Matthew 21: 31-32 "The tax collectors and the prostitutes will go into the kingdom of God before the Pharisees. For John came in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe Him. The tax collectors and the prostitutes believed Jesus. But even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe Him." We always have this present moment to change our minds. But life is more than making good choices and changing our thinking. Even the Pharisees did that.
The Pharisees did not practice what they preached. What did they fear more than they feared Christ and His Love? They feared the crowds.
The Pharisees studied the Scriptures diligently because they thought that in them they had eternal life.What did they miss while studying the Word? They refused to come to Jesus to have life. John 5:39-40
"They were convinced that their wounds must be healed, their void must be filled before they could love." 66LL With that conviction ruling within, they lived life in the flesh and became addicted to the experience of:
SATISFACTION
FOOD
SEX
MINISTRY
CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
WORSHIP TIMES
MEANINGFUL WORK
HAPPY FAMILY LIFE...
66 LL
What am I stuck in this blistery morn?
Come Closer, He says.
We are all a slow thaw.
Yes, indeed we are all in a slow thaw...the verses that jumped out at me this morning..vs 43 to the end... \.He was telling them that since they had rejected Him that,He was making room for some who would bear the fruit....the Gentiles. You and me. This is a truth I've known forever, yet reading these verses this morning, it just jumped out at me. How that blessed my heart. I am so thankful He came searching for me and drew me to Himself.
ReplyDeleteBev, love the new header on your other blog. Can't wait to read the Wthat you wrote to go with that. Oh, my Holly is one talented girl.
What a blessing she is and you are one of the 1000 things that I am thankful for...your heart that seeks after Him.
The Stone the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone on which all else hinges. The Jews rejected and made a way for the Gentiles to experience the engrafting into His Family, adopted sons of the Most High God.
ReplyDeleteYes, us, Mary Lou! Us!
Hope everyone is staying warm. And more importantly, the "slow thaw" of our hearts is melting into His amazing Love. Warmth and Love--God's good gifts through Jesus.
Verse 43 mentions "the kingdom of God."
ReplyDeleteAnd it compares to the Vineyard The Master (God) planted and let out to murderous tenants (Circumsized in the flesh) that even killed the heir, The Master's Son (Jesus). And was given over to another tenant (Circumsized in the heart).
What grabs my heart is what is in the Vineyard...
A Fence.
A Winepress.
A Tower.
Verse 33
"There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants..."
The Fence teaches me that this kingdom is God's and He has set boundaries for our protection and our inheritance. It is His for His Heir.
The Winepress teaches me that He is preparing for a harvest. Crushed and flowing. And I even can visualize the Blood poured out by Jesus for my salvation.
The Watchtower teaches me that I am to keep watch. For enemies to the harvest, to protect the fruit from weather, to see the entire crop and be attentive to any need or threat. And, the tower is a reminder to watch for The Master coming...to be ready for His return and His requirement of my accountability as I worked in His Vineyard.
He wants us to bear His fruit!
To be protected and sheltered and set apart as His!
He wants us keeping watch, alert even for His coming!
He wants accountability from those working...He wants His fruit...His harvest!
Verse 34
"When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit."
What if The Master came today?
Deborah----HE is so the LORD of your Vineyard! That was a new name for me. Lord of My Vineyard, please take care of us all especially my friend Pam who lost her husband of 20 years last week and our blogging friends the McRae's as little Kate's brain cancer looks like it is on the other side too. And for Joanne...as lounges in her new lounge chair, OH LORD of her Vineyard, take care of her and her family!
ReplyDeleteBev, praying with you. And rejoicing as He works in each need.
ReplyDeleteAnd in ours. Longsuffering appears to be the fruit of the harvest in my life. And patience.
A Word. Abiding is a time of "being" instead of "doing."
When we just "be," listen for His heartbeat. Alive in our abiding time.
His Glory, indeed!
(((Hugs)))