The Parable of the talents.

Matthew 25:14-30.. ¹⁴ “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey…. ¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.

The Master left His servants with gifts according to their abilities. Then after a long time, the Master returned for an accounting. The first two servants had doubled their gifts and the Master said “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” 

However the 3^rd servant had hidden his gift and produced no return; ^26a “But his Master said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant…²⁸ take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” 

All Disciples are going to have good times and bad times [for 8 causes of trouble click here], but this parable indicates that Jesus expects us to use the gifts He has given for His kingdom enhancement. This includes repenting of sin and comforting others with the comfort God has given us. The greatest comfort is to introduce someone to Jesus.

Are you using the gifts Jesus has given you to serve Him and others? What does Matthew 25:29 say if you hide your gifts instead of not using them?

Henry Luke 5/6/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Comfort” in Tags below.

God Comforts Disciples in their Difficulties –

2 Corinthians 1:3-4..³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. ⁴ He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

V.3 “Father of mercies.“ The Lord God is compassionate and slow to anger in dealing with His children. God demonstrated His mercy in sending Jesus to be the Savior of sinners. We could never deserve or earn God’s mercy toward us as sinners; we receive it by grace [Titus 3:4-7].

“God of all comfort.“ Comfort also means encouragement or consolation. Paul used the word ten times in vv.3-7.

V.4 God “comforts us in all our affliction”, including experiences of persecution, illness, loneliness, personal loss, etc. [1] He provides encouragement through His Word. [Romans 15:4] [2] God strengthens believers through the Holy Spirit [Ephesians 3:16]. [3] The Holy Spirit intercedes for us before the Father [Romans 8:26]. [4] God comforts us by working through other believers in the Church [2 Corinthians 7:6-7,13].

The comfort God gives Disciples in our affliction makes us able to be used by God to comfort “those who are in any kind of affliction”. Jesus-centered not self-centered,

Henry Luke 4/30/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Comfort” in Tags below.

Summary/application: 1 Corinthians 13:

1. Believers are to be motivated by agape love when serving others.

2. Love describes the only right relationship we can ever have with God and others.

3. Jesus loves believers with agape love. Do I love anyone with agape love? Do I desire for my love to be agape?

4. Agape love for Jesus is necessary to obey the New Testament commandments.

5. Today’s reality, I am in the presence of Jesus and someday I will pass from this life into heaven and be in the presence of Jesus forever, my hope for the future!

6. God’s mercies are new every morning!

7.  memory verse – 1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love. Luke 13:3 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. [oves]

Henry Luke 4/29/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Agape Love” in Tags below.

God’s mercies are new every morning!

Lamentations 3:22-23.. ²² Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. ²³ They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! [CSB]

Jeremiah was called in 627BC to warn Judah of coming judgment if they did not repent. Unfortunately the people of Judah failed to heed the warnings. In 605-586BC the Babylonians led by Nebuchadnezzar totally destroyed Judah and Jerusalem. In Lamentations 3:1-21 Jeremiah shares his distress. Then Jeremiah turned to his hope for the future.

V.22 he said because of the faithful love of God we do not perish. Many Jews had been taken captive to Babylon because even in judgment of sin God’s mercies never end. We know that as promised after 70 years the Israelites were allowed to begin returning to Jerusalem. They continued to defy God and in 70AD Jerusalem was destroyed again and the Israelites were scattered to the nations of the earth. However as promised by God’s prophets in May 14, 1948 the nation of Israel was restored. ^A Great is His faithfulness. His mercies are new every morning as Disciples live today one day at a time trusting in Jesus. What a great promise.

At my age it is imperative that I not fall. My physical therapist told me “we can fix knees and hips but not brains”. April 20, 2018 I fell and fell and hit my head. I managed to get myself up and had no apparent problems. A few minutes later I read vv.22-23 and praised God for His mercy in the morning.

Today’s reality, I am in the presence of Jesus and someday I will pass from this life into heaven and be in the presence of Jesus forever, my hope for the future!

Note: A- In April-May 2018 Israel is celebrating the 70^th anniversary as a restored nation. See detailed timeline of the 1948 war for independence and British army leaving here, Declaration of Independence here, the strengths of Israel in 2016 here, and Joel Rosenberg’s 70 facts about Israel here.

Henry Luke 4/28/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Agape Love” in Tags below.

Permanence of agape Love-

1 Corinthians 13: ⁸ Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. ¹³ But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Vv.8-10 Love never ends but prophecy, knowledge and tongues will end. Paul said the gift of tongues, or languages, will “cease” by itself, as it did at the end of the apostolic age in the 1^st century. [See “Tongues” here]

Prophecy [see definition here] and knowledge [see definition here] are both said to “be done away”; something will put an end to those two functions. V.10 indicates that which is “perfect” will do away with prophecy and knowledge. The “perfect” may be the eternal state, when the Disciples will see God face to face [Revelation 22:4] and have full knowledge in the eternal new heavens and new earth. Or the “perfect” may be having access to the complete Bible with the ability to experience the presence of the Triune God and have an intimate relationship with Them after the 1^st century AD. V.11 Just as a child grows to full understanding, believers will come to perfect knowledge and no such gifts will be necessary.

V.12 The Bible is a mirror of the soul, revealing the thoughts and intents of our heart. Today we can read and mediate on the Bible and patiently seek answers about life and godliness guided by the Holy Spirit.  [Psalms 1:2, Joshua 1:8, 2 Peter 1:3-4].

V.13 Love is the basis of our redemption and transformation into the image of Jesus.

 Love describes the only right relationship we can ever have with God and others.

Henry Luke 4/27/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Agape Love” in Tags below.

Agape Love described

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a [CSB]

Believers can persevere to practice agape love by our daily desire to be [1] Jesus-centered, [2] filled by the Spirit, [3] meditating on and applying the Word of God, HEAR method, 2 Peter 1:3 HCSB, Joshua 1:8, 5:22 CSB and [4] by God’s grace. As you review each day of the month examine yourself and see if you have any sin regarding the day’s description of love if so confess and repent.

Days of the month – 1 & 16. ^4a Love is patient; the Holy Spirit empowers individual Disciples to control self in long-suffering patience during trials, tests, provocations, and problems.  We have God’s grace and guidance, one day at a time while trusting and waiting on God, sometimes for years.

Days – 2 & 17. ^8a Love never ends; when we love like God, we are engaging in an eternal activity.

Days – 3 & 18. ^4b Love is kind; Disciples treat others with kindness, gentleness, and goodness even when disagreeing with someone or having to take disagreeable actions.

4 & 19. ^4c Love does not envy; not displeased by the success of others or desire what they have.

5 & 20  6^b Love…rejoices in truth; living according to God’s truth; be filled with joy when we see others living the truth of the gospel.

6 & 21.^4dLove…is not boastful; not bragging about our achievements or actions.

7 & 22. ^7aLove… bears all things; faithful love overlooks minor offenses and problems; major problems or disagreements will be met with peacemaking responses described here. Love overlooks weaknesses of others that are facts of life that cannot be changed.

8 & 23. ^4e Love… is not arrogant; not prideful, self-important or refusing to be thankful and submit to God and others. [James 4:7, Ephesians 5:20-21]

9 & 24. ^7b Love… believes all things; trusts others and give others the benefit of the doubt rather than believing the worst about them.

10 & 25. Love… ^5a is not rude; not discourteous, impolite, rough, or disrespectful of others attitudes and actions.

11 & 26. ^7c Love… hopes; always looks forward with faithfulness, trusting God to work things for our good [Romans 8:28]. Jesus will finish the good work He has begun in believers [Philippians 1:6].

12 & 27. Love…^5b is not self-seeking; not putting self first or above others. Jesus is our example [Philippians 2:4-8].

13 & 28.  ^7d Love… endures all things; love always perseveres, is not moved up and down like a thermometer by the offenses and failings of others.

14 & 29. Love…^5c is not irritable; not touchy or easily offended by perceived slights, actions or words of others.

Days – 15 & 30. Love…^5d does not keep a record of wrongs; not holding on to grievances or resentments. Jesus taught the importance of not keeping a count of wrongs [Matthew 18:22].

Day – 31.  ⁶ Love finds no joy in unrighteousness; those who truly love can never be joyful when others fall into immorality.

Do I love anyone with agape love? Do I desire for my love to be agape?

Henry Luke 4/26/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Agape Love” in Tags below.

Disclaimer: My Personal Journey by Henry Luke has no control over any advertising that may appear and receives no payment for it. Ads & “Related” links come from WordPress.

Necessity of Agape Love –

1 Corinthians 13:1-3.. ¹ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

V.1 If a person speaks with the best language and tone of voice and even speaks like an angel that person is noise and sound without agape love.

V.2 If a person is a prophet, possesses all knowledge, and has faith, wisdom and strength to solve insurmountable problems that person is nothing without agape love.

V.3 Even if a person gives up all possessions for the poor and sacrifices their body it is worthless without agape love.

“A silver tongue, a scholar’s mind, and a lion’s heart are all nothing without love; love is superior to any string of words, body of knowledge, or act of faith. Love is so central and supreme in the life of the Christian, John tells us, because it is at the heart of who God is and what God has done for us through His Son Jesus [1 John 4:7-12]. May we follow our Lord Jesus faithfully by obeying the new commandment He gave to us: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” [John 13:34].” [From Spring 2018 PSG page 54]

Agape love is necessary to obey the New Testament commandments.

Henry Luke 4/25/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Agape Love” in Tags below.

A More Excellent Way – Agape Love –

 1 Corinthians 12:31b And I show you a still more excellent way.

At the conclusion of his instruction about spiritual gifts in chapter 12, Paul added: “And I show you a still more excellent way”. In chapter 13 he described agape love; Jesus said people will know His followers because they love one another [John 13:34-35].

There are three kinds of love in the Bible: Agape, Phileo and Eros.

Agape [noun] or Agapao [verb] Love: We talk about Agape but we live out Agapao. This term represents the love of the Father for Jesus and human beings.  Jesus showed this love for His Father in heaven and for humanity. Agape is the love that Jesus commanded all believers to have for everyone whether a believer or not. Agape is used in all of 1 Corinthians 13 and agapao in John 3:16. Agape appears in 106 verses of the New Testament [for list click here] and Agapao in 110 verses [for list click here].

Phileo Love refers to loving one another just like your brother or sister.

Agapao and Phileo love are both used in John 21:15 “So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love [agapao] Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileo] You.”” Jesus wanted Peter to acknowledge agapao love for Him, but Peter just a few days after denying Jesus 3 times, did not trust himself to use agapao love. Jesus asks the question as agapao two times, but the 3^rd time said phileo love. Peter responded with phileo love all three times.

Eros is a Greek term which actually means desire and longing. Also referred to as erotic love, this can be a selfish kind of love instead of pure romantic love. The Greek word Eros is not in the Bible. The New Testament never directly addresses the topic of passionate, romantic love. However, in the Old Testament Eros love is illustrated in the Song of Solomon. Examples include Song of Solomon 1:2-4, 7:6-8

Jesus loves believers with agape love. He commands His Disciples to love with agape love.

Henry Luke 4/24/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Agape Love” in Tags below.

God’s provision of spiritual gifts in the church is intentional

 1 Corinthians 12:24b, 25-26..²⁴ God has so composed the body,…²⁵ so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Paul presented an analogy of the human body [vv.21-26] to strengthen his case for the unity of the church. No division or problem in the physical body or church is possible without pain or trouble. The various parts are to exhibit a mutual concern for each other. All parts are interdependent, many yet one; one yet many. Every Disciple matters in the life of the church at large and to other believers individually.

Do you know what it feels like to hit your thumb with a hammer? Although only your thumb was hurt, your whole body is shot through with pain. I broke my little toe one time and I hurt beyond my toe. My doctor just laughed at me and said tape it to the next toe and it will heal—it did. Most divisions or problems in the church are not fixed this easily.

If one member—of the human body or of the church—suffers, all the members suffer with it. Similarly, if one member is honored, then the others share in the honor. Every Disciple matters in the life of the church at large—and to other believers individually. Because we are all united to Jesus, what happens to one affects the others, whether it involves joy or suffering.

How can I increase my joy for the diversity of gifts in our church while maintaining unity and comforting those who suffer?

Henry Luke 4/22/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Spiritual Gifts” in Tags below.

Spiritual Gifts 19-25 out of 25

Spiritual Gifts Ephesians 4:

[19] v.11 Evangelism is to be a messenger of the good news of the gospel of Jesus one person at a time or to groups.

[20] v.11 Pastor is to be responsible for the spiritual care, protection, guidance and spiritual feeding of a group of Disciples assigned to his care.

Spiritual Gifts Miscellaneous Passages:

 [21] Celibacy is to remain single without regret and with the ability to restrain sexual impulses. This is an important spiritual gift for believing women today because there are far less believing men than woman.  1 Corinthians 7:7-8

 [22] Martyrdom is to give one’s life for suffering or death for the cause of Jesus. This is a real danger for at least 1/2 of the world’s population and may be expanding further unless the church becomes serious about training believers to be Disciple-makers.1 Corinthians 13:3

[23] Voluntary poverty is to purposefully live an impoverished lifestyle to serve and aid others. Today most Disciples in the USA could easily increase their giving % without reducing their lifestyle to this level. 1 Corinthians 13:3

 [24] Missionary’s are sent to minister in another culture. Ephesians 3:6-8

 [25] Hospitality is to warmly welcome people, even strangers, into your home or church as a means of serving others in need. An example today is the number of believing couples who are opening their home to children in need of foster care and/or adoption. 1 Peter 4:9-10

Henry Luke 4/20/2018

For how to have peace with God click here, how to have peace of God click here, and how to disciple others click here.

For other similar posts, click on “Spiritual Gifts” in Tags below.