A Farmer's Wise Tale
There was once an old farmer (named Tim) who owned an old horse. One day as the farmer went to his barn to feed and water the horse, he found the barn door broken and the old horse missing.
Soon after, the townsfolk heard of the old farmers misfortune (troubles) and came out to visit him. The townsfolk wanted to help and give comfort to the old farmer, and they said, “This is a terrible thing that happened to you. Maybe you aught to go out and search for the horse, for it appears to have been stolen. Or maybe you should make a complaint to the city officials.
But the old farmer replied, “ what makes you think the horse was stolen? All I know is that my horse is missing and my barn door is broke. I don't know if my horse was stolen or if he ran away. Why should I do anything if I can't prove one or the other?”
Then the townsfolk said, “what a terrible thing it is that your horse is gone and you do nothing.” And the old man replied, “How do you know what has happened to me is a terrible thing? For I nor you do not know what tomorrow will bring. Bad or good may come hereafter from what has already be done. All I know is that God exists, and I know this from observing (looking) His creation, for it is written in God's word that God's attributes are clearly seen by the things He has made (Romans 1). I also know God's word is true because nothing can be proven false in it, for it's claims have been made before it's claims became true.” At that, the townsfolk called the old farmer silly, dumb, and a fool; and laughingly walked away.
Two days later the farmer went out to fix the barn door and to his amazement, found his horse in the barn with two other beautiful wild horses. When the townsfolk heard of this, they came out to visit the old farmer to express their joy and to congratulate the farmers new fortune. After the old farmer heard the townsfolk express their joy over what seemed to them a good fortune, he said, “How do you know what has happened to me is a good thing? For I nor you do not know what tomorrow will bring. Bad or good may come hereafter from what has already be done. All I know is that God exists, and I know this from observing (looking) His creation, for it is written in God's word that God's attributes are clearly seen by the things He has made. I also know God's word is true because nothing can be proven false in it, for it's claims have been made before it's claims became true.”
At that the townsfolk laughed and said, “can't you see you went from one horse, to no horse, to 3 horses?” After they and said this they walked away in unbelief of what the old farmer said, and thought the old man to be silly, dumb, and a fool.
A month later, the old man's son was out in the coral training the wild horses and broke his leg. When the townsfolk heard this they set out to see the farmer and said, “you were right, we did not know the wild horses would bring trouble upon your head, for now your son has broken his leg. Now you have no farm help. What a terrible thing (misfortune) this is and your God must not exist or be with you.”
The farmer rolled his eyes at the townsfolk and replied, “why do you think what has happened to me and my son is a terrible thing? For I nor you do not know what tomorrow will bring. Bad or good may come hereafter from what has already be done. All I know is that God exists. I also know God's word is true, because the disciples and many people have lived and died for their belief in it, for their faith in it's claims and for what Jesus Christ has done. So either all these people, including the disciples were either really crazy and sick in the head or they died for what they knew was true.”
After the townsfolk heard this, they said, “can not you see that you son can not work? How will you farm all your land without your son?” At that they walked away shaking their heads in unbelief over the old man's words.
After a month war came to the land. The authorities and rulers of the country made all the able men join the army. All the townsfolk's sons had to fight in battle. After the war the townsfolk went out to visit the old farmer and said, “you were right, your son was not killed or injured in battle like our sons, because he broke his leg. It was not a misfortune or bad thing that has happened to you or your son, because you son lives.”
Again the old farmer replied, “neither I nor you, can know what tomorrow will bring. Bad or good may come hereafter from what has already be done. For all I know we may be put to forced labor, tortured and fed the cobs of corn left over from the pigs, or put into solitary confinement and have everything we own taken from us. All I know is that God exists, for reasons I have already told you; and in which the bible is true, for reasons I have already told you. Also the bible has said that God sent His Son to earth to live and demonstrate (to live out and set an example for us) His love for us. The bible says Jesus suffered and died a terrible death so that whoever believes in Him may be saved. And that Jesus three days after the cross, arose and lived, showing Himself to many others. This is true because the disciples and many others were willing to died for what they knew to be true. So either they were crazy and sick in the head, or they died for what they knew to be true. Anything in this life may not be what it appears to be but this one thing is certain and true, if you put your trust in the Lord you will be saved and have eternal life.”
The end (this story has been around a long time and has many versions, I did not make it up entirely but just had my own flavor to it. So now there is another version).
As we can't know what tomorrow will bring, what can we be certain of?
*The truth of God's word
*How to be saved.
*Jesus resurrected from the dead.
*All things work out according God's will and plan.
If you have asked Jesus into to be your Lord and Savior, and if you put your complete trust in Him regarding all things, Jesus already sees you as seated in heavenly places. Thus we should live our lives with this in mind.
One of my favorite verses:
Ephesians 2:4-6
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus...
There was once an old farmer (named Tim) who owned an old horse. One day as the farmer went to his barn to feed and water the horse, he found the barn door broken and the old horse missing.
Soon after, the townsfolk heard of the old farmers misfortune (troubles) and came out to visit him. The townsfolk wanted to help and give comfort to the old farmer, and they said, “This is a terrible thing that happened to you. Maybe you aught to go out and search for the horse, for it appears to have been stolen. Or maybe you should make a complaint to the city officials.
But the old farmer replied, “ what makes you think the horse was stolen? All I know is that my horse is missing and my barn door is broke. I don't know if my horse was stolen or if he ran away. Why should I do anything if I can't prove one or the other?”
Then the townsfolk said, “what a terrible thing it is that your horse is gone and you do nothing.” And the old man replied, “How do you know what has happened to me is a terrible thing? For I nor you do not know what tomorrow will bring. Bad or good may come hereafter from what has already be done. All I know is that God exists, and I know this from observing (looking) His creation, for it is written in God's word that God's attributes are clearly seen by the things He has made (Romans 1). I also know God's word is true because nothing can be proven false in it, for it's claims have been made before it's claims became true.” At that, the townsfolk called the old farmer silly, dumb, and a fool; and laughingly walked away.
Two days later the farmer went out to fix the barn door and to his amazement, found his horse in the barn with two other beautiful wild horses. When the townsfolk heard of this, they came out to visit the old farmer to express their joy and to congratulate the farmers new fortune. After the old farmer heard the townsfolk express their joy over what seemed to them a good fortune, he said, “How do you know what has happened to me is a good thing? For I nor you do not know what tomorrow will bring. Bad or good may come hereafter from what has already be done. All I know is that God exists, and I know this from observing (looking) His creation, for it is written in God's word that God's attributes are clearly seen by the things He has made. I also know God's word is true because nothing can be proven false in it, for it's claims have been made before it's claims became true.”
At that the townsfolk laughed and said, “can't you see you went from one horse, to no horse, to 3 horses?” After they and said this they walked away in unbelief of what the old farmer said, and thought the old man to be silly, dumb, and a fool.
A month later, the old man's son was out in the coral training the wild horses and broke his leg. When the townsfolk heard this they set out to see the farmer and said, “you were right, we did not know the wild horses would bring trouble upon your head, for now your son has broken his leg. Now you have no farm help. What a terrible thing (misfortune) this is and your God must not exist or be with you.”
The farmer rolled his eyes at the townsfolk and replied, “why do you think what has happened to me and my son is a terrible thing? For I nor you do not know what tomorrow will bring. Bad or good may come hereafter from what has already be done. All I know is that God exists. I also know God's word is true, because the disciples and many people have lived and died for their belief in it, for their faith in it's claims and for what Jesus Christ has done. So either all these people, including the disciples were either really crazy and sick in the head or they died for what they knew was true.”
After the townsfolk heard this, they said, “can not you see that you son can not work? How will you farm all your land without your son?” At that they walked away shaking their heads in unbelief over the old man's words.
After a month war came to the land. The authorities and rulers of the country made all the able men join the army. All the townsfolk's sons had to fight in battle. After the war the townsfolk went out to visit the old farmer and said, “you were right, your son was not killed or injured in battle like our sons, because he broke his leg. It was not a misfortune or bad thing that has happened to you or your son, because you son lives.”
Again the old farmer replied, “neither I nor you, can know what tomorrow will bring. Bad or good may come hereafter from what has already be done. For all I know we may be put to forced labor, tortured and fed the cobs of corn left over from the pigs, or put into solitary confinement and have everything we own taken from us. All I know is that God exists, for reasons I have already told you; and in which the bible is true, for reasons I have already told you. Also the bible has said that God sent His Son to earth to live and demonstrate (to live out and set an example for us) His love for us. The bible says Jesus suffered and died a terrible death so that whoever believes in Him may be saved. And that Jesus three days after the cross, arose and lived, showing Himself to many others. This is true because the disciples and many others were willing to died for what they knew to be true. So either they were crazy and sick in the head, or they died for what they knew to be true. Anything in this life may not be what it appears to be but this one thing is certain and true, if you put your trust in the Lord you will be saved and have eternal life.”
The end (this story has been around a long time and has many versions, I did not make it up entirely but just had my own flavor to it. So now there is another version).
As we can't know what tomorrow will bring, what can we be certain of?
*The truth of God's word
*How to be saved.
*Jesus resurrected from the dead.
*All things work out according God's will and plan.
If you have asked Jesus into to be your Lord and Savior, and if you put your complete trust in Him regarding all things, Jesus already sees you as seated in heavenly places. Thus we should live our lives with this in mind.
One of my favorite verses:
Ephesians 2:4-6
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus...
