#parables of jesus for children

[cinderpresss]

The 30 Parables of Jesus Study Book: A Practical and Easy-to-Understand Perspective

Discover the timeless wisdom and profound teachings of Jesus through His parables with "The 30 Parables of Jesus Study Book: A Practical and Easy-to-Understand Perspective." This study guide is designed for readers of all backgrounds, offering a fresh and accessible approach to understanding the parables that have inspired and guided millions for centuries.

Features:

Explore the deeper meanings and contexts of each parable with simple and clear explanations.

Engage with thought-provoking questions that encourage personal reflection and group discussion, making it perfect for individual or small group study.

Gain a better understanding of the historical and cultural contexts of Jesus' time, enhancing your appreciation of His teachings.

Incorporate the teachings into your spiritual practice with prayers and suggestions for worship related to each parable.

Continue your study with recommended readings and resources for deeper exploration of the parables' themes and messages.

Why You'll Love This Book:

"The 30 Parables of Jesus Study Book" offers a clear and practical guide to understanding and applying the wisdom of the parables. Each chapter is designed to be engaging and easy to follow, ensuring that readers of all levels can benefit from the profound lessons contained within these timeless stories.

Unlock the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven and discover how the parables of Jesus can transform your life with this essential study book. Dive into the teachings that have shaped faith and spirituality for generations, and see how they can speak to you today in a fresh and meaningful way.

Get your copy of "The 30 Parables of Jesus Study Book: A Practical and Easy-to-Understand Perspective" and embark on a journey of spiritual growth and enlightenment!

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Don’t Look Down On These Little Ones. God Does Not Want One of Them Lost

10 “See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven [are in the presence of and] continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

Ninety-nine Plus One

12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost? 13 And if it turns out that he finds it, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost. 14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones be lost.

Discipline and Prayer

15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector. 18 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth shall have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth shall have [already] been loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.” — Matthew 18:10-20 | Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved. Cross References: Leviticus 19:17; Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6; 1 Kings 22:19; Esther 1:14; Psalm 119:176; Proverbs 25:9; Ezekiel 34:4; Matthew 7:7; Matthew 10:3; Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:12; Matthew 28:20-21; Luke 19:10; John 20:23; Acts 16:10; 1 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 13:6

[gigglyfox]

The Artist and His Apprentice

                                       The Artist and His Apprentice                                                    

           There once was a Master artist who could make the most extravagant artworks. For many years, people would come to see and ask for just one piece of His works and loved how each one was crafted. All day long, He would work on each piece very carefully, for He could not make even the slightest mistake. Over the next few years, He realized that His work needed to be seen all across the world, but He could not do it alone. “I shall hire apprentices and they will make artwork of their own, for their pieces of art will reflect My own, and many more will wish to take and love the work I have created,” He said to Himself.

           And so, He went out and hired many apprentices. Some were painters, others were sculptors, and many were architects building great temples and monuments which reflected His own art pieces. One day, He decided to see how his apprentices were doing and headed into the villages to meet with them. As he walked from building to building, some apprentices greeted him at the door and were delighted to show him their works which pleased him greatly. Others, however, did not recognize His voice and deemed Him a stranger, and kept the door shut on Him, which disappointed Him.

           One house piqued His interest and as He knocked on the door, He heard a small whimper, which sounded like the bleating of a lamb. “Who is it? My artwork has yet to be finished, and I am very sorry that it has been taking so long.”

           “Young apprentice, it is I, your Master who bids to see you!”

           He then heard the sound of glass crashing and scrambling of feet, “Oh my Lord! Forgive me! Let me open the door for you!”

           Behind the door stood a tiny girl covered in paint and marble dust. She was huffing and puffing, trying to catch her breath, “I did not expect you, my Lord, and I apologize for not being tidy! I have been working day and night on these pieces, as well as my masterpiece, and I am not yet finished!”

           The Master laughed and kneeled to her, “I apologize for coming unannounced, but if I had warned you ahead of time, I would not have been able to see what you have made so far.”

           The young girl fidgeted with worry as she allowed the Master into her house. There were many paintings that seemed unfinished and statues with flaws and cracks. Her home seemed very messy, for there was marble dust all over the floor and paint-splattered about the walls. Her eyes filled with tears as the Master looked at each of her artworks. He noticed this and asked her why she was crying. “Oh Master! I am dreadfully ashamed! I have done what you have asked of me, but my art is no good! I have seen my brothers and sisters in art and their artworks are perfect beyond words! Yet, mine lacks in the grace and beauty that is Your artwork!” she sniffled, “I am not worthy to be called an artist, nor your apprentice!”

           The master patted her on the head and spoke, “you have still yet to show me the masterpiece with which you spoke of. Will you let me see it?”

           The girl begrudgingly obeyed as she led Him to a separate room. She opened the door and there stood a draped statue. When she unveiled the artwork, it was a large marble statue of the Master surrounded by His apprentices. He was in a climbing pose but was looking back and holding His hand out to them. The Master looked at the girl with a smile, “you are truly an artist, my sweet child.”

           “But Master, my other art pieces are not as well done as this one, and this one is not even close to being finished,” she whimpered.

           “I never wanted perfection, my girl. I wanted you and your fellow artists to reflect My work. You see their work as better than your own, but you have done many great works of your own. Your home is messy because of how much effort you put into your craft. How many have you given to others?”

           “Oh! So many! But I feel as if they could never capture the majesty of Your work…”

           The Master picked the girl up and sat her on the edge of her statue, “My child, when I first saw your artwork, I could see your heart in it. You did your hardest to convey what you see in Me. Your paintings capture how much love I put into My own art to spread all over the Earth. Your statues show Me how much respect you have for Me and the love I have for all of My apprentices. The others have their own ways of reflecting on My art, and I love them all the same, not because they do more or because of the certain techniques they use, but because of how much they love and respect Me. I went to many homes and saw many art pieces that filled Me with joy.”

           The girl wiped her tears as she looked at the Master. She noticed that He was saddened, “Master, did any of the works that I or my fellow apprentices disappoint You?”

           He sighed, “yes. There were many that finished one masterpiece and had nothing to show for it. Some used their art to gain profit, even though My art is freely given. And many of them refused to let me see because they refused to believe that I was their Master. I weep for them.”

           The girl fidgeted as she asked if He was disappointed in her as well. He hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead, “My dear child, I am not disappointed in you. You have done so much to show My love through your art. I am very proud and pleased with you! Tomorrow, I shall be holding a showing of all of My apprentices’ artworks, and I want you to finish and bring this piece to it!”

           Hearing this, the girl was filled with joy. She ate with the Master and saw Him off as He continued going to the other apprentices’ houses. She quickly got to work and toiled through the night to finish the masterpiece. As she chiseled through the marble, the words of her Master encouraged her and by morning, the statue was completed.

           Her neighbors helped place the statue onto a large cart and transported it to the Master’s mansion. Thousands of apprentices and viewers alike were excited to see the gallery, but the girl was very nervous to unveil her statue. The Master saw her and welcomed her, “I see you have finished the work, may I unveil it now?”

           She nodded, “yes, Master. I hope You like it.”

           He threw off the tarp and the people marveled at the statue. The girl had added intricate designs on the clothes the statue wore and inlaid gold and precious gems. The statue was painted to be more life-like and each apprentice that was carved had their own unique appearance. The Master Himself witnessed that the statue’s likeness was almost a perfect copy of His own face and body. He hugged the girl tightly, “well done, My faithful child! This truly is your masterpiece!”

           As the gallery continued through the night, the apprentices heard a pounding on the doors and voices crying out, “Master! Please let us in! We have done many artworks for You to display!”

           The Master stood up and walked to the balcony of His mansion. He looked down to see thousands of His apprentices who stood at the door, “who are you? I went to your homes yesterday and half of you refused to see Me!”

           The ones who refused to see Him sat and wept bitter tears, while the others begged again to be let in, “Master! We did not refuse You! Please let us in! We have art to show You!”

           “I have seen the fruits of your work and found them small. You sold your art instead of giving it freely. You are nothing more than thieves to me! Begone!”

           Hearing this, the apprentices outside wept aloud until the guards escorted them away into the dark city. The Master sat back down, raised His glass to his apprentices and spoke, “I thank you all for your hard work! You shall all be abundantly rewarded, for you have obeyed my directions and kept true to My works! May this night be grand to you, my humble servants!”

           The people cheered and the girl smiled at her Master, “may many more see Your love, for I have seen it firsthand.”

[dukeofriven]

I've seen the post go around and around now and I finally got mad enough about it to respond, because it is the usual Tumblr made-up-crap-masqerading-as-fact that I so hate. Sun-Tzu never said any of this shit. Like I get it, I get it - none of you dummies know shit about classical Chinese literature, and you'll just parrot anything that sounds vaguely portentous with a 'ancient philosopher' name slapped on it, but you know that even through the haze of modern english translation this is total nonsense, right? It's idiotic? Sun-Tzu only ever mentions dual-wielding once and he does so only in the context of clarifying how having a gun with a sword on it is "sick biznasty as hell" [in the original it's '이것은 일본어입니다' Line 13 Verse 4 in Book Six of the Art of War], and that if you have two of them your enemy is uniquely ill-prepared to get 'shot-sliced up the shizzle like a motherfucker.'

"dual wielding is too dangerous and impractical to be effective in real life combat" dual wielding is cool and sexy and sick as fuck and he who makes his enemy look like a lame little punk ass loser has already won half the battle before he even starts fighting the war. sun tzu said that.

[2olivetrees]

The Parables of Jesus Christ: Rock or Sand Foundation

Have you ever realized that the Sermon on the Mount is three chapters long filled with power packed instructions directly from the Lord Jesus Christ? This powerful message begins in the fifth chapter of Matthew and ends just before the eighth chapter begins. Jesus closes this authoritative teaching with a parable that is often quoted but is seldomly practiced.   This parable begins in Matt. 7:24…

[penmanshipeb]

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 Or, this could be for you. The Bible says, "Be followers of God as dear children" (Ephesians 5:1). Oftentimes, being ignorant is not favorable: but to walk with God, this is what we should become, understanding that we need to be LED by him in this dark, evil, deceitful world that rejects God. 

 In fact, in us realizing that we need to become abased like that of a little child for the cause of righteousness and truth, one becomes the greatest in the kingdom of heaven: for the Bible says, 

 Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3-4 

 It takes humility to acknowledge and receive, "I've been doing things wrong, and if God doesn't come into my life and help me, I'm going to end this way -- in my sins." It takes humility to admit that we need to change. Therefore, there is joy, jubilance, and rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents. "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents" (Luke 15:10). Humility is a great feat. 

 Support local bookstores in whatever area you live by getting yours here: https://bookshop.org/a/56410/9780830777440

[tomicscomics]

11/10/2023

Aw...

JOKE-OGRAPHY: The class is drawing pictures of Bible verses.  The girl, Agnes, chooses to draw one of her favorites, but she's misheard the words.  In the actual story, Jesus tells His disciples "parables" (or stories with morals).  She mishears "parables" as "pair of bulls," so she thinks Jesus had two disciples who were male bovine.  She's excited to draw Jesus's animal friends and has a whole headcanon where they're the children of a cow who was in the manger when Jesus was born.  The news that she's misheard the story destroys her, and it takes weeks for her faith to recover.

[loveerran]

The 99 (plus 1)

On September 9th, President Russell M. Nelson, prophet and leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, will turn 100 years old. His has been a full life, dedicated to service and a desire to improve the lives of others.

As part of that ministry, the prophet has invited us to help celebrate his birthday by reaching "out to 'the one' in need", "'the one' in our lives who may be feeling lost or alone". This invitation references the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18 and Luke 15), which emphasizes the value of one that is lost.

This is interesting to me as a transgender disciple of Christ. Transgender individuals generally make up no more than 1% of the overall population, making us (in some very real ways) 'the one'. If a typical ward has 100-200 active members, then there should be approximately 1 transgender individual in every congregation of the church. It is sad there are far, far fewer than that. Most leave. They feel alone, lost, isolated and discriminated against despite the council President Nelson has given.

There will be a special broadcast commemorating the prophet's 100th birthday. During the broadcast, "Examples of what people around the world have done over the past 100 days to commemorate his birthday will be shared through stories from people who were 'the one.'"

Throughout his ministry, I see the Savior ministering to those who felt lost or alone, forgotten or marginalized. I imagine that the broadcast will show outreach efforts that look familiar to us. When I think about the people the Savior ministered to, I often think on those who were rejected or discriminated against by the society around him, including:

Those who may have been considered enemies, like the Samaritans - including the good Samaritan of the parable or the woman at the well,

Those who may have been considered outsiders, like the centurion's servant - or tax collectors and sinners like Levi and others,

Those who may have been considered unclean, like lepers (at least one of whom was another Samaritan) and the woman with the issue of blood,

Those who may have been considered sinners, like the woman taken in adultery or the woman who washed his feet, and others.

We also read of several times where Jesus' followers didn't want him to interact or minister with a certain class of people, from the blind man who called after him "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me" to the little children he instructed should be suffered to come unto him.

I am grateful for the church's emphasis on (and exercise of) ministry and outreach, and for the good that it will bring to the world. I am grateful for those who try to make the world a better place, as President Nelson has. I hope someday we will see inclusion of LGBT people in our outreach narratives, including stories of truly sensitive, kind, compassionate and Christlike ministry - even when some in our society may consider us to be enemies, outsiders, unclean and sinners.

Love, Erran

[nerdygaymormon]

Thoughts from Gather Conference

The first speaker at the Gather Conference was Dr. Greg Peterson, president of Salt Lake Community College. He described the model of a community college, which has a 100% acceptance rate, low tuition costs, and recognizes that not all students will get a degree but may be there just for a few classes or taking one class at a time as that's all their life can handle. A university, especially an elite one, has a low acceptance rate and a prescribed ways for how students should progress through school and earn a degree. It is designed for elite students who are likely to succeed in this model.

Gathering Zion should be more like a community college. It feels like Jesus runs a community college while our church runs an elite university as it caters to those who are likely to complete the covenant path without much to offer those whose life doesn't fit its model. As a queer person, I absolutely know what it feels like to not feel like I'm wanted or welcome at church because I'm don't fit the model and not likely (according to the leaders) to reach the highest heaven.

Jenn Blosil, who was a contestant on American Idol, is quite humorous and she performed a beautiful arrangement of the song "All Are Alike unto God." I hope her version gets released, otherwise I'm gonna have to rip an mp3 when the video is released.

In her presentation, Liv Mendoza Haynes commented "You can't parent a child who is gone" as part of talking about how parents need to be loving and affirming of their LGBTQ children because the consequences of rejecting this part of them has serious consequences. She also said when Jesus was suffering in the Garden, He didn't suffer for people simply because they're LGBT because that's not something to repent of, it isn't wrong.

I believe it was David Butler who said that being an LGBTQ Latter-day Saint is making communion out of contradiction. Many people think the two are incompatible yet we exist.

When we feel safe with others, we let down our guard and enter healing.

These next few quotes are something an individual (I can't remember her name) said to me.

"What do we know of God? One who creates and mentors. When we engage in acts of creativity and creation, when we engage in encouraging and including and loving others, that's when we're likely to feel the Divine."

"When we hide in the closet, when we hide who we are, we are hiding our light. Once there's a crack and we let someone know our secret that we're queer, the bright light comes flooding out of that crack. In a way, it is a birth. As we learn not to hid ourselves, we learn to see and be ourselves, to introduce ourselves to the world."

Someone asked, "Who is the protagonist of the Restoration? Is it Joseph Smith? Moroni? Neither, WE are!"

Dr. Lisa Diamond from the University of Utah shared some information from her research. Being a minority can feel like being threatened, we spend our time being on guard and feeling stressed. This causes our bodies to produce inflammation because that's useful if we might be wounded. But if there's not a physical wound, inflammation causes damage. As a result, minorities often suffer chronic health problems at high rates, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and many other problems.

A panelist said that there's not a faith stronger than people who come despite knowing they aren't wanted. If there is a parable to exemplify this type of faith exhibited by queer people, it is the woman touching the fringe of Jesus' clothes.

[mythologicalmormon]

In light of recent events and my brother having a talk in sacrament tomorrow, I was reminded of a talk that I gave last year that focused on diversity and I thought y’all might appreciate it.

There is a story Jesus told about a Jewish man who was severely injured and left on the side of a road. Various travelers saw him and ignored him, including a Jewish priest. Although the injured man was of the same creed as the priest, the priest continued on his way with no regard for his fellow man. Eventually, a Samaritan man walked by. Now, Samaritans and Jews detested one another. The Samaritan’s preexisting bias would dictate that he, upon seeing the man was a Jew, ignore him as the previous travelers had. However, the Samaritan saw the man suffering and decided to help him no matter their personal and cultural differences. The Samaritan did what the other travelers chose not to and demonstrated true caring for one’s neighbors without regard for bias. The parable of the good Samaritan provides a valuable example for us. Would you take time out of your day to help someone in need, even if they belonged to a group of people whom you dislike or disapprove of? Are you willing to sacrifice your prejudice in an effort to help people belong in the church?

Our Heavenly Father loves diversity. When he created the earth, He did not make everything uniform and identical. He made millions of distinctive and unique species, plants, and other incredible creations. From seahorses to raccoons to peregrine falcons, the creatures on this earth are each special. The same goes for people. The assorted characteristics that differentiate us also make us human. Some of us are short, some of us are gay, some like reading, and others can wiggle their ears. God doesn’t love us in spite of our diversity, but because of it. He loves diversity. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have made each one of us one-of-a-kind. He wants all of us to belong and to appreciate that which makes us special, just as He does.

Even within the church there is exceptional diversity. In the talk that I am referencing, The Doctrine of Belonging, Elder D. Todd Christofferson says quote “As the long prophesied latter-day gathering of the Lord’s covenant people gains momentum, the Church will truly be composed of members from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.” When the church was restored, the first members were all white and of European heritage. But diversity is the natural result of having a widespread group, and as the church became more vast, so did the diversity within it. There are millions of members in this church that are of varying colors, backgrounds, genders, and sexualities. There are members who speak languages from the obscure to the well-known. There are members who have medical and mental health problems and members who speak with a stutter or a lisp. Our differences don’t make us less of God’s children, but some among us will belittle and alienate members who are unlike them. God invites all of his children and all of their diversity to partake in his covenants and return to him. We should follow in His example by loving diversity and striving to make everyone know that they belong in our Savior’s church.

Helping people feel and know that they belong in the church requires everyone to let go of their preconceived notions, judgments, and biases. Each and every one of us has prejudices. We discriminate based on serious things such aswhether or not a person has gone to prison or who someone voted for in an election, and we discriminate based on simple things like what music someone listens to or what type of clothes someone wears. Prejudice is often nothing more than a sweeping generalization that misrepresents a group of people. Within church culture, prejudice is unfortunately common and it is counterproductive to helping people feel like they belong in the kingdom of God. The general handbook for the church states, “Prejudice is not consistent with the revealed word of God. Favor or disfavor with God depends on devotion to Him and His commandments, not on the color of a person’s skin or other attributes. The Church calls on all people to abandon attitudes and actions of prejudice toward any group or individual.” When we are prejudiced against a person, we have a mental block that prevents us from helping that child of God feel like they belong. Prejudice gives way to unjustified judgment, which in turn can lead to members of the church feeling out of place in the one setting where they should feel completely at ease.

Everyone in this room, including myself, judges people. We judge people for how they dress when they attend church, how many children they have, how short or long their hair is, or how eloquently they speak, among other things. We may keep our judgment to ourselves, speak it behind someone’s back, or even tell it to their face. Elder Christofferson remarked on this, saying, quote “We may unwittingly impose expectations on others – or even ourselves – that are not the Lord’s expectations. We may communicate in subtle ways that the worth of a soul is based on certain achievements or callings”. In what subtle – or not so subtle- ways do you convey your judgments? When someone who does something you disapprove of walks into a room do you turn your body away from them and avoid including them?

As often as we may cast judgment upon others, it is not our place to do so. Judging our brothers and sisters both within these walls and outside them only splits the kingdom of God. We all sin and we all sin differently. There is a saying: Don’t judge others because they choose to sin differently than you do. Who are we to judge the sins of others? Just because we have opinions on proper etiquette, behavior, and beliefs it doesn’t mean that it is our place to enforce them. They remain opinions only. We will not always know all the details about a situation. We don’t know the circumstances surrounding why a couple has no children. We don’t know if the brother who doesn’t make eye contact has autism or another disorder that makes eye contact difficult. We don’t know what may have happened behind closed doors before a divorce. We don’t know if the sister who uses her phone during class needs to use it to be able to focus. Judging our neighbors can, and frequently does, drive our beloved brothers and sisters away from the church, whereas loving our neighbors as Jesus loves us will help them to know that they belong here with us.

Elder Christofferson also stated, quote, “It is a sad irony when someone, feeling he or she doesn’t meet the ideal in all aspects of life, concludes that he or she doesn’t belong in the very organization designed by God to help us progress toward the ideal”. Perfection does not happen in this life, and yet in church culture we often make it seem as if perfection is a prerequisite for salvation.Such an unreasonable expectation creates an unnecessary divide in the church. We do not have to do certain things to belong in this church. Every single person on this earth belongs in Heavenly Father’s kingdom, no matter their past sins, current situations, and future mistakes.

There are things that people believe are “required” to be a worthy disciple. Regarding the passing of the sacrament, some hold the belief that every young man must be clean shaven, devoid of jewlery, have short hair, and wear a white shirt and tie. The Lord, however has made it a simple act of reverence and service, with the only requirement being that, “Those who administer the sacrament should be well groomed and clean. They should not wear clothing or jewelry that might detract from the worship and covenant making that are the purpose of the sacrament.” This is an example of a church culture misconception and is only one of many others which are geared towards being perfect in this life. Every worthy and able young man has been asked to prepare for and serve a mission. However, serving a mission is not a requirement to hold the priesthood and to serve the Lord throughout their lives. We have been given free agency, and it is not our place to judge when an individual chooses not to serve a mission or when a missionary returns home early. Some members cannot fathom saying no to a calling even if they know that their personal circumstances would clearly be incompatible with the calling at that time. How are our sisters and brothers within the church supposed to know that they belong when we make them feel like they have to be this picture-perfect human being?

If we want to gather Israel, we cannot only minister to those whom we feel comfortable with. Our baptismal covenants did not say to “Bear our friends’ burdens and only our friends' burdens; mourn with only those whom we feel comfortable with; comfort only those whom we like.” They said to, “bear other’s burdens, that they may be light, mourn with those that mourn; and comfort those in need of comfort.” The language in our baptismal covenants does not exclude any of God’s children, so why do we?

When you see someone who doesn’t seem to be included, make a point to talk to them. If a brother or sister stops attending church, reach out to them. Show those around you that they belong, even if it means that you have to step out of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to be a voice for others when there’s an untoward joke or when someone is being talked about behind their back. Love those in need of love, even those nobody spares a glance for. Be like our Savior in all that you do, and you will show those around you how much they belong.

[pugzman3]

This is one of the awesome things about the bible. ANYONE can read it, but only those who really want to know will begin to understand it. It's just like why Jesus spoke in parables. Everyone there heard them, from Pharisee to prostitute, but only those who had a heart desiring to understand, would hear it and take it to heart. It's the parable of the sowing of the seeds. The man asking this question is able to draw out what God said not to do, but is unable to grasp why, and the devil has a heyday with that willfull blindness. The answer to it was great, but further way to answer it is simply, we are children in a world that we don't understand. It's over our heads. Just like a human parent tries to protect their infant from the many dangers of the world, God tries to protect us from things and rebellious angels that have since the beginning wanted to manipulate, defile, or destroy us. But this luciferian society removes God, dumbs down the gospel preaching in church and ignores the supernatural, while the devil purposely shows the obvious threat but does his real damage with the concealed flanking maneuvers. His people have so many people thinking they are the smartest generation ever, instilling pride and vain wisdom. And that original lie, tied to "you will be like the gods", that's exactly what is happening now, and it's going to get worse.

[imissthembutitwasntadisaster]

hmm that one children's poem that implies that Joseph's teaching Jesus the carpenter's trade is where he learnt all the details of good building and various woods that he used in his parables. haunts me.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

1 And he spake also a simile to them, that it behoveth [us] always to pray, and not to faint,

2 saying, `A certain judge was in a certain city -- God he is not fearing, and man he is not regarding --

3 and a widow was in that city, and she was coming unto him, saying, Do me justice on my opponent,

4 and he would not for a time, but after these things he said in himself, Even if God I do not fear, and man do not regard,

5 yet because this widow doth give me trouble, I will do her justice, lest, perpetually coming, she may plague me.'

6 And the Lord said, `Hear ye what the unrighteous judge saith:

7 and shall not God execute the justice to His choice ones, who are crying unto Him day and night -- bearing long in regard to them?

8 I say to you, that He will execute the justice to them quickly; but the Son of Man having come, shall he find the faith upon the earth?'

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 And he spake also unto certain who have been trusting in themselves that they were righteous, and have been despising the rest, this simile:

10 `Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer;

11 the Pharisee having stood by himself, thus prayed: God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer;

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things -- as many as I possess.

13 `And the tax-gatherer, having stood afar off, would not even the eyes lift up to the heaven, but was smiting on his breast, saying, God be propitious to me -- the sinner!

14 I say to you, this one went down declared righteous, to his house, rather than that one: for every one who is exalting himself shall be humbled, and he who is humbling himself shall be exalted.'

Let the Children Come to Me

15 And they were bringing near also the babes, that he may touch them, and the disciples having seen did rebuke them,

16 and Jesus having called them near, said, `Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the reign of God;

17 verily I say to you, Whoever may not receive the reign of God as a little child, may not enter into it.' — Luke 18:1-17 | Young's Literal Translation (YLT) Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Exodus 22:23; 2 Samuel 12:13; 1 Kings 10:5; 2 Kings 20:5; Ezra 9:6; Psalm 88:1; Proverbs 20:6; Proverbs 29:23; Proverbs 30:12; Isaiah 40:27; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 58:3; Isaiah 62:7; Isaiah 66:2; Matthew 5:20; Matthew 5:25; Matthew 5:45; Matthew 18:3; Matthew 19:13-14; Mark 10:13; Mark 10:15; Luke 7:13; Luke 11:8; Luke 11:42; Luke 20:13; Romans 14:3; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Hebrews 12:9

[awideplace]

If I could tell him one thing: evaluate and pray. Please, consider your steps because they have an eternal ramification. Pay attention, listen. Seek the Lord, don't deny His Word on the matters. There is a reason you are concerned and you are right to be so: But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:14.

Please stop, consider, pray, seek the Word, seek a mature grounded elder in Christ (who counsels based on biblical clear Truth alone), and consider very well your steps. I beg of you: turn. If I could grab him by the ankles and plead for his very soul I would, I cannot, so I pray and weep for his soul. I feel it as if it were my own: the care, the concern. I pray the Holy Spirit does the work. I beg of God and it is an honor to do so:

"Yet, LORD my God, give attention to Your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying in your presence." 2 Chronicles 6:19; "He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea." Psalm 102:17; "A prayer of David. Hear me, LORD, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips." Psalm 17:1; "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: 'In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, "Grant me justice against my adversary." For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, "Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!"' And the Lord said, 'Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?'" Luke 18:1-8.

To come before His throne room and beg, because He is a gracious King and hears His children's prayers. He is my only Hope for him.

[walkswithmyfather]

‭‭Matthew 18:21-35 (ESV)‬‬. “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servantfell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

“The Impact of Forgiveness” by In Touch Ministries:

“God's grace and kindness to us should naturally flow to others.”

“When Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness, he probably thought he was being generous by asking if seven times was enough. In a place and time where grace and mercy were in short supply, the disciple likely felt himself incredibly charitable. So imagine his surprise when Jesus replied, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times” (Matt. 18:22).

Jesus then shared the parable of a slave who owed the king a great debt. The king felt compassion, released him, and forgave the debt. But later, the man found someone who owed him a smaller amount. Rather than extend a portion of the grace he’d received, the slave demanded payment and punished the other man until he could pay it all. Hearing of this wickedness, the king called back the slave who had shown no mercy to a fellow worker. Then the king withdrew his generous offer and handed the slave over to jailors to work off every single denarius he owed.

May an unmerciful mindset never be true of us. When we truly grasp the depth of what Jesus did on the cross (Colossians 2:14), we should be eager to grant and freely share that gift with others.

Forgiveness becomes a natural outpouring of the indwelling power of God within us, allowing us to forgive to the extreme—just as we are forgiven.”

[apenitentialprayer]

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, and all people of goodwill:

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is asked by a scholar of the law, "And who is my neighbor?" when faced with upholding the greatest commandment. Jesus replied with the parable of the Good Samaritan [10:29-37]. Today, our nation is divided by partisanship and ideology, which blind us to the image of God in our neighbor, especially the unborn, the poor, and the stranger. These negative sentiments are only exacerbated by gossip, which can spread quickly across social media with no concern for the truth or those involved.

From the beginning, the human race was made in the image of God, which distinguishes us from all other created things. The arrival of Jesus Christ in human history confirms the dignity God has given to each of us, without exception. It is our belief in the dignity of human life that guides our consciences and rhetoric when engaging in politics or personal conversation. Each of us, therefore, must turn to God and ask for eyes to see the infinite dignity of every person.

Throughout our nation's history, Catholic immigrants have come to our shores seeking freedom to worship and raise their families. Over 70 years ago, Pope Pius XII urged the Body of Christ to understand the Christian responsibility to care for migrants and refugees, writing "Indeed, there has never been a period during which the Church has not been active on behalf of migrants, exiles, and refugees." Today, we witness newcomers to our dioceses who have escaped extreme violence and poverty and are seeking work to support themselves and their families. Some are Catholic, some are not, but all are welcome in our parishes, and all are individuals loved by God.

What is our duty, as Catholics, to ensure all segments of our society, including our political leaders, view newcomers first as children of God while understanding the need to enforce reasonable limits to legal immigration? Do we ask ourselves how we would want to be received if forced to flee our homes?

Though national attention has turned to Springfield, we know that throughout Ohio our neighbors include Haitians and others fleeing inhuman conditions in their countries. Our Haitian brothers and sisters in Springfield have been granted Temporary Protected Status, a humane federal program that protects foreign nationals from deportation to unsafe home countries. Like all people, these Haitians should be afforded the respect and dignity that are theirs by right and allowed the ability to contribute to the common good. The recent influx of so many migrants in a brief time has caused a strain on the city's resources. We applaud all those community groups working hard to advance the flourishing of Springfield, given the need to integrate newcomers into the social fabric. If we remain true to our principles, we can have a dialogue about immigration without scapegoating groups of people for society issues beyond their control.

The Letter of Saint James warns, "Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire . . . With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God" (James 3:5-6, 9). As the residents of Springfield, Ohio struggle with violent threats and life disruptions fueled by unfettered social media posts, we exhort the Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill not to perpetuate ill will toward anyone involved based on unfounded gossip. Instead, we ask for prayers and support for all the people of Springfield as they integrate their new Haitian neighbors and build a better future together.

Pope Francis, like Pope Benedict XVI and Pope St. Paul II before him, reminds us that we are all migrants on this earth headed toward the "true homeland," the kingdom of heaven. On Sept. 29, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, we are asked by the Holy Father to reflect upon the need to open our eyes to those brothers and sisters who might live in the shadows of our parishes and communities. The Catholic Church continues to pray and work in places of violence and economic despair so that individuals and families do not have to flee their homeland. In the meantime, let us reject a mindset of judging who belongs to our community and put on the mind of Christ to understand that God walks with all his people, especially those in need.

With you in Christ Jesus,

Bolded emphases added. (This letter was signed by the bishop of every diocese and eparchy in Ohio; you can see their names at the end of the letter in the link.)