{"id":11065,"date":"2020-04-11T23:22:54","date_gmt":"2020-04-11T23:22:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pjhmail.wordpress.com\/?p=11065"},"modified":"2020-04-11T23:22:54","modified_gmt":"2020-04-11T23:22:54","slug":"parable-of-talents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/11065\/parable-of-talents\/","title":{"rendered":"Parable of Talents"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning again!<\/span><\/p>\n

While working in the yard the other day I had a thought about God being a businessman and expecting a good return. I thought about how Jesus made sure we knew this by the parable of talents. So I have been reading that parable. It would be so easy to say, “I need to do more; I need to give and do works.” My flesh wants some physical work to make Jesus happy.<\/span><\/p>\n

It made me think about what I really have been taught. I am very thankful to have that knowledge from you and from Jesus, especially now. I have been reading all the instructions you have been giving. I found myself asking Jesus after I read the parable of the talents, “Is this all you want Lord? Can I just ask you to show me anything that is wrong and you want to be fixed? Can I ask you to help me have fellowship and to love your children, like you want them loved? Can I be still and listen? “<\/span><\/p>\n

Something in me can’t believe it is that simple.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then I thought about when I worked at Ford. I knew nothing in the beginning. I did not know how to walk in the plant safely, how to find my way when asked to move to another area, how to use any of the tools I was given. I had been a waitress; I had never seen assembly lines or manufacturing processes. Plus, I am not coordinated at all. <\/span><\/p>\n

But I learned if I listened to what my supervisor wanted, and I really followed my trainer for the three days I had them, I could do the job. I may not have been good at it right away, but I could do what they wanted me to do. Eventually, I flowed with the workings of that plant. I could easily be placed wherever they needed me to work. I was pliable; I took instruction, and I became a useful employee.<\/span><\/p>\n

I thought about you telling Samuel not to go too deep, to stay simple and follow his mama’s example (what a beautiful example she is to follow). I love the instruction. It is safe, and it brings me such relief, every time you give it. I know how to follow instructions.<\/span><\/p>\n

I loved Caleb’s email, hearing his heart, and your response and instruction. I love that it is going to Jesus and saying, “Whatever you want Lord.” I pray to take the instruction and be pliable. I just want to be limp!<\/span><\/p>\n

I do not want to be the selfish child in a household that has been given so much that it expects it, so spoiled it will cause interruptions and chaos. As a parent myself, I can see only one way to fix that. I don’t want Jesus to do that to me.<\/span><\/p>\n

I am very thankful for the instruction and the examples I have. I am thankful for my foundation you are giving me in the truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

I look at that last sentence and wish it could have better words to really tell you how I feel. It can’t be found in words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beth<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Good morning again! While working in the yard the other day I had a thought about God being a businessman and expecting a good return. I thought about how Jesus made sure we knew this by the parable of talents. So I have been reading that parable. It would be so easy to say, “I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-netmail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11065"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11065\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pastorjohnshouse.com\/mailbag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}