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Showing posts from November, 2022

Yoked to Jesus

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“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” †  Mathew 11: 28-30  What is the labour and burden that Jesus is asking me to deal with? Perhaps I have to let go of the compulsive burden (or is it a sort of entitlement?) that my spouse and children should choose a spiritual path that I know to be right. Jesus accompanied Judas Iscariot to the very end but never deprived him of his freedom to choose his own destiny. Jesus on the other hand, uninterrupted by Judas's choice to reject him, continues to accomplish his mission. He does become a victim of Judas's betrayal but he seldom takes on the victim's identity. In divine wisdom, Jesus chooses to die in our place (and that of Judas) in a redeeming act of love. Rather than being compelled to fix those whom God has entrusted to my headship by m

Diffusing Guilt

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Guilt is a destructive emotion. It is the vicious weapon of the adversary. Guilt builds up in response to the devil's accusation. The devil points fingers at us and accuses us of our wrongdoing. He does this in order to make us feel unworthy and obscure our identity as children of God. The deceiver does so after luring us into sin. and, more often than not, getting us hooked on and addicted to the wrong. Guilt plunges us deep into sin and shame. It is the devil's tool to keep us bound in darkness. The opposite emotion is repentance. Repentance is the desire to return to one's inherent goodness. While guilt is the response to the devil's accusation, repentance is the response to God's merciful love. Repentance draws us closer to God. The question is, "Who do we choose to listen to when you trip and fall?" Godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 When faced with guilt, co

Vulgar jokes & sacred thoughts

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Vulgar jokes are a fad among the young. The adolescent years are crucial years of formation. Most youngsetrs give into the temptation to convene around smutty jokes as a way to "fit in" with the majority. Often, the jokes that garner the most attention are the ones in which men and women are referred to as mere sex objects to be used. At the end, the sacred gift of human sexuality is treated with humour and a lack of due respect. The word of God  says "Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving". Ephesians 5:4 It is good to ask why a sacred subject like human sexuality becomes a public joke. The sensual and the sexual have traditionally been private matters. The privacy attached to these topics is not unintentional. What is holy needs to be veiled and protected because it is so priceless and sacred. We cannot afford to violate its sacredness or desecrate its holiness. But when a culture loses