It is without a doubt one of the most beloved and timeless stories in the entire Bible, courtesy of Jesus Himself.

In this PODCAST, you will hear the story has you have never heard nor read it before.

A story for Jesus’ day; a story for our own day.

A story for Jesus’ disciples; a story for us as Jesus’ disciples.

Just imagine that the principle player in the story told you his story in his own words, in his own voice.

A much needed story for us all to hear, especially at this tender time in our nation’s history, especially in this day when so many precious people are so woefully divided one from another.

This is one of those special stories that gives us a glimpse into the enormous heart and sizable soul of Jesus.

A Thanksgiving gift, from my heart to yours.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

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God bless you as you listen. And please share a link to this podcast with someone you love.

Oh, my friends. You are about to be amazed…

In this PODCAST, you will be amazed that in such a few words, Jesus taught such a tremendously timely and thought-provoking parable.

Exactly WHAT the disciples (and US!) needed to hear; exactly WHEN they (and WE!) needed to hear it.

If the world seems to be spinning out of control…

If it seems that we are losing…

If life becomes for you at times overwhelming…

If you ever feel oh so tired, weary, worn down…

Then you are in for a treat, courtesy of Jesus.

Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.

God bless you as you listen!

It’s a day that receives NO recognition.

I don’t know why. I have no explanation. It’s simply a fact.

This holiday (Holy Day) is the 3rd most important date on our calendars. 3rd only to Christmas and Easter.

And yet, year after year, it comes and it goes with nary a mention. As happened #JustLastWeek!!!

So in this PODCAST, we are going to mention it. What this holiday is. How it came about. What it means to you and me.

And why we are the poorer for not observing it.

Get ready to feel affirmed, my friend. Because truth be told, this Holy Day is in reality YOUR day.

Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it might take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.

God bless you as you listen.

Welcome to Parable #1.

That’s right! In this PODCAST, we begin in earnest now to understand Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13.

Oh, you’re in for a treat. Because this first parable, just like the eight that will follow it, speak directly to our lives at this time, in this place, in our day, today.

This is as personal as it gets.

Jesus now shifts His focus completely, from talking to the crowds of His day, about the many challenges that they faced, to talking directly to us in our day, about the many challenges that we each face today.

I cannot stress enough the absolute importance of understanding these parables. Neither could Jesus, who begins this first parable with the word, “Listen.” And then ends the parable by referencing those of us who do indeed “listen and understand.”

In this podcast, we will do both — listen and understand.

Please note that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play. God bless you as you listen.

Mothers, think back to what it was like when you gave birth to your firstborn child – the fears, the insecurities, the feelings of inadequacy.

Now imagine that when you did give birth, it was not in the clinical cleanliness of a hospital room or birthing center.

Imagine you were in a cave, dark and alone, unsanitary to the extreme, no nurse, doctor, or midwife to help you, and you are all of 13 or 15 years old, in what was essentially a foreign country, away from your family, with only your fiancé to help you.

Add to all of that the political climate of the world Mary was living in – a world of crushing oppression fueled by a brutal and barbaric military occupation.

Furthermore, if we discover nothing else from the birth narratives in both Matthew and Luke, we at least learn this: There are some people in this world who are without a doubt the very incarnation of evil.

Such was the power of Rome, and so was the person of Herod.

From this point on in all four Gospels, every miracle that Jesus performs, every lesson that Jesus teaches, every person whom Jesus meets, every action that Jesus completes will all be done under the watchful and wary eyes of Rome, the imperial power to whom Herod had sold his soul.

With that in mind, can we even begin to imagine the world into which Mary gave birth to her son?

You will learn so much more about that world as you listen to this podcast.

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