The Wilderness…

Aug 30

Jesus went into the wilderness often, why is this? And should we go?

For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!’ Matthew 3:3

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness.” Luke 4:1

Life can be hectic, Yes…Just admit it, it can…we can’t all find the time to sit down and read the Bible and drink hot tea while we meditate on the word and pray all of the time. I’m extremely honest about this, I’m honest because I am compelled not to be a hypocrite about the situation. It takes some serious dedication and work to make time for scripture and prayer, and it is a true journey for any Christian, no matter how mature they feel they are in their walk

I make it a point not to judge no one who can’t read the word and pray every single day, especially if they have children, a stressful jobs and various complex situations at play in their lives. Jesus came up against so much opposition on his journey here on earth that he had to actually go into the wilderness to escape it all, and not just once, but, on several occasions. How was this possible? I know it was mostly because he dedicated his entire life to his ministry and was willing to die for it; but, what about the rest of us? what can we do when we face constant opposition? where can we go? we just can’t leave our daily lives and the ones who depend on us to pray and find peace, even if just for a moment? (but, let me share with you; that we must) I believe that this wilderness for us is spiritual, it is spiritual and we must find it wherever, and whenever we can, we must also seek the HOLY GHOST for wisdom, strength and guidance as well.

Octavia Stevens https://Www.SaintsUnited.Org

The Wilderness…

Man vs. Wild…..

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER,the four soils

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

MATTHEW 13

THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE TARES (WEEDS)

MATTHEW 13: 36-43

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

THE PARABLE OF THE EVIL TENANTS

THE PARABLE OF THE EVIL TENANTS THE PARABLE OF THE EVIL TENANTS

MATTHEW 21:33-46

42 Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The [very] [a]Stone which the builders rejected and threw away,Has become the chief Cornerstone;This is the Lord’s doing,And it is marvelous and wonderful in our eyes’?

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to [another] people who will produce the fruit of it. 44 And he who falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces; but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was talking about them. 46 And although they were trying to arrest Him, they feared the people, because they regarded Jesus as a prophet.

ISAIAH 5

ISAIAH 5 ISAIAH 5

Parable of the Vineyard

7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house (nation) of IsraelAnd the men of Judah are His delightful planting [which He loves].So He looked for justice, but in fact, [He saw] bloodshed andlawlessness;[He looked] for righteousness, but in fact, [He heard] a cry of distress and oppression.

Woes for the Wicked

There are two great problems with preaching on this text. What, exactly, does God mean by justice and righteousness? And what does this ancient indictment of Israel have to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ today?

One scholar points out that justice is an abstract word and thus hard to define. Consequently, everyone knows what it means, and yet no one does. It is as difficult to define as “right and wrong.” Righteousness is, likewise, a word with a wide variety of meaning.

Illustration Idea

iSAIAH 5: 1-7

COMMENTARY

WRITTEN BY: STAN MAST

NEW TESTAMENT Parables

OLD TESTAMENT PARABLES

SaintsUnited.Org

THE PARABLE OF THE EVIL TENANTS

‘The [very] [a]Stone which the builders rejected and threw away,
Has become the chief Cornerstone;
This is the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous and wonderful in our eyes’?

ISAIAH 5