Uncategorized – Page 10 – 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐫

Against God

“Listen to advice and receive instruction, so that you may become wise in the future.”

Our Lord is a really very good God, He always cares for and loves us. When we are weak and helpless God comes through the Holy Spirit to strengthen us; when we are in trouble His Spirit is there to comfort us. But there are times when God has to be tough on us, that is to rebuke and if necessary ‘beat’ us: “Whoever I love, I rebuke and I chastise; therefore relax your heart and repent.”

God is hard on us not without reason. Because “…when I came there was no one, and when I called no one answered”. When God comes to us, we don’t care, and when He calls, we don’t answer, that’s when God will be tough on us so that we immediately realize the mistakes we have made.

If God educates us harshly through “punishing or beating”, it doesn’t mean He doesn’t love us, instead He shows His care, His love, and His responsibility for our lives, because He doesn’t want us to stray further from the path.

His way. Just as a father punishes when his child is stubborn and doesn’t want to obey, so a heavenly Father if we have been told, reminded, advised, and gently rebuked, still hardens our hearts and doesn’t want to listen. “He who does not use a stick hates his son; but he who loves his son chastises him in time.”

It is not the death of the wicked that God wants, but their repentance, therefore He is patient. When God beats and beats us, it means He has a beautiful plan behind it all. “For He is the one who wounds, but also binds up; He who beats, but whose hand also heals.”

When we go down the wrong path, the Holy Spirit speaks softly to us to remind us. Do not harden your heart when rebuked and warned, because it is for the good of our lives. God must be tough on us because He doesn’t want us to play with sin and experience destruction

Overcoming The Storms Of Life Like The Eagle.

One of the Eagle’s life habits that become more valuable is flying soaring. This is the unique life habit of the eagle, which other birds may not do, which is to always fly high above the storm, not in or under the storm. That is the character that believers should have: having the courage to face storms of trouble.

But in the practice of everyday life many of us are drowned in storms. We are so easily defeated by situations or circumstances that make us more frustrated, disappointed, hopeless, lose joy and peace, finally we experience defeat after defeat.

In addition, the Eagle has another unique habit of building nests on high hills: “It dwells and nests in rocky hills, on rocky hilltops and in hard-to-reach mountains.” . Most birds make their nests on tree branches, but eagles build their nests on high hills, so the nest will be safe and out of reach of anyone.

It speaks of the life of the person who made God a refuge. On His rock we are safe and protected. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid to face the storms of this life because we have God as a high refuge.

Not everyone can climb to the high mountain of God. “‘Who may go up to the mountain of the LORD Who may stand in his holy place’ One who has clean hands and pure heart, who has not given himself up to deception, and who has not sworn falsely.”

With God, the righteous will fly like eagles, overcoming the storms of life.

He Never Sleep

A mother takes her 4 year old daughter to bed. The child is afraid of the dark. When the lights were turned off, the girl noticed the moon shining through the window.

“Mom,” she asked, “is that God’s lamp?”

“That’s right, honey,” said her mother.

She then asked again, “Will He turn off His light and sleep too?”

“Oh no, He never sleeps, honey.”

After a moment of silence, the girl said,

“As long as God doesn’t sleep, I’m not afraid.”

Realizing that God will always take care of him, the girl soon fell into a sound sleep.

In life, we can confidently surrender ourselves all day long to our faithful God. He is well aware that we are afraid to be in the dark, but also frustrated in the light. We can be sure that He is always protecting. His loving eyes and protective hands always surround us.

Maybe right now we are lonely because of suffering from illness or the loss of a loved one. In such situations, the shadows of the night magnify our anxiety than ever before. Doubt increases and fear suffocates our soul, so that we cannot rest properly.

“I will lie down in peace and go to sleep soon, for you alone, O LORD, have allowed me to dwell in safety.”

Put your trust in God. Remember, He is always awake.

A Drunk Young Man

A young man who was heavily drunk was rowing a boat moored on the bank of a river. He wanted to return to his village across the river. Drunkenness made him not realize that the boat was still tied to a rope tied with wood on the river bank.

With all his might and difficulty, the young man rowed his boat. Slowly the boat began to move. Because it is tied with a rope tied with wood on the river bank, the boat moves as far as the length of the rope. The young man was increasingly trying to row his boat to get to his house quickly. Drowsiness and tiredness put him to sleep.

When he wakes up and wakes up from his hangover, it turns out that he is still in the boat and hasn’t gone anywhere. The young man released the rope that tied his boat and began to row the boat again. Finally he arrived safely at his house.

Sometimes our lives are like that young man. We have tried our best to row the boat of life to go in a better direction. However, like that young man, our efforts are in vain and a waste of time and energy if our minds are still tied to bad past experiences, full of failures, fears, disappointments, worries, feelings of accusation, feelings of unworthiness, and feelings of guilt. other negative feelings.

In addition, the negative words we hear from others about us and even our comfort zones can be a very powerful “rope” to hinder our progress in God. “Everyone who is ready to plow but looks back is not worthy of the kingdom of God.” This means that God wants us to no longer be bound by our past. God longs to bring us to experience the fulfillment of His promises. It is His will for us to experience the best in life. Learn from the experience of the young man.

We cannot move forward if the boat of our life is still tied behind us. Let’s untie the “rope” that binds our boat of life and move forward to experience the best of God.

Authentic Promise

Are we a person who keeps promises? Try checking and rechecking the following 3 questions.

In a month how many times do we make promises and how many times are those promises fulfilled? If we make promises often and can fulfill 75 percent to 100 percent, then we deserve to be counted as individuals who keep promises.

Are we someone who thinks about the impact of a promise on others and ourselves?

Are we someone who is willing to pay the price to fulfill a promise?

If we answered “Yes” to questions 2 and 3, then we are a person who keeps promises.

From David’s life we learn how to be a person who keeps promises. Make a promise based on our love and appreciation for that person. Make an authentic promise and don’t pretend it’s just to please the other person. Make that promise a personal commitment that matures us.

When making a promise, take into account our ability to fulfill it and think about how it affects the quality of our relationship with him and the impact on his life. Fight for the promise because we are determined to be a promise holder.

Put Away The Impossibility

There is an interesting story about a naval officer named Irwin. Irwin is a junior naval officer, discharged from military service after he was diagnosed with cancer. This was standard military procedure at the time. Losing his job was a huge blow to him.

But he was determined to regain his health and work. With strong faith and determination he battles the disease that is trying to rob him of his future. According to doctors estimates he has a chance to live only about two weeks.

But because his faith and determination were so strong, his cancer was finally controlled and he was cured. Irwin then focused on his desire to become a naval officer. He knew that there was a written rule that forbade the reinstatement of a person who was dismissed because of cancer. Everyone said to Irwan, “Just give up, it takes a congressional bill to get your position back.”

Advice from Irwin’s friends gave him the idea of submitting a request to Congress. President Harry S. Truman finally passed into law a special bill that would allow Irwin W. Rosenberg to be re-enlisted and become a vice admiral in the United States’ seventh fleet.

The biggest thing that often prevents something from happening in our lives is the impossibility. When we hear the word of God, in our mind we immediately imagine the word “impossible”.

The greatest enemy of faith in our lives is not Satan, not other people, but ourselves who are filled with doubts and despair. Impossible to be i’m possible for Irwin, and also for each of us who believe. Whatever our struggles, put away all the impossibility, doubt, and hopelessness in our hearts and believe that God is able to help us.

“Nothing is impossible for the believer!”

Which Mountain To Climb?

When someone says, “I want to be a successful person.” This is the answer of people who do not have a definite purpose in life. This kind of person is the same as a person who wants to reach the top of a mountain, but he does not know which mountain.

Have we ever heard people say, “I was walking here and there, then suddenly I arrived at the top of the mountain” Isn’t that something impossible and strange?

To reach the top of a mountain one must first decide: which mountain to climb. That’s why our life goals must be clearly defined. Often people’s lives become ineffective because they do not have a definite purpose.

Not surprisingly, when faced with a challenge the person will stop and look for another goal. God never puts a person in a place too small to grow. For our lives too, God has a big and special plan. Make sure we really learn to understand God’s plan in our lives. “That’s why I don’t run aimlessly and I’m not a boxer who just hits.”

The Storm Is Approaching

Two men were in a small boat some distance from the coast fishing. The fish were taking bait on their hooks when they heard the roar of a storm in the distance. Looking up, they saw dark clouds billowing to the west.

One of the men ignored his friend’s suggestion that they immediately return to the inn. He insisted because he still wanted to continue fishing which would get a little more fish. “We still have enough time,” the man said. Then it happened! Suddenly they were caught in a storm.

They tried to start the boat’s engine, but failed! They tried their best to row, but it was raining and the waves tossed their little boat. After a hard struggle, they finally arrived safely on the coast. The stubborn man also apologized to his friend for ignoring his suggestion which almost cost them both lives. “I learned a valuable lesson,” the man said, “don’t delay when a storm approaches.”

Another storm is approaching, the day of judgment. Maybe that day seems far away, and we don’t feel the need to rush to prepare. We may enjoy good health and be in the prime of life. But listen, the storm may come upon us unexpectedly. Heeding God’s warnings is an act of wisdom. Have we sought refuge in God? If not, it is time to stop “fishing” and seek salvation before it is too late.

Self Barrier

There is a price to pay for every sin we commit. We sacrifice our closeness to God, lose His blessings, and we also lose the influence on others, namely the influence that arises from the purity of body and mind.

The “wild areas” within us may never really be controlled, but we can put up barriers that keep us from entering them. What are the barriers?

The first barrier is to remember that we are dead to the power of sin. We don’t have to give up on him. “Have we not died to sin, how can we still live in it?”

The second barrier is resisting temptation when sin first tempts us. The first temptation may not be strong, but if we endure it, eventually it will gain strength and overcome us.

The third barrier is moral responsibility, meaning that humans with an awareness and conscience that have been bestowed by God can weigh what should and should not be done, according to His will.

Unholiness destroys, but if we seek holiness and ask God for help, He will give us victory. “Therefore let sin no longer reign in your mortal bodies, so that you may no longer obey its desires.”

Dare To Dream

There is a wise sentence that states that a person’s inability to achieve all his dreams is not due to economic factors, limitations in education, or his own status, but from his unwillingness to realize all these dreams. Therefore, never be afraid to dream or have big dreams.

By having a dream, people will be motivated and driven to fight and try in such a way to make it happen. We all know that dreams will not come true without effort and hard work. Having big dreams is not arrogance. In all things God is at work and He has big plans for the lives for us. Example: Joseph’s success as a ruler in Egypt began with a big dream, even though he had to go through a process that was so long, full of twists and turns, and very painful.

Nothing is impossible for believers, as long as we keep living in God’s way. “…truly if you believe and do not doubt, you will not only be able to do what I did with the fig tree, but also if you said to this mountain: Get up and be thrown into the sea! .”

Take note. Trees will grow according to the size of their place: if a tree is planted in a large area, it will grow big. On the other hand, if the tree is only planted in a small pot, its growth will be stunted and limited. Therefore have the courage to pay the price: sacrifice time, energy, perseverance, loyalty, and so on.Time keeps running. Never waste the slightest thing that is right in front of your eyes: “…lengthen the ropes of your tent and fix your stakes!”.

The ropes of responsibility, the ropes of honesty, the ropes of perseverance, the ropes of loyalty and so on must be further extended, and tied to very strong stakes. The peg is God, the steadfast Rock. There is a price to pay to make all big dreams come true.