Acknowledge Individuality - Break the Differences

It is too common for us to be easily annoyed when things that surround us are not what we expect to see, hear, experience, and the like. When our family and loved ones are getting into addictions, when our work colleagues adds cause you more pressure and stress, when your community are not improving rather getting worse, and many more. We wish that it is better if they are not around or exist. 

Paul in his encouragement to us in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 not to look at the weaknesses of the people around us. He says "12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labour among you and preside over you in the Lord and admonish you,13 and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all. 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all." 

Our human instinct is to give the same of what we receive, as we ourselves wanting to act on behalf of the principle of sowing and reaping for others. We have already forgotten that this principle is a divine blessing and not a curse. That is why Paul reminds us not to pay evil back with evil. He wants everyone to extend helping hand to everyone who are in need, not only in material scarcity but mostly to those who are weak in flesh, in mind, in attitude, in character, and in spirit. 

The next time we look at someone you really annoyed with, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and remind yourself that he is also a human like you and are equal. So that when you reopen your eyes, you will see a new creation whom Jesus also shed His blood for and has forgiven. Now, it is your chance to show kindness and share the same grace you received from God above! 

God bless everyone!

Do you think it’s right? Yes or No?

"Do you think it’s right?"

When I was asked with this similar question, I feel obliged to provide a qualified answer acceptable to the person who asked this. Not only that, I also have to carry the burden of the real story behind this simple query. The question has options to be answered in many ways such as political, legal, moral, spiritual, etc. It will depend on how I perceived it based from whom it originates from.

As a servant of the Living God, I need to consider an answer which mostly morally and spiritually right and not only the legally acceptable. There are many political rules, laws, rights in many parts of the world that seems wrong a few years back but now legislatively right. There are norms and cultures that are previously detestable but now socially tolerable because it adapts according to the trend in our current generation which now are politically right.

In Philippians 2:1-2, Apostle Paul says “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”

These phrases reminded me that we as Christians should keep ourselves in the attitude of Jesus in soul (thinking), in heart (love), in spirit, and in mind. That with the unity of these four aspects of our lives with Him, we can naturally produce encouragement, comfort, common goals, care and compassion to others.

Keeping these as part of our very selves, the answers to the above questions is for sure the most acceptable answer not only to the person who asked it from you but also to the God who is associated well to your being. It will flow naturally and as a result, it produces an acceptable and suitable wisdom to both. Be firm to answer it a Yes or a No, the why will be answered with the help of God who stays in your being. 

God bless everyone!

A Genuine Christian Is Free Of Self-Deception

When we were young, we were brought up by our parents to what they want us to be. Usually they groomed us to be the person whom they admired and hoped to become but didn't happen. They wanted us to continue the dreams they did not achieved. But I know that other parents wanted to bring out the best from their children and allow them to choose the path they want to take. Whether we like it or not, our success and failure are a product of how our parents guided and influenced us.

It has no difference to what God's desire for us, his children. He surely desire to let us find our true selves whom God plan us to be. But most of the time, we want to be of someone else rather than simply be ourselves. There is no wrong in this attitude, if and only if this desire is also aligned to our capabilities, skills, characters, and God's will and purpose in our lives. Like our biological parents, God is so glad to see his children succeeding in their lives and to all the aspects of it. But if not, then this attitude is just a self-deception and will lead us to failure one day.

Apostle Paul reminded us in Galatians 6:3 when he says "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." We have given the spiritual gifts, talents, and fruits; and God wants us to use them not for our own glory but for Him. We have to serve in God's vineyard but we cannot simply assume any roles, responsibilities, and tasks without His approval. Therefore in everything we do for God's Kingdom, we have to review it at all times as Paul suggest in verse 4 to "Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else."

God wants us to be the person with integrity and be proud of our achievements in different areas of our lives but it must be of no self-deception. He loves us as a real person and not as a puppet that lives only in others expectation. Do not allow selfish ambition, envy, arrogance, and power overcomes us. Rather, let us remain humble before others and before our God and live as genuine as possible without any trace of self-deception. 

 

God bless everyone!

Listen to Jesus' Voice to Walk By Faith

Getting lost is a difficult situation. You are exerting all efforts to figure out how did you get there, and worse, how will you get over it? We started to worry, panic, and fear especially if no one to give you some help. Are we in this situation now? Are we in a position that we have tried our very best to resolve things but we still found ourselves to nowhere? Where are we heading?

Our lives are like a boat and we ride to it. We go to a journey that mostly relies simply to ourselves and serve to be the captain of it as we sail through the sea. But the trip is not always safe and smooth. Strong winds challenge us, the sea currents defy us, and sometimes even the lightning strikes us. We encounter troubles, storms, and even disasters as we go along.

In John 6:16-21, the apostles sailed through the night and they seem lost as they are occupied with worries because of the storms shaking their boats and filling them with water. Then Peter saw Jesus walking on the water from a distance and added fears to their struggles. At last Jesus speak to Peter and so they willfully allow Him to be with them in their boat. After Jesus came in, immediately they reached their desired destination. (John 6:20-21, But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.)

In times of adversities, we lost our focus on the object of our faith and starting to divert our attention to the storms in life which usually build up the walls of doubt and later develop into ghost that fears us, destroys our focus, and kills our faith. The object of our faith is no other than Jesus, our Salvation and our Eternal Life. Even if we lost Him from our sight, we must not forget about His voice. He speaks to us. His voice is loud and clear, preached and echoed in every letter inscribed in the Bible. If we listen and follow His voice, even though we are lost, we will still find our way towards Him through faith.

The best thing is when He comes into our boat (our life) the effect is immediate; you will reach the very shore of your destination, it may be a longer journey but you are initially directed on the right track; what a good start, indeed!

God bless everyone!