Let us thank God for the blessed rest of Sunday

"Jesus said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat."  (Mark 6: 31)

Sunday is God's great gift to humanity.  Let us thank God for the gift of Sunday.  As we enjoy the blessed rest of Sunday every week, we prepare to transition from Sunday rest to eternal rest.  As we worship God on Sunday, our faith in heaven grows.  As our faith in heaven grows so does our desire to please in everything.

Don't grow weary of Jesus

"But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance."  (Luke 8: 15)

"Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up.
So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all,h but especially to those who belong to the family of the faith."  (Galatians 6: 9 - 10)

Is it possible to get weary of Jesus?  The answer is yes if we do not nurture the relationship.  On His part, Jesus is always present and trustworthy.  We can be sure that He always does His own part of the equation.  Jesus does not force us to do own part of the relationship.  We have our free will.  A mutually loving relationship is nurtured through constant communication.

For the Christian, the path of growth in relationship with Jesus may pass through daily prayer, daily reading of the word of God, frequent Communion, faith sharing and others.  Love seeks the maximum and not the minimum practice.

Trust in Jesus with all your heart

"He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic."  (Mark 6: 8 -9)

How do we grow in trusting God?  In Mark 6: 8 - 9, we see Jesus training His disciples to learn to rely on their hidden source of supply.   The alternative is to encumber themselves with unnecessary baggage.  Our faith is put on spot when we have to trust Jesus to deliver on His promises.  The promises of Jesus is unerring and fire-tried.  How about our trust?  Here lies the problem.  God makes it easy to trust Him by helping us with His instructions:
"He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic."  (Mark 6: 8 -9)

I confess my faults to the Lord

"David answered Gad: “I am greatly distressed. But let us fall into the hand of God, whose mercy is great, rather than into human hands.”  (2 Samuel 24: 14)

David, faced with a most distressing situation falls back on his knowledge of God.  He knows that God is most merciful.  He knows that he can rely on this mercy.  If David's knowledge of God comes to his rescue at the moment of his greatest need, what we know about God can save us from great distress at the moment of our greatest need.

Cultivate your knowledge of God through prayer and the word of God.

We overcome by faith

"Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith."  (Mark 5: 366)

Fear is useless.  All that is needed is trust.

Jesus wants us to trust Him completely in everything, always and everywhere.  But how do you trust Jesus in anything?  You trust that He will do what He promises to do in His word.  You trust that He has the power to accomplish anything that He wills.  You trust in His love and mercy for you.  You trust that Jesus knows what is best for you.

To maintain and grow your faith in Jesus, pray always.  Read the word of God everyday.

"Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith."  (Mark 5: 366)

Disregarding the doctor's report...
Disregarding the empty bank account...
Disregarding the teacher's evaluation of your child...
Disregarding the supervisor's evaluation and the pink slip..
Disregarding the empty pantry...

We walk by faith and  not by sight.  Sense evidence means nothing.  Only the word of God stands forever.

Go and tell what the Lord has done for you

“Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”
Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed."  (Mark 5: 19 - 20)

What I like about this story is how a man went from being possessed to being an evangelist.  In this narrative, we see the best content for evangelization.  When people are challenged to share their faith, you hear often:  "I don't know what to say"; 'I have not studied the faith or the catechism."  

Listen to what Jesus told the man who has just been set free from demonic possession:
“Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”  How did the man respond:  "Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed."

How then do we evangelize?  Start with your family and friends.  Share with them the simple touches of goodness you experience from the Lord during the day.  Don't wait for the big ticket items like being cured of cancer or winning a lottery.  During the day, we experience many blessings from the Lord such as.  A hot shower, a nice breakfast, the humble car that took you to work, a beautiful smile.  The strongest way to evangelize and may be your strongest act of witness to Jesus Christ is a constant joyful and cheerful expression.  Sooner or later people will  notice and ask what makes you bubble.  Be ready with your answer.

Why are you terrified?

"Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still! The wind ceased and there was great calm."
"Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
 (Mark 4: 38 - 40)

Lord Jesus, You ask me:  “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
Lord, when I face troubling situations with regard to family, health, finances, job, tools and property, food and future, I am terrified because my faith is very small.  I know You are God and present everywhere.  But I still wonder whether You will leave me to sort out things by myself. This is why I am terrified.  If only I can believe Your promise that You will never fail me; You will never forsake me.  Lord, if You strengthen my faith in Your promises, I will no longer be terrified.

Lord Jesus, increase my faith.

Why are you terrified?

"Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still! The wind ceased and there was great calm."
"Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
 (Mark 4: 38 - 40)

Lord Jesus, You ask me:  “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
Lord, when I face troubling situations with regard to family, health, finances, job, tools and property, food and future, I am terrified because my faith is very small.  I know You are God and present everywhere.  But I still wonder whether You will leave me to sort out things by myself. This is why I am terrified.  If only I can believe Your promise that You will never fail me; You will never forsake me.  Lord, if You strengthen my faith in Your promises, I will no longer be terrified.

Lord Jesus, increase my faith.

St Catherine of Sienna on Suffering

"In Jesus crucified all things are possible to us, and God never lays a burden on us beyond our strength. We ought to rejoice when we receive a heavy burden, for it is then that God bestows on us the gift of fortitude. It is by the love of suffering that we get to lose the feeling of suffering." (St Catherine of Sienna)

Stop striving!

Be Still! Hold your peace!
You strive too much.

Abortion!

An interesting thought!

Abortion is the coverup for fornication, adultery and promiscuity within marriage. Deal with the sin and there will be no need for a coverup.

David to coverup his adultery with Bethsheba had to kill her husband, Uriah.

No sin - No coverup. But where sin has occurred, the Divine Mercy is always available.

A Sower goes out to sow

"But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."  (Mark 4: 20)

Jesus is the Sower.

One thing I ask the Father

"I believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD, take courage;
be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!"  (Psalm 27: 13 - 14)

Yes, I believe too I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.  Therefore, I have no fear, no worry and no doubt.

Tell the Good News Everywhere

John 15:16

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

The Good News is Jesus Christ!

"Every soul with Christ is a missionary ; every soul without Christ is a mission field."  -  (Our Daily Bread)

Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Jesus entrusts us with the message

"He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.
He appointed twelve [whom he also named apostles] that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons:"  (Mark 3: 13 - 15)

The apostles were the close companions of Jesus who would be with Him all the time and later would be equipped to act like Jesus.

But the apostles were not the only people that were called by Jesus.

"And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,"  (Ephesians 4: 11 - 12)

Jesus chose, called and anointed His members to use their gifts in building up of the Church.

Effective Prayer of the Righteous

Psalm 56:9-11

"Then my enemies will turn back
in the day when I call.
This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"

Seekfirst.blogspot.com

God trains my hands for battle

"David continued: “The same LORD who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”  (1 Samuel 17: 37)

If God did it once, God will repeat what He has done before.  David knew that his source of inspiration and power is God.  This awareness gives him considerable calm and courage.

"All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle belongs to the LORD, who shall deliver you into our hands."  (1 Samuel 17: 47)

God is sovereign, almighty and the First Cause of everything.  He does not need spear or sword to affect any outcome.  "Let there be light."  And there was light.  "Stretch out your hand.'  He stretched it out and his hand was restored."  (Mark 3: 5)  If God wills David to overcome Goliath, He inspires the means and gives David the power to accomplish God's purpose.

Years later, David was to include in his memoir (the Psalms) the following thought:

"Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle,
my fingers for war;

My safeguard and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me."  (Psalm 144: 1 - 2)

How does God train our hands for battle, our fingers for war.

The answer is plain in Hebrews 12: 7:  "Endure your trials as 'discipline.'"
Every disappointment, delay, pain, suffering is a blessing.  Our disappointment is God's appointment.  Our pain is our tutor.

God sees the heart

1 Samuel 16:7
"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

The Choice, the Call and the Anointing!

Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Obedience is better than sacrifice

1 Samuel 15:22

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to listen than the fat of rams."

Here I am Lord, I come to do your will.

Seekfirst.blogspot.com

God loves us first

1 John 4:16

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."

God's perfect love for us drives out all fear.