable because he knows that it is impossible for the servant to pay him back. The forgiven servant failed to grant the same mercy to his creditors as the king had granted him. Jesus expects his disciples to show this kind of mercy from them to others as well.

Jesus teaching pray for your enemies and those that persecute you, for God loves them too. In the Samaritan parable it is known that Jews and Samaritans have no love for one another. A Samaritan who has no racial or cultural links to the wounded and suffering individual on the side of the road has displayed mercy and grace to the individual by taking him to inn so he could be cared for regardless of the cost. The Samaritan shows underserved favor to the injured individual, knowing he would not be paid back. In my community the resented neighbors are those that live on the east side of town, mostly addicted to drugs. Our Christian community shows Gods grace to them by suppling food, hygiene products, clothing and most of all witnessing to them about Christ love and mercy.

According to the late author Bonhoeffer, the attitudes that cheapen grace are forgiveness with out repentance, baptism without discipline, communion without confession, basically grace without the cross. Costly grace means we do not have to work for this grace it is given to us free at the cost of Christ death on the cross. God has provided his only son to pay for the penalty of our transgressions.

There is some good in humankind because of the remnants of God's image in us and so some try to live a righteous life style, however we find that from the heart come evil thoughts and desires. A deceitful heart shows up in our thoughts of murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander etc. A deceitful heart corrupts us in a pervasive way that out of it comes all sorts of evil, for man's heart is evil.

Ephesians 2:1-3 teaches that humankinds fallen nature is that without Christ we spiritually dead by our transgressions and sins. By nature we are objects of Gods wrath. Our consciousness condemns us of guilt, if reading the word of God we realize we have transgressed Gods law and are objects of his wrath. The conscious motivation we may have are desires, ****, thoughts, jealousy, and envy. our unconsciousness motivation would be selfishness, deceitful or devious.

Romans 5:6-8 states man kind is helpless in his situation because we are powerless ungodly sinners. it is remarkable that Christ died for us because we were and are lost sinners. But God demonstrated his love for us by sending His only beloved Son to di for us while we were still sinners this indeed is a true Holy Love.

Being in a state of grace means we are at peace with God gained by faith through Jesus Christ our Lord. Faith plays a role in this because with out it we cannot enjoy peace with God nor can we live the life Christ has fashioned for us to follow. The opposite of being at peace with God is to be an adversary of God, without faith and grace. We refuse to believe what Christ has done for all sinners, we are powerless to receive his blessings.

The Lord tells his prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute who would represent Israel the adulterous unfaithful Israel. The story of Hosea and Gomer teaches us that Israel has gone whoring after other gods and has forgotten their true God. This illustrates God's relationship with Israel, after all has done for them and displaying his love for them, they have forgotten him and followed other foreign gods. This story of Hosea purchasing Gomer back and bringing her back into his house and love displays God's loving grace to bring Israel back to himself. This is indeed a show of Gods willingness to show his grace to them, for they have only to accept him as their only true God, who has cared for them ever since they left Egypt.

Yahweh will forgive all the sins of those who sincerely repent of their sins The sin of rebellion will find it's way into a believers life if they allow themselves to become involved in perversions of the mind and flesh or become involved in wickedness which are rebellion against God himself. God does not grant his gift of grace to those who refuse to repent and surrender to him, indeed they have rebelled against his love he has for them.

In Exodus 34:6 we learn that God has revealed his character to Moses as a God who is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Through these attributes God has revealed His grace to us, provided we willing to show our love and devotion to Him.

Grace differs from wages by the fact that we have done nothing to earn it as apposed to earning grace from doing our wages for which we paid. Earning grace through favor is not a biblical grace. A biblical explanation of grace is that it is given to us by God, we have not earned it or given to us through favor. This characterizes God by the fact that we believe Jesus has provided His life and death and resurrection from the dead. He is Gods only Son and by His love for us has provided grace for our redemption.

Elijah's primary mission was to show to the people that they had gone to worshipping false god's and strayed away from their true God and deliverer. Elijah was partly successful in his ministry, Elisha his disciple would finish up where Elijah left off. Success in ministry is usually apparent in it's fruitfulness to serving and edifying the people and the church for which the mission was intended for. To see oneself as the important one for the success of a ministry could be a disaster to oneself and all the ones involved in that ministry, it would not look too good for church itself. Success is measured not by human standards but by the Lord's participation in it.

Yes God can use me in extraordinary ways, Elijah was an ordinary man who believed God would listen to his earnest prayers. Elijah was earnest about bring God's children back to their truth Lord God. It appears God answered Elijah's prayers almost instantly, and most of all Elijah heard God speaking to him. This could be a big problem now days because we do not stop to listen for the voice of the Lord. The noise and hustle bustle of life today is the major cause of not hearing the voice of God.

As Elijah's ministry was to bring the lost people of Israel back to the Lord. So also John the Baptist dressed as Elijah had dressed, he too was committed to calling lost of Israel back to the Lord by repentance and baptism. John the Baptist was not the reincarnated person of Elijah, but he did perform the same ministry as Elijah.

It appears Elisha was Elijah's only disciple, therefore he request that he wanted twice the portion of spirit that his master had. As is the custom of being the only first born of Elijah's ministry, he wanted twice the portion. I believe he is not being greedy, as per custom, he wants his double share. It is not wrong to have a greater presence of the Holy Spirit. We need to fast and pray that if we are indeed sincere that the would grant us a greater portion of the Holy Spirit.

I believe Elijah had commanded Elisha, his disciple, not to follow him as a test to his faithfulness to himself and the Lord. Although Elisha refuses to obey Elijah's commands, he does not try to dissuade Elisha any further from following him. I have had many discouragements in life to stop following the Lord, but I have never stopped believing in the Lords faithfulness in my life as a guide and enlightenment to care. The real discourager of all is when it becomes impossible to attend church and have fellowship with fellow believers.

Yahweh is insulted because Ahaziah has more faith in Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron than the God who Israel out of Egypt by showing His wonderous power and wonders. Modern day applications of this sin are placing our faith in man or in our wealth rather God. In early days I placed wisdom in my own decisions and work, but later found out that relying on God in faith resulted in decisions that are sound, and turned out to be more advantageous to what I was trying to accomplish.

Christian leaders should not identify themselves too closely political leaders because it would appear they are identifying with their political beliefs or agenda. the only thing Christian leaders would hope to obtain from such a relationship is recognition or fame from a union. If Christian leaders associate with ungodly political leaders, it would show that the church aggress with ungodly issues and hinder Christ work in the church and fellowmen Christian leaders can benefit through politics by explaining the beliefs of different parties, candidates and those holding a currant office. Which hold to conservative views and those that corrupt government.

Jehoshaphat joins Ahab's army by going into battle along with them, even though he heard the prophetic message from Micaiah. Perhaps, Jehoshaphat joined Ahab in battle because he did not want to appear weak as a leader. After all in kings 22:2-4 King Ahab of Israel ask King Jehoshaphat of Judah to join him in a battle at Ramoth Gilead which was under Syrian control. Jehoshaphat replied "I'am as you are, my people as your people, my horse as your horse". This would also strengthen the relations between Judah and Isreal.

Micaiah knew his prophecy would not be well received by the two kings. However, he was not afraid to tell them the truth of what the Lord had said. Knowing that his life could be in danger, it appears Micaiah was bold enough to stand before the kings and Ahab's false prophets. Micaiah knew that he had to deliver the message the Lord had given him to the kings, if not, the Lord may have removed his spirit from Micaiah and he would no longer be his servant. Jesus speaks of the courage and faith of the old testament prophets because they knew they would be persecuted and put to death for their messages delivered to the people. Jesus is telling his disciples they also will be persecuted and put to death for his name sake, and so this persecution still exist today for the name of Jesús.

Jehoshaphat who is a true believer in Yahweh and has removed idol worship from Judah knows that Ahab has many false prophets that serve Baal. These false prophets tell the king Ahab lies about hearing from God. Jehoshaphat wants to hear from a real prophet of Yahweh before going into battle. Jehoshaphat knows Ahab's prophets serve Baal, but he wishes to be obedient to Yahweh.

God through his mercy has compassion on Ahab after seeing that he humbled himself before the Lord. The destruction of his heirs would not come during Ahab's life time, only after his death all family generations would come to an end and there will be no one from this family line to rein over Israel. It appears Ahab was genuinely repentant, as time passed he was back to his old ways of life and belief. God's relenting of his judgement to man or nations maybe be diverted by prayer and fasting. God shows his mercy and love to those who humble themselves and are truly repentant of their evil ways. It is man's predestination to be with the Lord, however, it is up to the individual to decide whether to chose life and follow the Lord or to chose eternal damnation from the Lord.

Modern day idolatry may not look like ancient worship of hand made idols, myths or celestial constellations, but greed, phonography, drugs, wealth, material goods, hording to name a few will keep us from worshiping the true God. If our heart takes us to greed then we have become gods over the things we desire.

The responsibility of kings, presidents and all politicians, leaders and parents is to protect all under them, but mostly to lead those under them into a righteous way of life. To lead them away from the evil ways of sin that can destroy an entire nation. Parents and church leaders should teach and ensure those under them are brought up in the word of the Lord. As can be seen today the US and some eastern countries are falling into chaos because Gods word has been purposely removed from all government, schools and some public assembly places. Hence, society has began to determinate, leading to increased crime, drugs flooding into the country, sex changes of children who are too young to make an mature decision for themselves and this is only the beginning. With God's protection or blessing upon a society removed it will lead to their own destruction.