ABOUT THE BOOK

Our Lord Jesus used parables to convey some divine truths to the audience of his days. And these parables have moral lessons that are relevant to us even in our days. This book is a compilation of 40 most notable parables of our Lord Jesus that we should be acquainted with as the lessons gotten from them are part of the foundations we need for our Christian walk.

Some of the interpretation alluded to some of these parables are not the conventional interpretations that we are familiar with or that are contained in most of our Bible commentaries. Revelation knowledge is progressive and as such the new light God has revealed in some of these parables has been carefully explained in this book.

Understanding the interpretation of these parables will open up our hearts to understand the ways of God and his will for our lives.

Most of the parables unveil the eternal destiny of man and what we ought to do to escape the wrath of God. Others bothers on the reward of faithfulness and the dangers of disobedience.
It is the author’s belief that this book will open the eyes of our understanding to know what God requires of us so we can live our lives only to the praise of his glory.

In addition, this book can serve as a resource material for our Sunday school, Foundation School, Bible School and even for messages in our churches.

Link to the book in Amazon Kindle store.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW33RY9K

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pastor Ken Macaulay is the President of Global Word Impact Ministries, Rivers State, Nigeria. He is a Church Growth Consultant, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher, Writer, and a Motivational Speaker.

As a Church Growth consultant, he organizes periodic seminars on Church Growth for Church Leaders on subjects such as; The Cell System Dynamics, Follow-up Methodology, Dynamics of Soul Winning, Leadership Development, and Church Administration.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

He is gifted with deep insight in the word of God which is set to change the mentality of the 21st Century Church.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Why Jesus Spoke in Parables.
Chapter 2 - The Parable of a Piece of New Cloth in an Old Garment.
Chapter 3 - The Parable of Putting a New Wine in an Old Bottle.
Chapter 4 - The Parable of a Candle on a Lampstand.
Chapter 5 - The Parable of the Speck and The Log.
Chapter 6 - The Parable of Wise and Foolish Builders.
Chapter 7 - The Parable of a Creditor who forgave Two Debtors.
Chapter 8 - The Parable of a Rich Fool.
Chapter 9 - The Parable of the Watchful Servants.
Chapter 10 - The Parable of the Unfruitful Fig Tree.
Chapter 11 - The Parable of the Divided Kingdom.
Chapter 12 - The Parable of the Sower.
Chapter 13 - The Parable of Tares Among Wheat.
Chapter 14 - The Parable of Seed Cast into the Ground.
Chapter 15 - The Parable of the Mustard Seed.
Chapter 16 - The Parable of the Leaven (Yeast).
Chapter 17 - The Parable of the Hidden Treasure.
Chapter 18 - The Parable of the Valuable Pearl.
Chapter 19 - The Parable of the Fishing Net.
Chapter 20 - The Parable of the Householder.
Chapter 21 - The Parable of the Lost Sheep -1.
Chapter 22 - The Parable of the Lost Sheep – 2.
Chapter 23 - The Parable of Selfless Service.
Chapter 24 - The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.
Chapter 25 - The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Chapter 26 - The Parable of a Persistent Friend.
Chapter 27 - The Parable of Lowest Seat at the Feast.
Chapter 28 - The Parable of the Invitation to a Great Feast.
Chapter 29 - The Parable of the Cost of Discipleship.
Chapter 30 - The Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Chapter 31 - The Parable of the Shrewd Steward.
Chapter 32 - The Parable of Hired Labourers in the Vineyard.
Chapter 33 - The Parable of the Persistent Widow and the Crooked Judge.
Chapter 34 - The Parable of the Boastful Pharisee and the Humble Tax Collector.
Chapter 35 - The Parable of the Ten Pounds.
Chapter 36 - The Parable of Two Sons.
Chapter 37 - The Parable of Wicked Tenant Farmers.
Chapter 38 - The Parable of Invitation to a Wedding Feast.
Chapter 39 - The Parable of the Budding Fig Tree.
Chapter 40 - The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.
Chapter 41 - The Parable of the Sheep and Goats.
Chapter 42 –The Story of the Rich man and Lazarus.

Link of the book in Amazon Kindle store
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW33RY9K

Chapter 1 - Why Jesus Spoke in Parables.

A parable is a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson. It can also be defined as a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like. The scripture says;

Matthew 13:34
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them.

Most of the teachings of our Lord Jesus were done in parables. This series will unravel the moral lesson conveyed by these parables. Why did Jesus speak in parables during his earthly ministry? His disciples asked him the same question; “…Why speakest thou unto them in parables? (Matthew 13:10). Jesus responded;

Matthew 13:11
11 … Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

The mysteries of God’s kingdom are deep or hidden truth which only those whose heart are opened for knowledge can receive. His audience in his times were hardened in their heart and as such cannot understand the things of the kingdom of God. Hence, the prophet foretold;

Matthew 13:14-15
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

This explanation beats the imagination of the carnal mind. Jesus is saying here that parables are the easiest way to communicate divine truth to those who already believe. In contrast, it serves as judgment to those whose hearts are hardened against the truth. So, they get the more confused when parables are spoken.
These are the people Apostle Paul described as, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth". (2nd Timothy 3:7).
Besides, parables are easier to remember because of the use of analogies that are quite familiar with the audience. It is therefore not uncommon to hear Jesus use illustrations like salt, seed, wheat, tares, talents and many more words that are quite familiar with the Jews when he taught them in parables. On a few occasion, he had to privately interpret the parables to his disciples.

How many parables did Jesus give? The Gospel of Luke contains both the largest total number of parables (24) and eighteen unique parables; the Gospel of Matthew contains 23 parables of which eleven are unique; and the Gospel of Mark contains eight parables of which two are unique. The Gospel of John doesn't have any parable. Some Biblical scholars put the total number of parables to 46. I however disagree with one of them included in the list - The parable of the rich man and Lazarus.

It is a grave error to include the story of the rich man and Lazarus to a parable. In parables, actual characters are not mentioned. But in the story of the rich man and Lazarus, three characters were mentioned - Lazarus, Abraham and Moses. I am sure our Lord Jesus knew the name of the rich man but deliberately did not mention it. He knew it by the gift of the word of knowledge in the same way he knew that the Samaritan woman he met at the well had five husbands.

The parables of our Lord Jesus contains profound truth, and together with other statements he made laid the foundation for the Christian faith. It is my earnest prayer that the truth unveiled in these parables will renew your mind and stir you up to deeper commitment in the things of the Lord in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Chapter 2 - The Parable of a Piece of New Cloth in an Old Garment.

This is the first parable Jesus spoke. He said so in response to the question put forth to him by the disciples of John the Baptist on why his disciples don't fast as often as John's disciples and the Pharisees. The parable reads;

Mathew 9:16
16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

Prior to this parable, our Lord Jesus first answered, "...Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast". (Mathew 9:15).

To clearly understand what Jesus meant by a piece of new cloth in an old garment, you have to first understand the mission and the message of Jesus. The Jews had been used to the Law of Moses before Jesus came. And they are apparently surprised that Jesus didn't adhere to the Law strictly. And this got their attention even concerning the issue of fasting.
Jesus brought a new message that even a large percentage of the present day Church is yet to clearly understand. This new message is likened to a piece of new cloth. It cannot fit into what they have been used to which is the Law of Moses he described as the old garment.

Christianity is a revelation of God's grace. The Law of Moses is a work system. Under grace, you secure the blessings of God through faith. But under the Law, you have to keep all the laws to qualify you for the blessing.
Most of the church folks today are like John's disciples who still ask questions like, why do some Christian women put on trousers (pant suits) to church? Why do they also wear earrings? Why don't Christian worship on the Sabbath day? And many other related questions which are linked to the Law of Moses.

Christ brought grace. As it is written; “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified". (John 1:17; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16).

So, embrace grace and "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage (Law).” (Galatians 5:1). Don’t permit anyone to subject you to dos and don’ts hinged on the Law of Moses and church traditions. “… ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)

We should stop frustrating the grace that our Lord Jesus brought. As Apostle wrote to the church in Galatia, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:2)

Chapter 3 - The Parable of Putting a New Wine in an Old Bottle.

This parable conveys exactly the same truth as that of a piece of a new cloth in an old garment and both of them were spoken on the same occasion. The new wine is the message of grace. The old bottle is the Old Testament Law of Moses. It reads;

Mathew 9:17
17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Our Lord Jesus gradually introduced grace during his earthly ministry but the Jews opposed him on many occasions because of their strict adherence to the Law of Moses.

On an occasion, they brought a woman caught in the very act of adultery. And they asked Jesus, "...Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” (John 8:5). They did that looking for an opportunity to accuse him but our Lord Jesus initially ignored them and rather stooped down and wrote with his fingers.

John 8:7-9
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Jesus did not condemn the woman but told her to go and sin no more. This is grace in manifestation which ought to be celebrated. This is the new wine that cannot fit into the old bottle they were used to. New wine must be put into new bottles. The Law of Moses enslaves but grace liberates. Grace and Law are mutually exclusive events. They cannot exist together. This was the argument of Apostle Paul when he said;

Romans 11:6
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works (Law of Moses): OTHERWISE GRACE IS NO MORE GRACE. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

The earlier the church understands this truth, the better for us so we can all be brought to the "...unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”. (Ephesians 4:13-14).

Chapter 4 - The Parable of a Candle on a Lampstand.

This parable of a Candle on a lampstand was preceded by the Jesus revealing to his disciples that they are the light of the world. Before the invention of light bulb, candles or lamps were the only means people use to illuminate their homes and walk in the dark. So, our Lord Jesus had to use what was familiar to them to make a parable. If it is the days we are living in, he probably would have used the light bulb as the illustration in this parable. The parable reads;

Mathew 5:14-15
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

It is an understatement to say that candles are placed on a stand. In the same way candles give light to everyone in the room where it is placed, the believer also is the light of the world. So, our lights must shine for our lives to have relevance. Any child of God that doesn't beam the light of God in him for the world to see is like someone who puts his candle under a can or a container.

The light you ought to shine is your lifestyle consistent with the nature and character of God. Just as Apostle John testified about Jesus. He wrote, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men". (John 1:4).
Be kind to people and even strangers. Hence Apostle Paul said;

Hebrews 13:2
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Your lifestyle should be such that those around will be spurred up to give thanks to God. Therefore, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven".
(Mathew 5:16).

Our kindness should even be extended to our enemies. Our Lord Jesus said;

Matthew 5:43-45
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Ironically, most Christian do just the opposite. They kill every perceived enemy through their so called dangerous prayers. The often use the Old Testament instruction which reads; “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” (Exodus 22:18), as a basis for their actions. But the church is not under the Law of Moses. Even those who were given the Law of Moses has been redeemed from it. As it is written;

Galatians 3:13
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
Another verse says;
Romans 7:6
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

So, you cannot act on a law that has been abolished. There is warning to those who still chose to adhere to the Law of Moses;

James 2:10
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

So, if you want to keep the instruction written concerning how to treat witches, you are under obligation to keep all the laws which contains over 600 definite instructions. If you keep some and break the rest, you place yourself under a curse. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” (Galatians 3:10).
What then did Jesus mean when he said he did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it in Matthew 5:17-18. In this context, he meant that he didn’t come to arbitrary come come to end the law but he will do so in a justified manner. The word fulfill in this context means to bring to a justified end. Our Lord Jesus brought the Law of Moses to a justified end when he died on the cross.

Those who keep on raining fire and brimstone upon their perceived enemies are not shining the light of the gospel. They do so under fear of what their enemies could do to them. If you are truly born again and walk in the light of God’s word, you are under divine protection. No one can hurt you. As the scripture says;

1 Peter 3:13
13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
In addition, John wrote;


1 John 5:18
18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Besides, acting contrary to the instruction of our Lord Jesus makes you more a witch than the witch you intend to destroy. You are deliberately rebelling against the instruction of our Lord Jesus. And the scripture says;

1 Samuel 15:23
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Your enemy is not a factor in the journey of your life. The Lord can and will prepare a table before you in their very presence.

Romans 12:20-21
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Don’t take laws into your hand. Killing perceived enemies is spiritual jungle justice. Vengeance is the exclusive right of God. Thus, it is written; “Dearly beloved, AVENGE NOT YOURSELVES, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, VENGEANCE IS MINE; I WILL REPAY, SAITH THE LORD. [Therefore] Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:19,17-18).

Chapter 5 - The Parable of the Speck and The Log.

Our Lord Jesus on one occasion when he delivered the longest recorded sermon tagged, 'Sermon on the Mount', he addressed the judgmental attitude of quite a lot of people which is still very common amongst so many professing believers today. Thus, he gave a parable of the speck and log of wood to illustrates the hypocrisy of most people who are in the habit of judging others. The parable reads;

Matthew 7:1-5
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

The attitude of most people in pointing fingers on others because of perceived error is as old as the Bible. Humans haven't changed. The only thing that has changed is time. This character trait of condemning others is even worse in the days we are living in. But there is an adage which says; when you point one fingers at others, at least three fingers are pointing back at you.

This act of hypocrisy was displayed even during the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus. On an occasion, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in the very act of adultery and told Jesus;

John 8:4-5
4... Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

The scripture said;
John 8:6
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

But as they continued to put pressure on him for a response, he said unto them: "... He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (John 8:7).

As soon as he asked this question, he stooped down and continued to write on the ground;

John 8:9
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

After they all left, Jesus asked her; "...Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?" (John 8:10).

She replied; "... No man, Lord..." (John 8:11).
And Jesus said unto her; "...Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." (John 8:11).

This act of hypocrisy is still very common today even amongst believers. We point fingers on one another and speak evil of one another in such a manner that causes strife and division in the church.

This parable cautions against such attitude as no one is completely free from any form of error. And those who are fund of doing this even do worse things. This is why the parable said such people should first remove the log in their eyes before they can see clearly to remove the speck on other people’s eyes.

The devil is the accuser of the brethren. When you are in the habit of judging your fellow brethren or pointing fingers, you are invariably working for the devil. Rather then accusing your fellow brethren, look for ways to excuse what they did while at the same time make attempts to ensure that anyone caught in an error is corrected in love. This is why Apostle Paul wrote;

Galatians 6:1
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

So, when you see or hear that a brother is caught in an error, don't be the one to spread the news. Don't even let a third party know about it. Look for what you can do to restore that brother without condemning him.

However, if he continues in such error that it brings shame to the church, let the Pastor know about it and they will do the needful to address the situation.

Chapter 6 - The Parable of Wise and Foolish Builders.

The parable of wise and foolish builders was spoken by our Lord Jesus at the end of the longest recorded sermon he gave. The wise builder is someone who hears the word and act accordingly. The foolish builder is the one who hears God's word but does not act on it. It reads;

Matthew 7:24-25
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

In this parable, our life is likened to a building and the word of Christ is likened to the foundation of the building. The word of God is also the building blocks that you lay on the foundation. When you hear God's word, you ought to make effort to do according to the instructions given. It is important to remind us here that God's word is any statement or declaration consistent with God's provisions for us in Christ Jesus.

The whole Bible contains God’s word but not all its contents are God’s word for us today. The writer of Hebrews says;

Hebrews 1:1-2
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.

The passage above says that God spoke to us through his Son, Jesus Christ. So, the words of our Lord Jesus and his teachings laid the foundation for the New Testament Church. And his teachings are different from that of the Law of Moses.

There are at least four different contrast unveiled in the Sermon on the Mount between the teachings of our Lord Jesus and the Law of Moses. Let’s look at them;

Matthew 5:31-32
31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Here Jesus states what the Law of Moses commanded them to do on the issue of divorce but he gave a contrary command. And that of Jesus supersedes that of Moses.

Matthew 5:33-37
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

The passage above reveals another sharp contrast between the Law of Moses and the instruction of our Lord Jesus concerning swearing. Another contrast between the Law of Moses and the instruction of Jesus reads;

Matthew 5:38-41
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

The passage above clearly reveals that the Law of Moses do no longer stand on many issues. So, you must update and upgrade your knowledge to line up with the teachings of our Lord Jesus and his Apostles.

1 Corinthians 3:11
11 For other [doctrinal] foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ [teachings]. (Emphasis mine.)

However, the moral principles taught by the Law still stands. The moral requirements under grace are even stricter than those under the Law of Moses. For instance, under the Law of Moses, you must sleep with a married woman to be an adulterer but under grace, you are as good as an adulterer when you lust after a woman in your heart – Matthew 5:28. Also, you are a murderer if you kill someone under the Law of Moses, but hatred under grace makes you a murderer – 1st John 3:15.
If you don't want your life to come crashing under the weight of challenges or the storms of live, you must live by God's word. For instance, God's word says forgive, then, you ought to forgive those who hurt you. His word says, don't forsake the fellowship of the brethren, then, you have to make effort to attend every church services.

The greatest deception the devil uses on believers is the phrase, 'it doesn't matter' or ‘God understands’. There are even those who preach that once saved is always saved. So, no matter what you do, you are heaven bound. This is a lie from the very pit of hell. Live by every precept of God's word if you want to stand the test of time when it comes. The storms of life will definitely come but if you build the foundation of your life on God's word, you will still be standing.

Those who hear God’s word and don’t do it are the foolish builders? It is an act of rebellion against God to act contrary to what his word says. God's word is our manual for life. Every product comes with an instruction manual and it is safer to read the manual carefully before and even in the course of using the product. That Psalmist said; "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path". (Psalms 119:105).

Those who reject the instructions contained in God's word are actually walking in darkness. They are the foolish builders who build their houses upon sandy foundations. These are the believers who don't attend services regularly. They don't belong to any activity ground in church. They hardly pay through tithes and give worthless offerings.

They also get into relationship without the knowledge of their pastor. They travel without permission. Some have had their relationships and even their marriages crumbling right before their faces because they refused to follow the counsel of God's word. Quite a few others have even had their life cut short.
Don't despise the word of God if you want to stand successfully against the storms of life. The world way leads to death and destruction but the word way leads to life and peace. Fear God and keep his word. Hold on to it as the anchor of your soul. Remember, the scripture says;

Proverbs 13:13
Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

Chapter 7 - The Parable of a Creditor who forgave Two Debtors.

On an occasion during the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus, he sat at meal in the house of a Pharisee who invited him and the scripture said;

Luke 7:37-38
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

The Pharisee however began to doubt if Jesus was truly a prophet for he would have known the kind of woman that touched him. The woman was tagged a sinner and as such, Jesus shouldn't have allowed her to touch him. Our Lord Jesus thus put forth a parable of a creditor who forgave two debtors. One of the debtor owed much more than the other. Who will love more was the question Jesus put forth in this parable which reads;

Luke 7:41-42
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

"Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged". (Luke 7:43).
Our Lord Jesus went further to commend the woman for washing his feet with her tears and drying it with her hair. In addition, she praised her for kissing his feet and anointing his head with oil. He concluded,

Luke 7:47-48
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

This parable explains the reason why people who were deeply involved in demonic and evil works take their commitment more serious after conversion. Apostle Paul is one good Biblical example of a convert that loved the Lord so much because of the mercy he received in spite of the manner and ways he persecuted the Church. However, no matter your background before conversion, Jesus deserves to be loved. We were all sinners condemned for destruction but by his mercy and grace, we have been saved and accepted by him. So, appreciate him every day and show it by your unflinching commitment to the work of the kingdom.

There are those who feel their sins are too much for God to forgive. So, they chose to remain in their sins and continue in their wickedness. This is far from the truth. The Scripture says;

Isaiah 1:18
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Even those who were involved in witchcraft activities in the days of the early church received forgiveness;

Acts 19:19
19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

These were magicians which could also be referred to as wizards. Many of them were saved through the preaching of the gospel. But today, a large percentage of the church devote their time and energy to kill them through prayers.

I read about the testimony of one-time chairman of African wizard, Emmanuel Eni who got saved. Today he is a servant of God preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Jesus died for everybody including witches and wizards. Therefore, you have no moral or legal right to kill someone who Jesus died for. You will bring yourself under condemnation.

Chapter 8 - The Parable of a Rich Fool


The parable of the rich fool was put forth by our Lord Jesus to warn those who prize their personal desires and wealth acquisition above the things of God. The narration goes thus;

" …The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:16-20)

First, the rich man became so wealthy that there was no space to store his goods. Wealth those days were stored in barns which are farm buildings where agricultural products, cattle are animal feeds and even farm machineries are kept. And there are different kind of barns depending on what it is designed to shelter or store.

So, he decided to pull down the present barns and build bigger ones that could accommodate his present possessions. Then, he said to himself, "...Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry". "But God said unto him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Our Lord Jesus concluded the parable by saying, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God".

The moral lesson from this parable is that you should recognize God as the source of your wealth and put your investment in the things of God. That is why every wise child of God should never joke with his tithe and offerings. Anti tithers stand the risk of having their life cut short like the rich fool. God takes personal responsibility to protect big time givers. If you are a giver, you will never die by accident, brief or protracted illness. But those who are stingy towards God may not live to their full age.

You must recognize God as the source of all true riches and wealth. His word declares;

“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. (Haggai 2:.

In addition it says;

“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” (Psalms 50:10).

He told the Jews in the wilderness;

“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 8:18).