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Showing posts from July, 2022

Thief in the Night

  The other night we heard much shouting coming from the neighbor's house. In a way, we've become calloused to the noise because it happens occasionally. This time, however, we discovered that someone had attempted to break into the neighbor's house. We got that impression when three cop cars showed up. Oops. Something good may come of this. I mention this because we've lived here for over two years and have never had any contact with the neighbors. They come home from work, open and close their front gate, and pronto. They're in, and we're out. It's funny how a crook jumping a fence can shake a person's perspective. I remember how it was for me a few years ago when four thugs entered my home at night. It took a year for me to get over the trauma. We just had a short conversation and exchanged phone numbers with Cristiane. She wants to help us (and us to help her) if this uninvited guest ever comes back. She's suddenly become interested in friendship

This Little Light of Mine

  Do you remember the kid's song from your junior church days? This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. We sang with gusto as we held our fingers up and made it go in a circle, indicating a tiny candle that we would let shine all over the world. What is the origin of this song? You'll notice that the song doesn't mention Jesus, God, or the Holy Spirit. But I am sure that they were intended, right? The idea behind this little diddy probably came from Luke 11:33-36. This is what Jesus said there: 33 "No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is

Parables

He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “ ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’ (Luke 8:10). For many years I thought that Jesus taught the parables so that the people could understand a heavenly meaning by hearing an earthly illustration. That is what I'd been taught in junior church. My understanding was way off the mark.  Jesus began to speak in parables to confound the unbelievers. Those who had rejected him as Messiah would be left scratching their head in confusion. As illustrated in the parable of the soils, even his followers didn't get what he was saying.  It's the same way today. Many people read or hear the Word and it doesn't make sense to them. It might be in simple English, or whatever their language, but they can't understand the meaning or the application. This fact shouldn't discourage our evangelistic work, it should hel

What? How?

 27 “But to you who are listening, I say:  Love your enemies,  do good to those who hate you, 28  bless those who curse you,  pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek,  turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat,  do not withhold your shirt from them.  30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.  32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.  33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.  34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.  35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High,  because he is kind t
The Ten Virgins - Matthew 25:1-13 Jesus tells the story of ten virgins, five prepared and five not prepared. What have you understood about this parable? The five unprepared bridesmaids are symbolic of people who will not be ready for Jesus’ return? That’s what I’ve always understood.  The setting was that there were ten “bridesmaids” who were waiting for a groom to arrive. Apparently, in a Jewish wedding, the groom would go to the bride’s father’s house and fetch his bride. Afterward, there would be a procession to the groom’s house, where a wedding party would occur.  In this case, five maids were prepared for the groom’s possible delay, and the other five weren't. Five brought extra oil for their torches, and five brought just enough to go in when they got to the procession. However, the groom delayed his coming until midnight.  When he finally did come, the prepared virgins went into the party with him while the unprepared girls were seeking oil. When they returned, they discov