Following Jesus is difficult if you do not surrender to him totally, but becomes super easy if you do. Not encountering any resistance in you, the Lord is able to do all the work in freedom for you. So it all depends on you to depend on God or not.
Friday, July 28, 2017
*Never Shut God Out
With God we should never draw any line. For example, it is inappropriate to tell God that you believe in him, but you just can't and won't forgive a certain person you dislike. The proper respectable attitude is to admit that God is right, you are weak and need his help. Never close the door on God, but always keep your heart open to receive the help you need from him.
Wishful Longing
I long to see my beloved Lord. Therefore, personally I wish that he would come now or soon, but not to judge us ~ only to give everyone another chance to turn to him for salvation. Nevertheless, I must always submit my wish to his.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
*Justifying What We Do
Sometimes we justify what we want to do by stretching things a bit. To make up an example, I can say that I watch TV a lot every day to entertain myself, and when I am happy, I do a better job of everything else I should do and make others happy too. Other common examples of justifying what you do: saying "God has made me this way" and "I must use my God-given talent."
There is only one justification for what we do: Do we bring ourselves or others closer to God?
*Final Arrival
Life is always in progress; we keep learning and changing. Today you are not quite the same person as you were yesterday, and tomorrow you'll be different again. And as we go through the various phases of life, we seem never to come to some appropriate end. But, with Christ, you believe in him and it's done for you. Once you've settled your eternal destiny, everything else matters little. Life is now complete; you've entered its final, perfect phase.
Hard-Heart Generation
One of today's Communion antiphons, Revelation 3.20: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I believe that most of us, in USA here anyway, have heard the Lord's voice at one time or another, albeit sometimes only faintly, but never bothered to open the door for even a peek. And this is tragic. In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus explained to his disciples why he spoke in parables to the people. He said it's because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy. That Isaiah described the heart of the people as gross is still accurate today.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
*Getting Into Heaven
After we die, we either return to God or are separated from him for all eternity. If we do not believe in Christ or believe in him with a weak faith, we should never take it for granted that we are going to heaven. Also, even if we do not do anything evil, we'll have difficulty getting into heaven if we live an entirely self-centered life. For to live for yourself only is not to live for God at all. We must do our utmost to safeguard our soul, created by God and most precious to him!
Believe While There's Time!
People believe in the existence of God, yet they have no idea what kind of God they would accept. For me, Christ is the true God from both the subjective and objective points of view. You can believe in some god, but only the true God can reveal himself to you within your heart. Love, peace, freedom, deep joy and your own transformation are all solid signs that that you have the truth.
Another mental image came to me this morning. Living our life is like walking along a precipice. If you slip, you can fall off it and plunge toward the bottom. If you do not know Christ, you may or may not survive, depending upon your circumstances and how good a person you are. If you know and believe in Christ, you can be sure you will be safe with him no matter what happens.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Becoming Great
Communion experience. Receive the Lord with humility and love, and you become great in his eyes.
Greatest Correction We Need
In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 20, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, asked Jesus to command that her two sons sit, one at his right and the other at his left, in his Kingdom. That was typical of being a human mother, looking after her sons. When the other ten apostles heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Again, so typical of being selfcenteredly human. Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave." This is the greatest correction we all need.
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