It is better to give than to receive, right?

Usually.

For some people, giving becomes their identity. But what if you spent time with someone who is hurting? Without giving them anything. They don’t really need anything other than your presence. But some people can’t do that. They have to give.

Isn’t giving good? Yes, but if one’s identity is tied to what they can give, then it gets complicated.

Then the idea is: “I am what I give,” so I must give.

Such people also have difficulty receiving. Receiving requires humility. That complicates the identity struggle.
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Some of you might be aware that I trade and invest in equities (stocks). I get a variety of comments and questions about that. Some call it gambling. Others see this as “bottom feeders” in an ocean of people trying to survive. Then there are many who see this as a game of the rich. And, you might have heard that it’s a scam.

Those comments are partially correct and mostly misleading. It is a path of knowledge, mindset, and discipline.

That’s it? The simplicity is what makes it accessible to almost anyone. But it’s that same simplicity that puts it out of reach for so many. Most prefer to do something fancy and cool. But this is too simple. And that makes it difficult.

“Every human being should have equal opportunity no matter what the situation is.” This statement fits well with the most prevalent world view these days. This is a modern perspective that most people would agree with in principle. 

But in the scriptures, God was not concerned about equality. He was focused on giving preference for the vulnerable, weak, forgotten, and downtrodden. Especially in the Old Testament, you’ll find multiple situations where God is warning his people that this is the kind of behavior that he expected from them. 

Others may behave differently, But this was God’s expectation regarding his own people. 

 

The parable of the ten virgins has always intrigued me because of its straightforward and blunt approach (Matthew 25:1–13).

The bridegroom was not interested in those who were unprepared. Instead, his preference was for those who planned ahead and took responsibility for their needs. But this raises a difficult question: how could he act this way? Shouldn’t he be merciful and kind to those who are weak, needy, or less privileged?

Yet this was not the point of the parable. Jesus was not dismissing compassion; rather, He was emphasizing responsibility. The message is that citizens of God’s kingdom are to be people of diligence, preparation, and disciplined effort. They are not to be those who habitually rely on others for a handout.

God desires His people to be prudent, focused, strong, and even materially equipped—while remaining fully dependent on Him for their entire being. It is from this position of strength and dependence on God that they are able to be truly generous toward the vulnerable, the weak, the forgotten, and the downtrodden.

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As the creator, God owns all land. So the purchase of land that you made is actually illegal. Isn’t it? How can we sell what doesn’t belong to us? So our land ownership is really like a Monopoly game. It’s just a game. It’s fake. 

So, what’s the point? The point is, we stress and fret over stuff that really is not our concern. We just need some peace in this life along with some basics like food, clothing, and shelter. So many people (beginning with me), get stressed over insignificant matters (as most of our stresses are). 

Just let it go. It’s not yours. 

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David wanted to build a house for God, but God told David that God would build him a house (2 Samuel 7). It’s a fascinating story to read in chapter 7 of 2Samuel. Actually David wanted to build a house because of his guilty feeling. It was driven by the guilt that he had forgotten all about God as he was building his palace. 

But God responds and says several things (In my assessment of the text):

1. God never asked for a house.

2. The response has a surprise element, where God is essentially saying “Will you build a house for me?

3. God promises that He will build a “house” for David (this house is not a physical one – David already built that.) But this house that God would build would be an everlasting Kingdom, eventually through the Messiah, Jesus. 

What can we “do” for God? Relax, God has you covered. 

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Yes, I know the common phrase is “Why worry when you can pray.” But in practice, we reverse the order, and worry without prayer. Or, our prayers are just a mention of our struggles. No focus and no urgency in our prayers. 

Yet the Bible is clear that prayer is to be the priority. 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil 4:6)

Prayer and supplication is not just casual advice. Those two words are to be the source of strength based on our faith and trust in the one who knows every struggle we go through. The word prayer is a general term for prayer, but supplication implies a greater sense of urgency and neediness. It’s much beyond a casual request. It’s an intense heartcry that touches the heart of the Father. 

So next time, when you’re tempted to accept worry over fear, turn to prayer. 

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Yes, the first chapter of Genesis clearly says that the earth was created in a literal 6 days, referring to the Jewish method of reckoning days. But since the concept of days only occurs after the Earth begins to spin and the revolution around the Sun starts, this gets complicated. Before the Sun, Moon, Stars, and the Earth began to “function” as it is today, there was no time to speak of. Eternity is beyond time and cannot be measured in terms of today’s calculations. 

So, how many days or years to create the earth and to bring it to it’s present condition? For me, the answer is: No. Such a discussion is invalid. It wasn’t six days or millions of years. Since time did not exist, we cannot use current measurements to measure immeasureable factors. 

It was in the 5th century B.C. that Antiphon, an ancient philosopher suggested that time was a human construct. Centuries later, in 1883, Ernst Mach made this concept of a timeless universe part of scientific discussions. Later, Albert Einstein also postulated various perspectives on time. 

For me, a discussion about time or time periods for creation that took place outside of “time” is beyond the purview of reason. So, how many days or years did it take to create the earth? 

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It’s not what you think. When we “create” an image of God according to our own likeness, God responds with surprise. God takes it as a challenge — sort of. 

It reminds me of the old Broadway show from the 1970’s “Your Arms Too Short to Box With God,” based on the book of Matthew. It was something like that phrase when remembering Numbers 11:23 “And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened?” 

No, it’s time to believe the impossible.

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It has always intrigued me that we have lots of desires and aspirations in life. We strive to live up to some expectations of people — often people who don’t really matter. Enoch was a man who is almost invisible except a few mentions in the scriptures. 

Somehow, it was an “unknown” person that God decided to take away without death. The only thing we know is that he walked with God. We can come up with all kinds of guesses regarding what it means to walk with God. Unknown by people, but known by God. Let that sink into our inner being. 

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