Two harvests

12 This calls for the endurance of the saints, who keep God’s commandments and keep faith with Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Favored are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their labors, because their deeds follow them.” 14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud. On the cloud was seated someone who looked like the Human One. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Another angel came out of the temple, calling in a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: “Use your sickle to reap the harvest, for the time to harvest has come, and the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who has power over fire, came out from the altar. He said in a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle to cut the clusters in the vineyard of the earth, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle into the earth, and cut the vineyard of the earth, and he put what he reaped into the great winepress of God’s passionate anger. 20Then the winepress was trampled outside the city, and the blood came out of the winepress as high as the horses’ bridles for almost two hundred miles. (Revelation 14:12-20, CEB)

He put what he reaped into the great winepress of God’s passionate anger? What is that?

But did you notice the 2 harvests? First, there is an angel who calls for the one on the cloud to use their sickle to reap the harvest and they swung their sickle over the earth and the earth was harvested. Then another angel comes out of the temple and also has a sickle, and then another angel with power over fire came out and said to the angel with the sickle to cut the clusters in the vineyard of the earth. And it was done.

What does all this mean?

And why is there blood flowing from the winepress as high as horses’ bridles and for almost 200 miles? That is a lot of blood.

Sometimes, I have to be honest, I read passages like this and go, “what does this mean?” God, I really don’t get anything out of this. I want to think that it’s because we have taken this passage out of context. It could also be because this is from Revelation and that book is always a bit confusing. We read it as an end-times narrative, and maybe it is, but it is a vision of what is and what will be and we can not read it as a this is going to happen.

The part I got out of this passage for today is, Favored are the dead who died in the Lord. Be favored and follow Christ, so you will be one of the dead in the Lord.

Parable of the weeds

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like someone who planted good seed in his field. 25 While people were sleeping, an enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 When the stalks sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Master, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?’ 28 “‘An enemy has done this,’ he answered. “The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 “But the landowner said, ‘No, because if you gather the weeds, you’ll pull up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow side by side until the harvest. And at harvest time I’ll say to the harvesters, “First gather the weeds and tie them together in bundles to be burned. But bring the wheat into my barn.”’” 36 Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 Jesus replied, “The one who plants the good seed is the Human One. 38 The field is the world. And the good seeds are the followers of the kingdom. But the weeds are the followers of the evil one.39 The enemy who planted them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the present age. The harvesters are the angels. 40 Just as people gather weeds and burn them in the fire, so it will be at the end of the present age. 41 The Human One will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that cause people to fall away and all people who sin. 42 He will throw them into a burning furnace. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Those who have ears should hear.” (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, CEB)

Didn’t you plant good seed in your garden? How is it that there are weeds?

Would we ever plant weeds? Can you think of a time when you wanted to cause harm to someone? That you did something that you knew would result in someone being hurt? That is planting weeds. I think we all plant weeds sometimes because of our sinner nature. We do things to make us happy which we know will have an adverse effect on someone, or maybe we don’t know it will. Like telling something we think if funny, but is actually not funny because it makes fun of someone for how they were born, or it is racist or sexist.

I feel like we are all wheat and all weeds. We are Saint and Sinner. But remember even the wheat is beat and separated with the winnowing fork. The chaff is burned and the kernel is used.

We all have within us the ability to follow after Christ and show forth the love that was given to all of us.

So go and show God’s love.

tree and fruit

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are vicious wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore, you will know them by their fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20, CEB)

You can know them by their fruit?

So what is your fruit?

I have been called fruity by some, but that isn’t what Jesus is talking about here. YOu see if your life is connected to Christ then you will produce good fruit, and you will be able to tell who is connected to Christ and who isn’t. Those who aren’t connected will not be able to do anything good.

So watch the fruit and know who you are dealing with.

hope in Jesus

13 When God gave Abraham his promise, he swore by himself since he couldn’t swear by anyone greater. 14 He said, I will certainly bless you and multiply your descendants.[a] 15 So Abraham obtained the promise by showing patience. 16 People pledge by something greater than themselves. A solemn pledge guarantees what they say and shuts down any argument. 17 When God wanted to further demonstrate to the heirs of the promise that his purpose doesn’t change, he guaranteed it with a solemn pledge. 18 So these are two things that don’t change, because it’s impossible for God to lie. He did this so that we, who have taken refuge in him, can be encouraged to grasp the hope that is lying in front of us. 19 This hope, which is a safe and secure anchor for our whole being, enters the sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 That’s where Jesus went in advance and entered for us, since he became a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:13-20. CEB)

Abraham received the promise because he believed what God was telling him and his life was proof of that.

You see as the text says it is impossible for God to lie, therefore what God has told us is true and will come to be if it already hasn’t.

In this, we can take refuge and solace. God’s promises are true.

We have a hope in Jesus that will not disappoint.

Listen

This is why it’s necessary for us to pay more attention to what we have heard, or else we may drift away from it. 2 If the message that was spoken by angels was reliable, and every offense and act of disobedience received an appropriate consequence, 3 how will we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? It was first announced through the Lord, and then it was confirmed by those who heard him.4 God also vouched for their message with signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit, which were handed out the way he wanted. 5 God didn’t put the world that is coming (the world we are talking about) under the angels’ control. 6 Instead, someone declared somewhere, What is humanity that you think about them? Or what are the human beings that you care about them?  7 For a while you made them lower than angels. You crowned the human beings with glory and honor. 8 You put everything under their control. When he puts everything under their control, he doesn’t leave anything out of control. But right now, we don’t see everything under their control yet. 9 However, we do see the one who was made lower in order than the angels for a little while—it’s Jesus! He’s the one who is now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of his death. He suffered death so that he could taste death for everyone through God’s grace. (Hebrews 2:1-9, CEB)

We need to make sure that we are in tune with what God is sending us.

You see we are in control of what happens here in this world, and we need to follow after what God has advised us to do.

So we need to use the gifts we have been given and listen to the moving of the Spirit and follow where we are led, so that God’s will can be done in and through our lives so that God’s mercy and grace may be obtained by all.

We need to listen and do.

We need to listen and go.

We need to listen and love.

We need to listen.

secrets from heaven

10 Jesus’ disciples came and said to him, “Why do you use parables when you speak to the crowds?” 11 Jesus replied, “Because they haven’t received the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but you have. 12 For those who have will receive more and they will have more than enough. But as for those who don’t have, even the little they have will be taken away from them. 13 This is why I speak to the crowds in parables: although they see, they don’t really see; and although they hear, they don’t really hear or understand.14 What Isaiah prophesied has become completely true for them: You will hear, to be sure, but never understand; and you will certainly see but never recognize what you are seeing. 15 For this people’s senses have become calloused, and they’ve become hard of hearing, and they’ve shut their eyes so that they won’t see with their eyes or hear with their ears or understand with their minds, and change their hearts and lives that I may heal them. 16 “Happy are your eyes because they see. Happy are your ears because they hear. 17 I assure you that many prophets and righteous people wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear, but they didn’t. (Matthew 13:10-17, CEB)

I read this and think this is the time we are living in. People talk but others don’t hear what they are saying they hear what they want to hear and they see what they want to see.

Happy are we when we let ourselves be open to hear and to see what is being given to us. When we can see things as they are and not as we want them to be.

We know that God is in control so even if the times are bad, we are still in good hands.

The old and new life

17 So I’m telling you this, and I insist on it in the Lord: you shouldn’t live your life like the Gentiles anymore. They base their lives on pointless thinking, 18 and they are in the dark in their reasoning. They are disconnected from God’s life because of their ignorance and their closed hearts. 19 They are people who lack all sense of right and wrong, and who have turned themselves over to doing whatever feels good and to practicing every sort of corruption along with greed. 20 But you didn’t learn that sort of thing from Christ. 21 Since you really listened to him and you were taught how the truth is in Jesus,22 change the former way of life that was part of the person you once were, corrupted by deceitful desires. 23 Instead, renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit 24 and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness. 25 Therefore, after you have gotten rid of lying, Each of you must tell the truth to your neighbor because we are parts of each other in the same body. 26 Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger. 27 Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil. 28 Thieves should no longer steal. Instead, they should go to work, using their hands to do good so that they will have something to share with whoever is in need. 29 Don’t let any foul words come out of your mouth. Only say what is helpful when it is needed for building up the community so that it benefits those who hear what you say. 30 Don’t make the Holy Spirit of God unhappy—you were sealed by him for the day of redemption.31 Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander, along with every other evil. 32 Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ. Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. 2 Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God. (Ephesians 4:17-5:2, CEB)

In Christ, we are new creatures. We have our old life before we knew Jesus and our new life which is life in Christ.

We need to love all, and when we are angry we need to make amends before the day is over, to not let animosity build and evil to take a foot hold.

We need to show the love that God gave to us in Jesus by accepting us as we were and loving us into a relationship with God.

Do not let your old life keep you down, but let your new life shine as the sun and show the world the love of God.

 

Living that pleases God

So then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to keep living the way you already are and even do better in how you live and please God—just as you learned from us. 2 You know the instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 God’s will is that your lives are dedicated to him. This means that you stay away from sexual immorality 4 and learn how to control your own body in a pure and respectable way. 5 Don’t be controlled by your sexual urges like the Gentiles who don’t know God. 6 No one should mistreat or take advantage of their brother or sister in this issue. The Lord punishes people for all these things, as we told you before and sternly warned you. 7 God didn’t call us to be immoral but to be dedicated to him.8 Therefore, whoever rejects these instructions isn’t rejecting a human authority. They are rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, CEB)

What is it in your life that controls you?

Is there something that drives what you do?

Here Paul talks to the Thessalonians about not letting sexual urges control you or to take the place of God.

We need to not control others with this issue either.

We are to let God be the main driving force in our lives and nothing else.

So live for God and allow God’s love to shine in and through your life.

Parable of soil

That day Jesus went out of the house and sat down beside the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he climbed into a boat and sat down. The whole crowd was standing on the shore. 3 He said many things to them in parables: “A farmer went out to scatter seed. 4 As he was scattering seed, some fell on the path, and birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where the soil was shallow. They sprouted immediately because the soil wasn’t deep.6 But when the sun came up, it scorched the plants, and they dried up because they had no roots. 7 Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorny plants grew and choked them. 8 Other seed fell on good soil and bore fruit, in one case a yield of one hundred to one, in another case a yield of sixty to one, and in another case a yield of thirty to one.9 Everyone who has ears should pay attention.” 18 “Consider then the parable of the farmer. 19 Whenever people hear the word about the kingdom and don’t understand it, the evil one comes and carries off what was planted in their hearts. This is the seed that was sown on the path. 20 As for the seed that was spread on rocky ground, this refers to people who hear the word and immediately receive it joyfully. 21 Because they have no roots, they last for only a little while. When they experience distress or abuse because of the word, they immediately fall away. 22 As for the seed that was spread among thorny plants, this refers to those who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the false appeal of wealth choke the word, and it bears no fruit. 23 As for what was planted on good soil, this refers to those who hear and understand, and bear fruit and produce—in one case a yield of one hundred to one, in another case a yield of sixty to one, and in another case a yield of thirty to one.” (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23, CEB)

Sometimes we are not ready to hear what God has to tell us. We are not open or cultivated to accept what we need to get from God.

Jesus talks about this in a way those around him would hear and understand. Even though it seems they don’t get it.

So my thoughts from this are how can we prepare ourselves to be ready and open to hearing what God has for us, so when the seed is sown it is accepted and the roots have a good place to take and to grow?

How can we make ourselves more open to the leading of God?

How can we be good soil?

Lord always let our hearts be good soil for the hearing of your word and the moving of your love.

keep my words

44 Jesus shouted, “Whoever believes in me doesn’t believe in me but in the one who sent me. 45 Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.46 I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes in me won’t live in darkness. 47 If people hear my words and don’t keep them, I don’t judge them. I didn’t come to judge the world but to save it.48 Whoever rejects me and doesn’t receive my words will be judged at the last day by the word I have spoken. 49 I don’t speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me regarding what I should speak and say. 50 I know that his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, whatever I say is just as the Father has said to me.” (John 12:44-50, CEB)

Jesus says here that he came to save the world not to judge it. He doesn’t speak his own words but the words of the Father.

If you hear Jesus’ words is better than rejecting Jesus. If you reject Jesus and don’t hear his words you will be judged.

So listen to Jesus and try to do what he asks. Allow Him to work in and through your life and to show you the love and grace that comes from the Father.

Keep his words and allow them to permeate your life.

And in that, you will be saved.