10/01/2011
matthew 24-25
The spirit spoke to me today in a big way...
I want to summarize these chapters real quick... starting in 24 with jesus talking about the signs of the end age.. wonderfully scary stuff.. beautiful. Not to be skipped over, but i move on... In 25 we find jesus talking in the way he usually does, with parables. The first, the ten virgins and the kingdom of heaven.. msg: come to the party prepared to meet the bridegroom.. don’t regret it. The next, the parable of the talents.. msg: don’t waste the gifts He has given you, and rely on him and act responsibly with those gifts and “for everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.” act well, acknowledge, and give back to the giver. How? next is jesus talking about his people who will be with him in eternity (the givers)... whats great is when you read it thru you see that the people who gain the gift of life, were oblivious to the good they did... they just did it. people... ‘for i was hungry and you gave me something to eat, i was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, i was a stranger and you invited me in, i needed clothes and you clothed me, i was sick and you looked after me, i was in prison and you came to visit me...” huh?? “The King will reply, 'i tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
Beautiful parables... soak in them.
What 'iii' heard today? ..mmm..
Recently the spirit has been more and more putting me in conversations with people - new & old friends alike - where the conversation has - in a natural, beautiful, providencial way - led to me sharing what gives me liiiife, or what the spirit has taught me recently... Anyway, as I learn scripture more, and I grow to love it... more and more scriptures pop into my head during these conversations.. awesome right??
Well... maybe.
Jesus was a scholar of the scripture, he new and studied the old testament deeply, knowing in his flesh, on his heart the words of god written in His holy scriptures. He knew of all the stories I’m reading in samuel & kings.. he knew it all.
And he spoke in parables.
Last night (Friday night) I met a new friend. He’s a bit older, fifty something maybe... a hard skinned biker guy with - come to find out after enjoying a fire with the guy til 1 - one of the most beautiful spirits i've had the privilege of staring at bouncing flames with... He is a good man, and my spirit felt it from the first handshake. We got into it deep sharing with eachother our beliefs.. his being rooted in a deep appreciation and acknowledgment of the creator of the earth.. and a heart dripping with love for people nearest him. he would call himself ‘spiritual’.. and it is beautiful.
In sharing with him what gives me life... and really throughout the whole of the conversation... scripture was coming out of nowhere and ending up jumping off my tongue. I picked up on it a few times, could have been blind to it a few others... but i noticed my new friend having a hard time seeing it for what it was in its goodness (the scriptures).. instead i picked up hints of him maybe feeling unlearned, lacking in knowledge of scripture (despite a lacking desire), experiencing feelings possibly that were contrary to the feelings - the message - the spirit was trying to send.. with the scripture. “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” - 1cor8:1
Jesus spoke in parables. and man did he love well.
The spirit enabled jesus to convey the ‘good news’ to these people in an un-intimidating way, a way that conveyed the ‘message’, but without making them feel sheepish.. he enabled, encouraged, and taught through parables.
Parables or not... the spirit gives new words if we ask. And if asked or led by the spirit (not by a loose tongue or an over enthusiastic scripture bank lacking wisdom in this area) to share ‘what scripture says about...’ (which my new friend actually did with deep genuity several times.. the spirit delivered :)) then you have it, in your heart.. soaking. growing. ready. awaiting the spirits call to share from heart, to tongue, to His son or daughter.
I encourage a read through the parables because if you ask, the spirit will maybe reveal something completely different to you.. thats whats cool about inviting the spirit to join... check it out..
a verse that totally rocked me and gave me fire in pursuing learning on my own, freeing me from feeling the need of a ‘pastor’.. is this... enjoy.. “As for you, the anointing (of the spirit) you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing (the spirit :)) teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit -- just as it has taught you, remain in him.” 1jn2:27 !!!
... party.
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