Flipped Devotional
review weekly readings from Flipped Devotional the Book with the author and her husband
Flipped Devotional
September 8 - 14
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September 8 - Luke 10: 30 - 37
September 9 - Matthew 18: 21 - 35
September 10 - Matthew 20: 1 - 16
September 11 - Mark 4: 30 - 32
September 12 - Matthew 25: 31 - 46
September 13 - Luke 14: 15 - 24
September 14 - Matthew 25: 1 - 13
Welcome to Flip Devotional the Podcast. For each week, Martha Shannon, the author of Flip Devotional The Book, and Steve Shannon, discuss the readings from the week. If you haven't gotten Flip Devotional The Book, it's available on Amazon and Barnes Noble, and it's available as an ebook on Barnes Noble. So welcome to this week's podcast, second week of September. And September is Parables and Healings.
SPEAKER_02Correct.
SPEAKER_04And I think we are all parables this week.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_04So parables and healings kind of goes in that order. So yes. All right, parables. Are you ready to jump in?
SPEAKER_03Ready. Let's do this.
SPEAKER_04We got we got nothing. Nothing extra to say. All right. September 8th through September 14th is this week's. September 8th starts with Luke chapter 10. And um it's the parable of the Good Samaritan, one that I feel like a lot of people know this. I don't know. I think it's kind of interesting. It wasn't oh, I and because he could have told it in so many different ways. Right. But yeah. So um the parable of the Good Samaritan, there's a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. So are we assuming he's Jewish? Um I mean it doesn't say.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. But the reference to the Levite and the priest gives you the impression.
SPEAKER_04And the Samaritan. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And the Samaritan. There's a little twist with the Samaritan, I think. But yes.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_03Okay. So so but I I think the point is here's a person going who is injured, right? If I remember correctly, he he gets attacked.
SPEAKER_04He gets attacked, yes. By robbers.
SPEAKER_03By robbers.
SPEAKER_04They strip him of his clothes, beat him, and then went away, leaving him half dead.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_03Half dead apparently is some sort of standard. I always like half dead.
SPEAKER_04Which half? I don't know. Um so yeah, so a priest comes by and sees them. So that's important. He sees them.
SPEAKER_03He knows he's there. Yeah. And he's a priest, which means he intercedes between people and God.
SPEAKER_04And you know, right or wrong, they're kind of held to a higher standard.
SPEAKER_03Yes. And and that standard, they get some recognized within their community, you know, so they're, you know, it's it's and I think it's intentionally that the story is the priest, right? Because they are, whether it's accurate or fair, do they have a higher standard, right? But in this case, the priest does, no, I'm not gonna get involved with this, right?
SPEAKER_04And passes by on the other side.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I don't want to get too close to the guy.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, which kind of that distance kind of gives you permission to just go on.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. So then a Levite comes.
SPEAKER_03Who's another person called by God? You know, they had the 12 tribes, Levi was one. They didn't get any land when they went to the promised land, but they serve God over and over again, right? So again, both the priest and the Levite, you would think, are more responsive to what God wants us to be than others, perhaps. Kind of like, do we hold our pastors to a different standard, right? Our church leaders to whether that's fair or not, quite often, you know, well, you're a pastor, of course you think that, right? So I think this is sets the stage. And I would think if you're in the Jewish audience, you're not happy that Jesus is using this parable. And and, you know, the first two ignore the guy, right?
SPEAKER_04Now, a side note, I just looked up what's happening right before ours. And um it says in verse 25, on one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus and asked, What must I do to gain eternal life? And he says, you know, what does that love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. And Jesus, like, you're right, do that and you'll live. And so that man, so an expert in the law, yeah, who would have been a Jew.
SPEAKER_03Yes, yeah, it's yeah, yeah, an Israelite. Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_04Um, says, Well, who is my neighbor?
SPEAKER_03Yes. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so that reference, I would say, yes, the man is Jewish.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Uh, so yeah, this is kind of a slap in the face. Yeah. Kind of kind of harsh.
SPEAKER_03It gets worse.
SPEAKER_04For them to hear. Yeah, because then the Samaritan comes.
SPEAKER_03Um, and he said And the Israelites didn't like the Samaritans.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_03Remember the women of the well? Yeah. Didn't like each other. So here's a situation where Jesus didn't um associate with each other. Right.
SPEAKER_04Like they would purposely, he should have purposely walked on the other side.
SPEAKER_03He should have been the one to avoid the guy.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Yeah. But instead, he sees him. And again, all three of them see him.
SPEAKER_03Yes, there's no doubt that all the characters in this parable were were not aware, were aware of this injured man.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And it says he took pity on him, and he went to him and bandaged his wounds, put him on his own donkey.
SPEAKER_03Treated him, oil and wine, brought him to an inn. Healing, cleaning, right?
SPEAKER_04Took care of him, paid money for the innkeeper to keep him, came back.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra. Yes. So that's that's like that's a that's a blank check.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04And and Jesus says, which of these was a neighbor? And you know, you can't do anything but give the correct answer.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_03Right, right.
SPEAKER_04He's like, yep, go and do likewise.
SPEAKER_03He cared, he paid, he took time, right? So, and he had mercy, right? Yeah. All that stuff. So it's pretty clear. And again, this is a, I would think, something that if you're a Levite or a priest, you don't like this story. You know, I'm sure they're thinking he he could have used other people. He could have done this differently. But I think intentionally he did not.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And you know, they were kind of all about the the laws and following what, you know, even this guy, okay, what is it I have to do? Um, there was uh the rich young ruler who also was like, what do I need to do? You know, it's like everyone was interested in, okay, I understand that there's uh heaven coming. I want to be sure I'm on that track. What do I need to do? I mean, we we would even like to know, okay, yeah, what is it? Just just tell me, you know, school started recently, kids the first few days of school are spent. Here are the rules, here's what you need to do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04There's some students who listen intently to that. Because like, I want to know. Yeah, I don't want to mess up.
SPEAKER_03Um yeah, yeah, yeah. Our daughters.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And they always said, the kids are gonna follow the rules, don't have to hear them again. But you know, this is a situation where here it is, lay it out specifically. And Jesus didn't tell them the definition of a neighbor, he asked the question at the end, and it became evidence through the story, through the parable, what we are called to do.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. All right, September 9th is Matthew 18 uh 21 through 35 and just the parable of the unmerciful servant.
SPEAKER_02Correct.
SPEAKER_04And again is an Jesus gives it as an answer to a question.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_04Um Peter, who's one of my favorites, correct, um says, How many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? And I think he's being pretty noble of himself. Up to seven times, like yeah, that's that's good, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04If I forgive him seven times, I'm like in first place. And Jesus says, not seven times, but seventy-seven times, which always thought wasn't actually um an exact number.
SPEAKER_03And some I think has 70 times seven.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so it's which is even more not an exact number.
SPEAKER_03Um but a lot is the end.
SPEAKER_04Because I think, yeah, you're gonna lose count at that point, and you're not gonna actually get taken.
SPEAKER_03So I think the message at the beginning is a lot.
SPEAKER_04Always.
SPEAKER_03Always.
SPEAKER_04Always, you know.
SPEAKER_03Because who forgives us always?
SPEAKER_04God. And what does the Lord's Prayer say?
SPEAKER_03Uh forgive us as we forgive the right, forgive our sins as we forgive the sins of the others. Which I I always you should be very reluctant to pray that. Because you're asking God to treat you as you treat other people, right? And understand that before you say it.
SPEAKER_04And so Jesus starts off again with the kingdom of heaven is like.
SPEAKER_03Which probably means pay attention.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Um and this one is there's a king and a servant who owes ten thousand bags of gold. Yeah, how did he get to that point?
SPEAKER_01I don't know.
SPEAKER_04Come on. He no one should have let him get that far in debt.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_04Um, and he couldn't pay, and so the king ordered him to be he him and his family, yeah, his wife and his children, thrown in jail.
SPEAKER_03Sold.
SPEAKER_04Oh, sold, sorry. Um, and the servant begged him, yeah, please be patient, I will pay back everything. And the servant's master took pity on him, yeah, canceled the debt, and let him go. So similar to the Good Samaritan, where the Samaritan took pity on him, yeah, um, and took care of them.
SPEAKER_03So then the And again, 10,000 bags of gold.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. So the servant goes out and a fellow servant owes him a hundred silver coins.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_04Which in comparison is a measly amount.
SPEAKER_03I would yes, I think that's the message.
SPEAKER_04And he grabbed him, began to choke him, said, pay it back. And he said, I can't, be patient, I will pay it back. Says he refused and had the man thrown into prison. Well, then the master heard about it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, some of the other servants written them out.
SPEAKER_04So it's this forgive, you will be forgiven as you forgive.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, this is really the Lord's prayer and action, right?
SPEAKER_04And the master's like, I canceled yours and you went and did that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04And it says, This is how my heavenly father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Some of these parables are. That's a tough message.
SPEAKER_03Yes. And it's forgive from your heart.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so you can't just say, okay, I forgive you.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04But then still hold resentment towards them or Right, right, right.
SPEAKER_03And I always differentiate between brain knowledge and heart knowledge. Where heart, there's more value to it, more substance. Brain knowledge is like, I forgive you and go on, but generally forgive and see what happens from the heart. Much more, I think, challenging. But clearly, this is how my heavenly father will treat each of you in less, which means, right? You wicked servant.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03I mean, I don't want God calling me a wicked servant. Right?
SPEAKER_04Right. So because September 10th.
SPEAKER_03September 10th.
SPEAKER_04So what you asked for last week is coming to fruition.
SPEAKER_03Oh, good. What did I ask for?
SPEAKER_04You said that all the kingdom of heaven parables should be put in a row. So September 10th, we have another one for the kingdom of heaven is like.
SPEAKER_02Is like.
SPEAKER_04This is from Matthew chapter 20, 1 through 16. This the parable of the work workers in the vineyard, which I feel a comparison to the prodigal son.
SPEAKER_03Because help me understand why.
SPEAKER_04Well, because in here you have the workers who worked all day and were told you will get paid this much. And at the end, they're like, wait, the people who just worked an hour are getting as much pay as me. It's like, well, yeah, but that's what you agreed to. So it's kind of the older son complaining, a similar yeah, I can get it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. But this story is they go out, the owner of the vineyard, you come work for me, I'll pay you what was a denaris, whatever that unit is, come work. He goes back out at 12. There's people hanging around not working. Go work, go work, I'll pay you three o'clock, five o'clock. So he goes out four times and brings people into work, right? And I guess we could Google what a denarius, but whatever. Yeah. Money. Money. You you're gonna get paid. And then he says, pay the folks, right? Whoever that was responsible for doing that. So they line up to get paid and they pay the last workers first.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, which is yeah.
SPEAKER_03Which sets the stage for what happens later, right? Yes. And and what happens is the 5 o'clock p.m. workers who work for, I think it's an hour just about, right? One hour, they got paid at an areas, which is what the deal was, right? Then the three o'clock workers who would work three hours got paid that.
SPEAKER_04And the 12 And so you know the the ones standing in line who were hired first are going, oh sweet, we're gonna get more. Yeah because look, they're getting that much, and we've been here longer. Yeah, we gotta get more, gotta get more, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it doesn't seem right. I mean, if they worked an hour and they got one, we worked nine. Are we getting nine? I mean, ooh, yes, yes, yeah. I mean, it's not hard, right? So then they go on and then they show up, the nine o'clock folks are in line, and they get what? One denarium.
SPEAKER_04Yep, the same.
SPEAKER_03And they get mad. How come he only works an hour and he got paid that and I worked all day and got paid this, right? Mm-hmm. How come? Doesn't seem right. And the owner, the landowner, says, What's unfair to you? Didn't you agree to get paid for this? This is what you get. And I agree to do that, you know. What I do with my own money with other people is my business, right? You know, yeah, you know, so and it's very interesting. It goes back to, you know, should if I accept Jesus now, I go to heaven, let's have some fun, right? And do it later. You still get the same deal. But it's it's it goes back to is it fair, right? And the fair part is yeah. Is it the same? No. Same is not as fair, does not mean same. Right, right. Right. Fair means is it fair? And the landowner is like, you know, God, salvation. Here it is, you know. So if you ask for it on your deathbed, you go to heaven, right? If you do it when you're eight years old and live that life until you're 98 years old, you go to heaven. There's no extra, there's no better spot, there's nothing better, you know. Right. You don't get a front row, you know. But so I think that's and for some people this is hard, right? But it's it's again, it's it's that distinction between fair and sane. Right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. Yeah. There was one line in this passage that uh I was curious about. Um, when the when the guy comes out and says, Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing? They said, Because no one has hired us.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04I just wonder in the underlying message of this parable, what does that mean?
SPEAKER_03Uh maybe it means, again, are we supposed to tell people? Is hiring like telling them about Jesus? So no one's told us about him.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03No one's taken this action, right? No one's come to us, right? Someone has to go to the person, right? Communicate that. So maybe that's what you know, it's a great question you ask. Is that the explanation? And it may or may not be. Again, we didn't go to seminary, but as you look at it, it's because it that doesn't come up every time, but no one has hired us. You know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And you know, it it it's a parable, so I feel like everything in it has is purposefully.
SPEAKER_03And it also might be no one hired them because they didn't look like they were good workers. Where God doesn't care if you look like you ought to go to heaven.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. That's true because it says they've been standing there all day long. All day long. Like they could have been hired earlier. Yeah. It's not like they just got up and came out.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03But maybe they didn't come across and look like the other workers.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Which sometimes you see that at church, you know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03You know, years and years ago, it would be a tie and a jacket to church. That's what's the standard, right? And then we got away from that. And I started wearing jeans and a t shirt because I didn't want someone coming who was the least dressed person at church.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_03And jeans and a t shirt didn't make me the least dressed, but oh, there's someone in jeans and t shirt. I'm good, right? Intentional. So I think this is part of it. So I think, yeah, that's a good point. Is you know, they didn't get hired for some reason. This guy didn't care.
SPEAKER_04Yep. All right. September 11th, which is always a hard date to even say it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And just briefly, I grew up in New Jersey and went to college in a town where a lot of the students were from the New York metropolitan area. I never read the New York Times obituaries. Because I a really good chance someone who died on in New York City in the Towers on Jovember 11th, I knew, right? Or I knew their brother, right? And several years ago, I don't know how many, we went to New York City and stopped by the fountain and got in at the very end of the day. And you know, I I didn't want to do that. And person who we've met before, who in Connecticut, Jeff Hurst, same thing. Independent from me. So yeah, I didn't want to read it for the same reason. And we go and look, and they have names etched. And I'll never forget the first name and the only name I really remember was Frank Rizzo. Rizzo is a very common name. I mean, Italian name, Micropolitan area. Baseball player was Rizzo, right? But a friend of mine in grade school was Frank Rizzo. And again, is it the same? Probably not.
SPEAKER_04But it could be.
SPEAKER_03But it could be. So I always point that out as it really is, you know, it's if you live there, it's life-changing. Yeah. And there's people we know whose life are changed, whether they were victims or direct arm fighting. It's a really significant event there. So there and Washington, DC and Pennsylvania as well. Yeah. And the whole country. But it's I didn't want to worry. I didn't know. I didn't want to know.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_03So yeah. That's my 9-11 story.
SPEAKER_04So yeah. So we have the parable of the mustard seed. Um, it's in Mark chapter four, uh, also in Luke. Um, and very, very short, but again, the kingdom of God is like. Yep. Um. And says it's like a mustard seed. And this is and is the mustard seed the smallest of all seeds on earth?
SPEAKER_03It's in the Bible. It's in the Bible.
SPEAKER_04Uh, it's this is a a parable that I've seen done as a children's sermon a lot, um, because you can give everyone a mustard seed, and it's a little hard to keep up with a brown yellow thing. And um I had one in my Bible for a while. I don't think it's still there, but I don't know, could be. It's not growing. Um, but it's it's fun to do because you look at this little mustard seed, and then it says when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shades.
SPEAKER_03Right. Uh they have a picture, just Google it, next to a penny.
SPEAKER_04Oh, oh yeah.
SPEAKER_03I mean, it's so much smaller, and um it's uh mustard seed is roughly the size of a large grain of cortisalt. So it's very small.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So anyway, but it grows, right? Obviously. And that's the kingdom of God. Just starts right? Plant the seed, let it grow.
SPEAKER_04So yeah, and I guess I I don't know, we don't have an explanation of this. I don't know if that means it's just so obvious we don't need one. Um but is it it it does like I don't know. Is it referring to uh is is the mustard seed a person? Is it an act? You know, something that a person does?
SPEAKER_03Is it um you know, is it is it telling someone about Jesus is the mustard seed, and that will grow, and you don't know how it grows, how much, right? Billy Graham, someone told Billy Graham about Jesus, right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, someone did, right, right, yeah.
SPEAKER_03That was a mustard seed, and what did it become? Right, you know, obviously, you know, so I think that's part of it. And it's also yet that's such that it gets so big that birds can perch on in its shade and perch so they're on it underneath it, you know. So it's it's just that to me it's it you don't know what's gonna come out of telling someone about Jesus or telling someone about your faith or or what happened to church, whatever that may be. You just don't know. And hear the message is it will grow like the mustard seed, you know, it will get so large.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. All right, September 12th. This is a long one.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_04If if you have the book, I really tried to get most of the readings to just a page. Um, because my my hope was if it would not be too long for someone to be able to sit down and and read every day.
SPEAKER_01Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_04Um but this one is like You failed. I did. It's almost two pages. Well, I mean, it takes up two pages, but anyway.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_04This is a this is a tough story. This is very um, I keep wanting to say explicit. Is that the right word?
SPEAKER_03Yeah. I was gonna say direct.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_03I mean this doesn't leave a lot of room for wondering.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, like the mustard seed. We're like, I don't know.
SPEAKER_03But this one's like small to big, right? But this is clear.
SPEAKER_04This is one of those stories that I think if people read it, they would kind of skim over the last part and go, okay, let's let's move on. What's next?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Um this is the sheep and the goats.
SPEAKER_03And um and apparently they get separated. A shepherd separates sheep from goats at some point, right?
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_04Right. Um it says the the king will come. I was trying to see says the kingdom of God is like it doesn't.
SPEAKER_03But um But even says when the son of man comes in his glory, all the angels with him, right? So this almost moves away from it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that part's not a parable.
SPEAKER_03Um But it's I mean, it's yeah. I mean, it falls under, I think, the big category of parables. But when the son of man comes in his glory, because when Jesus came in the first time, I mean he was Jesus, right? But this is when he comes back again, right? And all the angels with him.
SPEAKER_04So yeah. And so to the sheep, because they're on the right, right? The king says, Come on in, um, take your inheritance, the kingdoms prepared for you.
SPEAKER_03Since the creation of the world.
SPEAKER_04He says, because I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty, you gave me drink, I was a stranger, you invited me in, I needed clothes, you clothed me, I was sick, you looked after me, I was in prison, you came to visit me. And the says the righteous were like, When? When did we like I don't remember right seeing you? Yeah, you know, and the king says, Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers.
SPEAKER_03Truly I tell you. Yes. I mean, there's no again, this is no debate. No debate.
SPEAKER_04This is it. When you did for one of the least of mine, you did it for me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Which, you know, the righteous are going, oh wow. So when I saw that guy on the side of the road, yeah, and I just, you know, helped him a little bit, that that counted.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Like that was wow. And then to the group on the left.
SPEAKER_03And and you didn't know when you did that action, this is, you know, this is an investment in my eternity. You just took care of someone or visited or say you old or whatever.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And then the group on the left, the and this is the part we don't like, depart from me. You who are cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. And he says the same thing. Like I wrote in my notes, the standards are the same.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04I was hungry, you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, you didn't. I was a stranger, you didn't. I needed clothes, you didn't. I was sick in prison, you didn't. And then they're going, whoa, wait, when did we see you like that?
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_04Like we would have, if we had seen you like that, we would have done something. He's like, no, it was the least you didn't do it for.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_04Says then they will go away to eternal punishment.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_04But the righteous to eternal life.
SPEAKER_03Again, you will spend eternity somewhere. Right? And if you don't believe, you don't believe it, that's fine, right? But this and other passages we read the last, right? Two weeks. You will spend eternity somewhere. And it could be eternal punishment, right? Or eternal life. But eternal punishment means it's not gonna end. Right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So if you don't believe it, let's talk, we can have a conversation. But it sure seems like this is another situation, right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and I mean I I don't love reading stuff like this any more than you know anybody else. And we don't want to come across harsh and like dang this is what's gonna happen. But it's the truth. It's what Jesus says. I mean, if you have a red letter Bible, this is in red, which is words from Jesus. Yes, yeah. So, you know, it if this is hidden home to you and you're like, oh my gosh, I thought I was okay, but maybe I'm not. Um you know, first of all, have you accepted Jesus as your savior? And all you have to do is just ask him. Yeah. There's no test. Right. Just say, hey, Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God and I want to follow you. Come into my heart, be with me, help me. Let's do this journey together. Yeah. I mean, it's really is that simple. And then we we've talked before about you know, how do you know um what to do? How do you know what God is saying? Um many people question that. I just try to stay open to his leading. And it's like, well, is that God leading or is that just me coming up with it? It's like, you know what? If it's good, right, go for it. Yeah, what's it gonna hurt? If you came up with it, woo-hoo for you. But if it was God and you followed him, woo-hoo for you again.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_04Either way, it's it's it's fine.
SPEAKER_03And because this verse, you did this when you did it for Lise, you did it for me. It never says you knew it was God.
SPEAKER_04No, it doesn't say that.
SPEAKER_03It says the opposite.
SPEAKER_04Exactly.
SPEAKER_03You did it despite, right? So, so this is a case where actions matter.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03You know, this is where you got to living your faith. Live your faith, right?
SPEAKER_04And I I would say, okay, does that mean every time I drive down the road and there's someone on the corner with a cardboard sign asking for money, you know, please help me, blah, blah. Um, does that mean you need to stop and help them every single time? I I personally would say no.
SPEAKER_03Right. But and you can say it'd be wonderful if you did.
SPEAKER_04Sure. You know, or I don't know, whatever your feeling is on that.
SPEAKER_03Right. Right. And at times you'll get, I think people, yeah, help this person out. And that's happened with us, you know.
SPEAKER_04You you specifically, there's been Steve is much more generous than I am. Um, if God wants me to give something to someone, boy, he's really got like knock me over. Um, but yeah, Steve has had times where, you know, we we drive the same path all the time. Um and there's been times when Steve's like, I think I'm supposed to stop and give something to this guy. And it's not every time, it's just, you know, yeah, whenever God prompts him. Yeah. Um, but anyway.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And when that happens, I say, look, here God's told me to give you this, and whatever it is. I remember one time it was a rust area, and all I had was a 20. It's like, thanks, God. So but I I would say, there it is. God told me to give this to you. What you do with your business, right? And if you go out and buy something that's bad for you with this money, that's between you and God, not me. You know, I'm doing what God wants me to do. So we need to be, you know, and and I and again, I've said this before, I have two pocket crosses. I don't even know if they're called pocket crosses.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, they are.
SPEAKER_03Good. I always call them pocket crosses.
SPEAKER_04Because they're a cross and they're in your pocket.
SPEAKER_03Right, right. But I mean, if if you go to Google, you know, Amazon. Anyway, so and God tells me to give some away. And I bet I've given away, I don't know how many.
SPEAKER_04I don't know, but we've had to order more.
SPEAKER_03You know, because the same thing, and not every day, but God does give his person a cross, and that's what I do. But I don't want to get to heaven and say, Why didn't you give that cross when God told you to give a cross? I I I don't I was really in a hurry that day. You know, I had a lot going on.
SPEAKER_04Right, right. Okay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Uh September 13th is from Luke 14. This is the parable of the great banquet. Which who doesn't love that?
SPEAKER_02Right. I I love a great banquet.
SPEAKER_04Well, just you know, lots of yummy food.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. You ever been to a banquet?
SPEAKER_04No, I haven't been invited.
SPEAKER_03There you go.
SPEAKER_04Um, so it's it starts out there's a a banquet. Well, it says, blessed. I'm sorry, blah blah. So someone says this to Jesus Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04And Jesus just jumps in and goes, a certain man was preparing a great banquet.
SPEAKER_03Talk about a non-sequidor. You know, I just want you to say hey to me, you know. So so I could get a picture taken with you.
SPEAKER_04So, so good. Um I I would love to have seen the the face of the guy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Like, what?
SPEAKER_04That's just one. So, oh, where is this going? Okay.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, what have I done?
SPEAKER_04Um, so he has a great banquet, he invites um all his mini guests.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_04And it says they all alike began to make excuses. And there's a variety of excuses, some of which people would go, now that's a legitimate excuse, you know. Maybe not that one, but come on. Right. This one, that's yeah, yeah. You know.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I just bought a field, I must go see it. You didn't see it before you bought it. You know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but I just got married.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's good, married, good five yoke of oxen, you know, on my way to try them out. You know, new car. I want to go drive my new car, right?
SPEAKER_04And so the servant comes back and says, you know, they they can't come. And says, well, go out into the streets and alleys and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. He says, We we did that, and there's still room.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04And says, go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in.
SPEAKER_03Compel.
SPEAKER_04So that my house will be full.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. So Again, we are supposed to be active.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And the everyone, everyone, the poor, the crippled, yeah, the blind, the lame. Um, our first Sunday at our church, um, the first Sunday we were there, uh, we sat pretty much in the maybe the last row, maybe second last row. And I look around at everyone there, and it's an eclectic group. Yeah. Nice. Um and I was like, this is heaven. This is exactly what heaven's gonna be like. It's all of us together.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04We were dressed okay, you know. Steve probably had on jeans and a t-shirt, shorts and a t-shirt.
SPEAKER_03Um probably a tie and jacket.
SPEAKER_04No. Um, there were many people with many tattoos. Um there were people, there was just a variety of people there. And we all stood and sang together, and I was just overwhelmed with this is it. Yeah, this is exactly what heaven's gonna be like. Yep. Everyone is invited.
SPEAKER_03And from God's perspective, looking down, we're not that different.
SPEAKER_04Exactly. You know, exactly. Now the difficult line in this one that I'm not exactly sure, I understand, says, I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.
SPEAKER_03Um well is it because they were with him and they turned away? Or they were invited, meaning they didn't they never said yes, they didn't commit to going, right? They found other reasons not to attend, and maybe it's it's it's a message about what are your priorities, right? You know, so maybe that's bad. Again, but it that's a pretty tough message, right? Because our understanding is, you know, did these other people say yes and then couldn't go, right? You know, and then it's just so I I think it's it's you know, but maybe part of the message is you need to attend things, you need you need to be active, you need to be engaged, you need right. Now the folks that got invited went, but they they weren't invited initially. Right. So I always read it from the perspective of of the guy who had the banquet, you know, they weren't worthy initially. And maybe it's also a reflection on him, right? He changed his perspective, right? But yeah, I think that's always been a with this one a tough message. Is is, you know. But maybe it goes back to where you plant your seeds, and these people's their seeds were planted where their life got busy and didn't pay attention, right? We did that sometime recently, last week maybe. Right.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_03So that was one of the things, you know, thorns. They all had thorns in their life.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. All right. September 14th, Matthew chapter 25, the parable of the ten virgins. Um, and this is five were foolish, five were wise, they're waiting for the bridegroom to come. Um, and it says the the bridegroom was a long time in coming. Like you don't know.
SPEAKER_03Right and the wise ones brought extra oil. Right. You don't know when Jesus comes back. I mean it could be, it could be now, right? And and and and the point is, goes back to what we've talked repeatedly recently about well, why do I accept Jesus now when I can just do it before I die? Because you don't know the schedule, right? You know, I've said it before, God has neither a watch nor a calendar.
SPEAKER_04Right, right. Um, so they are the yeah, they're trying to keep their lamps on, and the the foolish ones, their lamps are dying out as the bridegroom is coming. They're like, Oh, can we borrow some oil? And the wise ones are like, no, because then I won't have any. Yeah. Like, go go buy some. So they go to buy some, and and while they're gone, the bridegroom comes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and they go in.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And it says the virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. So some of these parables teach a lesson, you know, we said that, but are pretty direct, pretty, you know, you can almost say this, these these are tough messages. Yes, right. Yes.
SPEAKER_04You know. Yeah. Then the the foolish ones come and and they're knocking, there's like, you know, open the door and says, Truly, I tell you.
SPEAKER_02Truly I tell you.
SPEAKER_04I don't know you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So tie to. Truly I tell you. T I to.
SPEAKER_04Um. So my question is, what does always being ready mean? It says, you know, you need to always be ready.
SPEAKER_03Um what does that earlier, you know, have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, right? You know.
SPEAKER_04And um Are you spending time with him?
SPEAKER_03Are you spending time with anybody who you want to know better? Are you spending time with him?
SPEAKER_04Uh and spending time with him is reading the Bible. It's praying, which is talking to him, it's listening to him.
SPEAKER_03Um I mean, it's really the same thing you do with anyone else you want to have a relationship with. It's time, it's an exchange, right? You know, a conversation. Uh, and and but it it's it's time, you know. And and I still think there's some peace in some of these stories, you know. Does your behavior change? You know, do you and you don't have to visit everyone in prison, but do you do things differently or for a different reason than you did before? You know?
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_03You know. And even that story, you know, when you did this to the least, you did it for me, and then, you know, you're on the right side. Um, you know. So I think actions matter, the relationship matters, uh acknowledging Jesus, accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you know.
SPEAKER_04Um, the companion verse for this one is 2 Peter chapter 3, uh, 10 through 15. And it says, But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, the heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire. But in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul wrote about. So when we say things like live holy, godly lives, be blameless, it it almost sets the bar so high that you feel like it can't do it. It's not even possible.
SPEAKER_03But maybe the journey is you know towards that standard is as important of accomplishing it. Because we all know we're not gonna live blameless lives, right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and I think if you take the the verse where it says, bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, his patience with us, yeah, his patience with his people coming to him. And if if you remember all the other parables, the um the one where the people who worked for an hour got paid the same as the people who worked eight hours. The prodigal son, the father who ran towards his son as he came.
SPEAKER_03Right. His son didn't run to the father.
SPEAKER_04That's our that's our God.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's our God, right.
SPEAKER_04He has that much love, that much generosity towards us that I think we don't have to, we don't have to worry if we are following him.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And the biggest is making that initial decision. So yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Good stuff.
SPEAKER_04Whoo, another kind of tough week.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, these paradoxes how bad they are.
SPEAKER_04I want to get to the healings. That's that's kind of the fun part.
SPEAKER_02It's gotta be better.
SPEAKER_04All right, thanks for listening to this week's Flip Devotional The Podcast. Uh, don't forget to download, uh, rate, review, uh, share with your friends, um, encourage people in the Midwest to uh give us a listen. And we will see you next week.
