The Sign of the Circumcision

It is that by which we remember it is always God's way in God's time.

In the Old Covenant it is a physical circumcision in the flesh, and it reminded all in that Covenant, that the nations promised Abraham 's descendants is of Issac and not Ishmael, ie of a promise and not of any man's work.

Ishmael was man trying to fulfil the promise of God for God in man's ways.

But Issac is God's way in God's time.

And that of man now constantly war against that of the promise.

In the New Covenant the circumcision is of the heart, in that instead of taking it in our hands, to pursue the desires of the heart - even if these were God-given - we wait upon God to fulfil it for us, in his ways and in his times.

And our hearts will bleed and be in pain, even as bloody and painful as circumcision in the flesh would have been.

This however is antithetical to common human beliefs of how we live our lives, which are build upon notions such visions, strategies, and plans.

And it is not passitivity. It is being wise and being trueful to who God really is. It is being ever vigilant, listening and ready to move and to act, in ways learnt of God, and in times revealed by God.

And no other way shall it be, for only God's ways shall come to past.

And if we try to fulfil God's plans for God in our way, it may not lead to good, as shown by history.

Rather the only way we walk our lives, is one step at a time.

And if we do plan, it is to the extent we are able to forsee, and usually this is just a few steps ahead only, unless augmented by prophecies; and we seek to align our plan with God's, namely, in His ways and in His times.

The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations ...

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love ...
[Ps 33:10-11,18]

We Are Witnesses

We walk in the way of God
While the world walk in theirs
The difference shall be seen
And God shall be known.

There is Nothing Impossible

Liverpool went from 0-3 down against AC Milan at half time, to 3-3 at full time, and then to win the European Cup 3-2 on penalties.

A Fleeting Whisper

God speaks
fleetingly
very quietly
but distinctively God ...

I am with you

I beseeched God, and He spoke.

But he didnt answer what I asked.

He said, "I am with you."

For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.

I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth-

everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."

Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.

All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.
Which of them foretold this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, "It is true."

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.

I, even I, am the LORD,
and apart from me there is no savior.

I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.

Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?"

[Isa 43:3-13]

Predestination

If our life in the flesh was a gift of God,
why do we murmur against God
when he choose those to be born again?

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.

"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? ..."

[John 3:5-10]

As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed in a mother's womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.
[Eccl 11:5]

On Trials and Testings

I hang on to Him in despair, in anxiety, in tears, and He said, "I love you and care for you. I know you. And I cry with you too."

But he never reveals what the outcome will be in the things that grieved me.

And certainly nothing about whether it may turn out in a way I, humanly, have hoped for, or desired, or even think was the best from all things considered. For really I do not know what is the best outcome. Only He knows.

Rather He spoke to me in my spirit that he will strengthen me, make me strong and resilient, that I may be able to bear whatever the outcome may be.

And God moves mightily in the unseen world: in the physical world, at all places and times, which I cannot see nor possibly imagined or know; in the unseen unknowable hearts of men and in their minds; and in the world of spirits and angels.

All the pieces can fall in place in an instance, in an utterance. What we do now, in faith, is to collect, prepare and treasure the pieces, which for the moment can be inexplicable or incomprehensible, even painful and despairing.

And we can have faith for God is faithful.

Helper

Moses had Aaron; and David, Jonathan; and Jesus had Simon of Cyrene to help him carry his cross.

So God knows us and our needs; and if it is so needed, it can even be in the form of another person.

Our Reason in the Flesh

• That we may have life
  
  But not merely life in this flesh but the true and eternal life in the spirit.

• That we may be God's servants
  
  All of creation are God's servants whether they are willing or not.

• That we may grow up in the Spirit
  
  Having been set free from the law of sin and perishable flesh, we are being trained and prepared for Perfection.

Beyond all question,
the mystery of godliness is great:
God appeared in the flesh,
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
and taken up in glory.
[1 Tim 3:16]

One

Make Us One, Glorify Your Name.

On Being ...

We are the sons of God.

There are no other temptations and sins, but that which challenge and contradict who we are.

The first is that, being in the flesh, we forget that we are spirit, even as God is spirit. And we seek the flesh and not the spirit.

The second is, conversely, that, we only know too well who we are, and we use it, but for ends other than intended, ie we prostituted ourselves.

And finally, we seek to be God ourselves, and thus falling into the very temptation into which the devil fell.