#30 Oh for that carefree day(27feb2005)

Dear ...

'Wherein in time past ye walked according to the
course of this world........

Among whom also we had our conversation in times past
in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of
the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the
children of wrath,even as others.'
Ephesians 2:2-3

In my lows, how I miss those care free days of my
pre-believer days.

Even as a believer but not an obedient follower of
Christ, life seems less troubling.

Then, I need only to care for my needs and maybe that
of my loved ones.

I am free not to be nice to people I do not like or
who crosses my path.

My intellect, my resources, my guile and wile are
suffice for my cares.

I am free to do what I want, and love who I want to
love.

But now, as a follower of Jesus Christ, God commands
us to :

'Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of
mind, meekness, longsuffering;

'Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if
any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ
forgave you, so also do ye'
Colossians 3:12-13

In this experiential ministry that God places me in
the last 2 years.
He has never fail to amaze me with His guidance.
I have also come to understand the need for Him to put
me through afflications and trials.
For only in taking up the cross, can I truly see my
own sinfulness, understand the clarity of His words
and experience His grace and love.

These past few days is no different.
The sense of personal inequity has surfaced in me, my
lustful anger has been stirred, and the imperfections
in me has surfaced.

'Let us therefore not judge one another any more'
Romans 14:13

God, when I am smited, when I feel personally
injusticed by lesser beings, I find it hard and
hyprocritical to take it sitting down.

Maybe even foolish. Should I use the wisdom you gave
me to correct them??

But God says,

'So then every one of us shall give account of himself
to God'
Romans 14:12

God says, be not Me but be like Me

'So God created man in His own image..'
Genesis 1:27

God commands us to

'Therefore follow the things which made for peace and
things wherewith one may edify another'
Romans 14:19

'therefore live peaceable with all men'
Romans 12:18

God wants us to ready ourselves for His return

'....and it doth not yet appear what wwe shall be, but
we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like
him...'
1 John 3:2

God wants us to obey Him, He wants to reside in us

'And he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in
Him and he in Him'
1 John 3:26

Tough as it often is, God commands us to love Him and
to love our neighbours

'That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus
Christ, and love one another, as He gave us
commandment'
1 John 3:23

But God, how can I love these ingrates, these
infidels??

'This is My commandment, that ye love one another as I
loved you'
John 15:12

For God is love. Without loving, we can never abide in
and know God.

When God returns, we will not know Him

When we love, we know God, nothing else matters
anymore

'For He is our peace...'
Ephesians 2:14

God Blesses