Dont waste your talents - Aspire to achieve great

Don't Waste Your Talents - Do not compare it

Lucifer compared himself with God, the first temptation Adam & Eve was to compare what God has given with what they can really have, Cain compared with Able. Then the history tells about Easu, Saul, etc..

Why do we compare? where does the comparison comes from? Comparison in itself is not bad.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 NIV
And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Comparison, Envy, Strife, Anger, Bitterness, Rage etc... are signs of being unfaithful to God. I won't add hours thinking and worrying, It is foolishness to have built a foundation that will not stay when the wind blows when the storm hits,  

Dont waste your talents - Jesus calls you worthy

Jesus called the sinners, be came to save the lost. He condemned the religious. He called the Fisher men to fish men.



The wisest person is not the one who wins the world nor the one who possesses everything, but the one who saves the soul. Jesus is like no one ever lived, he cares for you, so you can cast all your cares, he is friend of sinners. He is alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the one who knows the end from the beginning, he is called as the almighty, the king of kings, the Lord of Lords, Immanuel - Good with us, image of God, Son of God. He is the perfect representation of God, Good in human flesh, God as Man. He lived a sinless life, obedient to the father, died for the sinners and rose again on third day, sent the holy spirit to live in us, as we are not just humans nor God, but the temple of the living God.

God uses the least to make his greatest splendor and glory to reach out to all. Joseph knew his sufferings are for short period, for he said, God knew that there will be famine. So, he sent me before that I may preserve life. Many New Testament writers said the same, the momentary sufferings can't be compared with what Good has for this who believe in him.


Of the least one who got the talent thought God will provide, Good would have used him to glorify his name.

Don't Waste Your Talents - At least use it

Many of us have excuses, Moses had the excuse of speech:

Exodus 4:10 NIV
Moses said to the LORD, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." 

In the parable the one talent man excuses himself saying that the master was a cunning man. He tries to excuse himself from his responsibility by telling that resources provided to him was insufficient and its unequal.

Lets consider our life, what is the greatest gift that we ever got or can ever get. We do not know about ourselves than the one who created us knows, because he created us with a purpose, he know it from the beginning, even before our birth and he know our future even after our death.

When we see people who suffer in hunger, we try to feed them, that which satisfy his hunger. Saving a soul is feeding the hunger for eternal life, its not by our own strength or power, but by the power of resurrected Christ. Who gave his life, his position for us.

What could satisfy our life than serving him, what can we be able to do? nothing other than loving him. He redefines the term Love, that which we misuse for everything. But we know he loves us not because of what we do or what we are. "Yet when we were sinners, Christ loved us". His Love transforms us, he forgave us when we do not know what we were doing. He does not give up on us.

We need to love him in return, he said follow me, deny yourself, Love me more than anything or anybody. But for his Love we should understand and obey and love him, even before he asks us to. Any relationship in this world could be compared, but his is the highest, greatest, amazing and wonderful. He listens and cares when everybody leaves, he said "I will never leave you, nor forsake you".

Romans 5:7 NIV
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

Jesus said to the person who had one talent, at least you could have invested that in the Bank, So that when I come I could have got the interest. But this man wasted his talent, Sometime talent represent life, A life that is not pleasing God is a life that is wasted. Jesus said what is success, wise, wisdom, life... Matthew 16:26 NIV
What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Luke 12:15 NIV

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."

Don't Waste Your Talents - The Secular World View

Talents/Skills viewed by the World

The biggest question in life, "Are Leaders born or made?", Many Secular view that almost all the skills a Leader can be learnt through proper dedication, hard work, smart work, etc. But the Christian view is different. In fact the very meaning and objective of a Leader is redefined in the Christian view.

Jesus said: Matthew 20:26-28 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

26 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His [a]life a ransom for many.”


Jesus' mission: Matthew 20:28 NIV
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Why the Worldly Leadership does not work eternally? The fall in the heaven, the as mentioned in the book of Isaiah:

Isaiah 14:11-12New International Version (NIV)

11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,
    along with the noise of your harps;
maggots are spread out beneath you
    and worms cover you.

12 How you have fallen from heaven,
    morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
    you who once laid low the nations!

But even the secular world considers the failures, struggles, etc not as stumbling blocks, but as a stepping stone for success. The perseverance and aggression, the disappointments and discouragements lead one to the right path for success. But all the gain and glory is temporal and not eternal, nothing but Faith in Jesus Christ is Eternal, because he is eternal.

Psalm 20:7 NIV
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 

For those secular think that this life and in itself is life and nothing more will loose out the eternal blessings, the perspective of a Christian is Life in this world and beyond... God blesses both.

Philippians 3:18-20New American Standard Bible (NASB)

18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their [a]appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. 20 For our [b]citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

The success and failure of great men:
This teaches that God inspires these men from the success and failures of other and even from the nature.

From the Parable of Talents, Jesus does not just tell us what the reward for the person who used his Talents wisely or the person who wasted by foolishness for this life only, but for the life that is to come.

We can see the punishment or the rewards after Jesus said:

So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Don't Waste Your Talents

What are/is Talents?

Time, Money and Relationships.

Cain & Able - The failed relationship with God, due to envy. Cain did not understand that it is God who recognizes the heart of the matter, it's not what we give, but how. What reverence do we have while giving our gifts to God, our offerings to God. Do we value the relationship that we have with God. He is worthy of praises, do we praise him for what he is and what he has already done or do we do it for our own selfish nature of getting things done by him.

Brokenness as a stepping stone of success:
We can see the examples like Joseph, David, Paul etc., who went through so much of struggle, but yet believed and had faith in God.

Psalm 34:18 (NASB)

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Jesus' commandment clearly states that relationship with God and with others is more important than any other things. Nothing comes in front of the relationship.

Jesus said: Matthew 16:26 NIV

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Parable of Talents:

Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)

The Parable of the Talents

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

People who hid things under ground are farmers, seeds are hidden for it to have roots. This man hid his talent in the ground. Jesus gives him one option, "Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest."


 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.

Cares of the World

Cares of the World: In the parable of the sower, Jesus warns about one kind of heart where the word of God does not grow and yield the fruit.

Mark 4:19 NIV
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.


In another instance when Martha questions about her cares, Jesus answers:

Luke 10:41 NIV
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,

Jesus is not telling that one should not work or think about work, but should not worry, because he has commanded not to worry.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NASB)

The Cure for Anxiety
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.




John 16:33 NIV
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."


John 15:20 NIV
Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.



Jesus values our life more than any other thing, we might have different preferences when helping others, say we expect some returns, or to show some favoritism, to appreciate or praise..etc, but Jesus did not expect when he saved the women caught in adultery, when he touched the life of the women at the well through which the entire community came to know about Jesus. He did not looked down on people, their statutes, He called Zacchaeus from the tree, He called the woman of infirmity for 18 years when she faithfully touched the hem of his garment and healed.

He did not expect the praises for turning water into wine, nor when he calmed the seas. When he walked upon water many were afraid, Jesus does all this and more for many purposes which is more than our understanding. Our only way of recognizing is to have faith in him. Obey his commands, taking up the cross and following Jesus.

Walking with Jesus does not mean that we won't face problems, but we will be confident enough that no matter what happens our faith and hope will be "Jesus is with me". He said Heb 13:5
Let your manner of living be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have. For He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”;

Isaiah 49:15 NIV
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!


Remember these:
John 15:20 NIV
Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.


Luke 22:19 NIV
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

Ecclesiastes 12:1 NIV
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"--

Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV
But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Desires

Psalm 37:4 (NASB)

Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.




Through out our lives we have desires, some are good and others are bad. How to have Godly desires. Because these are the desires that will be given as said in the above verse, not every desire that fulfills our needs or wants. So, how should one start to have Godly desires.

The process is "Delight yourself in the Lord" -

Delight - To please someone greatly.

Whom should we please, why and how?
God, Lord Jesus Christ. Because he pleased God by obeying and doing God's will. By Faith,
John 16:32 NIV
"A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

Jesus had an enormous trust in God the Father, that even the most difficult time in his life, he gave his choice to the Father, Luke 22:42 NIV "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."


Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Romans 13:14 NIV
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.


How to please God and not our own selves is to be aware that God is in us, around us. He makes great impact in our lives than any other person we can think of, we can't save ourselves, we can't have plans even before our birth, we can't bring ourselves from our sinful nature. But Jesus does, he did it on the cross. So, if we were to tell that we still want to please someone else or ourselves we are fooling ourselves. We look beyond to the person who has successfully done the desires of God, delighting in him completely not satisfying his own will or pleasures. Born in a Carpenter's family, did the work of carpentary work, helped people from the most important decisions in life. We see the life of Jesus the greatest example, he met people in their needs, not expecting anything from them. He looked up on the people to whom the world looked down. He encouraged people who are said to be sinners, poor, unworthy and failures. We see the examples like the Adultrous women, the women at the well, Zacheous,

Delighting in the Lord - is doing the will of God, Jesus said it is his food, It is his work,


The excuses for not pleasing God - the same thing that should please God, The Work, Family, Friendship, finances, etc... should not distract.

Rightousness

The human condition of Righteousness:

Righteousness: the quality of being morally right or justifiable.

Since the beginning after the fall of human the tendency of human nature was morally corrupted, not in every case but majority. 

Isaiah 64:6 NIV All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

but even before this, God tells the human heart and condition by saying this, "Genesis 6:5 NIV The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time."


The Self-Righteous
So, as we can see only few through God's grace & mercy were faithful and was able to exercise Righteousness faithfully and Godly, many because of the fallen nature have turned to another form of righteousness, i.e, being Self Righteous. 

The Law was necessary to be holy, but Law alone is not enough. Grace & Mercy of God is as much or even more important than following Law. 

Because of Self-Righteousness this man comes to God and asks, "Luke 18:18 NIV
A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 
So, his intention here clearly states that he though being righteous is only about works, his intention about asking Jesus by saying "Good Teacher" he thinks by Good works alone he will be able to enter into eternal life, but Jesus responds by giving the answer, Mark 10:18 NIV "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.

Only God alone can confirm if he accepts the faith and into eternal life, Jesus says, "Whether he wants to call him Good Teacher and not God or he has doubt about entering eternal life only by Good deeds", Jesus answers both. "keep the commandments"

but this man did not stop there: “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 
So, in a way his question was not just "what shall I do", but indeed "why am I not yet inherited eternal life". This lack of sense comes when one strictly follows only the rules and laws, but Jesus then says, the real issue is not about following, but "the love of money". If you wish to be [a]complete, go andsell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”


The Righteousness God expects
God knows the fallen nature of humans, but he has provided the solution even before we think of doing Good. Now, accepting the works of Christ on Cross, his words and doing according to his will is what God expects. 

Romans 3:22 NIV
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,

So, Righteousness is not merely of what things we do, but it is the intentions of why we do it. Faith matters.


  

Sovereignty and Freewill

The question about sovereignty of God. If God knows everything then why? Is he God if he doesn't know something? If not then where is the limit and why?

The question arises due to misunderstanding few passages. Like:  the one in Jeremiah 18.

Sovereignty of God and Free Will of Men:

Is everything already written? I mean the very words that I have chosen to write is not of my own ideology or thought but it’s wired. That’s how some people think. There are two views. One everything happens as if there is nothing I can do about, this is why it’s easy to explain the natural disasters and death of babies, accidents… etc. The other one is to think like the Newton’s third law of motion, “For every action there is an equivalent and opposite reaction”. It’s like the butterfly effect, for every action. The Christian worldview parted mainly into two streams due to this reasoning of “Work” and “Grace”. But the Bible clearly tells us, “What is the right way of looking into these topics? These topics if not dealt rightly most of time leave us into utter confusion and misunderstanding about God.

God is Sovereign:

Jerimiah

Jeremiah 18English Standard Version (ESV)

The Potter and the Clay

18 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear^[a] my words.”³ So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. ⁴ And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁶ “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. ⁷ If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, ⁸ and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. ⁹ And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, ¹⁰ and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. ¹¹ Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’

¹² “But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

¹³ “Therefore thus says the Lord:
Ask among the nations,
    Who has heard the like of this?
The virgin Israel
    has done a very horrible thing.
¹⁴ Does the snow of Lebanon leave
    the crags of Sirion?^[b]
Do the mountain waters run dry,^[c]
    the cold flowing streams?
¹⁵ But my people have forgotten me;
    they make offerings to false gods;
they made them stumble in their ways,
    in the ancient roads,
and to walk into side roads,
    not the highway,
¹⁶ making their land a horror,
    a thing to be hissed at forever.
Everyone who passes by it is horrified
    and shakes his head.
¹⁷ Like the east wind I will scatter them
    before the enemy.
I will show them my back, not my face,
    in the day of their calamity.”

¹⁸ Then they said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to any of his words.”

¹⁹ Hear me, O Lord,
    and listen to the voice of my adversaries.
²⁰ Should good be repaid with evil?
    Yet they have dug a pit for my life.
Remember how I stood before you
    to speak good for them,
    to turn away your wrath from them.
²¹ Therefore deliver up their children to famine;
    give them over to the power of the sword;
let their wives become childless and widowed.
    May their men meet death by pestilence,
    their youths be struck down by the sword in battle.
²² May a cry be heard from their houses,
    when you bring the plunderer suddenly upon them!
For they have dug a pit to take me
    and laid snares for my feet.
²³ Yet you, O Lord, know
    all their plotting to kill me.
Forgive not their iniquity,
    nor blot out their sin from your sight.
Let them be overthrown before you;
    deal with them in the time of your anger.

Romans 9:20-23New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁰ On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? ²¹ Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel ^[a]for honorable use and another ^[b]for common use? ^22 [c]What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? ²³ And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,

Why would people think that everything is written? In one sense they feel like they fully understand God’s Sovereignty and give him glory, to say that God is powerful of everything, he should have pre-planned everything to make it happen as he says. In one sense this is right, will deal about this later. But the very problem of this is, “as God is in control of everything”, he should be blamed for the wrong of any person, how can this be? Now there is a problem. But here they change their stand by saying not everything will be planned, evil things will be judged and punished. There is a Judgment day, God knows that this would happen exactly and he gives Grace. He likes to do what he wants. The problem with this thinking is that, “it’s not consistent”. If God has written everything, every moment of our lives, how we should speak, eat, dress, work…. Etc. we are not more than robots. There is no point for Love, Grace and Mercy. Logically it is inconsistent. How to deal with this issue? Is not God control of everything? Is not God Sovereign? Is he not omnipotent?

Human Freewill:

That’s where the other view lead some people to, They believe in God and think that he ceased to exist and gave everything to the human, time & effort, all the things in the universe he set an order and it runs accordingly, but to men, he just gave complete freedom. To choose what he want, to do what he want. Now, if the prior view is logically inconsistent. This view lacks from the understanding of the universe and human life. There is intervention of God in every aspects of our lives, even atheists believe sometimes, they just deny that this intervention mostly leads us to the right path of life. But those who believe in the complete freedom, that they have this free will to choose and do what they want cannot explain the nature, the problem of pain, etc. i.e., in most of the cases it is not because of what we chose and do, but completely different. Say for example: Good people suffering – Where logically Good people should be living happily without difficulties, struggles and sickness. But that is not the case.

Now we see why it is important to have the right understanding about God’s Sovereignty and Human Free will:

1.       Blame on: The most important aspect of extreme in thinking it is only God’s Sovereignty or Human Free will is for blaming. Both the views still could not explain many “whys” they blame on the whole aspect of their view and will not humble to say, “My Heart”. People who does not want to take risk, who are lazy, who just want a reason for their point, wanted to excuse will try and manipulate using this views in the extreme sense.

2.       Pride: This has been the major problem, who should be glorified and for what matters, in both the extreme views there are flaws. If in case one is successful and if he thinks that his success is only because of his efforts, he shows pride. When God is not involved, When God is not glorified there is nothing called as success.

The Right Balance:

The Men & Women of the Bible, who by the Grace of God lived as an example give us an idea about their live and understanding they had on this issue.

When Jesus told that it would happen: To Peter Jesus told that he would deny him thrice. How is it possible? Exactly thrice: Jesus was specific about timing as to when and times as to how many times.

Matthew 26:34 NIV "Truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times". Jesus knew exactly how many times Peter would be questioned. When he can understand the very thought of our heart doesn't he know what would be the response to a situation that demand the very life of one of his disciple. In telling the truth Jesus reveals that he is God. This is not the first time he told the exact thing, When he met Nathanael.

John 1:48 NIV

"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

When he met, nicodemus, the women at the well, the pharisees... etc.

Jesus told about his death & resurrection.

John 2:19 NIV

Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."

Luke 24:7 NIV

The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "

Resurrection assurance in the Psalm: Psalm 16:10 NIV

because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

Matthew 12:40 NIV

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

John 10:18 NIV

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

Jesus told about the "Second Coming" but not when.

Matthew 24:36 NIV

"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Luke 22:42 NIV

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Why do we have dilemma in this area of life,

Examples: David committing adultery - the power of sin, that blinded David going further to kill the servant the husband of Bathsheba. Its totally the fault of David, he confessed in Psalm: Psalm 51:1 NIV For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Jesus’s virgin birth - Luke 1:35 NIV The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

The Sower and the Seed: Heart and the Matter.

The Vine and the vine dresser.

The progressive approval. The Time & Space. The case of only knowing by the event or happening of something. Pilate's answers indicate the very essence of what he wanted to hear, the Jews wanted to kill Jesus, Pilate tried to find ways to rescue Jesus, but he compromised more on his position than truth. The best example would be that of the Egypt's Pharoh. Who even after 10 plagues the final one killing his own son did not stop from "Hardening his Heart" against God.

Hebrews 12:16 NIV

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.

It needs Holy Spirit help, our prayers. God will help us understand whatever we have doubts in this area of his Sovereignty and our Free will to act accordingly with understanding that would bring meaning to our life and joy to the fullest. He is in control of everything at the same time he gives us options. He does not leave us when we does not know the way or when we wander, but he comforts us through his Word, his Son Jesus Christ.