Parables, more Parables, everywhere Parables

[the goldfields]

I got to thinking about water as a parable too...

If I am thirsty I can get water from three different sources:

1. I could buy water bottled by man (an industry full of deception and questionable ethics)
2. I could have a glass of tap water (water that has passed through the earth.. best if filtered)
3. I could catch water in the form of rain, directly from the heavens (requires prayer and patience!)   
   
Psalms 72:6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass:
                        as showers that water the earth.

Uh oh..  gotta go.. Scooby, stop drinking from the toilet bowl!!

[Ninny]

I was just thinking the other day about being out in the barrenness of life and not knowing God's love, thinking about how people could go through certain things without knowing that God was in control...this all reminds me of some words to an old song and it is kind of sad how people can go without knowing that God loves them....

"Each day I face the barren waste without the taste of water, Cool Water..." and then the part of deception..how in this life we are deceived by the false doctrines of the church..."    "..Don't ya listen to him Dan, he's a devil, not a man, and he spreads the burning sand with water...." It's amazing how at Bible Truths you begin to unlearn what you thought you knew! How what you thought was scripture and truth is really deception..

I can't imagine life without the cool water of God's love....

(By the way, for those who do not know that song, Dan is the cowboy's horse! Cool Water--The Sons of the Pioneers)

Kathy

[cjwood]

i woke up this morning at around 7am. i had set my alarm for 7:30, wanting to control what time i woke up (carnal mind), but i was awoken by the early morning light coming through my windows. what had been a darkened bedroom, where objects were undistinguishable, was now a room full of light from the day star, and everything in the room was easily seen.

as i lay in bed looking at the sunlight, i realized that even this occasion was a parable for me. i was shown how though we try to be in control of things, our Creator is indeed the Controller of all matters that pertain to each of us. and i was shown how, although we might be comfortable for a time sleeping in the darkness (of our skewed perception of His Truths), he knew we needed to WAKE UP. so, our Father began to draw us to Him, and He began to open up the curtains shrouding our minds. THEN, His Day Star, Jesus Christ, began to shine through the windows (our spiritual eyes), giving us clarity to see all that had been undistinguishable before. lighting our path so that we could see our way through. just like the morning sunlight coming through my windows now made it possible for me to arise out of bed and start out on a new day, without running into the wall, or tripping over the cat or dog.

yes indeed, the parables are here, there, and everywhere; STILL. just like when HE walked this earth.

love in Christ,
claudia

[Tess]

I don't know how to use the quote but that really is something. It's so amazing how God uses certain patterns over and over in scriptures, such as first the natural then the spiritual and the first shall be last. Then He uses types and parables illustrating it again and again, such as Ishmael then Isaac, Esau then Jacob, Adam then Christ and on and on. It really shows He is in control of everything. He is so awesome and amazing and wonderful!!! 

[Ninny]

Tess, you are so right!! God is Awesome, Amazing, and Wonderful! I always try to get people to see just that! Of all the truths we could share with anyone this truth is it!! God is an extreme Father!!
Kathy

[myms]

Talking of shadows....the children of Israel (in the OT) lived in the shadow of the glorious reality of the life of Christ and His extraordinary act of extreme love for mankind in dying for us. Had they been able to glimpse what lay ahead they might have felt differently about all those endless lambs and goats that they had to lump to the tabernacle to be killed, they might have seen that every step they took through that torturous desert was one step closer to Christ.

In the same way, I feel I live in the shadow of the most amazing reality that one day in the future I will be like God. I see through a glass darkly, but the more I can, by faith, hold onto that marvellous fact, then my day to day trials will take on greater meaning, my path, with all its unfathomable twists and turns are actually leading me straight to my destiny, to Him.
Myms

[cjwood]

after reading through all the posts on this thread, i find this to be a True Fact. Jesus Christ, while on this earth, spoke only in parables when speaking to the multitudes. even His chosen apostles did not understand the meaning of the parables until He explained them to them. in our day and time our Elder Brother Jesus Christ is still using parables to teach us what we need to understand. although He no longer is physically walking this earth, He is still with us, within us. walking each step with us. but we are as blind as the apostles were when trying to understand the current day parables by way of our carnal minds. Jesus Christ knew we would still need Him to explain the deeper meanings of these parable stories, so He gave us His Holy Spirit. when i think about the fact that we carry within us the very Mind of Christ, and the magnitude of that Truth, it delights the soul causing my heart to sing His praises! amazing. totally amazing.

claudia

[hillsbororiver]

Hi Claudia and Everyone,

I am grateful and amazed at all the incredible responses!

When Christ said "I change not" He was not kidding;

Luk 8:10  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

His Words, this world and our lives are indeed one giant parable and if we continually pray for understanding without self pity or resentment He will open up brand new avenues of understanding.

If we can view each and every experience and observation as having His signature on it then we can also see this as one more step toward our inheritance.

Peace,

Joe 

[daywalker]

Hi Folks,

There are probably very few people who are not familiar with Jesus using and speaking in parables, there are less folks who understand (as Ray is fond of saying) the entire bible is a parable.

Sir Isaac Newton exclaimed that nature, the entire world is a parable.

Do any of you when you are interacting with family, friends, coworkers or complete strangers ever stop and think, "wow  this experience is a parable/type/shadow of a spiritual lesson God has provided for me to meditate on and learn from?"

Ever have moments like that?

Peace,

Joe

Raising children, point blank...from the moment they come out of the womb, it is 'me, me, me' (not to blame them, they know no better). Then, from that point forward, raising them to be responsible, loving individuals.

Similar to our carnal nature being changed into the image of God, by the Will of God.


Great question,

Marques

I don't have any kids yet... but as an IT at a car dealership, I get similar responses from my fellow employees, "it is 'me, me, me' (not to blame them, they know no better)"  . Haha, sorry, I just couldn't resist it...


Daywalker. 

[hillsbororiver]

Examples of the shadows of spiritual truths revealed in nature....

http://lifecycle.onenessbecomesus.com/

Peace,

Joe

[NoviceBeliever]

Joe:

Who could ever doubt GOD perfecting us after watching that.  We just have a longer gestation period!
Thank you for sharing. NB

[Terry]

Joe thanks for this thread and everyone who responded,just awesome i love parables now and how if we search we can see God in them,such joy.

Terry

[hillsbororiver]

Examples of the shadows of spiritual truths revealed in nature....

http://lifecycle.onenessbecomesus.com/

Peace,

Joe

Joe:

Who could ever doubt GOD perfecting us after watching that.  We just have a longer gestation period!
Thank you for sharing. NB

So true NB!

You are welcome.

Peace,

Joe

Joe thanks for this thread and everyone who responded,just awesome i love parables now and how if we search we can see God in them,such joy.

Terry

Hi Terry,

Yes, I love parables too, especially when the meanings (often there are multiple layers & sometimes they are plural) become clear.

Peace,

Joe

[bambam]

This was such a neat thread-just thought you might want to know.   Sometimes, I truly get these ahah moments.  God is just awesome!

Beth

[OBrenda]

Joe,

As always...I have been truely Blessed by You, and all those that posted here!
WOW
Brenda

[AK4]

Has anyone else seen a parable inside the parable that theyve seen?

Ive had many but cant think of any right now

[cjwood]

yesterday afternoon i was laying face down on my chiropractor's table. my chiropractor is not the traditional crack your bones chiro. she is a nsa chiro, which stands for network spinal analysis. this means that she works on the "gateways" which are the beginnings of pathways that allow the mind to work with the body. anyway, my chiro always plays music while working on me. music that is very soothing to the soul, allowing ones' mind to let go of the carnal aspect of thinking and meditate on the spiritual. as i lay there, i thought about what our sister marlene had written in a recent post about God being able to move mountains in our lives. that thought led to remembering in the Scriptures how Jesus Christ, many times in His ministry on earth, would ascend into the mountains to pray and renew His spirit after being pursued by the multitudes. remembering how He carried within His body sickness and pain and how He had His lot of mental anguish, i began to picture Him, climbing the physical mountains with each step paining His aching body. i saw His feet digging deep into the mountain side, and could hear His gasps for breath as He labored to reach the Place of Comfort that awaited Him. away from the chaos of the multitudes. away even from His beloved apostles and disciples and His family. then i saw Him rest in His Father, communing with His Creator and becoming stronger in spirit. leaving off the physical in order to obtain the Spiritual. and this was to me a parable. showing me a picture of how it is the mountains in our lives that cause us to be drawn closer to Him. the mountains that loom over us are actually the impetus to draw us closer to God our Father. though we scale the mountains in painful steps, agony on our faces and in our bodies, our Father will renew us and infuse us with His power and might in our inner man. a reminder that in our trials and sufferings in this life, His peace awaits us if we will but separate ourselves from the world and come unto Him. as my session with my chiro came to an end, i understood that even the Son of God had to separate Himself from the physical in order to obtain the Spiritual. even our Elder Brother Jesus Christ had to endure the pain of the mountains on His physical body, in order to experience a renewing of His spirit and a building of His faith in His Father's love and will.

claudia

[bluzman]

Truly inspiring Claudia.
Ches

[Marlene]

Claudia, That is such a awesome post. What, a parable.  This thought is giving me such comfort.  Makes you think of the Song I need thee every hour. Our Lord over came those mountains. Nothing to big for God and it all has a purpose. If, we don't see it now we ill.

In His Love,
Marlene

[Marky Mark]

Claudia,

  Thank you for the parable,that was most certainly a seed of inspiration.