Ant Quality - 4th Part

Here today, we shall talk about the next two ant qualities which are: being CAUTIOUS and DEFENSIVE.
I shall talk about the two together because no one can be defensive without first being cautious.

How ants are cautious and defensive?

Soldier ants use their heads to plug the entrances to their nests and keep intruders from gaining access.
In certain ant species, the soldier ants have modified heads, shaped to match the nest entrance. They block access to the nest by sitting just inside the entrance, with their heads facing out like a cork in a bottle.
Ants employ a fascinating variety of behaviors to communicate and defend their colonies.

Leafcutter ants cultivate a bacteria with antibiotic properties to keep unwanted fungi from growing in their nests. Some ants use a modified ovipositor to sting, like their wasp cousins.

Some ants  produce formic acid, an irritating substance they can squirt as they bite. Bullet ants inject a strong nerve toxin when they sting.

All these show us how intelligently these little insects defend themselves and their colony by being cautious and attentive. Keeping aside all the scientific knowledge, let us debate on how to use these qualities in our spiritual life.

One thing we must keep in mind, good people. Your fight and defense is not against your family, your husband, your friend or anyone else. Your fight is against your enenmy : THE EVIL. It is him who brings problems in your life, him who uses your dear ones to rise against you, him who bring on your way temptations. But what do you have to do?

1 Peter 5:8 gives you the answer:
 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Being alert and sober means being cautious and vigilant, attentive. Exactly like the ants.
TO WHAT?
To the attack of your enemy: the devil.

HOW? 
 By understanding and identifyning intelligently the wiseness of the evil, that HE is behind everything which goes to contradict your faith and his only motive is to make you weak and snatch away your faith and salvation.
One example the bible gives us is in Matthew 16:21-23. Jesus was said he was going to make his sacrifice on the cross, whereby Peter said:
 “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!”
But Jesus intelligently understood that this was not Peter but Satan behind these words. See how he defend himself.

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

This is exactly HOW we must do it.

WHERE?
In your weaknesses. So, analyse your weaknesses and harden yourself.
One example is Matthew 4: 3 where satan tempted Jesus to change the rock into food because he knew Jesus weakness at that moment. Jesus was hungry because he fasted for 40 days without eating. 

WITH WHAT?
One tool the ants use to defend themselves: THEIR STING FULL OF TOXINS.

But, we, people of god, what is our defensive tool?
It is OUR FAITH.

1 Peter 5: 9:
  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

No faith, No weapon against our enemy. What will be the consequence? DEATH.

So, good people, do you want to have eternal death in the bottomless pit or rejoice eternally in God's presence?
The only way is to be ALERT and SOBER and stand firm IN FAITH.

God bless you, Thash

Ant Quality- 2nd Part

Today, we will talk on the next two Ant qualities- Hardwork and Strength

Ants are strong and hardworking. They are noted for carrying objects that are bigger than them. Science proved that ants are capable of carrying objects 50 times their own body weight with their mandibles.This is only made possible through sheer hard work and determination.They are not scared of heavy task, but rather take pleasure in lifting these objects to their colony.

The same quality  must be applied in our daily and spiritual life.Today we will not talk about physical hardwork at work, at home, and at church, but we shall consider the spiritual part.

Our spiritual life needs hardwork to overcome and mental strength to bear the effort and pain.  If you want to grow and be in good spiritual health you must, like the ants, go out of the colony and go among the predators, the dangerous routes and obstacles to go and find your food. The food that you will presently eat and stay alive during winter times. This is called hardwork. But let me tell you one thing, when you reach the destination of where the food is find; it is then that the task become tougher. It is then that you shall lift the food however heavy it is upon your back and go through the same dangerous routes to return home. Exactly like the ants. It is then that you will be in need of strength people of God.

But, how can we explain and understand this parable?

You are the ant. The food is Jesus and his word.

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. (John 6:55-59)

"Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Luke 4:4)
This food is necessary to live eternally with God in his kingdom.The predators are the demons and the dangerous routes is the narrow road Jesus asked us to take and the obstacles are the Tribulations.

 Your hardwork is when you take the word of God and practice it in your life however hard it is or how much you need to sacrifice.The route will be difficult, sure. The devil will try to prevent you from getting your food, but if you are determined like these little ants, victory and salvation shall be yours. There will be predators that will try to kill and eat you, and obstacles that you will have to overcome.At times discouragement will come and situations will at times tell you to deviate way and go back. But your strength comes from the Holy Spirit. It shall fill you with strength and courage to carry your food and reach the colony.
So, today let us search this strength and determination from God. Let us be like these ants.

Keep faith, Thash

PARABLE OF THE SOWER- 2ND PART

Today let us analyse the second type of path where the seed, that is the Word of God can be sown, and what is the result.

And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.( Luke 8:6)

The explanation that Jesus gave us for this part is in verse 13 of the same chapter:

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of  temptation fall away.

In this case, the soil is soft and moist. It is suitable for rapid germination. But unfortunately it lacks depth. There is only little soil found there. Growth of the seed is soon stopped by the rock that lies beneath. The first heat of the sun, it dries out because it has  no root, which should have provided water and minerals it needed.

This means that the listener's heart is sensible enough to hear and absorb the word of God. It germinates that is the person put what he hears into practice. But, because this person do not have a solid spiritual foundation and a true encounter with God, whenever tribulations and persecution come,and he is being scorched by the heat of the sun, he stops putting what he heard into practice. Instead he desists and fell.  He forgets what he heard only because the seed was sown and no roots were grown ; he believes only for a while, when everyting is good. When situations become tough, he discourages and abandons. The word of God withers in his heart.

He is the foolish builder. He builds his house on the sand. Matthew 7: 24-27 gives us the difference between the wise and the foolish builder ; and the result of how they construct their house that is their spiritual life:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

So, people of God, maybe you are the one who heard the predication and receive it with joy. But when persecutions come and the wind blows contrary to your way, you desist and fell into evil's trap. Maybe you are living with an illusion thinking that walking with Jesus is like walking through the flowery road. No, walking with Jesus is hard, this needs sacrifice. 
The truth is that your faith is emotional. You receive the word of God with Joy like Jesus said but you put it into practice only in good situations. In fact you never had a true encounter with the Lord Jesus. You think you are born of God, but you never were. Maybe you were mistaken and you are still living in illusion. 

To know if you are this type of listener, identify yourself and  look at your attitudes. What is your reaction when temptation come? Is it that you fall again?

If so, today is the opportunity to change this situation. Search this true encounter with God and you will rise.
This is a personal experience.

God bless you, Thash

Exercised Faith

 "I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet " (Revelation 1:9-10)

Today let us analyse John situation. He was a man of faith and because of the word of God, he was thrown on the island of Patmos. He was an upright man and face many injustices because of the Romans.

On this island he was left alone and faced the harsh situations. Maybe John was thinking why is was thrown there for he was so faithful to God. Maybe he asked God so many questions why he was so much suffering. In other words,maybe, he did not stop asking God questions.

We see that in his difficult moments he seeked God only and he was angry. But he was IN SPIRIT : "On the Lord's day I was in spirit" and it is in those particular moments that John received the vision of the future. It is then that he received the revelations of God.

So Good people, we who are in spirit we are no different from John. Rejoice of the persecutions you are facing or will face because of your faith. Persevere to conquer your salvationa and resist till the end. Don't desist, because it is only in tribulations that we are able to hear better the voice of God. It is then that we are much more in spirit.It is by these isolated moments that we exercise our faith. 

John was suffering on this island, and he humbles himself in spirit. So, we must humble ourselves. It is then that God talks to us, reveals us his will and directs us. It is when we are most humiliated that we are able to hear him. The result is that we become stronger and stronger with an invincible faith.

The advice for today is to rejoice in persecutions and humiliations and ask God to speak to you.

God bless you, Thash