It is our duty to obey the Lord in everything that He tells us in accordance with His word, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Rev. 2:7). (We should understand that we do not have the required mental growth to understand and absorb all that the Lord tells us). Moreover, He is our master and we, His servants. Therefore we should not expect Him to elaborate everything to us. Rather we should do what the Lord says.

If a servant who is used to one type of work is asked by his master to do a totally different work, he can not refuse to do the bidding. Similarly, if the Lord asks us to take a different course, we should not say "Not so, my Lord" and offer Him explanations. Rather let us obey the Omniscient God who knows everything from the beginning to the end.

Do not be afraid of tribulation:

In the province of Judaea, when the wicked men were seeking to stone Jesus Christ, He escaped from them and went over to the other side of Jordan and stayed there. In those days, a man named Lazarus who was loved by Jesus, passed away in Judaea. Jesus Christ wished to bring him back to life so that the faith of His disciples might grow. Therefore He told them to accompany Him back to Judaea. The disciples were confused as the recent attempt of the Jews to stone Jesus was fresh in their minds. The Lord said that He was going to raise Lazarus to life. But the disciples could not digest His words.

Thomas told others, "Let us also go, that we may die with him". They went in obedience to the word of Jesus. They who went expecting death, witnessed the greatness of His power (John 11th chapter).

If we judge prematurely that we may have to undergo great deal of tribulation by obeying God's words and if we are afraid of facing tribulation, we may never see the power of God. The Lord is saying. He is our Master. Therefore if we boldly follow God as Thomas did by choosing to obey Jesus even in the face of death, God will not only work with us but also will make us see great blessings coming our way, in the place of the evil that we are afraid of facing. We should know that if we move on to do what He has told us, He would have already gone there ahead of us (Ex. 17:5-6).

Don't call it ignorance:

Four days had passed since Lazarus died and placed in a tomb. Jesus Christ stood near the tomb and asked the people standing around to take away the stone. Martha, the sister of Lazarus, could not understand. She wondered why the Teacher should insist on taking away the stone as there would be a stench. However they obeyed, since the one who told them was Great. The stone was turned over. Lazarus, who died four days ago came out alive. Those who doubted the wisdom of the one who asked that the stone be removed, were astonished at the miracle.

The counsels and the leading of the Holy Spirit may be quite contrary to our expectations. Why! It may even appear insane if you give it a serious thought. Many may become restless by worrying about various likely consequences. We should not forget that our Lord is also known by the name, 'Counselor'. We may not be able to understand His counsel. Nevertheless, let us obey His words and see His glory. If we lean on our own wisdom we are likely to step into traps.

Don't say it is new:

Peter and other apostles and brothers thought (opinion) that it would be unlawful for them, who were Jews to go and keep company with the Gentiles or dine with them. So they kept themselves away from them (Acts 10:28, 11:3). Then, one day as Peter was praying, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat". Peter was aware and had followed the ordinance that it was unlawful and unclean to eat the camel, the hare, the rock hyrax, the swine, the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, the kite, the raven, the owl, the stork etc. (Deut. 14:17,19). Therefore Peter replied immediately, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean". Again God spoke, "What God has cleansed you must not call common".

Showing thus, the Holy Spirit changed the old way of not mingling with Gentiles by guiding Peter along the new path of dining and mingling with the Gentiles. Peter could not understand the mystery of this. However he obeyed to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Gentiles were saved. Other apostles and brothers were furious when they heard this. But Peter explained in detail the way the Holy Spirit led him and asked, "What was I that I could withstand God?". The Holy Spirit present in those who heard, acknowledged this and they jointly glorified God. Other Jews who were not led by the Holy Spirit would not have understood this and might have opposed this. This work that Peter had done in obedience to the Holy Spirit, led to the fulfillment of the prophesies, "I have set you to be the light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47) and also the promise made by the Lord to Abraham, "In you all the nations shall be blessed" ( Gal. 3:8). Beloved, "heaven must receive Jesus Christ until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21). For, all the prophetic words written and uttered must be fulfilled before Jesus Christ comes to this world again. From time to time, He causes the fulfillment of His prophesies through His chosen man (Acts 15:7). He shows scriptural basis for what He does (Acts 13:47). When the Holy Spirit reveals on the basis of the scriptures something contrary to our common knowledge and experience, it may appear new. But it is our responsibility to obey Him. Who are we to withstand God? The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13). Whatever is written is truth (Luke 24:27).

"Speak, Lord, for your servant hears".

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not

seen" (Heb. 11:1).