Hi,

I understand, that the Good Samaritan was a real person who lived long before Jesus, and the same thing happened to him, he was perscuted for doing good deeds to other. That's the reason why Jesus was able to tell this story. I forgot the name of this person.

Could you help me? What is the Good Samaritan's name?

Thanks
Willy
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I am sorry that somehow the last clause of paragraph 2 was missing from my post in my second paragraph. I meant to send

"The Judgement of the Good and Evil Servants 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 their 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 Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour for real ***will they be saved indeed.***

Thank you for your patience as I struggle with carpal and cubital tunnel syndromes in both arms, poverty and dependence upon my parents outside the Lord, and computer viruses such as the source of smiley faces replacing final verse numbers. I have no help save Jesus Christ in this.

Yours in Christ,

+++ Kevin Douglas Rosenberg
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First of all, let it be known that I never stated my judgement of fifty million dollars on evil servant Bill Meier pastor of Twin City Bible Church in Urbana IL as the cause of my sinning habitually. It was domination by pastors reared among the lower class and thus inclined to see my enormous request as unreal stuff of dreams which caused me to sin habitually and quit their churches. That I asked, however, was the best way to mend (Matt. 7 : 7 ); by making a financial request for positive help, I obeyed Jesus Christ when otherwise I would have desired clear vengeance. Besides, psychiatry summoned by Bill Meier had caused weeds of habitual sin to sprout in my weakened walk with God long before my financial demands became clear. Let us now examine the lower-class backgrounds of so many of today's pastors and ministers.

Much has changed economically with the churches and the pastoral profession during the current Great Apostasy ( II Tim. 4: 3 - 4 ). Before the Great Apostasy and scientific belief in geologic time and biological evolution, pastors were highly esteemed, just like today's physicians; the upper class admired them and sought those privileged positions of minister or pastor. Seminaries catered to the upper class through extensive required coursework such as Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Along with a lack of financial aid for the lower and middle classes, extensive, difficult required coursework forced most students who needed to earn the money for tuition to wait or quit. Thus, pastors of then were well educated and mostly from a rather rich background.

Since the Great Apostasy began, scientific repudiation of our faith, and stingy donations have led the upper class to pursue doctorates and careers in law and medicine en masse while shunning theology. So hard have seminaries struggled to keep heretics out of their faculties and to fill their rosters that they have allowed pastoral students from the lower class concession after concession from financial aid packages to dropping of essential course requirements such as Greek. Are today's pastors and ministers really up to their jobs? I believe that most appear to fulfill their nominal requirements of employment but fail God's: they are especially likely to keep their jobs at the cost of incurring judgement as evil servants in charge (Matt. 24 : 45 - 51 ).

As a category, pastors who hail from poor backgrounds are inferior to those from the upper class in three ways, and the current Church Growth Movement seminaries have catered to them at the expense of the Lord. Those born poor have grown up in a subculture which discourages study, stifles creativity and encourages imitation, and most importantly demands conformity (quote: a book, "Great Expectations"). Recruitment of those born poor by seminaries has involved not only concessions of financial aid packages, but also of dropping critical course requirements and of graduating called missionaries-to-be as pastoral graduates and of granting pastoral degrees for more kinds of those disqualified by I Tim. 3 : 1 - 8 .

Extreme consequences of the presences of typical men born poor in positions of pastor and in the pastoral job pool are manifest. Because students from poor backgrounds generally dislike study, they do less study and are less thoroughly grounded in God's Word than their counterparts of old. Sin has more opportunities to enter and take hold. Because growing up among the poor stifles creativity and encourages imitation, many pastors preach well from their pulpits with the fruits of others' walks with God, yet are they a fright to meet in their offices!-- for they will follow their own evil hearts in preference to whatever Scriptures the needy may present, let alone the unnoticed will of God from His Word. Such indifference to truth prevails that ruinously trumped-up petitions and reports for psychiatric intervention have resulted. Because life among the poor in English-speaking lands demands conformity, pastors likewise demand conformity without regard to the will of God, and many are evil servants in charge of their flocks of Christian followers. They do what is popular and brings in crowds rather than pleasing God. All of this is to the detriment of the needy, so much that government has taken up the slack through income taxes and entitlement programs.

Through domination such as psychiatry, the evil servants in charge had repeatedly knocked the socks off my weakened, woeful walk with God long before I understood the truths of these horrible situations, and still I suffer from what they have done. Now that I know, however, never again will I follow them. Deeply dispirited, I dare not bother the churches anymore where I have come to live, but ask, seek, and knock here for a guide to some congregation already faithful in the unrighteous mammon of Luke 16, which I must present before I dare ask any churchgoer for anything financial. I was right in Christ to ask pastors to seek fifty millioin dollars from Bill Meier because Jesus commanded the giving and told me to ask (Matt. 5 : 42 , 7 : 7 ) and because as a former psychiatric patient apt to lie on applications I was sure to sin through continual worry if denied, worth a curse of the denying man in charge (Matt. 6: 24ff , 18 : 5 -7 ). In order to know whom to ask justly, however, I needed to know who had the wealth and which churches knew rich folk personally, and that was way beyond me. Vengeance indeed belongs to the Lord, and it will take place in His manner with amputations and announcements of hypocrisy and floggings (Matt. 24 : 45 - 51 ; also Luke) and losses of church buildings (Matt. 25 : 1-13 ) and deprivations and expulsions into homelessness (Matt. 25 : 14 - 30 ) rather than through the financial solutions I used to seek.

Unless the Gospel be spread throughout the whole inhabitable earth as Jesus Christ Himself commanded (Matt. 28 : 20 ) in the way He prophesied its spread before His coming again (Matt. 24 : 14 ) extremely soon, say, before next Passover, with the evil servants still in charge, it will indeed become necessary that the masters of the good and evil servants in charge of churches and so on wake up to return and reveal themselves as their masters: that Jesus Christ was not the master of His Parable of the Servants to judge them in heaven... but authorized ***them*** to execute these judgements on earth. Although vengeance belongs to the Lord, He has used humans to bring it about (Hab. 1 : 5 - 11 ). Because I have understood Chavaqquq (in the KJV spelled Habakkuk) and the general use of the masculine singular forms "master" and "servant" in the Hebrew and Aramaic manner of Psalm 1, I have no problem with God's plan to use boards and committees of humans as masters to execute His vengeance. May this happen soon! Martyrs in Christ among the mentally ill have suffered far too long, and still entire peoples have yet to hear the Good News!





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James J suggests this parable has "the master" (God) asking for immoral earnings from his servants. Even the suggestion to put the money in the bank and get interest would have been against the Torah law against usury.

The more you think about this parable as it would have sounded to the people of the time, the more strange it seems.

I think the chances of us getting at what Jesus actually mean, if he ever said it, are slim.

Still, like many parables it can be made to fit in with what ever current thinking is, and thereby demonstrate that that current thinking is based on "Biblical principles". Or am I being cynical?
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First of all, please note my postings on Matt. 24:45 - 25:30 covered under the Parable of the Ten Virgins. If God, to whom vengeance belongs, in order to get world evangelism, falsely promised by many by the year 2000, indeed accomplished for His Holy Name's sake for His return before the generation He mentioned passes away (Matt. 24 : 14, 34 ) resorts to delegating the judgement upon the evil servant(s) in charge of churches to their human boards, committees, and so on, to return as the evil servants' masters just as He already delegated such power to foreign, ungodly armies in the book of Habakkuk long before, then the atrocious judgements of the evil servant(s) in Matthew 24 : 45 - 51, the fulfillment of the Parable of the Virgins, and the fulfillment of the Parables of the Pounds and Talents will happen on this earth rather than in heaven as most pastors would prefer to teach. As time past New Year's Day 2001 progresses, the wrath of God against those who made the false promises and now try to live them down and against the evil servants in charge of His people who tie us down to American livings continues to grow. Unless the Gospel be spread throughout the whole world this very winter by Passover 2004, it will start to seem that world evangelism will never happen with the evil servants still in charge of their churches.

If the evil servants in charge must be ousted in the here and now on earth (in order to accomplish world evangelism in truth) rather than after the Rapture in heaven, the following parables will also be fulfilled immediately on earth thereafter. Then the Parable of the Virgins, instead of referring to the Rapture with many so-called Christians left behind, will be fulfilled litterally when all living churchgoers find themselves locked out of their church buildings forever, and only those who are willing to desist from all obvious habitual sin will be welcome in house churches. Christians who are unwilling to obey the rabbis' teachings on holy, Jewish life such as keeping kosher kitchens (Matt. 23 : 1 - 3 ) will be rebuked as sinners and locked out of those house churches. The social churchgoers unwilling to worship at a house church or unwelcome in the house church due to persistent habitual sins will become unreachable; I say, now is the time, while you still have your church buildings, to win the lost folk of your flocks to Christ indeed.

And if the previous judgements in the parables should happen, as I stated, on earth rather than in heaven, so will the judgements in the parables of the Talents and the Pounds. The talents in Scripture, in Greek "talanta," are not abilities or skills, but each "talanton" as much pure silver money as a man might endure patiently (in Greek tal-, tle^-: etle^n, tetle^ka "I dare, I endure patiently") to carry, 100 lb. Troy or 76 lb. 1 oz. av. or 34.5 kg. Yes, the talents are real, hard, heavy money, and the steward in charge of but one probably represents the one who knew nothing about the care of pack animals and thus was expected to carry one talent personally to market as he could indeed have done. Are you personally ready for this upcoming judgement?

Many may say such a sob story as this: "I've worked hard for everything I get. Nobody ever gave me much money that I didn't earn." Well, I've got news for such Christians: When the faithful stewards answer how well their investments have performed to their rich friends, all of these poor Christians will answer to me or a reader of mine who knows and teaches that LUKE 16 : 1 - 13, the Parable of the Unjust Steward, was indeed in your Bibles to be obeyed. Jesus never expected His people to earn most of the wealth for Christian ends; rather, He requires each of His congregations to make friends with the rich people of the world so that we may be welcome with them in time of wrack and ruin and so that our churches may receive large grants for Christian ministry. Too many churches by far consist of members content not to know the rich people of the world and to remain in such impoverished churches.

Who never had a chance to read LUKE 16 from a lack of this book or was incarcerated or hospitalized so as to be utterly unable to use LUKE 16? Most Christians are financially limited yet cannot claim such an excuse. When and if I get my chance, I will deprive them of whatever wealth they may possess and throw them out into the cold outer darkness of homelessness or Russian evangelism even in the prisons according to Jesus' own words in Matthew 25 : 28 - 30, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Gospel has got to get spread to all the peoples of the earth!

Each of us Christians with a complete (perhaps New) King James Bible or Tyndale's Bible with LUKE 16 still in it can read Jesus' plan to enrich His congregations. God blesses the rich people of the world with the fruits of the earth and expects us Christians to pay proper attention to the rich mission field for our provisions; as stewards or servants of Christ, we are to "trade" the endowment of the passage of LUKE 16 by obeying His words in it and making friends with the rich people of the world, however they may have earned their wealth. We are not all called to provide, but to make use of their provisions. If we so do, when the judgement of the stewards occurs, we shall answer to our rich friends in the world. If we shall have fared well with their investment advice, they will commend us; if we happen to have lost wealth, they will understand. Those who remain in congregations content not to know the rich people of the world, however, are liable to stupid investments of whatever wealth they earn or may have the good fortune to receive, and if Jesus leaves it to me I will condemn them to deprivation and homelessness on account of their disuse of their truest endowment, LUKE 16 : 1 - 13, the Parable of the Unjust Steward.

Why does the lazy steward disobey his master? He is able indeed to take his talent to market and to trade with it, as his master knew rather than guessing. He may be like the soldier who drops his cumbersome rucksack of some seventy or eighty pounds; according to Eric Foss, "such soldiers are the most likely to get killed in battle, because somebody else has to carry their rucksack for them." Among Christians it is LUKE 16 which is dropped. This steward may, on the other hand, feel incompetent to trade, as when we might think or say about the rich, You've gotta kiss up to these people... and do nothing to meet them and thus drop the pack of LUKE 16. The lazy steward may feel ill will toward the master or his potential heirs and may stow away his endowment in a secret place (the closed Bible) to escape with upon news of the master's death when if the endowment is to grow, it must remain evident to everyone.

I have suffered so horribly and abominably under the church leaders of poverty for so long already that I seize fast upon LUKE 16. I will not drop this ungainly pack, the message "We have got to make friends with the rich people of the world for our security in bad times and for our financial endowments for ministry" which makes me unwelcome at local churches here in Columbus, Indiana. Please reply here with news about any congregations of which you may be aware which will do their utmost to put LUKE 16 into practice by meeting and befriending the rich people of the world for security against homelessness and to receive lasting benefit for ministry. The lazy servant churches cannot attract me; if I need not fear lack of provision in the stingy, inhospitable Modern English speaking cultures, I shall flee to find a fruitful servants' assembly in Christ. Help me here, for it would be ruinously foolish of me to set out on my own in flight without a sure destination of faith. And now I wish you the best of luck in implementing the Parable of the Unjust Steward as it properly reads in the pure King James Version.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

+++ Kevin D. Rosenberg


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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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sue has no scriptures to back-up her say-so
that leaven is the holy ghost
that the meal is man body mind soul and spirit
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I have read many different explanations for this group of parables in many commentaries and on many websites (including this one). It never ceases to amaze me how often we try to draw out of scripture our own viewpoints. In trying to interpret these parables certain guidelines of interpretation have been distorted, and ignored. In an attempt to draw out "our" viewpoints we often approach a passage bringing additional info that could corrupt and distort the actual meaning.
The following are some very basic guidelines to follow: 1) observe, observe, observe! Don't try to break everything down to the smallest component in such a way that you miss the main point but rather try to see the big picture and how the small components relate to it. 2) Start with the text you are looking at! We often want to take other passages and "bring" them into our study. This has it's place, but should be done later. 3) Setting and Context are essential, not optional! What is going on? Who is involved? What happens before? What happens after? Are there any "keys" within the text that give us any clues or insight? Are there any themes? 4) Try and draw out what is being said or taught! What is being stated or taught in the passage is more important then what I want it to mean. Write out the results of your study of the text. 5) Check and double check! Now you can go to other passages and compare. Ask: Is there any scripture or biblical principle that conflicts with or contradicts the results of the study? We often get hung up on this one. Word studies, and cross-referencing are great, but when we do this we must also understand the context of those words and passages as well ( YEAH MORE STUDY! ). It is improper to take something outside the passage studied (including other scripture) and use it to completely change it's meaning just because we can. There must be valid reasons for doing so (e.g. The reults conflict or contradict other scripture). If there is no valid reason then it is probably best to leave the results as they are if you have spent adequate time and effort studying ( reading through it a few times and then seeing what everyone else says is not adequate studying). Just because we are not sitting in a classroom doesn't mean we stop learning and should stop studying!! I believe that if we will take the time and put forth the effort, these parables are not as difficult and confusing as we are making them out to be! So enjoy the journey and adventure of studying God's Word, hiding it in your herats and allowing it to transform our hearts and lives for God's Glory!

P.S The majority view isn't always the right one!
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(14 ) For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own "Pastors", and delivered unto them His goods.
(15 ) And unto one "the kingdom of heaven" gave five souls, to another two souls, and to another one soul; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
(16 ) Then he that had received the five souls went and traded with the same, and made them other five souls.
(17 ) And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
(18 ) But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's soul.
(19 ) After a long time the Lord of those "Pastors" cometh, and reckoneth with them.
(20 ) And so he that had received five souls came and brought other five souls, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five souls: behold, I have gained beside them five souls more.
(21 ) His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
(22 ) He also that had received two souls came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two souls: behold, I have gained two other souls beside them.
(23 ) His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
(24 ) Then he which had received the one soul came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
(25 ) And I was afraid, and went and hid thy soul in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
(26 ) His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful "Pastor", thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
(27 ) Thou oughtest therefore to have put my souls to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
(28 ) Take therefore the soul from him, and give it unto him which hath ten souls.
(29 ) For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
(30 ) And cast ye the unprofitable "Pastor" into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The talents are Souls!
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The text of the good Samaritan story does not say whether the man is Jewish or Gentile or Samaritan or anything. The greek uses an indefinite pronoun, so the best translation is "certain man". One may infer that he was Jewish because he was traveling from Jerusalem (a place Samaritans wouldn't be welcome), but it is not certain.
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I think that this parable is a great way of christian love. I think it is good because, the samaritan and the jews never liked each other and the only person that helped the jew on the road of jericho was a samaritan. Tnis is showing that the man that helped the jew wasn't racist. In the same way as this samaritan loved this man as much as he loved his own people, we also should have the same kind of love for all races. We shouldn't have a grudge against people of certain races. Loving all races is a positive kind of love. This is a great example of Agape love. Christian love.
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I need a picture of the mustard tree for Bible Study on mustard seed faith.
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Please send me a picture of the mustard tree. All my life I have thought they were talking about mustard greens for some reason, but could not understand how they thought it grew into a tree. A friend told me about the mustard tree and I am searching the internet for a picture of one.
Thank you
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Patrick hold on to your faith and Father God... He grieves with you...I too grive with you, as a formerly behaving as elder brother of prodigal son...Myself personaly God did a work in me and revealed my PRIDE, MY SELFISHNESS AND MY HEART, AND MY FEARS......

Keep praying God will reveal it to her in the scriptures about herself...
let god lead you when or if you should quote the scripture..Change may not come over night, as it did not come over night with you, or with the prodigal son, but the FATHER made his self availble to them, told elder son is been here for you the fatted calf, party, deliverance awaits your child. i love the comment made about wanting to be like the Prodigal son's Father that i read earlery

be bless everyone, i was enlightened by all the comments and revelations on this parable
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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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i am no bible scholar or a person of great intelligence, but the other day i was figuring it to be in 2008 also , its funny how i came accross your message, but again the bible says no one knows the appointed time that the lord shall return but he dose give us clues to follow and gives us warning. amen amen
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I have a friend on life support. She was like Lazurus, full of sores that our eyes could not see, but the heart could. So many people became tired trying to deal with her sores (including myself). She felt as though no one really loved her. She had received Jesus, but I don't really think she understood his love for her.

The family is pulling the life support in just fifteen more minutes, Wednesday, March 25th at 5pm. Do we know whether she will breathe on her own? Is she already with the Lord, as there is no brain function? She probably knows better than we who remain.

I ask Jesus for forgiveness for anytime that I did not treat her as my neighbor and acted in part as the rich man did who received good things. This is a day to remember, that in life, always love your neighbor, show mercy, share your good things and try to endure with patience those who have a life of evil sores befalling them. This is humbling.

God bless,
Victoria Trees
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Bless all,

The lost son is anyone who falls from god, for a minute,a day ,a year or a lifetime, being prodigal is being seperated from god, this can happen daily in our work, in our worries, dreams, speach, thoughts, you name it it is out there to seperate us, the father to be true must let us exercise our free will. The older brother or the church did not go out searching for his brother, why not? it's his brother, the same blood, siblings together, the father did not send him out so as free will can be exercised across the board, the brother chose not to help and was not led to a repentive state to come home, a state that has renewing powers that can transform your whole life from death to life, experiencing the grace of god.

I wonder how many of us sit in church every weekend dead, praying for revival in our own hearts but shunning the call to do as the lord did and be jelous of the celibrations that occur when one returns, dont they celibrate in heaven when comes to the lord?, then shouldnt it be on earth as it is in heaven, no other place in the bible does it talk about such a large celbration being held for for such, as in the worlds eyes, a small thing,

I believe that this parable was being acted out to these peaple at the very same time they were listening to it,"as it is in heaven" but it instead of a lost son and an elderly church it was our heavenly father that sent out his son to gather the lost, to the point of dying on a cross, with his last words saying forgive them for they know not what they do, Jesus always led by example! shouldnt we all strive to do the same, lets not miss out on any more celbrations, see a brother in need give them a hand, call them if you havnt seen them in church for awhile, give to them if you have it, you will never go broke giving for god, Go out and look for the lost sheep in your pasture, do anything but dont let your heart harden warming a pew, remember Jonah? Ask your self who is more lost, the younger son or the older brother? Without God we know not what we do, we all need forgivness all round and the freeing power of gods grace,

So be graceful and be blessed
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What does it mean to be ready? Isn't salvation enough? Can you lose your salvation if you continue in the world?

Where do we draw the line of being ready?
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Please send me a picture of a of a full grown mustard seed tree. Please send it as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Rosalind
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In looking at the various comments found below I notice that a lot of people inject their own ideas into the scripture when there is ample scripture to reveal what is meant. The King James Version of the bible is good because it keeps the integrity of individual words throughout the bible. This is especially important in the parables, because you can’t improve upon perfection. So a choice word, which is found in one parable, should be used in the others where the same (Greek) word is used. Jesus had the power of perfect wording and this is why he seems redundant in saying for instance “beware ye of the leaven of the scribes and the Pharisee’s, which is hypocrisy for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither is there anything hid which shall not be known. The latter part of this expression is found about four times throughout the gospels and maybe more. So the words hid, covered, revealed and of course leaven, are words that can be looked up in a concordance and traced back until a picture forms.

Leaven… Ah, the leaven and the dough parable! Leaven was hid in dough and it ended up being leavened. Might another expression for leavened be revealed? “There is nothing covered that will not be revealed. There is nothing hid that shall not be manifested”? Couldn’t the word manifested be synonymous with revealed or leavened?

But then you may remember that the idea there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed came out of Mark chapter four. Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel or under a bed and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested. Neither was anything kept secret……….

I think if you do a word study on the exact Greek words found in the parables you will find these unchangeable truths. The spirit or heart of a man-the candle, is also likened unto an eye. The light of the body is the eye…This is the ground that the word (seed) is sown in. The word obviously is the word of God, which is an aspect of the life of Christ. In the beginning was the word the word was with God and the word was God…. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible seed by the word of God, which lives and abides forever. The treasure is the ability to manifest to the outer world the spiritual realities of the Kingdom of God or to tap into the human spirit and get in working on our behalf. Notice that in the parable of the treasure in the field and the merchant man seeking goodly pearls that there is great gain depicted. These are the secrets kept hidden from the foundation of the world.

These things were put in parables and metaphors because God foresaw that there would be a time when the Holy Spirit manifestation-the teacher, would dwindle. And people like you and me would have to learn the system through meditation vs. direct illumination from the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit is received through the use of these principles. I realize that people will say with indignation “that’s not so”! But getting 500 hundred different interpretations per 500 people asked shows the Holy Spirit is not as manifest as should be. He’s a wee bit scarce ya know.

Just make sure that the Word interprets itself, for it says that it is not of any private interpretation.

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i think it really teaches about thing what about you?
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You confuse rich believers with rich folk of this world. The Apostle James condemned favoritism in the "church" or assembly of believers. It is rich believers who were dragging their poor brethren into court, and it is the poor among believers (that is, Jewish) whom Jesus most commended.

Wealth is not condemned; it is rich people of this world who pretend to be Christians and call themselves our brethren and sisters who are condemned. Jesus sent the rich young man away with His enormous demand because He could not speak favorably to his illiteracy and materialism. The need to hide the written Word in his heart was too great fot the rich young man to endure. Our command from Jesus in this Parable of the Unjust Steward is to make (more) friends with rich folk of the unrighteous mammon, all without mention of trying to keep them.

Resort to the magic of a rich sorcerer was rebuked as sin because sorcery itself was sin in Israel and because counsel for Christians should come from other believers (Psalm 1). If the request had been for money instead of magic powers, no sign of sin would be present. Please accept our need for friendship with rich folk of this world. If you try to earn all the money for ministry, sooner or later God will let it be given away unless you sin by withholding it, and poverty should show the need for the favour of the rich.

+++Kevin D. Rosenberg


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what are some verses that say we are to donate to time- talents to GOD. I am looking for thee ref texts for saying to someone. yes you donate money but GOD expects you do doante your time and your skills to his ministry
dave

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For michelle Tobin and everyone else:
It seems by the way Jesus told the story, that one need not be a christian to inherit eternal life. Jesus was asked this question and after the parable answered " Go and do likewise". Now the good samaritan was not a christian, but a product of mixed interbreeding between jews from the Northern Kingdom and other people after Israel's exile. They were considered heretics. Yet, it was what was in the samaritans heart that was the focal point of the parable. To say that only christians ( only people who accept Jesus as their Lord and savior and accept that he died on the cross for their sins) are going to be saved, is in a way like, judging other people. And as you well know, Jesus clearly states "judge not, least you yourself be judged.
Amen and God bless everyone.
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cornell
I dont have the scriptures.. but the way i understand it is ...
There is repentance and blasphemy of the holy spirit.. i am not to clear on it either.. but here is what i do know

When we sin, if we confess our sins and turn God will forgive us.
Sin could be murder, murders,stealing, hate lust, lying, gossiping

Blasphemy as i understand it, not quite sure is when a person totally reject God , they have been given over to reprobate mind, they have
completly sold out and have no desire to come back home to God the Father

God knows the diffenence and he is not confuse when someone has completely rejected and refuse his Love, Him, His Son, His Spirit, His ways...

a story, testimony i love in the bible, is saul that perscuted, killed christians, one day on the road to Damascus was stop in his tracks
turn around repent of his evil ways was forgiven and greatly use by the same God, the same Jesus he tried to kill, and destroy his name and his people.....What a great testimony....God loves it when we turn, he is not a tricky God is not trying to trick us, sometimes the enemy tries to trick us into thinking i have gone to far God will never accept me now, look how i reject him,look at all those time he spoke to me, warn me and i walked away, rejected him and would not listen, will he listen to me now.... this is want the prodigal son parable son 's essence of the message is he will accept you, love you, bless you, if you come back home, return, repent confess, Lord, Father God i have sin against you
i have rejected you,i have(you fill in the blanks)
i want to come back home
i believe in You Father God, I believe in Your Son Jesus that he died for my sins, and that he arose on third day, and now i am made free by
The Blood of Jesus, and i ask for you The Holy Spirit to come into my heart and live inside of me,
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jesus christ is the good shepard, he is the source of salvation, if you want to go to heaven you have to go through christ.
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I hear your words and what you say could be true if that is what the scripture is talking about. My belief is that the 10 virgins are more of an example of being ready to meet the Lord than that. Some will be taken up in the rapture and some will not be ready. 5 were ready to go in to the Bridegroom and 5 were not ready.--I believe that the rapture will take place and it will happen before the 7 years of tribulation. Some of the people will be ready and some will not be. Here is an example of those not ready.

Years ago I did a research paper recounting the people who might be alive at the time of the tribulation. I am a pre-tribulation person and believe in the rapture. Very simply put, the paper was like this. If all of the people on earth stood in a group and then the tribulation started, I believe it would go like this.—
1. The first to leave the group would be those taken out in the rapture at the beginning of the seven years.

2. Of those left behind, there would be those who accept the mark of the beast and the bible says that they are lost.

3. There will also be those who will not have anything to do with believing on God so lets put all of these off to the side as those who will be judged and go to the Lake of fire.

4.. Of those left behind, The Anti Christ will require them to take his mark in their for heads or their right hand. If they refuse, they will be slain for their faith and they become those who are under the altar.

5. Of those left behind, there will be those who the bible says will make it through the 7 years of tribulation and will be accepted so lets just add those who go to heaven.

5. Then there are the Jews. They will be those who are mentioned as having signed a 7 year peace treaty under false pretenses. When the Anti Christ stands in the new temple that will be built and declares that he is God, the Jews will realize that they made a big mistake and they will pull out of the peace treaty and head for the hills for protection. Probably to the city of Petra which is carved in the rocks. At the end of the 7 years, Christ will return to earth for the beginning of the 1000 years of peace.

5 virgins were watching and waiting for the Lord's return and 5 were not. There are those waiting and watching to go be with the Bridegroom at rapture time and there are those who say
it is all nonsense and will not be ready.
I hope you won’t be out looking for oil when that time comes.

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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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What a waste of time!!! We have a lost deceived world, on it's way to Hell, and all you can do is post your nonsense, that you might gain worldly riches!
If you would spend half the time that you waste, posting your nonsense, down on your kness before Holy God, praying for the Lost of this world, you might learn some sound doctrine, that would benefit the lost, instead of trying to use God's Word, for your own gain! Woe to you!
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What was special about the way the fig tree of the Middle East grew. Once I figure that out then mabe I can understand this parable.
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The elder son represents those who stand to inheriet the kingdom of God,yet are unwilling to follow God's standards on forgiving those who have trespassed against us. God has such a loving heart, He freely shows love to those who have strayed from Him, but come back with a repentant heart seeking His forgiveness. The elder son should take a few lessons that his father practices and learn how to be more forgiving.
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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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Is it truly possible to be called in a spirtual way for something, I have had such vivid color dreams of christ, I had a feeling of some presence pulling me, I had such a increadible felling of such great love and happeness flow through me i just would have died if i stayed in that state. I seem to know a thing, not just knowing it but know it as an absalute, then ill see it or live it, but the knowing first. I fell im being pulled, i cant stop if i wanted to, i cant shut up eaither, im driving my family nuts on realigion Sheryl stewart
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The scripture I used, as (11Thess-3-12) should have been (11Thess-2-3-12)
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Thank you so much for the link. I have bookmarked it for further use. May God Bless you and keep you, may His light forever shine upon you!
sisterdee
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Kevin,

You made some heavy references to Luke 16:1-13. Considering how important it seems to you, how could you have overlooked Luke 16:13? "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

Be wary in your pursuit of money.
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I am teaching childeren ages 4 to 6 years at campmeeting and I would like to show them a picture of a mustard "tree". Do you still have the one with the little boy standing in front of such a tree? Thank You very much
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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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This is an interesting parable that can run into lots of different thoughts and ideas, but the basic idea of it seems to be discussing fruitfulness as a result of faithfulness to the master. The only person who claimed to work for the master and wasn't "fruitful" showed his true colors when he tried to justify himself and his lack of activity by blaming it on the master for being too harsh and for gathering where he had not sown...the servant didn't understand that all was the masters to start with. Perhaps this servant represents those that claim Christ's name but don't truly believe? Chrys _________________ Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth.


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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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B.D. Means wrote;
>>>>This passage therefore does NOT show where a New Testament believer in Christ will go, but rather where Old Testament believers would temporarily exist. I say temporarily because both the rich man and Lazarus will one day stand before the Great White Throne where the book of life will be opened and THEN their FINAL destination will be decided; either eternity future with Christ on a "new heaven and a new earth", or in torment forever in the lake of fire.
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I had a dream on June 21, 2003 and was shown an awesome sight. A swarm of Tornadoes descending from the sky that look like giant elephant trunks.

People will not know where to hide. So I am telling you now in advance. All that will listen, listen. You will want to find an underground place of shelter such as the below ground floor of a university or mall or parking garage that is windowless. Flying glass spells trouble. Start looking now where you will go. Watch for the signs, you will have time to go to your designated place of shelter. But to wait to look for the appropriate place of shelter at that time will be futile. You must do so now as an act of faith. And in that day, if anyone tells you, "Come with us! There is
a strong building over there". Don't go with them! Do not try and help anyone either or you will be confused and forget your hiding place.

I believe it will be as in the Parable of the 10 Virgins.
Let us pray earnestly to our God for the shed blood of the thousands of Iraqi people. Perhaps He will turn away His anger and leave us a blessing instead.

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i used this site , thanks alot for your preaching and to that kid , id have to say it is true +++_
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I believe GOD was the Father in the story of the prodigcal son and He taught His child to love uncondionally by loving Him uncondional
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I think the parable suggest that a parent's love is never ending. Most parents will accept their children back if they come back with the right heart. God allows this with us and we should follow this example.

I had a daughter that left my home and lived a life of the world. She got pregnant and was living with a boy. After having the baby, we invited her to live with us. She left the boy and has now turned her life around.

We have a beautiful granddaughter and our daughter back. This would not have happened if we did not forgive her.

Good luck.
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Does the prodigal son represent a person who comes to know the faith and has salvation but because he rely's on his own strength falls away from God and once he sees that he is eternaly seperated from God, decides to come back in repentance and with the attitude of humility is welcomed back in to Gods light and his salvation is renewed.
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If you are asking for the meaning of this word, the only advice I can give you, is that you say it no more!
The reason I say this, satan will deceive you with his unknown words and you could curse God, without even know it.
The second reason I say this, God will hold you accountable for every idle word you speak, so be sure, before you speak words, know the meaning, or say nothing!
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I tore off my handgrips to encircle affectionate with the dildo.
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When you trust in God, He will give you a love, for whatever He calls you to do. He can give you the talent of music, being a mom, being a christian friend to someone in need. Ask The Lord to show you, His plan for your life, He will lead you in the right path, and when you find the path, you will know it's your calling, because the love in your heart for what you are doing, will tells you so!
God Bless You!
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