The familiar story of the prodigal son has been taught again and again, and I think it’s a pearl among all the parables. There is so much in it that you can never learn it all. One of the most important things it teaches you is that the depth and the greatness of God’s forgiveness and mercy are like the greatness of the sea. And he [Jesus] said, A certain man had two sons: 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. 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. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 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! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 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. 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. 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: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry (Luke 15:11-24).

This aspect of the parable is familiar to many, but let’s go deeper and examine a seldom taught part of this parable that contains many valuable lessons: the man who refused to go in.

Why Wouldn’t He Go In?

The prodigal’s elder brother didn’t like what was going on. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him (Luke 15:28).

The prodigal got all the attention, and his brother was jealous; so he wouldn’t go in. He’d been at home working while his brother was away. He’s the one who had labored in the field and showed so much love to his father. On this particular day, the elder brother had just come from working in the field; and he heard the music. The whole house was lit up and filled with people singing, dancing and rejoicing. What’s going on? he wondered. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he [the servant] said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound (Luke 15:26,27).

Be Careful Whom You Question

He wasn’t happy that his brother had returned home, and all the rejoicing made him angry. To make it worse, he questioned the wrong person; and he resented the answer. Be careful of whom you ask questions because the answers can put you on the wrong path. His father came out and pleaded with him to go in, but he refused. “I’ve served you all these years,” he told his father. “I’ve worked and kept every commandment. I have never disobeyed you in one thing, but you never killed a fatted calf for me; you never had a day of rejoicing for me and my friends.” The father said, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 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 (Luke 15:31,32).

“Why, Son, all the animals and everything I have belong to you. I didn’t have to offer you an animal to serve your friends because you could have had an animal any time you wanted it. Don’t be angry or upset, come on in.” But the elder son still refused to go in; he refused to yield to his father’s will.

When you fail and refuse to go in and do the will of the heavenly Father, you’re in great trouble.

Understand the Way of God

The elder brother didn’t understand what his father was doing just as many today don’t understand the ways of God, and they get off on the wrong track. “I don’t know why God has done this to me,” they complain. “What have I ever done to Him that would cause Him to treat me like this?” Always remember that God is perfect in all His ways, and He never makes a mistake. It’s a good thing that the Lord forgives and forgets because where would most of us be if He didn’t? The Lord is so merciful to forgive, but you must have godly sorrow.

The elder son didn’t wait to hear any explanation about his prodigal brother. He was angry and didn’t give his father a chance to tell him that his brother came home but no longer thought he was worthy to be a son, that he had wasted everything and he said, I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants (Luke 15:18,19). But his father still embraced him and treated him with love and grace.

God Gave His Whole Heart

People can’t understand God when they’re on the outside looking in but refusing to go in. Only when you go into God can He give you understanding of His ways. Through His great love, He will give you that understanding. You must realize that God is God, the Almighty One who sent His Son to die for you. Don’t you think that was a lot of wisdom and love on His part?

If God didn’t prove His love through Calvary, then He will never be able to prove it. He loved the world so much that He gave His whole heart, Jesus, for the world’s salvation. How wonderful it is to know His love!

On the Outside, Looking In

There are people who will stay out of church because someone they don’t like attends, someone they think shouldn’t be there. This doesn’t please God at all. They’re on the outside looking in when they should be on the inside looking out. When you’re in the church looking out, you will see things through God’s eyes of love, grace, peace, kindness and divine forgiveness. You inherit that forgiveness when you come to the Lord Jesus. That’s why the Bible tells us that, if we don’t forgive others, the Lord won’t forgive us. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses (Mark 11:25,26). You must be willing to forgive others so the Lord will forgive you!

Jealousy Is as Cruel as the Grave

The elder brother resented the prodigal; he had a heart full of jealousy. When you have jealousy on the inside of you, love cannot stay. Never forget that statement. We need love; and without it, we are nothing. The elder brother missed out on so much. Jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame (Song of Solomon 8:6).

Anger is overwhelming, but no one can stand before jealousy! Jealousy has destroyed millions of lives and many marriages; churches have been torn apart through jealousy. It’s sad when people carry jealousy around! If you have a jealous heart, you’re in bad standing with God and His holy Word, and you can’t get to Heaven with it. If the elder brother’s heart had been full of love, he too would have shown forgiveness and tried to determine if his brother had come home with a repentant heart. He would have found out if he was really sorry for his sins.

When people are sorry for their sins, the Lord will forgive; but when they’re arrogant, having the love of the flesh and refusing to relinquish it, then they don’t fit in God’s Kingdom. People can have godly sorrow and make progress with the Lord, but they have to have a divine forgiving spirit, too. We can’t forgive everything with human forgiveness; it takes divine forgiveness.

Vengeance Is the Lord’s

You can’t forgive people of their sins or for the damage they have done to God’s work, but you can forgive what they have done to you personally. It’s up to us whether or not we choose to forgive. The Lord speaks of forgiving our enemies. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord (Romans 12:19). God will take care of your enemies if you turn them over to Him. How do you turn them over?—By forgiving. I repeat, you can’t forgive them of their sins; you can only forgive them for what they have done to you. God has to do the rest. He takes over and deals with them. Just say, “Lord, here they are,” and turn your enemies over to Him.

Forgive with Godly Sorrow

Consider what the elder brother missed by not going in. Think about what people miss by staying out of a godly, Gospel-loving church. They may have been hurt or felt slighted, or perhaps a sermon offended them. If they stay out of church over it, they’re in bad shape and on their way down; and if they don’t reverse, they will eventually backslide on God completely. It’s terrible to sell your soul over something so petty.

Many people want their own way; but when I came to Jesus, I gave up all of my ways and took His. He brought the new and living way, and I had been taught right. I had been taught the way of salvation and that you must leave all your sins behind in order to be born new. You must forgive, and then the Lord will forgive you. I was taught that you have to have godly sorrow before you can receive forgiveness from the Lord. If you’re as sorry for your sins as the Lord is that you committed them, then you will get somewhere with God.

Don’t Miss Out

Again I say that the elder brother missed out on so much. By not going in, he missed the cleansing—the customary washing at that time before going into a banquet. We’re also promised cleansing through the precious blood of Jesus, but people who stay out of church and refuse to go in will miss this cleansing. They will not be ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

He couldn’t sleep and had no peace because he was angry and upset. Hatred raced through his mind, and he couldn’t receive any help from God. He couldn’t hear the message from Heaven that Jesus left behind: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

He missed all the good food. Only through Christ can we be fed what we need, the food from Heaven. Jesus said, I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:51). The elder brother missed all of that.

God Is Worthy of Your Praise

Many people are just like the elder brother; they’re missing all their spiritual blessings because they won’t meet with God’s people. The Bible tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). You’re supposed to live by faith and not by your feelings. You’re supposed to praise the Lord when you feel like it and when you don’t feel like it. If you’re a faith person, you’ll praise the Lord continually because He is worthy.

The Praise Cure

Our earthly bodies don’t always feel well, but that shouldn’t stop us from praising the Lord. The praise cure is the greatest cure for what ails us; therefore, our prayers should consist mostly of praise. I praise the Lord much. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). Make melody in your heart to the Lord with spiritual songs; the Lord spelled it all out for you. What do you use to praise the Lord? The Lord inhabits your praises.

Are you being left out? Do you get hurt easily? Do you take offense at the Gospel? Do you want the Word to merely tickle your ears? Do you only want to hear it preached your way whether it’s the truth or not?

That spirit of arrogance and rebellion can really overtake you. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry (I Samuel 15:23). The elder brother missed having a good time with family members and friends, and he missed enjoying the celebration that his father had prepared.

Some people grieve because they think they aren’t counted in, but the Lord counts anyone in who is His faithful child. You’re in the family of God if the cleansing blood has brought you in. The blood makes us sons and daughters of God, and you will have your place in the Lord.

Drawn by Love

I was reared in a big family; if we were hurt by something, we didn’t stand outside and refuse to go in. When Mama called, “Dinner time!” we raced in. She wasn’t going to sympathize with us; she was going to feed us. Mama was a good cook, and I never wanted to miss one of her meals; I was never that hurt.

If I had ever missed a piece of her good chocolate pie, I’d still be thinking about it today. She was so generous that she would make enough pies so that everyone could have a quarter of a pie if they wanted it. That’s the way I was raised; I was drawn by Mama’s love.

When you’re right with the Lord, you’re drawn to His table by love. You forget about being hurt. It doesn’t matter what people have said about you; if it was wrong, the Lord will bring vengeance. But if you don’t turn people over to Him, He can’t deal with them. You have to turn your persecutors over to the Lord, or you’ll miss out on the table full of blessings offered by the Father just as the elder brother did.

God Is Spreading a Banquet

The Bible tells us to come and wash in the crystal fountain. And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1). Wash in the blood fountain, and you’ll be as clear as crystal when you come out. Sit down at the Father’s table and enjoy a full meal straight from the heavenly ovens of God.

Enjoy the music of Heaven’s orchestra and the singing of the angels. Enjoy the great banquet. The Lord is spreading us a banquet, and He’s inviting us to come and dine! Don’t refuse His invitation, and don’t let hurt feelings keep you from the table. Be happy and enjoy the blessings of God.

Are You a Backslider?

Perhaps you are a backslider, lost and walking in the night. If you don’t have fellowship with God, and you’re committing any willful sin, you’re no longer a son or daughter of God; the Bible tells us so. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:26). If you commit a willful sin, you no longer have God.

Some people say that you can’t backslide, but Peter backslid. He denied Jesus, cursed and said he didn’t even know Him. And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept (Mark 14:66-72). Later, Peter had to get back to the Lord.

The Bible says Judas backslid. Judas by transgression fell (Acts 1:25). Judas fell from grace; but to fall from grace you have to first be in it.

Demas backslid, and he had the greatest teacher that has ever been next to Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul. He traveled, preached and won souls with Paul. It’s so pathetic what Paul wrote in his last letter to Timothy, his son in the Lord, For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world (II Timothy 4:10). If you love the devil or his works, you can’t go to God’s Heaven; you’re a backslider.

Sin Began in Eden

Go back to where it all started with Adam and Eve, back to Eden where sin first entered their hearts. There we find out how they gave over to the devil and deliberately went against what God had said. Adam and Eve committed willful sin against God.

Many people are willfully sinning today and still think they’re going to Heaven; but they’re going straight to hell. Just because you say you’re going to Heaven doesn’t mean you’re really going to get there. Many people who have died were surprised to find themselves in hell.

There Is a Burning Hell

Many people and even preachers today don’t believe in a burning hell of fire and brimstone. I heard one of the most well-known preachers of our day say that there is no fire in hell. He said it is just a state of mind of being shut away from God. Well, that’s certainly not a penalty for a sinner! When you’re a sinner, you don’t want to be around God anyway.

Jesus said there is fire in hell. He said the rich man died, And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame (Luke 16:23,24). Jesus also said, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:5). He told them that they would be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm [the soul] dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:45, 46). Doesn’t that sound like there’s fire in hell?

The book of Revelation tells us there’s a lake of fire. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). If you don’t believe in a burning hell, you’ll soon discover that you’re wrong. There are no unbelievers after death. You’re either going to Heaven or to hell. And if you don’t believe in hell, you’re definitely not going to Heaven.

Prodigal, Come Home

We want all the prodigals and backsliders, both sons and daughters, to come home. I once read a story about a woman whose only daughter ran away from home. A restless spirit took her over; and one night she disappeared, leaving no word about where she was going. For years the mother worried about her daughter until the one day when she decided to go to a rescue mission in the city and see if someone could help her. As she told her sad story to one of the Christian workers, her tortured eyes seemed to pierce right through him, longing for help in finding her daughter. Many wrinkles lined her face and her hair was gray as a result of the constant worry. Where is my daughter? Is she dead? Will I ever see her in Heaven?

The worker was deeply touched by this tormented mother; so he told her to have her picture taken, have it enlarged, and bring one hundred copies back to him. The mother followed his instructions and returned with the pictures. He then had her write Come Home! in large letters on each one. The worker took the pictures and posted them in some of the roughest areas of the city, places where he thought someone who had gone astray might hang out. God had a hand in this because He soon led the daughter and some of her so-called friends into a certain dance bar. The daughter caught a glimpse of the picture and thought something about the woman looked vaguely familiar. When she took a closer look, she was astonished to realize that it was her own mother. The large caption, COME HOME, moved her to rush out of the bar and do just that; and she soon found herself in her parents’ loving arms. That night, she sat at the dinner table with full forgiveness. It had been a long time since she had been home, but she had been so compelled by the words on the picture that she knew she had to get home.

Hear the Lord’s Cry

Hear this message and see the One who died for you. It took her mother’s anguished picture to bring the daughter home. She was moved by all the wrinkles, the gray hair and that worried expression on her face. She had been raised in a happy home that honored God. But she had let those demonic spirits of discontentment and rebellion take over and make her think that no one really cared about her and that she needed to make her own life. What a degraded life she had made! But at last she had come back home.

So many people are like that daughter; they have gone away from the Lord. But everyone needs to stop and take a look at Jesus, the One who died on the Cross for all! Think about His death. The sight of Jesus on the Cross was so horrible that the Father had to use darkness to overshadow it and blot it out. He couldn’t take it when at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying…My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me (Mark 15:34)? It was so terrible that God had to turn His back on His Only Begotten Son or He would have come down in judgment. It took His whole heart, all the love He had to let His beloved Son make such an excruciating sacrifice.

Words That Change Lives

If that kind of love doesn’t get inside of you, there is no hope for you. Hell will be your eternal destiny, and it’s an awful place. The Bible tells us, The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God (Psalm 9:17). The Father was entreating the elder brother to come in, cautioning him: Don’t lose your soul over your brother’s homecoming. Don’t lose your soul with bitterness or resentment. Get rid of that spirit of jealousy! If anything is hindering you today from coming into the church of Jesus Christ, it isn’t worth the cost. Some people say they have to give up too much to be born again. But when you compare what you get in return, a heavenly home for all eternity, you are not really giving up anything.

Oh, Sinner, hear the Master saying, Come home! Those words will change your life just as they did that daughter’s life. She was grateful to be home, and she never returned to the world of sin. She no longer wanted to be out in the cold; there was only evil out there, and her life had been in constant danger. The prodigal daughter had come home.

The Lord wants all of His children to come home, too. He went to Calvary and that’s what Calvary says. When Jesus was hanging on the Cross, He was crying for you to come home. The Holy Spirit and the Bride are saying, “Come home! Come to Jesus!” The angels and God the Father are saying, “Come!”

God Will Forgive

I pray that thousands of prodigals will come home because the Lord is reaching out for them. They’ve left home, degraded themselves in sin, and they think there’s nothing to go back to. Some may be planning to commit suicide, but I’ve reached many prodigal daughters and sons who were getting ready to take their lives. I rushed in with the message and told them, “You are loved! Jesus loves you!” We must carry the divine love and tell them that Jesus still loves them no matter what they’ve done. The Lord will forgive them if they come home, but they have to leave the world and come to Jesus! They have to find their way back to Calvary.

God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). If your faith is all gone, the Lord will give you another measure. He sent me with this message to let you know that He still loves you. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion (Jeremiah 3:14).

The Devil Is a Liar

But the devil says, “You’re not loved; you’ve surely blasphemed against the Holy Ghost, and you can’t get back to God.” Jesus said the devil is a liar and the father of lies. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44).

Don’t believe the devil; listen to the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith (Revelation 2:7). You who once knew the Lord know what it means to listen to God-talk. You can open your Bible and find plenty of the love of God in those pages.

What Will It Take?

Some people have to go to the bottom of the barrel before they realize they have to get back to the Lord. Sometimes it takes an accident, a terminal illness or going right to death’s door. At times they just barely make it into the Father’s house before they take their last breath; that’s happened again and again. Some people don’t get back to the Lord until the very last minute.

But, Backslider, don’t wait. Some preachers teach once in grace always in grace, but don’t believe it. I agree that you should get in grace and stay in it, but I also know that you can backslide. Some say that once you’re saved you can’t go to hell, but that’s a lie of the devil. Backslider, you can’t go to Heaven with any sin in your life!

Years ago, a great evangelist told how he was walking down the street in a city where he was conducting a big crusade when a man staggered out of a saloon. He called the evangelist by name and said, “I’m one of your converts.” The evangelist replied, “Thank God you said you were one of mine because you’re not one of God’s.” That was a good answer, and I never forgot it.

Be the Lord’s Convert

I don’t want you to be my convert today; I want you to be the Lord’s convert! The Father is calling for you to come home! Come to your senses and remember the blessings of God you have received in the past. Remember how you felt when the Lord set you free of all bondages. You shouted the praises of God, and it was wonderful to honor and praise Him. Thank God Almighty for salvation!

Some people think that salvation is the most boring thing in the world, but that’s only because they don’t have it. I’ve never heard anyone with real, old-time religion say that it was boring, and there’s nothing boring about being a Christian in today’s world. We will always be challenged in the arena, but we can be happy there and sing the songs of joy. The lions are everywhere. There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets (Proverbs 26:13). The Bible tells us that the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). But he can’t devour those who are covered with the blood.

Use the Word

We have the divine blood that was spilled on the Cross. Jesus went all the way to Calvary so we could have the greatest weapon of Heaven to use against the devil, the blood-Word! And He taught the disciples exactly how to use it. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:1-4). Jesus used the blood-Word on the devil when He met him head-on; He showed us how to get rid of him and put him to flight. Thank God for Jesus!

I enjoy studying the steps of Jesus and how He loved people because it teaches me how to love. I enjoy studying how He hated sin because it teaches me how to hate sin with every particle of me. You’ll find all the help you need in the Word of God; it’s spiritual food. Eat the Word; study it and stay with it. Don’t believe it because Ernest Angley said it; believe it because God said it. Paul said, Let God be true, but every man a liar (Romans 3:4). I use that scripture again and again.

Live in Divinity

Real children of God have joy, peace and love from Heaven. They have power from On High, and they know how to draw on it. They live on that which is divine: divine faith, divine peace, divine grace, divine joy, divine patience and divine forgiveness.

Jesus came and showed us how to live with and use divinity. You can’t just know about the divine things of God, you have to use them. If you don’t have divine love, you don’t have lasting love; you only have human love which is fragile and won’t last. You will be sadly disappointed one day if you are depending on human love. But when you depend on divine love, it is everlasting and eternal; and you won’t have to worry about tomorrow. The faith of God is divine, and it is eternal just like God Himself. Divine love and faith will never die, so you have no right to grumble or complain.

Leave the World Behind

When you get old-time religion, you won’t think about the things of the world. Before God saved me, I just wanted to sow my wild oats; and I was determined not to surrender to Him until I was very old. I wanted plenty of time to enjoy myself in the world. I used to think, Lord, build me a mansion when I’m in my nineties, and I’ll be sure to come to you. I figured I wouldn’t live much longer than that. Isn’t that ridiculous reasoning? That’s human reasoning, but that’s not God’s reasoning. God said, Come now, and let us reason together (Isaiah 1:18). The Lord was after me, trying to reason with me; and He finally convinced me to go the right way. I immediately dropped all my worldly ambitions and stopped sowing wild oats. I found something better to sow, the Word, and I reap great benefits from sowing the Word.

Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 13:3-9).

Do you know how to sow the Word? You first have to find the right soil—people who are ready and those that the Spirit is dealing with. The Lord will lead you to the right people if you live close to Him. The Lord is drawing them out of sin and unto Himself, and it’s time for us to realize this.

You Must Have the Holy Ghost

Jesus said, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost (John 20:21,22). But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). You need the Holy Spirit if you want to be a real soul winner. The Early Church had to have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, spiritual fire from On High, to win the lost at any cost; and we must have Him today, too. No one can be much of a soul winner without the Holy Ghost.

The Bible teaches that we’re supposed to be led by the Spirit, fed by the Spirit, directed by the Spirit, taught by the Spirit and win souls through the Spirit. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).

Get Serious with God

Do you really want victory?—Then you have to decide you really want God. Some people just play church; they’re in and out. They come and act really religious and pious for a little while and then they leave again. They pray a little prayer, but they don’t really get back to God and into the Father’s house. They just pray enough to ease their conscience but not enough to get their soul cleansed with the blood of the Lamb. If they were to die, they’d still go to hell; and they might as well know it. I’m here to tell you the truth!

It’s sad for anybody to go to hell, but it’s even worse for somebody who has tasted of the good things of God and had their ticket to heaven. To throw it all away for a handful of ashes is tragic! Again and again I look at Adam and Eve in the Garden; they had everything and were intended to live forever. They were never to have had an ache or a pain or to have shed one tear; their eyes were designed to never cry. Their bodies were made out of clay, but they were supposed to live forever and never get old or wrinkled; they would never have aged all of these thousands of years.

We’re going to live for eternity somewhere, and you must believe that. So thank God that Jesus came and made it possible for us to have a new body, a new life and a new soul within. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:21).

You Can Be a Child of God

The second Adam, Jesus, came and made it possible for us to become sons and daughters of God. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty (II Corinthians 6:17,18).

We were not born in the image of God, and don’t let anyone tell you so. The Lord said we were conceived in sins and iniquities. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me (Psalm 51:5). But Jesus came to bring us into the image of God.

When people look at you, do they see the image of God? If not, you don’t have Him. If you don’t act like Jesus, talk like Jesus, believe like Jesus and live according to His Word, you don’t have Him; you’re just fooling yourself if you think you do.

Backslider, you have to admit that you’re on the wrong road. Jesus said, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13,14). That gate is down here, and you have to go through that gate to get on the narrow road.

Jesus brought His Kingdom down to us; and we who are His subjects know His love and recognize His Kingdom, and we can separate it from the other kingdoms of the world. Thank God we can represent this holy Kingdom! We can have the love language and speak it all the time!

You Must Forgive

If you have God’s eternal, divine love, you’re going to share it. If you have divine forgiveness, you’re going to forgive people whether they ask you to or not. You won’t mope around saying, “Do you know what somebody did to me?” That’s not the forgiving spirit that Jesus had. He forgave people even when they didn’t ask Him to. When you forgive with divine forgiveness, you won’t continue to talk about what happened to you. Bury it beneath the blood and leave it there; only then will you be free. If you don’t do that, you’ll carry grudges, resentment and jealousy; and these things are unlike the Lord. Is that what you want for yourself? But, Backslider, that’s exactly what you’re full of.

A Final Chance

One day I received a call from someone whose young relative was dying without God. Oh, he’d been taught the Word of God, but he’d gone away from the Lord. I called to talk with this young man, but he was as hard as nails as he told me, “I’m not ready for that!”

“You had better get ready for it. The doctors say you’re dying, and that means you’ll soon be in hell. Is that where you want to go?”

There was a businessman with me when I was talking to this person, and he was amazed. He knew me, but he had never heard me talk like that. I had really lowered the boom on this young man. I continued, “You’re on your way to that eternal damnation called hell, and you’ll never get out. You can be arrogant and think you’re smart in standing up against God. You can say you’re not ready and just drop into hell, or you can get right with God and go to Heaven!”

It took me about an hour, but I finally got through. I was determined to break that rock of a heart. He got gloriously saved; and a few days later, I got word that he had died. That backslider almost died without God and would have gone to hell, but now he’s in Heaven.

Come Home

It’s time, Sinner and Backslider, for you to come home. Return to the Father who loves you just as the prodigal son and the wayward daughter did. The devil will tell you that you won’t be accepted, but you will be. Prove Him and see! Jesus cares for people all over the world. Nobody has ever loved you like Jesus loves you, and nobody has ever cared like He cares! Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings (Jeremiah 3:22).

Humble yourself before the Lord, and that kind of humility will move God to tears on the throne. It moves His loving hand to serve divine blood for the backslider, to deliver him or her. Then, eternal life, joy, peace and happiness will be yours. The glorious love of God will be yours as the eternal ages roll on, and you will experience eternal life with Christ.

Thank God we can live and be on our way to that city whose builder and maker is God. Thank God we can have the joy of salvation; we can have plain paths, and we can know the way we take because we have Christ’s footprints in the sands of time that cannot be erased. We must follow hard after Him.

You Must Be Ready

Will you be prepared? Heed the words of Amos the great prophet: Prepare to meet thy God (Amos 4:12). Hear the Lord saying, Oh, disobedient and rebellious one, come home! For all eternity you’ll be glad you answered the call.

I beg you to hear those two words coming from Calvary’s brow on Golgotha’s hill: Come home! All the love of Heaven is in that invitation, and Calvary makes it possible for you to come to Jesus and be washed clean.

Pray this prayer, Oh, God, save my soul! I’m so lost. I’m so sorry I went away from home! I must get home before dark or I’ll never find my way! I am sorry, Lord, with godly sorrow that I mistreated you, that I sinned against you and trampled the blood of Jesus underfoot as if it were something unholy! Forgive me, Lord! Please forgive me! I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus! Come into my heart! I’m not going to be the one who didn’t go in. I’m going to be the one who went into your love, your rest, your peace and your salvation; and I’ll be the one in your Heaven one day. Now, you will be able to walk down the streets of Glory, kneel before the throne of God and look upon His face. You will live for all eternity.

Jesus Is the Healer

You who are sick and afflicted, Jesus loves you today. Lord, I come with your holy power that cures all death diseases. Jesus, you came and conquered death, hell and the grave. You have all power. I curse the AIDS, HIV, diabetes, heart trouble, lung trouble, leprosy, cancer, strokes and all deformities. Heal and deliver in the all-powerful blood name of Jesus! Heal! Heal!

Now, go in all faith. Don’t stand outside in your feelings; don’t cater to what the enemy tells you or what someone who has failed God tells you. The Father is calling you to come on in. He’s trying to explain His great healing power for soul, mind and body through His Son, Jesus.

I love you, and He loves you even more. I believe that many souls will be saved through this message. I believe that wayward girls who have run away will return home, and boys who have disappeared and degraded themselves in sin will return and give their hearts to God. Then, they will come back to a good church filled with God’s people of love and grace. The God of miracles lives.

Come home! Oh, please come home. Jesus is waiting.