The Parable of the Rich Fool

The Parable of the Rich Fool is found in Luke 12:16-21. Below is the parable and surrounding context that provides an explanation of this parable. The meaning seems straightforward, but we will see if there is anything worthwhile to add.

13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you (Luke 12:13-31).

Meaning of the Parable of the Rich Fool

In the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus speaks about a rich man who has more than enough. So much so, that his current barn is not large enough to contain all that he has. So, he decides that he will build a bigger barn, and since he has more than enough, there is no need to continue working. He will simply sit back and enjoy his abundance.

According to the wisdom of this world, this seems like a reasonable idea. However, God calls this man a fool. Why is he a fool? He is a fool because the man trusted in his riches, but he was not rich towards God, and that very night the man would die.

If we trust in the securities of this life, but are not rich toward God, then we are truly poor. We are poor because when we die, we will truly die. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Without Him, it does not matter how much we have in this world, because all of those possessions do nothing to save a person’s soul from death.

Jesus goes on to teach that life consists of more than our earthly possessions. Jesus understands that it is in the nature of man to look to the securities of this life, but we should instead look to God for our security by seeking Him first and trusting in Him. When we put God first, then He will provide our daily needs, but when we put our earthly needs first, then our very soul is depraved of true life from He who is Life.

Is there anything further that we might consider from the Parable of the Rich Fool?

On the global sphere, this makes me think of the current idea of “build back better.” There are some who want to tear down the current orders of our society globally, supposedly for the betterment of all people. However, what they really want to do is build a new barn of their own and fill it with the riches of the masses, who they will surely leave in complete poverty unless they go along with the program.

Be assured, that it does not matter how much they enrich themselves, because they are truly poor in the things of God. If they succeed in this for a time, and we suffer as a result, then we can rest assured that the riches that God gives are everlasting and cannot be taken from us. Jesus says that the “thief breaks through and steals” our earthly riches, but they can do nothing to steal what Jesus gives us. In-fact, the more they take from us in the world, the more we grow in Him as our faith is made stronger. All things that the Enemy plans as an evil is used for our good. We can trust in this.

What else might we consider, as it pertains to us Christians?

What things in our lives might be the same, symbolically speaking? What is our barn, and what are we filling it with? What are we looking to as a means of security that makes us feel as if we have everything we need, and in so doing, we are unable to see how much we lack?

This can apply to many things. We might apply this in terms of our pursuit of financial security, but that’s not the only way we can look at this.  

We can also apply this to our sense of spiritual security.

As we “seek first the Kingdom of God,” we should never consider ourselves to be full. We could look at the barn in terms of ourselves, as those who are the temple of God. We never want to think that we have enough wealth spiritually, then decide that we can now sit back and take our ease.

There is always more to gain. There is always more growth as we are conformed to Christ.

Both of these ideas can be considered in light of what the Spirit says to the church of the Laodiceans.

The Spirit says, “you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and know not that you are poor, blind, and naked.” Jesus instructs them to “buy of me, gold tried in the fire that you may be rich, and white raiment that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness is covered, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, so you may see.” He also says that they should be zealous and repent, He rebukes those He loves, and He is standing at the door ready to speak with us.

This teaching goes directly against any type of prosperity gospel preaching. This also goes against ministries that measure their success in terms of financial or social prosperity, especially when done to the exclusion of sound Christian teaching that builds people up in fruitful faith that encourages real transformation of the believer—transformation that is ongoing and should never be neglected.

Jesus says, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” If we are poor in spirit, then we never claim to have enough. We are always hungry and thirsty in sense of our intense need to be filled by God. We never want to get to a place of staleness and stagnancy. Jesus also says, “blessed are those who hunger and thrist after righteousness, for they will be filled.”

This is not to say that we are always looking for something new and different. There are core aspects of our Christian faith that remain sure no matter what, and they do not change.

However, this is to say that on a personal level, we are always growing spiritually. Even if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we need more from Him always. Even if we have a good relationship with the Father and the Son, we need to become more receptive and more obedient. Even if we are active and serving our fellow servants and the world at large, there is more that we can do.

We should never simply “take our ease” in regard to our faith. It is true that Jesus is humble, and His ways are not overly burdensome. Jesus says, “take my yoke upon you, for my burden is easy, and my yoke is light.”

He makes a way for us to do all things, but this also means tearing us down and rebuilding us in some capacity—not just once—but over and over again. We are crucified with Christ, and we are raised in Him. This does happen when we enter into the faith truly, as symbolized by our baptism. However, though we only need one baptism, the process of dying and rebirth are continual. The baptism is the beginning of our new life, and a demonstration of this commitment to die to all others gods, including the god of the self, and to seek Jesus so that we can live.

So, let’s not ever be complacent, thinking that we have everything that we need. On one hand, we do have everything we need. We have the promises of Jesus that are sure and can be trusted in. Yet, so long as we are living, let us keep pushing on in the faith, seeing the work of the Lord done in us more and more, and when we die, we will not be fools but wise.

This is part of a series of articles discussing the Parables of Jesus. You can visit the link for quick access to more articles within this series.

Previous Article Within This Series: Parable of the Money Lender and Two Debtors

This idea as it pertains to the Church of the Laodiceans is discussed in the online book, These Things Saith He.

This article originally appeared at thelordalone.com. Feel free to share.

How to Obey Jesus Christ

As followers of Jesus Christ, we should want to live our life in a way that brings honor to Him. However, it doesn’t take long before we see our limitations.

How do we obey Jesus when we feel powerless to do so?

There are many approaches that we might take, and there are many approaches that people have taken. Sometimes these approaches become legalistic dogma, and sometimes not. Sometimes these approaches lead to the kind of righteousness that the Lord really wants, and sometimes not.

Which way is the right way?

Jesus says that He is The Way. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” Jesus also says that we cannot do anything on our own. He says, “I am the vine and you are the branches. Just as the vine cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, no more can you unless you abide in me.” We want to abide (live) in Jesus, and we want Jesus to abide (live) in us.

This sounds wonderful, but what does this look like?

We can read our bible and we can pray. These are good starting points. We can learn about how Jesus wants us to live from the scriptures. We can go to Him in prayer, confessing our sins and asking Him to send the Holy Spirit so that Jesus lives within us.

However, there is something that I have found that seems to get in the way. Myself.

It does not seem to matter how much I read the bible, listen to bible studies, acknowledge my sin, and pray to God in faith that He can change me; if I am not willing to get out of His way, then little is going to happen.

Jesus says, “take up your cross and follow me.” He also says that He is as a rock, and “whoever falls on this rock will be broken, but on whoever this rock falls, he will be ground to powder.”

Filling myself with a lot of scripture and praying often does not do anything to really change me if I am not dying to myself. I have to die so that the Spirit of God can fill that space. When He fills that space, then the things that we want to do come more naturally. Then, there is more that needs to die.

It is the dying to self that is the hard part, and this is where we bear some responsibility. We do this in faith, so that He can do the work of rebuilding us. We willingly fall on the Rock. We willingly let go of our egos and our need for self-gratification. We willingly learn to rely on God and not on ourselves and others. If we are willing and at the same time not willing, then we seek Jesus to make our will stronger. We coorporate with Him in this, and eventually our will is going to conform to His.

We are naturally double-minded. James said that a double-minded person cannot expect to receive anything from God. We have to be willing to truly die to the things that are barriers between us and God. We might fight the same issue of double-mindedness for a long time, but if we keep praying about it, then we will die to that thing and the Spirit of God will live there instead.

How do we get away from our double-minded nature? We do so by adopting a state of mind that is connected with God though Jesus Christ.

How do we connect with God?

Learn to connect to Jesus through quietness and prayer. Seek His presence and experience the grace of God first-hand. Once you find that space of His presence, you will know because He reveals things to you in a way that speaks to your spirit. It’s hard to describe. Do what you can to empty yourself of what you think you know about God and what you think you know about yourself. Simply listen and receive. Keep doing this until God answers you. When He does, ask that He keep meeting you in this place of prayer and that He will teach you whatever truth He needs you to know.

It’s okay and good to talk to Him too. Tell Him about all your troubles and accept the will of God for your life so you can find relief from your fears. Ask Him to show mercy to the people who cause you upset, so you can find relief from resentment and unforgiveness. Ask Him to use you as a means of leading people to Him—but this will require dying so that He can live inside you.

Once you find that place of God’s gracious presence, try to find that place again. Maybe you do this once a day for a while. Maybe twice a day. The goal is to eventually take this place with us wherever we go. This is what it means to walk with God. We are ever-mindful of Him, and more than that, our minds are being transformed so that our perceptions are His perceptions. This allows us to naturally obey Him more and more.

Yet, even as our perceptions become His, we see our sins more clearly yet again. So, we die yet again. We “die daily” in-fact, as Paul the Apostle said. We will never be fully in the presence of God until we are raised from the dead, and we might never live in perfect obedience until then. However, we need to accept that if we really want to obey God, then this is only possible with Jesus and His Spirit, and His Spirit cannot live in us if we are in His way.

So, the process of dying and rebirth are continual. Day by day. We are in pain and sorrow over our sins, and yet we are full of joy because of the mercy and power of the Lord. We are suffering because of the sins of the world, and yet we are full of peace, knowing that suffering makes us more like Him and one day our suffering will bring us to where He is. We have times of fear, then we are comforted. We struggle with doubt, then we see that our faith is made stronger.

He can and will do all things through us, and we want to obey Him because to obey Him is to know Him and to know Him is to live and to bring living things to others for His glory. There’s always more for us to gain, and there is always more that needs to die. Let’s always get better at walking humbly with the Lord. “As many as walk after the Spirit of God are the sons of God.”

Considering Proverbs 12:4

A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones (Proverbs 12:4).

What is the meaning of Proverbs 12:4 from a Christian perspective? What does it mean to be a virtuous woman, and how is this as a crown to the head of our spouse? The word virtue in this context comes from a Hebrew word that means strength, and a crown symbolizes honor. We can assume from the context that the strength she has is strength in doing what is right, and in so doing, her husband flourishes.

Compare this to the opposite. A woman who is of a weak character does not bring honor to her husband, but shame, and this shame hurts him at his very core. You can’t do much if you have rotten bones, and we might imagine how having an unrighteous spouse can bring you down.

There are two ways that we might consider this proverb. First, we can apply this to marital relationships in this life. Second, we can apply this to our relationship with Jesus Christ, who we are espoused to in a symbolic sense as we wait for His return.

As for the first, women can consider the type of wife that they want to be. We want to be wives that add value to the lives of our husbands, like the woman we read about in Proverbs 31. We want to be productive, hard-working, faithful, and morally upright.

As for the second, we as Christians can consider the value that we want to offer Jesus Christ. We want to be virtuous—strong in doing the right things, standing up for the right things, and bringing honor to Jesus through a life that makes Him look good. We can’t be weak-willed in righteousness, compromised in character, and we can’t be afraid to do to what we are called to do, even if it means persecution and death. Our faithfulness is a crown of glory for our Lord.

Unfortunately, many of us have brought shame to Jesus at some point, but if we truly trust in Him and if His grace is for us, then we will grow in virtue, and we will bring honor to Him. So, if we have brought Him shame, we don’t need to lose hope. Rather, we can turn to Him for forgiveness and perhaps find even greater determination—greater virtue—toward doing what He wants us to do.

We want to be among those who are “called, chosen, and faithful.” Truly, the grace of God is what makes all the difference, and His work is perfect. Trust in Him. You are His work, but as His work, He works to bring you into His will, and this causes you to submit to Him and see that work done. We cooperate with Him because that is what being faithful entails.

Noah didn’t just sit back when God called him to build an ark, stating that if God wanted the ark, then God would build it. No, Noah built the ark as an act of faith, knowing that God would soon judge the earth. By faith, we build our lives up on the Rock of Jesus Christ through a life that is obedient to Him, so when the dragon casts “water as flood” after us, we will not be moved—but the whole earth will eat up the lies that he speaks.

This article is part of a bible study series, Considering the Proverbs. The purpose is to consider present-day events from a Christian perspective and to offer practical lessons that we can apply to ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.

Previous Post Within This Series: Considering Proverbs 12:2-3 – A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved (Proverbs 12:2-3).

These two ideas of the faithful woman and the unfaithful woman is a theme that we see in the Proverbs. There is the “strange woman” and there is also a woman of virtue. This theme can also be found in Revelation.

Revelation details the attributes of the faithful church and the unfaithful church. In the online book, These Things Saith He, I discuss my belief that modern, Western Christianity is in danger of becoming the Great Whore who will worship Satan, because they do in part already, and there are attributes of her that we can see already. However, we can “come out of her” and into a faithful relationship with Jesus. He will forgive us, but as He said to the woman taken in adultery, “Go and sin no more.”

Woe to Me if My Faith Depends on Man

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

Our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. This is something that the Lord is helping me with, and I am truly thankful.

I’m coming to realize just how little I know about many things. Some family members of mine are converting to a form of Christianity that I know little about. I’m trying to learn, and in learning, I’ve been exposed to whole new areas of Christian theology that I knew nothing about.

At first, this began to shake my faith. It shook my faith because I was afraid that my loved ones were being led astray. It shook my faith because I wondered if I was the one who was astray. It shook my faith because when I asked someone I trusted for help concerning this, I got no answer. So, I felt totally alone in trying to deal with this all-new territory.

I’ve always said that we don’t know anything as well as we should, including myself. The more we know of God, the more He becomes a mystery. However, while I remain humble and open to correction, it bothers some that I don’t let go of my core beliefs more readily.

It seems to me that many arguments within the various churches come from a mind of knowing. If we had the mind of ignorance, then we would not divide over issues of disagreement. It is the blind loyalty, that mimics enlightenment, that causes so much accusation among believers. It is this blind loyalty that keeps me from joining any institution of Christian religion.

It upsets me so much to learn of yet more areas of contention, and it upsets me that in my questioning and unwillingness to simply yield could cause me to be ostracized from people I love. Yet, I am not one who is unfamiliar with the zeal of the convert and how that can cause us to deal with others in an unloving and impatient way. So, I can deal with it. I just hope this is not permanent—and it seems that for those who join with Christian establishments, this does become a permanent form of separation. I have never removed myself from Christian fellowship because I disagree with them. It’s the other way around. I pray that is not what will happen in this case, but I am thankful that my faith is not in men, but in God.

Woe to me if my faith depends on man!

Woe to me if my faith depends on what others say about the bible and the disputes we have because of our interpretations.

Woe to me if my faith depends on loyalty to and acceptance by other churches and other Christians.

Woe to me if my faith depends on friendships in the faith seemingly forsaken.

Woe to me if my faith depends on the conduct of man, as I let their sins against me cause me to refuse my cross and instead become full of anger, fear, resentment, or despair.

I thank God that my faith is not dependent on any of these things. I am willing to say that I know very little indeed, and I am also willing to say that I have extreme caution in joining others who claim they know. Woe to you who say you see, for your sin remains!

My faith is not in the bible, though it informs my faith.

My faith is not in man, though they build me up—either by adding to me or by taking away things that need to die.

My faith is not in a single church, because all who serve Jesus in truth are His church. Does that mean I will never join a church? That remains to be seen, but if I don’t, then no matter who forsakes me, in forsaking me, Jesus will all the more hold me up!

My faith is in demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit Who I have received and continue to receive, the promises of Jesus who says that He will complete His work in me, and through my faith, I will not be condemned. I have faith that Jesus is with me, even if everyone else seems to be against me—and for His sake, I will not do to them what they do to me. I will remain teachable, loyal to Jesus alone, and my faith and peace only comes from Him.

Woe to me if my faith rests on anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ!

Parable of the Moneylender and the Two Debtors

The Parable of the Moneylender, also called the Parable of the Moneylender and Two Debtors or The Parable of the Moneylender who Forgives Unequal Debts, is found in Luke 7. The parable is short, only consisting of two verses. Here is the parable and some surrounding context:

38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace (Luke 7:38-50).

Meaning of the Parable of the Moneylender and the Two Debtors

The meaning of the Parable of the Moneylender and the Two Debtors is straightforward on the surface. Those who are forgiven of much love much. Sometimes, it is the most sinful people who have the strongest love for Jesus and the most powerful testimonies.

Whether we are thinking about our own unworthiness or whether we are tempted to judge the unworthiness of someone else, this parable provides comfort and correction through the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

Though her sins were many, her love and faith in Jesus saved her from condemnation. This should be our natural response to the saving mercy found in Jesus Christ. Of course, we cannot literally do as this woman did, but her actions can be applied to us symbolically.

Just as she cried at Jesus’s feet and wiped His feet with her tears, so can we throw ourselves at His mercy with a proper attitude of contrition for our sins. Just as she kissed and anointed Jesus’s feet, so can we serve and honor Jesus from a place of humility.

As another scripture states, “love covers a multitude of sins.” The love of Jesus toward us is such that no sin is too big for Him to forgive, and as we grow in our ability to love as Jesus loves, we too will learn to forgive, even the unforgivable.

However, forgiveness is not something that anyone should take advantage of. The way we react to the forgiveness we receive reveals a lot about our character—and whether we really love Jesus or not.

For many, the love and forgiveness that we receive from Jesus causes us to grow in our loyalty and love for Him, and our desire to serve Him in humility—just like the woman in the parable. However, for some, receiving forgiveness can become a kind of loophole for continuing in sin.

Have you ever encountered these two extremes in your own life?

Have you ever forgiven someone of something serious, and they loved you all the more for it? Have you ever forgiven someone of something serious, and they lost respect for you, thinking that they could do anything to you and get away with it? Which attitude should we have towards Jesus, and towards those who forgive us in general?

As Paul the apostle wrote, “should we sin more so that grace can abound? God forbid.” Or should we “count the blood of the covenant, wherewith we are sanctified, an unholy thing, and do despite to the Spirit of grace?” No.  

If we do not respond to Jesus’s forgiveness with love, humility, and service, but instead with disrespect and disregard, then how should we expect to be received by Jesus?

If we have the right attitude towards Jesus and the incredible mercy that He has shown us, then His sacrifice covers all our sins. He will lead us also, showing us what it means to live out our faith, take up our cross, follow Him, and grow in our ability to obey Him in humility.

Does this mean that we never sin? No, but it does mean that we never accept sin as being acceptable, and if we do sin, we take this seriously and we go to Jesus to help us do better with faith in the work in us that He promises to do.

Even as a committed Christian, there could be times when we mess up or sin in a big way. Though we never make excuses for sin, I know from first-hand experience that these instances can help us grow in our dedication to Jesus and provide us with greater strength to face our cross in faith.

His love for us is incredible, and His mercy never fails. However, because we love Him and would never take advantage of Him in a way that we would not want others to take advantage of us, we will have the right response toward His love and mercy.

If we think we are taking advantage of Him, then we can confess this. Lord willing, He will show us great mercy and forgiveness for this severe sin, and as a result, we will love and serve Him more fervently than ever before.

This is part of a series of articles discussing the Parables of Jesus. You can visit the link for quick access to more articles within this series.

Previous Article Within This Series: Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

The mercy of Jesus is truly incredible and empowering. Though the Great Whore is judged and will be judged, those of us who have been as her can “come out of her” and find forgiveness. Just like the woman who was taken in adultery, we can find mercy, but as Jesus said to her, “Go, and sin no more.” This idea is discussed in the introduction portion of the free online book, “These Things Saith He.”

This article originally appeared at thelordalone.com.

Blessing Those who Bless Israel?

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3).”

I’ve heard Christian preaching today to this effect, stating that we should support Israel, and if we do not support Israel, then we are cursed.

For the last few years, I have not been very informed in politics. I’ve been focusing on writing “These Things Saith He” then doing the video discussions. I listen to some political commentary, but not enough to really understand the complexities of the recent wars and to form a solid opinion for myself.

After I completed the book and video discussions, I wasn’t sure what to focus on next, so I went back to what I was doing before with the Proverbs and Parables series. I do want to continue those, but I think it’s also time to speak about other things that are happening in the world—and most importantly—the way some within Christianity are talking about them.

I have heard some Christian preaching lately that greatly concerns me. Because of this, I will spend some time becoming more familiar with current events and their history, and I will spend some time listening to Christian preaching concerning them. Even in my ignorance of the politics, I knew that the preaching was wrong, and I am thankful that the Holy Spirit can speak to me despite my ignorance.

For starters, back to the scripture mentioned in this post:

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3).”

Is this a statement that we should apply to the nation of Israel today? Political alliances aside, should Christians have a spiritual alliance with Israel, regardless of what they do?

Like I said, I need to learn more about what has been happening, but I know that Christians in Gaza are being killed by violence and starvation. Does God bless this? I would say not.

The above scripture is not a blank check of approval and blessing for Israel. Obviously. There were many times described in the scriptures when God was not pleased with them, and He sent trouble their way.

The True Blessing for Israel

The real takeaway from this scripture that we should focus on is the promise that in Israel, all families would be blessed. What is that blessing? That blessing is the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It is in Jesus that all nations of the world were brought together in one under God, and in Him, we have the greatest blessings of all: forgiveness of sin and the promise of adoption and everlasting life.

Those who follow Jesus are blessed, and those who bless those who follow Jesus are blessed. Those who curse those who follow Jesus are cursed—because they follow Satan. Following Satan is the curse of all mankind. We are all cursed if we do not believe in the Son of God and serve Him.

If we follow Jesus, then we should not support mass murder of Christians, or mass murder of people in general. I believe that being war hungry and blood thirsty is one of the key attributes of the Great Whore. For the most part, I have focused on this spiritually, pertaining to ways we destroy one another in the faith with our accusations, divisions, and slanders. I knew that a literal interpretation would one day be true also, and I wonder if this has something to do with allegiance to Israel—where the false prophet will one day make his entrance, claiming to be God.

I’ve heard a few recent discussions from poorly informed Christian political commentators about the return of Jesus. They say it will be soon. It could be soon, but “that day will not come unless there is a falling away first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction.” He will “sit in the temple of God, making a show that he is God.” Are people going to think this is Jesus?

We need to be careful about our alliances. As Christians, our allegiance is with the Kingdom of Jesus Christ,—and He will bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us—if we are really serving Him and not some false version of Him.

There are many false versions of Him in Christianity already, which is a large part of why I wrote These Things Saith He. Now, I fear it might be time to start preparing for and speaking out against other false christs.

If we want to bless the nation of Israel, then we need to turn them to Jesus by preaching the gospel and remembering where our true loyalty should be. We could also bless them by reminding them of their history, and although God made that statement about blessing and cursing, this is not a blanket statement that can be used to justify evil.

God is not mocked.

Why do people always do this to God’s promises!? Christians take the promise of salvation as a blank check for sin (not all, but many), and Israel and their supporters take God’s promises as a blank check for genocide (not all, but many). Drunken with blood the whole lot of them, and whores of Satan who are just begging for him to come so they can worship him, whether they know it or not. Lord Jesus, wake people up so they can seek you and know who you really are and what you are really about, and turn away from foolish, false leaders.

No, My Articles are Not Plagiarized. 

I never copyright my material, and I never intend to. I believe that what God gives should be shared freely. I understood a long time ago that this might mean that other people get credit for the work that I do, but I never worry about it. The only person I want credit with is Jesus, and if my work can be shared to help others, then that’s good.

However, when my work starts popping up other places and my work is not attributed to me directly, then this understandably might make some wonder if I am plagiarizing or if others are plagiarizing me.

I was contacted by Crossmap.com a year or more ago, asking for permission to repost my articles. I gave written consent, and as far as I could tell, nothing came of it.

Turns out, they gave Bibleportal.com consent to republish their posts. So, some of my posts are showing up on both Crossmap.com and Bibleportal.com. I have no problem with this.

I never expect a big ministry, nor do I expect any recognition from man. I’ve had my work and the understanding God gave me used by people before, and the way I see it is that any good thing we have is His anyway, so we don’t have any real claim to it. His reward is what we want–to honor Him and to be honored by Him. It’s no big deal, but for the sake of others who are wondering, I made this post to acknowledge this.

However, I will probably start adding a sentence at the end of my articles, stating that this post originated at thelordalone.com, just to have a reference point, and if something gets changed in the exchange of my work, there is a way back to the original.

Considering Proverbs 12:2-3

A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved (Proverbs 12:2-3).

What is the meaning of Proverbs 12: 2-3 from a Christian perspective? As Christians, we know that all things hinge on grace, which is the undeserved favor of God. How should we deal with a proverb like this one?

I believe that the correct approach is to know that although there was nothing we did to earn God’s grace, He still rewards those who live in an upright way. In-fact, He expects us to.

Sincere faith that is given by God will cause us to turn away from all “wicked devices” out of our love and fear of Jesus Christ. If we are not doing so, then the faith we seem to have is a mockery of God, and we might be among those who are told, “depart from me, you who work iniquity, I never knew you.”

We cannot use the gospel of Jesus Christ as an excuse for sinful living. We will never be established in the Kingdom of Heaven this way. We would instead be like the fig tree that Jesus cursed, and it immediately withered (Mark 11). He expects us to be “fruitful,” as the work of the Holy Spirit is done within us.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-25).

When we have deep roots that are watered by the Holy Spirit, then we will not be moved. Although we need to be new wineskins, always seeking more knowledge of the Lord and His righteousness, there are going to be things that we never turn away from.

First and foremost, we will not deny the gospel of Jesus Christ. From there, we will grow in faith, and in so doing we will be made stronger in all righteousness, good Christian doctrine, and what it means to contend for the faith in an upright way. He will establish us, and we will work alongside Him to see His work in us done—not because we are earning His saving grace—but because we have received it truly.

There will always be “devices of the wicked” that we have to deal with and fight against. We cannot back down from these challenges, but face them head on in faith, knowing that those who do wickedly are condemned, and they will never succeed ultimately.

Yet, we do not condemn others. As Jesus said, those who reject Him are “condemned already, because they have not believed in the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). It is never our place to condemn. We do not have that authority whether we are talking about those who seem to be of the faith but are corrupting the faith or those who are outside of the faith. Jesus will judge. We can judge in the sense of putting forward Jesus’s judgments, and we can seek Him to give us righteous judgement. However, we cannot judge in the sense of condemnation, as those who are in “Satan’s Seat.”

Sometimes it seems as if the wicked are established in this world while we struggle. However, the promises and judgement of God are sure. He will be victorious over our enemies, and those who abide in Him will one day rule with Him—and we will never be moved.

This article is part of a bible study series, Considering the Proverbs. The purpose is to consider present-day events from a Christian perspective and to offer practical lessons that we can apply to ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.

Previous Post Within This Series: Considering Proverbs 12:1 – Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish (Proverbs 12:1).

Jesus says to the Church of Ephesus in Revelation, “I will remove your candlestick out of its place, unless you repent.” Some things seem to be firmly established, but if they are not wrought in God truly, then they will not be established in His Kingdom forever. In the online book, “These Things Saith He,” we explore areas of weakness within the faith that are not acceptable to God–and we do so in faith–trusting in His mercy as well as in His righteous judgments. We want to be as the two olive trees ( the faithful ministers who are not “stars” that want to shine as some great leader, but servants who are not moved in the good things of God, and as the two candlesticks (the faithful congregation of all who are called out of this world and into the true church of God).

Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins one of Jesus’s parables of the kingdom of heaven. There are a few symbols to look at here. In this article, we are looking at one section at a time and considering what Jesus is teaching us. First, here is the parable in its entirety. The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins can be found in Matthew 25.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Matthew 25:1-13).

Now, let’s break it down.

Meaning of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

As Christians, we are “espoused to Christ.” This is a symbolic espousal that demonstrates our loyalty to Jesus above all others and our promise to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world” until He returns.

In this parable, there are two sets of virgins, and both are carrying lamps. What do these lamps represent? As Christians, we are supposed to “let your light shine” so that the glory of God can be known to others. This light is the light of Jesus Christ and His gospel, as well as the light of a faithful Christian whose life demonstrates His teachings. The lamp is the container for the light, but there is no light without oil to fuel the lamp.

In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, the foolish had no oil with them, but the wise had oil for their lamps. What does the oil represent?

The oil in the lamps might have a couple of meanings, though they are related. The oil can be symbolic of the Holy Spirit and symbolic of a life lived in Christ that is formed by having a true and loyal relationship with Him. How is this accomplished? We will get to that in a moment.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

The tarrying of the bridegroom symbolizes the promise of Jesus’s return. As Christians, we are waiting on His second coming. Why is it that they all slumbered and slept? One of the things that Jesus taught was that we should be watchful and ready for Him. We should also “occupy until He comes,” preserving His teachings and living a life in service to Him. That doesn’t sound like sleeping—however, they all slept, even the wise.

This makes me think of something in the scripture about “awakening to righteousness.” The wise had knowledge of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, but perhaps something about their lives in Christ needed to be woken out of sleep.

What is the midnight cry made in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins? This is a cry to wake up and be ready because the coming of the bridegroom—the coming of Jesus—is soon.

Christians have debated about the coming of Jesus. Many times, they get carried away with false predictions and teachings, including the teaching that Jesus can come at any time and carry His church away. However, Jesus teaches us what we should look for before His return. See Mark 13.

Jesus says that there will be wars and rumors of wars, but these are not the signs of His return. He also says that nations will rise against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes. He instructs that we should “take heed to yourselves” because many will be persecuted for His sake.

We should focus on our salvation first, get to know Jesus, and trust in Him because He will give us a testimony against those who persecute us. This is of the Holy Spirit, so we do not have to worry about what we will say.

Next, He says that the “abomination of desolation” as spoken by Daniel will be revealed. This idea is reiterated in 2 Thessalonians 2.

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).”

Is the coming of “the son of perdition,” or the false Christ and false prophet, the wakeup call? I do think that is a sure-fire sign that Jesus’s return is soon, but I do not think that is the wakeup call. I think that the Wise Virgins should be ready before that day.

So then, what is the wakeup call? I believe that the wakeup call is something that happens continually as our fellow servants in Christ stir us up out of our sleepiness and into a life that makes us ready to meet our Lord.

We should always be ready, no matter the time. Every Christian, no matter when and where they live, will have to fight against evil—and in a Christian way—by preaching the gospel and living the gospel. Sometimes we get complacent, but right before that crucial midnight hour—right before trouble comes—God through His servants will rouse us and encourage us to be ready to meet that time in faith.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

When the time came to be ready, the foolish were not prepared. They had no oil, so they had no light to shine in the darkness. They ask the wise to share their oil, but the wise refused and instructed the foolish to go to those who sell and get their own oil. What does this mean?

Though many Christians might be asleep, the wise are not so bound up in this world that they cannot readily make themselves prepared to meet the Lord. Why can’t the wise share their oil? I think that is because it is impossible to.

Those who are foolish have spent their lives not only sleeping, but also depleted of Jesus according to His Holy Spirit. Why are they depleted? There must be something about their so-called faith that is empty, and never truly given by the grace of God. If we have sincere faith, then that is an act of grace. We cannot simply give faith to others, and we cannot impart the grace that God gave to us to others. As Jesus said, “many are called, but few are chosen.”

It is interesting that the wise tell the foolish to “go to those that sell.” Christians cannot buy the grace of God that provides us with faith in Jesus Christ that leads to a life lived in Christ. However, there are many who attempt to sell faith, many of which do not lead people to the true faith, but an empty version of it.

Back to the question about how living in Christ is made possible. For those who receive God’s saving grace that grants faith in Jesus, they will eventually find themselves living a faithful Christian life because this is the work of Christ in them. His work is the true oil. Sometimes, we need to wake up and be ready, but this is only possible because the grace of God is for us in the first place. Grace cannot be bought or sold, and neither can the Christian faith.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Matthew 25:1-13).

Jesus is patient with all who the Father has given Him, and He will not lose a single person. Faith comes by grace, and grace comes by the Father who draws us to Jesus. We cannot receive Christ unless it is first given to us by God. The Holy Spirit teaches us who Jesus is so that we can repent of sin and be forgiven. The Holy Spirit also empowers us to live for Jesus, freeing us from sin in this present world by writing the righteousness of Christ in our hearts.

However, there are many who seem to be Christians, but they do not truly have faith. Jesus deals with this patiently, not willing that any of His should be left out. However, this patience will one day come to an end. He does not know them because He never knew them, and they never truly knew Him.

Jesus says that we should be ready because we do not know when He will return. He says a lot of things, and if the grace of God is for us, then we will hear and obey. The fact that we can hear and obey is already an act of grace—all things are by grace and through faith.

Grace is a gift from God, and one that not only means forgiveness, but relationship with Jesus that leads to a life lived in Him as He works in us to free us from our sinful natures overtime in this present world, and we will be joined together with Him forever. This is a process, so we patiently pursue Jesus knowing that he is a “rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” So, let us seek Him in faith, and He will work all things out. Trust Him. Turn to Him with your whole heart, and don’t let anyone get in your way or corrupt your relationship with Him.

There are many who “sell” Jesus that have corrupted the simplicity and power of the gospel, and many buy from them. This is not just about Christian merchandise, but also about instruction. There are many who claim to fill Christians, but they only leave them depleted. However, many who have listened to them are not foolish, but simply the wise who need to wake up and make themselves ready. If the grace of God is for them, then they will.

Those who faithfully fill other Christians will instruct them in the true simplicity of the gospel and what it means to live out our faith. They will provide correction as needed, compassion for their struggles, and trust in the grace of God to work out all things in their fellow servants according to His timing rather than pushing traditions and false teachings that are not oil, but more like hot air.

This is part of a series of articles discussing the Parables of Jesus. You can visit the link for quick access to more articles within this series.

In the free digital book, “These Things Saith He,” you can find a discussion on the 7 churches of Revelation. Within the churches, 5 are rebuked. Could this be a link to the 5 virgins? In any case, I do believe that it would be wise to repent of these errors, and in doing so, we can be better prepared to serve Jesus no matter what times of darkness might be ahead.

Considering Proverbs 12:1

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish (Proverbs 12:1).

The meaning of Proverbs 12:1 is straightforward. A person that welcomes instruction gains knowledge, and this is a good thing. However, a person that hates reproof—or correction—behaves in a brutish manner when that instruction is given.

When considering this proverb, there are three things that I want to think about. First, is something that Jesus teaches about rebuking a difficult person. Next, is how we as Christians should handle rebuke ourselves, and thirdly, the power given to us to rebuke our Adversary—the brute of all brutes—in the Name of Jesus.

As for the first, we might think of something that Jesus said: “Don’t cast your peals before swine, lest they turn again and rend you.” Sometimes, our instruction and correction are not wanted, and the person we attempt to reach becomes angry, or slanders us, or worst yet, violent.

It helps if we deliver the correction carefully, with attempts to persuade rather than condemn. However, even a “rebuke in the spirit of meekness” can be despised. It is an act of love to correct someone, and to “not suffer sin upon them.” This can be challenging because we don’t want people upset with us. However, we should love them enough to deal with the discomfort and possibility of upset, especially if the matter is serious. We don’t want the blood of others on our hands because we were too afraid to confront them. If we are hated, then remember what Jesus said: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’s sake.”

We should also be careful about using the above saying of Jesus as an excuse for avoiding difficult discussions. If we are mindful and seeking the Lord, He will lead us. Sometimes we speak up. Sometimes we wait for a better opportunity. Sometimes we say nothing. But in all things, care for the person should be our motivation, rather than getting carried away with our own pride, fear, and other ungodly motivations and emotions.

As for the second, we Christians should be willing and ready to receive rebuke. I know that not all Christians believe this way, but I have heard it taught on multiple occasions that any feeling or thought of guilt that a Christian has about current sins that they commit is an attack from Satan himself. They are told that because they are forgiven, they should never feel concern about their sin, and they should rebuke Satan—which in reality, could be a rebuke of they Holy Spirit of God. God forbid.

We should never characterize sincere conviction over our sins as Satanic persecution. “God chastens every son that He loves,” and Jesus says that He “stands at the door and knocks, and if any man will hear, He will come into them and sup with them.” We should tune our ears toward hearing the correction of the Holy Spirit, not reject Him.

It is true that the Adversary can use our sins to tempt and accuse us. He can tempt us to feel so ashamed and condemned that we doubt Jesus’s love for us and the awesome power of His mercy toward us. We can rest on the grace of God and the faith given to us, knowing that nothing can separate us from Him.

The Adversary can also tempt us to run from God. We might be tempted to use the forgiveness received as an excuse to refuse the correction of the Lord, or we might be tempted to justify our sins.

We should not be brutish, but rather happy that God cares enough to correct us. It does not feel good at first, but in the end, this is one of the most loving things that He does. He does not leave us blind to destruction, but lights the way toward true repentance, mercy, and power to overcome in His Name.

As for the third point, through the power of the Name of Jesus, we can “resist the devil, and he will flee” from us. That is an incredible thing. The brute of all brutes must submit himself to the authority of the Son of God. When we feel tempted to sin, we can turn the tables on our Adversary by telling him to leave and invoking the teachings of Jesus Christ.

For example, let’s say that we tend to resent, accuse, or be fearful of others because of their sins or false perceptions that we might hold about them (I speak the following from personal experience, so I know this works). We might start to think badly of them, and before long, we feel that they are deserving of our hatred, begin to wish evil upon them, or become afraid or mistrusting. Are these our thoughts, or is the Accuser using this weakness that we have to do what he does so well: causing division and conflict or destroying our peace?

What if we turned the tables on him, rebuking those thoughts and instead defending the person? The Accuser tempted them to sin, and maybe they did sin, then he accuses them to us. What if we rebuked Satan for tempting them, leading them to destruction, then daring to tempt us also? What if we stated some good thing about them, or found some other way to change the accusations through mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and faith in Jesus’s Name? He will have no choice but to leave us alone.

Let’s not forget, the Accuser does the same to us. He tempts us, and when we sin, he accuses us before God. He is and will be defeated by the Lamb of God, and having received this assurance, we should be on-guard against ways in which the Accuser tempts us to falsely fear, judge, or condemn others—even if it seems just.

We can resist all temptations if we are careful to watch for the enemy, who is “as a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour.” We should be on guard, knowing that all weaknesses we have can be used by our Enemy. God allows this so that we can learn to resist, and this also forces us to face our weaknesses. This is another reason why it is good for us to be ready and willing to accept the correction of the Holy Spirit when it comes. The stronger we are and the less sin we have to contend with, the less room Satan has to get a foothold over us.

In addition to receiving rebuke directly from the Lord, we should also receive correction from others who are also following Jesus. We have a duty to help one another grow in the things of God, so we should both be willing to correct and to receive correction. Correction equips us against the Adversary and makes us stronger in Christ so that we can serve Him and not Satan—the Accuser, Slanderer, and Adversary of mankind.

If we are not sure about whether the correction given should be accepted, then we can take it to the Lord Himself. If we are seeking Him in honesty and humility, then He will always lead us in the truth. “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

He will also teach us how to tell the difference between the voice of the Accuser and the convictions of the Holy Spirit. Satan mimics Christ in many ways, but through faith in Him we can grow in the gift of discernment and better hear our Lord and resist the Enemy. Let’s not resist the Holy Ghost, as some resisted, and were further hardened. Let’s learn how and when to give correction, and how to receive it, and we will grow in good knowledge of what it means to be the children of God.

This article is part of a bible study series, Considering the Proverbs. The purpose is to consider present-day events from a Christian perspective and to offer practical lessons that we can apply to ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is always speaking to us, and if we ask for “ears to hear,” then we will have them. Sometimes we don’t want to hear, but hearing is good for us, especially if we are not only hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word. If you want to hear a Christian’s take on what Jesus is speaking by His Spirit to His church, read the free online book, “These Things Saith He.” As with all things, take it up with the Lord yourself, and see what He might say to you personally.