Reflect

Israel is a peculiar nation. When the Lord said to go and occupy the land, they hesitated,they doubted, they rebelled.

So the Lord says, because they treated the Lord with contempt, He is going to abandon this generation. For 40 years they would wander in wilderness. All except Joshua and Caleb who gave a good report on the promised land, would perish.

Now what do they do now? Num:14:39-40 says that when they realized the truth, they were filled with grief and the next morning they decide - okay then we will go.

No remorse, no repentance.

Just a change in direction. I don't think there is any trust involved. Nor is there any feeling of "Oh! I've hurt God"

Probably because their aim was their comfort. Be it going back to Egypt or now when this promised land has become more practical and makes more sense. Their God was their belly. They were not God oriented but self oriented.

Dear one, it is not about what you will do or what you desire to do or what will happen to you.

Lazarus had to die. Why? Inorder that God's name would be glorified.

It is actually about God. His glory. His character. And we being created in His image are only mere reflectors of Him.

The moon can never shine on its own. It just reflects the sun's light the way it can. It need not bother whether it's full moon or crescent or no moon. It's job is to reflect. Likewise our purpose in life is to be vessels of God's purpose and glory. Not seeking our glory. It's not that we shouldn't have desires. But we can't be adamant. "Not my will but yours"

Secondly. How genuinely repentant we are?About our words, about our thoughts and actions? Many a times we repent superficially so that all would go well with us. God calls it defiance.

A genuine repentance coming from our hearts and not from our mouths alone is rooted on the feeling that I have disappointed God and have hurt Him. Not to get things done for me.

It looks at God's heart, not His hands.

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Endure

2 Cor:4:18 For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal. Unless we live with this perspective, there is no hope, there is no strength to endure, there is no sap left to hold on. For endurance depends on your ability to look beyond the physical to the spiritual, beyond the present to the eternal and beyond the visible to the invisible. It is not imaginary. But a reality into which we place our trust. Therefore our afflictions though may appear heavy when we face it, it is in reality light and momentary, for the glory awaiting is much more heavy - far beyond any comparison. So look forward. Look beyond. Focus on eternal things. Store up treasures in heaven and not here in this earth. Set your heart in treasures above. That will help you to face your afflictions here on this side of eternity. That will help you to have faith and put your trust in the One who called you. He will not leave you half way. He who has taken care of your et...

Be a man.

1 Cor:16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in faith; act like men; be strong. Watch out. Look out. Be on the alert. Stand firm in faith. That is what men do. Be strong. Stay strong. Dwindling in your trust in God is what children do. Act like the man you are. Be a man. Stay strong on your faith. No matter what happens, hold fast to your God. That is mature faith. Do not let go to fear or anxiety. Be strong. Faith is trusting God, the Father despite what the circumstances look like. Knowing fully that He is in control. That He will take care and thats enough. He is enough. Image credit; https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/hand-holding-fist-symbol-determination_139829368.htm

Trust the process

Thorn in the flesh. To keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself. 2 Cor:12:7 Is there something which is a constant pain for you? Something which has not sorted out yet? Something for which you have fasted and prayed but hasn't worked out still? The pain is still there for a purpose dear one. To keep you from exalting yourself. To keep yourself humble. Know that your Abba is in control. He is Sovereign. He is good. And He will not allow anything beyond what you can endure. He has allowed this with a purpose. So when prayers are still unanswered, rejoice. For God is in control. He has this for a purpose. You might not get the big picture now. But God knows. Trust the process.

Love beyond the enemy line - a poem

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Gal:3:26 Enemy I was; born to hate Him. Told to hate Him; I was His sworn in enemy. I had declared rebellion. I did not have anything to do with Him. And His good and perfect will. I was comfortable in my own way. In my old master's way. Rather, I was really really uncomfortable there. His hatred to sin, made me His enemy too. Yet. He loved me. I don't understand. Though I was far away behind the enemy line, He saw me. For He was my Creator. For He was my Husband. But I turned my face away. In hatred. Someone had to pay the ransom to set me free. Even when I was unwilling. Grace, prompted Him to do it Himself. Unending love; He gave Himself over for my sake. To be tortured, to be 'punished', to be killed. So that I could be saved. I saw that far beyond in that line. Insignificant as I am, did He do it with me in His mind? He looked at me with passion. He told my name - 'for you I endure' and ...

It's a process

Are being transformed from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Cor:3:18 The purpose of our existence is transformation. We have been called into salvation into one glory. From one glory to another we are being transformed. From fallenness we have been made children until the ultimate glory. It is not a one time event - the transformation into the final glory or the ultimate glorification. Salvation is. But transformation is a process. You are definitely better than yesterday. You are definitely a little bit more like Jesus than yesterday. You are improving. Though you may fall, your graph is rising. Trust the process. He who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion untill the day of coming of Christ Jesus. Phil:1:6 You have to trust Him in what He is doing. Do not lose heart. Keep trusting. Image credit: https://blog.softexpert.com/en/process-management-key-issues-and-how-to-solve-them/

Why do I quickly desert?

I am amazed that you are quickly deserting Him who called you. Gal:1:6 How do I desert Him who called me? By believing in a different gospel! How has your belief changed? Has self sufficiency creeped in; instead of absolute trust? Has materialism barged in; instead of simplicity? Has pride crawled in; instead of humility and self denial? He should increase. And I should decrease. Paul the greatest missionary, the saintest of us all, trained and knowledgeable of all spiritual doctrines and truth, says I am a bond servant of Christ; I am the worst of all sinners. Where is the sin consciousness in me? Where is the person I used to be? Where is the passion to know Him? Where is the urgency to repent and correct myself for His sake? How did I get diluted? Why do I seek favour of men? Why do I live a life trying to please men; rather than God? Why are my standards that of the world? Why do I neglect the standards of God? Why do I give more importance to the outwardly e...

Strength

2 Cor:4:16 But though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. Though you are physically getting old, with the mental and emotional turmoil you are going through, your inner man is getting strengthened day by day. Because you are created for a greater glory, created with a purpose and God is in the process of taking you there. That transformation is happening day by day. As God is on work in you, it's a process. He will not leave it undone. My responsibility is just to take efforts to develop this forming inner man. Make him strong. Develop spiritual muscles. Work out. Spend time with word and prayer. Feed the inner man with the right things. So that your trust would increase. Your faith would increase. Your intimacy with God would increase. And your worldliness would decrease. Image courtesy: https://www.moneycontrol.com/health-and-fitness/build-muscles-naturally-improve-recovery-boost-energy-with-these-7-foods-in-your-daily-diet-photo-...

The halfbaked Bard

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