Category: Christian

Posted in Christian, Life, Personal Musings, Reflections

Freedom of The Spirit

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“The Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom ” (II Corinthians 3:17), New International Version

This message from the Bible has been haunting my mind for the past few days. Each time I review the verse, a persistent question is what is the freedom we are talking about here and whether I am free ?

To understand this better, I had to go into the chapter of II Corinthians,  wherein St. Paul talks about the pursuit of Holiness. The Lord is the Spirit, St. Paul writes. He could be referring to the Holy Spirit is God or the Lord (Jesus) is Spirit, even as God is Spirit or St.Paul could be saying that Jesus is the true meaning of God’s law. St. Paul then speaks about the freedom that God’s Spirit gives us. 

On reading the first letter to Corinthians (I Corinthians 11:2-16), he writes about misconception that because the Holy Spirit was working in their lives; they consider themselves free to do whatever they wanted.

It is here that we understand what “freedom” really is. True freedom is not the right to do whatever we want. True freedom is when we turn to Christ; the Holy Spirit frees us from our evil deeds and from the devil’s power. However, that is just the beginning of God’s work in our lives. By His Spirit, God has given his people the freedom to become his children, to understand His Word and removes the veils covering our mind. God’s spirit frees us from the sticky web of sin which entangles us, trapping and blinding those who live in it.

So, the answer to what is freedom is clear ? Now, to find it, we have to change so as to embrace the Spirit of the Lord and be free to serve God to our capability.

15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory,are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:15-18, Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Posted in Christian, Reflections, Stories Around the World

Are you like the little boy ?

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Actions speak louder than words or even beliefs. Yes, this old adage goes a long way and it does ring almost all the time. We belong to a conversation savvy world, where words and deeds are at polar opposites. It goes same for those of who often give out advice. Or for those of who often preach. Many of us do read the Bible regularly, some occasionally but the more important fact lies in the fact that how many of us have honest faith in God’s words. During difficult times, and here I don’t mean physical hardships but mental, emotional, social or even financial ones; do we really lift our burdens and hand it over to the Lord or do we fret and worry about tomorrow. We are human, so we do tend to worry but how many of us have the real conviction that just as the Lord brings hardships, He will always provide too. For that we need absolute faith which doesn’t come without absolute trust in His Grace.
This story below is one of a boy’s absolute faith in the Lord, that put an entire congregation to shame. For those of us who have previously come across this story, the food for thought is: who would you be: the little boy or the congregation ? And for those of us who haven’t heard of this story, do read on.
 
This is a story of absolute Faith
It was a dry summer, and farmers, residents of a small village, were worried about what would happen to their harvest. On one Sunday after the Mass, they turned to their pastor for advice. “Father, we must do something, or we will lose a crop!”
“All that is required of you is to pray with absolute faith. Prayer without faith is not prayer. It must come from the heart, “answered the priest.
The next week the farmers gathered twice a day and prayed that God would send them rain. On Sunday they gathered as usual for the mass and someone was the last to arrive. This time it was a little boy who rushed in putting his umbrella in the stand. After the mass, the farmers came to the priest. 
“Nothing happens, Father!” We every day get together and pray, but there is no rain and no.
“Do you really pray with faith?” Asked the priest. They began to assure him that it was so. But the priest replied:”If you pray with faith, then like the little boy, you would have taken your umbrella with you !”
“Finally, brethren (sisters) of mine, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His power” (Ephesians 6: 10).
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Posted in Christian, Personal Musings, poetry, Stories Around the World

God’s Rosebud

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How many times in our life do we try to anticipate every situation, every event and every hour ? Very few of us are willing to entrust our waking minutes in His Hands. What we really need to do is to let go and let God unfold your life. For His shoulders can bear all our burdens. 

This is  a great story that I got through a Whats app forward. I don’t who is the author but I find it worth sharing; for it had made my day brighter and I hope it would make your day too.

A new minister was walking with an older, more seasoned minister in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was asking the older preacher for some advice. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry. But, because of his great respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact. It wasn’t long before he realized how impossible this was to do. Noticing the younger preacher’s inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older preacher began to recite the following poem…

“It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God’s design;
But, I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.”

“The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so easily,
But, in my hands they die.”

“If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God’s design,
Then, how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?”

“So, I’ll trust in God for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step along the way.”

“The path that lies before me,
Only my Lord and Savior knows.
I’ll trust God to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.”

“Do not be anxious about anything, but always in prayer and petition with thanksgiving, open your wishes to God …” (Epistle to Philippians 4: 6)

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Posted in Christian, Personal Musings

God’s Grace vs. Man’s Pride

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Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

The story of Noah’s Ark is something that most Christians and Bible Readers would know about. Often told to toddlers at bedtime and taught regularly in the Sunday School, the story often highlights’ God’s saving grace because of one person, in the city where sin and destruction were a daily occurrence. Noah was not a perfect man, yet God chose to save his family from destruction. That’s the beauty of God’s grace! “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen 6:8).

Yet, the biggest grace that the Lord gave us was that of salvation through the Holy Cross and the blessing of the Holy Spirit to guide us.

For those of us who have yet to still believe in humility and the power of Grace; instead depend on the pride of man, all I can say is open your eyes and look around. You would be surprised at the miracles that we often take for granted in our daily life. The humility of God’s Grace has always withstood the test of time, but man’s pride often falleth many.

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Posted in Christian, Personal Musings, Reflections

Strength for The Journey

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16 I heard and my heart pounded,
    my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
    and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
    to come on the nation invading us.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights. “

Habbakuk 3:16-19, NIV 

New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Posted in Christian, Family and Society, Personal Musings

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

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18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Mathew 18:1-5 and 10. New International Version. (NIV). Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The innocence of a child, the guilelessness of their thoughts and actions are few of the many traits that endears them in the Kingdom of Heaven. The beauty of children lies in the fact that they live for the moment. They don’t worry about tomorrow nor do they ponder over yesterday. Can we be like a child in this crazy modern world? It is an Utopian concept, but it never hurts to give it a try.

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The Wise vs. The Foolish Builders

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46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” ( Luke 6:46-49, NIV Version)

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