"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants...  Read More

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.Matthew 13:44-46 These two parables told by Jesus give us an insight into ho...  Read More

The disciples came to Him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables:"Though seeing, they do not see; though hear...  Read More

Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold.   . . . All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the provinces also brought gold and silver to Solomon.  . . . The King made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with pure gold.           . . . No other throne in the world could be compared with it!All of King Solomon's drinking cups were solid gold as were all the utensils in the P...  Read More

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions.  . . . Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their rob...  Read More

As for you, if you walk before me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel.'But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them,...  Read More