Traditions and Philosophy

What do they want from you? Nothing but to control you!

Control the government (gain power); control the people!

The control may be deliberate and not deliberate, intentional and unintentional.

Colossians 2:8 NIV
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

Do I have to pray in a particular way before God can hear me?

Do I have to dress according to your prescription before I can worship God from my heart?

If I don’t give for any reason, Will God not bless me?

Do I have to impress God before He can do me a favor or bless me?

Why do people judge other people based on their personal beliefs and conviction? Because they want you to follow a set of rules and patterns, probably.

They are not God and will never be!

1Co 11:1 KJV Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Are they the Savior or the Forgiver of sin? No!

Galatians 4:10 NIV
You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

The weak are prone to deception.

If you do not do it as we do, are you doing it correctly?

Religion cannot save anyone!

Observation of certain days is meaningless.

The love for God and humanity are what matters.

What makes some think they are right? Nothing!

It is in human nature to control. So, to control other people, they set up some rules that are not necessarily Bible-based.

The pharisee did it, and Jesus rebuked them several times. They want people to live their life in a certain way while they live an unrighteous life.

They are hypocrites. They are not lovers of God.

Jesus did not force His message on people.

He said, Rev 3:20 NET Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me.

He is standing waiting until you let Him in. He will never force Himself in.

Pro-life does not necessarily mean protection of life.

It is possible that when kids are “brought” into this world, they get shot by gun bullets. But they are unwilling to do anything to reduce mass killings due to gun violence.

So, do I have to listen to others? Only if they are listening to God themselves.

Do I have to “pay attention” to other people’s opinions before making decisions? Sometimes you can, but God can (and will) speak to you if it is something He would like you to do.

How about daily decisions?  Follow your heart!

You are likely to make good decisions if your heart is right.

The life of man on earth 12.0 (deep silence)

Whenever there is no response or reply to our request, we often become agitated. 

Throughout Job’s experience, God did not give a reply or answer to any questions until the end.

I have observed that God does not respond quickly sometimes when we ask questions.

The reason for this, I have no idea. God is not responsible for us and does not need to account for anything.

For instance, Job asked God, Job 13:23-24 NET 23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Show me my transgression and my sin. 24 Why do you hide your face and regard me as your enemy?

Jesus also asked God questions when He was close to crucifixion: Mat 27:46 NET At about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

I believe God is not deliberately silent and unwilling to answer. He knows the right thing to do all the time. So, He knows the best thing for us.

Sometimes, if God responds, it might end in disaster. 

We are hard to convince on any issue. So, staying silent seems to be the best reaction from a loving God.

Next time He is silent, understand He has the best intentions for you.

The life of man on earth 11.0 (in the face of adversity)

Job 13:15 NET Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face!

The example that comes to mind is the Hebrew boys’ reaction to the threat of punishment and death if they refuse to bow to a strange god.

Dan 3:16-18 NET 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, “We do not need to give you a reply concerning this. 17 If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

Their reply was out of pure confidence in the ability of God to rescue them. The fascinating thing is not the confidence but their unwavering stance on God they believe. 

Job exhibited the same. His wife implored him to curse God. He did not! 

Stand strong when you are in an adverse situation. 

Train your mind not to let go of your hope and confidence in God’s ability. 

Heb 10:35-36 NET 35 So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward. 36 For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised.

It is your faith that overcomes. So, keep it!

The life of man on earth 10.0 (life is short)

Every today’s decisions are tomorrow’s reality. 

Life is short. What are you doing about life before it disappears? And it will!

Jas 4:13-14 NET 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” 14 You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes.

Make today counts so that you can receive a reward for a life well spent. 

Keep your faith; stand strong!

Romans 12:15-21, Life in this life

Be happy with other people’s successes so that a bitter spirit does not hinder your breakthroughs.

Think of others in a good way.

When you know someone is going through difficult times, empathize with them.

Say nice and comforting words. Sending a text and giving a call goes a long way to make the other person feel important and help alleviate their lonely predicament.

Doing good is better than doing bad. Do I need to say that? Yes, we live in a pathetic world, and a lot of good behavior is fading away quickly.

Do not feel you have arrived and don’t need people in your life.

Watch! You might not have anyone during your downtime if you mistakenly drive them away.

Be at peace with others, but the world is not a peaceful place.

Sometimes, I wonder how Jesus would have lived in our current society.

How about the men of old who set great examples for us? Would they not be disappointed in our present-day behavior?

Regardless of the evil perpetrated in our environment, evil cannot win.

Good will always overcome evil.

Therefore, let your life be full of good works.

Romans 12:13-14 Impactful Giving

Don’t give as a regular act.

Give Purposefully to make a positive impact on others, especially those who are close to you.

Today, it is difficult to help others without getting into trouble, but it is still possible to do the right thing at the right time to the right fellow.

Your heart can guide your actions, and the obvious things are likely God’s way of showing you where help is needed.

It is nearly impossible to show kindness to those who maltreat us, especially for doing good.

The grace of God can help us behave correctly in the face of difficulties.

Romans 12:11-12, Zeal and Hope

Be devoted to your calling or vocation.

Your calling is your reason for living.

Therefore, no room for slack.

You must encourage yourself in your darkest night just like David did.

David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30:6

The passion for your calling and your purpose in life would be enough to reinvigorate your spirit and give you energy for another day.

And when things go not the way you plan them, remain strong. Be confident in the ability of God to keep you and help you.

Your confidence in God is your hope that God cannot fail.

Continually talk to God about everything.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

Continue to say all of your minds to Him.

Don’t relent! Don’t give up!

Rom 12:12 Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.

Romans 12:9-10 Re: True Love

True love is not about “what is in it for me?”,

It is about “what can I offer?”

True love is undiluted with bad intentions and deceits.
The inclination to do good always spurs love. That means good acts energize true love.

True love cares;
True love thinks about others first;
True love is honest;
True love expresses empathy and shares burden;
True love sacrifices;
True love waits and
True love endures.

The idea of “love me,” “show me your love,” and even the “I love you” seems diluted, polluted,  and complicated today.

But we know that in our hearts, true love is patient.

Love is kind and behaves nicely towards others.

Love does not envy other people. It is happy with other people’s successes and does not wish them evil.

Love doesn’t need to boast or brag about anything. It allows things and events to announce themselves without pushing them.

And love is level-headed. It is warm, calm, and collected, right?

Love behaves respectfully. For instance, it allows other people to talk and doesn’t mind taking turns if it’s the last turn.

Love is considering others before yourself.

Love relax and would not get offended easily.

Love speaks out carefully against wrongdoing and maintains the truth.

Love endures and is hopeful about tomorrow.

True love lasts forever.

So, this is true love.

This is what true love is all about.

Have a lovely day!

Romans 12:3-8 Humility and Focus

The ability to think of other people more important than you is humility. This definition demonstrates that today’s society differs.
It is easy to shun other people.

We often disregard little ones, those we think are beneath us.

We shun the younger ones and think they’re not smart, forgetting that God can use them to perform great wonders.

We think of “what is in it for me” instead of “what is in it for others.

Today’s society exalts pride, arrogance, and self-praise.

Those who boast of things unreal try to impress people who don’t care about them.

“Jas 4:6, But he gives more grace. So that the Writings say, God is against the men of pride, but he gives grace to those who make themselves low before him.”

Different people work on a project, but they all work for the same purpose. If they are in conflict, achieving a successful completion is defeated.

We all have different body parts, but they all function to keep us alive and healthy. Imagine that the eyes are angry with the legs. How will the legs get to a place without the eyes to guide them, and how will the eyes see places without the legs’ assistance?

Be focused on your calling! Mind your business and excel at what you do.
Respect others and live a fulfilled life by doing what you have the strength to do, not what others are doing.

Be focused and mind your business!

Romans 12:2

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

Conformity with the world is an enmity to God.
That is, if you’re going to satisfy the world, you’ll likely displease God.

You cannot do God’s will and balance your life with the world’s standards at same time. It is nearly impossible!

You must constantly think and work on your mind to do the right thing. Through this, you will be able to determine the will of God for your life.

Your renewed mind will be mindful of the things of God, and how to please Him will be a priority.

Ironically, you cannot satisfy this world (friends, colleagues, social media, trends, and even loved ones). They are more focused on your shortcomings than your positive vibes.

Expending your energy to serve God is better than trying to please this world.

Guide your heart!