Create a New Forum Admin Login Member Login Contribute to Voyager Search VoyForums Help Desk VoyForums Exchange VoyForums Directory/Categories VoyForums Homepage VoyForums News FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

Subject: Retirement Account Author: Hillbilly [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 20:18:25 02/06/13 Wed Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Those of us who are now retired have come to realize the importance of having a "nest egg" to help us in our retirement. Whether it be stocks and bonds, IRAs, 401ks, or just a savings account we are glad we made some preparation for retirement. Social Security may get you by but you are thankful if you have been wise enough to have a supplement to SS. This is basically what you may glean from the verses in Matthew above. Jesus is letting us know that some day we will truly "retire" and it is important to have a "retirement account" waiting for us when we get there. We are given the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 and we may use this as an illustration of the importance of "sending it on up ahead" rather than spending it all in the here and now. The story relates to us how a certain man had two sons. The younger son demanded of his father that he give to him his inheritance so that he could go his own way and live as he pleased. I'm sure the request broke the father's heart but he hearkened unto his youngest son and gave him his inheritance. We all know how the young man went into a far country and there spent all his wealty on riotous living. He was having a blast until his funds ran out and his friends deserted him. Being in dire need he hired himself to a citizen of the country he went to and wound up feeding his hogs. He was so in want that he was to the point he was ready to eat with the hogs when his mind went back to his father's house. He realized his father's servants had much more than he did and decided to go back and place himself at his father's mercy and ask if he could just be a servant in his house. The story goes on to tell us how his father was watching for him and saw him a good way off and recognized his returning son. He was welcomed back as a son and a grand party was given to him to welcome him home. His older brother had been out working in the fields and when he came from work in the eventing and saw the merry making he inquired and was told his brother had returned and his father had thrown the celebration for him. This made the older brother angry and jealous and he confronted his father with the fact hat all this time his brother had been gone he had stayed and been faithful to his father without every having a party. Now here is what I want us to see from all this. Notice what his dad told him at being confronted with his seeming partiality to the younger son. "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. "(vs 31) Do you see that? All the inheritance was to the older brother who had remained faithful and stedfast to his father. The older was laying up treasure that would be waiting on him at that day. By being obedient and loyal to his father. The younger had used up his treasure without making provision for his future. He was still loved by the father but all that the father had went to the faitful one. This is the way we lay up treasure in heaven. We do it by being obedient in what ever the Father would have us to do. Matthew 25:34-40 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Folks, time is fleeting. Death is certain for all of us and as I write this I know I am in the "short rows". I hope to have sent a little on ahead for my "retirement" when I go to the Father's House. " 'Tis only one life and it will soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will forever last." [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Subject: Another good lesson, Hillbilly Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 17:25:15 02/12/13 Tue As we've discussed in the past, this story always made me angry because I identified with the faithful son, but this explanation finally made sense. The father was happy to have his son back, but that didn't mean that he gave him half of his estate. It just meant that it's never too late to make amends and what little we receive for doing so is gratefully appreciated by the one who finally sees the error of his ways. And the father loved both sons equally, despite the bad choices made by the one. It still bothers me though, because of the one part where he tells the resentful brother that he is blessed to have him, but to have one who was lost, but now found was even more a blessing.

[> [> Subject: Dori, Let's think of it this way then. Author: Hillbilly [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 20:30:11 02/12/13 Tue You have one child who has been with you constantly and you have one who has left the nest and gone their own way. You see one every day and you miss the other and wish you could see that one also. Maybe months or years pass and finally, without prior notice, the one who has been away shows up. Your joy knows no bounds and you shower the returning child with love and kisses and fix one of your best and most lavish dinners for the celebration. It doesn't mean you don't love the one who has been with you less than the one who has been away. You probably have done things for the one at home all along without even thinking about it much. You just wanted to do and give to your child and be as much help as possible. You would have done the same for the other if they had been there and you could have. Whether or not the one away has been good or naughty is not going to matter much to you at the moment. It is just joy to see that one again and you want to celebrate. Any jealousy from the one who had been with you all the time would not stop your celebrating. This principle applies in this passage which I'm sure you are familiar with. Matthew 18:12-13 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

[> [> [> Subject: The ninety and nine Author: Connie [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 17:33:07 02/14/13 Thu U Tube

[> [> Subject: Smile... thank you for further enlightening me Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 12:35:43 02/13/13 Wed 8-) And thanks for putting up with me. 8-)))