Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle

O the cross I look and to the cross I cling
of its suffering I do drink
of its work I do sing

on it my savior both bruised and crushed
showed that god is love
and god is just

at the cross you beckon me
you draw me gently to my knees, and I am
lost for words so lost in love
I am sweetly broken wholly surrendered

what a priceless gift undeserved life
have I been given
through Christ crucified

you called me out of death
you called me into life
and i was under your wrath
now through the cross I’m reconciled

at the cross you beckon me
you draw me gently to my knees and i am
lost for words so lost in love,
I am sweetly broken wholly surrendered

at the cross you beckon me
you draw me gently to my knees and i am
lost for words so lost in love,
I am sweetly broken wholly surrendered

in awe of the cross I must confess
how wondrous your redeeming love and
how great is your faithfulness

at the cross you beckon me
you draw me gently to my knees and i am
lost for words so lost in love
I am sweetly broken wholly surrendered

at the cross you beckon me
you draw me gently to my knees and i am
lost for words so lost in love
I am sweetly broken wholly surrendered

I’m broken for you
I’m broken for you my lord
Jesus, what love is this
I am sweetly broken

Listen to the song

Why Parables?

Why did Jesus tell parables to make his point? He could have just told his listeners. Why did he tell stories?

One reason is because we remember stories. Stories provide an emotion connection. It's one thing to be told something; it's another thing to see that principle in action. It's one thing to hear that God is forgiving; it's anther thing to see that forgiveness acted in the prodigal son.

Jesus faced a lot of opposition in the later years in his ministry.

That's about the same time he started telling parables. It was a way to make his point without the religious leaders breathing down his neck.

The disciples also asked Jesus this question; why parables?

¹¹He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹²Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ¹³This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. ¹⁴In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
¹⁵For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'--Mathew 13:11-15

What is a Parable?

Jesus told a lot of parables. Some where about fish, other about wheat, and another about rebellious sons. Jesus didn't tell these stories merely as a form of entertainment. He told stories to make a point, or to show us something new about God.

First, what is a parable? Parables are earthly stories with a spiritual truth. Most parables are told by Jesus and are found in the Gospels, mostly Luke.

Parables compare the known to the unknown. Parables draw examples from the familiar.

What are some things parables are not?

Parables are not fables. A fable is a myth or legend, or a story that is not true; falsehood.

In parables, the examples used should not always be emulated. The application should be repeated, but somethings the examples shouldn't be. When Jesus tells the parable about the sower, it doesn't mean we need to go down to the store, buy a bag of seeds, and casts them as we walk through our neighborhoods.

Should you ask your father for your half of the inheritance, then run off and waste it all on parties? Probably not. Somethings, the examples are not Biblical; a servant who refuses to forgive, or the shrewd manager who steals from his master. The application should always be applied, but the examples themselves should not alway be repeated.

Parables are not factual. The stories themselves aren't historic accounts. That's one reason there are no names in parables. Did a Samaritan really find a injured Jew on the road? We don't know. The point of a parable is not to tell a historic account, but rather that we learn something from the story.

I hope you can join me as we look at some of the parables that Jesus told and that we can find the meaning and application together.

The Wager

Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists.

--Blaise Pascal

Forever with You by Decyfer Down

Like shooting stars how brief we are
And I wish this moment could last forever
Here with You I am made new
I want to live like every breath matters

You are not so far away, just hear me when I say

Chorus
I want to love what You love, I want to see what You see
I want a hope that burns like a fire in me
I want Your light in my life, I want my heart renewed
Here I am forever with You

The falling rain can bring a change
I never knew how farther I could fall
I can hardly wait till I see You face to face
I can't believe Your love remains the same

You are not so far away, just hear me when I say

Chorus
I want to love what You love, I want to see what You see
I want a hope that burns like a fire in me
I want Your light in my life, I want my heart renewed
Here I am forever with You

Now I live with You after all that I've been through
I just can't live without the grace You gave to me
Now I see what You see
Your beautiful life forever in me

Chorus
I want to love what You love, I want to see what You see
I want a hope that burns like a fire in me
I want Your light in my life, I want my heart renewed
Here I am, here I am, here I am forever with You

Listen to the Song

Psalms 31: Trust in the Lord

Psalms 31 has two very clear word patterns. The first theme describes God as a protecting fortress. The second theme describes all the trouble David is having in his life. So what is one to do when afflictions come? When sorrow and grief arise? When it feels like everyone has abounded you?

¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."

¹⁵ My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.

The word "but" is very important. Even though everything around David looks hopeless, he is remembering the promises of God. He remembered who God is. He remembered what He has done in the past. He remembered that He is a protecting fortress, and he trusted in Him.