March 14, 2026

 

The Parables Of Jesus: 9

The Kingdom Of God Is Like Leaven

And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. Luke 13:20-21

Though I'm not a bread maker, I understand how it works. You begin by using a starter or yeast, which in scripture is called leaven, mix it with your flour, water, and salt, knead it together, let it rise, and bake it. It's not a quick process, and the directions are more detailed, but you get the picture. The leaven causes the dough to increase in size, rise, and bubble up before you bake it. When someone truly believes in Jesus, they will transform and grow. The amount of yeast or leaven is minuscule in comparison to the amount of flour. Like with Jesus, our bodies and minds somehow react to him, and our faith grows over time. When trials come, like baking bread, we endure them and become food for others. That explains how the kingdom of God works: you may not see it manifesting within you, yet you change into the likeness of Jesus over time. 

Remember, saying you accept Jesus and being baptized doesn't get you into heaven; it isn't a "get out of hell free card." You must truly believe that he is your King and Savior, and notice changes in your behavior. If the yeast is bad, it won't ferment, but if it's good yeast, it will grow the dough, much like true conversion; you cannot stop it from growing. 

March 13, 2026

The Parables Of Jesus: 8 

The Mustard Seed

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Matthew 13:31-32

A mustard seed is so tiny that you wouldn’t think much would come of it; maybe a blade of grass or something undetectable, but that’s not the case. I’m from the country, and we eat the leaves of the mustard plant, cooked in bacon grease and seasoned with salt. In Florida, it grows best in the fall and will continue to produce until the summer, when it gets too hot and bolts, blooms, and grows quite tall. If we look at how Jesus began his ministry with only twelve disciples and look at where we are now, we can see how accurate this parable is. Those twelve, or eventually eleven, spread the word about Jesus far and wide, and others came along and continued the ministry, including us, until we have the church age, which has grown and covered the earth with the goodness of God and the truth of Jesus’s love. All it took was a tiny seed, a word, testimony, or kindness, to touch the heart of a broken soul who needed some encouragement and to be shown the love of Jesus. So remember, you never know the impact you may have on someone, and then who they might impact because you showed them the love of Jesus. Once that mustard plant blooms and goes to seed, it will spread to create more; that’s how easy it is to work in God’s kingdom. Don’t keep the love of Jesus to yourself.

March 12, 2026

The Parables Of Jesus: 7

The Parables Of The Weeds

This parable is about the end of the world, during the judgment. In the parable, a man sowed his seed in the field, but during the night, when no one was watching, his enemy came in and spread weed seeds among the wheat seeds. They all sprang up together. The servants asked if they should begin pulling the weeds, but he told them to let them grow together because if you pull the weeds too soon, you might damage the wheat. Once it was harvest time, the weeds were gathered first and separated from the wheat and thrown into the fire. 

The field is the world, the wheat is the saved, the enemy is Satan, the weeds are those who rejected Jesus, the reapers and servants are the angels.

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 13:30

If you are not paying attention, you will miss it. Jesus is telling us that the saved will be here until judgment day and that the evil and the unsaved will be gathered first. It’s clear when he says, “Gather ye together first the tares.” Jesus is here talking about the end of the end, after tribulation and his earthly reign, and after the devil’s little season. This is just an observation and me thinking out loud about the possibility, but could it be that season now? Could the devil have labeled the millennial reign as the Dark Ages to deceive us further? There is so much evidence pointing to this being a possibility. Look at the architecture we can no longer build, which was supposed to have been built when we only had horses and buggies. Could such extraordinary structures have been built during the millennial kingdom? There is evidence, but we have had our brains seared and have dismissed it. Then try to explain this verse:

Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Matthew 16:28

I have so many questions, but I’m keeping my eyes open and digging for answers, especially when there is historical evidence that can’t be hidden in darkness. It’s not a sin to ask questions and seek answers, one way or another.

March 11, 2026

The Parables Of Jesus: 6

The Parable of the Sower

Summarized: A person went out and scattered seed, but some fell in the wayside, and the birds ate it. Some seeds fell among the weeds and briars and were choked out. Other seeds fell on the hard ground, where their roots couldn’t penetrate, and when they came up, the sun scorched them, and they withered. However, some fell on good ground, came up, flourished, and produced fruit and more seeds to plant.

Jesus then explains the parable and why he speaks in code: so that those who are meant to hear it understand, and those who don’t understand will not be converted.

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. Mark 4:12

We are to scatter the seed of the gospel and teachings of Jesus everywhere and tell everyone. However, some of our seed sown will fall by the wayside, but Satan takes it away from them. The seed we sow that falls onto the hard ground is like those who hear it with gladness, but it doesn’t penetrate their hearts, and they lose it quickly because they become offended. The seed sown among the weeds and thorns gets lost because of their worldly cares. Then there are those seeds sown upon the good ground, where they take root in the heart, and those people go out and continue to spread God’s word, and more people come to know Jesus as their Savior. 

Make sure you are fertile ground so the truth can take root and flourish.

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. Mark 4:22-23

The evidence is out there for us to see, so we need to open our eyes and ears. Until we start measuring the inconsistencies in our lives against the scriptures, we will remain in darkness. Train your mind to notice things that do not make sense. We have been given a narrative that the powers and principalities want us to believe, but we need to open our minds to the truth so we can stop being deceived. 

March 10, 2026

The Parables Of Jesus: 5

The Divided Kingdom

Jesus had just healed a man who was deaf, blind, and mute. It was an incredible miracle. However, the scribes who came all the way from Jerusalem accused Jesus of healing him under the power of Satan. 

And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Luke 3:23-24

We know that once Satan has a person in his possession, he will not let them go. It's only by the power of Jesus that he must obey and release them at his command. That's why Jesus says this:

No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Luke 3:27

Making a deal with the devil permits him to bind you. For this reason, we have to be very careful with the things we speak over ourselves. If you constantly worry yourself about an issue, it's like a race car driver worried about hitting the wall so much that he drives into it, and that gives Satan or his cronies permission to harass you or cause you problems. If you open the door for the enemy, he will walk in and cause you havoc. Watch your words; they have power, and we want that power to come from God and not the enemy. 

 

March 9, 2026

The Parables Of Jesus: 4

New Cloth On An Old Garment

And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. Luke 5:36-37

John the Baptist's disciples and the Pharisees came to Jesus about why he and his disciples were not fasting as they did. For one, Jesus had taught his disciples not to make fasting a public thing, but the Pharisees had made it a habit to fast two days a week, and John's disciples followed suit. However, Jesus's disciples were still new and learning new ways, and Jesus reminded them that as long as the bridegroom was with them, they would feast, but when he was gone, they would mourn and fast. Jesus gave them grace because they were still new and didn't want to put too many religious exercises on them, out of concern that it might cause them to fall away. For this same reason, we don't go into full detail about what a person will face as a new Christ-follower; it is enough that they have learned to trust him, but the rest of the information about trials will come as they begin to grow and can tolerate the pressure. They will learn more as they begin to read the scriptures, and even then, the Holy Spirit will only open their eyes to what is important for them at that time. That is why it's called the living word; we get it in small doses until we can handle it fully as we grow in our faith, and why you can read it one time without noticing it in its full context, and the next time you read the same verse you learn something totally new and have a greater understanding.

Jesus's disciples = a new patch for the garment and new wine.

March 8, 2026

 

The Parables Of Jesus: 3

The Wise And Foolish Builders

At the conclusion of Jesus' Sermon On The Mount, which explains the meaning of the Ten Commandments, he tells us that if we only hear his words and do nothing, it's like building a house on the sand, and when we are put under pressure, our house will fall. Many people are good about going to church every Sunday and following along with religious ceremonies, but prefer to live a lifestyle that doesn't resemble Jesus's likeness by following his commands. It is all for show and not a true change of heart. They want others to believe they are holy, yet their actions signal something else. However, those who have truly been changed into the likeness of Jesus have built a firm foundation and are unlikely to fall under pressure.  

Being a Florida girl, I have seen what storms can do to a foundation during a hurricane, especially when the house is built near the beach. So many homes have had their foundations compromised because the builder didn't consider the possibility of a gigantic hurricane hitting the coast and devastating the coastline, washing away anything and everything the house was built upon. If we don't build our faith on Jesus and follow his commands, we are like a beach house built directly on the sand that gets washed away during a heavy storm. However, those who do follow Jesus' commands are like a steel structure that the builder dug deep into the ground and poured an immovable foundation that could withstand the test. Many who've stood in pulpits will one day discover that preaching is not enough; if their hearts are not changed, they too will be devastated when they finally meet Jesus. If you think God is going to let you into heaven by only claiming Jesus, you are mistaken. You must change your life to reflect his likeness, and do your best to follow his commands. No one is perfect, and we may get a little washed out when a storm hits, but with Jesus as our foundation, we will continue to stand. 

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: Matthew 7:24

March 7, 2026

The Parables Of Jesus: 2

The Log And The Speck

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:1-2

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Matthew 7:5

I notice subtle differences in facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language; this can help read a room, but it can also become a fault if I don't keep it in check, especially when expressed out loud. One thing I'm guilty of is noticing fashion. I try to dress appropriately for the occasion, but I know other people couldn't care less, and that's okay. However, when people require others to dress a certain way, they should also adhere to their own rules. 

Though not a great comparison, when I went to my grandson's middle school all-county orchestra concert, all the children were dressed in their formal black-and-white attire. They looked incredible and were dressed appropriately for the occasion. Then their teacher came out, wearing her sunglasses on her head, and her hair up in a claw clip. I wish I hadn't noticed, but I did, because it was out of place, given how she required the children to dress. She was probably a frantic mess, trying to keep the children together and make sure everything was perfect, so I understand how something like that could slip her mind. However, I mentioned it and immediately regretted saying it out loud. Even though I felt comfortable with the person I said it to, they gave her more grace than I had. Though this was not an egregious mistake on the teacher's part, my mistake was. I will now be more careful of how I speak of others; it was a good lesson for me in many ways. Sometimes we need to keep our mouths shut and our opinions between God and us. He gives us more grace than others will.

March 6, 2026

In continuing the study of the gospels by following the steps of Jesus, the parables are the next step. 

The Parables Of Jesus: 1

The Parable Of The Lamp

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

I woke up too early and lay in bed, overthinking everything. That’s when I noticed that the wall was lit as if there was a light on in the living room. Wondering what could have shone so brightly, I realized it was a tiny green light indicating power was going to the recliner. It’s probably not something that would be noticed, but because it was positioned away from the wall, that little light was as bright as daylight. It was disbursed through the door, reflecting onto my bedroom wall. For a light that was not that significant, you wouldn’t have thought it would have distributed enough to shine so brightly. 

With the world in such turmoil and Christians targeted, you might be tempted to cover your light to keep from being noticed, but once you experience Jesus, such an act is impossible. His love emanates from you to such a degree that you barely have to say a word for others to notice that you are a Christ-follower. Don’t hide yourself from the world; let them see Jesus through you, and if that means being prey, so be it; God will give you the courage to stand for him. In doing so, you will glorify the Father. What’s more beautiful than that?

March 5, 2026

MIRACLES OF JESUS: 37

The Second Miraculous Catch of Fish At The Sea Of Tiberias

The guide that I’ve been following, as with many other lists that consider the miracles of Jesus, does not list the transfiguration, his resurrection, walking through walls, or appearing out of nowhere and disappearing without a trace as miracles. But we know that in our mortal bodies we cannot do such things as this. If we count these as part of Jesus’ miracles, our final number of miracles recorded in the Bible is forty-one. Then, we should consider Jesus being caught away into the sky on Pentecost as a part of the miracles. However, according to other scholars, there are only thirty-seven, and the miraculous catch of fish on the Sea of Tiberias is the last one. But as you can see, I disagree and believe there are forty-two. I needed a guide because, if others have put in the work, why not use it to my advantage? Should I go on and cover these five or stop here? I’ll let you know tomorrow. 

After the resurrection, the disciples didn’t know what to do, so they went back to work. Imagine losing the only job you’ve known for the last three years and having to go back to your old ways; it must have been challenging for them. Peter, John, and five other disciples set out into the sea to fish. Catching nothing, they heard a call from the shore telling them to set their nets on the other side of the boat. It was Jesus, but they weren’t sure of who it was. After moving their nets, they caught an overwhelming number of fish; that’s when they realized that it was the Lord who had called to them. Peter, naked, hurried, put on his clothes, and swam to the shore to greet him. Jesus had already cooked the fish, and breakfast was ready when they got to shore, and they all ate breakfast together. Jesus then gave Peter instructions to feed his sheep. 

Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. John 21:12

March 4, 2026

MIRACLES OF JESUS: 36

Jesus Heals A Servant's Ear While He Is Being Arrested

Judas, being one of Jesus' disciples, betrayed him and led a band of Roman soldiers, along with the chief priests and Pharisees, out to the Mount of Olives to arrest him. Jesus had avoided arrest for some time, but the timing had to be right so it coincided with the Passover. Jesus had allowed his disciples to have a sword to fulfill scripture, and they bought two. Jesus said, "That is enough." When these men, probably 500 to 1000 of them, approached Jesus, Peter, becoming overly anxious, took out his sword and cut off the high priest's servant's ear.

Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. John 18:10

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. Luke 22:51

Can you imagine? At one of Jesus' worst possible moments of his life in the flesh, he chose to heal the man's ear that Peter had cut off. And yet, even seeing this miracle, they still chose to arrest Jesus and treat him like a criminal. It was his time, and this arrest wouldn't have happened unless Jesus had allowed it. If he had wanted to, he could have commanded the angels to help him, but scripture had to be fulfilled.

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? Matthew 26:53-54

What came after this can only be considered the greatest love that anyone could ever have for another: Jesus' sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection after three days in the grave.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

March 3, 2026

MIRACLES OF JESUS: 35

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree, And It Withers

We’ve all done it. We’ve read a story many times without really understanding its meaning. Finally, the story of the fig tree revealed its meaning to me. Jesus was on his way back to Jerusalem in the morning and was hungry when he saw a fig tree flourishing with leaves, and he wanted some figs even though they weren’t quite in season. I think he would have eaten them green if the tree had any. When he saw that there were none to be eaten, he cursed it never to produce again, and it withered immediately. The disciples were amazed.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. Matthew 21:19

Not only did Jesus come to save, but he also came to judge. The fig tree that was cursed and withered is a representation of those who show up clothed in the beauty of righteousness, but produce no fruit. Further, if you do walk in righteousness, it is not of yourselves, but the righteousness of Jesus that you are clothed in. Salvation is life, and anyone outside of Jesus is doomed for destruction like the fig tree.

It was in this story that Jesus told his disciples that if they had faith and not doubt, they could move a mountain.

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:21-22

Given this much power, we should use our words carefully, especially when it comes to the well-being of others.

March 2, 2026

MIRACLES OF JESUS: 34

Jesus Restores The Sight Of Blind Bartimaeus In Jericho 

Jesus was leaving Jericho with his followers and Zacchaeus on his last trip to Jerusalem when a blind man cried out to him, begging for his mercy. The crowd with Jesus tried to quiet him, but he cried out more, and Jesus heard him and called to him to come. That man was Bartimaeus, and leaving his cloak behind, he dropped everything that would hinder him from going to Jesus. Jesus touched him and said his faith had saved him. Bartimaeus then followed Jesus. In Matthew’s version, there were two blind men, but Mark and Luke only mention one, and only Mark tells us his name. The differences in these stories are important so that we know these men weren’t copying one another’s accounts of the details. 

What can we take away from this story? Though Jesus calls us, it is our faith in him that saves us. Bartimaeus heard about Jesus and believed he could heal him, which gave him enough faith to be saved. Historical information suggests that his father, Timaeus, was also blind, and that Bartimaeus may have been blind from birth, though the Bible doesn’t specify. If this is true, then this miracle is one of the outstanding proofs of Jesus’ deity to the Pharisees, who were full of unbelief. Their livelihood was at stake if they believed in him. 

And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. Luke 18:42

March 1, 2026

MIRACLES OF JESUS: 33

Jesus Raises Lazarus From The Dead

The miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is Jesus' greatest miracle other than raising himself from the dead. Lazarus had been dead for four days and had already started to decompose. However, Jesus showing us that he was God, not only was he able to reconstruct Lazarus's rotting body and make it whole again, but he also gave him the use of all his faculties. Why did Jesus groan and weep before he performed this miracle? I think his weeping showed that he was fully human and sympathetic to the tears of those who were grieving, but not only that: he was bringing Lazarus back into a broken world from a state of peace in the presence of God. For that reason, when we escape death, we say that God is not finished using us in this world, because we know that rest comes when our soul is home with Jesus. For this reason, Jesus teaches us not to fear what man can do to us, because he knows that when our life is over in the flesh, we will be safe and secure in life beyond this realm, where only he has dominion over us; that's a wonderful place to be. 

This miracle stirred up the Pharisees and pointed to Jesus being God because no one had ever raised someone from the dead after four days. I can picture them seething over it. They knew they were about to be found out for their fraud and faulty teachings. They feared that Jesus was going to usurp the authority they had become quite comfortable in, so anyone who came along and disrupted them was at risk of death, which is why they came after Jesus so hard. 

If you are wavering at all in your faith that Jesus is God, ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you, help you overcome your unbelief, and cultivate a relationship with him. It will be the best thing you've ever done for your well-being. 

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. John 11:44-45