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6 Lessons From Kingdom Parables

When reading the bible we need to consider the way one passage relates to what comes before and after it. When we look at Mark 4:26-34, it comes immediately after the passage about being a light to the world and using what we have been given. The passage before that, dealt with the sower and the seed – again focusing on how we respond to God’s Word. 1. Now here, Jesus goes on to talk in parables about the kingdom of God. The first is about a man who scatters seed on the ground, verse 26. Once the seed is … Continue reading →

Two Kinds of Workers

The other day we looked at the way Jesus used a parable to teach something about God. We saw How God, the landowner, called workers into his vineyard and they obeyed. God calls people to work for Him. Have you obeyed? In the parable we saw some of the workers were not called to work until the eleventh hour. In other words, they had not been given the opportunity to work earlier. There are people like that in our churches. They don’t just see a job and get in and do it. They wait till they’re asked. Perhaps there are … Continue reading →

God’s Call

Jesus tells a parable of the landowner who went out early in the morning to find laborers for his vineyard, Matthew 20:1. The landowner found some men waiting to be hired, agreed on a wage and sent them off to work in his field. The landowner saw there were not enough workers, so the same thing happened when he went back at the third hour, except this time he told the workers ‘whatever is right I will give you,’ verse 4. The workers were happy to work under these conditions. This was repeated this at the sixth and ninth hour … Continue reading →

Trust God to Provide?

Just as there are life lessons for us in Nehemiah 1, there are helpful principles for godly living in Nehemiah 2:1-20. Nehemiah 2:1-8 After prayer Nehemiah seeks permission from King Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem. Nehemiah was so sad about the state of Jerusalem, the king noticed and asked the reason for his sadness. Nehemiah sought approval from the king to go and do something about the situation. Nehemiah knew he needed God’s help to make the king favorable to his plan. When the king knew how long Nehemiah would be gone he agreed. Then Nehemiah asked for letters requesting … Continue reading →

The Ultimate Life Coach

Today I was behind a learner driver on the way into town. This learner was belting down the highway at 100 kilometers an hour, which is the signposted speed. Except learners are not allowed to go over 80 kilometers per hour. If he’d read and taken notice of his rule book he would have known that rule. Maybe he did know and simply chose to ignore it, because when we got to roadwork where the speed limit was signposted as 80kph he dropped his speed to 90kph. When it dropped to 60kph he slowed to around 70kph. It made me … Continue reading →

Ready, steady, Go

About 80 Santas riding pushbikes left Vincentia last night to ride to Huskisson. The reason for all the red and white gentlemen and a few lady Santas was the annual Santa ride which first happened in 2005. The bike ride was the idea of Brenda van Heuzen and has grown a lot in the past couple of years. The cycling Santas pay $10 to enter the ride with all money raised for the Santa ride going towards the Huskisson Fire Brigade. Bush fires are a summer hazard in Australia that occurs in NSW not only in the Blue Mountains but … Continue reading →

A Fishy Story

The Good Samaritan is a story many of us have, no doubt, heard many times. As I read it, several things struck me. Each of the people mentioned in the story were busy and on their way somewhere else. Firstly, the man who was attacked and robbed was on a dangerous road, noted for robbers. Unfortunately for him, while going about his normal course of business he was attacked, robbed and left for dead. But wait, surely that was someone coming along the road? A priest. If anyone was likely to help. Surely a priest would, wouldn’t he? But without … Continue reading →

Do You Value What You Have?

This year the Bible Society reported they had published translations of ‘at least one complete book of the Bible ‘in 2426 languages’ and that UBS (United Bible Societies) is at present is involved in ‘500 translation projects.’ But what about those of us who have the whole Bible or maybe more than one Bible translation in our homes in our own language, do we value what we have? Or does it spend much of its time sitting next to the bed or tucked away in a bookcase unopened? When you’re seeking advice on a problem is the Bible the first … Continue reading →

Dinner Discussions 2007 Week 17

This week’s dinner discussions are based on lesson seventeen in the Sunday School manuals. The Nursery and CTR classes’ lessons are from lesson sixteen. You will need to adjust your discussion to follow the schedule your ward is using. Remember to keep the discussions positive and fun. If you have a child in nursery or Sunbeams he learned about the importance of his body. The lesson discussed the many things that having a body allows you to do. It also discussed the proper ways to protect and take care of your body. The children learned the story of Daniel refusing … Continue reading →