Category Archives: Christianity

July 6, 2018 · 11:20 am

Praying for our Children (Part 5)

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An article authored by Ray Hughes in The Morning Star Journal changed my prayer life forever.  Its was entitled The Forgotten Legacy of Sam Jones and told about an almost forgotten evangelist who grew up to be labeled by a Southern newspaper as “the most famous man in America.” Jones was born in 1847, the same year as Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Alva Edison.

The article related how Sam Jones became a hopeless drunkard by the age of twenty-five. His health was wrecked and an untimely death faced him when his dying father made him promise to change. Then the article said:

“Sam declared, ‘I yield, I yield,’ determining right then and there that every remaining step of his life would be an honest effort to fulfill that promise to his father. But Sam’s father wasn’t the only one shouting that day; his saintly grandmother was another. She was said to have read the Bible from cover to cover thirty-eight times while on her knees, applying the promises of God in prayer for Sam’s wayward life.”

Click! The light switched on inside me. I knew that I knew that Scripture was a powerful spiritual tool in praying for people, especially our children.

There is only one book where the words in it are “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of a person’s heart.” 

That one book is the Bible.

It should be everyone’s favorite prayer book because what is our biggest struggle in praying for our children? I would guess that it centers on whether God will actually answer our prayers.

And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

Scripture is God’s revealed will to His believers. Thus, by praying Scripture, we are praying the Father’s will back to the Father so He can move in our children’s lives.

It’s a win/win deal for us parents.

But yet, there is still another benefit of praying Scripture for our children.

Bless the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word! (Psalm 103:20 NKJV)

When we pray Scripture for our children, God’s angels are put to work, bringing the prayers to pass in their lives. We can think of ourselves as “spiritual labor bosses” if we pray Scripture, sending angels out to their jobs: our children.

There are hundreds of Bible verses, which make great prayers for our children. You can choose your own as you study the Bible, but here’s a few of the ones I pray along with examples of how I pray them.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 NKJV)

“Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart [or hearing heart] to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9 NKJV)

This is one of my favorite prayers in which I combine the above two verses.

My prayer: “Lord, give  (child’s name) an understanding and hearing heart so that he/she receives the love of the truth and is saved in all situations he/she might face.”

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that  (child’s name) would deny himself/herself, take up his/her cross daily, and follow Jesus.”

Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path.(Psalm 119:105)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that Your word is a lamp to  (child’s name) feet and a light to his/her path.”

Send out Your light andYour truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling. (Psalm 43:3)

My prayer: “Lord, send Your light and Your truth to (child’s name); let them lead him/her to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling.”

I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that You baptize (child’s name) with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:11-12, 21)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) is not slothful in zeal, but fervent in spirit, serving You; that he/she rejoices in hope, is patient in tribulation and constant in prayer; and that he/she is not overcome by evil, but overcomes evil with good.”

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:10, 13-14 NKJV)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) knows You and the power of Your resurrection, and the fellowship of Your suffering, being conformed to Your death. And that one thing he/she would do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, that he/she would press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.(1 Corinthians 14:1)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) pursues love, earnestly desires the spiritual gifts, especially that he/she may prophesy.”

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) flees youthful passions and pursues righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

My prayer:“Lord, I pray that (child’s name) seeks first the kingdom of God and Your righteousness so that all things are added to him/her.”

These ten examples should give all of us a good idea on how to pray Scriptures for our children. All we have to do is read our Bibles and when we see a verse with a promise, pray it for our children.

Praying the word for our children moves our prayers from being passive into being powerfully active with all of heaven working to bring the prayers to pass.

(The above is an excerpt from Praying for the Frozen Chosen: Our Children by Larry Nevenhoven, © 2016, Amazon eBook)  

(Continued in Part 6)

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July 5, 2018 · 11:47 am

Prayers for America (7/5/2018)

 

In today’s politically correct culture, the phrase –“We are offended” – is the wrench which can be tossed into the gears of a company, a political campaign, Christian outreach, or whatever to stop its forward progress. It is the handy “get out of jail free” card for many opposition forces.

But isn’t it interesting how this phrase has appeared on the scene almost out of nowhere to be an effective tool in such a short period of time? It makes me believe that Satan is setting up American believers for a terrible surprise in the days ahead. Because Jesus said —

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. (John 16:1 KJ)

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.(Matthew 24:9-10 NKJ)

Think about His words, okay?

Believers are not to be offended if we are picked on, persecuted, threatened with death, hated by everyone, or even killed in these last days before His return. This is heavy stuff!

So, let’s not let the “We’re offended” crowd deter us from doing the will of God in our lives. Let’s instead use their words to strengthen our love for Jesus and gird up our loins with truth while moving forward against the kingdom of darkness.

My prayer today:

Lord, help American believers to reckon ourselves dead to sin and to not be afraid of people’s scorn or their insults. (Based on Romans 6:11 and Isaiah 53:7)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

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July 3, 2018 · 9:50 am

Prayers for Israel (7/3/2018)

 

The Shema is one of only two prayers that are specifically commanded in the Torah (the other is Birkat Ha-Mazon — grace after meals). It is the oldest fixed daily prayer in Judaism, recited morning and night since ancient times. It consists of three biblical passages, two of which specifically say to speak of these things “when you lie down and when you rise up.” (Judaism 101)

My prayer today:

Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. (The Shema Israel)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for Israel and Jerusalem.

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July 2, 2018 · 10:36 am

What’re Your Plans for 300 Years From Now? (Part 3)

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When the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation, he was instructed to send special messages to seven churches in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

Most of us know that two churches – Smyrna and Philadelphia – received no corrections while the other five did, with Laodicea receiving the harshest rebukes of all.

“I know your [Laodicean Church] works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)

How many times have we heard these two verses spoken about the American church and its members? Probably, more than enough. It always sounds so bleak for us when the words are voiced, right?

Jesus then went on to say the Laodicean Church and its members were not only luke-warm, but were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

Yipes!

Jesus next gave the Laodicean Church specific instructions on what they needed to do to turn themselves around, but I’m sure most of the members were limp rags by then. How could they possibly pick themselves off the floor and attempt to make changes to please Jesus?

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3:20-21)

Wow!

Jesus offered the Laodicean Church and its members the greatest promises, as compared to the promises given to the other churches in Asia, if they would overcome their faults. They were offered intimacy and a chance to sit on Jesus throne with Him  – even the apostles James and John were not offered that position.

So, what happened to the Laodicean Church?

The Laodicean Church became the most dynamic and vibrant of all of the Asia churches. A bishop was martyred there seventy years later. An important Christian council was held there over two hundred years later. Archaeologists have discovered over twenty chapels and churches near the Laodicean Church, which took up a whole city block. The church continued into the fourth century.

The testimony of the Laodicean Church shows us what believers must do:

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

If we want to rule and reign with Jesus, we need to be zealous and repent.

(Continued in Part 4…but if you want to read all of the parts to date, you can go here.

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June 24, 2018 · 4:57 pm

Sarah Sanders, Separation of Children from Illegal Immigrants, and Christian Responses

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The White House Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and her party of seven were asked to leave the Red Hen Restaurant in Lexington, Virginia, by Stephanie Wilkinson, the restaurant owner on last Friday night. Wilkinson told Sanders, “We have certain standards that need to be upheld, such as honesty, compassion, and cooperation. I’d like to ask you to leave.”

Her words were based on her dislike for the Trump administration and his positions on LGBT issues.

Sarah Sanders replied, “That’s fine. I’ll go.”

Sanders even offered to pay, but the owner said that it was on the house.

My take is that the owner’s actions were illegal and wrong.

Why?

Stephanie Wilkinson and the Red Hen Restaurant have a covenant via their sales tax agreement with the state of Virginia to provide goods and services to all peaceable and willing buyers who walk into the restaurant. They do not have the option of discriminating against customers based on their race, religion, sex, age, political parties, and so forth.

Wait a second!

What about the Masterpiece Cakeshop lawsuit where the owner, Jack Phillips, refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple? Didn’t Phillips claim that his moral standards would be violated if he baked the wedding cake? Yes, he did. And Phillips just recently won a narrow Supreme Court decision in his lawsuit.

I wrote an article for WND disagreeing with Phillips’ stance because he also had a covenant via his sales tax agreement with the state of Colorado to provide goods and services for all customers who entered his business establishment. Even though Phillips won his Supreme Court lawsuit, I still agree with what I wrote.

What about children being separated from their illegal immigrant parents? Is President Trump a ruthless monster for doing this?

Actually, President Trump has been following the law. The Clinton Administration and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to the Flores Settlement in 1997. This multilayered law requires minors to be separated from adults while the adult parents are being criminally prosecuted for illegal entry into America.

Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama followed the same Flores Settlement and separated children from their illegal immigrant parents before Trump became president. Why is everyone complaining now? Where were their voices for the past twenty years?

How do Christians respond to these issues?

All over the map!

Some are outraged by what Sarah Sanders endured at the Red Hen Restaurant, but shout for joy because Phillips won his lawsuit. Many believers think Trump is the equal of the Antichrist for following the law about separating children from their illegal immigrant parents but omit mentioning anything about Clinton, Bush, and Obama. Others fall somewhere in between on each issue.

Is it possible that Christian opinion on issues like these are formed more by the media than by the Word of God and prayer?

Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.(Titus 3:1)

Do the above verses mean we need to walk lockstep with ungodly laws? Of course, not. That’s how the Nazis browbeat Christians in Germany to accept their ungodly ways. But if we disobey ungodly laws, we do have to realize that we may end up being treated like Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was imprisoned and hung by the Nazis. If so, we need to be as accepting as Bonhoeffer was with his execution.

But also, how many Christians took the time to check on the veracity of the statements by the major media, claiming Trump had developed a new policy for handling illegal immigrants’ children? And also, how many believers took the time to discover the true story behind the little crying girl and President Trump on Time Magazine’s cover?

Wake up Christians!

Pray and study before acting on social media and wherever else. Remember we will give an accounting at the Judgment Seat of Christ for every idle [lazy, shunning the labor one ought to perform] word we speak or write.

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June 22, 2018 · 12:00 pm

Praying for Our Children (Part 3)

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“For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28 NKJV)

Jesus’ listeners were shocked when he said these words because He rated John the Baptist to be the equal of Moses, Aaron, King David, Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. The Jews revered these older prophets and probably gasped at His words. Then, Jesus went a step further by announcing that born again believers have a greater standing and more benefits before God than all of the Old Testament prophets had during their times on the earth.

Not only that, but we believers are heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Peter stated believers are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s special people.

So, yes, because of all these examples, and scriptures, we believers are a special people to the Father and have the right to seek Him for insight into the plans He has for our children and grandchildren.

But maybe we should wait a second, okay?

Shouldn’t we first ask ourselves what we plan on doing with the insight God may give us for our children?

You see, once we receive the insight into His plans for our children, we have a responsibility to do something with the information. If we’re thinking we will just write the insight down on a piece of paper and lock it in a storage vault, that’s a terrible idea. Doing something like that is similar to the actions of the unprofitable servant who hid his talent rather than investing it like the two faithful servants did before the master returned. And we know how that turned out for the unprofitable servant!

Our responsibility is to take the plans for our children, which we receive by faith from the Lord, and invest them into their lives through prayer, fasting, and proclamations. It will be a battle, but this will advance our children’s lives on earth and throughout eternity.

Also, we must not think our children are too old for us to seek the Lord for His plans for them. Jacob’s children probably ranged between the ages of late 50s to middle 70s when he prophesied to them.

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My wife and I went along with a group to the home of a family with a deathly ill child. The child was around eleven years old and suffered from acute leukemia. She was thin and covered with a blanket. The parents and child were believers, but the parents knew their only hope for the child was a miracle. Everything in medical science had been tried and had failed.

The group’s leaders anointed the child with oil and uttered a prayer of faith. We all agreed along with the prayers.

But I felt the child would die unless we attempted something different. I also felt the gifts of healing and working of miracles were not manifesting themselves in our group that night.

I looked again at her parents. They desperately wanted her to live.

I cried out to the Lord in my mind. “Lord, do something. Do something. Do something.”

I felt like He wanted me to prophesy to the sick girl.

So, walking up to the child, I prophesied about how the girl would serve the Lord when she was twenty years old, next when she was twenty-five years old, and then when she was thirty years old. I prophesied about her marriage and her children and how she would do the will of God for her generation, just like King David did for his, before dying.

When I finished, everyone −except two people −looked at me like I was a moonstruck idiot. The two exceptions were the parents who got it.  They knew for the prophecy to come to pass, the young girl had to live.

I spent some time instructing them how to pray the prophecy into manifestation.

Sometimes, the Lord uses another person to utter His plans for our children.

 Prayer:

“Lord, I ask You to reveal any plans for my children that You wish to share with me. With the information, I will be a faithful servant to pray, fast, and proclaim Your plans before You, putting You in remembrance of them, and trusting You to bring them to pass. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

(The above is an excerpt from Praying for the Frozen Chosen: Our Children by Larry Nevenhoven, © 2016, Amazon eBook)

(Continued in Part 4)

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June 21, 2018 · 9:47 am

Prayers for America (6/21/2018)

Jesus was walking with his disciples in Caesarea Philippi, which was twenty-five miles north of Capernaum, Jesus’ hometown during this period. He tossed out a question to the twelve, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

His disciples answered Him by saying, “Elijah, John the Baptist, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.”

Jesus zeroed in on their opinions. “But who do you say I am?”

Without hesitation, Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus called Peter blessed and stated that his revelation came from the Father. Then Jesus said —

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

Some have taken Jesus’ words to mean the church is either to be built on Peter or upon his revelation. Actually, I believe it is both.

Thirty years later, the apostle Paul wrote:

[The household of God is] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20)

My prayer today:

Lord, raise up churches in America built on the foundation of apostles and prophets with Jesus as the Cornerstone so these churches can withstand the end-times’ onslaught by Satan and his kingdom of darkness. (Based on Matthew 16:18 and Ephesians 2:20)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

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June 20, 2018 · 7:58 am

Praying for Our Children (Part 2)

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“Lord, did I do something wrong?” I said aloud after hanging up the phone.

Almost instantly, I felt the Holy Spirit say to my heart:  “Don’t ever pray that way again for your son Scott and his girlfriend Liza. Pray for the two to get married and have a great marriage.”

This quick back and forth conversation came about one weekend in the 1990s because a few months earlier I had prayed for my son to break up with his girlfriend.  My prayer was not because Liza wasn’t a great girl because she was all of that and more. But according to my thinking, she didn’t pray or study her Bible or seem sufficiently interested in the Lord to meet my nearsighted standards. So, I figured she had to go.

Did my prayer work?

It seemed to work for a while as the two quit dating almost immediately after my prayer. This continued for a few months until I spoke with Scott on that weekend.

“Just want you to know that Liza and I are dating again,” said Scott.

“Oh…” I replied.

We said our goodbyes and hung up.

When Scott told me about dating Liza again, fear enveloped me. The fear shredded my hardened heart so that I could ask, “Lord, did I do something wrong?”

Upon hearing the Lord’s voice, I repented and began praying for the two to be married, which happened three years later. Liza and Scott now have two sons and a godly marriage.

Does scripture back up my experience?

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all My purpose.” (Isaiah 46:10)

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:15-16) 

The above verses reveal God has plans for our children before they are even born. We also know God revealed plans about children and grandchildren to various parents in the Bible:

Hagar about her son Ishmael. (Genesis 16:10-12)

Abraham about his son Isaac. (Genesis 17:19-21)

Rebekah about her twin sons −Esau and Jacob. (Genesis 25:23)

Jacob prophesied over his grandsons. (Genesis 48:15-20)

Jacob prophesied over his sons. (Genesis 49:2-27)

Manoah and his wife about their son Samson. (Judges 13:3-5)

King David about his son Solomon. (1 Chronicles 23:8-10)

All of Judah about Josiah. (1 Kings 13:2)

Zacharias about John the Baptist. (Luke 1:13-17)

Mary and Joseph about Jesus. (Luke 1:30-33; Matthew 1:20-21)

Maybe you’ve raised an eyebrow after reading so far. “Yes, God did this for Israel’s patriarchs, His kings, John the Baptist, and for our Lord Jesus,” you may be muttering to yourself, “but these were people especially chosen by Him to carry out His plans on earth. Why would He do this for me and my children?”

(Excerpt from Praying for the Frozen Chosen: Our Children by Larry Nevenhoven, © 2016, Amazon eBook)

(Continued in Part 3)

 

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June 19, 2018 · 9:33 am

Prayers for Israel (6/19/2018)

In 539 B.C., Daniel discovered that Jeremiah’s prophecy about Jerusalem being a desolation for seventy years was about to be fulfilled. What did Daniel then do?

Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. (Daniel 9:3)

Instead of running out and telling everyone about his revelation, Daniel did everything he could to bring the prophecy into its fulfillment through his prayers and fasting.

“God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” (John Wesley)

One of God’s biblical principles is that He longs to partner with believers to bring forth His unfulfilled scriptural prophecies. We pray and fast and then God provides the miraculous power to bring forth the prophecy into its manifestation here on earth.

This is the reason, we need to fast and pray for Israel and Jerusalem now because the days are ticking off God’s calendar before Jesus’ return.

Lord, raise up American believers who are willing to partner with You and Your Word so that Your end-time prophecies for Jerusalem and Israel are fulfilled according to Your plans.

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for Israel and Jerusalem.

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June 18, 2018 · 10:17 am

What’re Your Plans for 300 Years From Now? (Part 2)

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If we take a step in obedience, God will reward us with a mile of blessings. (Mike Bickel)

Jesus spoke a parable about a nobleman who was traveling to a far country. Before leaving, the nobleman called ten of his servants into his office. There he gave each a bag of silver worth about a hundred days of wages for a common laborer.

He told the ten men, “Do business with this money until I return.”

After a period of time, the nobleman returned. The man called for his ten servants to give an accounting of their business transactions.

The first servant had earned ten more bags of money for a 1000% return.

The nobleman said to the man, “Well done, good servant. Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.” (Luke 19:17)

Yes, Luke 19:11-27 is a parable, but Jesus used it to explain a truth, one that I overlooked for years.

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus told a similar parable about three servants who were given various amounts of money by a master while he went on a trip. One was given five 75-lb. bags of silver, another two 75-lb. bags of silver, and a third received one 75-lb. bag of silver.

Upon returning, the master settled accounts with the three men. The first man doubled the master’s investment by earning five more 75-lb. bags of silver for the master.

The master said to the servant, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. (Matthew 25:21)

Once again, this is a parable, which Jesus used to explain a truth to us.

In the Book of Revelation, we read two interesting verses in the King James or the New King James translations that tie into the above parables:

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6 NKJ)

How can we be kings and rulers, right?

(Continued in Part 3)

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