Ungrateful

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Matthew 20:13-16

O: Parable of the hired hands in the vineyard. Men from the town was called to work in this vineyard. As the day progressed more and more workers were hired. Each worker was given the same waged. Those who worked earlier felt, as if they were entitled to more than the day's worth of work.

A: In this parable, grace is being taken fore-granted. Before this vineyard owner called the men from town to work at this vineyard, no one had the opportunity to make a days wage. Discontentment is prevalent from those who worked the longest. 

There are many applications that i can derived from this parable that Jesus' teaches. 
1. Be content with work I am given. Often times I'm looking over my shoulders and seeing those who are my age succeeding, making a ton of money. Jealously comes to me where I start losing focus on what matters most in this world. I start chasing the materialistic things. God ordained me to work at Magnachip for the current wage I am received. As I'm transitioning to another position, I need to do it with the right motive that I don't lose focus of the heavenly goal of reaching out to those lost.

2. Don't slack off. It is easy for me to do the bare minimum. If I was capable, I would have chosen to be those who were higher later in the day. To do the least amount of work and to get into heaven. I have to ask myself, am I serving for the right motivation and do enough as a servant of God? Do I love Jesus through the act of serving, or am I just working enough to get my denarius? Those are questions I need to improve on myself.

3. The most important aspect of what I received from this parable is... Grace... Like the master choosing the workers from the town, God has chosen me to work in his field. I did not deserve the opportunity to work, but He granted me a place for me to be at his side. I often grumble and find different avenues to show my discontentment when it comes to showing true thanksgiving. As Thanksgiving rolls out, I need to remember and constantly remember God is just. He is the one who is the one handing out the "wages" and who am I to complain or feel ungrateful for his free gift that I never deserved. 


and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." Job 1:21


He deserves all praise, glory and honor. I am nothing.

Jesus be praised. I am nothing compared to you. You give me salvation and I ALWAYS end up taking it forgranted. Please forgive me for taking your grace so lightly. Help me to act out of love for you and not just doing my "days work" to earn my stay, but to do so out of gratitude. I deserved nothing and everything was given because of your generosity. Help me to have a heart of thanksgiving. Whether I am cursed or blessed, let Your name be praised.

In Jesus Name
Amen. 

Pure Faith

27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep will be scattered.’[d]

28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice[e] you yourself will disown me three times.”

31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.

71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”

72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.[h] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him:“Before the rooster crows twice[i] you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Mark 14

Observation:
Out of all the stories of failures that are written in the Bible, the story of Peter denying Jesus is a story that I can most relate to. Peter was always a man that took action rather thinking the situation and calculating the consequences. Peter was gunho for Christ, leaving his work, family and responsibilities behind to follow Jesus. After three years of eating, sleeping and walking with Christ, the disciples would have went to the ends of the earth to follow their leader, but that wasn't the case. Talk is big, but that's where it ends.

Application:
Countless times have I dedicated my life of walking away from temptations and instead walking with God. And each of those times I claim that I have given my life up, I go running back to my false idols. Being here in the states, I feel privileged that my life is not in jeopardy. People have died for their belief in Jesus, yet when I am presented with an opportunity to share the Gospel, I shy away afraid to offend people, but also not to destroy my reputation. I'm essentially afraid to be labeled as a Jesus freak.

On the same hand, I can imagine Peter denying his association with Jesus to of all people, a little servant girl. Peter was deadly afraid of dying for Christ, just as he was so big on claiming he would lay his life down for him. During that time, he lacked pure faith.

Though my life isn't in turmoil of being taken away. I need to have more boldness when it comes to my association as a follower of Christ. Being labeled as a Jesus freak is something I need to cherish in my heart, rather than shun it as society would. If I am to be a fool, I need to choose to be a fool for Christ. As they say... there are people who show their emotions on their sleeves, I need to make my faith more evident and live everyday like its my last.

Jesus forgive me for not completely surrendering my life to you. As I claimed multiple times in my life that my life is no longer mine, but yours.. I ask that you would help me to recommit that desire. Help me to lose myself and have more boldness. Not only to stand up for you, but also to share in the goodnews in which you conquered sin once and for all. I pray for those brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering for their association with you. Help them to have boldness in the in face of adversaries that want to take their life. Give them to courage and the hope that you are walking with them.

In Jesus Name
Amen