I first believed this was a great parble but now I don't. After much research I feel it lacks morale. What is it telling us stay at home and be a good person and GOd will love you less! I get the samemessage from th lost sheep?
ANy one want to debate this to the end?
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The power of the sower parable comes with the key 23rd verse of Chapter 13 of the Gospel of Matthew: "But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

Never underestimate the power of God's gifts for you. These gifts that we reap are many fold more plentiful and bountiful than the actual strength of our faith.
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How blind people can be!! Jesus explains it in the parable itself!! Read the first sentence! Then read it again, and again, and again, let it sink in your ears, those who do Jesus' commandments are the wise builders!! John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:21 - He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14:23 - Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." Now, it would be wise to do what Jesus says, right?
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was the man attacked the robbers a Jew ?
Why then the priest who was a Jew negleted him ?

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I also needed a picture of a mustard tree for my summer Sunday School Class. I have K-6th and we are doing the Parables over the summer. After quitting in flustration, at finding a picture of a mustard tree big enough to hold birds, my husband found one. He went to Google Images and typed in mustard. It brought up many pictures of various varieties of mustard plant. And a couple were big enough to house the birds. Hope this helps all the others who are trying to find one. God bless you all!

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The father does represent God.
The younger son represents sinners - those seperated from God.
The older brother represents the Pharisees. In verse one we see that Jesus was speaking to tax collectors and and sinners. In verse 2 we see that Pharisees and scribes are listening also. The Pharisees were angry resentful that sinners were being welcomed into God's Kingdom. The Pharisees, like the older brother thought that deserved the greatest reward because they had done so much. Did either have a heart of forgiveness?
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who is the fig tree, isit the nation of Israel as a whole which was born in May14th. 1948 or is it of Jursalem recaptured in 1967 durning the 1967 war
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i need your help on the yeast phylum
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Jeffery, I think that Sue is more correct than you. That's a wonderful, inspired comment she made. The compilers of the Bible often didn't put things in order. There are many compilations that straightened these verses out and put them back into their ORIGINAL order whatever that may be, so the KJV doesn't look or read in the same order as you see in your Bible of today. So to say that Sue has taken something out of context because it may be out of order, belies history. Not only verses in our Bible are out of order to the original, but chapters and whole books of the Scriptures too. Quite often compilers added their own notes also.-----What makes you think that Matthew, a tax collector, wrote the Gospel of Matthew and that if he did, he had a ready pen and paper and wrote down in shorthand everything that Jesus said and IN ORDER? Don't you think that he would have been more interested in really listening to Jesus and gaining some spiritual insight? Are you even sure that he heard Jesus in person? If he did, and I think as a disciple may have heard some, are you sure he walked the long trek home after listening to Jesus and was able to print by hand, everything in order and in exactly the same words? Do you think that he may have left something out on occasion? As all of us know, the stories were always word of mouth, not the printed page. Many of these things were written years later after they were heard. The synoptic Gospels are most generally the same and in the same order, but not all were disciples, so they copied from one another, hence their sameness in a lot of areas. Let me tell you that most authorities say that Mathew had Mark's Gospel before him as he wrote his book, inserting his own valuable additions, very seldom diverting from Mark's order. Also, Matthew borrows about half of his narrative from St. Mark and aprox. one third was borrowed from Luke. His main source of his discourses was a document called the Logia. -----There were numerous other Gospels that are not now in our Bible, although were transmitted in earlier history. The Gospel of Peter, for instance is contaminated by fiction. The despised Mathew, employed by Herod and the REPUTED author, was writing for the Jews from his tax collector's viewpoint. His point of view would necessarily be different than that of Luke who was St. Paul's interpreter and a physician. Mark was writing for the Romans. John's recordings were SELECTED by him to make a certain other point----that of illustrating the incarnation of the Son of God. So each was a scribe and not necessarily a reporter, scribing from others’ copies with a personal point of view and with a particular purpose and audience in mind.----The two different viewpoints of you and Sue illustrate my point that all of us take and see from the Scriptures different things because of our different backgrounds, personal history, occupation, likes, dislikes, and purposes----even though we all are reading the same words. This is good, for God speaks to all of us individually and according to our need. The point is for each of us is to gain the SPIRITUAL meaning of the Scriptures and not get hung up on semantics. Is there any one of us that can dictate another's inspiration? Your origanl inspiration taken from Sue's was what you should cling to.


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Imagine another 144,000 jews like Pauls running around the world preaching the Gospel. Wow is all I can say. We need some of them in the USA now!

144,000 jews doing the job the church hasn't done!


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I have not overlooked the last verse of the Parable of the Unjust Steward, that is, Luke 16 : 13. On the contrary, I have explained on the Unjust Steward site that most churches today are trying to serve both God and mammon. They have overlooked this verse by ignoring its context.

Our Lord Jesus Christ never expected His people to live completely providently. His way was that we would give freely to one another (Matt. 5 : 42 ), blow off our concerns (Matt. 6 : 24 ff ), continue to ask, seek, and knock (Matt. 7 : 7 ), and He likened whoever heard or read Him and would do so to a man who built his house upon the rock rather than to the man whose house built on sand fell with a great crash (the Parable of the Wise / Foolish Builders). On that page I have posted my stand that the things to be obeyed to be like the wise builder consist entirely of the Sermon on the Mount, yet it slipped my mind to include whatever may be needed to follow Jesus' teachings from it. In contrast, our Modern English speaking culture clearly ignores the Sermon on the Mount even at the pulpit. Americans today scarcely give to the needy who come to ask from them. Next, I show that it is this stinginess which shows that someone is serving Mammon in preference to God.

By condemning the servant of two masters as inadequate and refusing to acknowledge service of God as valid from those serving Mammon (wealth), Jesus Christ makes clear to us that any excuses of ours for withholding our wealth will anger Him (Luke 16 : 13 ). We should not rely upon prudent earnings of our own, but, rather, have the security of the favour of rich folk to lean on because they are more prudent than followers of Christ (Luke 16 : 8 ). Jesus went on in verse 13 to explain the two outcomes of trying to serve both God and Mammon:

"Either he [the servant] will love the one and hate the other," as happens when an unbelieving man cannot understand his wife's faith in Jesus Christ and thus makes ungodly choices, "or he will cleave to the one and despise the other." This latter result happens at churches all across the English-speaking world every time church staff hews to its Budget to withhold money from one who asks while at other times in the week professing strong faith in Jesus Christ.

I conclude that we cannot serve God on a budget. Still, if we have not yet obeyed Luke 16 : 9 - 12 and thus have not even met any rich friends of the members of our congregations, the predictable result of such genereosity is a totally unfair exploitation of our wealth by the needy until we have practically nothing, whereupon we shall be called by Christ to ask, seek, and knock despite the many martyrdoms of such persons among the churches run by evil servants today (Matt. 24 : 45 - 51 ).

I will never forgive the evil servants in charge of so many contemporary churches, the evil staff who are swift to get angry and to call the police and to complain about a presumed mental illness. If I must share heaven with them, they will be absolutely chastened first as I have requested -- or left behind to be martyred when I am raptured into heaven, or fast for forty days and pray together on their knees, and if any one of them have turned ten men or boys over to psychiatry, he or she has no chance whatsoever for heaven without amputations anyway. For example, evil servant Bill Meier in charge of Twin City Bible Church in Urbana, Illinois, known to defend sophisticated English manners in preference to Jesus, already stands with "a who...le WEE...k of RE...PEA...TI...NG 'terribly sorry beyond [b]wyrds for what I did to Kevin' " demanded of him by telephone as of May 2001, before his lawyers notified me of their threats. Where shall I post the messages to doom the evil servants? I need help to find the most visited Christian forum to doom the evil servant so that world evangelism might be accomplished for Jesus' sake under truer leadership.

Yours in Christ,

+++Kevin Douglas Rosenberg

a martyr for asking, seeking, and knocking (
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The Parable of the 10 virgins that our Lord told in Matthew 25 is broad and not very well defined, and so, can have several interpretations. One can think of the girls representing believers and unbelievers when the Lord, as the bridegroom arrives as the second coming, or may be even as Jews who accept and don't accept the Lord at His first coming. It is not easy There are problems of logic and truth at each turn. I think we are on thin ice when we make the oil in the lamp the HS. After all, how can I carry a store or buy more of Him? Are the girls who go in really the ones who are saved and the others not? If so, then it sounds like salvation by works to me! What I can do to be saved, such as be properly prepared?

The best interpretation I can put on it, and I think the Lord's hearers may very well have taken it that way, is that this is guidance and a warning to those who believe. Guidance and a warning for you and for me. We are given a task, we have access to the materials and we have time. All are under the control of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no doubt who is in control. It is his wedding and he is the kingpin. Nothing starts before He is ready and in His presence.

All the girls are given a task to do; the same task. I must use my time and opportunities properly so that I am ready and behaving as the Lord requires to be able to participate in the task. Successful participation means that
1.my contribution to the ministry is accepted and so am a I. I can't just go on doing things, even if they are those of God, my way. If I do, there is going to be a problem! This is not about salvation, but participation in ministry.
2.If I am found prepared and present, then I will be swept in in the wonder of the Lord's presence and participation in far more than just my contribution makes.
3.If I am accepted or 'known' in ministry, then I will participate and enjoy the warmth, celebration and joy of the outcome of the ministry with the Lord Jesus. Ministry is not the end itself, just as welcoming with light wasn't the end of their task.

The Groom's response is harsh, yes! But God doesn't compromise with our dilly-dallying, lack of commitment and mucking about in ministry. In terms of our task in a ministry, either He accepts our contribution and us, or neither. We can't muddle through or do it our way. I must remember I am dealing with almighty God, the one with all authority.
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All these comments are fascinating but my thoughts have been trending another way lately. The Prodigal received forgiveness and grace - his initial thought was that if he confessed his sin he would get something to eat.

But the Father forgives and blesses him before he can get the words out - the robe covers his guilt, dirt and shame, the shoes show he is no longer a slave (slaves were not allowed shoes to keep them from running off), and the ring was the authority of the family name given to him.

The older son sought to gain grace and approval (and a goat to cook) through hard work. I think many of us as Christians begin to question why our (material) prayers aren't answered and two of the answers we come up with are that we aren't doing enough "good stuff" (older son) or that we are sinners (prodigal son).

The Father's reply fascinates me [paraphrase] "Son (child) you are always with me and all mine is thine." In other words, as a child of the Father everything the father had was available to the older son in the same fashion as forgiveness was available to the prodigal -- without doing anything, without "deserving" it. "Here it is; it's yours. Partake of all that I have," says the Father.

I'm beginning to work on an article that I'm tentatively calling "the Spirituality of Abundance". While I fully realize that, in this life, we are not to be controlled by money, is it wrong to participate in the Father's abundance? Not according to the Father's own words.

Neither the Prodigal's sin nor the older son's hard work and obedience seemed to matter to the Father when it came to participating in the Father's abundance.

Think this through in steps: 1) in John's letters it says "see how God has lavished his love on us that we should be called Children of God. Beloved, NOW we are Children of God." 2) In Psalms it says "the earth is the Lord's and ALL it contains" and 3) the Father said to BOTH his sons (one in actions and the other in words) "All that is mine is thine". The conclusion is that the riches of the earth are my Father's and therefore MINE.

So why did the older son seem unable to participate in this abundance? Look at his complaints -- "you never once GAVE me an animal so I could have a party with my friends" -- but how did the Father give abundance to the Prodigal?

He commanded his servants "Quick! Bring . . ." -- Hebrews says that angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit the kingdom. I believe the older son did not participate because he kept waiting for someone to give him something. I think all he had to do was reach out and take what he wanted; the Father seemed to assume that was how things worked!

How much are we missing in life because we do not take hold of the abundance of God our Father -- not because we get a prize for being a repentant sinner nor because we have worked hard and feel we've earned something -- but simply as Children of a kind, gracious and loving (and wealthy!) Father?
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Anyone who claims something for themselves,and it is a falsehood,needs to admit the truth about the matter and make corrections in their behavior in order to give God the glory.

The book by Joseph Canfield"The Incre4dible Scofield and His Book"is eye-opening.Anyone who claims to be a doctor MUST have recieved official recognition from an accredited institution of higher learning.If someone finds out which instution granted him this title,please let all of know.

As Scofield went to England and to Oxford,he met Dr.William Westcott,a high-ranking 33degree Freemason and one of the founders of the esoteric group known as the Golden Dawn.These folk are part of the bad crowd.
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Hi

My name is Brooke Wren and I was wondering if you
Could send me out some information about Tropical or
Exotic Fruits plus some information about that particular
Fruit. If you could that would be Fantastic but if you can not
Please e-mail me and tell me.


Thank You,

For listening

Brooke Wren

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In both parables of the talents and the parable of the pounds, unfaithfulness on the part of the Lords servants and the end result of unfaithfulness are shown in the latter part of each parable. Such unfaithfulness resulted in rebuke and loss in each instance; and also in each instance, the unfaithful servant was not associated in any manner whatsoever with positions of power and authority in the kingdom.

Those who refuse to use the initial investment will not only remain profitless but they will , as a consequence, suffer "Loss" {cf Matt.25:15, 18, 19, 24-30; Luke 19:15, 20-26}. They will experience the loss of their souls {cf.Matt. 16:24-27 }.

Consequenly, that which is involved in James 2:14, as explained in subsequent verses, is simply faithfulness to one's calling [ resulting in works ], or unfaithfulness to one's calling [ resulting in no works or valueless works not assocated with faith]. Works of this nature referred to in this verse emenate out of faith and bring faith to its proper goal, which is the salvation of one's soul [ James2:22; 1 Peter 1:9]. Apart from such a manifestation of faith, giving rise to works, there can be no profit; nor can the inherently connected salvation follow [ the savation of the soul]. We must obey the Lords commandments overcome the world,the flesh,and Satan. Works are believing what the Lord has said in his word ...
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do us a favor and get some manners please. these people are here to discuss the bible, not write your hw for you.

god bless
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For another spin on this important parable, try...www.wordsntone.com

Peace,
Chip
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When asked about eternal life Jesus affirms the "Teacher" on his understanding that unadulterated love for God is the basic requirement for eternal life. In todays vernacular that would be "Christian". What situation in your life would make you think otherwise?
Len
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Perhaps the answer you are looking for in the question, "What was lost" is
"SELF". An object such as a silver coin cannot search for itself if lost or misplaced, it must be found by the one who lost it.

The prodigal son lost himSELF, searched, and found himself. He is the one who lost something, he is the one who remembered where he put it, and he is the one who found it.
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if the father represents God, the younger son represents us, who does the elder son represent?
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Would you please send me a copy of that picture? If it's good, I'd like to use it for my sermon on Sunday.

Mike
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(19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

He hears the Gospel but never believes!

**************************************

(20-21) But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

This person believes in part but has not received the Holy Spirit!
The person can't read his Bible because he doesn't understand it.
He also confesses I am saved but is not truly Born Again!
It says that because of the Word of God by and by he is offended.
When somebody tells this person what the Bible says they are offended because what they hear in Church doesn't match what the Bible says!
They usually end up making comments like this:
Jesus didn't die on the cross and tell us all we had to do wuz believe in him and we were in Heaven. That would be too simple. A lot of people believe in him. It's that you have to confess that Jesus is your savior and that he died on the cross so that we could go heaven. We have to pray to him and ask him into our hearts.
John 3:16 destroyed by Theology! This person was a 16 year old baptist! Simple it is!!!!!!!!!!!!

**************************************

(22) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

This person believes in part but has not received the Holy Spirit neither!
The person can't read/understand his Bible because he doesn't understand it.
This person cares for sin and money more then God!
He also confesses I am saved but is not truly Born Again!

**************************************

(23) But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

This person believes and has received the Holy Spirit!
The believe has been turned into a fact!
This can tell you when he believed and when he received the Holy Spirit!
The person can read his Bible and understand it.
He also confesses I am saved and is truly Born Again!

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The lost sheep of any religious sect should be considered the most sought after of all-even above the often sought after new converts. I feel many Shepherds avoid the pessimistic response of the lost sheep- fearing rejections and the all familiar comments that reminds them (and us) of valid offenses they have received among the house of friends-the church. An all too familiar status the lost sheep falls prey to is the offenses of their fellow worshippers. Thus it is the obligation of the whole 'body' not to slander, belittle or speak meaningless words or works that open the gates of our Lord's pasture-sending the precious sheep to the dangerous pastures of the world. After all, are we sure that the fence that divides the Christian from the lost ones has found us on the inside or are we on the outside of the grace of God also?
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Dear Bob,

I'm intrigued by your questions. I'm not sure how to answer them satisfactorily but here goes.

1. Luke records 19 parables not found in the other Gospels. This is also true of the other writers. Not all of them tell the same stories. There is no simple answer. It may be helpful to study Luke's purpose, readers, style, emphases etc. Have you read or studied the Synoptic Problem. This would be helpful. How do we explain the similarities and the differences if there are common sources?

2. Parables usually make a single point. This parable is one of three in Luke 15 that deal with the grace of God in seeking and saving what was lost. The lost sheep and the lost coin stress the work of God in the search for what is lost. and the subsequent joy when found. The third looks at the experience of the lost but it is underlined by the unfailing love of the father in welcoming home the lost son.

While the third is set in a family context it is not about family but about the father's love for the lost son. All three parables are a stinging rebuke to the Pharisees who, in their self righteousness legalism, despised sinners. It is part of Jesus' running debate with the Pharisees on the nature of salvation; is it by works or by grace? In illuminating the character of our Heavenly Father. Luke apparently did not think it necessary to include the mother.

3. There are interessting parallels of the grace of God to each but since there is neither reference nor allusion to Jacob I doubt if Luke has him in view. Luke is writing to a Gentile, mainly Greek audience. Jewish history would be of little help there.

4. I think that the robe, the ring, the shoes and the welcoming feast all indicate a complete reconciliation and restoration of sonship.

5. There are many paradoxes in the Christian faith. The tension between grace and justice is only one of them. Others would be the tension between love and fear. We are to both love and fear the Lord.
There is tension also between God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility. We like things to be simple, black and white, but it simply is not that way. The older I become the more I see the paradoxes as not only a mental challenge but, more importantly, a great means of growth in plumbing the depths of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that this is of some help to you. It has been a privilege to interact with you.

Sincerely,

Tom
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I like to get a copy of your sermon about the "Juses is good shepher. Thank very much Robert lee
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I would like a copy of the sermon.
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I'm giving a speech to a group of over achievers and using this parable as my core idea....but i'm relating it to the mantra found in Spiderman which says that with "great power comes great responsibility"....
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would like to have a picture of a mustard to show my
sunday school class fo first and second graders
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it's good. i love the story.
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I hope your study of the good Samaritan brings forth amazing fruit in your life. I think it is time for all of us to realize that time is running out and we should spend ourselves, as the good Samaritan demonstrated, seeking out and caring for the lost. We can truly be ambassadors from heaven if we're willing to take Christ to a lost and perverted world. Jesus is the only answer. May God bless you and anoint you to proclaim his Word with boldness to all who will listen. My prayer is that He will give you such a love for souls that you will spend time in prayer and fasting believing for a harvest of souls. God Bless.............in His service, Bro. Pat
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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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I would like a copy of the good shepard sermon

Thank You
sharan Jones
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Hello,
I am also just starting a CGS Program here in the Sacramento area. Could you please forward the photo of the mustard tree. I am having a difficult time locating one for the class. Thank you so much! God bless, Christine
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At times in the Christian life, we have to believe before we can see. Other times, it is important to see first. It seems to me, that in the area of missions mobilization, seeing is an important ingredient as well. The Bible states in Matthew 9:36 that "When he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion them..." Several other places in scripture it states that seeing can lead to compassion.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a good example. Luke 10:33 reads "but a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him." Do you see as Jesus sees? The parable then ends with Jesus' command, "Go and do likewise!" This actually does not mean go and do the same thing. ie: look for a foreigner beat up along side the road and help him. I suggest rather that "go and do likewise" implies we need to see as Jesus sees and do something about that which is before our very eyes!
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I dont know what this is about...will someone give me sum help?? I am scared
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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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I would also like to know where I can find a picture of a mustard tree as discussed in the Bible.

Thanks
D'Laine Evans
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I would say, mercy! That is all Lazarus desired in the crumbs!
The rich man now is experiencing the consiquences of his own
life decisions, in death. In life, the rich man had an opportunity,
which was a chance to give mercy to Lazarus or any one who was in need of mercy.He had in life, favorable conditions.We
must be very careful how we treat people. People belong to God.
So, now we see in the text the two extremes have traded places
substance wise. The rich man has become the begger, and the begger
has become rich!!!! Lazarus is so rich with the wealth of God that
he has Father Abraham as an AMBASSADOR! (smiles)
"Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus"

2nd
Hell is forever! once you are in hell there is no chance, no way, no how!
No,no,no, listen to the responce of Abraham to the rich mans plea.
Luke 16:26 And besides all this, there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us,that would come from thence. But, there is still to come judgement after a period of time. Not that this rich man is going to be in hell for a time and then go to heaven. Once we die, its too late to work the work of repentance. The time is now, while the blood is running warm in our vains. Now is the time of salvation! We all must repent of our sins before we pass away to an eternal state of existance. Then shall we forever be with the Lord Jesus having all things in common. Joy Peace Love Happiness that shall never cease. No more pain, no more suffering, no more sorrow,no more saddness. No more sickness, no more dying, no more crying, there be no more preaching no more teaching, for all secrets will be revealed, no more hate, no more no more no more! Joy! Love! God shall be with us and we shall be with Him forever! Give! and don"t hold back like the rich man. Give your life to Jesus and like He did for Lazarus he likewise do the same for all that believe and trust in Him.
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I have food for thought for anybody interested in the Mark Chapter four or the seed parables. Allow me to put this in the form of a question: Might the thing that we are growing in this mystical garden be faith? Found below is an excerpt from Luke’ account, it’s chapter eight. Notice that I’ve emboldened and italicized-if it came across that way-the words “believe” in verse 12, and “a while believe” in verse 13.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Notice that in verse 12 the devil took the word out of a person’s heart “lest they believe and be saved”. Why the lest? Maybe because the “believing” (belief, faith) is the actual thing that were cultivating, and that will eventually produces results. They received the word of God on a matter, “faith cometh by hearing…” and a belief began to grow. Had they maintained it, it would have produced fruit. It would have manifested. But if there’s any truth to this idea of faith (belief) being likened unto a plant, then we know that the plant will have to grow until harvest time (a while).

Notice verse 13. There were people who’s hearts were likened unto rock (hard hearted) that received the word just fine, and also notice that they “believed” for “a while”. What determined when the “a while” was over? How about when they let go of the word of God? They probably did this: they prayed “father I believe that Jesus died for my sins and I accept him into my heart by faith-I believe that I’m now saved ”! But when Satan launched a campaign to convince his senses that nothing happened, he opened his mouth and said, “dang, I’ll never be saved, just when I try may hardest to get serious with god, for some reason I end up doing all these things that I haven’t done in years. I am so pathetic. Is there any help for me? Man, I don’t deserve any grace-the way I’ve been acting. What on earth happened? Oh, just skip this stuff. It’s too hard”.

What happened? He said something contrary to the prayer he prayed when he accepted (received) Gods word. Satan convinced him to call it off. Now, what if he would have responded this way: “Man I can’t believe the stuff I’ve been doing. I don’t know why all this crud is just attracted to me. But it doesn’t daunt my faith in the least. I stand firm on what I said and I don’t care what I do or how bad it gets, I BELIEVE THAT I’M SAVED! CASE CLOSED. Come hell or high water Jesus lives in my heart by faith and I AM A BELIEVER. And If I die from being pathetic, I’ll die believing that Christ lives in my heart by faith”. This man is good ground, because he’ll see this thing through unto the end-harvest time.

The thing I want you to notice is this: There is a time in which a believer is indeed “believing” and yet the cycle hasn’t been completed-no manifestation. Remember we don’t plant a seed one day and reap the next. Patience is involved. But as long as he held fast to the word that was “believed” by verbally receiving it (“if you had faith as a grain of Mustard seed you might say… whosoever shall say unto this mountain…. I believed therefore have I spoken-the spirit of faith” (2nd Cor. chapter 4:13) “, the person was meeting the requirements set forth by God. HE WAS DOING IT. And yet it was not manifested.

I once did some studying of the Mustard plant. I even bought some seeds to see how long they took to grow. Most packages say that in forty days it’s mature, one said about fifty days. I don’t know if that was indeed the plant that Jesus talked about, but I find it interesting, the growing time of the Mustard plant.

Did you know that in Gematria-the biblical study of numbers, that forty means a time of trial, chastisement or probation (Jesus was tempted forty days of the devil)? And fifty means rest or completion due to the perfect consummation of time and it denotes deliverance after that period of time? As in the day of Jubilee, or Pentecost. I’m still undecided about the numbers thing, but isn’t it interesting that the growing time of Mustard coincides with biblical numbers that have relevance?

Could there be a God appointed growing time to faith? It makes sense to me that there would be. What farmer doesn’t know the growing time of the crop that he plants? However, that being said it’s still just speculation.

I believe that the parables of the Kingdom pertain to faith or to “believing”. This being said I think it’s a good idea to learn to use that expression often in prayer. “I BELIEVE” such and such. It conveys to the inner man that your not basing these things upon anything that can be seen, but your choosing to use this God given mechanism given to every man-to cultivate an inner picture in your heart. That picture being faith, which is based purely on what God says is true, but what the senses say isn’t-at that time. But held fast to, we can manifest it to the world around us.








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to me, the prodigal son`s elder brother did not know his rights despite his loyalty to the father, not until he was told by the father himself. As a child, you have every right to your father`s properties and that was why it was easier for the younger brother to receive his own portion without any query from the father. (well, it now depends on how you spend it)
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the way a minister explained it to me, God always welcomes those that are lost back. The older son was never lost and he was never tempted to leave, so he didn't do anything unusual. of course his father loved him, but the point is that, like sheep, most people are not tempted into riotous living. they stay with the flock by choice.
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God made a choice before the foundation of the world who He would give grace to and have mercy upon (Eph 1:4) (Rom 9:15). These are what Jesus is refering to as the wheat which He planted. The field is the world (For God so loved the world... God loves the work which He is doing here upon the earth).

The tares are those who God has blinded and deafened(Isaiah 6:10 prophecy) or hardened(Rom 9:18) or left, given up to their own selves. These are those who Jesus is refering to as them who were planted by the devil.

The reason that He dis-allowed the early harvest is because either everyone He had chosen had not been born yet to be saved or there are still those alive that had not yet been saved and forgiven their sins which would result in uprooting of those He had planted to thier own distruction.

No where is the reference that wheat became tares or that tares ever became wheat. These are two different distinct people.

In the end at His appointed time, God will send anges out to first harvest the tares and cast them into hell and then harvest the wheat into His barns, up into heaven.

The Kingdom of God represents the world from Genesis to the end of Revelation. This parable was spoken in God's view of man. God knows who are His sheep therefore the distinct mention of wheat and tares. From mans view, we don't know who are wheat and who are tares therefore "whosoever believeth(from our point of view) shall not perish but have everlasting life.
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howdy
i just wanted to say hello and thank you all very much.you have kindly supplied me with informations i have been seeking for my homework for 3 days.
thanks again and i'd love to be a regular attendant here.
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In reading and rereading this parable I am moved by the Holy Spirit to realize this is very possibly a paradigm relative to the church.

We all seem to recognize who the prodigal son is. He is us. Who among us has not strayed or participated in sin? Our Father not only welcomes us back, He runs to us and falls upon our neck in a compassionate all-accepting, all-forgiving love.

What moves me most personally however, is how I see the older son in so many of us faithful churchgoers/ministers. Too many of us fail to realize the Father when He tells us, "All that I have is yours." What a powerful, dynamic statement our Father makes to us! We find ourselves burdened down in the fields of our churches, working in our own power, and don't see that our Father gives us all that we could ever want for victorious, overcoming life in Him.

Please read Matt 28:18-20 where we are told all authority is given to Jesus and He gives that authority to us! Then, in John 14:1014, we see that the power/authority/rights/abilities He has given us are all to glorify the Father. As joint heirs with Christ, we can hear the Father tell us, "All that I have is yours."

In Matt 6:9-13 we have the clencher! Jesus prays that God's kingdom and will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Did the Father refuse this request? Are we not on the Earth, therefor participants in "all that I have is yours." Perhaps we just need to recognize and apply our sonship privileges in God's Kingdom here on Earth. Be blessed.
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I believe you are very probably correct. A biblical generation of 40 years represented a generation in unbelief. We saw a blood red moon on March 8, 2004. It gave no light, only deep red, low in the sky and full and huge. Can't say for sure it is what Joel and Acts speak of, but it could be. We are close. We all sense it. Those who have ears to hear are not missing these things. God Bless You, Shalom
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The Mustard Parable was a fulfilled Prophecy from Ezekiel 17!
Quote:
Ezekiel 17
22. Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
23. In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
24. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it.












Other info....

Psalms 104
12. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

Proverbs 11
28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

Isaiah 4
2. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them...

Isaiah 11
1. And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

Isaiah 60
16. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
17. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
18. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
19. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
20. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
21. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.


Jeremiah 23
5. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jeremiah 33
15. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
_________________

The Harvest is soon......
and
If any person comes to Jesus Christ,
and doesn't love Jesus Christ over,
their father,
or their mother,
or their spouse,
or their children,
or their brethren,
or their sisters,
or even their own life,
they are not able to be a followers of Jesus Christ!

The Truth Shall Set You FREE!
http://www.freejesus.net/salvation.php
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I AM A PRODIGAL SON. I RETURNED TO THE FAITH OF MY YOUTH AND LIKE AN ADDICT WHO RETURNS TO HIS ADDICTION AFTER A LONG TIME AWAY FROM IT FINDS HE IS ADDICTED AT THE LEVEL HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD HE NEVER BEEN FREE OF IT.
I EMBRACED MY FAITH AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN I HAD THIRTY YEARS BEFORE. I AM ECSTATIC AT BEING FORGIVEN AND TAKEN BACK INTO THE FOLD OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE LOVING BODY OF CHRISTS CHURCH.
MY DAUGHTER LEFT THE MY PREVIOUS CHURCH AND EMBRACED ANOTHER WHOLE HEARTEDLY. NOW WHEN I LONG TO COMMUNE WITH ALL MY CHILDREN ABOUT GODS LOVE AND HIS WORD SHE BECOMES HOSTILE TOWARD ME AND MY FAITH AND DEFENSIVE ABOUT HER OWN.
I SEE THE PRODIGAL SON PARABLE IN THAT LIGHT. SHE AS THE ONE WHO STAYED WITH THE FATHER BUT RESENTS ME FOR COMING BACK TO GOD WITH HUMILITY AND GRATITUDE AND WANTING TO SPREAD GODS LOVE TO THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW IT LIKE I DO. SHE IS NOT REALLY WITH THE FATHER AND DOES NOT KNOW HIS MESSAGE OF LOVE TO ALL SINNERS BUT LIKE THE PHARASEES STICKS STRICTLY TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW AS SHE SEES IT THROUGH HER INSTRUCTION. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE I AM JUDGING HER BUT I AM THE ONE WHO LISTENS TO HER ACID TOUNGUE AND PRAY SILENTLY FOR HER SOUL TO MYSELF, ASKING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OPEN HER MIND TO SEE HER PRIDE TAKING CONTROL OF HER THOUGHTS. WE PARENTS LOVE OUR CHILDREN NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO OR SAY TO US. IT BREAKS MY HEART NOT FOR ANY INJUSTICE THAT SHE OR I HAVE CAUSED EACH OTHER ALTHOUGH I WAS WRONG FOR TOO LONG BUT BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE LIKE HIS SON AND 'FORGIVE THEM THEIR TRESSPASSES.' I DON'T TAKE HER WORDS AS AN AFRONT TO MYSELF BUT TO GOD. THAT MAKES ME SAD , KNOWING ALL HE HAS DONE FOR US AND WE STILL DON'T TRUELY UNDERSTAND HIS MESSAGE 'LOVE ONE ANOTHER'
I THOUGHT I'D SEND HER A LETTER QUOTING THE 15th chapter of Luke and the good son in the prodigal son parable but I see from your responses how many ways she could misinterpret it, so I'll just pray more intensly for all my children and trust in his will.
Thank you for the insight you have given me.

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yes we can be good samaritains in this era! If you kinda a person that has been left to die you would help them weather thye were a stranger or your enemy, it's still a person who diserves to live!
so yes we can be good samaritians!
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Hey Sue,
Good guess. Actually pretty well thought out. If not for the surrounding texts I might be convinced to agree.
In Mat 13, Jesus is trying to warn us of the dangers coming in the church age. The leaven parable must be taken in context with the rest of what He is talking about here. He explains two of the parables. Let's not jump around with interpretation. Although it is an interesting concept that the leaven represents the Holy Spirit, I think that puts Him in pretty shotty company with the way leaven is represented in EVERY OTHER mention in the Bible.
Remember, we must keep the teachings of Jesus in context. See my post above for the meaning of leaven, 3 measures, etc.

Jeffrey
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