Matthew 25: 14 - 30. The Parable of the Talents

How well are you using your gifts?  We have all been given earthly gifts as well as gifts from God.  We can understand as parents that when we have given our children gifts and they used the gifts poorly or not at all, how it makes us feel.  We were excited to give them the gift and we can only hope that they appreciate it and use it with the excitement that we had in the giving of it.  But, this is not always the case.

Imagine how God feels when he has given us a particular gift and we squander it or simply push it aside.  The disappointment He feels is something we as parents can relate to.  A gift is free to the receiver, but it comes with the a level of expectation that it will be used and beneficial. 

God blesses us when we bless others with what we have been given.  How well are you giving your gifts?

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Matthew 21:28-32. Parable of the Two Sons
Which son are you?  The son that says no to your father, but then later rethinks it and answers his call. Or, the son that says yes to his father, but then turns around and ignores his father's request?

We likely have found ourselves being each of these sons at various times.  Sometimes we hear God calling us to do something and we just aren't interested or in the right mood. But, through a change in heart, we turn our actions and do what is requested.  Other times, we may being trying to avoid "face to face" conflict or guilt from not obeying God, so we say we will do something.  Then, as if God can't see us, we turn our backs on him and do as we please. 

God loves when we listen, but listening means nothing if it is not followed up with actions.  God wants us to be doing.  Not to earn our salvation, but to demonstrate our dedication to him as our savior.  God wants us to be sold out to him and demonstrate that through actions.

How well are you following through on your words? 

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Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard -  Matthew 20:1-16
Do you find yourself comparing your life to others?  Do you sometimes judge situations on fairness from your perspective?  You see someone getting treated in what looks to be better than you and you say, "That's not fair!" 

Human nature is quick to point out what we see as inequalities in life circumstances.  But this particular parable asks us to step back and view the circumstance through a different lens, God's lens. 

God's word does not always seem fair or even reasonable from the human perspective.  When that seems to be the case, we might do well to be challenged to try viewing through God's eyes.  Maybe this seems near impossible, but Christ came to help us learn to be better at this.  He challenges us to see things in a different light and with a different understanding. 

The next time you want to say, "That's not fair!" Do yourself a favor and try to see the circumstances through God's Word.

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As we cover the parables of Christ we are reminded of how different the ways of Christ are as compared to human nature.  This particular parable is a hard lesson about mercy.  We would all love to have mercy showered over us for the things that we have done in our lives, but the bigger check is how well we give others mercy. 

In this parable, Christ gives us yet another strong reminder of how his ways are so different than what our human nature desires.  He reminds us that we must be intentional about seeking out the ways of God, or we risk the harsh judgement of the Lord. 

How well do you show mercy to others?  Are you looking for a break when you have made a mistake, yet you hold others to a standard that you would never want to be help to?  These are interesting thoughts that all of us could benefit from. 

Matthew 18: 21-35

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This is the parable that Jesus told which explains our failed attempts at trying to mix the new with the old.  The two will be in conflict with each other and end up causing greater harm.  Whether we are trying to sew an unshrunk piece of cloth onto an old shrunk piece of cloth or mixing an old lifestyle with a new lifestyle, we will have tension.  

Jesus is referencing the idea of becoming totally new when we come into following him.  Doing away with our old ways and practicing new ways.  When we try to "live the best of both worlds" we will find ourselves in conflict. 

What old way do you need to cut out of your life in order to allow the new ways of Christ to flourish in your life? 

“Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:15-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.9.15-17.NIV

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Strong Dads celebrates our 200th show!  After 200 shows we come back to the topic that gave us roots.  A foundation in Christ and his word.  Kyle and Hutch are beginning their Summer Series on the Parables of Christ.  Each week throughout the Summer they will tackle a new parable that Christ told to the people of his time.  These same parables still carry relevance with us today.

This week the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders will be discussed.  What are you building your house on?

Matthew 7:24-27 NIV
The Wise and Foolish Builders

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

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How can you tell whether a person is truly a good person?  How do you know if they are as good as they say they are?  The answer is one of discernment.  Often we confuse discernment with judgment.  We are told to not judge others or we will be judged.  This refers to the condemnation that we often want to place on others.  No, our responsibility is not to judge or condemn people to heaven or hell. 

However, we are called to use discernment with people.  In other words, we are called to make a decision from our interactions and observations about their actions and words.  Biblically, we are called to view the fruit of their labor. 

If a man tells you they are doing great things and then with your own eyes you witness something less than great, then you make a discernment.  Do their words and actions match?  If not then how will this impact your ability to trust the person in the future?

Before we get too deeply into how we should apply discernment to others, we must first understand what this looks like for ourselves.  It is a fine process to evaluate your own words and actions to see how well they are aligned.  You will likely find plenty of areas where your actions and words are not as coherent as you would like them to be or as others would like them to be. 

This show is a great lesson on understanding the Fruit of Labor and why it is the key to helping us understand how we can trust and interact with others. 

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Hutch had his opportunity to show off his dreams of building the Kettle Bar and other pieces of fitness equipment in the gym. Now, Kyle gets his turn in the woodshop.  Kyle has been growing his dream of the perfect woodshop where he creates and builds everything from small crafts to pieces of furniture. 

Here's the question.  What is your dream?  What would you love to be able to bring to life in you?  Are you doing it? Why or why not? 

One of the worst places a man can end up in his life is the place of REGRETS.  Getting to a point in your life where you have a brain full of unlived dreams that never found reality.  This is a recipe for depression and despair.  God made you for a reason.  He gave you specific gifts, interests, and abilities to be used to serve others.  What are you doing with them?

Our prayer is that you begin to move on your dreams.   Learn how to do this in a way that respects the people you love and honors your commitment to them, but move on it.

Psalm 37:4. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

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We are seeing numbers for depression and anxiety at an all time high for our culture including for men.  What is going on?  Most of us will admit to having opportunities like no other prior generation.  We typically would think of this as a good thing.  Well, it is a good thing, unless you are not able to make a decision as to what opportunity you want to choose.  

In this day of abundant opportunities men feel more stress than ever due to being confused.  They look at the menu to choose from and their brain goes into confusion.  Too many choices! 

Now to add insult to injury, we put a few other pressures on the confusion, such as time constraints, money constrates, life style expectations, and now we have anxiety.  Confusion + Pressure = Anxiety.

In this show, Hutch and Kyle take on the confusion that men are experiencing today and offer ways to minimize or even completely reduce the confusion, pressure, or even both.  These practices are essential to helping Strong Dads be available and present to be the husbands and fathers they are called to be.  

If you are struggling and finding yourself confused, frustrated, and even depressed, please reach out for help. You can contact us through our website at http://rocksolidfamilies.org

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I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of waiting.  Whether it's my frozen dinner in the microwave or waiting for my tax return.  I want it now!  The old phrase, "Hurry up and Wait!" , comes to mind. 

In our world of wanting what we want, now, we have developed a great impatience. This impatience has also gotten connected to our faith.  We literally wonder if God even hears us as we shout out our prayers.  "Why are you not answering me, God?" 

Because of our weak perservance we draw many conclusions about life, God, and our faith, that simply may be wrong.  Maybe God is answering us and we just don't like the answer?  Maybe God is preparing us or something about the situation and we can't see the whole story to understand what's involved?  Whatever the reason, there is likely a legitimate reason that we are too ignorant or short-sighted to see. 

During this show, Hutch and Kyle grapple with the lessons of waiting on future events.  We ask questions that every Strong Dad has asked and struggled with.  The lessons of learning what the waiting is all about are the cornerstones to building our faith.  They are where we grow and develop the wisdom and find the hope to continue on our mission in life. 

The next time you find yourself waiting, make an intentional decision to wait well!

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