Their eyes are open but don’t see a thing.

Our mission work…. well, its more like discipleship training.   We are not building homes, or schools or churches for people to dwell in.  Instead, what may be happening here is the building up of the people themselves.  We are sharpening, encouraging, and being healing hands for one another.

I heard the other day about a law here in Spain.  The law states that a building under construction will not be taxed until the outside of the building is completed.   Needless to say in this economy, a lot of the buildings are incomplete.  They are inhabited, they are occupied, but they are unfinished.  And so why would they want it to be complete, if they will be taxed?

We are not here to fix this town on the outside, but to be among the people from with in.

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7 “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?  They are deeper than the depths of the grave [a] —what can you know?

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2)

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Draw near to me, and I’ll draw near to you.

God doesn’t want us busy.  We can get so busy that we have no time with God.

The closer I get, the closer I desire to love him.

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Luke 8:4-15 (The Message)

The Story of the Seeds

4-8As they went from town to town, a lot of people joined in and traveled along. He addressed them, using this story: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the road; it was tramped down and the birds ate it. Other seed fell in the gravel; it sprouted, but withered because it didn’t have good roots. Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it. Other seed fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop.

“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”

9His disciples asked, “Why did you tell this story?”

10He said, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. There are others who need stories. But even with stories some of them aren’t going to get it:

Their eyes are open but don’t see a thing,
Their ears are open but don’t hear a thing.

11-12“This story is about some of those people. The seed is the Word of God. The seeds on the road are those who hear the Word, but no sooner do they hear it than the Devil snatches it from them so they won’t believe and be saved.

13“The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn’t go very deep. It’s only another fad, and the moment there’s trouble it’s gone.

14“And the seed that fell in the weeds—well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun.

15“But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.

Do not cast your pearl before swine.  They will chew you up and spit you out.

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

Proverbs 25:2 (New International Version)

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

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Be still and know that I am God.

God’s will, outside of God’s timing, is not God’s will.