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By Ligonier Ministries (2 min 33 sec)
“’And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You
speak to them in parables?’ Jesus
answered to them, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given,
and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has
shall be taken away for him.
“’Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while
seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they
understand. In their case the prophecy
of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
“’You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; you
will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has
become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their
eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and
understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.’” Matthew
13:10-15
These disciples believed in a different kind of Messiah, a
more practical, ‘let’s-get-rid-of-the-Romans’ kind of military leader of might-is-right. However, at every turn, Jesus was careful to
share the truth that right is always more important than might.
In the coming weeks, Jesus would have to live out that truth
for each of those who would believe in Him and the will of the Father. Parables, were designed to speak to the
hearts of those who would choose to hear the truth. Some did hear and some began to understand
that the parables meant something deeper than what was heard on the
surface.
Take care with love, especially His, Darlene (who still
prays for you daily)
PS: Find my statement
of faith: https://especiallyhislove.blogspot.com
(where you will also find a series of
beginner Bible studies to share). You can easily find the WeakDay Devotion
online by doing a Google search for ‘WeakDay Devotion’. (Also, there is an android ‘Google
Blogger’ app you can download to read them on your phone. Not sure about Apple.). For the books, go to Amazon
books.
NEW PRAYER REQUESTS (any updates?)
•
Heidi – has
just lost her Dad, and needs your prayers for strength and comfort, as she
deals with the practical issues and heartache of mourning her loss.
•
Denny
is having his surgery today. Please pray
for peace for him as he goes through the surgery and for his health carers to have
wisdom. Pray the Lord encircles Marci, his wife, and my life-long friend, as
she supports him.
•
Peter and Jill – Please
pray for travelling mercies while they are away in Perth. When they return, he will need to complete
the surgical procedure.
•
Christine –
give her strength as she journeys to heart-healing and pray her husband gives
his heart to the Lord.
•
Jake –
A friend of my brother, living with COPD (emphysema) and heart problems. Please pray for his daughter, Tiffany and for other friends and health
carers to help him through his health journey.
•
Annette and Lyle – have returned home and need prayer to settle in
and begin a new adventure. Thank you for
praying for Lyle, his wrist/ arm injury is slowly heaing.
•
Wayne B – please pray for compassion for him as he deals
with the slow and sad ‘loss’ of his beloved wife, Lyn, (diagnosed with
FTD (frontal temporal dementia) three and a half years ago). She has been in care since May of 2020 but
recently has had a succession of falls and is now in a psycho-geriatric
facility. She still knows who he is but is no longer able to talk and screams
when she gets agitated.
•
Jen – lost her only sister and still needs your prayers
to get through this difficult time and pray her health
remains good.
•
Demi and
John – one evening he went out his
backdoor to run an errand and was attacked by someone with a knife who stabbed
him several times (one pierced his heart).
He has recovered physically, but please
pray for him and his wife as they pull their lives together – that they might
find the Lord in all the chaos left behind.
•
Callilah-
a lost child. Pray the Lord captures her
heart.
•
Megan
(for emotional healing) and Scott,
her husband (for patience and wisdom) and wisdom for his sister, Clare, as she seeks to support them through
troubled times.
•
Sarah and Andrew – he has left his job and she has gone to work in
a new and exciting position. Pray for
this precious Christian couple that they focus on family balance to the glory
of the Lord.
•
Sue and Rob need prayers for wisdom and resolute spirits as
they deal with their adult nephew, Luke. They invited him to stay with them during a
difficult time in his life, but he refuses to leave now and is ungrateful and
disruptive. Pray for salvation for Luke
and that he accepts their request.
•
Bettina –
continue to pray for her as she grows into a new phase of her life in the
Lord. Pray each of her five married
daughters, their spouses and 17 grandchildren grow to love and follow the Lord
Jesus Christ.
•
Robin –
lost her beloved mother (was 93 years old), please pray for strength and
healing for her as she navigates through this time of mourning and for her
daughter who is comforting her.
•
Family of Eric – Eric died suddenly at 52 leaving his
47-year-old wife and three girls (ages 16, 19 and 23). Pray the Lord brings strength to them as they
regroup into a new life. Pray for
trustworthy, honourable, Bible-based friends to continue to support them.
•
Peyton and
Carter- Grandchildren of Jeff and Rachael. Payton is their eldest granddaughter
and is now in her third year at college.
Carter is a senior in high school.
Both are exceptional students and love the Lord. Pray they are not distracted by worldly
things, that they continue to do well in their studies and that their love of
the Lord increases daily.
Pray for
those in full-time service
Pray the Lord uphold our Christian
leaders – that they never compromise God’s Word and remain bold and courageous
in the face of evil. Pray for their
wisdom, safety, ingenuity, strength and for their families.
•
Scott and Carolyn
Petty – who will be starting as
our new pastor and wife 1 May 2023. Pray
they will know how welcome they are and give them wisdom, strength and patience
during their time of settling in.
•
Talitha
– has chosen to go into full-time ministry and is raising support. Please pray to move the hearts of those
around her so she does not have to be concerned with finances.
•
Jenny S–
was a Bible teacher at a local Bible school for 25 years and is now called to a
new ministry. Pray for her courage and
strength as she finds her way in this role.
Give her a hungry curiosity under change. Help her identify the balance and value of
her unique contribution. Pray the Lord
maintains her health and finances in this time of stress.
•
Simon, Tamara and
their children – Simon (my
pastor) will be entering a new phase of his work and leaving our
congregation. Pray the entire family is
gracious and courageous under change and that their grace, devotion and love continue
to reflect their love of the Word and lordship of Jesus Christ. Strengthen the congregation to rejoice with
them as they leave us. And help us left
behind welcome the new leader the Lord has prepared for us.
•
Andrew
and his wife
– a man devoted to his family and the responsibilities of leading a
worldwide ministry to the deaf. Pray for
his continued strength and health and that through this time he discovers new
insights.
•
Pat and Isobel –as they serve tirelessly in challenging times. Pray the Lord refreshes and strengthens them
with ‘streams in the desert’.
•
Patrick
- a Bible scholar, who is presently part of an English Translation Review
Committee, reviewing a new translation of the New Testament, ‘The Antioch Bible’
(translating from Syriac to English).
Pray for their hoped-for goal of finishing the entire NT this calendar
year and that he has increasing skill in the complicated languages he is
working with.
•
Elaine and Jim
Pounder and their Little Church
ministry have begun a new work. Continue
to pray for their safety, health, strength
and time with family as their ministry continues to spread around the world in
a model of home churches. Pray for the continued growth of their YouTube
channel and website: The Little Church
World at https://www.youtube.com/user/thelittlechurchworld
.
•
Audley M – In his 90s remarried this year (his wife passed
away a few years ago). Pray for their
union in Christ and for their health and strength. Pray for his wisdom and the effective growth
of his wonderful radio ministry (Florida, Virginia, Alabama, Indianapolis) as
America hunger for ‘True meat’!
Pray for those with ongoing health concerns
Many of us have family, friends and loved ones with fragile health. Pray God takes special care with them and protects them in practical ways and that the Lord will have mercy on them during this challenging time.
Pray for the World
·
Pray for true and lasting revival in America.
·
Pray for those who have lost loved ones and for those
searching for them and those supporting them during this challenging time:
o
Mississippi
hurricanes (over 26 dead so far)
o
Pennsylvania
chocolate factory explosion (7
dead, 9 missing)
·
UPDATE
- Victims of the Earthquake in Turkey – over 53,000 individuals were
confirmed dead. Please pray for families
who have lost loved ones, rescuers and those who will provide them with medical
and practical support during the chaos.
· Iran - The country is in turmoil. Many are in danger for seeking freedom. Many have been killed or thrown into prison. Pray especially for Ryan's family and friends there.
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