PARABLES ON HIS KINGDOM SEED

Newsletter 181 February 20, 2010

Bob Mills

In my childhood, where it was possible, every house had a vegetable garden. The garden and the chicken pen were my responsibility. Most people did not run to the grocery store and buy what they wanted for the next meal. They went to the garden or to the basement for a jar of fruit or vegetables and to the chicken yard.

As soon as it was warm enough we planted rows of seeds. Then we watched for them to come up, and our annual battle to protect them from weeds and hungry insects and worms began. We may have lacked in variety, but we never really lacked food. We even had enough to share with less fortunate neighbors who did not have the space for their own garden,.

Jesus used the fruit trees, the vegetable gardens, the grape vines; the fish four of his twelve apostles caught in their in their nets, in his frequent parables. All his parables had a deeper meaning. These two, related by Mark, concerned the church, which we could compare to be the doorway to his eternal kingdom. It does not come without dedication of time, work, or responsibilities, but along the way we can share with others the Good News.

Mark 4:26-34 (King James Version)

26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; (Mark 1:15)

27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. (Joel 3:13)

30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? (Matthew 13:31, Matthew 13:32, Luke 13:18, Luke 13:19, Matthew 13:24)

31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. (Matthew 13:32, Ezekiel 17:23, Psalm 104:12, Ezekiel 31:6, Daniel 4:12, 1 Corinthians 7:14)

33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

Our faith is like the tiny seeds we placed I the prepared garden patch. During the long, hot, Summer. We harvested from those plants, but in the Fall we really gathered the most harvest. Thus is our life. We begin with a small seed of faith, throughout life we are blessed, but at the Fall of life, comes the real blessing. We have entered the door, been blessed by his church, and enter into eternity to the eternal home he has prepared for us.
___________________________________________________

RESOLVE TO READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2010

FEBRUARY

21st. Sunday – Exodus 25, 26, Mark 5:21-43, Proverbs 5:15-23

22nd. Monday – Exodus 27, 28, Mark 6:1-29, Psalm 24

23rd. Tuesday – Exodus 29, 30, Mark 6:30-56, Psalm 25:1-11

24th. Wednesday - Exodus 31, 32, Mark 7, Psalm 25:12-22

25th. Thursday – Exodus 33, 34, Mark 8, Proverbs 6:1-11

26th. Friday – Exodus 35, 36, Mark 9:1-32, Psalm 26

27th. Saturday – Exodus 37, 38, Mark 9:33-50, Psalm 27


OUR CHRISTIAN BLOG LINKS

(With links to 629 titles)

GOOGLE TRANSLATOR: The Translator is available only to e-mail blog readers and needs to be activated by scrolling to the very bottom of the monitor screen. With it you may have any of our blogs on the screen translated into one of many languages and you can then copy and forward them to any email address on earth. “Go ye unto all the world.”

http://searchingthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com/
Our weekly Bible Letter
http://47yearsinafrica.blogspot.com/
Biographical, with photos
http://whatdoesgodsayaboutthis.blogspot.com/
Questions and discussions
http://scripturegems.blogspot.com/
Favorite Scripture Quotation
http://salvationtracts.blogspot.com/
Representing 70 world languages
http://searchthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com/
Short Bible studies
http://bookletbiblestudies.blogspot.com/
Several pages in length
http://phyllistheauthor.blogspot.com/
Portions of Phyllis’ 3 published books & more to come

____________________________________________________________________

THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

“….whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”

Mark 3:35

BE MY VALENTINE

Newsletter 180 February 13, 2010


B. Mills

When I say, “Be my valentine“, I am not necessarily thinking of hearts, chocolates, flowers, and gifts. They may be appropriate under the right circumstances. Nor am I thinking of one day of the year.

Putting aside my inherit aversion to public demonstrations of emotions, and the origins of Valentine’s day, I could hardly totally ignore it. Besides, there is a lot said in the Bible about love. I Corinthians 13: is called the “Love Chapter“; John is especially known for his often spoken admonitions that Christians should love one another, It has often been said that if the Bible says we should do something, then we should. We have no excuse not to. If it is also said that if there are three commands, God really means we should do it now, but what about this? I simply searched the words, “love one another” and my computer promptly showed, not one time, not three times, but 19 times! And that does not count other variations in wording. As Christians, we are to be known for our love for one another.

Paul wrote these beautiful words: (In current English, the word “charity” here should be translated “love”)

1 Corinthians 13:1-10

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. (1 Corinthians 12:10, 2 Corinthians 12:4, Revelation 14:2, Psalm 150:5)

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (Matthew 7:22, Acts 13:1, 1 Corinthians 11:4, 1 Corinthians 13:8, 1 Corinthians 13:4:1, 1 Corinthians 14:39, 1 Corinthians 14:2, 1 Corinthians 15:51, Romans 15:14, 1 Corinthians 12:9, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:23)

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (Matthew 6:2)

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, (Proverbs 10:12, Proverbs 17:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, 1 Peter 4:8, Acts 7:9, 1 Corinthians 4:6)

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; (1 Corinthians 10:24, Philippians 2:21, 2 Corinthians 5:19)

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; (2 Thessalonians 2:12, 2 John 4,
3 John 3f)

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
(1 Corinthians 9:12)

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
(1 Corinthians 13:2, 1 Corinthians 13:1)

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

This describes true, meaningful Christian love, not to be confused with what currently is so often called love in song or print. I recently returned a film to our local library with a sticker label adhered suggesting that it be destroyed as it was pure garbage. It was not pornographic, but it had disgusting dialog and no story line or message at all. God wants our lives to be a message of love for Him to a world that surely needs it..
___________________________________________________


RESOLVE TO READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2010

FEBRUARY

14th. Sunday – Exodus 11, 12, Mark 1:1-27, Psalm 21:1-7

15th. Monday – Exodus 13, 14, Mark 1:28-45, Psalm 21:8-13

16th. Tuesday – Exodus 15, 16, Mark 2, Psalm 22:1-8

17th. Wednesday - Exodus 17, 18, Mark 3, Proverbs 5:1-14

18th. Thursday – Exodus 19, 20, Mark 4:1-25, Psalm 22:9-18

19th. Friday – Exodus 21, 22, Mark 5:26-41, Psalm 22:19-31

20th. Saturday – Exodus 23, 24, Mark 5:1-20, Psalm 23


OUR CHRISTIAN BLOG LINKS

(With links to 657 titles)

GOOGLE TRANSLATOR: The Translator is available only to e-mail blog readers and needs to be activated by scrolling to the very bottom of the monitor screen. With it you may have any of our blogs on the screen translated into one of many languages and you can then copy and forward them to any email address on earth. “Go ye unto all the world.”

http://searchingthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com/
Our weekly Bible Letter
http://47yearsinafrica.blogspot.com/
Biographical, with photos
http://whatdoesgodsayaboutthis.blogspot.com/
Questions and discussions
http://scripturegems.blogspot.com/
Favorite Scripture Quotation
http://salvationtracts.blogspot.com/
Representing 70 world languages
http://searchthescriptureswithbob.blogspot.com/
Short Bible studies
http://bookletbiblestudies.blogspot.com/
Several pages in length
http://phyllistheauthor.blogspot.com/
Portions of Phyllis’ 3 published books & more to come
____________________________________________________________________


THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

“….Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Ephesians 4:32