DEVOTIONAL CORNER

In England, there is a British comedy called "Keeping Up Appearances" which is a program about a lady who likes to pretend that she is someone really important. Her name is Mrs. Hyacinth Bucket. She, however, doesn't like her name because "Bucket" has a common meaning and so, to make her name sound more important, she pronounces it with a French accent as "Bouquet". She makes sure that everyone, including her postman and milkman, pronounce her name as "Bouquet" even though her name really is Bucket.

Mrs. Bucket's husband, Richard, is a very meek and gentle man who doesn't like to pretend that they are someone else. In her attempt to impress people she always ends up getting herself in trouble and by the end of each program she always finds herself being humiliated. Someone once said: "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." Sooner or later you will get found out.

The parable of the Prodigal Son is a story about someone who wasn't happy to be in his father's house. He wanted to be free to experience what the rest of world had to offer him.

This parable could also easily apply to some churches who want to be someone else. They become theatre-centered; on Sunday mornings they sing about God but during the rest of the week they live like the world. They have dethroned Jesus as the Head of the Church and replaced Him with what the world has to offer.

In the story of the Prodigal Son we see that after the prodigal had spent all his money no one cared for him. The young man decided to return home because even a servant's life was better in his father's house. The parable ends with the father gladly welcoming his son back home and ordering a feast to celebrate the son's return.

In the same way, Jesus tells the prodigal church in the book of Revelation to return back to Him. The story of the Prodigal is what comes to those who try living life outside of the Father's House. They soon discover that there is nothing which lasts.

This month I want us to consider what it means to live inside the Father's House.

Once again, let us carefully read our key scripture verse found in Matthew 25:34: "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'"

If you are inside the Father's House Jesus says you are blessed! Here are 10 reasons why you should consider yourself blessed:

• Reason number 1: You are blessed because you have access to the Father. There are many people who would just love to have access to visit the Queen of England in Buckingham Palace. Mrs. Bucket would have loved to have had access to the Queen of England! We are blessed because Jesus has provided the access to the Father's House. He did it by laying down His life on the cross to pay for our sins.
• Reason number 2: You are blessed because if you are in the Father's House it means that you have accepted the Son's invitation. The invitation wasn't sent to you by e-mail, but it was given to you directly by God Himself . . . by God the Holy Spirit. You are blessed because He has acknowledged you by inviting you into His Father's House.
• Reason number 3: You are blessed because it means that you are not considered to be a stranger. You know someone in the Father's House because you have a relationship with the Son.
• Reason number 4: You are blessed because you know the Father. The Father is no stranger to you because the Son is the express image of the Father, and the Son has revealed Him to you.
• Reason number 5: You are blessed because if you are in the Father's House you have status. You are NOT a 'nobody' but you are part of the family of God. You are not just a guest, but you are a child of God, and as a child of God you are privileged to call out to the Father, "Abba", meaning "Daddy".
• Reason number 6: You are blessed because you have become a joint heir with Jesus. Everything that belongs to the Son also belongs to you.
• Reason number 7: You are blessed because you have eternal life. In the Father's presence there is eternal life, there is no sickness, there is no disease, there is no sorrow or pain, and there is no death and dying. There is only LIFE . . . abundant life.
• Reason number 8: You are blessed, because Heaven is a place of joy. When you enter into the Father's House, all heaven rejoices. There are no tears in heaven. Every time a lost child comes home there is a great celebration in heaven.
• Reason number 9: You are blessed because you can call upon Him at any time of day or night because He doesn't ever get tired or weary, neither does He slumber nor sleep. You don't need to make an appointment. He will never leave you or forsake you.
• Reason number 10: You are blessed because you have a guarantee that will never run out. Most guarantees have a very limited time, but your guarantee will last forever. God has given you the deposit of His Holy Spirit. You belong to an everlasting kingdom, not built by human hands, but built by God Himself. In the Father's House there are no leaky roofs, no walls falling apart, no cracks in the foundation. It is solid...and it is your permanent eternal home.

Unlike Mrs. Bucket, who pretends to be someone important, God already considers you important just the way you are. When you are in the Father's House all heaven celebrates with you.

In closing, this month we have looked at some of the many blessings of living in the Father's House. Remember that in God's eyes, you are important! You don't have to be like Mrs. Bucket to impress God. To God you are already important. He loves you just the way you are. The door to the Father's House is always open to receive those who are willing to say yes to the invitation to come.

Aren't you glad to have said YES!