Thursday June 28, 2012 thought for the day

HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

1-"The loving father" was concerned with his prodigal son-

2-"The older brother" was concerned with himself-

3-"The older brother" wanted his prodigal brother to be punished for his life's choices, not showing grace of reconciliation toward him-

4-"The loving father" left the lights on, on the front porch light, so the prodigal son would know he was welcome and could find his way home-

5-Usually you do not get to chose the tests and trials of your life-

 

STRANGE THOUGHT-Even the smoothest, widest path is no good if you can't find it-

 

I'VE LEARNED-It is far more important for others to discover your good qualities without your help-

 

DID YOU KNOW-Nestle' is the largest company in Switzerland, yet more than 98 percent of it's revenue comes from outside the country-

 

5 THINGS I WANT TO KNOW

1-How many children were there in Joseph's and Mary's family?

2-Did Joseph bring any children to his marriage to Mary?

3-Did Mary have any daughters?

4-Who provided for Mary when Jesus started his ministry?

5-Could Mary have remarried after Joseph's death?

 

BIBLE TRIVIA-When Paul was mobbed in the temple, who rescued him?

Yesterday's answer-Philippi  Acts 16:16-22

 

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY      Matthew 20:1-16

A Story About Workers

 ¹ "The kingdom of heaven is like a person who owned some land. One morning, he went out very early to hire some people to work in his vineyard. ² The man agreed to pay the workers one coin^[a] for working that day. Then he sent them into the vineyard to work.³ About nine o'clock the man went to the marketplace and saw some other people standing there, doing nothing.⁴ So he said to them, 'If you go and work in my vineyard, I will pay you what your work is worth.'⁵ So they went to work in the vineyard. The man went out again about twelve o'clock and three o'clock and did the same thing.⁶ About five o'clock the man went to the marketplace again and saw others standing there. He asked them, 'Why did you stand here all day doing nothing?' ⁷ They answered, 'No one gave us a job.' The man said to them, 'Then you can go and work in my vineyard.'

    ⁸ "At the end of the day, the owner of the vineyard said to the boss of all the workers, 'Call the workers and pay them. Start with the last people I hired and end with those I hired first.'

    ⁹ "When the workers who were hired at five o'clock came to get their pay, each received one coin. ¹⁰ When the workers who were hired first came to get their pay, they thought they would be paid more than the others. But each one of them also received one coin.¹¹ When they got their coin, they complained to the man who owned the land.¹² They said, 'Those people were hired last and worked only one hour. But you paid them the same as you paid us who worked hard all day in the hot sun.'¹³ But the man who owned the vineyard said to one of those workers, 'Friend, I am being fair to you. You agreed to work for one coin.¹⁴ So take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same pay that I gave you. ¹⁵ I can do what I want with my own money. Are you jealous because I am good to those people?'

    ¹⁶ "So those who are last now will someday be first, and those who are first now will someday be last."

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, help us to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and eager to give the benefit of the doubt to others. We often jump to conclusions that are erroneous due to our own preconceived ideas or based on past experiences.  Give each of us an understanding heart, a forgiving attitude, and a discerning spirit as we relate to those who intersect our paths from day to day. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE LOVE TO SHARE, HEALTH TO SPARE AND FRIENDS THAT CARE!