Before we begin, I want you to follow me on a weird excursion. To go where we have to go, you need to read the entire paragraph and do exactly as told.
I’d tell you to trust me, but that would be vain. Trust Him instead, He’s a much better choice… After you’ve read this paragraph, I want you to close your eyes softly. Breathe a breath that will fill your lungs with air. Allow your mind to wander to that place in your mind where peace and tranquility is possible, whether that be a forest trail that you like or a lake that you’ve been to. Go to your happy place. When you get to that place, take a pause and listen to what the Father tells you as you remain in His presence… Thank you for joining me in this little trip. The reason why I asked you to join me is because, I believe that, In these moments of rest, God the Father, can talk to us. In our extremely busy world, we rarely take the time to really rest and listen to what the Father has to say. Sometimes, they are messages of peace, meant to alleviate whatever worries or burdens that we may have in our lives. In other times, it may be a message to present what He has intended for us. To be frank, even as I list these things that He may tell us in these times of rest,I realize there are so many things that He could tell us. He is the Sovereign One. He will decide what He tells you, if He decides to tell you what He wants to tell you. But why is rest so important? While the idea of rest may seem to foreign to us, it wasn’t always the case. The Bible presents quite a few instances of rest, within both testaments. Within the ten commandments, He says: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8 - 11) “Sabbath”, in Hebrew, was the term for rest. God is repeatedly asking for us, His children, to relax and breathe. And in that, it is elaborated upon in the Psalms, as his humble servant David says: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). God wants us to rest with Him, in His shelter, and in His time. Another instance happens in 1 Kings 3, where we see the newest king of Israel, Solomon, sleeping. It was as he slept, in a dream, that God the Father presented Himself to the new King and asked Solomon what he wanted; that’s when Solomon asked for wisdom and discernment (1 Kings 3:6 - 9). Again, we see that it is in these small moments of rest that the Father can present Himself to us and talk to us. And finally, I can present to you the greatest Example: Jesus. Let us never forget the famous example of Jesus sleeping through a storm (Mark 4:38 - 40; Matthew 8:23 - 27). If God, the Creator of both the Heavens and Earth, as well as His begotten Son, Jesus Christ, can both take time to rest, why can’t we? I say that we can, but it requires something from us. It is more than just obedience to the Word, but acknowledgement of our detachment to this world. Remember that Jesus said that those we are not of this world once we are chosen by Him and choose to follow Him (John 15:19). You and I must detach from this world and attach ourselves to a lifetime where the Father is our only priority - a world in which rest is something that we do naturally. All the best and may the Father bless you, Eli
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Heyy!
I’d like to start this article with a story that is a little funny. I was reading the list of articles that I had to write and I realized that there was one that I was already thinking about. The truth is that I had given it a name and put it in my calendar. And I had forgotten the link that I had made between the passage that I wanted to use and the title that I had written. So, I wrote another article… “It’s My Life’’. Since that article and this one are pretty much linked, I am inviting you to go read, or reread, “It’s My Life” before you continue, or later on if you want. I do not want to force you to do anything that you don’t want to do lol. So, thanks to the two verses that I kind of forgot, you are allowed two articles with similar topics. Yet, I think that you know me well enough now to know that I am a pro at doing this subject. Therefore, let’s start. I mentioned in “It’s My Life” that we are living lives that do not belong to us if we have given our hearts to Christ. I’d like to go even further with that today. In a context where Paul asks the church of Corinth to live a moral life in God, the Father, he tells them: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20) I believe that God has given us a huge responsibility. He is asking that our bodies glorify Him. Lastly, I was touched by the principle of “to not sin” and of sanctification. I promise you an article on this subject will come soon enough. But, as we wait, I would like to ask you this question: when you are not sinning, are you truly the temple of the Holy Spirit? My life cost God the life of His only Son, who died pierced for my iniquities (Isaiah 53). That’s what the verse tells me. My life, my eternity, cost Jesus His life, His pride, His intimacy. Some will tell me that it is a violation of His human rights. But it is what He did for me. Paul said it and I am incapable of doing better than that. If God redeemed me at the price of the death of Jesus - His resurrection proving that nothing, not even death can stop Him - I therefore have the obligation to glorify Him with my body and soul, for nothing belongs to me. I would like to invite you to meditate on this verse for a moment, so that you realize the importance of what God has done for us: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20) Now that you have understood the responsibility on your shoulders, you have two choices. The first being that you can continue living your life like you were doing before opening this article. Or, you can choose to no longer be in charge of your life and give the reins over to the Father, so that you may glorify Him with your body and soul. I made my choice, even if it’s something that requires a lot of energy. But I love God, and I want to glorify Him. I hope that you will too. Be blessed, Do In the world we live in today, everyone is born into sin. Our own nature is sinful. It doesn't matter how good and how bad we do.
Worse than that, our life may seem flourishing or disastrous, its result, without God, is that we are doomed to live eternity away from God, in eternal damnation. Our life of sin, of denial of the will and law of God, leads us to live in a state that will reject Him forever. We were all condemned to no longer be able to face God. A hard way to come back to reality! I accept it, and I approve. After some time, God chose a people with whom He chose to be in fellowship. Lots of ups and downs with the people of Israel, to put it mildly. God had chosen a people who could show the way for the rest of the nations to follow. But these people doubted, sinned, and gradually moved away from God as well. Far from a fun part! Some have continued to believe in Him, and the prophets are some of them. They announced what we might call a literal "backup plan." He has a name: Jesus. Jesus came to reconcile God's people with the Father. He came so that all nations might discover the plan of salvation. He came to carry sin on His shoulders, dying a criminal death when He knew no evil deeds. Hello, justice! The problem with looking at it on a larger whole is that apart from God, we are nothing. We are empty. I don't know if you've been through this before ... It's like feeling empty despite everything you have. Despite your friends, evenings of so-called fun and fun, nothing is pleasant to you. For others, it will be like being born and living a "good" or "beautiful" life doing all the good in the world and overnight, losing everything. Or watch your world crumble and lose all hope. Some will even tell you that they feel broken. Does that sound familiar to you? Do you find yourself in one of these situations? You are not the only one. The problem is probably the lack of hope. A friend told me about smelling like a broken vase. So I told him about the kintsugi. Do you know what it is? You may have an idea without knowing the name (it was my case). So I had to do some research before answering him. And this is what I found:
After this repair process, the room can no longer be used for eating, as it becomes poisonous. Before reaching terrible conclusions, I will invite you to let me explain myself. The broken vessel is our life without God. Useless, worthless, neither for us nor for the world around us. What led us to this situation were the injuries and disappointments. This is how we broke. If we choose to put ourselves in God's hands, when we allow Him to fix us, He takes what was worth nothing and turns it into a work of art. This work will have no place in its former location, will no longer have any function under the previous conditions. It would be toxic to the old environment, and it could possibly damage the new creation. So, a new function is assigned to it: to highlight the work of the artist. This is the option you have if you choose to give your life to God. You can allow Him to transform you and make you more useful than you were before. I can assure you, choose to accept the work of Christ in your heart and in your life, to refuse to live as you lived before, to separate yourself from sin, nothing more beautiful. He is offering it to you today. Here are two verses that show you what God offers you for your life:
So, what now? The choice is yours. But I really invite you to consider your options and to choose life with Christ. I pray that you would have a good week, May God bless you, Do Hey!
I am back with the next edition of our series: By God & For God! I hope you liked the first one! As you may know, in this series, I am talking to you about love languages. If you’re joining us this week for the first time, have you heard of them before? If not, here’s a short explanation. American pastor, Gary Chapman, wrote about this subject and explains that there are 5 love languages. And, this is what I want us all to discover during this summer. I start every article with a quick debrief of what it is (really, it’s not going to be long), and then, I talk to you about how we can use said love language in our relationship with God. I believe that He allowed us to have these languages for a reason, and I believe that this is is to live them all with the Father. All of this is to make Him happy! In that same way, it shows us His love for us through these languages. Today, let’s talk about physical touch. What is it? Some people feel loved when they have physical contact. However, to render this simple, it means that these people appreciate being hugged or things of the genre by the people they love. This doesn’t mean that these people lack affection or that they grew up lacking said affection. It’s simply because this helps them feel loved. I am probably one of them; I like hugging the people I love (and Canada hasn’t helped, if anything, it has made me more touchy-feely). How to live that with God? We find ourselves here, in the same place where we were two weeks ago, in a delicate situation. Unless it’s a supernatural phenomenon, we cannot physically touch God, unlike the disciples who could touch Jesus (John 13:23, John 20:27). The difficulty comes in the fact that physical contact concerns two people. So, like last week, it seems to me that all things pass by His people and His creation. Once again, this does not concern the extraordinary phenomena that God permits. I invite you, therefore, to return to read this section of the previous article to read my suggestions about this subject, or simply, you can read Matthew 25:35 - 40. To add to that , I like spending time in worship. I sing, I pray and I let my body express itself to God in the ways that the spirit leads it. At church, I raise my hands to worship: these are acts that help me express my love. How does God show it? “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.” (Luke 5:13) “After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” (John 9:6 - 7) Sadly, today, it’s not really possible. So, here's something I love to do: rest in the presence of God. Listen to praise, or just sit in silence to find out what He has to teach me. In these moments, I sometimes feel His presence. It really is a blessing ... A few years ago, after an event we were at with our group of young adults, I felt like God came to hug me every night when I went to bed. These are impressions, but they are so valuable ... But above all, today we have the church. In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we talk about how the believers leaned on each other, used each other. They almost lived together. And I believe that's a blessing that we have today. We have a community, made to live in communion with God. And this community is supposed to act the way Jesus would. A shoulder to cry on, arms to rejoice in, it's almost like an extension of the hand of God in our lives. Finally, sometimes God touches us physically, even though we do not feel Him directly. Miraculous healings still exist today. I would advise you to read the testimonies in the "My life, His plan" section to discover some examples. I hope this has given you a new perspective on loving God and seeing God's love for you, Be blessed abundantly, Do. Hello!
Here I am back with the continuation of our series: By God and For God! I hope you enjoyed the previous articles. As you may know, in this series, I tell you about the languages of love. If you are joining us this week for the first time, have you ever heard of it? Otherwise, here's a short explanation. An American pastor, Gary Chapman, wrote about this and explains that there are 5 languages of love, 5 ways of showing and receiving Love. And that's what I suggest you discover during this summer. I start each article with a quick explanation of what it is (really, it won't be long), and then I talk to you about how we can use the said language of love in our relationship with God. I believe He allowed us to have these languages for a reason, and I believe that reason is that all of these ways of relating to God are worth living. All this pleases Him! Likewise, He shows us His love for us through all these languages. Today, let's talk about acts of service. What is that ? Some people feel loved when we do things for them, when we help them accomplish goals, or when we simplify their lives a bit. These are small gestures that make them happy. Warning ! It's not about doing all the chores of some lazy people, it's just about making someone happy through our actions for them. How to live this with God? It is not very easy. Indeed, when you think about it, God is spirit. It means we can't really help him do anything. However, His word offers us a very simple way to serve Him: it is to serve His creation, to love our neighbor. Jesus showed us this when he spoke to his disciples: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25: 35-40) The King in this passage is God. I think this is all pretty clear, right? But of course, it can also be to go vacuuming an elderly person, to visit the sick, or even (be careful, it's controversial) to give money or food to someone in the street. Finally, one way to serve God is to serve in His church. Once again, we see the importance of a community of disciples of God. Indeed, serving in daycare, teaching at the Sunday school (the club) or even helping those in charge during tax time, it helps to advance the kingdom of God. If you have special gifts, I invite you to use them to serve people. One of my gifts, for example, is writing. If I didn't know how or didn't like to write, you wouldn't have this in front of you. If you serve without expecting anything in return, it means that you have achieved the goal: you are serving God and you know that he will do the rest. And your actions glorify God, reflect Him, and can help other people meet Him. How does God show it to me? Again, it's pretty complicated at first. Since the previous question, He has not changed: He is still spirit. So how can the Spirit serve me? First, God sends the Holy Spirit to us to speak to us and establish His ministry. In simple terms, He comes to help us to do the work that He has given us: “ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26: the word that describes the Holy Spirit actually means "help" in the original version). God also helps us to pray to Him: " In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God." (Romans 8: 26-27). To attribute even more to the Holy Spirit, we can read what Paul said "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15: 18-19). Finally, God serves us through "little" things on a daily basis: thoughts that help you make wise decisions, meeting people who make you realize the goodness of God, finding a note in your door. -leave while your card does not pass when buying your lunch, the incident at work that made you avoid a road accident ... But also, the loss of a device that allows you meeting someone who will become your best friend, going through a time of illness for a miraculous cure, or even a pandemic that allows many to meet Christ or get their lives back on track. If you want more examples, I will invite you to read the testimonials in the "My life, His plan" section of the blog. But all of this is God showing us His love (and I didn't even mention Jesus' sacrifice for our salvation ...) I hope this has given you a new perspective on loving God and seeing God's love for you, Be blessed abundantly, Do Hello!
Here I am back with the continuation of our series: By God & For God! I hope you enjoyed the previous articles. As you may know, in this series, I tell you about the languages of love. If you are joining us this week for the first time, have you ever heard of it? Otherwise, here's a short explanation. A pastor in the United States, Gary Chapman, wrote about this subject and explains that there are five love languages. And this is what I’m offering to you to discover today and for the rest of the summer. I’ll start with this article with a quick explanation as to what it is (trust me, it isn’t long). And then, I will talk to you about how we can use said language for a reason; I believe that that reason is for that ever-important relationship with God.. These languages deserve to be lived. All of this makes Him happy! In the same way that He shows us His love for us through those very same languages. Today, let's talk about empowering lyrics. What is that ? Some people feel loved when given compliments and encouragement, of course it is important that they are sincere. These people don't need you to flatter their ego, but need to know what you see as being empowering in them. How to live this with God? There is a simple answer ... Especially if you have spent time in church services ... It is worship! Angels do not cease to worship God, even though they have lived in His presence since He created them. The Bible also has a book full of them, the Book of Psalms. You can get support from it if you don't know where to start. But, as we remind ourselves that God is Spirit, we can find other ways to give Him meaningful words. You can testify of Him, explain who He is to you to other people. If I can say it, it's killing two birds with one stone, haha. You testify and seek to make Him known while showing your love to Him in this way. I believe, and this is really a personal interpretation, that another way of speaking this language of love with God is to speak in truth, to be honest and loving towards all. It's a personal point of view, it just seems a little consistent to me. It's about talking about the truth that God speaks to those around us. How does God show it to me? In the same way that we can worship God and recognize who He is, God has told us who we are, as believers, for Him. I'll let you find out. God formed you: “He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them "Mankind" when they were created" (Genesis 5: 2) You belong to Him: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24: 1) You are His child:"But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12) You are precious in His eyes: “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.” (Isaiah 43: 4) I hope this has given you a new perspective on loving God and seeing God's love for you, Be blessed abundantly, Do. Hey!
I am back with the next edition of our series: By God & For God! I hope you liked the first one! As you may know, in this series, I am talking to you about love languages. If you’re joining us this week for the first time, have you heard of them before? If not, here’s a short explanation. American pastor, Gary Chapman, wrote about this subject and explains that there are 5 love languages. And, this is what I want us all to discover during this summer. I start every article with a quick debrief of what it is (really, it’s not going to be long), and then, I talk to you about how we can use said love language in our relationship with God. I believe that He allowed us to have these languages for a reason, and I believe that this is is to live them all with the Father. All of this is to make Him happy! In that same way, it shows us His love for us through these languages. Today, let’s talk about quality time. What is it? Some people feel loved when people spend time with them, doing things that are dear to their heart. It’s not that they lack love in their home, only that they love to spend time with the people they love, who allow them to express their love. How to live that with God? I believe that that is a good question. But it isn’t complicated. Quality time is built upon conversations, activities together, laughs or simple, quiet moments. The most obvious way to spend time with the Father is to talk to Him! Prayer is the most effective way to do it. In this way, you can help grow your relationship by talking. Talk about anything that may come to mind: your worries, what preoccupies your mind, your successes and your failures. I am clearly saying “your” because you can talk to God, but He desires to to talk to you The most obvious way to spend time with God is to talk to Him! Prayer is an effective way to do this. In this way, you can make your relationship grow by talking, by telling yourself what is on your mind: your worries, your concerns, your joys and your sorrows. I say "your" because you can talk to God, but He also wants to talk to you. He wants to tell you what is on His mind as well. In the Old Testament, we see Him speaking with Moses, Samuel, an insane amount of prophets (Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Agée, Zacharie, Malachi and so many others!). And if you read carefully, you will see that God also listens to those who speak to Him. Are you not a prophet? No problem, the Bible is full of people with whom God speaks. David had prophetic tendencies, but he was above all a king, and God spoke to him! As Eli mentioned two articles ago, God spoke with Solomon as well. In the New Testament you have an insane amount of people speaking to God through Prayer. They are all learning a lot about this as well, because they asked Jesus how to pray. But above all, a lot of people came to Jesus to tell Him about what was happening to them. You can do the same. Likewise, you can spend quality time with God by listening to Him, writing things that come to your heart while thinking of Him, spending time with people who encourage you in your spiritual life, Praising Him and worshiping Him, living in a way that makes Him a priority, thinking of Him, and so many others. I'll let you share in the comments if you have an idea. How does God show it to me? And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11) Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) I hope that this has shown you a new perspective on how to show your love to God and how to see God’s love for you. Be blessed abundantly, Do Hey!
I am back with a brand new series! I think that you will like it. However, it will probably not be the way that you’d want it. I know, there are certain subjects that I haven’t talked about a lot since the beginning of the blog, and, I am not under the impression that that is a good thing to do. Oh well, not yet... We’ll see when we get there. Yet, I am not here today to talk to you about what I won’t do. I hope I didn’t hurt you. Today, and for the next few weeks I want to talk to you about love languages. Has anyone else heard about those? A pastor in the United States, Gary Chapman, wrote about this subject and explains that there are five love languages. And this is what I’m offering to you to discover today and for the rest of the summer. I’ll start with this article with a quick explanation as to what it is (trust me, it isn’t long). And then, I will talk to you about how we can use said language for a reason; I believe that that reason is for that ever-important relationship with God.. These languages deserve to be lived. All of this makes Him happy! In the same way that He shows us His love for us through those very same languages. Therefore, let us begin with a very simple and common action: offering gifts. What is it? Some people feel loved when they receive gifts. Generally, these people will show that they love you as well by giving you gifts. It doesn’t mean that they are materialistic, just that they manage to present their love in this manner. How to live that with God? I will concede in saying that it is a little complex. I want to say that, while God IS, He has no physical form (John 4:24). Therefore, it’s complicated to offer Him a gift. However, in my perception, He still likes it, up to a point. In the Bible, you can see that men, to be reconciled with Him, made sacrifices (you can read the book of Leviticus to see a description). The Bible tells us, in fact, that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). They could also make offerings (eg Genesis 4: 3-4). But, once Jesus sacrificed Himself, that didn't stop the first congregation from continuing to give gifts to God. In fact, the Bible tells us that the apostles and those that were congregating with them, as well as the churches, offered their thanks to God, since Paul encourages perseverance (Colossians 4:2). I believe that it is a good start. But more than that, the Bible shows us that the apostles brought their belongings together, so that no one was ever in a state of need (Acts 2:44 - 45). Therefore, am I telling you to sell your house, your car and your clothes? No. Except if God is calling you to, then go ahead! However, I will ask you to consider giving a part of your revenue to works that glorify God in your entourage. This may be a church through your offering, an association that speaks of the gospel or that helps those in need. You can also choose to start fasting every so often, to offer your time to God. Fasting is a sacrifice in our day and age, in favor of God. Social media, video games, television, food, time with your friends and hobbies are things that we can sacrifice in our fast for God. How does God show it to me? But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) I hope that that gave you a new perspective on loving God and seeing love of God in your life. Be abundantly blessed, Do You can not even imagine how much time it has been since I had the idea to write this article. And how excited I was for it to be published. That is because, whether we like it or not, there are certain days where it becomes necessary to dot your i’s and cross your t’s. You know. I’m harsh. This is only the beginning.
So, what do I want to talk to you about today? Let me begin with a little story; a part of mine actually. A while ago, I was talking to my big sister about some of my projects in life. As we spoke about these things on my heart, I realized that some people in my entourage couldn’t make those projects possible. They would condemn me for the organisation that I had for my own life. Therefore, I started to talk to her about arrangements that I could make to make everyone happier. That’s when she brought me back to Earth. She told me: “No, Do! You have to remember that no one other than you will live your life. You don’t report to anyone!” I accepted. We then proceeded to talk about other things. Some time later - and I mean years after the fact - after that conversation, I thought about that conversation, as I prepared for those aforementioned projects. I remembered that “I didn’t have to give reports to anyone.” As I confronted myself with this idea, I believe that God talked to me. My sister wasn’t wrong, at least, not completely. But there was someone who I had to report to. Someone who is so interested in my life that He is present at every minute, at every moment. There is this quote: YOLO (You Only Live Once). It’s true, but not in the way that the world generally views it. Only living one time does not mean do whatever you want. It means, you have to live the best you can. For life, it’s God, the Father that has given it to us, and there is no reason to waste it. A verse that I like tells me that God has plans of peace and not to harm. But, as I mentioned in the article, “Do Your Part!”, we have a responsibility in this process of living a happy life. To live happily, you have to submit to God’s commandments (James 4:7, Deuteronomy 5:1). To live happily, you have to accept that Jesus died at Golgotha for you. To live happily, you have to accept to not live by your own will, but to repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near (Matthew 3:2). To live happily, you have to choose to glorify God in your actions (1 Corinthians 10:31). To live happily, you have to remember that you only live once doesn’t mean you can do anything. However, that’s where it becomes complicated, for God wants yu to live and to do what pleases you. That’s why He gave us free will. God will not force you to do anything. But He will ask you to do the right thing. So yes, when a decision is in front of you, you can say that “it’s my life!” but the question is to know and understand who you are glorifying. That choice, you can do it now. God is inviting you and so am I. Be blessed and have a great week, Do. Allow me to begin by saying that I’ve been watching a very interesting show lately. While I could tell you which one, I don’t feel as if this is the place, nor the time, to be telling you all what I watch during my free time. But, to be nice, I will drop little hints throughout the article to let you decipher which program I’m referencing.
Anyways, what struck me about the show - and the reason that I’m here today - is because one of the smaller themes of the show struck with me. Convicted me, if you will. Most of the major characters are pitted against one another in a battle of virtues. Every side believes that they are right; that they follow the right path. Consequently, they see the others as being “wrong” and as adversaries that need to be defeated. One of those debates is the question of mercy: should you be merciful in life or should you not be? To understand what mercy is, we must first have a definition. The word is defined as being “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.” It seems simple enough, right? Some of the main characters have presented the argument that life isn’t fair, nor is it merciful. Restaurants around the world throw tons of food in the trash everyday, yet leave the hungry to starve in the alleys beside them. Crimes are committed everyday against people who didn’t deserve them. That’s true. The Bible might even support this in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25 - 37). The man who was beaten and robbed - left for dead - was not shown mercy or compassion by either a Levite or a Priest. They unwittingly chose to harm him by not helping him. Other characters say that the question of mercy should be given to all, no matter what. The power that you are given to help others should be used to help others, even if it can come to your own detriment. Where would the Father, God, stand on this issue? His Word gives us a good idea on His understanding of mercy. King David was someone who saw a lot of His mercy while out on the battlefield. He knew exactly what He was talking about when he wrote powerful words such as “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands (2 Samuel 24:12) and psalms like “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you” (Psalms 86:5). The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth is merciful and loving. So loving, that He sent His Son, Jesus, to tell you to be loving and merciful too (Luke 6:36). The Good Samaritan decided to show mercy and compassion to the fallen traveler, who was victim to robbers who struck first, struck hard and had no mercy. From that alone, we should know that as followers of Christ, that we should be merciful. If that isn’t enough, look at the story of David and Saul: the former always sought to be merciful to his king, even though the latter tried to kill him on multiple occasions (1 Samuel 26). If I’m to present the argument as to why we should be merciful, I cannot forget the merciful God that we serve. He sent His Son to save (John 3:16), out of love and mercy, even though all had sinned and fell short of His glory. He continues to forgive us whenever we do wrong. Who are we therefore to be more severe than the Father who made us? Lest we not forget that His mercy supersedes our understanding (Ephesians 2:4; Titus 3:5). Be merciful in your actions and in you words. Even if your enemy's ideals never dies, be merciful towards them and pray for them. The love of the Father is always stronger and mercy is one of the greatest examples of this. Being merciless isn’t a sign of strength, but the true definition of weakness. The merciful person knows their strength and their limit is within the Father who defined them and loved them. If I seem harsh, it’s because I know that the Father wants you to be better than you were before. To be more like Him: loving, compassionate and merciful. May the Father bless and protect you, Eli P.S: You can guess which show it is in the comments or on social media, I want to see what you all think it is. |
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November 2021
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