Wise and Foolish Virgins

Jacob Prasch is a favourite Bible teacher of mine. I don’t agree with him on all points, however I cannot say that I agree 100% about anyone. The message about the ten virgins has always been somewhat problematic for me because I only heard it explained in a pretrib context and it just never rang true for me and although I understood the general idea of the wisdom in being wise and prepared, I felt I was missing part of what Jesus was getting at.

In this video Jacob explains the parable in light of what we can learn from the Song of Solomon (!)  which was very surprising, but it fits! 

The fact that the days are growing darker and darker and that good preaching is almost impossible to find anymore, I am thankful to have Jacob Prasch pass on the wisdom the Lord has graced him with. I hope you too will have plenty of oil in your lamp when the light goes out and persecution comes to where you live (if it hasn’t already).

Jacob Prasch

Jacob Prasch is a Messianic Jewish preacher on YouTube. I truly enjoy his commentary on what the Bible reveals to us, especially when it comes to his views on eschatology (end times prophecy). He understands Biblical Greek and Hebrew so he can flesh out the nuances that can be missed when reading an English translation. In this video Jacob talks about many of the things we are seeing today, and the precursors that have come before that give us the template of what we expect to see as these things unfold.

Does God Care?

 image from here

Yesterday some workmen came and trimmed two of the trees on our property, and removed another to make way for the repositioning of the power poles on our road. In the process two birds nests came down as well. One bird died immediately, and three others clung to life. A workman had gathered them up and put them all, including the dead one, in a planter area near our front door. It seemed that the two from the same nest found more comfort in staying close together, while the third stayed about a foot's length away from the other two, and all three had moved away from the dead one. It brought to mind a song I used to sing in church when I was a child:

1.
God sees the little sparrow fall,
it meets his tender view;
if God so loves the little birds,
I know he loves me too.

Refrain:
He loves me too, he loves me too,
I know loves me too;
because he loves the little things,
I know loves me too.

2.
He paints the lily of the field,
perfumes each lily bell;
if he so loves the little flow'rs,
I know he loves me well. [Refrain]

3.
God made the little birds and flow'rs,
and all things large and small;
he'll not forget his little ones,
I know he loves them all. [Refrain]

I was hoping the parent birds would somehow still care for their young. I saw them fly about and get very nervous when I was too close to their young.This morning I found that the remaining babies had died. It again reminds me of how fragile and temporary life is here, and that we are to use our time wisely.

Jesus said:
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.   And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.   But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
--Matthew 10:27-33 

What a wonderful thing that God does care about every little thing, even tiny birds, and even caring about the number of hairs on our heads! And because He cares, He wants to use us to spread that good news with others, the good news that we being deserving of hell have been bought with the purchase price to save us from the penalty for our sins.

Praise God! He cared enough to die for us.

Spring is for Planting Seeds

I've been behind in preparing the garden for spring planting because I'm battling a terrible cold. I hope to get out there today to dig around a bit. Just like our vegetable gardens soil require preparation, so also do the hearers of God's word need their soil worked up to receive the good news. There are lots of weeds growing out there!!!

This is what Jesus had to say about it:

The Parable of the Sower
Luk 8:4-8  And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:   A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.   And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.   And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Purpose of the Parables
Luk 8:9-15  And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?   And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.   Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.   Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.   They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.   And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

A Lamp Under a Jar
Luke 8:16-18  No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.   For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.   Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

The fields are getting ripe for harvest...so hopefully the seeds planted will bear much good fruit!!