Saturday, November 30, 2019

Superstition is Dangerous

A few years ago, an old couple helped me and my wife with cheap rent for an apartment. We moved to the area with a promising career but when we got there, the new employer I worked for clients wasn’t interested in the projects anymore. His clients were dependent on one big factory/plant in that town and there were rumours of letting some vendors go. Then we had to move from an apartment we just started renting, after moving 150km from where we used to live. So, me and my wife urgently prayed for a solution and for a roof over our heads. Then this old couple from church told the pastor (church me and my wife just started to attend after moving there), that they can help with this cheap apartment till we are back on our feet.

I knew God called me to have my own business, that is the reason why things went wrong the moment we got there. I started working on what I felt God called me for, even sometimes till 4 in the mornings. I had a lot of ideas for my business and knew God will bless it.

I shared my business passions with the old man I rented from and he asked me to develop his software for his company to send out invoices. I was very grateful for him helping me and my wife, so I agreed. Not long after, the old man’s project started to grow so big that it took almost all my time. For three month 98% off my time went into the software for his company.

Almost at the end of the three months, I realized that the old man was not really interested in the software anymore. Also, he started telling his family and church people that I am too lazy to work, and we never go anywhere, just stay in the apartment the hole day. When I greeted his son and ask him if he was enjoying his visit to his dad, then he replied, I’m here to work, not just sitting around. Also, the old man started telling me that I should wash and polish my car, God can’t bless people that drive around with a dirty car.

Even though I was pushing his project and trying to get to mine which was pushed aside. I started to wash my car and do things just to keep him off my back. I had to look out for a job because we waisted 3 months on his project and didn’t get other clients or any of our projects out on the market. We had to get away from there, not just because he will not pay us for the job, but the old man wanted us to prove ourselves the whole time. “The only thing that will work, is what he says will work”.

Superstition is dangerous and they had a lot.

Luke 11:37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.  39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

If you believe God can only bless you when your car is clean and because you dress up. Then you better keep it that way, or else you will go down. Whatever you say and believe, will come to pass.

The old man and his wife went away for two weeks. One of his vehicles was gathering dust while he was away. The day before he came back, his workers washed the vehicle. When he arrived, I asked him how it was going. He then said he lost two of his biggest clients. At that moment he said it, I looked at the vehicle that was gathering dust the previous days, and it’s like I just realized, the power of superstition. He nearly lost everything in the two weeks he wasn’t there to check that his vehicle left at home was cleaned.

Always ask yourself and most importantly God, is what you believe from God. Anything else is from satan.

Friday, November 29, 2019

It is time well spent

Sometimes it feels so wrong just to relax at Jesus's feet and just think of nothing other than His presence of the Holy Spirit. Even if we are self-employed, we tend to worry about the pressure of our clients and to solve the problems they have. If we are at work, there is almost no way to just give some time just to enjoy the rest at Jesus or after work because of other people with us that we are responsible for. There are so many things and reasons we stress ourselves up.

Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

It could be difficult to be like Mary here in Luke 10:39. If we look at the lives of others, we all seem to be more like Martha. Even in our prayers we tell God how much pressure we have and complain that others take life lightly not to help us sometimes.

A couple of days ago, I had enjoyed so much the presence and realized we overcomplicate life with all these worries. Not long after that I read Luke 10 and got the revelation that God tells me to just trust in Him, and He will give us rest. Because the time spend with Him, will never be taken away from us. It is time well spent.

Thursday, November 28, 2019