Parable of the Sower

 The most immediate thing we see as we look at the Parable of the Sower, it follows a statement of intimacy.  Someone told Jesus that His mother and brothers were outside waiting for Him.  He replies with a question as to who made up His real family.  He told them that anyone who follows the will of His Father is His brother and sister and mother (12:48-49).  He starts His parables in the context of relational intimacy by saying “That same day…” to open the…

Parables and Their Meaning

You May Know, But, Do You Really Know? 

Two vacation events awhile back got me to thinking about the difference between religion and relationship and how they are so completely different.  One was a discussion in a men’s group about Joseph and Mary’s relationship based on Matthew 1:25. The other was with a young plumber’s assistant who came to fix a leak in the place we were renting and proceeded to try and convert me to be a Jehovah’s witness.  The…

Looking for Treasure? It’s All Around Us

Speaking to an audience in Melbourne Florida recently, Tim Tebow brought them a clear truth about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus where we are.  “You’re not in it alone,” Tebow said. “Church isn’t a building we go to on Sunday. It’s people we get to do life with every day.” 

 “It’s people we get to do life with every day.”  He’s right.  Think about the believers we know and are in contact with on a daily or frequent basis.  Or,…

Distance is a Heart Away 

One the of the truly great promises of God is His forgiveness of sins.  Specifically, it happens at the point of our repentance.  Regardless of the sins we commit, when we are repentant He forgives us and then does one more thing to deal with them.   That one more thing is, He forgets the sins.  I know that’s hard to grasp especially since we ourselves tend to hang on to hurts and pains others have caused.  But that’s what sin gets us to indulge in.  We feel…

Distance is a Heart Away 

One the of the truly great promises of God is His forgiveness of sins.  Specifically, it happens at the point of our repentance.  Regardless of the sins we commit, when we are repentant He forgives us and then does one more thing to deal with them.   That one more thing is, He forgets the sins.  I know that’s hard to grasp especially since we ourselves tend to hang on to hurts and pains others have caused.  But that’s what sin gets us to indulge in.  We feel…