Two things really stood out to me today from our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. In Matthew 20:1-2:
20 For the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of an estate who went out in the morning along with the dawn to hire workmen for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Notice that when this estate owner decided to hire workers for his vineyard, He "agreed" with them concerning their pay for the day. This is the Greek word "sumphoneo", which means: to be harmonious, to concur, to be in accord, to be in harmony with, to reach an agreement, to come to terms. These workers AGREED that a denarius was a fair wage for a day's work. We're all familiar with the rest of the account, that the owner went out a few more times during that day and hired whomever was standing around waiting for a job. At the end of the day, when it came time to collect their pay, the first workers were angry that the workers hired later were paid the same. In the beginning they thought it was fine, BUT, when they looked from their own situation to that of someone else, they began to "grumble". This is "gong`yzo", which means: to be dissatisfied because of disappointed hopes. The problem was actually NOT disappointed hopes, because they had a discussion about what would be fair wages before they even started and KNEW what they were getting! No, they were JEALOUS at the blessing that the other workers received in getting the same for less time in the field. Do you see where this attitude has crept in to the culture of this nation today? In fact, it is much, much worse! I have heard of a part-time worker in a restaurant who thought that they should have a share of the business with the owner because they did the flipping of the burgers! Can you even imagine that thinking? This business owner had to pay the price to study and learn about the business he wanted to open. He had to find or build a building to house this business. He had to do research into every area of the business so he could put together a business plan that he could present to the bank or other lending institution in order to obtain financing. He had to advertise, interview, hire and train workers for every aspect of the business that he couldn't do himself. He had to pay salaries for these workers, along with matching their withholding amounts. In some cases, with full time workers, he had to provide health insurance and cover for vacations and sick days that the workers would be missing. Now, a part-time "burger-flipper" feels that HE should get a share of the profits because HE is so important to the business! I hope that you all see the complete absurdity of that situation! I also hope that those of you raising children will raise them to be respectful, grateful, thankful, hardworking and goal oriented! THAT is the very least we should be doing in the training of our children! AMEN!
I also see similar attitudes in these days among those who refuse to accept Jesus as Lord and personal Savior. They ask questions such as: "How can a god who is supposed to be loving send someone to hell?" Let's look in our reading for today in Job for that! Job 34:13-14 asks this:
13 Who put [God] in charge over the earth? Or who laid on Him the whole world? 14 If [God] should set His heart upon him [man] and withdraw His [life-giving] spirit and His breath [from man] to Himself, 15 All flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.
Who are WE to question the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible? Did HE get His authority from US? NO! If God decided today to chuck it all and start over again, He COULD because He CAN. He WON'T, though, because He CAN'T! He has set Himself in the position that He cannot go against His own Word! What has He said in His Word? John 3:16-18:
16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. 18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation — he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.] AMP
God Himself has ordered that if ANYONE will believe (cleave to, rely on, trust ) in HIM, this person WILL BE SAVED from death (eternal separation from God), hell and the grave! Another witness? 1 John 5:11-12:
1 John 5:11 And this is that testimony (that evidence): God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who possesses the Son has that life; he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life. AMP
GOD has never sent anyone to hell! The choices of each individual person concerning what THEY will do with JESUS is what determines whether Heaven or Hell is in our future for the next life! Have YOU received Jesus as Lord and personal Savior? If not, why not? Follow the link on the left to go to our website and find out how! NOW, go share that wonderful Good News with everyone you come in contact with so that they, too, can KNOW that they have Heaven as their home when they leave this earth! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with a job description for us! "No Reason To Hide":
Shalom in Him!
