The Value of our labor.

"...pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God." (Matthew 22:21)

This was the answer, Jesus gave to the Pharisees, who came just to trap Him with this question. But Jesus' answer caused them to be dumb-founded and they went away dismay.

We are all created to know, believe, love and to serve God in every physical and spiritual acts and desires. Whatever physical things that appear before our very eyes, including our own lives are gifts from God, the Divine Providence of the physical and spiritual. It was the spirit that created the physical. In the beginning was God and through His Words and Spirit, He moved and created everything, until today. His Spirit continues to move human beings into action, to build and restore. The Devil always tried to bring down what God built. They tried to mess up everything. God wants us to work in co-operation with Him to restore the ruin.

After the disobedience of Adam and Eve, they could no longer dwell in paradise. It was not so much as 'God chasing or desolate them from Paradise and His presence', but rather they themselves chose the 'garden outside paradise'. They chose to eat the 'apple', or yield to temptations, rather then to resist. With their choice of which they ate from the 'fruit' of the 'tree' that brought 'death', induced them into slavery by the same devil and his spirits.

With this free choice of theirs, God pronounced judgement. They chose to disobey God, but not the Devil. They failed to put their whole-hearted trust in God, but not the Devil. They had experienced the fullness of the Providence of God, yet were not satisfied. They hungered for more. Darkness had begun to take root, in the soil of their hearts. Any stain or spot of darkness would deprive a person from the fullness of God's presence. Therefore, seeds of darkness start to grow well in the fertile soil of their hearts, of which their descendents were also inflicted.

Their sons, Cain and Abel were two significant figure of evil and goodness. One ruled by the evil spirit, the other by God's Spirit.

Cain's offering was unacceptable to God. God would not accept sacrifices and offering that comes from sinful and unworthy source.

'Cain brought some of his harvest and gave it as an offering to the Lord.

Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it and gave the best parts of it as an offering.

The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, but he rejected Cain and his offering.

(Genesis 4:3-4)

Let us reflect on what we have given to the Lord.! Is it the best part of our lives? The best time of the day? Is it the treasure, that meant so much to us, or is it the discarded waste?

God demands that we give the best of our every treasure, may it be our age, time of the day, festival or occasion, the treasure that meant so much to us, be it our parents, children, spouses, lovers, best friends, wealth, positions, etc. God demands that we need to offer them up to God, for consecration and blessing. We are to pray for the ability to let go of them, if that was what is best for us. This is a painful and heart-breaking state, that would truly pierce through the depth of our hearts and crush our spirits.

Sometimes in life, we may hold on to the wisdom of medical expert and trust in them only, concerning the health of our whole life. God as the created and Divine Providence knew that by letting us go our own ways, which was in fact worshiping the wisdom of the world, as god. God in His great love for us, might have to intervene, which might lead to the opening of our spiritual sight.

God in His power and might can turn the power and wisdom of the world upside down and crush their plans of destruction, if it was for the good of His beloved Children.

If in our human wisdom, we tried to convince God to be patient and wait till we were old, retired and our health collapsing then plead God, 'Please take me! I am now free and have nothing to do!'

Is it the best offering? We concentrate our lives in serving the world when we are in the 'pink' of health, and by this had succeeded to build an empire of fortunes, by all means, even to being dishonest and selfish. Is this fair to God?

Are our offerings like that of Cain?

God in His immerse measure of mercy and compassion, had not rejected the repentance heart of the 'good thief', who was hung, beside Him on Calvary, would He accept us too, if we sincerely repent? Yes! God would forgive us all. But if we are still in the 'pink' of health, do not think that the Almighty and merciful God, would be force to do likewise to all! We might be trapped in our own cage and died a spiritual and eternal death.

Abel gave the best of the fruit of his labor to God, and was accepted. Therefore as true Children of God, who longed for a true union with Him, now and after this life, need to give the best of our labor and everything to Him. Thanking for all the physical things that God gives in order to adorn our stay in this world. We are to share whatever God gives us, when the 'little ones' come along. If we only give the waste product that were indeed unfit for human use to them, we were indeed doing this to Jesus Christ, who stood by the humble and insignificant souls on earth.

Abel lived a good and God-fearing life. His ways were pleasing before God.

Our offering, sacrifices, fasting, penance and prayer need to come from the sincerity and humility of the heart.

We ought to make ways for God, instead of asking God to make ways for us.

We need to spend times with God, in our thoughts, desires, wills, words and our deeds, despite of our squeezing schedule, of which we made ourselves too busy.

God, although how 'busy' He is with the spiritual warfare, creates and sustains, His works, is never too busy for each one of us. Prayers of the 'little ones' are clearly heard and answered by Him. The 'little ones', may not necessary be a Christian, but all men are creatures of God. All human beings were given the equal opportunities for salvation and redemption. Some dwell in the 'light', some drawn to the light and some on the way to discover the light, with full intention to accept and live by the 'light'.

He gives His whole life, making Himself totally free for us, have we made time and give space, for Him to grow and expand?

Even in times when we are short of even necessities in life, we need to care and comfort others too.

Charity, is expression of God's love of which we might be mere partakers, in God's mission of spreading His love, kindness, gentleness, mercy and compassion.

Charitable person does not seek for publicity or glorification, but rather the rightful Person, ought to receive. God is the source of charity, of which our pure human nature willing say, 'Yes! Lord! I will participate.'. Therefore all glory, honor and praise belong to Him alone. At the service of God in dispersing this pure love, the sinful human nature would put out a tough challenge and struggle to see that it will fail. The sinful human nature, which had eaten the 'fruit', that brings death, was so used to serving the world and devil, that when its partner, decided to serve God, without personal and material gain, they fought for false justice.

God said, "You will have to work hard all your life to make it produce enough food for you. It will produce weeds and thorns and you will have to eat wild plants. You will have to work hard and sweat to make the soil produce anything, until you go back to the soil from which you were formed".

(Genesis 3:17-19)

This is indeed what is happening nowadays. Man had to work hard and sweat to make the soil produces anything.

It seemed that after the fall of Adam and Eve, natures and its systems, which includes all creation of the 'six days' fall too.

Creations seemed to rebel against Adam and Eve and their descendents. Natures do not co-operate with human anymore. Animals would not trust in the loving care and stewardship of human beings anymore. They became defensive and lived apart from human, except some tame and domestic ones. This must have been God's blessing despite our disobedience, otherwise, we would have to go out hunting for food all the time.

Weed and thorn plants seemed to grow better then any food crops. In the wild jungles, where no one seemed to care, yet they were able to grow extremely well. Whereas food crops, were fragile and need, plenty of labor, skill, manual and care, in order to grow.

These were merely some examples about nature and its fall.

Nowadays human occupations had diversified into various and defined areas and field.

The 'fruit' of the fall, could be experienced in all those occupations and defined field human beings ventured into. More failures and obstacles, then success, were experienced. For God there would be no failures. In everything He willed, they shall be done without any hitches, accept those that comes from the Devil and the 'fruit' of the fall that clung to our ill-informed human natures, that loves darkness and deceits.

In our time where advancement in technologies, in various fields ought to bring about a better standard of living, had that been fully achieved? Not yet, far from perfection, because evil is at work in the hearts and minds of human beings. 'The ground will produce weeds and thorns. Human beings would have to eat wild plants'. God did not curse His beloved creature, even though they were one of the culprits of the fall. The seeds of weeds and thorns, were scattered everywhere to grounds that men ventured. Once we started to clear and prepare the field, they start sowing their seeds of weeds and thorns. The food crops would have to be satisfied with the company of unwanted nourish suckers. This spiritual warfare, manifests in the physical. Death and failures overtakes success and life. The more advance the various field of achievement, the devil goes ahead of all and stood as obstacles.

But in this tainted society, advancement in technologies, had not succeeded in perfecting the quality of lives. In the field of health and medication, where more drugs were produced in order to cure, prevent or control sickness, yet it had failed to bring the people of the world into perfect health.

Some dangerous sickness, might even go undetected, until it was too late, despite the human expertise and advanced equipment.

When human beings excel and achieve certain degree of perfection, there comes the temptation to manipulate what were in fact goodness and providence of God, to its downfall and sins.

There are many ways to value our labor. We must ask the question, 'To whom are we struggling so hard for?'

We may want to satisfy our personal desires and ambitions. We may want to see that our family's needs are satisfied. Are we competing for some other hidden motives, in order to salvage our lost dignity and pride?

Will our struggle to seek our 'daily bread', caused us to sin? Who are we working for? Is it the world, sinful flesh, Devil or God?

Most of us worked and struggled, in order to serve the world and what is unseen. In our struggle to see that our 'bodies' are clothed, which is seeking basic necessities, might turned tragic. We might unknowingly served and worshipped the Devil instead.

Once, God said to me, 'You would not sin, if you loved me 'too much', but not any other things, whether seen or unseen. Inside those things that were supposed to be gifts from God, hid the serpent, if you love them too much'.

In the family

Parents and guardians are supposed to be instrument of God, to love and nurture the 'little ones', that God put before us. Parents participated with God to bring, this mystery into physical reality and time, that is human being, through the will of God brings about the creation of physical bodies as dwelling place for the souls, which is God's Life into this world. They became our children, as far as the human flesh is concerned but not the souls, which come from God.

The life of the souls depended on God. This souls yearn and desire for God. For His care, love and mercy. God comes into our time as in the beginning, through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit, after the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, is a victorious Spirit of Freedom, because Christ became the victim, in order to ransom human beings, freeing us from the chain of enslavement by the Devil.. In the souls, the Spirit of God, channeled all spiritual gifts, in various forms as food. The souls' triumph would be manifested in the physical. There would be so much inner peace and joy, that would be manifested in our faces, which radiate with smiles and laughter. With this inner peace and happiness, other gifts of the Holy Spirit, would be given plenty of rooms to grow. These Children of God would grow in patient, love, gratefulness, appreciative and serenity. Look at a lover in love! Look at a child, who had found his mother, after a long search! Experience their joy and happiness. That is what happens when we found God, whom we had searched tirelessly for. Fast and pray with spirit of humility and love. Emphasizing on storing of treasure in heaven, by depriving ourselves of the same on earth.

Most children were well cared and treasured. Parents would struggle to see, that their dependents lived a comfortable and well provided lives.

In this environment children were taught the basic and foundation to the reality of lives outside the family. They were trained to equip themselves in facing obstacles, as they struggled to have a better place in the society later on.

All children are gifts from God. They were directly responsible for God in all their dueling with their parents, relatives, friends, schoolmates, colleagues, etc. By the presence of souls, we were raised to the dignity of human being. We were entrusted with the stewardship of all creatures and the world that God created. God wants us to be partakers, in co-operation with Him to keep and sustain the well being of our environments by renewing the face of the earth.

We came from our 'poor' and sinful parents, who could not give us the inheritance of which we are supposed to have. God once entrusted Adam and Eve, with the fullness of spiritual blessings or grace, but they lost them. Therefore after a long span of time, came Jesus who restored the basic necessities, in which we can then enter into the Kingdom of God, even on earth. The veil, which is the sinful human flesh still paused as obstacles for us to see God and His Kingdom.

Our sinful natures and sins created difficulties for us to be perfect instruments of God as 'Father' to His own children. We failed to instill the perfect awareness in our children of the reality of God's presence in our families. We even passed to them knowledge which was offensive to God. One descendents continued on to the rest, until in God's own time a certain offspring, became an eye-opener for us to be sober and reflect. Moments of trials, which come in different forms, which might prick deep into the depth of our hearts, cracked open the 'iron door' of which we built for ourselves. These doors in fact imprisoned us. Living in a 'coconut shell', without knowledge of the mysteries of God's love and mercy. Enslaved and chained in falsehood and sins.

Getting children to be equipped in their struggle for a better place in society, might dimmed their vision and struggle to be closer to God. Truly wise are those children, who put God as the backbone of their lives, in relationship with their parents, schoolmates, colleagues, employers, friends, spouses, community and society as a whole.

God gives each one of us special gifts, in order to excel, if we labor, in unity with God, in doing His will.

Excellence, as far as the world is concerned, can be achieved through our sinful pacts with the Devil simultaneously, entering into hell, now and forever. Partakes in his food, does his works and finally dwells in his house, even in this world, as hell is a state of being. Only veiled by the presence of human flesh.

Excellence, as far as Divine wisdom is concerned, can be achieved by making a covenant with God, so that all the natural gifts and blessings which He bestowed on us would be exploited to the fullness. We must not separate natural gifts as though they came from ourselves, of which we can boast when we achieved a certain degree of success. This might lead to pride and to our downfall. God creates us to be partakers in creation. For God did not stop creating after the sixth day. God gives each one of us natural gifts in order to proceed with creation of goodness. When we surrendered our natural gifts, which by themselves come from God, back to Him for consecration, He would see that the ways we exploit them would be in unity with His Will. By this Divine action, we would indeed live a consecrated life Whereas spiritual gifts, were meant to build the Spiritual Kingdom of God on earth.

We who are installed with a spiritual hearts, need continuous feeding of God's nourishment. Young children, who could not exercise, their freewill, would be able to receive continuous flow of God's Spirit, into their lives, especially through the desires and actions of their parents to surrender them to God in Baptism. Parents must understand that they were mere Instruments of God. There are moments and times they need to pray, so allow the mysteries of God to flows through them, rather than being too harsh, by taking everything into their hands.

If the children's consciences are not fed with the Truth, the mind, which was the storage of the conscience, would not be able to exercise their freewill to the benefit of the souls, when time came for them to put this to work. Yet the final say is still God. The children, that rebelled against our harsh rules of implementing the religious rituals and sacramental, must never be treated as though they were the works of the Devil. The Devil can be in both parties, manipulating each of them. Human being young and old is given freewill. Freewill is like a key to the entrance of our hearts, of which Adam and Eve demanded from God. The outcome is that, much souls are lost because of its manipulation, ignorant and abuse.

When these channels are closed, to God, the children would be starved of spiritual necessities. Their souls would cry out in agony, out of hunger and thirst, yet the freewill tried to shout the mouth of the souls. Later on these souls had to be complacent with lives of falsehood, sins and deceits. They seemed to accommodate the host, who gave them junk food and poisons.

This is spiritual death.

We need to have knowledge of our roles and responsibilities as instruments of God. We are the hands of God to provide food for our children. We are the hearts of Jesus to love the Children, given by God. We are the 'words' of God to give sound teaching of truth to our children. We are the 'little shepherds' of God to guide them to the True Shepherd. Parents might have to endure and persevere in order to see God's plan at work in each one of them. God may use us as instrument to chastise and form the children God entrusted to us. But He may let the children experience His love and chastisement in order to modify their lives and strengthen their will, to resist temptations, in His own mysterious and powerful ways.

In various physical relationships

There are different groups of people, with different characters and needs.

Coming from different races, backgrounds, creeds and religions.

They come from different families with different values and practices. When we treasure relationships, we developed to be part, so to be acceptable.

Therefore we need to choose the right category of friends. We could either be the light that shone in darkness, receiver of light, retain the light irrespective of darkness, or our once bright light might be dimmed or put out by darkness.

Jesus said that disciples of Jesus needed to be the light of the world and salt of the earth. We are the lamps, God's Spirit is the oil and the Truth is the Light. God continues to pour oil into our lamps, which would give out perfect light, so much brighter than the light that had its source from the world. Even the light that had its source from the world derived from God. But because we continued to pour low quality and unfit oil into the lamps, the light was indeed very dime, even if the best oil of the earth is being poured, yet this earth's essence of light cannot be compared to the Light of God. What does this all mean?

If we worshipped the wisdom of the world and desire for them, with our hearts, souls and minds, is like putting the oil of the earth into our lamps, which gives out dime light. This light is so much darker and dimmer than the Light of God. The essence of the wisdom of the world, which by itself came from our fallen parents, Adam and Eve, cannot be compared to God's wisdom. Adam and Eve had Light of God and that of the Devil, too. By this mixture of oil, from God and the Devil, made up the light that comes from this world. Most of us desired this form of light rather than God's perfect light. That was the inclinations of our fallen parents, whose nature is so much alive in the world today.

We are the salt of the earth, if salt lost its taste, it is useless. The roles that we are called to emphasize needed to be a vocation. Consecrated with the Spirit of God. If Disciples of Christ do not reflect the Christ in them, is like salt that lost its taste.

We were converted, in our lives, whether as infants or adults. We are to be modified and called to be true Disciples of Christ. We are to live a renewed lives, from the ways and natures of our fallen parents to the ways of the New Adam, Jesus Christ. We are to uproot ourselves of our once sinful ways and lives and plant our whole lives into the ground, where Jesus was crucified and buried. We are to pledge our new life with God, sealed in the Baptism of water as a physical sign of repentant of which our spirits need to do likewise. With this desire to be converted, is to be one with Christ Jesus. We cannot be one and acceptable to God, unless God sees through the sincerity of our hearts and pour His Spirit on each of us. By the presence and empowerment of His Spirit, in our lives we are to be bold, courageous and faithful soldiers of Christ's army. We are at war with the Devil, of which victory is in the 'hand' of Jesus Christ. We need to unite ourselves with Christ, in order to fully experience the gifts and fruits of Christ Victorious Spirit.

As business' human machinery

We are machinery and assets of a business. All category of workers, may they be in the management, administrative, production, purchase and distribution sectors are all important assets of business. These are separated from the lifeless assets, of business premises, fixtures and fittings, moveable assets of heavy and light production machinery and equipment, etc.

All labors are for the sake of gaining profit, shares, salaries, wages and bonus, etc. Therefore all of us must not be prejudice toward one another. We are all participants in the functioning of the business. We ought to perform our works as though we are serving God. Those in authority, must not manipulate those productive workers and workers must do their utmost, yet not enslavement, in performing designated tasks. The end overall beneficiary of the business, who put out capitals for investment, took their risks too, must see that all workers, perform to their peak and their pay, justify their tasks.

We may wear expensive wardrobes or spoilt clothing, which are fitting for different categories of workers, or with different categories of expertise, be it physical or mental skill ought not to be judged with envied or be despised.

Therefore in business as assets and machinery, we need to participate with those in control and authority to assure the success of the business of which we draw our daily wages and salaries. We must not exploit one another for personal gain and selfish motives. All needed to exercise appropriate and sound judgement. When 'little ones' come along, we must be able to differentiate and act accordingly, not foolishly.

When God gives us the position, which authorities in certain areas are given to us, we must be just and firm in all our dueling and decisions. Yet able to add humanity and love to what is supposed to be the 'world', where injustice, selfishness, pride, etc are the norm of lives.

We need to be able to separate what belongs to 'Caesar' and what belongs to God.

Even to the extend of separating all the different spirits in our lives. There are basically three categories of spirits, that are presence in heaven, earth and world below or hell.

Human beings are saturated with these three different spirits, which are manifested as 'fruits' in the world today. We can see how the saturation brought about love, peace and joy which belongs to God Injustice, hatred, pride, destruction of goodness and values, wars and disasters. Immorality, lust, greed, envy, perverts of different orders, may it concerning religions, sex or various teachings, which comes from our abused and manipulation of freewill, in co-operating with the Devil.

We need to let our souls and spirits free to surge from the enslavement in the physical bodies to God's Throne that is heaven on earth. The souls and pure human spirits need to struggle free, from the entanglement of the spirits of deceits and falsehood. These spirits offered us temporary 'tidbits', in order to try to pacify our hungry and thirsty souls. The souls and pure human spirits refused those food, but the sinful human nature, which was closely linked to the pure human nature, dwelling alongside like twin spirit, would tried its utmost ability to bring down the other half. This is a great struggle, greater than what we see in the physical world. The inner pure human spirit, together with the souls, need and hunger for the Spirit of God. In the Spirit of God, there contains all the nourishment, which feed the souls and its human spirits. We all need the Holy Spirit. It is a life giving water that sprung and flows, through the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The 'door' to the Kingdom of Heaven and God.

The Omi-potent, presence and Omniscient God sees through our every desires, words and actions, would be grateful, when we struggle in co-operation with Him, in order to bring down the forces of darkness, in our families, among our schoolmates, colleagues, friends and all human relationships.

Therefore in order to be real Children of God, truly experiencing His presence, power, love and mercy, we need to fix our eyes toward God. Acknowledging and accepting Him as our Heavenly Father, Lord and Master of all that He created.

Prayer

Almighty and Eternal God, creator of all that is seen and unseen. You create, sustain, and provide us with all that our spirits truly need, send forth Your Holy Spirit. Help us to allow You to be given the Throne to this unworthy heart of mine. This heart is like a collapsing hut, unworthy for the Almighty God and King to dwell. Come Lord, Jesus Christ and mend this collapsing hut and make it into a palace for the King of kings.

Come Holy Spirit, I need You. Come with Your Power and Your Might. Come in Your own gentle ways. Come and make Yourself a 'home', there. Amen.

Praise the Lord. Amen.