Light and darkness, good and evil

“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” – John 3:20

While reading God’s word this week I came across the verse above.  This isn’t the first time I have heard this verse.  As I grow, I begin to see more in certain verses than I did in my youth.  Maybe I’ll never be a completely mature Christian, but each day I feel I am closer than I was previously.

So let me tell you my thoughts on the above verse this time when I read it.

Let’s paint a picture.  A person does a horrible deed, a terrible sin, what is the number one thing a person with a conscience is worried about? That person is worried that the horrible deed will be found out.  Even a person without a conscience won’t advertise a murder they committed to the police force, and if they do they usually don’t sign a name…

Let’s think about something a little closer to home.  Think about your reputation with those at your church, or around you.  I can guarantee that there is something you haven’t been completely open with regarding your past.  Something that maybe you have put behind you, that you have asked God to forgive in you, but still don’t want to advertise to the public at large.  I know I have a few things like that in my past and only the people closest to me know about those things.  I know that if I open up about those things nobody will think any less of me, they will know they were my past and won’t hold them against me, but I still won't bring those things up unless necessary to help somebody else through a similar circumstance, probably because they are my past.  Learn from the past, but put it behind you.

What I want to talk about though are the things you are hiding away right now.  The ones that you are still busy doing and don’t want to be exposed.  That is the easiest way to identify sin in your life.  Are you doing something right now that you wouldn’t want anybody outside your inner circle finding out about?  Are you doing something right now that you wouldn’t even want your inner circle finding out about?  Are you hiding something that you wouldn’t want to be brought to light?

That is almost definitely a sin.  It is something that you are doing under the cover of darkness.  It is the easiest way to identify a sin your life.  You need to be honest with yourself.  Ask God for forgiveness and turn away from your sin.

Remember Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11).

Once before I posted a quote from a TV show I enjoy, it goes:

There is only one thing in life you can truly control, and that is whether you are good or evil.

I still believe that quote holds true, only you can control your actions, nobody else.  Others can guide you, and make it seem like there is no other choice, and all choices will have consequences, but ultimately, you still choose.

If you want to read my first post with that quote in, you can find it here: Red pill or blue pill?

My Favourite Day

As I was browsing Facebook the other day I stumbled across this image.  It gave me something to think about.  Could I say that today is my favourite day?  Could you say that today is your favourite day?

Well, today is very different from yesterday.  Yesterday has already past, and there is nothing you can do to change it, but today you can think back on yesterday and remember it.  Today you can learn from yesterday.

Tomorrow is also very different from today.  You don’t know what tomorrow holds, and in a strange way, tomorrow never arrives, because until the world ends there will always be another tomorrow.  Today is the day that will affect tomorrow.  Today you can plan for tomorrow.

In essence the only day we have is today.  So, is today your favourite day?

Developing a Princess Character Part 1: Sing with Joy

This is the first in my series on developing a princess character within yourself.  Some of you may know that a while ago I did a series on Disney Princesses.  I mentioned some admirable character traits of Disney princesses.  Well this series is going to expand on that series.  I’m going to be mentioning Bible verses that encourage the traits I mentioned in the Disney Princess series, as well as some hints on how to develop them within yourself.

The first trait is one that many of the princesses shared, and that was singing.  They would sing with joy, sing with longing and sing with love.

The Bible says that we should be joyful always:

“Be joyful always”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NIV 1984)

Most of the Psalms are songs.  There are songs of praise and songs of desire, songs expressing thanks and songs expressing heart-ache.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

- Psalm 100:4 (NIV 1984)

Something I have noticed is that people are the music they listen to.  I don’t know if you have noticed how much music can change your mood.  I’ve noticed a few things with regards to the music I listen to:

• Praise and Worship – makes me feel closer to God’s heart.
• Old school hymns – make me stand in awe of God’s glory.
• Alternative Rock music – makes me feel confident and strong, like nothing can break me down.
• Soft romantic music – makes me feel in love
• Celtic folk music (and big band music) – makes me want to dance
• Music with heart-ache lyrics – makes me want to reach out to people who feel that way and be there for them.

If music makes such a difference in my heart and mind, how much can it influence everyone else on a daily basis.

So my recommendation to develop a heart of joy, is to do this one thing:

Limit the music that makes you feel negative. Listen to music that makes you feel joyful.

Luke 18:17 - Child-like Faith

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ~ Luke 18:17

Have you ever met somebody who has a child-like faith? A person who just seems to believe in God without questioning?

I remember a friend from grade 1 who firmly believed that raisins were made from dead flies because her brother told her so. She trusted her brother without questioning him at all.

Our faith in God should be of a similar kind. We should have a child-like faith that God exists, that God only wants the best for us and that God is in control of everything.

Naturally we should question everything that teachers of God's word say, and we should be weary of false teachers and prophets, but we need to be sure in God's word as we read it. Trust it and have faith in him.

Jesus himself said that if we do not receive the kingdom of God like a little child, full of child-like belief and faith, we shall not enter it.

Trust God unconditionally. Love God unconditionally. And receive him like a little child.

The Persistent Widow

This morning while reading Luke 18, I came across The parable of the persistent widow.  It brought my mind back to another blog post I made over a year ago.  since I have many more readers now than I did then, I would like to bring your attention to that blog post.

As an advanced note.  God did move the chess pieces into positions at exactly the correct time.  My prayer was answered in ways I could never have imagined at that time.  I wrote the blog post in May 2011.  He answered the first part of my prayer in June 2011 (work-related).  He answered the 2nd part of the prayer in November 2011 (heart-related).  He then answered the third part in April 2012 (home-related).  I am still waiting for him to answer the 4th and 5th parts.  I have no doubt in my mind God will answer all 5 parts of the prayer, but only when his timing is absolutely perfect.


Without further delay.  Here is the link to:

God's Will vs. Relentless Prayer

Luke 17:26-35 - What will you be doing?

²⁶ “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. ²⁷ People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

²⁸ “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ²⁹ But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

³⁰ “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. ³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”

Luke 17:26-35

This is a short post today.  But just ponder about this.  When Jesus comes back… where will you be and what will you be doing.  If he came right now, would you be ready?  Keep asking yourself this week.  If God came back now, would he find me glorifying his name?

Luke 12:15 – Greed

Then he said to them, “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” ~ Luke 12:15

Greed (noun) - Intense and selfish desire for something, esp. wealth, power, or food.

The above verse is the one that stood out for me while reading my Bible this morning.  We live in a greedy society.  People are selfish and think only of themselves and their wealth and their power.

We live in a society where people are looking for a get rich quick scheme, where people won’t do anything out of the goodness of their hearts.  People are always looking for a way to make money from something.

Jesus warned against greed of all kinds, because there is more to life than your possessions.  For all you know you could die from an aeroplane crashing into your house at 2am in the morning, or in a car accident on the way to work.  We don’t know when God is going to call us home.  What is left?  Your children may benefit from your possessions, but because they didn’t have to work for them like you did, will they appreciate them?

I think about the problems in South Africa.  People in government positions drive around in brand new BMW’s and Mercedes Benz, but their neighbours, the people they grew up with, still sit in the rural villages without indoor plumbing or electric lights.  That is greed.  Greed for wealth and greed for power.

How am I better than these people though?  What do I give back?  People point fingers at government officials, but what are we doing to help the community we live in?  How many of us will go down to the park and start picking up the litter, then use our own fuel to take it to the garbage dump or recycling centre?  How many of us will volunteer at a disadvantaged school and teach the children to knit, sew or do woodwork?  How many of us cannot do these things to help because we are greedy about our time, the one thing we all have?

I am strongly against just giving something for nothing, because if a person get’s something for nothing then it won’t be looked after.  So offer to repaint the rural school, but get the children to help.  Remember the old saying “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Remember that when you give back.

This is a challenge to myself and those reading this… don’t be greedy with what you have, because you don’t know when God will call you home.

The Good Samaritan

This week, while doing my bible study, I read the story of the Good Samaritan.  If you are not familiar with the story, please read it in Luke 10:25-37.

After reading this I realised something interesting about the story for the first time.  No history was given of the man who had been robbed and left at the roadside.  This man could have been a robber himself, or a beggar, regular Joe, Nobleman, or king.  Nothing is said about this man.

The Good Samaritan helped this man without knowing anything about him.

So often we think people are beneath our help, or we find excuses not to help the person…

“The hitchhiker could be a murderer”

“That beggar could waste the money on alcohol and cigarettes”

“Somebody else will help”

“She should go home to her parents”

“He should be in school”

“It’s none of my business”

True, it is dangerous to pick up hitchhikers, especially in certain countries, so this is something, for safety sake I wouldn’t recommend.  But what is stopping you from giving money/food to the beggar?  You don’t have to invite him into your home, you can hand him a home cooked meal through the window of your car.  You can buy him a pie from the corner cafe.  You can help in more ways than just giving money.

Then the question is, how many people in your immediate area, are in need of a good meal?  What about your children’s friends?  Do you assume that they go home to a delicious meal cooked by their mom every night?  What if they don’t?  What if their mom works all day and buys them MacDonald’s every evening?

What about the student living in the next door neighbour’s basement?  Or the widow at church?  Or the newly married couple with 2 young children and a third on the way?  When did that lady last have a meal she didn’t cook herself?

What about the couple going through marriage problems?  When last did they have an evening to themselves without needing to worry about the children?  Couldn’t you offer to babysit for an evening so they can have dinner together?

Being a good Samaritan doesn’t mean you need to pick people up off the street, take them to the hospital and then pay their medical bills too.  It can also be done in small ways.  Cooking a meal.  Babysitting.  Providing company to the elderly.

Ask yourself:

How can I be a good Samaritan today?

Readers, I want to hear from you.  In what small ways has somebody be a good Samaritan to you?  In what small ways can you be a good Samaritan to others?  Feel free to leave a comment with your good Samaritan idea's and stories.

The Comfort of the Rich (Giving Back)

But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. ~ Luke 6:24 (New International Version)

I take a look at the world around me and I see rich Godly people, or rather people who think they are Godly.  They have pretty houses.  They have nice cars.  They live a life that appears to be filled with luxury.  They have every comfort their heart desires.

I then take a look at the poorer Godly people.  What they have they tend to share because they are constantly aware that there is someone less fortunate than themselves.  There are poor people who give all they can to further the church of God, believing that God will reward them when they get to heaven.  These people may not have running water in their homes.  They may not have electricity.  They may not have more than 2 rooms (and by 2 rooms I mean living area and sleeping area).  Their homes may be made out of course materials, but these people make the most of it and they are, for the most part, happier than the wealthy rich people, because these people know that God is their salvation and if they follow God’s commands then they will be blessed, if not in this life then in the next.

Then I take a look more in depth at the lives of these rich people.  Some of them are working 12 hours a day to maintain this lifestyle.  Others have no true friends at all.  And yet others hardly have any family to speak of.  A lot of these rich people are selfish.  They care only for the wealth of this world.

I take a look more closely at the lives of the poorer Godly people.  Some of them are working 12 hours a day to survive, but they have friends and they have family.  They are unselfish and share the little they have.  They care only about surviving, serving God and serving others.

How different the world once was.  I remember hearing a story about a fairly wealthy man who was born in 1890.  He very rarely gave money to a church.  He also very rarely gave money to charity.  But he did something far greater than either of these things.  He gave 3 people employment and provided a loving home for a wife who was not an intelligent women in the modern sense, but had a good heart (you can read her story at the end of my What are you living for? post).  What I want to focus on about his life was that he gave 3 people employment.  That was how he gave back to the community.  He employed a poor person to work his garden and help as a handyman in his home.  He employed another poor person to be a full-time cook.  And he employed another poor person to be a full-time maid in his house. 

This man was fairly wealthy, but he was giving.  When the fruit trees in his garden overflowed with their fruit, he didn’t store it up and let it go off.  He would pick out the best and take it to his poorer neighbours.  He would send some home with his servants.  When there were roses blooming in the garden, he would pick one and put it in a vase on his daughter’s dressing table for her to find when she got home from school.

My point is, in this, that he shared his comforts with the people around him, unlike in the modern world where people store up their comforts here on earth.  They have their happiness in their selfish richness, and Jesus said that will not end well for them.

What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now ~ Luke 6:24 (New Living Translation)

But we can overcome this problem.  We can God’s commands.  We can “Do good and share with others” as said in Hebrews 13:16 and we can:

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ~ Matthew 6:20 (New International Version)

Do good to others.  You don’t have to employ a cook, a gardener or a maid, but when you buy things, buy from poor people who are doing everything they can to provide for their family.  People who are just trying to break even at the end of the month and are not trying to build up their riches here on earth.

Buy homemade products instead of products made by big corporations.  Visit the farmers market instead of the grocery store.  Go to the corner cafe instead of the MacDonald’s.  Give back in your community rather than to the corporate world.  And what is more, write letters of thanks to people who have blessed you.  Follow up and build relationships with the people here on earth.  Be a witness to your family, friends and community!

Introduction

Welcome!  This is my spiritual blog.  In this blog I will discuss the things I have learned during my walk with Jesus Christ.  I hope you enjoy it and learn something out of it too.