Notice the simplicity of this parable. All of us live in a world where we see plants daily. All of those plants come about as a result of a seed falling to the ground and being buried. Have you ever considered that you’re walk with God may equally be as simple? According to Jesus it is that simple.

Ok, What’s the real meaning of this parable? Why would Jesus use this in conjunction with the statement “I will speak things that have not been revealed from the foundations of the earth”. Don’t we all know about seeds? Don’t we all know that seeds will not grow on a kitchen counter? Then what’s the “mystery”, what’s the “secret”? Well whatever it is I’m going to listen. What on earth is God almighty going to say when he has an opportunity to teach? Have you ever thought about that? Jesus’ time was limited and he was not a person to mix words.

In mark chapter four Jesus lays an important foundation that he builds on all throughout the gospels. The seed is the Word of God. The ground is the heart of a man. The word grows in a man’s heart the same way seeds grow in soil. My favorite portion of this scripture is “for the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear”. Do you know what the Greek word for herself is? It’s automatos. Or in our vernacular automatic. The word produces fruit in our hearts automatically. The word automatic means: done without conscious thought or decision of the will (volition). Isn’t that interesting. There is a system that is set up by God whereby we can produce fruit without our even having to work at it or strive. “He knoweth not how”.

Jesus said “ you cannot add one cubit to your stature by taking thought”. Now think about that. Jesus is saying that there is no supernatural power in the thinking process. Might Jesus also be saying that there is a power to change the stature, which entails not thinking about it? Were dealing with the power of Gods word. I’ll admit that very few people have tapped into that power, but for Jesus to say that he will reveal things that have been kept secret from the foundations of the earth; is he talking about the wheel? Or maybe magnetism? No, he’s talking about miracles! A man of this caliber doesn’t lead people on to say something ludicrous. Unfortunately some people will never have “ears to hear” what Jesus was really talking about-the ability to transport something from the spiritual realm to the physical realm-a miracle, and according to Jesus it’s as easy as planting a seed.

Why don’t we then see more miracles? Well as simple as God made it, there is an adversary that forever confronts us in the growing time of this plant of faith. (That’s what were actually doing-cultivating faith). And subsequently these dark spirits typified by the fowls of the air attempt to devour that seed. If were not resolute to “hold fast” that seed for the duration of the cycle, all will be aborted and the glorious reality’s of Gods word will never materialize.

If you realize what’s at stake here you can see why Satan is going to attack with full fury the use of the principles of this parable. Because:
#1. He’s going to sit idly by as you “bring forth fruit” unto Gods Kingdom (if done right there is nothing he can do). And
# 2. He’ll watch his kingdom be systematically dismantled by the believer who understands this principle.

All in all, it’s good news for God and bad news for the adversary.

Just remember that Jesus is talking about miracles, and the person who gets a handle on the teachings of the kingdom will have a real tiger by the tail.

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need for school
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Dan,
As a mother in a similar situation, I empathize with you. since you wrote almost 1 year ago, I just wanted to write to ask how things are going. I know I never stop praying for my younger child (Is it something to do with birth order?!). I have become devoted to St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine of Hippo. She prayed for THIRTY YEARS for the conversion of her son from his paganistic, hedonistic ways! Her bishop told her that the prayers of a mother who had shed so many tears for her son would not go unanswered. St. Augustine eventually converted to Christianity and became one of the greatest scholars of the early Church.
Praying for the same miracle for all our sons...
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okay like i have a problem i have a giant project on hope and i need a scripture on hope and i cant find any thing please help!
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In a christian club i was baptised in the holy spirit and i sope the word asabia. i searched on the web and i found this. can u help me out?
jack

ps e-mail me backl

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All we have to do to recognize the leaders of the Church Growth Movement each as a "Rich Fool" of Luke 12 : 16 - 21 is to conceive of the harvest of fruits as a harvest of followers. Most church expansion projects never had the approval of God. They result in stringent budgets and stinginess.

Our Lord and Saviour never will forgive the stingy, domineering practices of the Church Growth Movement leaders toward His needy folk, who were commanded by Him to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking (Matt. 7 : 7 ). The Judgement of the Good and Evil Servantis in Charge is coming right up! (Matt. 24 : 45 - 51 ) Should these judgements occur on this earth, the evil servants will be most thoroughly chastened with amputations, assignments of their portions with the hypocrites, rejections of pleadings with weeping and gnashing of teeth, and floggings according to their former knowledge of their moral wrong before Christ, and only if afterwards they repent and accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour for real.

Jesus Christ will demand their lives, whether in heaven after the Rapture after complete world evangelism this very winter or on earth to prod His people to get it done for His Name's sake (Matt. 24 : 14 , 34 ). If as I expect it happens here, the evil servants in charge of their fellowservants, now known by honorable titles, will lose their livelihoods, their wealth, their good names, and flesh off their own bodies to their Judgements (Matt. 24 : 45 - 51 ). There is no need to murder the evil servants to make them likened unto the Rich Fool. What good is a large church or an ample bank account in time of need of physical restoration of amputated and destroyed arms or genitalia? Yes, many pastors and ministers and most psychiatrists shall live on earth with such mutilations unless world evangelism be complete by next Passover because I have made these requests in prayer with faith and another brother in Christ and thanked God for this vengeance in place of the deliverance I needed.

You see, I have been atrociously harmed by the church expansion project of Twin City Bible Church in Urbana IL in progress in 1993 under pastors who ducked the heat from the next pastor of Newchurch for turning me away in need, but turned me over to needless, hostile psychiatry through his lies of more blatant need than the truth. Only after Psychiatry wracked my body and wreaked the havoc to shipwreck my career path did I quit TCBC with a statement in pubic, "YOUR church isn't loving." I have requested fifty million dollars in writing from later churches in my walk with God and told them to complain to TCBC to beg for the money if the local congregation could not afford it. The evil servant at TCBC cajoled each that I liked him and convinced them to try to keep me and conform me to contentment. It was hard to learn to quit each. Since then, in 2001, in order to protect their wealth and flesh from my demands in the name of Jesus Christ, TCBC resorted to worldly lawyers to protect their wealth, names, and flesh. Judging from the Word of Jesus Christ as I have taught it in my postings on the Parables of the Ten Virgins, Pounds and Talents, and the Unjust Steward, the defenses of all churches such as TCBC will soon fall to the judgements prophesied by our Lord Jesus.

The needy people persecuted as mentally ill who were referred to psychiatry, sinful and worldly as it was, never will allagree together to forgive the evil servants in charge of churches to avoid. These mentally ill Christians good as sentenced to psychiatris maltreatment include many martyrs like me, called by Jesus Christ (Matt. 7 : 7 ) to keep on asking for gifts, to keep on seeking to find, and to keep on knocking expecting the door to be swung open, and to continue to press our luck when we failed to understand the trouble we were in with the pastors. If we "mentally ill believers" were spoiled rotten brats converted as adults to Christ, Jesus knew, and if we were wrong to persist for fear of reprisals (Matt. 7 : 6 ), upon our repentance Jesus wishes to avenge us upon the evil servants because He will not turn back time and will not intervene miraculously to heal us and set our lives straight. His will is that His people minister unto our needs, yet for us with severe grievances against evil servants in charge, we are called to keep our complaints out of the ears of the evil servants in charge as best we can.

It is such martyrs as I whose forgiveness every currently evil servant in charge needs to earn in deed and in truth, rather than by domination, in order to escape the finding of evil culpability as servant in charge and the judgement of loss of life, say vitality, of the rich fool (Matt. 24 : 45 - 51, Luke 12 : 20 ). These martyrs consist mostly of people who will never again return to the church of the evil servant for worship, not of the supporters whose presences enrich the church under an evil servant. If you happen to be such an evil servant in charge now, you have to make complete amends to every such individual still alive at your Judgement to be found good. It is too late for Bill Meier, evil senior pastor of Twin City Bible Church, who repeatedly refused to beg for tens of millions of dollars in amends and falsely claimed my admiration only to get judged through my telephone call in 2001. He shall suffer and endure his Judgement as an evil servant, and his expensive home church will not avail him. What a perfect example of the Rich Fool!

In order to get the boards and committees who hire and fire staff to wake up and take control as masters of their servants in charge under Matt. 24 : 45 - 51, I need to teach them, and they need newly resurgent faith to entrust the master with all his goods and sweeping authority to execute Jesus Christ's utterly corporal sentences. God is omnipotent and can bring this about. When the mentally ill who nowadays never return for worship find sympathy from the boards, many martyrs may ask that the entire congregation sell everything they own and donate the proceeds. My actual request in May 2001 of TCBC was that the entire congregation, one by one, either (1) if unbelieving, swear that Jesus Christ never had any power whatsoever to save souls or (2) if believing, sell everything they own and give me the proceeds and ask another nearby church to sends them out to Turkey to spread the Gospel and yet another amputation from the Meier family for each member or attender who does neither. In order to obey Jesus Christ, now extremely scarce sympathy toward such crazy-sounding requests will be required of the boards who hire and fire pastors or ministers.

The wealth of the evil servants in charge (Matt. 24 : 45 - 51 ) and their supporters, the rich fools (Luke 12 : 16 - 20 ), and of their expansive churches, is stored up for "who"-soever dare keep on asking when it becomes tolerated, such as the most determined mentally ill in Christ (Luke 12: 21 ). The needs and requests of the martyrs such as I are to be squared off against the faith of the churches. Boards and committees which run churches claiming faith in Christ cannot continue to turn the needy away and proclaim faith in Christ indefinitely. Time is long in coming and has almost come for the judgement to befall the Church Growth Movement!

Yours in Christ,

+++ Kevin Douglas Rosenberg
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According to what I understand it was the custom for the Jewish bridegroom to pick up the bride to be and they walked to the grooms fathers house where the marriage takes place. All the virgins had oil in their lamps. Some believe the parable is saying they had empty lamps. The difference was that the wise took a back up supply of oil to refill if the bridegroom tarried! When he did not come as soon as the foolish five thought he would they were unprepared! There "oil" or fire had ran out! Then they begged for oil from the wise! I believe the "oil" represents faith, perservance, be on fire for the Lord etc. This is the responsibility of each one of us as it can not be loaned or borrowed! We can not put a time table on the Lords return so we must always be prepared no matter the hour he returns! We do not want to be on the outside and hear "I do not know you"
Darrell
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In many verses of the Bible!The words caught up,translated,delivered,meet,changed,gathered etc.As you can see,several different words are used for Rapture.


The Rapture is when those who love Jesus go with Jesus Christ to heaven in a Twinkling of an eye,and those left behind will be forced to think weird explanations, like the millions who disappeared went into a ufo etc.

After the Rapture, the world will be in chaos immediately. Some people will be raptured while driving in their cars, causing the cars to crash. Some people will disappear while working the most important jobs in the country, and once they disappear, cities will be destroyed. Planes will crash, electricity will go out, and phone lines will be jammed for days.If you think THIS sounds bad, the Judgements are much worse. Dont Be Left Behind!

The human cycle that experienced Noahs Ark was swept away in the flood,and they all drowned.The chosen inside the Ark were saved from the wrath of God.

This human cycle also has a Ark to rescue us,The name of our Divine Ark is JESUS CHRIST.Now is the time to accept Jesus Christ into your heart,and repent of all sins.


1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Behold, I shew you a mystery,We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.


52 In a moment,in the twinkling of an eye,at the last trump,for the trumpet shall sound,and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,and we shall be changed.


53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption,and this mortal must put on immortality.54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written,Death is swallowed up in victory.55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,unmoveable,always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Revelation 3:10 says we will be kept out of the hour of testing which will come upon the whole earth (the Tribulation). Some have wrongly believed "keep" means to keep through, or protect through the Tribulation. Suppose you approach a high voltage area with a sign that says, "Keep Out." Does that mean you can enter and be protected? No, it means you are forbidden from entering the area. But this verse also says He will keep us from the hour of testing. It is not just the testing, but the time period. If a student is excused from a test, he still may have to sit in the class while others take the test. But if he is excused from the hour of testing, he can go home. The Church will be called home before the hour of testing.

http://rulestheweb.com/coolwebsites
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Go to the church where you received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and ask them to explain it further. Tongues is a devine language that God understands. A direct communication line to him that the Devil can not understand. Also, check out..
http://www.bible.com/answers/ahsbaptiz.html
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PLEASE FORWARD PHOTO OF MUSTARD TREE . THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.
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God invited the Jews to the supper, they had better things to do so he sent the Christians into streets and lanes to bring in all to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!
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They did not quite get paid on commision, but most where not paid as much as they realy needed. This lead to many demanding more money then was needed from the people they collected from.

This is why, later, Jesus tells Publicans to collect only what is due.

It was common at that time that Publicans would have a lawyer like rap, in that they where all looked upon as great sinners, always cheating everyone for every last mite and shekel.
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In the postings found below I’ve extracted many different ideas out of the teachings of the Kingdom that are true and hold water all throughout scripture. But as of late I’ve been getting something that I feel is even more profound then anything I’ve laid down as yet. I think if you get this it will answer a lot of questions as to why we aren’t getting anything from God and why we are so barren spiritually.

Christianity was to be a message of power, resurrection life and of totally victory over death. And yet we don’t even have the bark of a chewawa when it comes to having any kind of influence in this world. Pardon the expression but man have we been impotent. Consider what I’m about to say and just see if you can see why our prayers are misdirected or that the connection with heaven is never made.

Quite often in writing about the teachings of the kingdom I try to ride the words of Christ as much as is possible. And yet I think there is one area that it would do me well to sever off from them and to put them in my own words.

I’m talking about the usage of the word “heart” vs. “spirit”. Why would this be important? Consider these two scriptures and just see if contradicting ideas don’t surface.

There is a scripture in the Bible that says that God will “write his laws in the fleshy tablets of the heart”. Now look at something that Jesus said:

John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Luke 24:39
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

Can you see how that even though the terms spirit and heart are quite often used interchangeably, in some instances they shouldn’t be?

What I’m getting at is this. If our perceptions concerning the word heart are that it is somehow tied to the flesh then we are bound to have missed the spirit which Jesus said doesn’t have “flesh and blood”. It’s like an email that ends up in cyberspace instead of getting to the person that we are sending it to.

“OH, THAT’S REDICULOUS” YOU SAY. “THAT’S THE DUMBEST THING I’VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE”.

Is it really? When was the last time you had a prayer answered? “Forty years ago” you say. I REST MY CASE. Isn’t it clear that God is holding us to a higher degree of accuracy in spiritual matters these days? Remember, we are the ones who can use computers, text messages, download music to I pods. Some of us can get pretty snooty about techy things if we’re asked the wrong questions. Jesus said “with what measure you mete it will be measured unto you”. That means what you put in is what you get out. And it’s quite clear that God is saying to us “if you would put one iota of interest into spiritual things like you do that tech stuff, then maybe you’d get somewhere in your spiritual life”. FUSHTANE? (Do you get it?)

Let’s continue.

Could it be that all of this talk about “hidden” things, “secret” things, things “spoken in darkness”, “mysteries”, could all of these sayings be fingers so-to-speak that are pointing to the human spirit? Isn’t the human spirit a mystery of sorts? You can’t locate it. It’s subconscious. You can’t feel it. Don’t we have some ninety percent of the human brain that we don’t use? Could that be a reserve for when we revive the human spirit? Maybe it will come back on-line. The book of James says that God is the father of “spirits”. Are you a spirit? If you can read this I would submit that you are. The problem is that our perceptions about spiritual matters are all over the board. We never do isolate the part of us that runs the show. Kind of like the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. “DON’T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO HIM”. Yea it’s YOU ya turkey!

The reason why it’s important to isolate the human spirit is because that’s where faith comes from. It’s the place where we either believe or fear.

GOD IS A SPIRIT. To contact God we have to use our spirits. I’ve totally replaced the use of the word heart in prayer with the word spirit. It’s making a difference.

In Luke 17:21 Jesus said.
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Matt 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Have you ever looked at this scripture and thought WELL WHICH IS IT? DO YOU BIND ON EARTH OR DO YOU BIND IN HEAVEN?
Why does it matter? Because one will work and the other won’t. It’s these kinds of things that are defeating us, and we only have ourselves to blame. We’re just not a very diligent people. We’re content in living lives that make the word of God a lie (there is no power, no answer, no Holy Spirit-nothing). But things are changing. If you’re reading this there is a good chance that you too might be looking for answers.

When Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is within you, might he have been referring to the human spirit and that how it’s already separate from the realm of the natural? In other words, to affect the world around you, you must approach the Kingdom of God that abides within. IT’S YOUR SPIRT. Your spirit will abide after your body is lying in a coffin holding its breath. But when we use the word heart, the whole matter gets washed out and we never do isolate the spirit.

So then, we bind satanic forces IN OUR SPIRITS. We loose the things that we desire to enter our lives IN OUR SPIRITS. Our spirits subsequently shine these bindings and loosings out onto the picture screen of our lives. I will admit, I never thought that this scripture worked (binding and loosing). But then, I thought that you were to look out at the world and bind it in the world. NO, IT’S ALL DONE IN THE SECRET PLACE. The secret place is a metaphor for going into the realm of the spirit and establishing things there. THEN they show up in our lives. To attempt to affect the flesh or the world around us by the perception that we are dealing directly with it, is as foolish as using the word “manifestation” in prayer. DON’T DO IT. IF YOU DO YOU’VE BEEN DUPED BY THE DARK SIDE. That word doesn’t belong in your prayer life. It’s attempting to change things illegally. You’ll open the door to the adversary.

Our spirits are a place that Satan wants direct access to. But we are the only ones who have the “KEY” (as in “keys of the kingdom”). We set things there (establish). Then it’s just a waiting game. When you deal with your spirit your dealing with power, and there are checks placed on the system whereby the only things that get in there are due to either determination, or unreasonable hardheadedness-as in the person who reaped tragedy as a result of stubborn rebellion.

Proverbs 4: 20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the ISSUES OF LIFE.

When we use the word spirit in our prayer time as in “I bind the powers of darkness in my spirit, and I loose all of heaven in my spirit”, we are entering a realm that God has given us legal access to. The realm of the spirit is subject to different rules. In essence, what God says goes. It’s the sole truth. Nothing in the world can call it into question. But that’s the place where the Kingdom of God abides. Solomon said “the spirit of man is the candle of the lord searching all the inward parts of the belly”.

USE THE WORD SPIRIT NOT HEART IN PRAYER. You’ll be putting your finger right on the pulse of the issue. The power button.

The treasure that Jesus spoke of is the spirit of man. It’s the thing that at the time was a tremendous mystery. But when we hide things there, or bind or loose things there, truly it is the incubator or the loading dock that eventually ejects things into our lives.

If nothing else I think that this generates “kingdom thinking”. God bless you in your endeavors.

Tell no man.

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I would like a picture of a mustard tree for my Junior Church class but can't seem to find one on the internet!

Do you still have the website address which has the picture of the tree with the boy standing next to it?
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The prodigal son -
1. He leaves his father's house (He leaves God)
2. He ie eligible for 1/3 of the wealth
3. He waste money earned by others
4. He is broke and he joins himself to a country in famine
(He is apart of the wrong sector - an unproductive realtionship)
5.Upon return his father is happier to see him than he is his father
6. under the jewish law he could have been stoned to death
7. he could have been beaten a breath away from death - but not killed
8.. incorrect theology - he wanted to be forgiven and placed on a lower status (a servant). But repentance restore you back to the same level (not title in the sight of man)in the sight of God
9. The ultimate revelation above God's grace and mercy is this: That life in full is not about us - but God is the central figure and the main character in every story
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The ring is a symbol to represent apart of the convenant again. The robe is his robe of righteousness. The shoes identify him as a son as opposed to a servant.
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I've heard it said this way "Use your time, talent and treasure for God". The scriptures support this:

TIME:
1 Peter 4:1-3 ...he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have SPENT ENOUGH TIME in the past doing what pagans choose to do...
(Peter is exhorting us to use our remaining TIME to do God's will, not to fulfill the evil human desires of our will. Don't jump to hasty conclusions or be moved by other peoples condemnations, read the scriptures thoroughly to discern God's will).

TALENT:
1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use WHATEVER GIFT HE HAS RECEIVED to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. (Peter then goes on to list some of those 'various forms')

TREASURE:
2 Cor. 8:7 ...see that you EXCEL IN THIS GRACE (gift) OF GIVING.
(In light of all the scriptures there is no reason to think this only applied to the Corinthian church he was speaking to.)

As our character becomes more and more like Jesus's character we will become more and more productive in the things that Christians do. In
2 Peter 1:5-7 Peter lists the qualities of Godly, Christlike character. Then he goes on to say in verse 8: "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, THEY (these qualities) WILL KEEP YOU FROM BEING INEFFECTIVE AND UNPRODUCTIVE IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST." (Godly character is what will equip you to 'produce', and bring 'increase', the very things we are exhorted to do in the parables.)

The seed sown and the talent entrusted is the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our responsibility is to let that knowledge grow and increase into active, visible deeds as God himself gives increase.

God develops the very character of Jesus within us, character that can't help but to be expressed in the righteous deeds of the Spirit. God changes WHAT we do by changing WHO we are.

Hope this is what you were looking for.






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i am currently doing an assignment in school on biblical parables. i was wondering if you had a simplified childrens version that i could get hold of. thank you
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TROY, I think you are correct. And it does make you think differently about this parable. Thanks for your posting.
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In my church there was an example of this. Almost perfect.

A certain man came to my church one day. He had been there before as a child, some 30 or 40 years ago. His memories of the place were good in a life that was falling apart. He had lost his family a few years ago to divorce. Just a year or so earlier, he lost his job, his income, and then his home. He had been living on the street since then. He came to us in December, and it was unseasonably cold. Cold enough that I was worried he'd freeze to death. A couple from the church heard his story and saw that he was truly in need. They drove him to the nearest YMCA, and got him a room there for the year, paying for it all. They're in the process of finding him a job, too, where the husband of the couple works.
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Matthew 7:24-27

(24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
(25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
(26) And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
(27) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Hi, my name is Ashleigh and I am 13 years of age, my friend, Shannon and I are doing a religion assignment on that parable, worth 45% We just need some help of a few questions. Here they are:

An explination of the meaning of the parable
Revlevance for today
Catholic Beliefs evident in the parable.

If you can help us, because this is hard for us and need some 'fresh' help. Please email me on ashleigh.mansell@stclaresc.act.edu.au or you can email my friend whos email is shannon.talbot@stclaresc.act.edu.au

Thanks a bunch!

We really hope you can help me!
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I too, don't beleive in 'skateboard salvation', which by that I'm assuming you mean that you're saved until you sin, when you lose your salvation and fall off. From there, you have to get saved again, and so on. My ministry (Greater Grace World Outreach) is all about the finished work and eternal security. Once we're saved, that's it. No questions. One question I had when I was first saved was like, how can I am some serial killer who was once saved when he was young, end up in the same place? There's two answers to that: one, sins are forgiven. plain and simple. they are completely erased from his life as they are from mine. and two, we have heavenly awards. if we are saved, but don't live the christian lifestyle according to God, we will still get to heaven, but may not get the same heavenly awards as someone who followed God completely. it's like cable, there's regular cable, and then there's the package deals that are extra. anywho, i guess this doesn't really have to do with the mustard seed, but it needs to be said.
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Luke 16: 19-31
This was a story of real people. Jesus gave a real name of a real person, "Lazarus" This is indeed a truthful account of something that happend. Names were very important, and those he was speaking to (Luke 16: 14) The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus in an earler dicourse that day. So Jesus continued addressing those who loved "money" and sneered at Him, by giving the truth, telling them about Lazarus and the rich man. Do you think this rich man was a Pharisee? A good guess would be yes, as Abraham calles him "son" in v. 25. This would be a man that knew the laws of Moses.
But the Word choses not to mention "who" the rich man really is, ALL people who love money luxuries **OVER** the giving of mercy and love to fellow mankind. Do not be so bold to ignore the truth behind Christ's message here to the Pharisees as not an actuall event. I trust in Jesus that he is telling a truthful event.

This rich man was dressed in "fine purple linen" and "lived in luxury every day." Lazarus, "a begger covered in sores" was "laid" down by people at the rich mans gate to hopefully receive some comfort from the wealthy man therein. Lazarus "longed" to just "eat the scraps" that fell from the rich mans table. He was not given such luxury, you do not "long" for something you have received. The dogs that roamed came and licked Lazarus's sores. Would the dogs be able to lick Lazarus's sores if he was taken up by the rich man and given the care he so desperatly needed? Christ was telling the Pharisees that even the dogs showed more compassion to Lazarus then this man of great worldly wealth.

Such a sight was this at the front of a rich mans gate, especially to those who "laid" him down there.... To lay a man down in such a way and not
go hide him off in some unclean or lepper colony; Why do you think he would of been given such care? Was Lazarus some one that was hated, or someone that was loved? And if he be loved, who do you think would of loved him? Wealthy people or people that did not have the means themselves to care for Lazarus? There is much information given in
V's 19-21. Knowing Christ and the compassion he has for the poor,
you can see what he was saying here. Woe to them in another speech.
Luke 11: 37-54 Talking to these same rich men, the "Pharisees."

Lazarus was loved by the poor and the meek, he was laid down in front
of a rich mans gate, left there for what reason? They hoped that he would be cared for. But he did not receive a fallen morstle from the rich mans table, the dogs were left to tend to his sores.

In this view, who would God's mercy fall favor on in salvation?

There Lazarus died at the gate, and the Angels collected him to Abrahams side. The rich man died and was buried in hell. A hell where he was
in torment. A tormented place were he could talk to Abraham, one that
he knew. Was this a Gentile apart from the law? The rich man knew who Abraham was.... he called to him "Father Abraham" v, 24 again, who do
you think this rich man was?

This place that is discribed is real. v. 22-25
Abrahams side is the place were all those went that were good and righteous in Gods sight, kept the law, those that listened to the Prophets and Moses and waited for the coming Messiah. There is that place called Abrahams Bosom. There is that place that Christ decended to collect those with Abraham that died before the arrival of the "new covenant" with Christ Jesus. Jesus decended into the earth for 3 days, raising from the dead. Luke 24: 45 He did not emediatly raise to God the Father when his fleshly body ceased to work. For three days, he decended to the dead according to the scriptures. This is the place discribed by Jesus and given in the name and discription through the Pharisees clan; Abraham.

This information of Lazarus and the rich man and where they were after
their physical death occured is a real place. Christ fullfilled the forgiveness of sins of the Old Testiment by collecting those who repented
by the laws given Moses. Those rightious men and women were kept
with Abraham awaiting for the promise of the given Messiah to be fullfilled. Those on the other side of this place are seperated from God
in eternal death. Those men and women now are in heaven, Lazarus is in heaven. The rich man remaines in hell while Christs chruch is being fullfiled now on earth.


mi_heritage

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I am teaching Bible School this week and as usual I have waited until the lst minute. Tonight I am doing the Parable of the Mustard Tree and would love to have the picture.
Thanks,
Nancy
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Maybe it just means that barren people should die... but not necessarily right away. Let barren women wither in their infertility awhile. What is all this about Israel???
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Caused to sin (Matt. 18:5-7 ) through work on the Sabbath because of failures to meet my needs through the workweek, I ask, seek, and knock again for leads to churches already faithful in (with) the unrighteous mammon of Luke 16:9-13. Such a congregation must, of course, include among its members at least several who know rich folk of this world. I am too sick and fed up with local churches content to remain short of this goal to let this most important matter slide. Therefore, in the name of Jesus the Messiah I assign you the task of contacting churches all across these United States subject to denominational governance in order to find a list for me of all churches under their guidance wich have many or several members well acquainted with rich folk of this world.

I have no printer. You must have seen my smiley problems by now. My comupter still operates on Windows 95, I am poor, and my mother outside the Lord is in charge of my money from SSI. I cannot serve God's people where I now live, but if I had wealth to turn to I would willingly move out. Televangelists have left me to my own feeble resources. I leave it to you to contact denominational headquarters of the various Christian denominations and to seek a list from each of all churches under them which already have their rich friends. Do not cause me to keep on sinning beyond a reasonable time for your completion of this project (worth a curse, Matt. 18:5-7 ). This is not funny; I need specific guidance to congregations known to be already faithful in the unrighteous mammon lest I sin habitually until the Parable of the Servants (Matt. 24:45-51 ) be fulfilled, my only other way to stand in Christ because the churches nearby are faithless at least in regard to Luke 16 (KJV).

Lacking hearkenings to my preceding requests, now I must assign ***YOU*** the task of contacting denominational headquarters of various denominations with requests of guidance to such churches of theirs are happen to be faithful already in the unrighteous mammon BY NEXT FRIDAY AT SUNSET. You will be in sin next Sabbath if the letters remain yet to be sent out. Please help your brother in Christ in need!

Yours in Christ,

+++ Kevin D. Rosenberg

a martyr for continuing to ask, seek, and knock (Matt. 7:7 )
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I heard that the mustard trees bark is petrified and has a dew that keeps insects away from sheep. That when a goat gets under the mustard tree that same dew will drive them mad and they will ram the tree until they die. That there are only 2 things that grow under it, one the Rose of Sharon, and two a weeping willow (humility). Has any one else ever heard of this?
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The parable of the mustard seed continues with the same central thoughts set forth in the previous parable, the parable of the wheat and tares. Fruit-bearing remains at the forefront [v.31], as well as Satan's contining activity as he seeks to stop Christains from bearing fruit
And the method which Satan uses as he seeks to stop Christians from bearing fruit, revealed in the previous parable, is through sowing tares among the wheat. Then the parable of the mustard seed reveals that which would happen because of this activity of Satan.
In this respect, the parable of the mustard seed is simply a commentary on the previous parable, providing additional explanatory help. The mustard seed is seen growing after an adnormal fashion, showing Satans success in stopping Christains from bearing through causing an unnatural devoloping so abdormally that it eventually became a tree; and this tree is seen to be of such a nature that" the birds of the air", indivduals doing the work of Saten, found a lodging place in its branches[v.32;cf.vv.4, 19.] Thus the third parable, continuing the thought from the second parable, presents the tares being quite effective. They are seen deciving Christians to the degree that they bring about an unnatural growth in Christendom, resulting in unfruitfulness, barrenness; and the matter is carried to the point that, in the end, the tares even found acceptance among those whom they had decieved. Through producing an unnatural growth in Christendom-- one in which they themselves could find acceptance-- the tares stopped Christians from bearing fruit. The destruction has to do solely with [ The Word Of The Kingdom], the subject matter at hand. Then the tares were able to simply settle down in that which they had produced.
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Edwin,
Jesus says that if you live for him that He will take care of everything else, including the people who are making your life miserable. Living for Jesus is not always easy, it is full of suffering and riducle, but look at the suffering and judgement that He went through just to save you and me. It is important to remember that God will bless you eternally as long as you obey His commands and although it doesn't seem like it He is sovreign through all things ecspecially this situation. It is not for us to understand why these things occur but it is important to trust and have complete faith in His Sovreingy for our lives. One of the important themes in Mark is suffering. Jesus said if we want to follow Him we must endure suffering.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" Mark 10:45

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways adn my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
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I don't have a picture right here of a mustard seed but if you go into your local grocery store to the spice/food rack section you can locate them there. They are tiny little almost circular shape things. I am doing a presentation about them in my youth group. So, there ya go! Good luck!
Amanda
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Actually the son that stayed at home was also wayward...not in location...but in relationship to his Father! His relationship was built on duty and perfection and not on love!!!
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Historical and cultural understanding of the Jews customs is essential
to interprete the Gospel.

One talent is equel to eighteen years work.

This master reap where he sowed not, and gather where he have not strawed. Secondly, he even disgraced his servant with one talent by taking it away to give it to the one with more. The master tried to praise the one that earn more by discrediting another.

The master entrusted the talents to the servants. He asked them to look after the talents. He did not asked them to invest the talents. What if the servants lost their talents in their investment? How would the master treat the servants in this case?

In our age, when one entrust his money to me and if I help to invest, I would be committing a criminal breach of trust.







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This is not about the rapture of the church at all. Jesus is speaking to Jews about the tribulation period. The virgins are Jews. Five responded to the preaching of the 144,000 evangelists and worshipped God and five did not. When the king comes to reign at the end of the tribulation period, the tribulation saints are raptured as He gathers the elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. 24:31 Notice that they go out to meet the bridegroom, not to marry him. He is already married to the church which is a virgin in the singular never in plural. This parable which begins with "then" (Identifying the period that is being discussed) is nestled between Matt 24:30 describing the Lord coming in in the clouds in His glory (Rev 19) and Matt.25:32 where is is seated on His throne and judging the nations. While these foolish virgins go out to buy oil, they take the mark of the beast, forever shutting themselves out and sealing their destiny to be cast into the lake of fire. Rev 14:1-6
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The fact that the ninety and nine were following the shepherd assured their salvation. They were justified because they stayed under the watchful care of the shepherd and they trusted in Him.
They were justified by the actions of the shepherd. For we are justified by faith through grace and not of works lest any man should boast.

The lost sheep is only lost because he has failed to do one thing, follow the shepherd. He may now be lost, alone and scared but he does not know how to get back with the fold.

The shepherd left his throne in heaven to find the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

If you are lost and don't know Jesus, simply ask Him to find you and make you his own.

One way the Shepherd can find a lost sheep is by that sheep crying out. The Word of God states, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved. Cry out to him from your lost place and I guarantee you He Will Find YOU and bring you Safely Home!!!!
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You asked, "Is it hinting that we should love the saviour figure who everyone despises - ie Jesus!!!"

Samaritan was a stranger to the one who was wounded, yet he showed mercy to some one whom he did not know. Jesus meant to explain it is easy to show sympathy to some one you know, but to show sympathy to a stranger is difficult. Going back to beginning of the story, Jesus narrated this parable in answer to the question,"What shall I do to have eternal life?" Some bible have interpreted as thus,"What shall I do to enter the kingdom of heaven? The parable was the answer to this question and not to the question, "who is my neighbor?" It means to enter kingdom of heaven or to have eternal life is as difficult as loving a stranger. Perhaps the people in kingdom of heaven would love strangers as well as we love our neighbors.

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To this man who wrote the message about me, I'd advise that you dis-continue your comments. God is not the author of confusion, the scriptures has one and only one meaning to it, Malachi 3:6 - For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.", why should the words of God change to people? Obviously, you twist the words of God to suit your own needs, which is wrong.
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Denny,

I honestly didn't intend to leave the impression that we are praying to ourselves but I guess I did. And in a sense, any time we try to "establish our hearts" in something (be it good or ill), we mix repetition and emotion.

In some circles, it's called "positive affirmations". All it is, is self-talk. The world blasts us with negative self-images all the time. Really, the church does too (but that's a topic for another post).

Television and radio advertising conditions us to believe certain ways. The beliefs of our hearts drive what we spend our money on. Advertisers mix repetition and emotion through the senses. This sensual stimulation is designed to make us feel a certain way. Then it is repeated over and over until it becomes a pattern in us. When that pattern is laid down, the course of our lives follows.

We do the same thing as Christians. We immerse ourselves in the word because we it makes us feel good. We worship God because it feels great! We pray for the same thing over and over - not to convince God to do something He was originally unwilling to do, but to open up our hearts to the truth that we "have received" His blessing.

Mark 11:24 (NIV) says - "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Jesus said "... believe that you HAVE RECEIVED it and it will be yours". Well, I don't know about you, but that doesn't come easily to guys like me. Think about it - I don't have it but I'm praying to God believing that I already have it. That's not altogether intuitive, ya know?

Paul said - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phil 4:6 NIV)

Did you ever pray with anxiety? I did. "God please have mercy!" That's really not the "kingdom way" to pray, is it? "Do not be anxious" but pray and petition - WITH THANKSGIVING! Thanking God for what? I'm just guessing - I'm no bible scholar - but I'd say we should be thanking God for the very thing(s) we were praying and petitioning about. "Dear God thank you for prospering me as my soul has been prospered. Now I can pay the rent." But your bank account is zero. God is good and He does deliver us from harm. He who trusts in the Lord shall not be disappointed.

Kingdom thinking is NOT intuitive but we get good at it after awhile. Fully trusting in God's grace is a challenge but it's not hard. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. His commandments are not grievous. And none of this is automatic. We spend time renewing our minds, don't we.

We conform to the world’s pattern when we pray with anxiety or think we've got to change God's mind about something. We are transformed when we renew our minds with "kingdom thinking". We "fully persuade" our hearts to receive the bounty of the kingdom of God - to believe God's promises by walking in His abundant life.

We condition our hearts the same way we've always conditioned them. We mix belief and emotion then we repeat it so that it gets down in our hearts, "GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!!"

Denny, if you do that, you will be light years ahead of everybody you go to church with (unless you go to a MOST unusual church). If you get in your heart that God will not fail you, your study of His word will change. Things will begin to jump off the page. I know. It happened to me :)

God is NOT holding out on you. The good news is that God is not some "unjust judge" withholding His blessings. The apostle Paul understood that because he said, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Rom. 8:32

God has come to our rescue (past tense). All we have to do is start believing it.

Or so it seems to me,
Rob




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there is no biblical name given. Maybe its better that . Many of our names could fit into the story We may not have done exactly what he did but, how many of us have been foolish and wasteful with our lives then come to our senses
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Contrary to what many think, I would submit that the point of this parable is NOT to stress repetitious prayer. Jesus said, “Pray not vain repetitions as the heathen do, thinking they will be heard for their much praying.”

Just think about it for a moment. You could really get on the nerves of a friend by forever questioning their veracity, if they were to agree to help you out financially or in some other way. A non-stop “will you do it” would drive them right up the wall. Why on earth would God want us to beg and gravel, Squall and whine? Does that really build character? Wouldn’t it show more character to take a person at their word and then never bring the subject up again?

The word importunity is a bad translation for the Greek word translated such. It does not mean a persistent badgering-as though he doesn’t want to do it-though he may not want to. It means barefacedness, boldness, having the ba__…-you know what, to approach this person in the middle of the night because your in a jam and will not be denied. This person didn’t have time to keep coming again and again. He needed the answer right there and then.

Paul says in Hebrews “come boldly unto the throne of grace that we might receive grace and mercy in a time of need”.

This type of behavior demonstrates the highest type of friendship. “If my friendship means anything in the world to you, you’re going to do it and do it now!”

One time I came home in the late evening to find a friend waiting for me. It was very clear that he would not be denied. He needed help. Do you know what I did? Even though I was not in a position to help him out, I practically went into hock helping him out.

Trust me on this. The attitude, and the sound of his voice, didn’t leave any alternative. He was bold and he walked away with the help that was needed.

Showing this type of attitude with God is the highest compliment. For he is the one who calls us friends.



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Leaven is always represented as a bad thing in the Bible and in the context the women also. I think this is sin and false teachers being in the church and the church growing into something it shouldn't be.

To GOD be the glory

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On the topic of the younger son hating his father. It is not said that he hates his father, and I don't believe that he does... but in asking for his inheritance... it is like wishing his father were dead. That had to hurt the father. Yet the father took him back unconditionally.

As for the older son, that has also been on my heart a lot. You see my sister ran away from home. When she returned I was glad and celebrated, but at the same time it was frustrating. Where was my reward for being the good daughter?? The father's response to the older's sons complaints is, "Everything I have is yours". God gives us everything! He gave us His Son and eternal life. At the same time, the father's plea to the older son to join in the celebration, is how God us to celebrate when others grow in relationship with him.
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can you tell me where I can find this quote about
the mustard seed in the Bible? The one about how even
the tiniest faith can grow? thank you.

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Yes, they came up for pay at the same time, but they didn't all work the same number of hours. Some worked the full 12 hours, some came at the eleventh hour and only worked one. The complaint was that the ones who came in late were first in line to get paid and they got a penny, so the ones behind them that had worked longer hours figured they would get more and they didn't, they got the same amount.
"Is thine eye evil, because I am good?" Seems it would mean that he was saying that they were upset because he was generous with those who only worked an hour and gave them the same pay, so they were lookin' at him like that was a bad thing.
I'd relate it to us by saying that those who have been Christians a long time might get upset that new Christians get blessings and are received as brothers and sisters as much as those who've been in the family for years and years.
The point would be that all of our work is for Christ, and we are as precious and equal in his site and of value whether we've been working for him all of our lives or for just one day. :)
Chrys
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I don't fully undertsand this one.... God calls these people at diffrent times, and gives each person the same reward for thier diligance, I understand that, but I do not understand the lines:
(15) Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
(16) So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Were all not called and chosen? They all were rewarded. Why was he calling those questioning him evil? Was he calling them evil? What is this about first and last? Did they all not come up for pay at the same time?

Can anyone help me out with this one?

--Asherea
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I was searching for the pic of brassica to do my botony proj. I wonder if u have... (at least accoring to google description u do)...can u send me one?..
By the way, wat type of min is this?.. christians right?
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Well, I have been searching olso for a picture of the mustard tree, but I havent found it yet. I will appreciate if you have one in you data bank and chare it with us.

Rodrigo
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There are many opinions and debates on the true meaning the the collective parables. What do they really mean? This parable is definitely one of the most cryptic parables and can't be truly understood, unless we ask Jesus himself, if these are infact his exact words (translation errors, etc)
Maybe these stories are things that he had witnessed upon his travels and experiences throughout his life? Maybe he is actually some of the characters in the parables he tells? One thing we do know is that he had a message for humanity that somehow has travelled through the ages to answer some of the questions in life we could not ask ourselves. I find it wierd how most people today don't appreciate the words of the wise, choosing to trust science or nothing at all because it feels safer.
But perhaps this is what the parable means:
The ground could represent anything from society, down to the your own family or employees that you rely on. Jesus does not mention anything else about the 'rich man' (who could represent the ignorant and distrusting members of society, etc) other than the fact that he is concerned about his goods. This shows the error of his ways, because the rich man doesn not appreciate how he got the land, who worked to make it the way it was, who harvested his 'goods', which in the end are truly irrelevant to true happiness in life. The joy in life, the meaning and the way God wishes us to truly live our lives is to share with others and ultimately to share out time and effort with god e.g. prayer and ceremonial offerings, etc. In this way, the goods could possibly represent all the tings in life that distract us and hinder us from recieving God's word. The 'rich man' is the embodiment of greed and self indulgience. He represents those in society who only think for themselvesl.
Looking into the words of the parable, although we are being encouraged to be truly kind to each other and most importantly show self respect, God at the end of the parable could represent the government of those times and because of this, could also represent temptation in some small way for who truly benefits in life when others feed off of our greed? By following christ and trying our best to be free of greed and helping those in need we have recognised a few of the important steps towards entering the Kingdom of God.
In the parable there is a part where the rich man talks to his 'soul'. What does the soul represent? God and his will? Or perhaps human compassion and the will to be servants to society and God himself? Who knows? All i know is that it is saying that when we slack off and deviate from God's will, when our time of death comes ("this night thy soul shall be required of thee") or when the times comes to prove our worth and commit an act of kindness(this night thy 'compassion' shall be required of thee), we will not be ready and we will not enter the Kingdom of God. The rich man desperately sought for a place to store his fruits and did not think of those who he might be able to help by giving his fruits, so they might survive. He took down his barns and built a big barn solely for the fruits. Maybe this implies that maybe in his greed he cast out those that initially lived in those barns? In his greed, he completely neglected those who needed and deserved his kindness.
If these are in fact stories from Jesus' life, then what happened to these people he speaks of? We can never be sure of where we will end up in the afterlife, but if one thing is for sure, it is our duty as humans to respect the lives of others and to assist humanity in making this world a better place, because with God, we are never alone.
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Lev 7:12-15

12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.

13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.

14 And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.

15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. KJV


Lev 23:15-20

15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.

18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.

19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.

20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. KJV


1 Cor 15:20 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. KJV

1 Cor 15:23 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. KJV

James 1:18 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. KJV
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My personal view on the parable is that our Lord Jesus would like to warn us of guarding ourselves against all kinds of greediness. This, i think is a one simple truth God wants us to consider. In addition, God calls for an immediate response of anybody that's warned as said in verse 20 which tells for the urgency of time.
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The Jewish lawyer asks him 'Who is my neighbour?'
When Jesus is telling the story we think 'the dying man is the neighbour needing to be loved' and YET this is not Jesus' conclusion!
The neighbour surprisingly is the Samaritan who loved (not the one who was loved - remember the question 'who is my neighbour? ie who is the one I am to love?' - Jesus answer is effectively 'the samaritan'.
What does Jesus change the subject of the neighbour? Is it hinting that we should love the saviour figure who everyone despises - ie Jesus!!!

What do you think?
thanks
frederick
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