INTRODUCTION

Prodigal - lacking restraint

All of us are prodigal at some time, or in some area of our lives.

SCRIPTURE

Luke 15:17-19
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ‘ (NKJV)

Honesty

You’ve got to be honest with yourself

Genesis 20:1-3
And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” (NKJV)

Genesis 20:4-6
But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. (NKJV)

Integrity – completeness; not holding anything back

You’ve got to be honest with others

Luke 15:19
“and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” (NKJV)

There's no reason to tell people you're honest, if you're honest.

James 5:16
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed… (NKJV)

Trespasses – offenses, sins, faults

You’ve got to be honest with God

Acts 5:1-3
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? (NKJV)

When you lie to yourself, and when you lie to others, you are lying to God!

SUPPORT / APPLICATION

Luke 22:41-42
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (NKJV)

Will = Desire

We will never truthfully pray, “God, Your will be done” until we truthfully pray, “Not my will.”