Remember His Words

"Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! REMEMBER how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." ' AND THEY REMEMBERED His words." (Luke 24:1-8)

"But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel." 

(Luke 24:21)

"Then He said to them, 'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter His glory?' And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." 

(Luke 24:25-27)

"Then He said to them, 'These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.' And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations. And you are witnesses of these things.' " (Luke 24:46-48)

"And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen." (Luke 24:52)

Obviously the crucifixion of Jesus shook His followers. He returned to them so they may remember His words. The word of His testimony perfected, established, strengthened, and settled them. (1 Peter 5:10)

Understanding Fitness

"Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, 'Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.' Then He said to another, 'Follow Me.' But he said, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.' Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.' And another also said, 'Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid farewell who are at my house.' But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, IS FIT for the kingdom of God.' "

fit- adapted or suited for a purpose; prepared or ready; in good physical condition; equipped (4 of 20 for fit(1) in Webster's College Dictionary)

When I heard His call to ministry, I immediately began to think in which direction to go with it. I thought I knew and we, our family, prepared to go in that direction. Thrilling at first but after the "thrill" of the move waned, I began to experience a significant decrease in strength: not physically, but within. My spirit and soul were grieved and we did not last, we went back to where we came from. I was sure of His calling yet unsure of where/how to apply it. Embarrassingly, I did that a number of times. Finally, the Lord reminded me that I should "humble myself under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6,7). I would say that means He knows when you are ready to assume the place in His body that He has gifted and called you to.

After having designed my way into ministry, I would read the scripture reference regarding fitness and wonder if I had been declared unfit by God because I had turned back. I won't speak for everyone (I'm quite sure there are others who have designed their way), but fitness for His kingdom is coming to me as He builds, first understanding that He must show me how to decrease so that He may increase. It is the message of the cross of Jesus Christ: to those of us who are being saved, it is the power of God. With that power of God, ready to persevere unto completion. Fit!

"Therefore WE ALSO, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of OUR faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1,2)

A Certain Poor Widow

"And He looked and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw a CERTAIN POOR WIDOW putting in two mites. So He said, 'Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she OUT OF HER POVERTY put in all the livelihood that she had.' "(Luke 21:1-4)

This particular woman, free from doubt or reservation and in humility, was empowered to put in, more than all the others, the offering God desires. She put in the entirety of her life. (Definitions of certain, poor from Webster's College Dictionary)

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

"....the poor have the gospel preached to them," (Matthew 11:5)

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went out and sold all that he had and bought it." (Matthew 13:44-46)

Widow can be defined as deprivation of anything cherished or needed (WCD). This woman: the church and members in particular, won't be denied any good thing! 

     

Better For Him; Better For The Little Ones

"Then He said to the disciples, 'It is impossible that no offenses (stumbling blocks) should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be BETTER FOR HIM if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend (cause the stumbling of) one of these LITTLE ONES.' "(Luke 17:1,2)

How would it be that a millstone hung around one's neck to be thrown into the sea WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM? Is Jesus saying it would be better for THAT ONE to be dragged to the bottom of the sea, drowning, than for him to cause offense, a stumbling block, for a young believer? I think Jesus is teaching his disciples, then and now, that it would be better if we, through the keys of the kingdom, would exercise ourselves through those keys, rendering ourselves dead to self and alive through Christ. Then we would be causing THE LITTLE ONES to prosper in all things in Christ. You see then, better for him so it may be better for those little ones watching and listening; those who are devoting themselves to have faith in Jesus Christ, believing. Our enthusiasm must be tempered, for meekness in the truth of the Gospel.

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope, to Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia - remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, FROM WHICH SOME HAVING STRAYED, HAVE TURNED ASIDE TO IDLE TALK, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm." (1 Timothy 1:1-7)

Does Your Rock Lack Moisture?

"And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 'A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell...on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because IT LACKED MOISTURE.' " (Luke 8:4-6)

Now let's read the meaning, given by Jesus Christ, regarding these words of the parable.

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. But THE ONES ON THE ROCK are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation (testing) fall away." (Luke 8:11,13)

These are those who, having received the word of salvation with joy, believe for a time. Yet without the BAPTISM in the Holy Spirit are powerless to persevere in temptation. Their perception of the rock of salvation disregards the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Many times these who receive the word of God with joy are in gatherings that disregard this second work of grace.

"And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which', He said, 'you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.' "(Acts 1:4,5)

"And He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.' " (Luke 24:45-49)

The Promise of His Father is the baptism and indwelling of the His Father's Spirit. We will/can not walk in the word of His testimony without it!

“What Does This Parable Mean?” (Luke 8:9-18)

"Then His disciples asked Him, saying, 'What does this parable mean?' And He said, 'To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

"Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand."(Isaiah 6:9)

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation (or testing) fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience (or endurance)."

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

The mysteries of the kingdom of God are only mysteries because of one's hardness of heart (wayside ground), one's discounting of the cost (rocky ground), or one's desire for the world's supposed comforts (thorny ground) when hearing and keeping His words with endurance and perseverance is the way. Jesus informs His disciples that God wants to reveal the mysteries (secret or hidden truths) of the kingdom of God; but the hearers must "take heed how they hear it". His disciples, at every revelation from God regarding Jesus Christ, turn themselves toward it!  They asked, "What does this parable mean?", while the rest of the listeners went about justifying themselves.