Second fiddle

The first temptation that Jesus had to face was the normal teaching which the world gives now - physicality is important. To take care of your own self.

Pamper yourself the world says, whereas Jesus says deny yourself. Be happy by satisfying yourself, do what your heart tells you to do. And give yourself happiness and satisfaction the world says. Take up your cross, the Saviour says. Enjoy life even at the cost of stomping on others. Survival of the fittest, the world teaches. My leader says - I have come to serve.

Why is there so much disparity between the Redeemer's teaching and the world's teaching. Why is the world's teaching so vandalized. Because the heart is deceitful of all. It knows only the fallen way. The perfect unfallen way was shown by Jesus - being the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness Phil:2:6-7

What do you deny yourself with today? A temptation to be angry? A temptation to be egocentric? A temptation to sleep a little more? A temptation to buy and horde? Where is giving? Where is frugality? Where is fasting? Where is simplicity? Where is showing the other cheek? Where is playing the second fiddle?

Image credit: https://buildingchurch.net/2009/04/09/second-fiddle-part-2of2/

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Amma

Pro:23:25 May she who gave you birth be happy Make your parents happy. Be wise. Because they have sacrificed much to make you what you are right now. Oh! When I am able to earn, I will buy the best things for her. Will it make her happy? Nope. I will buy her the best house and provide for all her needs. Will that satisfy her? No. Oh I will give her all what she needs. Will that make her have a peaceful life? No. What will make her happy? Acknowledge her sacrifice. Spend time with her. Pray with her. Pray for her. Talk to her. Lest you would reach a situation when wouldn't be able to, even if you desire. Yet Jesus said, if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea his own life, he cannot be my disciple. What does this mean? Why does Jesus advocate to hate our parents. Love is relative for mankind. There is something called loving more or loving less. If I love someone less than the other, it is

Noble woman

Proverbs Chapter 31 is an epilogue of a woman of noble character. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Husbands if you get such a wife as in Proverbs 31, you are blessed. Wives, if you are such a person as this, you are a blessing. But wives know that, you cannot be like that always or forever. Even for a day it's a struggle. Some say, I am not like that, so I am not a blessing for my family. My genetic make up is not like that. I also want my children to arise and call me blessed. I too want my husband to praise me. But i am not as efficient as 'x' or 'y'. I am not beautiful. I am not confident of my physique and stretch marks and wrinkles. My hair is graying. I am still struggling. If you think in terms of these negative line of thoughts, you will reach nowhere. In fact if you think like this you will become an antonym of blessing. Now what is the key to be a blessing? What is the key to change? V:30 Charm is

Sacrificoholic

Pro:21:3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just. Than when we offer him sacrifices 1Sam:15:22 Obedience is better than sacrifice And submission is better than offering the fat of rams. By giving God or by thinking of giving to God by giving to the church or to those in need, man often thinks he can cover up his sins. By paying his alms, by going for pilgrimages, by making himself suffer, he thinks God will overlook all his known and unknown sins, man tries to please God. But in God's realm it won't work that way. Isa:64:6 When we display our righteous deeds They are nothing but filthy rags. God doesn't weigh our good deeds and bad deeds and see which is heavier and then deal with us accordingly. His standard is such that sin cannot go unpunished and the wages of sin is death. And that punishment had to be dealt with on the cross on Calvary by God Himself, because man could not do anything to save himself. For God so loved you and me that He did not

The third temptation

Self. The root cause of all evil. Have the glory for yourself. The pride of life. Desiring words of appreciation. Desiring important positions on and off the dias. Pushing yourself to glory. But while playing behind the stage also can be self seeking and self oriented. Why was I not called? Why was I not acknowledged? Why was I not given an opportunity? Equally dangerous is -I am a nobody. I can't compete with others. I am not that talented like him. Digging your one talent is also self appeasing. You will be like God. You will be able to discern between good and evil. You can have control over your life. You will be in the center of your life. WRONG. Let Christ be all. And I be nothing. Image credit: https://www.cartoonize.net/self-portrait-photography/

Iron sharpens iron

Iron sharpens iron So a friend sharpens a friend. Get a good friend. A friend who is godly. A friend who has values. A friend who is loving. To get a trustworthy friend is like a lottery. Who will be there whenever you are in need. A friend is need is a friend indeed. But what if you literally do not have a friend. What if none wants to be friends with you. Jesus is willing. Jesus calls you a friend. A Saviour who saved you from eternal hell is wanting to be your friend. If only you would open the door. Does that sound childish and untheological? Well those without even a single friend would pounce on this. John:15:15. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Image credit: https://www.kristenbhubler.com/personalgrowthblog/iron-sharpents-iron

Pamperings

Pro:21:17 Those who love pleasure become poor Those who love wine and luxury will never be rich. Proverbs is a book of wisdom. It lays down truths with consequences and repercussions rather than telling, something is good or wrong, leaving the choice to the reader. Here is one such idea. To enjoy life is nothing wrong - with pleasure, luxury, wine. It is your hard earned money and it is your choice to live the way you want. Nobody has the right to question that. This is the world's teaching. But if we go deep into reality, we realize the truth. The money is not ours after all. The source is not ours. What is it that you have that has not been given. The education, the base, the background, the provisions - everything has been gifted and you are just a steward alone, not the owner. Use it with wisdom. Wine, luxury and pleasure - why do you pamper yourself as if you are the king? Enjoyment is wrongly defined by the system. True joy comes only from the sumptuous relat

Joseph

Matt:1:24 And took Mary as his wife. Oh! What a man is Joseph. A good man A God fearing man - a God oriented man Obedient to God's word Full of compassion and love to Mary No questions to God. Did not consider the ridicule and blame he was about to face from the society as any significant considering his love to Mary or his devotion to God. The silent doer. No talking. Received no words of appreciation. Continued to do what he was asked to do. Nothing more was written about him in the Bible. Considering the position he is given - Father of Messiah. No glory. Just silent doing of what he is expected to do. In contrast to the husbands and fathers of today (including me) who wants to be in the limelight. In the center. Of his family and his own world. Lord as a husband, as a father I have been self seeking. I repent. Forgive me. Image credit: https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-stories-lessons/11/gabriel-visits-mary/

The halfbaked Bard

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