Parable of the Sheep and Goats, Matt 25:31-46
The division of sheep and goats is based on those who have taken the teachings to heart and acted on the lessons. We have to take the lessons of Jesus, ingest them and let them change us. Is there evidence of his life in us?
Parables of the Wedding Banquet and the Ten Virgins, Matt 22:1-13 & Matt 25:1-13
It comes to me that perhaps it is the last reason, lack of language, that people would turn down the invitation of the king of the parable. People do not speak His language, they do not understand, do not want to understand and simply do not care to understand this culture that we call Christianity.
Parable of the Tenants, Matt 21:33-46
Our mission may seem to change over time, but I think the primary mission we all have is to spread the gospel and make disciples. It is the ‘who’ we disciple and the ‘how’ that likely changes over time, at work, school, church, when volunteering, in family.
Parable of the Mustard Seed, Matthew 12:31-32
The kingdom of God is not only a place yet to be seen. It is the part of heaven which we live out now. We are like the birds perched in the tree.
Parable of the Weeds, Matt 13:24-30
The servants could have removed all the bad, but were told not to, because we need adversity to grow and thrive. The struggles of life and the evil we find in it are part of making us into His design.
Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13: 2-8, 18-23
On the whole, we must strive to understand the Word. Seeking to understand the word is what will make us grow and produce 30, 60, 100 times the original seed.
Grace in time of need, Hebrews 4:16
His grace gives us the strength and the breath and the life to go on.
Waiting on God in Difficult Situations
We really can’t do anything to change the situation or make it any different from how it is, other than surrender to God and trust, waiting. God is working.
Why InspiritEncourage?
We may all walk ordinary lives, but we do so with an extraordinary God. He has chosen to give us His life and wants us to walk it in Him. With the Holy Spirit. With courage.
Freedom begins in community 2 Cor 3:17
Freedom begins in community, as a personal joy, but we are called to share it. Freedom cannot be boxed up and contained within us.
Leave them for the poor and foreigner Lev 19:9-10
It can be that easy to give a hand to others. God even decreed that the poor shall be cared for from our fields, our income. He has blessed us and asks us to in turn bless others.
Three feasts with Jesus
I have really enjoyed thinking about the times that Jesus spends at table. It is so much more than learning from Jesus, it is a reminder of how Jesus was also human and needed to share in fellowship and food. I have also heard it said that Jesus often found trouble when he was at table, never escaping from teaching others through the ‘trouble’ they faced.
Lead us, Lord
On this July 4th Lord, we seek you as the leader of the United States. May you be the guide and…