Category: Religion

ROPC Global prayer conference with loved ones? Rhapsody Online Prayer Conference is HERE again and it is beyond IMAGINATION!

The Rhapsody Online Prayer Conference is an opportune time of prayers for all Rhapsody partners over the world! The ROPC Global is set to position, strengthen, align, equip and inspire to IMMEDIATE ACTION all Rhapsody Partners globally (and new ones) towards hitting our 2021 Goals.

With its strategic timing of the year, it presents to the Pastors, Partners, Members of our Ministry and the whole world the unique opportunity to pray and prepare for the new ministry year and what the Lord will do through Rhapsody of Realities in the earth in 2021.

ROPC Global is more than a Prayer Conference! As we look back at a glorious 20 years of impact and spreading, we look forward with great excitement on what more the Lord will have us do in the next 12 months.

ROPC Global will bring together all Rhapsody Partners within the ministry and beyond to Pray, Receive Inspiration and Direction with motivation to begin to ACT as we set our gaze on distributing more copies of Rhapsody of Realities globally.

Join the Global Rhapsody Online Prayer Conference, a 24-hour prayer event. STARTING TODAY: Friday 18th December through to Saturday 19th December 2020 at 6 PM GMT+1 / 1 PM EST. You will be refreshed and positioned to set new records for the Gospel.

For more information about The ‘Global Day of Prayer’ and how to participate in the power-packed prayer event with friends, colleagues, loved ones, and family members, please visit https://rhapsodytv.live/.

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Second coming of Jesus Christ interpretations? Statistical data reveals an apocalyptic code that points to end-time events right now. The pattern was so strong and unusual that it appeared to be nothing short of miraculous. The said dates of April 13, 2017 and April 13, 2028, are extremely important in that they provide us with a statistical range in which to approximate the Prophecy of Garabandal end time dates. The end time dates must occur within this said range of time, since it must be remembered from the previous discussion about end time prophecies that the AntiChrist, if he actually exists, is already 70 years of age or older and the last pope, Pope Francis I, is already 78 years of age. If their role in history is to play out, it must reasonably occur during their lifetimes. To go beyond this said range of time would not be medically feasible, unless both the AntiChrist and Pope Francis I are gerontological freaks of nature. Thus, the possible candidate dates for the ‘miracle’ event of Garabandal must be either April 13, 2017, April 9, 2020, April 14, 2022, or April 13, 2028. More evidence for the validity of these said dates will be discussed below.

But what about the bolide, asteroid or comet of The Third Secret of Fatima that is supposed to hit the ocean and cause a deluge that wipes out entire continents from the face of the earth? If the late Malachi Martin was correct about the events of The Third Secret of Fatima occuring by 2018, then the date of April 13, 2017 is the likely date of the Garabandal ‘Miracle’, since most people would not even be alive to receive the ‘Warning’ if it were given after the deluge. [Note: Due to certain events which have not occurred by 2018, the date of the asteroid/comet event must be in 2022, and preceding such a catastrophic event, the ‘Miracle’ of Garabandal must be between April 9, 2020 and April 14, 2022.]/[UPDATE: July 25, 2018 – 2.1 Kiloton meteor hit Greenland just 43 kilometers from Thule U.S. Air Force Base without warning, let alone, without a word from the said military base.

Those familiar with the New Testament know that a righteous spirit is pure white and unblemished. We can deduce this from the transfiguration of Elijah and Moses in front of Jesus and his apostles. Refer to Chapter 9, vv. 2-4, in the Book of Mark, which reveals the following: “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah and Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.” (ESV) Find even more info at http://revelationcodebroken.com/.

The apparitions at Medjugorje represent the last of the Marian communications before the second coming of Jesus Christ. The messages given by the apparitions involved ten secrets. Mirjana received all ten secrets first that was written on a parchment on Christimas day in 1982. Mirjana was apparently the only one who could read the secrets on this parchment. The other children received the secrets verbally during the apparition sightings. Five of the six children have received all ten of the secrets, while only one, known as Vicka, has not, for she continues to witness daily sightings of the Blessed Virgin to this day. Such marian sightings appear to be strongly tied to the Garabandal apparitions insofar as the warning of God and the miraculous sign are concerned. And according to one of the seers, Mirjana Soldo, the Virgin Mary told her “that Medjugorje would be the fulfillment of Fatima and that her heart would triumph.”

These years appeared to have been a Christian dynasty for American professional sports teams. Of the 32 teams in the NFL, only 4 are named after Christian saints or angels. In the NHL, it is only 4 out of 30 teams. In MLB, it is only 6 out of 30. In MLS, it is only 2 out of 19. And in the NBA, it is only 4 out of 30. In all five leagues, there are only 20 out of a total of 141 teams that are named after either Christian saints or angels. But for fifteen straight years, stretching from 1999 to 2014, 13 out of the 20 Christian named teams have won a total of 30 of the biggest and most watched world championships in American, if not world history. See additional information at armageddon revelations.

The Persistent Widow explained? The parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1–8) is part of a series of illustrative lessons Jesus Christ used to teach His disciples about prayer. Luke introduces this lesson as a parable meant to show the disciples “that they should always pray and never give up” (verse 1, NLT).

The parable of the widow and the judge is set in an unnamed town. Over that town presides an unjust judge who has no fear of God and no compassion for the people under his jurisdiction. In the Jewish community, a judge was expected to be impartial, to judge righteously, and to recognize that judgment ultimately belongs to God (Deuteronomy 1:16–17). Thus, the judge in this story is incompetent and unqualified for the job. Justice was not being served.

Most have felt that we have been overlooked, neglected, or abused. Most of us have felt rejected a time or two. Of and by themselves, these feelings are not wrong. But, again, we must beware, because these feelings can begin to generate pride. Such a thing fed Helel’s feelings about himself. They simmered in him and made him angry, and he desired to assert his will to control the governance of all that was happening. “I will ascend to heaven,” he said, and he tried to. We see the pattern here; we can see the process involved from beginning to end.

I will give her justice so that she won’t eventually come and attack me. Now, this story seems a little bit strange, but let’s talk about it. So Jesus told his disciples, this parable to show them how to pray and never give up in this story. We have a widow that’s supposed to represent us, but who is this judge? Surely Jesus. Isn’t comparing God to an unjust judge. What Jesus wants us to see here is that God is not like this judge. He is good. And he is just because of this. Whenever we come before him with our problems and cry out to him, he’ll always answer. And he won’t delay in answering our prayers. He’ll make it happen. And quickly then Jesus ends by saying however, when the son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth? Why does Jesus mention faith? What does that have to do with persistence or prayer? Well, let’s look at it this way. If we don’t have faith that God’s going to do what he says, he’ll do. We won’t be like this persistent. We’ll give up because we don’t believe that he’s going to work in the way that he tells us he will. But if we have faith, we’ll continue asking and asking and seeking God until he gives us an answer. See even more information on the The Persistent Widow video on YouTube.

In the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8), a poor, powerless person (the widow) persists in nagging a corrupt, powerful person (the judge) to do justice for her. The parable assumes John the Baptist’s teaching that holding a position of power and leadership obligates you to work justly, especially on behalf of the poor and weak. But Jesus focuses the parable on a different point, that we are “to pray always and to not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). He identifies the hearers — us — with the woman, and the prayed-to person — God — with the corrupt judge, a strange combination. Assuming that Jesus doesn’t mean that God is corrupt, the point must be that if persistence pays off with a corrupt human of limited power, how much more will it pay off with a just God of infinite power.

Gainesville Non-Denominational churches and holy education? We live to help all people find family in Christ by reaching those far from God and making disciples who build God’s kingdom. Discovering family in Christ means knowing God as Father and His followers as brothers and sisters. It means having a relationship with the Creator of the universe that gives you a purpose on earth. It means finding your place among the people who have committed their lives to share God’s love.

We find the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant only in Matthew 18:23-35. The Apostle Peter had asked how many times one should forgive, “Till seven times?” and Jesus answered, “Not seven times but seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). The context of this passage is Jesus teaching His disciples about the “kingdom of heaven.” We can take some very important principles from this parable and apply them to our lives today.

Eventually, the judge says to himself, “I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!” (Luke 18:4–5, NLT). The widow gets the justice she was seeking. Then Jesus explains His point: if an uncaring, unfit, ungodly judge answers with justice in the end, how much more will a loving and holy Father give what is right to His children?

The Parable Of The Lost Coin video and FREE coloring pages for children? If someone really did lose a coin on the floor, it would be difficult to find, and it would be a serious issue due to poverty (this woman only had ten silver coins, which would be a crisis for her to lose one). It really would be necessary to sweep the house and look carefully through the debris. Jesus’ audience understood the the significance of this event, which is why he states it as a rhetorical question. The meaning of this parable of the lost coin is clear. Just like we would be joyful if we lost something that we considered to be of great value, likewise everyone in heaven is also immensely joyful whenever even just one sinner stops sinning and returns to obeying God (repents).

New Testament : The Parable of the Sower? What Is the Parable of the Sower? The Parable of the Sower is recorded in three of the four biblical gospels. The human heart is like receptive soil to the seed of the Word of God. Jesus used this analogy in the Parable of the Sower. The Parable of the Sower is recorded in three of the four biblical Gospels – Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:1-15. The human heart is like receptive soil to the seed of the Word of God. Jesus used this analogy in the Parable of the Sower. The soil that the seed fell on represents four categories of hearers’ hearts, four different reactions to the Word of God: the hard heart, the shallow heart, the crowded heart, and the fruitful heart.

The focus of our Small Groups is learning about Jesus and His message, studying scripture, making disciples, enjoying fellowship and investing in each others’ lives. As we mature in our faith, followers of Jesus should display servant leadership just as He demonstrated. At The Family Church, we have a 9-month development process to prepare people to have a deacon leadership role in the congregation. Discover even more information on Churches in Gainesville FL.

A more careful reading of the parable offers an alternate meaning behind Jesus’ words. The eleventh hour workers in the parable represent people who have not heard of Jesus previously. When questioned as to why they are not working, they reply in verse seven that “no one has hired [them]” (Matt. 20:7, NKJV). Even in the “deathbed conversion” interpretation of the parable, the fact that all workers receive the same wages does not indicate that Christians are given a free pass in life as long as they repent before they die. Instead, the parable assures us that there is no advantage to having been born a Christian and that all are likewise saved not by their works but by the goodness of Christ.

Fruit of the Holy Spirit explained? Gentleness – prautes: This word doesn’t have a true English translation, although “meekness” is often used. It does not refer to actions or attitudes toward others but to the spiritual condition of submission toward God. It means to accept His correction without disputing or resisting. Much like kindness, gentleness comes from a position of strength. It is submission and grace without concern for one’s own rights (Philippians 2:5-7). Self-control – egkrateia: Self-control can also only be manifested through strength. The root word implies a robust power, mastery, and restraining. Paul’s teaching concerning self-control actually scared Felix, the governor he confronted in Acts 24 (see verse 25).

Galatians 5:22-23: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. The fruit of the Spirit is what grows in us as born-again believers and helps us to show the love of God to those who don’t know Him. The closer we grow to God, the more of the fruit that becomes evident in our lives.

The “Fruit of the Spirit” is a great passage of scripture for kids that immediately gives them something they understand and can relate to-fruit! This series of lessons gives you a great opportunity to include activities, crafts, songs and games revolving around cheerful, colorful objects. Purple balloons (grapes) and other vibrant colors can be part of your visual representation of the fruits. Fake fruits are often available in craft stores for additional props.

When you are born again you receive the Gift of Holy Spirit; you become a new creation, a new man, because a spiritual seed is placed inside you. When cultivated and grown this seed blossoms into a tree that bears spiritual fruit. The amount of fruit you bear is dependant on how much you tend to the seed and grow it… meaning, how close you are to God and how much you are doing His word. This fruit manifests itself in the following ways.

Being moderate, kind; the absence of harshness or severity. The Apostle Paul illustrates gentleness by the example of a mother feeding her babies (I Thessalonians 2:7). Moral excellence; virtue. God is the ultimate example of goodness. Goodness is holiness put into practice and results from knowing God. Goodness enables you to do good to those who hate you (Luke 6:27) as well as those of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). It is the goodness and grace of God that leads people to repentance. That’s why we need to be good to people. Our witness won’t have any power unless we are kind to others. We are called to be light in a dark world, and we must make up our minds that we are going to shine!

The lessons we offer are written on a level that children can fully understand. Paired with our coloring pages and additional activities the lessons can bring this group of attributes to life. Check out our selection of children’s songs to add additional fun and enthusiasm to learning about the fruit of the Spirit. See additional info on the Fruit of the Holy Spirit video on YouTube.

The phrase “the fruit of the Spirit” has caused a great deal of confusion over the years. Perhaps it would be best to begin by explaining what the fruit of the Spirit is not. It is not the result of any effort anyone can make. Not the effort to have faith or to obey or to be loving and kind. The fruit of the Spirit has nothing directly to do with any exertion a believer can make.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed? So, the picture painted in the Parable of the Mustard Seed by Jesus is of the humble beginnings of the church experiencing an explosive rate of growth. It grows large and becomes a source of food, rest, and shelter, for both believers and false professing individuals that seek to consume or take advantage of its benefits while residing or mixing among what was produced by the seed (1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:7; 2 Corinthians 11:13; Galatians 1:7). In other words, Jesus predicts that, while the church will grow extremely large from just a small start, it will not remain pure. While this is not a condemnation of the “bigness” of modern Christianity, it does show us the greatest burden that comes with it. The Parable of the Mustard Seed is both a prediction and a warning. May we listen to its message.

Matthew 13:31-32 tells the parable of the mustard seed: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” Using parables, Jesus related truth through intriguing stories with familiar settings. Our grasp of this parable hinges upon a correct understanding of its key elements: the sower, the mustard seed, the great tree which grew from it, and the birds which perched on its branches.

Jesus told us this story and he says that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. It’s one of the smallest seats, but when planted, it grows to become one of the biggest garden plants that even birds can come and perch and find shade and shelter. You know that’s pretty crazy is that all of us, when we were about one week old inside of our mother’s belly, we’re about the size of a mustard seed. After two months, we were the size of a blueberry. For months we were the size of an Apple, and at nine months, just before we were born, we were about the size of a watermelon.

You know, some of us have grown pretty big since then, but even the tallest and biggest person is still really small because we live in such a big world. Did you know that it would take about 350 days to walk around the world? That’s 30 million seconds, but guess what? Even our world is really small. Our world could fit into the sun about 1 million times, but you know the craziest thing is our God is even bigger than the sun. In fact, our God is bigger than anything you could imagine. Now, that’s a pretty big God, but you know, Jesus tells this story because he wants to tell us that when we get a little bit of God into our lives, that that changes everything.

Our God likes to use really small things and really small people to do really big things. We use David who is just a small boy to take on a giant named Goliath. He used a man named Gideon who was the smallest of his family to be the leader of an army. Jesus when he was on earth, even went to eat at the house of a very tiny man named [inaudible] who was so small that in order to see Jesus, he had to climb into a Sycamore tree. Now, that’s the really cool thing about God is that no matter how small we are and we all are very small, he still wants to use us. Discover extra info with the The Parable of the Mustard Seed video on YouTube.

Yet the kingdom is not to be evaluated by its humble, nearly invisible origins. For just as a mustard seed grows into the largest of garden plants, the kingdom of God finally grows to such an extent that no one can miss it (v. 32). History bears out the truth of our Savior’s teaching. He started out with twelve ordinary men whom He appointed as Apostles and a handful of other followers. He lived and died in what was considered a backwater province of the Roman Empire, and He is mentioned only in passing in the secular historical sources of that time. But since the time of Christ’s ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension, the kingdom of God has been steadily growing. His church is found around the globe, and it grows even in the most hostile lands. The mustard seed is well on its way to becoming the mustard plant.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast video and FREE coloring pages for children? In Jewish society, the parents of the betrothed generally drew up the marriage contract. The bride and groom would meet, perhaps for the first time, when this contract was signed. The couple was considered married at this point, but they would separate until the actual time of the ceremony. The bride would remain with her parents, and the groom would leave to prepare their home. This could take quite a while. When the home was all was ready, the groom would return for his bride without notice. The marriage ceremony would then take place, and the wedding banquet would follow.

The king, enraged at the response of those who had been invited, sent his army to avenge the death of his servants (verse 7). He then sent invitations to anyone his servants could find, with the result that the wedding hall was filed (verses 8-10).

God did not give up on mankind. He desired to find someone to follow Him for their redemption. He sent His servants to the Gentiles, those who were not of Israel. To this day, Israel is still rebelling against the Messiah. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.”

The king is God the Father, and the son who is being honored at the banquet is Jesus Christ, who “came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). Israel held the invitation to the kingdom, but when the time actually came for the kingdom to appear (see Matthew 3:1), they refused to believe it. Many prophets, including John the Baptist, had been murdered (Matthew 14:10). The king’s reprisal against the murderers can be interpreted as a prophecy of Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 at the hands of the Romans (cf. Luke 21:5). More broadly, the king’s vengeance speaks of the desolation mentioned in the book of Revelation. God is patient, but He will not tolerate wickedness forever (Obadiah 1:15). His judgment will come upon those who reject His offer of salvation. Considering what that salvation cost Jesus, is not this judgment well deserved (see Hebrews 10:29-31)?

Note that it is not because the invited guests could not come to the wedding feast, but that they would not come (see Luke 13:34). Everyone had an excuse. How tragic, and how indicative of human nature, to be offered the blessings of God and to refuse them because of the draw of mundane things!

The wedding invitation is extended to anyone and everyone, total strangers, both good and bad. This refers to the gospel being taken to the Gentiles. This portion of the parable is a foreshadowing of the Jews’ rejection of the gospel in Acts 13. Paul and Barnabas were in Pisidian Antioch, where the Jewish leaders strongly opposed them. The apostle’s words echo the king’s estimation that those invited to the wedding “did not deserve to come”: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). The gospel message, Jesus taught, would be made available to everyone.

For his crime against the king, the improperly attired guest is thrown out into the darkness. For their crimes against God, there will be many who will be consigned to “outer darkness”—existence without God for eternity. Christ concludes the parable with the sad fact that “many are invited, but few are chosen.” In other words, many people hear the call of God, but only a few heed it.

God sent prophets to warn of punishment. But the Israelites tortured and killed these messengers. Through the armies of Syria, Babylonia, and Rome, God chastened the nations of Israel and Judah. “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. God to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.”

To summarize the point of the Parable of the Wedding Feast, God sent His Son into the world, and the very people who should have celebrated His coming rejected Him, bringing judgment upon themselves. As a result, the kingdom of heaven was opened up to anyone who will set aside his own righteousness and by faith accept the righteousness God provides in Christ. Those who spurn the gift of salvation and cling instead to their own “good” works will spend eternity in hell. The self-righteous Pharisees who heard this parable did not miss Jesus’ point. In the very next verse, “the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words” (Matthew 22:15). The Parable of the Wedding Feast is also a warning to us, to make sure we are relying on God’s provision of salvation, not on our own good works or religious service. See even more details on the The Parable of the Wedding Feast video on YouTube.

Just as the king provided wedding garments for his guests, God provides salvation for mankind. Our wedding garment is the righteousness of Christ, and unless we have it, we will miss the wedding feast. When the religions of the world are stripped down to their basic tenets, we either find man working his way toward God, or we find the cross of Christ. The cross is the only way to salvation (John 14:6).

The Prodigal Son and other spiritual videos? Jesus had his specific audience, a mixture of “sinners” and “righteous,” in mind when he told these three stories. Jesus was prompted to tell these parables because the Pharisees and teachers of the law were accusing him of welcoming sinners and eating with them (verse 2). Clearly, the Pharisees and teachers of the law viewed themselves as righteous and the other half of the audience as sinners. Jesus told the stories of the lost sheep, coin, and son to clear up the matter of who is truly “lost.”

This accusation by the Pharisees and scribes set the stage for three parables (the third being the one with the prodigal son) in which Jesus taught these Jewish authorities and us today how God deals with sinners.

In the Gospel of Luke 15:11-32, we are told of a wealthy man who had two sons. The younger son gets up one morning and decides to leave home and go about himself. He asks for and gets his inheritance from his father and he heads off to a strange land. Since he had so much money and possessions, he begins to lavish his substance on vanities – without thinking of his future. He had wine, women, and other pleasures whenever he wanted. Eventually, his profuse and wasteful expenditure costs him all his inherited fortune.

And while we are all sinners, as was the prodigal son, it is heartwarming, comforting and, yes, almost incomprehensible that God the Father is willing to accept us back, given the mistakes we have made. This overview of the parable is well-known, and we are deeply moved by this understanding. But now let’s consider what isn’t commonly perceived about this story and what this knowledge should motivate us to do.

After being hit by difficult living conditions – owing to his foolishness – he decides to humble himself and return home to his father. Instead of being rejected by his father, he gets a warm welcome with gifts and celebration. This gets his big brother crossed and starts a quarrel with his father. His father placates him and reassures him that all that he has belongs to him. Come along with me as we, together, learn the rich lessons in this parable. I divided it into four parts for a much easier understanding. Please do well to open your Bible and read the entire story (Luke 15:11-32). Discover extra info on the The Prodigal Son video on YouTube.

Then, Luke 15: 20-24 says this: “So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

The Parable Of The Workers In The Vineyard explained? But Jesus challenges that expectation. The special inheritance that Israel believes to be hers is going to be extended—in full—to other nations. It’s not that the Hebrews were against God extending blessings to other nations. They just always assumed that God would value those nations below Israel. In response to the kingdom of God, Israel would make the same argument as the early laborers, “you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work.”

Jesus often uses parables to reveal what the kingdom of heaven is like. He portrays how one enters the kingdom and who the different characters are. In this Parable of the Laborers or Workers in the Vineyard, there are things that He tells the disciples and us about the grace of God and that God is always more than fair. Here is a discussion on this parable and what Jesus means in giving it.

The master of the house would seem to be God and the vineyard is the place where those servants who have been called to work for the master as laborers will enter into the work. The laborers are those who have been called and saved by God. They enter into the work or their calling by God under the guidance of the master, which is Jesus Christ. In another place in the Scriptures, Jesus uses this symbolism of believers being used by God to labor for the Lord as in Matthew 9:37-38 where He says “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

That evening, the owner generously rewards one denarius to each of the late workers, but when he offers one denarius to the first workers, they complain, saying, “These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day” (Matt. 20:12, NKJV). The owner replies, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” and finishes with the most famous line of the parable: “So the last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matt. 20: 13-16, NIV).

Jesus spent a great deal of His ministry announcing the coming of God’s kingdom and overcoming first-century presumptions by teaching people to recognize that kingdom. And a lot of His parables focused on communicating valuable truths about this kingdom. One misunderstanding that Jesus needed to clarify was the idea that the Jews held a special insider relationship with God. From the very beginning, God told Abraham that all the nations of the world would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 22:18), but as far as the Israelites were concerned, these other nations would never be as blessed as they were. See more details on the The Parable Of The Workers In The Vineyard video on YouTube.

Christian churches in Gainesville FL and spiritual talks? We exist to help all people find family in Christ by reaching those far from God and making disciples who build God’s kingdom. Discovering family in Christ means knowing God as Father and His followers as brothers and sisters. It means having a relationship with the Creator of the universe that gives you a purpose on earth. It means finding your place among the people who have committed their lives to share God’s love.

Reflect, today, upon those powerfully piercing words of Jesus. “You wicked servant!” Though they may not be the most “inspiring” words to reflect upon, they may be some of the most useful words to reflect on. We all need to hear them at times because we need to be convinced of the seriousness of our obstinance, judgmentalness and harshness toward others. If that is your struggle, repent of this tendency today and let Jesus lift that heavy burden.

Probably all of us have thought that we know better than those in charge. Watch out! Thinking like this is not wrong in itself, but it is something that lodged itself in the mind of Helel (the name of the “covering cherub” before he became Satan): “I know better than the one in charge,” and in this case, it was God. We can begin to see how his pride was beginning to exalt itself against God. It was moving to break the relationship between them. It was coming between Helel and God so that their relationship could not continue. Helel could not continue to serve God.

But such an interpretation raises more questions. Are we free to knowingly live a life of sin, as long as we make that last confession before death? The parable seems to support an odd loophole to salvation, that getting into heaven is decided by a technicality of whether your sins have been forgiven rather than that you love God and want to spend eternity with Him.

Sometimes things happen and we need a little help. At The Family Church, we have our very own Food Pantry serving the needs of our church and our community. In this ministry, whether it’s partnering with a local school or with other churches to help provide food for the hungry or filling orders for those who reach out to us with emergency needs, we want to use it as a way to show the love of Christ.

Discovering family in Christ means knowing God as Father and His followers as brothers and sisters. It means having a relationship with the Creator of the universe that gives you a purpose on earth. It means finding your place among the people who have committed their lives to share God’s love. Discover more information at Churches in Gainesville FL.

The Parable Of The Lost Coin explained? Jesus wanted the religious leaders to understand how he felt about those who were lost. When we are lost sinners, we are not just “out there” somewhere away from God. God longed for us so much that He took the ultimate action; He offered up His Son as a sacrificial lamb. This He did to cleanse the sinner from sin and restore him to Himself. He would go through any means, any expense to bring them to Himself.

The Parable of the Sower? The sower is the one who brings the word of God to the people. The seeds are the word of God coming to the people. The places where the seeds fell are the hearts of people. Pathway denotes the hearts of some people who doesn’t understand the word of God as their hearts are hardened and Satan take away the word of God from their hearts. Stony areas denote the hearts of people who accepts the word of God happily but when they face tribulations for word of God, they cannot withstand the pain and thus the word of God can’t grow in them to produce fruits.