'I am ready to go with you wherever you go'

'Sir, first let me go back and bury my father'

'Let the dead bury their own dead'

Jesus was full of compassion towards His disciples, they were quite tired and they definitely needed a good rest. So he ordered them to the other side of the lake. Jesus knew if they were together, there is no way they can be left in peace. Whereas Jesus would stay with the crowds and see to their needs.

'I'm ready to go with you...' A teacher of the Law, proclaimed and so did Peter.

This is the inspiration and conviction from the depth of his heart. After seeing Jesus' power and authority, he worshipped Jesus and wanted to follow Him. But the flesh is weak though the spirit is willing. This is what we are like, when we see the sacrifices we have to make and no physical reward, many look back and sadly turn away from Jesus.

Foxes have holes, and birds have nests...

Yes! Jesus is truly a human being. He was born into the family of Mary and Joseph. He had a home in Nazareth and His own friends and relatives. But while fulfilling God's mission on earth He did not have a home in the world and was rejected by his friends and relatives. The only few people who slowly understood His mission were Mary and Joseph though in the beginning, Mary was surprised by what Jesus did but she kept them all in her heart, and she surrendered Him to the will of His Divine Father in Heaven. Whatever Jesus did, she pondered and tried to understand and she would not obstruct God's plan of salvation. Instead she supported Jesus fully until death.

The Son of Man has nowhere to lie down and rest.

Yes, indeed He had very little time to rest. During His time of rest, He spent it praying to the Father for all of us.

Everywhere He went crowds of people, like sheep without shepherd were following Him to witness His miracles and to listen to His teachings. To truly follow Him only a few did.

'Sir, first let me go back and bury my father...'

Had this man's father truly died or was he waiting for him to die because as expected, he was old. Or was he trying to reveal he had to care for his family until every responsibility was over, then he would follow Jesus etc...

Jesus said, "Follow me!" "Let the dead bury their dead!"

What was Jesus trying to say?

He was emphasizing the urgency of the Kingdom of God. 'Time is running out and God's Kingdom is coming'. Indeed he had preached and fulfilled His mission in just three years. Jesus was trying to say, in just three years everything had to be accomplished. The Kingdom of God would once again set foot in this world, once was fully God. During the temptation of Adam and Eve, the Devil offered the treasure of his Kingdom to them, they short of sight, doubt, pride, greed, etc, were overwhelmed by his offer. They cannot reflect on the will of God any more, but their eyes were blinded by the offer of the devil. They succumbed to the amazement of the devil. How weak, in fact mankind is?

This is the continuation of the whole scenario, but the changes are the demand. In the past, human's ambition and visions were different, so were the offer!

In our present time, the demand is different, so are the offer!

What the devil offer, are in fact stolen properties. For every tangible thing, are creation and property of God. The Devil, robs and steals from God, manipulates them, and offer them to the children created by God that are meant to be lost.

What does this mean?

God is the creator of everything, seen and unseen, which includes all material and all the laws of natures.

The Devil offers riches, health and other prosperity to those who seek them. In fact all these are God's property. God intends that in His Time and Ways, He would give to each of us accordingly. There are times, when we are in dilemma, yet we could not grasp, why, as a loving Father, He is no way to be seen?

There are situation and times, we must truly reflect, so as to understand the mind of God. His plan and His Will. Only when we are open, to the Holy Spirit, which is His Mind, Heart and Spirit, we would not be able to, even have a dim ideas, why, He holds things, back from us? Why He refused to be seen as a hero, in time when we needed Him most?

Is not gold, tested with Fire?

What elements, that God uses to test the strength of our souls?

He used spiritual fire, which may be very harsh and the pain really sip, deep into the very depth of our hearts. This is the state of purification, even on earth. Purgatory, alive, even in our material clothing. We need to be aware of. Transformation does not only happen when we died, but right here on earth. What a blessing and privilege!

The Kingdom of God would reign in this world. Put everything aside and serve God. Nothing is more important and urgent than God's Kingdom. Time is running out for the disciples. What about us? Is time also running out for us? What state or time are we in, now?

Time is indeed running out, before the 'Groom', came and flushes His 'Bride'. The wedding Feast would soon be consummated, at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

We must not be seen sleeping, without oil in our lamps, getting drunk and betting the servants up.

Those who still sleep, could continue to sleep, for eternity! Those without oil and didn't bother to fill oil in their lamp, would continue without oil for eternity! Those getting drunk, could continued with this orgies for all eternity and those betting up the children and little ones of God, would be dump into the eternal fire of hell.

The would be disciples of Jesus are to be totally different from what the world expects of us. We are to live like people called out of the world. Consecrated to the Lord. To be of His service to Him, in the people around us irrespective of status, color of skins, creeds and traditions, etc. Because as a whole, all people that are created by God had storage room for the treasure of God, that is the 'Breathe' of God, which is the soul. The souls might be in a state of glorification, an outcome of the presence of the Holy Spirit or in bondage and slavery, caused by the Devil and their ignorant to invite them into their lives. They are usually mere victims, because human were not angels, who are created with much superior wisdom, because they had the full sight of God and had sat with God at the same 'table'. They had chatted with Him, like we with our human friends, but human beings were veiled, because of our sinful flesh. The clothing of which we inherit from our parents was tainted and impure. Yet there are those who had, with their eyes fully open, when 'two plates of food are offered to them', made a foolish choice of rejecting the plate of food that comes from God and willing accept the food that was offered by the Devil. God would still pardon and forgive them over and over again, until God's patient run out. The tree that are bound to be fruitless, no matter how much time, God gives, would be finally chopped off. God usually gives these souls, their whole lives on earth, all opportunities to come back to Him. He usually waits, till death, for Judgement on each one them.

Therefore as God is very patient, so we who are Children of God ought to have the inner character of God. This, by our human ability, is impossible. Only by the indwelling of God's Spirit, can this be possible.

The would be followers of Christ ought to truly meditate on the cost of discipleship. The price we have to pay to follow Jesus. The agony, pain and rejection by our own families and friends, are we willing to accept without holding grudges against them? Instead to thank God for the trials and fire of purification. This would test our strength and firmness to be worthy of God's Anointing.

Praise the Lord.

Amen.