Preface:
I have been in church my whole life. I have missed maybe 10 sundays of church in those 23 years. But I have never heard or read this parable before. I don't know why. Somehow I've always missed it.
S:- Matthew 21:28-32 - "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
"'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.
"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "Truly i tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."
O:- God, who knows everything, past, present and future, is more interested in the end result (obedience or disobedience) than the initial response. God knows what your answer will be before you give it. He also knows what your action will be before you take it. Far better to be the son who said no, but changed his mind, than the son who says yes, but changes his mind, or worse, never intended to obey in the first place.
A:- Let my yes be yes, and my no be no. Becoming a man of integrity is all about backing up my words with my actions. And letting my answer be yes and my actions backing that up is the ultimate response. Next in line is my answer being no, but my actions being yes. God and I can work on my integrity in the future. All God desires from me right now, is obedience.
P:- Lord, Help me to be the man of integrity you've called me to be. But more than that help me to be the obedient son. Better to be just a liar, than a disobedient liar. Give me courage and ability to do what you ask of me.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
My heart the wheat field
Once again, I am posting my journal entry for the day. Before I do, I would like to say that I am simply offering a parralel interpretation of this parrable. nothing more.
S:- Matthew 13:24-30 - 24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’
28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.
“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”
O:- I need to be careful, I'm not suggesting that Jesus was wrong in his interpretation of his own parrable. far from it. I am offering a parralell interpretation. The farmer is God. The field is my heart. The seed is the gifts, talents, abilities, words, dreams, everything He has given me. The weeds are the aspects of my nature, the sin in my life, the wrong thinking, attitudes, essentially everything not of God. I'm not being fatalistic and suggesting that there is no hope for me, and my life will be infested with weeds until eternity comes. Note in verse 30 the farmer says "let both grow together UNTIL THE HARVEST" when it's harvest time, it doesn't matter what gets pulled up with the weeds, because the wheat is ripe and ready for harvesting.
A:- If God were to suddenly remove all my vices and faults and flaws, I would be rendered completely useless to Him and everyone else, because all the good things in my life would be lessened or removed completely along with the bad. This is why it can take such a long time to deal with certain things in life, because our character and the person God wants us to be is still growing right next to and even through our faults and failings. Once our character becomes mature, and once our fruit is ripe, then we will be equipped to and will in fact automatically deal with our faults.
P:- Dear God, may I grow quickly. Help me to learn what I need to learn, grow where I need to grow and become who I need to become. Teach me how to be who you need me to be.
S:- Matthew 13:24-30 - 24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’
28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.
“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”
O:- I need to be careful, I'm not suggesting that Jesus was wrong in his interpretation of his own parrable. far from it. I am offering a parralell interpretation. The farmer is God. The field is my heart. The seed is the gifts, talents, abilities, words, dreams, everything He has given me. The weeds are the aspects of my nature, the sin in my life, the wrong thinking, attitudes, essentially everything not of God. I'm not being fatalistic and suggesting that there is no hope for me, and my life will be infested with weeds until eternity comes. Note in verse 30 the farmer says "let both grow together UNTIL THE HARVEST" when it's harvest time, it doesn't matter what gets pulled up with the weeds, because the wheat is ripe and ready for harvesting.
A:- If God were to suddenly remove all my vices and faults and flaws, I would be rendered completely useless to Him and everyone else, because all the good things in my life would be lessened or removed completely along with the bad. This is why it can take such a long time to deal with certain things in life, because our character and the person God wants us to be is still growing right next to and even through our faults and failings. Once our character becomes mature, and once our fruit is ripe, then we will be equipped to and will in fact automatically deal with our faults.
P:- Dear God, may I grow quickly. Help me to learn what I need to learn, grow where I need to grow and become who I need to become. Teach me how to be who you need me to be.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
sometimes it's hard to see the men through the pigs
As most of you would know, we are journalling together as a church. I will confess that even though this has been happening since the first of January, tonight was actually the first time that I journaled. I know, I know, slack right? :) But i'm so proud, I thought I'd share my entry with everyone. So, see below:
S:- Matthew 8:32-34: 32 “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
33 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.
O:- After being told of the Miracle the townspeople were angry with Jesus. they wanted nothing to do with him. all they could think of was the pigs Jesus indirectly caused to run off the cliff. Because of this they asked him to leave.
A:- I wonder how often I miss the miracle that has happened or is about to happen, simply because i can't see past the cost that is required. How frequently am I blinded by the pigs, and completely miss the men who's lives has just been changed forever?
P:- Dear God, help me to always see your works in every situation. make them plain to me. Don't let me be distracted by the cost, or the inconvenience. Let me instead see your hand in all things.
S:- Matthew 8:32-34: 32 “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
33 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.
O:- After being told of the Miracle the townspeople were angry with Jesus. they wanted nothing to do with him. all they could think of was the pigs Jesus indirectly caused to run off the cliff. Because of this they asked him to leave.
A:- I wonder how often I miss the miracle that has happened or is about to happen, simply because i can't see past the cost that is required. How frequently am I blinded by the pigs, and completely miss the men who's lives has just been changed forever?
P:- Dear God, help me to always see your works in every situation. make them plain to me. Don't let me be distracted by the cost, or the inconvenience. Let me instead see your hand in all things.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Contrasting Leaders
I had an interesting experience the other day at work, which I shared with a couple of friends, one of whom suggested I blog about it. So I am :)
As it is approaching the end of the year, my office, like many offices I'm sure, had a Secret Santa day. So we all chose the name of a colleague, and set about buying them a present, as is fairly normal. Now, it came to the day before the scheduled Christmas morning tea where the Secret Santa gifts would be handed out. And the team leader sends out an email saying that it would be really cool if we all as a team put some money in and got our manager a gift from the team.
Allow me to digress by saying that I strongly believe in honouring our leaders higher than what is considered normal. Especially if said leader does a great job, and still maintains a good relationship with those under them, as my manager has done.
So, when this suggestion was put forward, I immediately responded with an offer of financial support, as well as a couple of ideas as to what to get. While I like to think of myself as a generous kind of guy, I was surprised by the response I received. The team leader approached me quietly and said that I was being more than generous with my offer, and therefore could I please give less. After recovering from my initial shock, after all this is the first time I've ever been told "sorry I can't take your money, there's too much of it". I acquiesced and gave half the amount originally offered.
This brought to mind a very real contrast between the church and society in general. I didn't offer that much money, it was under $30.00, and to me it was no big deal. But apparently to most people, it is a very big deal: one of the ladies in the office asked how much we were supposed to give, (this was before I was approached by the team leader), I said that I didn't know but that I was planning on giving 'x'. She nearly fainted and then said "wow you're generous, I was thinking more like $5".
It is interesting the way we treat leaders, both in the church, and in society in general. And perhaps this is mirrored by the differing behaviour of leaders in the church and society (although it is very likely a chicken/egg scenario). In the church, we honour, esteem, value and therefore bless our leaders at any opportunity (or at least I do, as does my church). While in society at large, to our leaders, honour is given grudgingly, esteem sparingly and value is diminished, which means, as demonstrated by my recent experience, that when the opportunity to bless one of our leaders, we do so with some reservation.
I could use this to springboard into a massive sermon about how the Kingdom is completely backward to the way the world works, and how Jesus came and turned everything upside down. But I'm not going to, another time perhaps :)
As it is approaching the end of the year, my office, like many offices I'm sure, had a Secret Santa day. So we all chose the name of a colleague, and set about buying them a present, as is fairly normal. Now, it came to the day before the scheduled Christmas morning tea where the Secret Santa gifts would be handed out. And the team leader sends out an email saying that it would be really cool if we all as a team put some money in and got our manager a gift from the team.
Allow me to digress by saying that I strongly believe in honouring our leaders higher than what is considered normal. Especially if said leader does a great job, and still maintains a good relationship with those under them, as my manager has done.
So, when this suggestion was put forward, I immediately responded with an offer of financial support, as well as a couple of ideas as to what to get. While I like to think of myself as a generous kind of guy, I was surprised by the response I received. The team leader approached me quietly and said that I was being more than generous with my offer, and therefore could I please give less. After recovering from my initial shock, after all this is the first time I've ever been told "sorry I can't take your money, there's too much of it". I acquiesced and gave half the amount originally offered.
This brought to mind a very real contrast between the church and society in general. I didn't offer that much money, it was under $30.00, and to me it was no big deal. But apparently to most people, it is a very big deal: one of the ladies in the office asked how much we were supposed to give, (this was before I was approached by the team leader), I said that I didn't know but that I was planning on giving 'x'. She nearly fainted and then said "wow you're generous, I was thinking more like $5".
It is interesting the way we treat leaders, both in the church, and in society in general. And perhaps this is mirrored by the differing behaviour of leaders in the church and society (although it is very likely a chicken/egg scenario). In the church, we honour, esteem, value and therefore bless our leaders at any opportunity (or at least I do, as does my church). While in society at large, to our leaders, honour is given grudgingly, esteem sparingly and value is diminished, which means, as demonstrated by my recent experience, that when the opportunity to bless one of our leaders, we do so with some reservation.
I could use this to springboard into a massive sermon about how the Kingdom is completely backward to the way the world works, and how Jesus came and turned everything upside down. But I'm not going to, another time perhaps :)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Why Elijah?
So my first ever blog entry. kinda exciting... is that sad? meh, who cares if it is.
God gave me this word during one of Ps Glen's sermons. So mate, if you read this, sorry, I wasn't listening to you. :)
I want to start by asking a question: Why is Elijah considered among the greatest of prophets, when Elisha, his successor, performed twice as many miracles. Having asked for and received the double portion of anointing from Elijah, Elisha is mentioned only once after he dies, and then it is in passing reference by Jesus in Luke 4:27. And yet Elijah who performed half as many miracles and had half the anointing as Elisha, is mentioned over and over and over.
It was Elijah who appeared with Moses on the mount of Transfiguration. It was Elijah whom the people thought had returned when Jesus was ministering on Earth. It was Elijah who was prophesied to return my Malachi (he was referring to John the Baptist). It is Elijah who is mentioned over 30 times after his death, most of that in the new testament. Why? What was so different between them? What did Elijah have that Elisha didn't?
I would like to submit, that there was one major difference between them. There was one thing that Elijah did far better than Elisha. And that was Elijah imparted and invested into the next generation effectively. While Elisha did invest into the next generation in the form of Gehazi; Gehazi did not receive a double portion of anointing as Elisha did, he did not carry on the prophetic appointment, and as such neither servant nor master is remembered beyond their death.
Elijah was so effective in imparting, mentoring, discipling, leading that Elisha was able to not only ask for, but also to recieve the double portion of prophetic anointing that was on Elijah's life. Elisha however, for reasons unknown failed to do this. I am not saying that Elisha is at fault for Gehazi's failing. Each person is responsible for their own choices. So please don't misunderstand, Gehazi dug his own grave in lying to a prophet... not very smart :)
But as John C Maxwell said, "Everything rises and falls on leadership". So while not his fault, Gehazi's failing is Elisha's failing. As I mentioned, we aren't told exactly how Elisha failed to adequately mentor his protege, but here are some possible ways:
Elijah, was able to impart effectively into Elisha. He taught, and instructed and demonstrated in a way that Elisha was able to understand and implement. And as such, Elijah is remembered as the greatest of prophets. Elisha failed to do the same with Gehazi. And as such, is not mentioned again. Please understand Elisha was not a failure because he didn't effectively impart into Gehazi. Elisha did mighty works, twice as many in fact as his master and mentor Elijah, Elisha was a mighty man of God highly respected. But his legacy ended on his death, and as such, he is not remembered beyond his death. But Elijah's legacy lived on long after his death, in some ways Elijah's works didn't finish with his death (I know, technically he didn't die... but just work with me here) Elijah's hand was in every miracle that Elisha did, because of the impact Elijah had on that young man.
God gave me this word during one of Ps Glen's sermons. So mate, if you read this, sorry, I wasn't listening to you. :)
I want to start by asking a question: Why is Elijah considered among the greatest of prophets, when Elisha, his successor, performed twice as many miracles. Having asked for and received the double portion of anointing from Elijah, Elisha is mentioned only once after he dies, and then it is in passing reference by Jesus in Luke 4:27. And yet Elijah who performed half as many miracles and had half the anointing as Elisha, is mentioned over and over and over.
It was Elijah who appeared with Moses on the mount of Transfiguration. It was Elijah whom the people thought had returned when Jesus was ministering on Earth. It was Elijah who was prophesied to return my Malachi (he was referring to John the Baptist). It is Elijah who is mentioned over 30 times after his death, most of that in the new testament. Why? What was so different between them? What did Elijah have that Elisha didn't?
I would like to submit, that there was one major difference between them. There was one thing that Elijah did far better than Elisha. And that was Elijah imparted and invested into the next generation effectively. While Elisha did invest into the next generation in the form of Gehazi; Gehazi did not receive a double portion of anointing as Elisha did, he did not carry on the prophetic appointment, and as such neither servant nor master is remembered beyond their death.
Elijah was so effective in imparting, mentoring, discipling, leading that Elisha was able to not only ask for, but also to recieve the double portion of prophetic anointing that was on Elijah's life. Elisha however, for reasons unknown failed to do this. I am not saying that Elisha is at fault for Gehazi's failing. Each person is responsible for their own choices. So please don't misunderstand, Gehazi dug his own grave in lying to a prophet... not very smart :)
But as John C Maxwell said, "Everything rises and falls on leadership". So while not his fault, Gehazi's failing is Elisha's failing. As I mentioned, we aren't told exactly how Elisha failed to adequately mentor his protege, but here are some possible ways:
- To busy. It's possible, that Elisha was too busy to doing things. Noble things, good things, even God things, all took up too much time, time that could have been invested into his servant. Yes, faith without works is dead. but works without impartation and investing into the next generation, die with you. It is important to never be too busy for those you are mentoring. Never be so busy doing things that you forget to speak into and build up those around and under you.
- Wrong Language. It's possible that Elisha was speaking into Gehazi. In fact I'm sure he was. He would have followed in Elijah's footsteps and shown and taught everything that Elijah taught him. But. If Elisha was communicating in language that Gehazi couldn't understand. And i'm not talking about an actual language, of course they both spoke Hebrew or whatever language they spoke, we have record of them communicating, so language wasn't a barrier. But have you ever met someone from a different generation, or a different culture. And you are both speaking the same language, but neither one of you understands what the other is saying? It's possible that Elisha was speaking, was imparting, but Gehazi wasn't fully getting it. I'm sure he picked up the general idea, but maybe not all of it. The solution here is simple, learn the language that your mentoree is speaking. If they are using words you don't understand, learn them. It is useless to keep speaking when the one you are imparting into isn't receiving what you are giving.
- Unwilling learner. Some people don't want to learn. It doesn't matter how much wisdom you are giving, it makes no difference how much you long to impart into them. If the student is unwilling, it is expensive wine wasted on desert sand. Perhaps the student is lazy, perhaps they are preoccupied, perhaps they are just downright foolish. But in this case the only thing you can do as a mentor, as someone who is imparting into the next generation is to find somebody else. Still be their friend. Still be available to them should they change their mind. But don't keep wasting your time on someone who is not going to pick up your wisdom and teaching and implement and run with it.
Elijah, was able to impart effectively into Elisha. He taught, and instructed and demonstrated in a way that Elisha was able to understand and implement. And as such, Elijah is remembered as the greatest of prophets. Elisha failed to do the same with Gehazi. And as such, is not mentioned again. Please understand Elisha was not a failure because he didn't effectively impart into Gehazi. Elisha did mighty works, twice as many in fact as his master and mentor Elijah, Elisha was a mighty man of God highly respected. But his legacy ended on his death, and as such, he is not remembered beyond his death. But Elijah's legacy lived on long after his death, in some ways Elijah's works didn't finish with his death (I know, technically he didn't die... but just work with me here) Elijah's hand was in every miracle that Elisha did, because of the impact Elijah had on that young man.
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