Dad's Ramblings -- The Leaven

PARABLES OF JESUS – The Leaven
Matthew 13:33
 
"Another parable He spoke to them: 'The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.' "
 
This parable has always been perplexing to me, but this is what I think it means: The Holy Spirit is the leaven that permeates the life of the Believer and causes him or her to grow. When I was a kid, Mom made bread from scratch. I was fascinated by the ball of dough in the bowl that started out small and expanded until it filled the bowl. Mom would knead it until it was small again, pummeling it until the excess air was forced out. Then as it set, it would grow again and fill the bowl once more. It was the yeast (leaven) that caused the growth as it affected the entire loaf. (A little leaven leavens the whole lump (I Corinthians 5:6b)). I grow as a Christian as I allow the Holy Spirit to change me and expand my life in God. Sometimes, I have to be kneaded by trials to expel the excess air-bubbles of pride. Then as I am filled with the Spirit, I become leaven to the rest of society and thus the Kingdom grows.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Believers grow in their Christian life as they are filled with the Holy Spirit.
 
Have a "leavened" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- From A Seed To A Tree

PARABLES OF JESUS – From A Seed To A Tree
Matthew 13:31-32
 
"Another parable He put forth to them, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and became a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.' "

The disciples had no concept of what they had gotten involved with when they followed Jesus. So He gave them a picture of a tiny, insignificant seed that grew into a mighty tree. The kingdom of heaven began as a tiny seed that was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the body of a young girl. That seed grew and was born as an insignificant baby in a stable. That child grew up in a humble carpenter's home until the time came for him to become an itinerant preacher who spoke a message of faith and hope. That preacher died an ignominious death as a criminal on a cursed cross, and was gloriously resurrected.  Eleven lowly uneducated men became the backbone of movement that spread the message of kingdom. That message went around the world and millions upon millions of people have found a place of rest in that tree. And it is still growing as more people become a part of that kingdom. I'm so glad that this "bird" has found a place of refuge in the kingdom.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The kingdom of heaven began as a seed but has grown into a mighty tree.
 
Have a "resting" place in the kingdom today. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Tares Among The Wheat (Part II)

PARABLES OF JESUS – Tares Among The Wheat (Part 2)
Matthew 13:27-30
        
" 'So the servants of the owner came and said to him, "Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?" He said to them, "An enemy has done this." The servants said to him, "Do you want us then to go and gather them up?" But he said, "No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let them both grow until the time of harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "
 
What do we do with people in the church who are not true believers? Jesus said to let them be. Tares by themselves do not affect the true wheat. They may not look good in the field and may bring reproach on the owner of the field, but unless they are causing problems with the rest of the wheat, we do more damage to true believers when we try to pull them out. There is a place for church discipline when a member is causing problems and affecting the rest of the church. But if we insist on being "pure" by eliminating the unsaved, we do harm to God's kingdom. Our job is not to judge the heart. God sees and will make the separation in the final harvest.
 
Today's Thought: More harm than good is done by pulling up the tares.
 
Have a "wheat" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Tares Among The Wheat

PARABLES OF JESUS – Tares in the Field
 
"Another parable He put forth to them, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.' "
 
Tares are weeds that look similar to wheat, especially when in the growing stage. They are false wheat, and it is not until the grain matures that the difference is apparent.  Jesus recognized that in the Kingdom of God the enemy would plant false Christians -- who look like believers, but who have not been born again by faith.  Only time reveals what they really are. They are known by their fruit (Matthew 12:33), whether they are truly believers or imposters.

　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
TODAY'S THOUGHT: It is not always easy to tell the difference between the true Christian and the false.
 
Have a discerning day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Good and Fruitful Soil

PARABLES OF JESUS – Good and Fruitful Soil
Matthew 13:8-9
 
"But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
 
All of the soils heard the word of God. The difference, according to Jesus, is that the good soil not only hears but understands (Matthew 13:23). Understanding brings a response which leads to action. It is not enough just to hear God's word. Jesus said that the person who hears and does it is wise (Matthew 7:24). James said to be doers of the word and not hearers only (James 1:22) Peter said that we would not be unfruitful if these things abound and we would not stumble if we do them (II Peter 1:8-10). It is the doing that causes fruitfulness. God's word will bear fruit in my life if I keep a soft heart and not allow myself to become hard, if I keep the rocks cleaned out, and if I don't allow the thorns to choke. I truly want to be good soil that brings forth God's fruit.

TODAY'S THOUGHT: The fruitful life hears, understands, and does God's Word.
 
Have a "doing" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Strangled Faith

PARABLES OF JESUS – STRANGLED FAITH
Matthew 13:7

"And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them."
 
Jesus explained that the thorns are "the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches" which make a person unfruitful (vs. 22). How many people allow the "stuff" of life and the desire for money and things to strangle their faith and cause their lives to be unfruitful in spiritual things? It is a challenge to be alert to the things that would sap all my energy and time, and crowd out what is really important.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The things of this world can choke one's spiritual life so he is unfruitful.

Have an unchoked day. Love you.

Thanksgiving

O that men would

give thanks

to the LORD for His goodness,

and for His wonderful works

to the children of men.

 

Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of

thanksgiving

and declare His works

with rejoicing.

 

Psalm 107:21-22

Dad's Ramblings -- Shallow Christians

PARABLES OF JESUS – Shallow Christians
Matthew 13:5-6
 
"Some fell on stony places where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away."
 
Shallow Christians have no depth of faith. As Jesus explained it (vss. 20-21), they receive the word with joy but when troubles come, they wither away. Their faith is based in emotion or feelings, but emotions are fickle, and when the heat comes they do not endure. Faith that endures puts roots deep into knowing God and His Word. Everyone gets burnt once in a while, but deep roots will keep me through those times.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Shallow faith is rooted in emotions and will not endure the heat of life.
 
Have a rooted day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Seed By The Wayside

PARABLES OF JESUS – Seed By The Wayside
Matthew 13:4
 
"And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured it."
 
I planted some grass seed not long ago, but the birds found it and ate it so it was not able to take root and grow. In Jesus' exposition of this parable (Matthew 13:18-23), He said that the seed was the "word of the kingdom" and that the birds were the "wicked one." When the seed falls by the wayside, the common area where people walk, it is trod underfoot as just common stuff along the path. It has no special meaning because people do not understand that it is God's Word – God speaking to us. Many people view the Bible as just another book with no special meaning. They treat it as just common words. So when they hear God's Word, the devil can easily pluck it away so that it does not take root and grow. I need to be careful to carefully listen to God's Word.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God's Word is not to be considered "common" -- it is God speaking.
 
Have a listening day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Sower

PARABLES OF JESUS – The Sower
Matthew 13:3
      
"Then He spoke many thing to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went out to sow.' "
 
The word "parable" comes from two Greek words – para (beside) and ballo (throw). So a parable is a dramatic story placed beside a truth to explain the meaning of the truth. It is an expanded metaphor. We use figures of speech when we try to describe something by comparing it to something else. For example, we might say, "The new car rode like a cloud." Or, "It was black as night." The metaphor brings to what we are trying to say. So parables are not just good stories. We look for God's truth in the parables of Jesus.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Parables are vivid stories to explain truth.
 
Have a "looking" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Storms of Life

PARABLES OF JESUS  – THE STORMS OF LIFE
Matthew 7:26-27
 
"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
 
Senator Mark Hatfield, and others, built homes on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the Oregon coast. As time went by, the surf from the storms eroded the cliff and the houses became uninhabitable, and some were destroyed. No matter how beautiful the view, it is folly to build houses in such places because storms will surely come. People who build their lives on the shifting sands of popular ideas of the culture or human philosophy are truly foolish because when the storms of life come, as they surely will, the foundation will crumble. There is only one solid Rock to build a life on, and that is Christ Jesus and His Word. "On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is shifting sand."
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Only a life built on faith in Jesus and His Word will stand in the storms of life.
 
Have a "solid" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- PARABLES OF JESUS -- The Wise Man

PARABLES OF JESUS – The Wise Man
Matthew 7:24-25
 
"Therefore whoever hears these saying of Mine, and does them, I will like him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."
 
It is not enough to hear and know God's Word; I must live by it if I want a rock-solid life. I have known people who can quote the Bible, but they do not live it. When the storms come, their lives are left in shambles. God's Word alone is a secure foundation for living. A life built on any other foundation will crumble when the storms come.
 
Today's Thought: It is a wise man who both hears God's Word and does it.
 
Have a "doing" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Ministry

MINISTRY
Colossians 4:17
 
"And say to Archippus, 'Take heed to the ministry that you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.' "
 
Ministry is not limited to the clergy. Every Believer has been given a task to do, a position to fill. One of Paul's favorite metaphors of the Church is the body, with every part of the body doing its job. "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually" (I Corinthians 12:27). "For we are many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function...Having then gifts differing to the grace that is given to us, let us use them" (Romans 12:4-6). Some people are writers, some are singers, some are cooks, some are care-givers. So the kingdom of God functions best when each Believer fulfills his or her ministry. And it suffers when any part is missing. So let the Church be the Church!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The Church functions best when every member fulfills his or her God-given ministry.
 
Have a fulfilling day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Friends -- And Others

FRIENDS – AND OTHERS
Colossians 4:14-15
 
"Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you."

Paul was not a lone ranger. He was blessed with many good and loyal friends in his life, such as those listed in this letter – Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Mark, Nymphas, Archippus, and Luke and Demas – plus many more mentioned in other letters (see especially Romans 16). But that does not mean that all Believers treated him well. There were also those who mistreated him and caused him pain, such as the preachers who caused envy and strife (Philippians 1:15), and Alexander who caused him "much harm" (II Timothy 4:14). So how did Paul handle these Christians? He committed them to the Lord and kept on trucking. He did not allow them to keep him from serving the Lord Jesus who died for him. My answer to people who have been hurt by other Christians is, "Did those people die for you?" If not, commit them to Jesus and keep on serving the Lord.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: One of the joys of the Christian is friends who support and encourage the walk of faith.
 
Have a friendly day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Zealous, Fervent Prayer

ZEALOUS, FERVENT PRAYER
Colossians 4:12-13
 
"Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hieropolis."
 
I wonder if perhaps Epaphras' spirit was moved to zealous and fervent prayer for his friends in these churches at Colosse, Laodecea and Hieropolis because he saw the seeds of decay that Jesus identified in the church at Laodecea – that they were full of works but had spiritual apathy (neither hot nor cold), pride and self-sufficiency (rich and needing nothing), and were doing their own thing (Jesus was on the outside knocking) (Revelation 3:14-22). Epaphras prayed that they would be perfect and complete in God's will. As I look at today's church, I see some of the same problems. May my fervent prayer for today's church be that it would be strong in doing Christ's will, not its own works.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The Church in America needs our zealous and fervent prayer.
 
Have a prayerful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Missionary Reports

MISSIONARY REPORTS
Colossians 4:7, 9
 
"Tychicus...will tell you all the news about me. I am sending him to you...with Onesimus.... They will make known to you all the things which are happening here."
 
Paul was a prisoner in Rome, but he wanted his supporters back home to know how things were going. As a child (and as an adult), I always enjoyed the times when missionaries would visit our church and tell their stories and show their slide pictures (which always ended in a sunset). They have impacted me and instilled a missionary heart in me. Many churches have severely limited or eliminated entirely the practice of having missionaries visit and share their ministries. I wonder if our churches have missed opportunities to plant the missionary seed in young lives by not encouraging missionaries to come and challenge us. After all, evangelism of the world is the heart of God.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: It is important to allow missionaries to share their hearts and challenge us to the Great Commission.
 
Have a missionary day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Redeeming The Time

REDEEMING THE TIME
Colossians 4:5-6
 
"Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer each one."
 
What is the best way to take advantage of my time with people who are outside of faith in Christ? I have a sneaky suspicion that more people are won to faith in Christ by words of grace than by words of condemnation. I can treat them as the dirty rotten sinners they are, or I can see them in the light of God's love and grace to them. Salt can be used to make people thirsty or it can be rubbed into their wounds. I need to know the best use of salt in various situations. God calls me to be a person of grace.
      
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The time I have to minister grace is precious and needs to be redeemed.
 
Have a gracious day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings: Open Doors

OPEN DOORS
Colossians 4:3-4
 
"Meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak."
 
Waiting for God to open a door, whether to witness or to minister, is difficult; it tries a person's patience. But it is better to wait until God opens the door than to force it open. Sister Fink, a dear lady in Alsea, used to say, "Wait for God to open the door. If you try to break it down, you will cause irreparable damage." Even Jesus waits for the door to open; He stands and knocks, but the person must open the door (Revelation 3:20). Prayer is a vital tool in causing doors to open.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Better to wait for a door to open than to damage it by forcing it open.
 
Have a patient day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- I Need God!

I NEED GOD
Colossians 4:2
 
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving."
 
When I don't pray, I am saying, in effect, "I don't need God; I can handle life very well by myself, thank you!" Prayer is admitting that I cannot handle life's problems by my own strength, ability, or wisdom. And thanksgiving is acknowledging that God is my source. I confess, I need God!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Prayer and Thanksgiving are recognition of dependence upon God.
 
Have a prayerful and thankful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- God Will Repay

GOD WILL REPAY
Colossians 3:24-25
 
"... knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality."
 
It is so easy to fall into the trap of revenge and retribution to those who mistreat me. I need this reminder that vengeance belongs to God (Romans 12:19), and that if I keep a proper spirit of serving the Lord Jesus, He will repay for both good and bad.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God rewards our service to Him, and repays those who do wrong.
 
Have a good-spirit day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Heart Service

HEART SERVICE
Colossians 3:22-23
 
"Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men."
 
Who am I trying to please? The focus of my life should be to please God – not people.
If my objective is to please people, whether on a job or some other activity, I will only do what is required to satisfy them. If my goal is to please God, then I will do the best that my abilities will allow me to – with my whole heart. In the end, I answer to God and not to people.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The Christian's goal is to please God, not other people.
 
Have a God-pleasing day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- To Do or Not To Do?

TO DO OR NOT TO DO?

Colossians 3:17

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

When facing decisions about proper Christian living, here are two filters to judge my speech and my actions: 1) Can I do or say it in the name of the Lord Jesus? 2) Can I say or do it with thankfulness to God? If what I say and do cannot measure up to these standards of faith and thanksgiving, it does not pass muster, and I cannot live with a clear conscience before God. Following these two simple guidelines will help me live a righteous, God pleasing life.

TODAY'S THOUGHT: A person can filter his life through two questions: "Can I do this in the name of Jesus?" and, "Can I give thanks to God?".

Have a filtered day. Love you.