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#Post#: 31267--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest24 Date: June 9, 2021, 7:10 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Mr E link=topic=1282.msg31253#msg31253
date=1623185448]
[quote author=Lori Bolinger link=topic=1282.msg31247#msg31247
date=1623167473]
[quote author=Mr E link=topic=1282.msg31246#msg31246
date=1623163125]
Are you sitting down? I can only offer an alternative
perspective.
A great many people use this teaching as an excuse to not give
at all. 'I'm sorry... I cannot give (to this, or that) because
I don't want anyone to know, or anyone to find out, or anyone to
see me giving, because then I would lose my reward in heaven.
So then do they go give anonymously? Sometimes. Some do...
Most do not. The simply excuse themselves and say things like
"I give in secret" or "I give elsewhere."
In the parable it does NOT say, don't give (don't practice
righteousness) -- don't do good works in front of others. -It
says don't let 'being seen by others' be the reason for your
giving or good works. Who cares if someone sees or takes
notice. You can only do so much in secret. Elsewhere scripture
teaches us to let our light shine so that our good works will be
seen by others. But again, don't let that attention be what
motivates or captivates you, because you will become captive to
it and in that way you will lose (trade) your reward in heaven
for earthly accolades. Bad trade.
The teaching is to give 'open-handedly' or without thinking...
Not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing is
actually a very old principle in which the right hand is
considered the hand you extend to another (the hand that gives)
and the left hand is the hand you keep to yourself (the hand
that receives) --in this the principle is to not consider what
you give to be a determining factor in what you have received.
It's kind of the opposite of tithing-- which was the prevalent
way of calculating what one was 'required' to give by both
lawmakers and tax collectors alike in the temple system.
[/quote]Tons of verses in what I posted talked about giving, are
you just repeating what I said for emphasis or are you not
reading what I post?
[/quote]
Is this a trick question?
If I hadn't read what you had wrote, why would I comment on it?
You had said that you were offering your perspective on Matthew
7 (which you referenced as the Parable of the Builders) but not
before explaining what was said in Matthew 6 about giving. You
said- "I suddenly realized that we had to know more in order to
fully understand this parable. We had to know and at least to
some degree understand the teachings that precede this parable."
I guess I was wondering about your "sudden realization"
concerning what it was in the preceding parables (such as the
perspective you offer on Matthew 6) that "we had to know" in
order to fully understand Matthew 7. Secondly, considering what
you said and highlighted about the need to give (and perform
acts of righteousness) in secret... how do you square that idea
in Matt 6, with what precedes it in Matt 5? (where Jesus
teaches about setting your light on a stand in order for others
to see)?
[/quote]The parable itself starts with those who have ears to
hear and do the things I'm teaching...how then can we understand
what follows if we don't first understand what is being taught
that we are to obey?
BTW, my understanding being what God reveals to me through
study, not just me taking the topic and saying, "I think it
means..." but actually looking at scripture and the
consistencies therein.
What is there to reconcile that I didn't already show in the
context of scripture? You lost me in what you are asking about
what precedes in Matthew 5 about the light of the world...we are
to live out what we believe with a humble heart...what is the
inconsistency you want me to address? It seems straight forward
to me.
#Post#: 31268--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest24 Date: June 9, 2021, 7:19 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Mr E link=topic=1282.msg31265#msg31265
date=1623228453]
[quote author=patrick jane link=topic=1282.msg31264#msg31264
date=1623212673]
[quote author=Mr E link=topic=1282.msg31246#msg31246
date=1623163125]
Are you sitting down? I can only offer an alternative
perspective.
A great many people use this teaching as an excuse to not give
at all. 'I'm sorry... I cannot give (to this, or that) because
I don't want anyone to know, or anyone to find out, or anyone to
see me giving, because then I would lose my reward in heaven.
So then do they go give anonymously? Sometimes. Some do...
Most do not. The simply excuse themselves and say things like
"I give in secret" or "I give elsewhere."
In the parable it does NOT say, don't give (don't practice
righteousness) -- don't do good works in front of others. -It
says don't let 'being seen by others' be the reason for your
giving or good works. Who cares if someone sees or takes
notice. You can only do so much in secret. Elsewhere scripture
teaches us to let our light shine so that our good works will be
seen by others. But again, don't let that attention be what
motivates or captivates you, because you will become captive to
it and in that way you will lose (trade) your reward in heaven
for earthly accolades. Bad trade.
The teaching is to give 'open-handedly' or without thinking...
Not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing is
actually a very old principle in which the right hand is
considered the hand you extend to another (the hand that gives)
and the left hand is the hand you keep to yourself (the hand
that receives) --in this the principle is to not consider what
you give to be a determining factor in what you have received.
It's kind of the opposite of tithing-- which was the prevalent
way of calculating what one was 'required' to give by both
lawmakers and tax collectors alike in the temple system.
[/quote]I agree, Mr E - Tweedle Deedle Dee
[/quote]
You agree with Mr E, Tweedle Deedle Dee.... then you see, you
see.
All that Lori has written can be simplified and amplified and
boiled down and presented by emphasizing just one thing.
Whether you are talking about acts of righteousness, or giving,
or praying out loud.... "to be seen by men" is the one and only
thing that makes what is otherwise good, 'suddenly' NOT
good.[/quote] I was asked to present a study on the parables of
Christ, how can I do that if all I am asked by you to do is read
the parable then say what seems obvious without scripture to
back it up and expand on the truth of scripture? [quote]
And it's not that you are seen that is the problem at all. It's
that that is the reason you did it. It's the one that seeks
recognition, that seeks praise for whatever it is they do (seen
or not) that loses their reward. It has nothing to do with
being seen or not seen, and everything to do with WHY folks do
the things they do.[/quote] again, that is in the study, I even
talk about examples in scripture where public prayer was offered
and accepted by God...you know, scripture, not opinion...[quote]
When he taught us to pray for our daily bread-- it wasn't for
'the things we need' in terms of physical sustinence. This
thinking comes from the most basic and common misunderstanding
of what "bread" is... He isn't speaking of physical bread here
anymore than when he mentions it elsewhere-- or at the least you
have to catch that he is talking about so much more than
physical bread, because--[/quote] which is why I included in the
study the passage about man not living by bread alone...so again
I wonder if you even read what I posted since all this "summary"
is included in the study but you act like it isn't. [quote]
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and
forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and
said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these
stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written,
‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT
PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” [/quote] a passage I once
again included in the study...here is the thing you are
missing...I welcome discussion, I am not fond of people making
baseless accusations when the evidence is right there to begin
with. [quote]
This (above) is one of those things that you have to understand,
(like that parable in Matt 13) before you can understand other
things. We know this because he told us this exactly. He said
nothing of the sort concerning Matt 7 (and what Lori calls the
parable of the Builders) but the principle holds true with all
parables so I am looking forward to what Lori might share in
this regard.
[/quote]I don't even know what that means...the parable of the
builders...first line...24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these
words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who
built his house on the rock. ...now how can we continue in the
parable and understand it if we don't know what teaching He is
referring to to begin with?
#Post#: 31270--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest24 Date: June 9, 2021, 9:54 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Fasting...
Matthew 6:16 “Whenever you fast, don’t be sad-faced like the
hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive[l] so their
fasting is obvious to people. I assure you: They’ve got their
reward! 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash
your face, 18 so that you don’t show your fasting to people but
to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in
secret will reward you.[m]
This teaching seems straight forward, don’t fast for the sake of
others seeing what you are doing. A very similar teaching to
that of prayer, do so in humility not for show but for the Lord.
The first thing I want to point out here is about anointing the
head with oil. This is like a perfumed custom of the time, kind
of like saying today, get up, wash your face, put on deodorant
and get dressed. If we look throughout scripture, fasting is
often associated with sackcloth and ashes or even mourning which
makes this significant to the teaching. (Nehemiah 1:4; Nehemiah
9:1; Esther 9:31; Psalms 35:13; Psalms 109:24) Where we may be
mourning the sin, repenting in sackcloth and ashes, we are not
to make a show of it.
The fast is for seeking the Lord, turning all the attention to
Him. (Jeremiah 36:6; Daniel 9:3; Joel 2:12) If up to this point
you have not been reading the passages that go along with the
text, I urge you to do so with this one. Isaiah 58 is all about
fasting, the wrong way and the right way. Let’s start by
reviewing verses 3 and 4. We are told that the people were
fasting but complaining because God wasn’t doing what they
wanted. Their fasts were about self denial all the while they
were doing what they wanted. In other words, they were denying
themselves food but nothing else. When we crucify self,
(Galatians 5:24; Romans 8:13-14) we are to deny ourselves of the
sinful desires, the passions of the flesh, we are to crucify the
sin nature that we were born with. The people however were only
denying themselves of food and were in fact, doing anything else
they wanted to do, including but not limited to oppressing their
slaves, with contention and strife in their hearts, and with
vicious fighting. As we move on through the passage we come to
verses 6-8 where we are told what fasting should be. The
fasting that God wants from us is about breaking the chains of
wickedness, to lighten the yoke that we wear. (Matthew 11:30; I
John 5:3) It is to set the oppressed free, to share your food
with the hungry, to clothe those that are naked. It is about
doing God’s business, Loving the least of these. (Matthew
25:40-45) So once again, the teaching Jesus is referring to is
to serve Him in humility, not for self glory but to the glory of
the Living God.
#Post#: 31439--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest24 Date: June 11, 2021, 11:39 am
---------------------------------------------------------
God and Possessions
Matthew 6:19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures[n] on
earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in
and steal. 20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t
break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your
heart will be also.
We know what earthly treasures are, money, possessions like
cars, boats, houses, even heirlooms, things that we cannot take
with us when we die. (James 5:1-6) But what are the treasures
of heaven? Psalms 83:3 talks about God’s treasured ones, people
are treasures which took me back to the parable (not yet looked
at) of the Lost Sheep. In the parable, the shepherd has 100
sheep but one is lost. The shepherd leaves the 99 to go look
for the one that is lost and when it is found, the real
rejoicing begins. (Matthew 18:10-14) Of course there are other
such accounts in scripture but the key point here is that true
believers are treasures to God and worthy of our rejoicing. We
touched on how believers are treasures in heaven and how
rejoicing with God over the lost who become saved is important,
but also consider this passage in Mark 16:15-16 and the previous
study we did on the salt and light. We are God’s ambassadors
for a reason. (II Corinthians 5:20)
God’s word is also a treasure we need to store up in our hearts,
(Psalms 119:11) as are the promises of God. (Psalms 119:162) It
is little wonder that scripture tells us to study the word, (II
Timothy 2:15) as well as hiding His word in our hearts. (Psalms
119:11-16) Interestingly enough Jesus is one of the promises of
God, the Messiah. (Colossians 2:3)
Another treasure is wisdom from God, (Proverbs 2:1-5) even
knowledge of the Living God is a heavenly treasure. (Proverbs
20:15; Proverbs 24:3-4) The fear of the Lord is not only a
heavenly treasure but enhances our heavenly treasures. (Isaiah
33:6; Proverbs 15:16) The wisdom of God is not out of reach
however, it is given to all who ask for it without God finding
fault. (James 1:5-6) Wisdom begins with our fear of the Lord.
(Proverbs 9:10)
The fear of the Lord is not only the beginning of wisdom but is
a treasure all on it’s own.. Many people do not understand what
the fear of the Lord is. Psalms 34:11-22 tells us that the fear
of the Lord is that which stirs us, drives us to righteousness.
I once heard a Rabbi say that to the Jews, sin was temporary
insanity because you would have to be insane to know who God is
and still sin. This is the mentality that is presented in the
teaching on the fear of the Lord. So one of the treasures we
can lay up for ourselves is the fear of the Lord, well, the
righteousness that follows that fear.
One of the ways to lay up for yourself treasures in heaven is
to give to the poor, but not just giving to the poor but giving
from all that you own not just the excess. (Matthew 19:21; Mark
10:21; Luke 12:33; Luke 18:22) Hebrews 11:26 even tells us that
reproach because of Christ, is a treasure as well. We need to
Love God more than the wealth we can store up on earth, wealth
that we cannot take with us and will eventually disappear.
Finally, consider II Corinthians 4:7-18, the treasures that are
from above, treasures like Christ and the word of God, are
stored in earthen vessels. What are earthen vessels? Our
flesh. This was designed by God so that the power of God could
be revealed through our weakness. (II Corinthians 12:9-11)
which once again takes us back where we started, living out the
faith that we have, but let us add here that it is living it out
in power and might. (II Timothy 3:5; II Thessalonians 3:6) This
happens because our flesh shares in Jesus' suffering so that the
life of Christ might also be witnessed. (I Peter 2:21; I Peter
4:13; Romans 8:17-18; II Corinthians 1:5; II Corinthians 4:10;
Philippians 3:10; II Corinthians 6:3-13) Life on earth is not
suppose to be heaven on earth, (John 16:33; Acts 14:22) but
rather an opportunity to show the world not just tell the world
the Love and power of the Living God.
#Post#: 31609--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest24 Date: June 14, 2021, 9:54 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The Lamp of the body...
Matthew 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is
good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye
is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the
light within you is darkness—how deep is that darkness!
I expected when I did this one to find it exceptionally easy.
The problem was that grief overtook me as to those who are
living in this darkness, a darkness they don’t even realize they
are living in. So I took extra time to not only pray for them
and to examine myself to look for any hidden darkness, but also
to look for ways to combat it. There is a saying, ‘there are
none so blind as those who will not see.’ This saying applies
here. For the one who willingly allows himself to be blind,
it’s a double whammy which we ware about to find out.
My grandfather became blind later in life. One day after
Christmas, it was my job to lead him to the car while we waited
for my grandmother and aunt to finish their business at a lock
department store (chain store) The crowds were so massive that
even though I held his hand, he ended up on one side of the door
and I on the other, desperately trying to hold on so he knew I
was there while the crowds pushed on through without caring or
helping us to be together so we could get out of their way.
Deuteronomy 27:18 tells us that the one who leads a blind person
astray is cursed. More times than not, the willingly blind is
the one who thinks they are not blind but furthermore they think
they are great teachers who cannot learn anything. Romans
2:17-24 talks about the blind who are hypocrites because they do
not learn from what they teach to others. Meanwhile, like the
Pharisees, many of the blind presume it is their job and calling
to teach. (Matthew 23:1-39) God takes them seriously. (Matthew
18:6) leading others astray is not tolerated and will be
punished.
So who are the blind? Isaiah 29:9-24 talks about the blind
being those that worship God with their words but their hearts
are far from Him, but remember it is from our hearts that our
actions flow, so they are the hypocrites that say do this,
follow that, but then act as if they themselves are above the
law. (Luke 6:45) It goes on to say that the blind person is the
one that worship man made rules. They are legalistic and follow
teachers rather than the One True Teacher, Jesus Christ. They
try to hide what they are doing from God, doing their works in
darkness all the while blaming God and making excuses. The
Pharisees are a perfect example of the willfully blind. (Matthew
23:16-17) II Peter 1:9 adds to our understanding of who the
blind are when it talks about the blind are those that lack
faith, goodness, knowledge, self control, endurance, godliness,
brotherly affection, and Love. There are all things the faithful
will be growing in but are found lacking in the blind. It
further says that the blind have forgotten the cleansing they
had from their past sins. The blind hate their brother. (I John
2:11) The darkness has blinded their eyes and they cannot see
because of the hate they harbor in their hearts. Likewise the
blind see themselves as the provider of their needs. (Revelation
3:14-22) They are those who knew God but neither glorified Him
as God or showed any gratitude to Him. (Romans 1:21)
The blind stay blind because they love darkness more than the
light since their deeds are evil. (John 3:19) Sometimes it is
because of ignorance or hardened hearts that keeps them blind,
(Ephesians 4:18) which takes us back to the previous teaching
on the need to be humble. If they/we stay in darkness, it will
overtake us like a thief. (I Thessalonians 5:4-5) As sad of a
state of blindness is, these have a hope and that hope is the
Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 4:16) If however, they remain in
their darkness, they themselves will be thrown into outer
darkness. (Matthew 8:12)
The problem is that we need to have our whole body full of light
and this is an ongoing thing in which we are to work it out
daily. (Luke 11:36; Philippians 2:12; John 1:5; John 12:46)
Jesus Christ is the light that we need to chase the darkness
from within. (I John 1:5-6) When we follow Jesus, (John 8:12)
when we believe in Him and the power of His Love, (John 12:46)
the blindness sees the light. Sometimes we need someone who is
sent by God Himself to share Christ with us. (Acts 26:12-23) It
takes discarding the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of
light that chases away the darkness that causes our blindness.
(Romans 13:12) Those in the light, walk with decency, putting
off the things of the world. (Romans 13:11-14) If we are the
one’s living in darkness, we need to be rescued from the
darkness by Christ, no one else can do it for us. (Colossians
1:13; I Peter 2:9)
Finally, the one living in light will live in an open display of
truth. (II Corinthians 4:1-6) We not only will walk as children
of the light, but we will expose the darkness around us.
(Ephesians 5:8) We are not fighting a battle of this earthly
making but of the spiritual. (Ephesians 6:12) and as such, we
live in the Light of Christ. (I Peter 2:9)
I think the last line of this teaching is a haunting reminder of
why this is so important. So if the light within you is
darkness—how deep is that darkness! Indeed there are few things
in this world that are sadder than those who have deceived
themselves in their pride, to think they have the light when the
darkness within is so consuming that they no longer look to or
for the light. This is a consuming darkness that they willingly
accept and live in.
#Post#: 32314--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest24 Date: June 25, 2021, 12:39 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Slave to Two Masters...
Matthew 6:24 “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either
he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and
despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.
First some background. In Biblical times the most common form
of slavery was that of the indentured servant. The person would
owe money and thus “sell” himself out as a slave to pay for the
debt. One example of this though it was not a debt but what
Jacob wanted is found in Genesis 28. Jacob is in love with
Rachel and wants to marry her so he gives himself to her father
as a servant in exchange for her hand in marriage. Of course,
as the story goes, he is tricked into marrying her sister and
thus pledges himself to her father for another seven years of
service in order to marry Rachel. When talking about slavery in
Biblical days this is the most common and well-understood
meaning for what a servant is, a bondservant who is paying of a
debt of some kind or in the case of Jacob, purchasing something.
There are many teachings in scripture about being a slave,
things like submitting to your master. (Titus 2:9; I Peter
2:18) Consider your master worthy of honor. (I Timothy 2:9; I
Timothy 6:1) Even obedience to the master. (Ephesians 6:5-6;
Colossians 3:22) In a world that sees slavery as an evil thing,
something that is detestable, the early church taught that being
a slave was another opportunity to live out our faith. The
teaching doesn’t stop there though, it goes on to talk about
those who want to be first must become slaves. (Matthew 20:27;
Mark 10:44) That the slave cannot become greater than the
master, thus a place of humility. (Matthew 10:25) The Lord’s
servant is not to be unequally yoked with wickedness, or the
fruitless deeds of darkness. Rather wickedness is to be exposed.
(II Corinthians 6:14-17; Ephesians 5:11)
One of the most intriguing passages to me about the slave or
bondservant is found in the law. Deuteronomy 15:16-17 (HCSB) 12
“If your fellow Hebrew, a man or woman, is sold to you and
serves you six years, you must set him free in the seventh year.
13 When you set him free, do not send him away empty-handed. 14
Give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor,
and your winepress. You are to give him whatever the Lord your
God has blessed you with. 15 Remember that you were a slave in
the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you; that is
why I am giving you this command today. 16 But if your slave
says to you, ‘I don’t want to leave you,’ because he loves you
and your family, and is well off with you, 17 take an awl and
pierce through his ear into the door, and he will become your
slave for life. Also treat your female slave the same way. 18 Do
not regard it as a hardship[d] when you set him free, because he
worked for you six years—worth twice the wages of a hired hand.
Then the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
(Exodus 21:5) The slave has a right to choose if he stays with
the master or leaves. A pierced ear is a sign of willful
slavery.
When we apply this understanding of slavery to passages about
being a slave to sin or to righteousness, it enhances our
understanding of these passages. For example, Romans 6:20 tells
us that if we are a slave to sin, we are free from the
obligation to righteousness. Likewise, Romans 6:16 tells us we
are a slave to whatever we obey, whether a slave to sin or to
righteousness. We choose which to have as our master, whose
doorpost so to speak we want to be pierced on. We can give
ourselves to God or to wickedness, but not both. (Romans 6:13)
We begin by being sold into slavery to sin, but choose to remain
a slave to sin or to be a slave of the Living God. (Romans 7:14)
The Pharisees who were lovers of money show us the dangers of
piercing our ears on the doorpost of money. (Luke 16:14) They
sold God for profit. (II Corinthians 2:17; Titus 1:10-16) This
love of money is only going to get worse as the day of the Lord
approaches. (II Timothy 3:1-3) The key to being free from the
Love of money is to learn to be satisfied with what you have
(Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:11-13; Luke 3:14; Luke 12:15; I
Timothy 6:6-8; Hebrews 13:5) and to trust God to provide you
with what you need. (Matthew 6:8; Matthew 6:25-34; Luke
12:29-31)
Christ sets us free from our slavery to sin. (II Peter 2:19) In
order to remain free from sin and slaves to Christ, we need to
stand firm, refrain from submitting ourselves to sin again. It
is to not make excuses to indulge the flesh. It means we live in
the obedience Love. (Galatians 5; John 8:32) Our slavery is one
in which we proclaim freedom to the captives and recover sight
to the blind. (Luke 4:18) When we enslave ourselves to God, we
become sons of God, a son that is forever part of the household,
just as the slave that pierces his ear on the master’s doorpost.
(John 8:30-47) So how can we learn to be satisfied and trust
God so that we do not love money and allow ourselves to be
slaves only to God? We learn to be satisfied (Hebrews 13:5)
and trust by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ and living in that
freedom He gives. (Romans 8:1-2; I Corinthians 7:22; II
Corinthians 3:17; Revelation 1:5) By understanding that we
received Christ free of charge, therefore we need to share Him
free of charge as well. (Matthew 10:8; I Corinthians 9:18-19)
It involves crucifying the fleshly desires. (Romans 6:6-8; I
Peter 2:16) Eventually, all of creation will be set free from
the bondage of corruption but our freedom can begin in this life
as we grow into maturity of the faith. (Romans 8:21)
#Post#: 32747--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest24 Date: July 2, 2021, 11:35 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The Cure for Anxiety...
Matthew 6:25 “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your
life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body
more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t
sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a
single cubit to his height[o] by worrying? 28 And why do you
worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field
grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that
not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of
these! 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t
He do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry,
saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What
will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters[p] eagerly seek all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33
But seek first the kingdom of God[q] and His righteousness, and
all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t
worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
When I first began looking at this teaching, I wondered what
could be added to our understanding of such a simple truth, GOD
is our PROVIDER. It didn’t take long to figure out that there
was more to glean if we just looked. So let’s jump in. Don’t
worry...we already talked about this and how we can’t add
anything to our lives by worrying. (Luke 10:38-42; Luke 12:11;
Philippians 4:6; I Peter 5:7) Each of these passages deserves
our full attention but there is more to get to so I will leave
that to the reader.
We are not to worry about what to eat or drink. Food and water
are essential to life yet we are not to worry about them. I
remember the day our three oldest kids were young and we had
left everything to follow God’s call on our life. That
particular day we had a can of green beans and a little bread
and nothing more for three growing and hungry boys. I know full
well how hard it is to trust God with our daily bread, I have
lived it many times over but I can also testify to how
liberating it is to simply trust Him with our needs. Didn’t He
send manna and quail? (Exodus 15:22-16:1-36) But Deuteronomy
8:3 puts a unique spin on the entire account when it says,
(HCSB) He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you
manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that
you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on
every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. There was a
greater purpose to God providing manna, quail, even water and
that greater purpose was to teach the children of Israel that
there is so much more to life than simple survival and that
greater is God Himself and every word that He speaks.
Throughout scripture we see this teaching but it would seem we
seldom spend time meditating on what it means. (Matthew 4:4;
Luke 4:4; I Corinthians 10:1-13) Consider I Corinthians 10:31
(HCSB) Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do everything for God’s glory. When we go back to the previous
lessons, what we see is that it is about God NOT about us. When
we get this right, all things fall into place. When we figure
out that it is about God not about us and our fleshly needs we
begin to seek God and when we seek Him and His Kingdom, ALL
these things will be added. (Matthew 6:33)
Next we come to clothes, we are not to worry about what we will
wear. What a beautiful picture of the birds of the air and
flowers of the field, some of each are so beautiful that it is
hard to describe in words just how brilliant the colors, how
clear the contrasts and compliments and yet we are more
important than these. Like the food and drink that is talking
about more than just our fleshly needs, the clothes we wear is
not just about the flesh. We are to put on sackcloth and ashes.
In Biblical days, one used sackcloth and ashes to demonstrate
their brokenness and repentance of the sins they had committed.
It was an outward show of an inward condition. (Genesis 37:34)
When we wash our clothes in the blood of the Lamb, in other
words come to Christ broken, in sackcloth and ashes for
garments, He gives us a white robe, wedding clothes. (Exodus
19:14; Matthew 22:12; Mark 9:3; I Peter 3:3; Revelation 3:4-18)
When we fail to grasp these concepts, it is because we lack
faith. (Matthew 6:30) When we go back to previously taught
lessons, we also see that as God’s ambassadors, it is up to us
to help Him by providing food, water, clothing to the least.
(Matthew 25)
So what then is the lesson...obviously the lesson is not to
worry, but it is the why that is most intriguing to me. Matthew
6:32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them.
First because God already knows what we need, even before we ask
Him. (Jeremiah 45:5; Matthew 6:8; Philippians 4:19; Romans 2:4;
II Corinthians 9:8) When we are able to shift our focus from
the things of the flesh to the things of God we begin to
discover freedom and life beyond our wildest dreams. It’s about
trust.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things will be provided for you.
Secondly, He has made a promise to you and He will keep His
promises. That promise is that if you do shift your focus and
seek Him and His Kingdom which is wherever the Spirit is, all
these things, the food, drink, and clothes that the flesh needs
will be given to you. One of the ways God shows His Love to us
is by being our Father, a Father that looks out for us and cares
for us. (Matthew 7:11; Psalms 84:11; Luke 11:13; Romans 8:32;
James 1:17)
34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will
worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
And lastly, because today has enough struggle and difficulties,
there is nothing beneficial from looking ahead to the struggles
yet to come. Focus in the moment of finding a way to glorify
God in the current struggle and let that struggle yet to come be
dealt with when God takes you to that moment. (John 16:33; John
14:27; John 15:18; Acts 14:22; Romans 8:37) Trusting God to be
the provider of all that is good, (I Timothy 6:17-19) not just
with the things of the flesh but the things of both the flesh
and the spirit.
#Post#: 32807--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest8 Date: July 3, 2021, 9:31 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Lori Bolinger link=topic=1282.msg32747#msg32747
date=1625243731]
The Cure for Anxiety...
Matthew 6:25 “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your
life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body
more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t
sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a
single cubit to his height[o] by worrying? 28 And why do you
worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field
grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that
not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of
these! 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t
He do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry,
saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What
will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters[p] eagerly seek all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33
But seek first the kingdom of God[q] and His righteousness, and
all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t
worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
When I first began looking at this teaching, I wondered what
could be added to our understanding of such a simple truth, GOD
is our PROVIDER. It didn’t take long to figure out that there
was more to glean if we just looked. So let’s jump in. Don’t
worry...we already talked about this and how we can’t add
anything to our lives by worrying. (Luke 10:38-42; Luke 12:11;
Philippians 4:6; I Peter 5:7) Each of these passages deserves
our full attention but there is more to get to so I will leave
that to the reader.
We are not to worry about what to eat or drink. Food and water
are essential to life yet we are not to worry about them. I
remember the day our three oldest kids were young and we had
left everything to follow God’s call on our life. That
particular day we had a can of green beans and a little bread
and nothing more for three growing and hungry boys. I know full
well how hard it is to trust God with our daily bread, I have
lived it many times over but I can also testify to how
liberating it is to simply trust Him with our needs. Didn’t He
send manna and quail? (Exodus 15:22-16:1-36) But Deuteronomy
8:3 puts a unique spin on the entire account when it says,
(HCSB) He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you
manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that
you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on
every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. There was a
greater purpose to God providing manna, quail, even water and
that greater purpose was to teach the children of Israel that
there is so much more to life than simple survival and that
greater is God Himself and every word that He speaks.
Throughout scripture we see this teaching but it would seem we
seldom spend time meditating on what it means. (Matthew 4:4;
Luke 4:4; I Corinthians 10:1-13) Consider I Corinthians 10:31
(HCSB) Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do everything for God’s glory. When we go back to the previous
lessons, what we see is that it is about God NOT about us. When
we get this right, all things fall into place. When we figure
out that it is about God not about us and our fleshly needs we
begin to seek God and when we seek Him and His Kingdom, ALL
these things will be added. (Matthew 6:33)
Next we come to clothes, we are not to worry about what we will
wear. What a beautiful picture of the birds of the air and
flowers of the field, some of each are so beautiful that it is
hard to describe in words just how brilliant the colors, how
clear the contrasts and compliments and yet we are more
important than these. Like the food and drink that is talking
about more than just our fleshly needs, the clothes we wear is
not just about the flesh. We are to put on sackcloth and ashes.
In Biblical days, one used sackcloth and ashes to demonstrate
their brokenness and repentance of the sins they had committed.
It was an outward show of an inward condition. (Genesis 37:34)
When we wash our clothes in the blood of the Lamb, in other
words come to Christ broken, in sackcloth and ashes for
garments, He gives us a white robe, wedding clothes. (Exodus
19:14; Matthew 22:12; Mark 9:3; I Peter 3:3; Revelation 3:4-18)
When we fail to grasp these concepts, it is because we lack
faith. (Matthew 6:30) When we go back to previously taught
lessons, we also see that as God’s ambassadors, it is up to us
to help Him by providing food, water, clothing to the least.
(Matthew 25)
So what then is the lesson...obviously the lesson is not to
worry, but it is the why that is most intriguing to me. Matthew
6:32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them.
First because God already knows what we need, even before we ask
Him. (Jeremiah 45:5; Matthew 6:8; Philippians 4:19; Romans 2:4;
II Corinthians 9:8) When we are able to shift our focus from
the things of the flesh to the things of God we begin to
discover freedom and life beyond our wildest dreams. It’s about
trust.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things will be provided for you.
Secondly, He has made a promise to you and He will keep His
promises. That promise is that if you do shift your focus and
seek Him and His Kingdom which is wherever the Spirit is, all
these things, the food, drink, and clothes that the flesh needs
will be given to you. One of the ways God shows His Love to us
is by being our Father, a Father that looks out for us and cares
for us. (Matthew 7:11; Psalms 84:11; Luke 11:13; Romans 8:32;
James 1:17)
34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will
worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
And lastly, because today has enough struggle and difficulties,
there is nothing beneficial from looking ahead to the struggles
yet to come. Focus in the moment of finding a way to glorify
God in the current struggle and let that struggle yet to come be
dealt with when God takes you to that moment. (John 16:33; John
14:27; John 15:18; Acts 14:22; Romans 8:37) Trusting God to be
the provider of all that is good, (I Timothy 6:17-19) not just
with the things of the flesh but the things of both the flesh
and the spirit.
[/quote]
You said and wrongly so:"When we go back to previously taught
lessons, we also see that as God’s ambassadors, it is up to us
to help Him by providing food, water, clothing to the least.
(Matthew 25) "
God does not need our Help...It is we who needs His help. As a
servant, we follow his commands in obedience not help him out
out of the goodness of our heart.
"Help" is used 126 time in 117 verses in the KJV and not once
does it say that We are to Help God!
#Post#: 32815--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest24 Date: July 4, 2021, 12:43 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Bladerunner link=topic=1282.msg32807#msg32807
date=1625365884]
[quote author=Lori Bolinger link=topic=1282.msg32747#msg32747
date=1625243731]
The Cure for Anxiety...
Matthew 6:25 “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your
life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body
more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t
sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a
single cubit to his height[o] by worrying? 28 And why do you
worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field
grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that
not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of
these! 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t
He do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry,
saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What
will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters[p] eagerly seek all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33
But seek first the kingdom of God[q] and His righteousness, and
all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t
worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
When I first began looking at this teaching, I wondered what
could be added to our understanding of such a simple truth, GOD
is our PROVIDER. It didn’t take long to figure out that there
was more to glean if we just looked. So let’s jump in. Don’t
worry...we already talked about this and how we can’t add
anything to our lives by worrying. (Luke 10:38-42; Luke 12:11;
Philippians 4:6; I Peter 5:7) Each of these passages deserves
our full attention but there is more to get to so I will leave
that to the reader.
We are not to worry about what to eat or drink. Food and water
are essential to life yet we are not to worry about them. I
remember the day our three oldest kids were young and we had
left everything to follow God’s call on our life. That
particular day we had a can of green beans and a little bread
and nothing more for three growing and hungry boys. I know full
well how hard it is to trust God with our daily bread, I have
lived it many times over but I can also testify to how
liberating it is to simply trust Him with our needs. Didn’t He
send manna and quail? (Exodus 15:22-16:1-36) But Deuteronomy
8:3 puts a unique spin on the entire account when it says,
(HCSB) He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you
manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that
you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on
every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. There was a
greater purpose to God providing manna, quail, even water and
that greater purpose was to teach the children of Israel that
there is so much more to life than simple survival and that
greater is God Himself and every word that He speaks.
Throughout scripture we see this teaching but it would seem we
seldom spend time meditating on what it means. (Matthew 4:4;
Luke 4:4; I Corinthians 10:1-13) Consider I Corinthians 10:31
(HCSB) Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do everything for God’s glory. When we go back to the previous
lessons, what we see is that it is about God NOT about us. When
we get this right, all things fall into place. When we figure
out that it is about God not about us and our fleshly needs we
begin to seek God and when we seek Him and His Kingdom, ALL
these things will be added. (Matthew 6:33)
Next we come to clothes, we are not to worry about what we will
wear. What a beautiful picture of the birds of the air and
flowers of the field, some of each are so beautiful that it is
hard to describe in words just how brilliant the colors, how
clear the contrasts and compliments and yet we are more
important than these. Like the food and drink that is talking
about more than just our fleshly needs, the clothes we wear is
not just about the flesh. We are to put on sackcloth and ashes.
In Biblical days, one used sackcloth and ashes to demonstrate
their brokenness and repentance of the sins they had committed.
It was an outward show of an inward condition. (Genesis 37:34)
When we wash our clothes in the blood of the Lamb, in other
words come to Christ broken, in sackcloth and ashes for
garments, He gives us a white robe, wedding clothes. (Exodus
19:14; Matthew 22:12; Mark 9:3; I Peter 3:3; Revelation 3:4-18)
When we fail to grasp these concepts, it is because we lack
faith. (Matthew 6:30) When we go back to previously taught
lessons, we also see that as God’s ambassadors, it is up to us
to help Him by providing food, water, clothing to the least.
(Matthew 25)
So what then is the lesson...obviously the lesson is not to
worry, but it is the why that is most intriguing to me. Matthew
6:32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them.
First because God already knows what we need, even before we ask
Him. (Jeremiah 45:5; Matthew 6:8; Philippians 4:19; Romans 2:4;
II Corinthians 9:8) When we are able to shift our focus from
the things of the flesh to the things of God we begin to
discover freedom and life beyond our wildest dreams. It’s about
trust.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things will be provided for you.
Secondly, He has made a promise to you and He will keep His
promises. That promise is that if you do shift your focus and
seek Him and His Kingdom which is wherever the Spirit is, all
these things, the food, drink, and clothes that the flesh needs
will be given to you. One of the ways God shows His Love to us
is by being our Father, a Father that looks out for us and cares
for us. (Matthew 7:11; Psalms 84:11; Luke 11:13; Romans 8:32;
James 1:17)
34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will
worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
And lastly, because today has enough struggle and difficulties,
there is nothing beneficial from looking ahead to the struggles
yet to come. Focus in the moment of finding a way to glorify
God in the current struggle and let that struggle yet to come be
dealt with when God takes you to that moment. (John 16:33; John
14:27; John 15:18; Acts 14:22; Romans 8:37) Trusting God to be
the provider of all that is good, (I Timothy 6:17-19) not just
with the things of the flesh but the things of both the flesh
and the spirit.
[/quote]
You said and wrongly so:"When we go back to previously taught
lessons, we also see that as God’s ambassadors, it is up to us
to help Him by providing food, water, clothing to the least.
(Matthew 25) "
God does not need our Help...It is we who needs His help. As a
servant, we follow his commands in obedience not help him out
out of the goodness of our heart.
"Help" is used 126 time in 117 verses in the KJV and not once
does it say that We are to Help God!
[/quote]So you disagree with Matthew 25...thanks for letting us
know that scripture is not your authority, I will disagree with
you and trust that Matthew 25 was intended by God to be included
in scripture because it is there.
#Post#: 32817--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parables of Jesus bit by bit
By: guest125 Date: July 4, 2021, 1:30 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
He’s right Lori— Matt 25 has nothing to do with the point you
are trying to make.
‘To him who has much, more will be given and to him who has
little, the little he has, even that will be taken away.’
I’ve heard other false teachers use this same passage to say
‘God helps those who help themselves’ and also by prosperity
teachers to convince folks to “invest” in their ministry.
God has no need of your money. He has no need of your help.
*****************************************************
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