Matthew 13:15 (KJV) "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."
What areas are you sick in emotionally, physically and financially that people keep bringing up? Areas you are tired of hearing about? Subjects you wish others would just leave alone? We all have them. You know you aren't doing well yet you plung ahead daily trying to ignore or worst yet hating that part of your life. Now what? Ask God for help. Ask God to go ahead and tell you one more time what you need to do--then do it! That's right! This time just do it! Sure it would have been easier to do it years ago but the saying is true, "Better late than never."
Recently at our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services I told several stories and I shared the last two days with you two of them. Jesus spoke in parables often. Allow me to share a portion of scripture with you:
The Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:13 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But 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 sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” The Purpose of Parables10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Stories people share with us are to help us when they are spoken from the heart. Let's begin to clean the filter we run our thoughts through. In fact go get a new filter. Filter what people say through love. Example: someone helps you at a restaurant, instead of saying to them, "What you think I'm too stupid to order?" say, "Thank you for your help." Then ask a question, "How did you know to order that? or that, "I needed assistance", or whatever the case. Don't immediately retaliate with, "What you think I'm stupid?" "I could have done that myself!" You can even take it further and tell the person how you felt privately once the waitress has walked away and then ask the person why they did what they did. You may be surprised at the answer you get. Regardless of what you are feeling....most people do not want to purposely hurt the ones they love and spend time with. This situation can turn from toxic to terrific as you both learn what neither of you know.
So stop being so touchy! and hard of hearing. Ask questions and clean your spiritual, emotional and mental ears and filters. Let's get this thing off in the right direction for the NEW YEAR! Can you hear what I'm saying? If so drop me a reply.
Recently at our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services I told several stories and I shared the last two days with you two of them. Jesus spoke in parables often. Allow me to share a portion of scripture with you:
The Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:13 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But 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 sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” The Purpose of Parables10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Stories people share with us are to help us when they are spoken from the heart. Let's begin to clean the filter we run our thoughts through. In fact go get a new filter. Filter what people say through love. Example: someone helps you at a restaurant, instead of saying to them, "What you think I'm too stupid to order?" say, "Thank you for your help." Then ask a question, "How did you know to order that? or that, "I needed assistance", or whatever the case. Don't immediately retaliate with, "What you think I'm stupid?" "I could have done that myself!" You can even take it further and tell the person how you felt privately once the waitress has walked away and then ask the person why they did what they did. You may be surprised at the answer you get. Regardless of what you are feeling....most people do not want to purposely hurt the ones they love and spend time with. This situation can turn from toxic to terrific as you both learn what neither of you know.
So stop being so touchy! and hard of hearing. Ask questions and clean your spiritual, emotional and mental ears and filters. Let's get this thing off in the right direction for the NEW YEAR! Can you hear what I'm saying? If so drop me a reply.
Matthew 13:16 (KJV) "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
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