#82 Off the well trodden path(4apr06)

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world...'
John 15:19

Romanticism has its place in fiction. My sisters used to read Barbara Cartland, that late grand old dame of fluffy prose, where the ladies have windswept hair, and the men are all chiselled Adonis.

Life would be easier, if every believer of Christ was imbued with superpowers, and we are equiped to make all wrongs right, the way we deem fit.
The fallen angel, Lucifer(or better known as the devil) was previously placed in great honour in heaven. He led worship at the foot of God's throne.
Pride got the better of him and he wanted to be God. The perfect world and the perfect man has been brought to its abyss by the unholy alliance of the devil's pride and men's sinfulness.

'Every Word of God is pure. He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him..'
Proverbs 30:5

In the well worn path of the world, a man is at his pinnacle when he is held in high esteem by society, his barn is overflowing and power emits pridefully from himself.
Of course in the good old polygamous days, having a harem would be an added boasting right.

To be a believer and follower of Christ, is to be like Christ.

Christ loved the unloved. But it was often reciprocated with hatred. Christ gave his all to God, whilst the devil promises everything desirous on Earth.

'Remove from me vanity and lies..'
Proverbs 30:8

God commands those who desire to follow Christ, to love Him with our all and to love our neighbours as ourselves.
Like the mule trains on the way to the abbatoir, the paths of the sinful world are lined with too many temptations for any human soul to resist.
It is indeed difficult to will our deceitful nature to adhere to God's commands.

God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, has allowed us to re-enter the less travelled but only road to His Kingdom.
To remove the shackles in our lives, we must be willing to get off the gravy train(for Satan fills us up with our desires, as fattened cows to the slaughter) and take the step into the off beaten path.

'....For they wouldn't walk in His ways.....'
Isaiah 42:24

It is not easy. But joy and peace on Earth, and eternity in Heaven is what God promises all who follow Him.

The rest of Proverbs 30:8 goes like this

'Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with food convenient for me;
Lest I be full, and deny thee, And say, Who is the Lord?'
or less I be poor, and steal, And take the name of my God in vain'

God provides. We will be provided if only we believe in His providence.
The proof is in eating the pudding. To know, you will have to start, even with a small morsel of faith.

God Blesses

Eng Hieang