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.
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