In a world that contains over 6 billion people, it’s amazing that we can all still experience loneliness sometimes. After all there are enough of us around such that each one of us should have at least one close confidante. The truth is that each and every one of us are often lonely sometimes. The key word here however is sometimes. But for some people, this temporary feeling that comes with being alone transcends into a deep feeling of loneliness that seems to have penetrated the very core of their heart and soul. The feeling can be so powerful that it can create a strong feeling of futility and isolation.
Loneliness in the Christian community is most often associated with being single. The sad reality is a lot of married folks are often lonely and there really is nothing worse than being married and lonely. Loneliness in marital situations can occur when the marriage fails to produce the closeness often expected. We are all searching for that special person to connect with in this life. Without God’s intervention that special person can be almost impossible to find. Someone we can talk to, confess to and reveal the secrets of our hearts to. For the purposes of clarity, being lonely is not necessarily the same as being alone. When you are alone, there is usually no-one else around but one can experience loneliness in the midst of a room full of people. Being alone is not all bad - being isolated occasionally can be a good thing. It gives us a chance to rejuvenate and re-charge so that we can give more and consistently to the people around us.
Fortunately our father in heaven knows us and understands our needs more than we do. He created us and his love for us surpasses human understanding so it’s important for us to know he is always with us and there is really no need to be lonely. I discovered that the best cure for loneliness is developing an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ as he has promised to supply all our needs according to his riches and glory. Loneliness was the very first thing God termed as “not good”. He created Eve to be a companion and a helpmate to the Adam. By God’s design, every human has a need to feel loved and must have a sense of belonging. Loneliness is a silent enemy that takes time to creep in. Most of us that are unfortunate to experience this feeling are unaware of the dangers and destruction it can cause due to its subtlety.
You may be waking up alone, eating alone, walking alone and going home alone but invest in the alone time. Some people will give their left arm to get some time by themselves. Use you this peaceful time to look closely at your life. Get a journal and write down the things in your life you would like to change for the better. We can all come up with a few of those! A positive attitude to life alone can make a wealth of difference. Set for yourself important goals – a life without a documented vision is really no life at all. Document your goals, add realistic time-lines and cross each one off as you meet it. Enjoy the satisfaction of achieving your objectives even goals that may seem to others as being small accomplishments. Consider praying through journal writing if you like to write. For me, it was amazing to see how my prayers matured over time and how my faith grew with each stroke of my pen.
Don’t be discouraged and never give up. The enemy gets more agitated when he expects that you should be down but you’re not. Your positive attitude may not take your problem away in its entirety but I guarantee that it will surely annoy the enemy in your life.
Possible Causes of Loneliness
a) Death of a Spouse or Close Friend.
b) Sequential Marriage of Single Friends.
c) Dysfunctional Marriage.
d) Advancement of the Technological Age.
e) Empty Nest Syndrome.
f) Inferiority Complex.
g) Past Rejection.
Signs of Loneliness
a) Excessive TV Consumption
b) Dislike for Quietness
c) Lack of Motivation or Direction
d) Lethargy
e) Low Self-Esteem or Self Worth
f) Inability to Create or Maintain Personal Relationships
g) Negative or Critical Attitudes From Others - especially from those who called themselves friends.
h) Over-Reaction to Normal Everyday Issues
Combating Loneliness
a) Acknowledge The Issue
b) Establish The Causes
c) Place All Your Expectations in God
d) Know That God is With You
e) Embrace Abundant Life
f) Accept The Things You Cannot Change and Start To Change The Things That You Can.
g) Develop New Habits - Get Out and Exercise or Revamp a Room in Your Home.
h) Reach Out and Make New Friends.
i) Start Living Right Where You Are Right Now.
Additional Reading
John 16:33
Psalm 32:
Isaiah 41:13
Isaiah 40:29
2 Corinthians 5:17
Matthew 6:33
Hebrews 13:5
Philippians 4:19
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
No-one Can Stop Sunshine
Perseverance is defined as persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose; steadfastness. No matter what people say or do, the sun is still going to come up tomorrow. The tide pays the shoreline no mind. Life would sometimes throw us unexpected curves. People will come up with all sorts of noise, trying to rattle your cage and shake you off your mission but you cannot be stopped because He that is in you is greater than all those things in the world. No one can stop the realization of your dreams but you. Focus and disregard distractions that will show up in various forms. Be persistent; keep you eye on the ultimate goal.. The source of strength to face the sunshine of tomorrow and keep going is not in us but in Christ Jesus who lives in us. So if you feel like throwing in the towel in today, these famous quotes are for you:
1) The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. ~Henry Ward Beecher
2) The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places. ~Author Unknown
3) When the world says, "Give up,"Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."~Author Unknown
4) Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves. ~Dale Carnegie
5) Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain. ~Author Unknown
5) When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
6) Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. ~Josh Billings
7) Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese Proverb
8) The greatest oak was once a little nut that held its ground. ~Author Unknown
9) If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again. ~Flavia Weedn, Flavia and the Dream Maker, © Flavia.com
10) How long should you try? Until ~ John Rohn
11) Try and fail, but don’t fail to try ~ Stephen Kaggwa
12) Don't be a fool - aiming for nothing in general and achieving nothing in particular ~ Author Unknown
13) Quitters never win and Winners never quit ~ Author Unknown
Circumstance and people will fail you but the sun will always shine; your star can still shine. It’s all up to you.
1) The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. ~Henry Ward Beecher
2) The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places. ~Author Unknown
3) When the world says, "Give up,"Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."~Author Unknown
4) Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves. ~Dale Carnegie
5) Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain. ~Author Unknown
5) When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
6) Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. ~Josh Billings
7) Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese Proverb
8) The greatest oak was once a little nut that held its ground. ~Author Unknown
9) If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again. ~Flavia Weedn, Flavia and the Dream Maker, © Flavia.com
10) How long should you try? Until ~ John Rohn
11) Try and fail, but don’t fail to try ~ Stephen Kaggwa
12) Don't be a fool - aiming for nothing in general and achieving nothing in particular ~ Author Unknown
13) Quitters never win and Winners never quit ~ Author Unknown
Circumstance and people will fail you but the sun will always shine; your star can still shine. It’s all up to you.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Peace and Joy
When we come into the family of God, everything around us and about us instantly changes. We all of a sudden have access to the same supernatural power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. We are able to make dead situations around us come to live by our presence and the presence of the Holy Spirit that now lives within us. We approach situations differently, our heart and mind starts to change and our relationships will change dramatically when they take on a brand new meaning.
No matter what is going on around us, we have an unimaginable sense of peace. Everyone else around us may be rattled by the events going on but we are unmoved. Peace to the circular world only comes when there are no troubles but as believers, our own peace is peace that is ever present even in times of trouble. This kind of peace is only available through Jesus Christ. Inner peace that surpasses all human understanding is available to us by faith through Christ. So when things go wrong as they sometimes can, don’t give up in despair. Keep your peace because help is surely on the way. The Bible reminds us to rejoice in times of suffering as suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character and character hope.
The fact that we are free from any condemnation because of whose we are should bring great joy. Joy and happiness are two different things. Happiness is dictated by circumstance and can change at the drop of a hat. Joy on the other hand is eternal and not dictated by situations we find ourselves in. That is why there is the word unhappiness but there is no such thing as un-joy! We should have joy because we have been freed from the law of sin and death. Death no longer has power over us. All the suffering, pain and turmoil we go through in this realm do not define us; it’s simply a part of our story. It’s all preparation for where God is planning to take us.
I never in my wildest dreams thought I could write from my heart based on my experiences and my walk with God. I knew I could talk but certainly never thought about writing. But all the different ups and downs that I've experienced were all part of my preparation for where God is intending to taking me. I have un-imaginable peace and joy knowing that I am in the will of God for my life. Nothing just happens by accident.
Do you have the peace and joy that only life in Jesus Christ brings? If by chance you don’t, give your life to Jesus Christ today, you’ll be surprised how far his love will take you.
Additional Reading:
Romans 5:1-3
No matter what is going on around us, we have an unimaginable sense of peace. Everyone else around us may be rattled by the events going on but we are unmoved. Peace to the circular world only comes when there are no troubles but as believers, our own peace is peace that is ever present even in times of trouble. This kind of peace is only available through Jesus Christ. Inner peace that surpasses all human understanding is available to us by faith through Christ. So when things go wrong as they sometimes can, don’t give up in despair. Keep your peace because help is surely on the way. The Bible reminds us to rejoice in times of suffering as suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character and character hope.
The fact that we are free from any condemnation because of whose we are should bring great joy. Joy and happiness are two different things. Happiness is dictated by circumstance and can change at the drop of a hat. Joy on the other hand is eternal and not dictated by situations we find ourselves in. That is why there is the word unhappiness but there is no such thing as un-joy! We should have joy because we have been freed from the law of sin and death. Death no longer has power over us. All the suffering, pain and turmoil we go through in this realm do not define us; it’s simply a part of our story. It’s all preparation for where God is planning to take us.
I never in my wildest dreams thought I could write from my heart based on my experiences and my walk with God. I knew I could talk but certainly never thought about writing. But all the different ups and downs that I've experienced were all part of my preparation for where God is intending to taking me. I have un-imaginable peace and joy knowing that I am in the will of God for my life. Nothing just happens by accident.
Do you have the peace and joy that only life in Jesus Christ brings? If by chance you don’t, give your life to Jesus Christ today, you’ll be surprised how far his love will take you.
Additional Reading:
Romans 5:1-3
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”- Matthew 5: 13-16
I find that I am driven daily by my desire to inspire. I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has called me to make a change in this world starting with the only piece of this earth I truly own – my body; my life. We often spend our time chasing a career, a new job, a bigger house or a bigger car when all we really own is what we know. One nationwide disaster can wipe out all the material things we hold dear in a heartbeat. Not that the comforts of life are not of any value but in reality the only thing of real value that no-one can ever take away from you is what you know.
God calls us the salt of the earth. There is no way salt will be added to food and the taste will not be known. It gives flavor and life to food. The effect of salt cannot be ignored or denied. Similarly our lives as believers should not go in this world unnoticed. Salt preserves food and is involved in the major functioning of the human body. If you ever tasted your blood, sweat or tears, you would notice the presence of salt in these bodily fluids. All these fluids are presence of life. Salt is representative of life. A dead man no longer has blood flowing through his veins, cannot sweat nor cry. As believers, we are to bring life to the world’s situation. We are called to preserve life. Our presence should cause people who feel like their lives are over to have renewed hope. We are to give unbelievers a brand new meaning to life.
As children of the Light of God, we are called to show others the way. The world is in darkness but when we accept Christ, God’s glory appears all over us. We cannot claim to be believers and still be filled with darkness. Darkness and light cannot exist together. When we choose to believe and follow the Lord, we are assured that we will never walk in darkness. With Christ, we have received light and are full of light so that we can be the light the world so desperately needs. We are to be like those patio lights that guide the pathway leading the way to God’s promise of eternal life for all who accept his Son. We are to be like flashlights in this dark world we live in. Our light should not be hoarded or hidden – we are to go into the world and make a difference; change the lives of others.
In order to be Salt and Light, we have to have something that others want or are attracted to. The world must see who we are and like want what we have. People need to see us and know that there is something special about us. When God touches a life, that life must change. Whatever or whomever gets a visit from God never stays the same; its impossible. When God shows up everything is different, brighter – brand new. You see differently and as scriptures say – your eyes become the lamp of your body. You whole body becomes filled with light and you are completely lighted.
I believe we can all aspire to be Salt and Light – that is what pleases God. Not how we speak in tongues, what committees we join or how many times a week we show up in church. I challenge you with a very important question today – “How many people have you inspired lately?”
Additional Reading:
Isaiah 60: 1-9
Luke 11: 33-36
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”- Matthew 5: 13-16
I find that I am driven daily by my desire to inspire. I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has called me to make a change in this world starting with the only piece of this earth I truly own – my body; my life. We often spend our time chasing a career, a new job, a bigger house or a bigger car when all we really own is what we know. One nationwide disaster can wipe out all the material things we hold dear in a heartbeat. Not that the comforts of life are not of any value but in reality the only thing of real value that no-one can ever take away from you is what you know.
God calls us the salt of the earth. There is no way salt will be added to food and the taste will not be known. It gives flavor and life to food. The effect of salt cannot be ignored or denied. Similarly our lives as believers should not go in this world unnoticed. Salt preserves food and is involved in the major functioning of the human body. If you ever tasted your blood, sweat or tears, you would notice the presence of salt in these bodily fluids. All these fluids are presence of life. Salt is representative of life. A dead man no longer has blood flowing through his veins, cannot sweat nor cry. As believers, we are to bring life to the world’s situation. We are called to preserve life. Our presence should cause people who feel like their lives are over to have renewed hope. We are to give unbelievers a brand new meaning to life.
As children of the Light of God, we are called to show others the way. The world is in darkness but when we accept Christ, God’s glory appears all over us. We cannot claim to be believers and still be filled with darkness. Darkness and light cannot exist together. When we choose to believe and follow the Lord, we are assured that we will never walk in darkness. With Christ, we have received light and are full of light so that we can be the light the world so desperately needs. We are to be like those patio lights that guide the pathway leading the way to God’s promise of eternal life for all who accept his Son. We are to be like flashlights in this dark world we live in. Our light should not be hoarded or hidden – we are to go into the world and make a difference; change the lives of others.
In order to be Salt and Light, we have to have something that others want or are attracted to. The world must see who we are and like want what we have. People need to see us and know that there is something special about us. When God touches a life, that life must change. Whatever or whomever gets a visit from God never stays the same; its impossible. When God shows up everything is different, brighter – brand new. You see differently and as scriptures say – your eyes become the lamp of your body. You whole body becomes filled with light and you are completely lighted.
I believe we can all aspire to be Salt and Light – that is what pleases God. Not how we speak in tongues, what committees we join or how many times a week we show up in church. I challenge you with a very important question today – “How many people have you inspired lately?”
Additional Reading:
Isaiah 60: 1-9
Luke 11: 33-36
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Let Go of Your Past and Press On
We’ve all had experiences we would rather forget. I am yet to meet anyone who won’t say they’ve been through some tough times. The term “tough times” although pretty relative is common to all. Suffering is the most common language on earth. What may seem like a life threatening trial to one may be a walk in the park to another. But we are all constructed differently, each of us uniquely hand-crafted by God for a specific purpose. The inner strengths we have though not the same is the right amount for the race we are on this earth to run. That is why it’s important to run your own race not your neighbor’s. The inner strength to run your neighbor’s race may be lacking so you end up frustrated and drained. The truth of the matter is some are built to handle great adversity while others will fold up like a cheap tent under the same conditions. However the good news is we can all rest in the assurance that God never gives us more than we can handle.
Regardless of what we’ve been through, it’s important to press on to the promises God has in store for us. It’s time to shed all the baggage we are consciously or unconsciously carrying and start to travel light. I once heard someone say that all looking back will achieve is prevent us from going forward. It’s incredibly vital to leave the past in the past so that it doesn’t pollute the future. It is a lot easier to look ahead instead of look behind. I can openly confess that I used all the negative things that I had to experience growing up as an excuse for doing inappropriate things to myself and at the same time allowing other people to do inappropriate things to me; telling myself all along that somehow I had earned it and that it was all I deserved. It wasn’t until Christ set me free and politely told me to get on with the things that he has called me to do did I finally open my eyes and smelt the coffee.
I had to learn to leave the past behind because I really couldn’t change any of it. It’s happened and it’s done! Obeying God’s command has given me the wonderful opportunity to focus my energies on God’s promises, my wonderful inheritance and the ultimate gift – Jesus Christ.
Additional Reading:
Philippians 3: 12:15
1 Peter 1: 3-7
Regardless of what we’ve been through, it’s important to press on to the promises God has in store for us. It’s time to shed all the baggage we are consciously or unconsciously carrying and start to travel light. I once heard someone say that all looking back will achieve is prevent us from going forward. It’s incredibly vital to leave the past in the past so that it doesn’t pollute the future. It is a lot easier to look ahead instead of look behind. I can openly confess that I used all the negative things that I had to experience growing up as an excuse for doing inappropriate things to myself and at the same time allowing other people to do inappropriate things to me; telling myself all along that somehow I had earned it and that it was all I deserved. It wasn’t until Christ set me free and politely told me to get on with the things that he has called me to do did I finally open my eyes and smelt the coffee.
I had to learn to leave the past behind because I really couldn’t change any of it. It’s happened and it’s done! Obeying God’s command has given me the wonderful opportunity to focus my energies on God’s promises, my wonderful inheritance and the ultimate gift – Jesus Christ.
Additional Reading:
Philippians 3: 12:15
1 Peter 1: 3-7
Monday, June 25, 2007
Out of Darkness and Into the Light of God
As I drove down a busy road in Brentwood, California where I live, I saw two squirrels on the road ahead of me. I noticed one would run across the road very fast as my vehicle approached but the other one remained in the middle of the road. The one who was safely across would run back as if to persuade the other one that it was best to stay on the other side than in the middle of a busy road but even when he ran across a gain a second time his buddy remained in the middle of the road. I slowed down my car and watched the exchange between these two squirrels – I was intrigued. The one who crossed came back yet again and they stood on their hind legs and had a conversation for about 3 seconds yet again. Finally they both ran safely across the road and into the land on the other side.
I wondered what they talked about. Maybe the crosser was telling his buddy you are going to cross this road at all costs. You need to follow my direction if you want to live. I will stay here in the middle of the road with you until you do the right thing. One squirrel had information the other didn’t have. But he was not willing to leave his companion in ignorance; he wanted to show him the way. Similarly the life of every believer is to be like a torch, showing others the right way to Christ and his gift of salvation. The world should look at your life and want what you have. You are called to be a shinning example to others. If you claim to sell beautiful gold jewels but are found wearing none, you look like a clown. In order words you are to be a symbol of what you profess. I remember when I was little and Christians would knock on our door, some of these people looked miserable. I would wonder even as a kid that “If God is so good like they say that he is how come he’s not being good to these people?”
The world is groping around in the dark. People make decisions clearly everyday that tells you that they are surely living in darkness. But you are in light, enjoying the glory of God and keeping all that to yourself. The gospel is not designed so that we can improve the quality of our lives and end there. It is designed so that we can go into the world and multiply ourselves. The light starting in you as you come to the knowledge of Jesus needs to spread around the world.
Ephesians 5:8 says “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible. That is why it is said:
I wondered what they talked about. Maybe the crosser was telling his buddy you are going to cross this road at all costs. You need to follow my direction if you want to live. I will stay here in the middle of the road with you until you do the right thing. One squirrel had information the other didn’t have. But he was not willing to leave his companion in ignorance; he wanted to show him the way. Similarly the life of every believer is to be like a torch, showing others the right way to Christ and his gift of salvation. The world should look at your life and want what you have. You are called to be a shinning example to others. If you claim to sell beautiful gold jewels but are found wearing none, you look like a clown. In order words you are to be a symbol of what you profess. I remember when I was little and Christians would knock on our door, some of these people looked miserable. I would wonder even as a kid that “If God is so good like they say that he is how come he’s not being good to these people?”
The world is groping around in the dark. People make decisions clearly everyday that tells you that they are surely living in darkness. But you are in light, enjoying the glory of God and keeping all that to yourself. The gospel is not designed so that we can improve the quality of our lives and end there. It is designed so that we can go into the world and multiply ourselves. The light starting in you as you come to the knowledge of Jesus needs to spread around the world.
Ephesians 5:8 says “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible. That is why it is said:
Wake up, O sleeper
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Finding My Purpose - Part 5
I found out that writing liberates my soul and allows me a rare opportunity to not only touch others but give them a window into my own life. I am eager to let people know that anyone can “make it”. And by make it I mean – being a soldier for God and living for him and his purpose only. I want folks to know that God is not a respecter of backgrounds, culture or gender. God simply seeks after the heart and a heart that delights in the things of God puts a smile on his face.
I understand that spirituality should never be looked at as a means for financial gain so when I share my thoughts and anxiously wait seeing another publication of one of my articles and very soon my own book in print, it’s not so that I can get rich overnight. I am already blessed – more than anyone can ever know. My main motivation here really is to share life changing experiences with others. I strongly believe that there are people everywhere that need to know that they can never ever give up. God never gives up on anyone so why should we?
Incredibly since being on this purpose journey, I have been privileged to meet many whose lives have been transformed miraculously and are stepping into what God has for them. People that have inspired me to follow my dreams and make a difference. No matter where you are or what you’ve done, God has a purpose for your life and it’s never too late to find it.
So now that I am moving into what God has for me, I need to do a few things to ensure that I continue on this purpose journey; to make sure that I do not fall by the wayside.
1) My number one task is to serve and please God.
2) I must trust God and his plan for my life.
3) I must understand my limitations and know that my God is limitless.
4) I must understand that trials and disappointments are inevitable in life. What defines a person is not how they fall but how they rise when they do fall.
5) I must not waver in my commitment to share Jesus Christ with others.
6) I must continue to grow spiritually by spending time in his presence as to achieve my purpose physical strength is a necessity but spiritual strength is something that I can’t do without.
7) Be on guard for those things that will come along nicely packaged and disguised which will try to steer me of course and deal with them appropriately.
I understand that spirituality should never be looked at as a means for financial gain so when I share my thoughts and anxiously wait seeing another publication of one of my articles and very soon my own book in print, it’s not so that I can get rich overnight. I am already blessed – more than anyone can ever know. My main motivation here really is to share life changing experiences with others. I strongly believe that there are people everywhere that need to know that they can never ever give up. God never gives up on anyone so why should we?
Incredibly since being on this purpose journey, I have been privileged to meet many whose lives have been transformed miraculously and are stepping into what God has for them. People that have inspired me to follow my dreams and make a difference. No matter where you are or what you’ve done, God has a purpose for your life and it’s never too late to find it.
So now that I am moving into what God has for me, I need to do a few things to ensure that I continue on this purpose journey; to make sure that I do not fall by the wayside.
1) My number one task is to serve and please God.
2) I must trust God and his plan for my life.
3) I must understand my limitations and know that my God is limitless.
4) I must understand that trials and disappointments are inevitable in life. What defines a person is not how they fall but how they rise when they do fall.
5) I must not waver in my commitment to share Jesus Christ with others.
6) I must continue to grow spiritually by spending time in his presence as to achieve my purpose physical strength is a necessity but spiritual strength is something that I can’t do without.
7) Be on guard for those things that will come along nicely packaged and disguised which will try to steer me of course and deal with them appropriately.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Finding My Purpose - Part 4
I suddenly realized that as a child of God, living a life of no impact was not acceptable – period. Even if were living in a perfect world where everything was in order and no fault can be found with human existence, there will still be a way to make a difference. Finding your purpose first begun for me by learning "who" I really am and most importantly "whose" I am. The revelation of purpose cannot start with a thing; it must start with the creator of that thing. No-one creates anything without having a purpose for what has been created. Men invent things everyday but purpose must first be understood before construction should ever begin. Constructing and then looking for purpose after the fact is like putting the cart before the horse. So if we, mere men can think of a purpose before we create anything how much more the Omniscient, Omnipotent Great God of the Universe! In Jeremiah 1:5, God says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart”. I don’t know about you – but boy that wakes me up in the morning and gives me peace and rest at night.
God’s divine purpose has never changed and will never change. God doesn’t change his mind. He is not double-minded - nor is He flaky. Whatever he has purposed for your life will come to pass. If you make bad choices, you may never see it in your lifetime but it will surely come to pass simply because it has been decided before the foundations of the earth were even formed. The methodology may have evolved but the purpose remains the same. My great-great grandmother may have read a different kind of Bible while I listen to the Word of God on my ipod nano; same Word; Same God. God remains the same forever more. I remember in Joshua 1:2 when God tells Joshua that Moses is dead and gone. It was time for Joshua to arise and continue where Moses left off. God’s purpose will come to pass – with or without you! God will rise up someone else if you refuse to take your place. There are many books that were never written in the cemetery; business that never commenced; magazines that were never published; music and Poetry that were never developed or read. People died with their potential. Someone once said the wealthiest place on earth is the cemetery – how sad that is!
The next step for me was to spend time with God and figure out the purpose for which I have been created. I am not going to give you some pie in the sky story about God appearing at my bedside or in a dream (not to minimize the importance of those tales told by those who have been privileged to have such encounters; it just hasn’t happened to me), I simply searched my heart through meditating on God's Word to find out what I was hearing in my heart that God was telling me to do. "What is it that I love to do and do with great ease that encourages others? What do I wake up thinking about and go to bed late at night pondering upon? What can I do until I drop dead whereby retirement becomes obsolete as I will never be able to retire for myself? What do I sense is part of my being and my makeup?"
Out of these thoughts came a list. I looked at this list and said to myself “there is no way all these can be one person’s purpose!” So the filtering began. "What on the list will I readily do even if I didn’t get a dime for it? What was I already doing that I have never been paid a cent for and still continue to do because of the joy it brings me. What I am most comfortable doing?" The list shrunk quickly to one main thing.
Books have always been a passion of mine but I had spent a great many years reading the wrong ones. All the romance and fiction I wasted time reading brought no rewards. Personally (and I say personally – I was feeding on junk). I love to watch movies from time to time but when it comes to books – I tend to chose motivational, self-help, leadership and development books now. A man of God once told me that “All leaders are Readers but not all Readers are Leaders because they are most likely reading the wrong things. I decided to surround myself with knowledge through books and CD's and I haven’t looked back. Now I can sit and write for hours – time just seems to fly! My passion for writing has always been inside of me. I just didn’t know it nor did I invest the necessary time in it.
To Be Continued……
God’s divine purpose has never changed and will never change. God doesn’t change his mind. He is not double-minded - nor is He flaky. Whatever he has purposed for your life will come to pass. If you make bad choices, you may never see it in your lifetime but it will surely come to pass simply because it has been decided before the foundations of the earth were even formed. The methodology may have evolved but the purpose remains the same. My great-great grandmother may have read a different kind of Bible while I listen to the Word of God on my ipod nano; same Word; Same God. God remains the same forever more. I remember in Joshua 1:2 when God tells Joshua that Moses is dead and gone. It was time for Joshua to arise and continue where Moses left off. God’s purpose will come to pass – with or without you! God will rise up someone else if you refuse to take your place. There are many books that were never written in the cemetery; business that never commenced; magazines that were never published; music and Poetry that were never developed or read. People died with their potential. Someone once said the wealthiest place on earth is the cemetery – how sad that is!
The next step for me was to spend time with God and figure out the purpose for which I have been created. I am not going to give you some pie in the sky story about God appearing at my bedside or in a dream (not to minimize the importance of those tales told by those who have been privileged to have such encounters; it just hasn’t happened to me), I simply searched my heart through meditating on God's Word to find out what I was hearing in my heart that God was telling me to do. "What is it that I love to do and do with great ease that encourages others? What do I wake up thinking about and go to bed late at night pondering upon? What can I do until I drop dead whereby retirement becomes obsolete as I will never be able to retire for myself? What do I sense is part of my being and my makeup?"
Out of these thoughts came a list. I looked at this list and said to myself “there is no way all these can be one person’s purpose!” So the filtering began. "What on the list will I readily do even if I didn’t get a dime for it? What was I already doing that I have never been paid a cent for and still continue to do because of the joy it brings me. What I am most comfortable doing?" The list shrunk quickly to one main thing.
Books have always been a passion of mine but I had spent a great many years reading the wrong ones. All the romance and fiction I wasted time reading brought no rewards. Personally (and I say personally – I was feeding on junk). I love to watch movies from time to time but when it comes to books – I tend to chose motivational, self-help, leadership and development books now. A man of God once told me that “All leaders are Readers but not all Readers are Leaders because they are most likely reading the wrong things. I decided to surround myself with knowledge through books and CD's and I haven’t looked back. Now I can sit and write for hours – time just seems to fly! My passion for writing has always been inside of me. I just didn’t know it nor did I invest the necessary time in it.
To Be Continued……
Friday, June 22, 2007
Finding My Purpose - Part 3
Most people that really know me will testify to the fact that I cannot be described as passive. But by my own self-realization, I can say confidently that even the most aggressive people can become selectively passive when it comes to making important decisions. We think if we do nothing, say nothing, pretend nothing has changed; problems will get scared and run away.
Even when I buried my head in the sand for months and pretended nothing around me was for real, the problems didn’t fade into the distance. They were very much alive and getting bigger everyday. To give myself credit, I did focus on the problem and gave it my full attention but all in the wrong way and whatever you focus on will get larger. I learnt that not making a decision out of fear or anxiety is also a decision in its own way. I was happy to learn that God has placed everything we need for godly living in a place we can never miss it – inside of us. But it’s up to each and every one of us to reach within. God is not in the business of changing minds. He gave us all free will so that we can choose to do as he commands and not be forced to do anything. So it was time for me to reach deep down inside and find out what treasures were hidden within. This kind of digging requires a very big and strong shovel!
Making tough decisions meant I needed to change – not to an image I had in my head or one that someone else told me I needed to be in order to be accepted but what God will have me be. And if like me you had to go through change God’s way, it’s like pruning; it can hurt a lot! I had to make a choice not to remember certain things or even if I did not to let it hurt me. It was time to take the splinters out of the wounds and let them heal. It was time to uncover every wound that was hidden because covered wounds never really get better – they fester. I had to make a choice to grow up and at the same time hand control of my life over to God like a small child. Let’s face it I had control for a couple of decades and I wasn’t doing such a terrific job. I thought, “What have I got to lose?” Absolutely nothing - but I was to find out there was so much more to gain.
At this point, the following decisions had been made:
1. It was time to follow the Great God of the Universe and keep him first place at all times.
2. It was time to relinquish control of my life to him.
3. It was time to allow God to change me in accordance to his will for my life.
4. It was time to let the past be what it is – the past. The only way the past can pollute my future is if I keep looking back.
5.It was time to open my heart and accept the new beginning that I have been so gracefully offered.
6.It was time to forgive whoever needed to be forgiven but most importantly forgive myself.
7.It was time to lower expectations from this world and instead start to give back in whatever way that I can. Being a source of inspiration to others is a gift.
I can say now that traveling on the journey to find my purpose led me to discover that the main mission for us all is to be a source of inspiration – to be an instrument of change where the change must begin within us. Whether we are making a difference by standing and shouting from a rooftop where all can see or we are quietly behind the scenes and out of sight yet still making our mark, we are called to inspire – to make a difference – to make our presence on earth count to the Glory of our Heavenly Father.
To Be Continued……
Even when I buried my head in the sand for months and pretended nothing around me was for real, the problems didn’t fade into the distance. They were very much alive and getting bigger everyday. To give myself credit, I did focus on the problem and gave it my full attention but all in the wrong way and whatever you focus on will get larger. I learnt that not making a decision out of fear or anxiety is also a decision in its own way. I was happy to learn that God has placed everything we need for godly living in a place we can never miss it – inside of us. But it’s up to each and every one of us to reach within. God is not in the business of changing minds. He gave us all free will so that we can choose to do as he commands and not be forced to do anything. So it was time for me to reach deep down inside and find out what treasures were hidden within. This kind of digging requires a very big and strong shovel!
Making tough decisions meant I needed to change – not to an image I had in my head or one that someone else told me I needed to be in order to be accepted but what God will have me be. And if like me you had to go through change God’s way, it’s like pruning; it can hurt a lot! I had to make a choice not to remember certain things or even if I did not to let it hurt me. It was time to take the splinters out of the wounds and let them heal. It was time to uncover every wound that was hidden because covered wounds never really get better – they fester. I had to make a choice to grow up and at the same time hand control of my life over to God like a small child. Let’s face it I had control for a couple of decades and I wasn’t doing such a terrific job. I thought, “What have I got to lose?” Absolutely nothing - but I was to find out there was so much more to gain.
At this point, the following decisions had been made:
1. It was time to follow the Great God of the Universe and keep him first place at all times.
2. It was time to relinquish control of my life to him.
3. It was time to allow God to change me in accordance to his will for my life.
4. It was time to let the past be what it is – the past. The only way the past can pollute my future is if I keep looking back.
5.It was time to open my heart and accept the new beginning that I have been so gracefully offered.
6.It was time to forgive whoever needed to be forgiven but most importantly forgive myself.
7.It was time to lower expectations from this world and instead start to give back in whatever way that I can. Being a source of inspiration to others is a gift.
I can say now that traveling on the journey to find my purpose led me to discover that the main mission for us all is to be a source of inspiration – to be an instrument of change where the change must begin within us. Whether we are making a difference by standing and shouting from a rooftop where all can see or we are quietly behind the scenes and out of sight yet still making our mark, we are called to inspire – to make a difference – to make our presence on earth count to the Glory of our Heavenly Father.
To Be Continued……
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Finding My Purpose - Part 2
Understanding and acknowledging that God has a purpose for my life was one step but I wasn’t ready for the next. In order to find true purpose, change must come and change can be very uncomfortable. I like the “business as usual” way of life. It’s familiar, it’s comfortable and its routine but as someone told me today, God has a sense of humor. In order to get things moving in the right direction, I needed to be ready for the foundations on which I had laid my life to be shaken. Everything I believed in had to be challenged and tested. I needed to do what most of us find intimidating – make some important decisions and make them quick!
The minute that I decided to follow God, I had implicitly decided to change. It wasn’t something that I had to work hard to do. And I definitely didn’t have to fast and pray for days for change to come in bits and pieces – kind of like pieces to a puzzle. The change I was going through was happening more inwardly and ultimately began to show on the outside. I don’t believe that my personality has changed that much but things that used to make me tear my hair out don’t anymore and pausing to put my mind in gear before my mouth goes into motion was a shocking change. I used to be one of those people that walked into a room mouth first! Subconsciously, the Holy Spirit taught me that words are indeed powerful but even more powerful than my words are my thoughts but unless I speak, no-one can ever know what I’m thinking but Him. And some things are better left between you and God – believe me!
One things that was indeed difficult to accept was that I am a sum total of all the decisions I’ve ever made and it was time to own all of that. It was time to stop blaming background, family, this person and that person for my problems. It was time to say to myself “this is all me!” I got myself in this mess and it was definitely time to get out of it. One of the key things one must do in order to find purpose and meaning to life is to take responsibility. Blaming others for everything that had gone wrong in my life was doing me no good. Most of the folks I thought had issues with were getting on with their own lives. And let’s face it – Which one of us is without issues? Here I was thinking to myself if that person had not done that then this won’t have happened. Looking back now it all seems really pathetic actually. In my 30’s here I was with my grown self sitting in a kindergarten chair and having a kindergarten experience with God and life.
To find real purpose, it is important to accept and acknowledge wrong doings because when you’re wrong, you’re just plain wrong. There are no “ifs” and “buts” about it.
To Be Continued……
The minute that I decided to follow God, I had implicitly decided to change. It wasn’t something that I had to work hard to do. And I definitely didn’t have to fast and pray for days for change to come in bits and pieces – kind of like pieces to a puzzle. The change I was going through was happening more inwardly and ultimately began to show on the outside. I don’t believe that my personality has changed that much but things that used to make me tear my hair out don’t anymore and pausing to put my mind in gear before my mouth goes into motion was a shocking change. I used to be one of those people that walked into a room mouth first! Subconsciously, the Holy Spirit taught me that words are indeed powerful but even more powerful than my words are my thoughts but unless I speak, no-one can ever know what I’m thinking but Him. And some things are better left between you and God – believe me!
One things that was indeed difficult to accept was that I am a sum total of all the decisions I’ve ever made and it was time to own all of that. It was time to stop blaming background, family, this person and that person for my problems. It was time to say to myself “this is all me!” I got myself in this mess and it was definitely time to get out of it. One of the key things one must do in order to find purpose and meaning to life is to take responsibility. Blaming others for everything that had gone wrong in my life was doing me no good. Most of the folks I thought had issues with were getting on with their own lives. And let’s face it – Which one of us is without issues? Here I was thinking to myself if that person had not done that then this won’t have happened. Looking back now it all seems really pathetic actually. In my 30’s here I was with my grown self sitting in a kindergarten chair and having a kindergarten experience with God and life.
To find real purpose, it is important to accept and acknowledge wrong doings because when you’re wrong, you’re just plain wrong. There are no “ifs” and “buts” about it.
To Be Continued……
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Finding My Purpose – Part 1
I am starting this new series – “Finding My Purpose” for many reasons. I believe a lot of us are just living day to day without a real sense of mission. My prayer for you is that as you read this, it encourages you to seek God for your real purpose. The biggest tragedy in life is for one to go through life headed down the wrong road.
Until a few years ago, I never really paid a lot of attention to purpose. I had a job and a home with two children and I was alive (or at least I thought I was) but I never really saw anything unique in my abilities or that I had any talent for that matter. I was living a life of “business as usual”. I didn’t feel the need to consult with God to find out why he created me and what specifically he would have me do. A sense of time was absolutely irrelevant to me – to be honest it seemed I was just going along for a ride – a very long ride.
If people are to be totally honest, my life at the time wasn’t any different from most. Day to day stuff was the same. It was extremely important to follow a certain routine – deviating from the status quo was not an option. It was as if that doing something differently on Wednesday than I did on Thursday meant the sun would suddenly stop shinning. Wake up, get dressed, breakfast, school drop-off, go to work, drive back, pick up kids where I left them, cook dinner, bathe kids, do homework and finally go to sleep was my daily weekday routine and it hardly ever changed. Then on weekends, cleaning, laundry, more cooking and attendance at a few social functions – that was pretty much my life. Looking back now, it was like sitting on a fast moving train, staring out the window and watching my life speed by.
As circumstances and life began to teach me, it became clear that there was more to my life than my weekday routine – my personal agenda. Don’t get me wrong, I knew about God but I wasn’t entirely sure that the Great God of the entire Universe was interested in the details of my life especially since I am no “honor” student in obeying God’s laws. That was my thought. Imagine how shocked I was to learn that this same Great Omniscient, Omnipotent God in conjunction with running the universe and everything in it cared about little disobedient me. He actually took time out of his busy schedule to have a plan and an agenda for my life bigger than me and larger than I can imagine. That revelation changed my life. To finally learn that there was more to my life than I could physically see was mind-blowing. This was when I learnt my first lesson that you are never more than you know.
Praise be to God Almighty – I have finally arrived at a place where I know that I was created by God to fulfill a specific task, his purpose and according to his will not mine.
To Be Continued……
Until a few years ago, I never really paid a lot of attention to purpose. I had a job and a home with two children and I was alive (or at least I thought I was) but I never really saw anything unique in my abilities or that I had any talent for that matter. I was living a life of “business as usual”. I didn’t feel the need to consult with God to find out why he created me and what specifically he would have me do. A sense of time was absolutely irrelevant to me – to be honest it seemed I was just going along for a ride – a very long ride.
If people are to be totally honest, my life at the time wasn’t any different from most. Day to day stuff was the same. It was extremely important to follow a certain routine – deviating from the status quo was not an option. It was as if that doing something differently on Wednesday than I did on Thursday meant the sun would suddenly stop shinning. Wake up, get dressed, breakfast, school drop-off, go to work, drive back, pick up kids where I left them, cook dinner, bathe kids, do homework and finally go to sleep was my daily weekday routine and it hardly ever changed. Then on weekends, cleaning, laundry, more cooking and attendance at a few social functions – that was pretty much my life. Looking back now, it was like sitting on a fast moving train, staring out the window and watching my life speed by.
As circumstances and life began to teach me, it became clear that there was more to my life than my weekday routine – my personal agenda. Don’t get me wrong, I knew about God but I wasn’t entirely sure that the Great God of the entire Universe was interested in the details of my life especially since I am no “honor” student in obeying God’s laws. That was my thought. Imagine how shocked I was to learn that this same Great Omniscient, Omnipotent God in conjunction with running the universe and everything in it cared about little disobedient me. He actually took time out of his busy schedule to have a plan and an agenda for my life bigger than me and larger than I can imagine. That revelation changed my life. To finally learn that there was more to my life than I could physically see was mind-blowing. This was when I learnt my first lesson that you are never more than you know.
Praise be to God Almighty – I have finally arrived at a place where I know that I was created by God to fulfill a specific task, his purpose and according to his will not mine.
To Be Continued……
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Freedom in Christ
As Christians, we should never take the freedom that we have gained through Jesus Christ for granted. We need to constantly remind ourselves the price that Our Lord paid to get us that freedom. This freedom is not the same as the kind of freedom the world dictates. It is not a license to do whatever we want when we want and how we want. On the contrary, it is the freedom to live by guidelines dictated by the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
If we are still bound by religiosity, we are not truly free. Freedom in Christ liberates us from focusing on things like baptism and speaking in tongues as a sure way to heaven. Emphasis needs to be completely taken away from religious practices and placed on Christ. “I am a Catholic and you’re Pentecostal means you are still bound and gagged. I go to church on Sunday but you go on Fridays only shows that one is in bondage.” In reality, we should worship God every single day. Legalism is not freedom. It keeps many Christians down and prevents us from enjoying the life Jesus Christ has for us.
I will not be doing this topic justice if I fail to mention some of the many myths that many Christians have. The concept of “I don’t eat okra (unless you have a legitimate food allergy of course) or I can’t wear black” is not the kind of freedom I’m talking about. God created every kind of food for us to enjoy except for allergic reaction or likes and dislikes. Tradition and culture should not stop us from eating certain things. Just because your father didn’t eat okra and his father didn’t does not mean okra is deadly and will kill you.
When we truly love God we don’t need to live by rules and regulations like a Kindergarten kid. Once we accept Christ and we seek our vision, we will have no time for the foolishness of this world. We will be too busy trying to fulfill our destinies in Christ. And the more time we spend in his Holy Word, the more our mind is renewed and we start to become more like Him such that we don’t live by externally dictated rules but our heart has been changed inwardly and we follow the ways of the Lord by default.
The love Christ has for us is not performance based and folks who try to live by rules in their flesh are like show-dogs trying to perform. Anything you do in your strength does not impress God – remember our attempts at righteousness are at best like filthy rags in his sight. So we need to quit trying and just spend more and more time in his presence so our mind and thinking can be changed. Afterall, If you want to change a man, you simply need to go after his mind.
If we are still bound by religiosity, we are not truly free. Freedom in Christ liberates us from focusing on things like baptism and speaking in tongues as a sure way to heaven. Emphasis needs to be completely taken away from religious practices and placed on Christ. “I am a Catholic and you’re Pentecostal means you are still bound and gagged. I go to church on Sunday but you go on Fridays only shows that one is in bondage.” In reality, we should worship God every single day. Legalism is not freedom. It keeps many Christians down and prevents us from enjoying the life Jesus Christ has for us.
I will not be doing this topic justice if I fail to mention some of the many myths that many Christians have. The concept of “I don’t eat okra (unless you have a legitimate food allergy of course) or I can’t wear black” is not the kind of freedom I’m talking about. God created every kind of food for us to enjoy except for allergic reaction or likes and dislikes. Tradition and culture should not stop us from eating certain things. Just because your father didn’t eat okra and his father didn’t does not mean okra is deadly and will kill you.
When we truly love God we don’t need to live by rules and regulations like a Kindergarten kid. Once we accept Christ and we seek our vision, we will have no time for the foolishness of this world. We will be too busy trying to fulfill our destinies in Christ. And the more time we spend in his Holy Word, the more our mind is renewed and we start to become more like Him such that we don’t live by externally dictated rules but our heart has been changed inwardly and we follow the ways of the Lord by default.
The love Christ has for us is not performance based and folks who try to live by rules in their flesh are like show-dogs trying to perform. Anything you do in your strength does not impress God – remember our attempts at righteousness are at best like filthy rags in his sight. So we need to quit trying and just spend more and more time in his presence so our mind and thinking can be changed. Afterall, If you want to change a man, you simply need to go after his mind.
Monday, June 18, 2007
The Presence of God Brings Lasting Change
The presence of God in our lives bring change. The kind of change that is not predicated upon our effort but the work of God. There are a lot of frustrated people around who are bound by religiosity and denying the power therein. They are desperately trying to bring about change in their own strength and they get frustrated when lasting change fails to occur.
The problem with self-implemented change is that we are changing based on a picture we have created on our own. We change the way we dress, the way we speak and how we act in our strength but cannot keep up with the facade. If we have any success at all, the transformation is limited to our outward appearance and inwardly we are not changed at all.
It is important that we allow God to transform us via his word. He knows what He created us to be so we should allow him free reign in our lives to become what He wants us to be. We need to trust God enough to allow him show us what and who we ought to be. Jesus tells us to follow Him and He will make us fishers of men. “Make” here means that He will transform us to His own will and desire. We cannot make ourselves fishers of men – we can try but the effort at best will be fake and very superficial.
John 1:12 says “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” For our lives to be completely transformed for the better it’s time to look for change in the only One who never changes.
The problem with self-implemented change is that we are changing based on a picture we have created on our own. We change the way we dress, the way we speak and how we act in our strength but cannot keep up with the facade. If we have any success at all, the transformation is limited to our outward appearance and inwardly we are not changed at all.
It is important that we allow God to transform us via his word. He knows what He created us to be so we should allow him free reign in our lives to become what He wants us to be. We need to trust God enough to allow him show us what and who we ought to be. Jesus tells us to follow Him and He will make us fishers of men. “Make” here means that He will transform us to His own will and desire. We cannot make ourselves fishers of men – we can try but the effort at best will be fake and very superficial.
John 1:12 says “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” For our lives to be completely transformed for the better it’s time to look for change in the only One who never changes.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Happy Father's Day
Happy Father's Day to all men who have the privilege of being a father to a child. Being a dad is a privliege not a right. Anybody can be a daddy but it takes a real man to be a father. The importance of Fatherhood cannot be over-emphasized. As a mother of two girls, I can never provide for my daughters what their father can and likewise he can never be a mother to our daughters - every one of us has a unique role to play but by God's design, our roles compliment one another. I understand that by circumstances, some mothers are being fathers at the same time to their own children but God is the ultimate Father to us all so no-one gets left behind except by choosing to be ignorant.
Having said all of that, with being a Father comes a great responsibility - the greatest role model any child will ever have is the same sex parent. But ultimately all children - male or female - will in some fashion view the world through their father's eyes. As a father, how do you see the world? What are you modeling for your children? Can you child confidently call you a man of integrity? Or are you a double-minded man who says one thing and then does another? How do you treat their mother? For Fathers of daughter(s) - are you swearing up and down the place, saying you will destroy anyone who messes with your daughters but behind closed doors and in plain view of your precious daughter(s) and/or sons treat their mother like a piece of garbage?
It's time for fathers to step up and do the right thing. Make your decisions everyday based on an attitude of integrity. Stand up for the truth. Do not compromise on what is right so that you can fit in with the clique and roll with the boys. Model whatever you want your children to be when they grow up - starting right now.
Having said all of that, with being a Father comes a great responsibility - the greatest role model any child will ever have is the same sex parent. But ultimately all children - male or female - will in some fashion view the world through their father's eyes. As a father, how do you see the world? What are you modeling for your children? Can you child confidently call you a man of integrity? Or are you a double-minded man who says one thing and then does another? How do you treat their mother? For Fathers of daughter(s) - are you swearing up and down the place, saying you will destroy anyone who messes with your daughters but behind closed doors and in plain view of your precious daughter(s) and/or sons treat their mother like a piece of garbage?
It's time for fathers to step up and do the right thing. Make your decisions everyday based on an attitude of integrity. Stand up for the truth. Do not compromise on what is right so that you can fit in with the clique and roll with the boys. Model whatever you want your children to be when they grow up - starting right now.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Never Settle For Less
God places dreams in the hearts of all his children. There is a special thing God has created each and every one of us to do. But life can be intimidating sometimes. We step out in faith and get disappointed when obstacles come our way. Things don’t go as smoothly as we expect so we give up prematurely. The strength to persevere eludes us so we decide to abandon our dreams and settle for a mediocre life.
God want us to change our thinking – develop a brand new mindset. If we are listening to folks who keep telling us our dreams are too big and we would never make it maybe its time to make new friends. When we boldly rise up to do our part, God will show up mightily. We need to start making allowances for the kind of life we want for ourselves and our children. We should never settle for less than God has for us. It’s time to focus on doing what we can so that God can do what we can’t do.
It may help you to know that God has gone ahead of you in preparation to fulfilling your dreams. He’s gone ahead of you to make all the crooked places straight. It’s time to tale a bold step of faith and move out from under the curse into the blessings of God.
God want us to change our thinking – develop a brand new mindset. If we are listening to folks who keep telling us our dreams are too big and we would never make it maybe its time to make new friends. When we boldly rise up to do our part, God will show up mightily. We need to start making allowances for the kind of life we want for ourselves and our children. We should never settle for less than God has for us. It’s time to focus on doing what we can so that God can do what we can’t do.
It may help you to know that God has gone ahead of you in preparation to fulfilling your dreams. He’s gone ahead of you to make all the crooked places straight. It’s time to tale a bold step of faith and move out from under the curse into the blessings of God.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Made Brand New
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!” – 1 Corinthians 5:17
I know most of us can quote the scripture above by heart but sadly I am convinced that the majority really don’t believe it or grasp the gravity of this verse. I’ll tell you what this verse means to me and what I glean from it:
1. I can proudly renounce everything contrary to the Word of God because God has given me the power of self-control through his Spirit.
2. I can pursue all the dreams that God has placed in my heart because I am no longer the timid, insecure girl I was once. I see myself doing things and being who God created me to be without fear or intimidation.
3. All my insecurities evaporated with the old creature. Now I am confident – not in myself – but in the God that I serve who has purposed and predestined me for greatness.
4. People can no longer afford to relate to me in the manner they once did as I am no longer the same person I once was.
5. Even when I am treated in ways that I ought not to be treated, my worth in Jesus Christ convinces me that it’s OK. Others treatment of me does not in any way dictate who I am.
6. It’s a brand new beginning; a brand new start. The old me is no more. When I am reminded in anyway of the past, I make a choice to look forward to the future Jesus Christ has in store for me. To continue to allow reminders of the past means deliberately bringing the past into the future.
7. As a new creature, everything is re-constructed, re-defined and re-created. It’s all brand new! A renewal from the inside out.
8. Because of God’s love for me and his gift of salvation, my new life can never be taken for granted. Not that I will never make another mistake – No. I may stumble and I may fall but I am confident that because of his grace amd mercy I am forgiven. I know that I will rise again but I will never stray too far from the house of my Heavenly Father.
9. Brand new I understand that whatever wrong I’ve done does not in any way define who I am. What defines who I am shows in how I rise in God’s strength when I do fall.
Having said all of that, what does this verse mean to you?
I know most of us can quote the scripture above by heart but sadly I am convinced that the majority really don’t believe it or grasp the gravity of this verse. I’ll tell you what this verse means to me and what I glean from it:
1. I can proudly renounce everything contrary to the Word of God because God has given me the power of self-control through his Spirit.
2. I can pursue all the dreams that God has placed in my heart because I am no longer the timid, insecure girl I was once. I see myself doing things and being who God created me to be without fear or intimidation.
3. All my insecurities evaporated with the old creature. Now I am confident – not in myself – but in the God that I serve who has purposed and predestined me for greatness.
4. People can no longer afford to relate to me in the manner they once did as I am no longer the same person I once was.
5. Even when I am treated in ways that I ought not to be treated, my worth in Jesus Christ convinces me that it’s OK. Others treatment of me does not in any way dictate who I am.
6. It’s a brand new beginning; a brand new start. The old me is no more. When I am reminded in anyway of the past, I make a choice to look forward to the future Jesus Christ has in store for me. To continue to allow reminders of the past means deliberately bringing the past into the future.
7. As a new creature, everything is re-constructed, re-defined and re-created. It’s all brand new! A renewal from the inside out.
8. Because of God’s love for me and his gift of salvation, my new life can never be taken for granted. Not that I will never make another mistake – No. I may stumble and I may fall but I am confident that because of his grace amd mercy I am forgiven. I know that I will rise again but I will never stray too far from the house of my Heavenly Father.
9. Brand new I understand that whatever wrong I’ve done does not in any way define who I am. What defines who I am shows in how I rise in God’s strength when I do fall.
Having said all of that, what does this verse mean to you?
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Fruit of the Spirit
“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” - Galatians 5:19-23
Living by the Spirit is not something that can be achieved in the flesh. We need Jesus to help us. To keep in step with the Spirit of God requires daily walking with the Lord. I don’t know about you but the fruit of the spirit is not work based. It is a result of walking not working. The fruit develops with time and like any good fruit it takes time to manifest. God will continue to work with us and prune away any impediment to the development. Gradually, we see change in what we think, how we think and hat we say. Things that used to bother us before, we could no longer careless. Because now our focus has changed as God’s Spirit develops inside of us. Little by little our character is changing – moving us closer to becoming more like Christ.
Fruit cannot be compared or monitored. Thinking you’re so spiritual and your fruit is larger than your neighbor’s is utter nonsense. We need to be careful not to be in judgment of others turning ourselves in the “Fruit Police” God works with each of us individually and uniquely. Where I am is not where you are and my struggles may not be what you struggle with. As a parent of two daughters, I deal with each one differently. Similarly God is merciful and He meets each of us where we are but we must do our part.
To develop in the Spirit, you need to change your thought process. To change the way you think, you need to focus on the word of God so that your philosophy can be more in line with the Word of God. There is no magic bullet. The first step is accepting the Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and accept the fact that you can do nothing apart from him. Once you’ve cleared that huddle, God will help you.
Living by the Spirit is not something that can be achieved in the flesh. We need Jesus to help us. To keep in step with the Spirit of God requires daily walking with the Lord. I don’t know about you but the fruit of the spirit is not work based. It is a result of walking not working. The fruit develops with time and like any good fruit it takes time to manifest. God will continue to work with us and prune away any impediment to the development. Gradually, we see change in what we think, how we think and hat we say. Things that used to bother us before, we could no longer careless. Because now our focus has changed as God’s Spirit develops inside of us. Little by little our character is changing – moving us closer to becoming more like Christ.
Fruit cannot be compared or monitored. Thinking you’re so spiritual and your fruit is larger than your neighbor’s is utter nonsense. We need to be careful not to be in judgment of others turning ourselves in the “Fruit Police” God works with each of us individually and uniquely. Where I am is not where you are and my struggles may not be what you struggle with. As a parent of two daughters, I deal with each one differently. Similarly God is merciful and He meets each of us where we are but we must do our part.
To develop in the Spirit, you need to change your thought process. To change the way you think, you need to focus on the word of God so that your philosophy can be more in line with the Word of God. There is no magic bullet. The first step is accepting the Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and accept the fact that you can do nothing apart from him. Once you’ve cleared that huddle, God will help you.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
He's Always There
I know sometimes we can’t feel God’s presence. Some days can seem so long and the nights terribly cold. But even when we can’t hear his voice, we have to trust in his plan for our lives. I strongly believe that He’s always tending to our needs. He is either ahead of us making all the crooked places straight and preparing a way for us or behind us cleaning up the mess from our past mistakes. He's always with us if you believe.
I don’t know about you but I’ve made some messes. Messes that should have ended my journey but God mitigated the damages. Not that I didn’t feel any pain – no. But he kept me and made the damage minimal. I never fail to thank God every single day. He’s always on my mind. I am blown away by his new mercies every day. On some days, I am so exhausted in the morning that the only thing I can do is ask God for strength. Confess that I am tired and ask for his help. And that help comes. I get up and I am on my way.
I appreciate that most of us are too busy to take time to notice the little miracles every day. Some are mind blowing. I remember on Monday someone sent me a list of locations on my job that I wasn’t meant to include in some processing. Of course I forgot to tell the Analyst who was actually doing the task to exclude those locations. By the time I remembered, the process had already begun – it was too late. But as things would happen, the locations I should have excluded to begin with all failed – just those locations. The Analyst wanted to know who my God was and what Church I went to. Spooky uh!
God is indeed every where and involved in every intricate details of our lives if we would allow him. There's nothing that you are dealing with that he cannot see. And if you have prayed and it seems like God is not answering, believe that he answers all prayers. His answer is either a Yes, a No or a Wait but he gives an answer - the answer that is best for you.
I don’t know about you but I’ve made some messes. Messes that should have ended my journey but God mitigated the damages. Not that I didn’t feel any pain – no. But he kept me and made the damage minimal. I never fail to thank God every single day. He’s always on my mind. I am blown away by his new mercies every day. On some days, I am so exhausted in the morning that the only thing I can do is ask God for strength. Confess that I am tired and ask for his help. And that help comes. I get up and I am on my way.
I appreciate that most of us are too busy to take time to notice the little miracles every day. Some are mind blowing. I remember on Monday someone sent me a list of locations on my job that I wasn’t meant to include in some processing. Of course I forgot to tell the Analyst who was actually doing the task to exclude those locations. By the time I remembered, the process had already begun – it was too late. But as things would happen, the locations I should have excluded to begin with all failed – just those locations. The Analyst wanted to know who my God was and what Church I went to. Spooky uh!
God is indeed every where and involved in every intricate details of our lives if we would allow him. There's nothing that you are dealing with that he cannot see. And if you have prayed and it seems like God is not answering, believe that he answers all prayers. His answer is either a Yes, a No or a Wait but he gives an answer - the answer that is best for you.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Pressing On
Sometimes it is required that we suffer pain temporarily to go through a change in our lives but often we suffer permanently by choosing to stay the way we are. Oranges must be pressed before we get orange juice and grapes must be squeezed to get wine. We often turn a blind ear to God even though we know fully what what's he trying to say to us. Contrary to popular belief, God is still speaking.
Jesus Christ has set us free to press into a new glorious future that he has in store for us but we are tempted to stay in the rut we are in for various reasons. Being paralyzed in the past stops us from enjoying the lives got has for us. Our past is like a magnet that tries to grab us back to a life we no longer want to live.
It's impossible to put new wine in old wine skins. We need to press on into the future by transforming ourselves from the inside out. To keep pressing on and pressing through into victory will require the Grace of God, commitment, dedication, strength and we may need to endure pain but we can always look forward to the reward on the other side.
Keep soldering on with Jesus Christ by your side. Never give up on your dreams - keep pressing on.
Jesus Christ has set us free to press into a new glorious future that he has in store for us but we are tempted to stay in the rut we are in for various reasons. Being paralyzed in the past stops us from enjoying the lives got has for us. Our past is like a magnet that tries to grab us back to a life we no longer want to live.
It's impossible to put new wine in old wine skins. We need to press on into the future by transforming ourselves from the inside out. To keep pressing on and pressing through into victory will require the Grace of God, commitment, dedication, strength and we may need to endure pain but we can always look forward to the reward on the other side.
Keep soldering on with Jesus Christ by your side. Never give up on your dreams - keep pressing on.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Be The Best You Can Be
We are all called to leadership - each and every one of us. We are called to be a leader in whatever we are do. It is intended that we let the kingdom of God come down here on earth and be reflected in this piece of earth that is our bodies. So that others will look at us and want what we have. Whatever it is that you do, you be a leader in that.
If you work on a regular 9-5 job like most of us do, make every minute of it count for God. Bring skills learned at the workplace and apply it to God's work where applicable. Be a king in your own domain. Michael Jordan has a domain - Basketball; Tiger Woods has a domain - Golf. What is your domain?
We all need to operate as both a leader and a priest:
Pray as a priest and plan life as a leader
Dream as a priest and execute as a leader
Gain entry as a priest and maintain your presence as a leader.
To act as a leader requires knowledge - study to show yourself approved. All leaders are readers but not all readers are leaders as it is possible to be reading the wrong thing. What do you spend your time reading? What kind of information are you imbibing?
Godly wisdom supersedes all. Start by reading the Word of God. Ask him for direction on other books to read that will promote your life and your well-being. Don't focus on your weaknesses. Whatever you focus on is only going to get bigger. Ignore the folks that are quick to tell you where you've been and concentrate on where you are going.
It's never too late to start being the best that you can be.
If you work on a regular 9-5 job like most of us do, make every minute of it count for God. Bring skills learned at the workplace and apply it to God's work where applicable. Be a king in your own domain. Michael Jordan has a domain - Basketball; Tiger Woods has a domain - Golf. What is your domain?
We all need to operate as both a leader and a priest:
Pray as a priest and plan life as a leader
Dream as a priest and execute as a leader
Gain entry as a priest and maintain your presence as a leader.
To act as a leader requires knowledge - study to show yourself approved. All leaders are readers but not all readers are leaders as it is possible to be reading the wrong thing. What do you spend your time reading? What kind of information are you imbibing?
Godly wisdom supersedes all. Start by reading the Word of God. Ask him for direction on other books to read that will promote your life and your well-being. Don't focus on your weaknesses. Whatever you focus on is only going to get bigger. Ignore the folks that are quick to tell you where you've been and concentrate on where you are going.
It's never too late to start being the best that you can be.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Hold On To Your Joy
There are all sort of things in our daily lives that try to steal our joy away from us. The weather, a child that is not doing as well as we expect, a spouse that fails to meet our human set expectations or a bad report from the doctor. The list goes on and on. When all the situations come at us, we are tempted to be depressed and discouraged.
But we are called to Bless the Lord at all times even when things look bad in the physical. We are called to put on a garment of praise. When we are joyful even in the midst of adversity, God's hand is upon us. It's much easier to praise God when things are going well but let's try to praise him when things aren't going so well. God is greater and bigger than any situation you might be facing. Don't walk around in defeat - this is the day that the Lord has made, we should rejoice and be glad in it. Today belongs to the Lord. He has already overcome the world.
No man can steal your joy - unless you let him. No-one has the capability of taking away your praise. The enemy likes us to be sad because that way he can take our strength. Your joy and your strength are strongly connected. Anytime you are sad and discouraged, you feel weak and drained.
Don't let your circumstances diminish your praise. Let go of the negative spirit of heaviness and put on the wonderful garment of praise. Bless the Lord right now - your struggle is finished.
Additional Reading:
John 16:22
But we are called to Bless the Lord at all times even when things look bad in the physical. We are called to put on a garment of praise. When we are joyful even in the midst of adversity, God's hand is upon us. It's much easier to praise God when things are going well but let's try to praise him when things aren't going so well. God is greater and bigger than any situation you might be facing. Don't walk around in defeat - this is the day that the Lord has made, we should rejoice and be glad in it. Today belongs to the Lord. He has already overcome the world.
No man can steal your joy - unless you let him. No-one has the capability of taking away your praise. The enemy likes us to be sad because that way he can take our strength. Your joy and your strength are strongly connected. Anytime you are sad and discouraged, you feel weak and drained.
Don't let your circumstances diminish your praise. Let go of the negative spirit of heaviness and put on the wonderful garment of praise. Bless the Lord right now - your struggle is finished.
Additional Reading:
John 16:22
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Revamp Your Self Image
When you look in the mirror what do you see? Do you see someone who’s not quite there yet but on his/her way? Or do you see a failure that is never going to make it? Do you see someone beautiful, created in the image of God or do you see someone ugly whose appearance is below the mark?
The impression we have of ourselves today may have been marred by what someone told us, said about us or our accomplishments. Often time’s people say things that are hurtful in the heat of the moment that they don’t really mean. But once the words are out, they have the potential of creating self image issues that can last a lifetime. I’ve seen people who spend thousands of dollars fixing the way they look on the inside when what they really want fixed are the issues going on inside. All the changes on the outside will never take away the self-image issues on the inside only God can do that.
So if you are feeling like you are the bottom of the barrel, you just don’t measure up or you’ll never be good enough, make a decision to release those negative feelings today. Refuse to own the curses anyone has spoken over your life even if it is someone posing as a messenger from God. God never sends people with curses.
A healthy self-image is important for all children of God. It allows us to stand firm even when situations around us appear negative. Knowing that you are highly favored by Almighty God should be the source of a great self-image. The miracle of our salvation should make us feel valued. That the Great God that we serve took time to save you - this should revamp your countenance; alter your disposition for the better.
Take time to find out what God says about you in his word – how he loves you and the great promises he has for your life. He never promised us that life would be a bed of roses but he does promise that we will win if we don’t quit.
Additional Reading:
Philippians 1: 6
Colossians 3: 23-24
2 Thessalonians 2: 13-15
2 Timothy 1:7
Hebrews 6:13-20
James 5:7-10
1 Peter 2:4-10
The impression we have of ourselves today may have been marred by what someone told us, said about us or our accomplishments. Often time’s people say things that are hurtful in the heat of the moment that they don’t really mean. But once the words are out, they have the potential of creating self image issues that can last a lifetime. I’ve seen people who spend thousands of dollars fixing the way they look on the inside when what they really want fixed are the issues going on inside. All the changes on the outside will never take away the self-image issues on the inside only God can do that.
So if you are feeling like you are the bottom of the barrel, you just don’t measure up or you’ll never be good enough, make a decision to release those negative feelings today. Refuse to own the curses anyone has spoken over your life even if it is someone posing as a messenger from God. God never sends people with curses.
A healthy self-image is important for all children of God. It allows us to stand firm even when situations around us appear negative. Knowing that you are highly favored by Almighty God should be the source of a great self-image. The miracle of our salvation should make us feel valued. That the Great God that we serve took time to save you - this should revamp your countenance; alter your disposition for the better.
Take time to find out what God says about you in his word – how he loves you and the great promises he has for your life. He never promised us that life would be a bed of roses but he does promise that we will win if we don’t quit.
Additional Reading:
Philippians 1: 6
Colossians 3: 23-24
2 Thessalonians 2: 13-15
2 Timothy 1:7
Hebrews 6:13-20
James 5:7-10
1 Peter 2:4-10
Friday, June 8, 2007
Be Yourself - It's Cheaper
One of the most important lessons in life is to be yourself - be happy with who God made you to be. Most of us are so busy trying to live up to other people's expectation of us, that we are living lives full of lies. We are spending enormous amount of time trying to fulfill an assignment that a teacher gave us, a father, a husband, a wife or a friend has chosen for us, that we spend years going down the wrong road. We are so busy trying to be other people that we can't be found and may never be found.
Being yourself is not a license to be irresponsible in any way, it's simply realizing that every manufacturer has a purpose for everything they ever make - so if mere human beings like ourselves create everything with a purpose - how much more God, the Creator of the Universe. You owe it to yourself to find out who you really are and who you were created to be. never let another human dictate that to you.
I believe strongly that no matter who or what made you what you have become today, it/they do not relieve you from the responsibility of becoming what and who God created you to be.
Start being yourself today - you will find it's much cheaper!
Being yourself is not a license to be irresponsible in any way, it's simply realizing that every manufacturer has a purpose for everything they ever make - so if mere human beings like ourselves create everything with a purpose - how much more God, the Creator of the Universe. You owe it to yourself to find out who you really are and who you were created to be. never let another human dictate that to you.
I believe strongly that no matter who or what made you what you have become today, it/they do not relieve you from the responsibility of becoming what and who God created you to be.
Start being yourself today - you will find it's much cheaper!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Faith or Unbelief - God Acknowledges Both
Whether we have faith or chose to live in unbelief, God notices our choice. People of faith touch God. They inspire God to move on their behalf. Works can never make up for faith – faith is in a class all by itself and is never distracted by the things we are doing or not doing.
When I think about faith I always remember the woman with the issue of blood in the Bible. She was confident that if she could simply touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, she would be healed. She didn’t need to talk to him nor did she want to be noticed by him, she simply wanted to touch what he was wearing. Her faith was so much that she knew in her heart simply touching his garment would be enough. And she did receive her healing. Her faith made her well.
As for those that don’t believe, God shows them the might in his power also. I have seen many situations where God chooses the one that no-one expects. The outcast that no-one wants; the one that has been condemned by all, God takes them from the back of the line and brings them right upfront for all to see. So that all those who said they could never be anything would know that they can be whatever God says they should be. There were others who were more qualified but God chose them from the back of the desert. Others had more qualifications but they had more God. When we treat people badly, we unconsciously underestimate the God of their lives.
God is not fair but he is certainly just. He does for us according to how we believe and what he knows we need. Because when we believe, we wait, believing in nothing less than what comes from God. Faith is a wonderful thing that’s always growing as we live more, hear God’s word more and go through lives various experiences.
Develop your faith and understand that faith cannot be compared in terms of sizes. You cannot measure a man’s faith by the size of his house or his car. A man’s faith can only be seen through his actions and by his decisions.
When I think about faith I always remember the woman with the issue of blood in the Bible. She was confident that if she could simply touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, she would be healed. She didn’t need to talk to him nor did she want to be noticed by him, she simply wanted to touch what he was wearing. Her faith was so much that she knew in her heart simply touching his garment would be enough. And she did receive her healing. Her faith made her well.
As for those that don’t believe, God shows them the might in his power also. I have seen many situations where God chooses the one that no-one expects. The outcast that no-one wants; the one that has been condemned by all, God takes them from the back of the line and brings them right upfront for all to see. So that all those who said they could never be anything would know that they can be whatever God says they should be. There were others who were more qualified but God chose them from the back of the desert. Others had more qualifications but they had more God. When we treat people badly, we unconsciously underestimate the God of their lives.
God is not fair but he is certainly just. He does for us according to how we believe and what he knows we need. Because when we believe, we wait, believing in nothing less than what comes from God. Faith is a wonderful thing that’s always growing as we live more, hear God’s word more and go through lives various experiences.
Develop your faith and understand that faith cannot be compared in terms of sizes. You cannot measure a man’s faith by the size of his house or his car. A man’s faith can only be seen through his actions and by his decisions.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
When You worship God
I know the rushes of life prevent many of us from spending time with God as we would like. We rush to work and we rush back – try to spend time with our children and make sure school work is all done. Some of us have to-do lists that look extremely scary. But in the midst of all our earthly tasks, we need to make time for our Heavenly Father.
God is our light and our salvation and the stronghold of our lives. It’s important that we spend time in worship. Worshipping God consistently in spirit and truth allows us to keep God in full view. He no longer becomes a God that we bring out of the closet on Sundays, he becomes our everyday God. The more time we spend with God, the more wisdom and confidence we have in his mighty power and the less we have in ours. The kind of wisdom we get with God is the kind that allows us to make the right choices. We sometimes don’t know what to do so we ask others who are probably also lost, so we get answers that are wrong. God doesn’t tell us exactly what to do but he shows us the real truth behind our options so that making the right choice becomes a piece of cake.
The things of life that we spend so much more time on does not always give a good return on our investment but when tough times come, a true worshipper can raise his or her head above his or her circumstances. God is always there to keep us safe in times of trouble. Psalm 27 tells us that God will keep us safe I his dwelling and that he will hide us in the shelter of his tabernacle. When we worship, we become strong in spirit and we are able to remain standing even when the toughest adversities come our way.
We all need to spend time with God – consistent time. It will make a huge difference in the quality of our lives.
God is our light and our salvation and the stronghold of our lives. It’s important that we spend time in worship. Worshipping God consistently in spirit and truth allows us to keep God in full view. He no longer becomes a God that we bring out of the closet on Sundays, he becomes our everyday God. The more time we spend with God, the more wisdom and confidence we have in his mighty power and the less we have in ours. The kind of wisdom we get with God is the kind that allows us to make the right choices. We sometimes don’t know what to do so we ask others who are probably also lost, so we get answers that are wrong. God doesn’t tell us exactly what to do but he shows us the real truth behind our options so that making the right choice becomes a piece of cake.
The things of life that we spend so much more time on does not always give a good return on our investment but when tough times come, a true worshipper can raise his or her head above his or her circumstances. God is always there to keep us safe in times of trouble. Psalm 27 tells us that God will keep us safe I his dwelling and that he will hide us in the shelter of his tabernacle. When we worship, we become strong in spirit and we are able to remain standing even when the toughest adversities come our way.
We all need to spend time with God – consistent time. It will make a huge difference in the quality of our lives.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Why Do We Keep Standing in Judgment of Others?
As I write this today, I am as guilty as any. There are some folks that I just don’t understand. Some folks have their moral compass all out of whack. But the important question is who made me judge and jury? Even if from the little I know of the word of God, their actions are questionable, why is it my duty to pass judgment and sentence?
I don’t know what kind of life they’ve lived. I have no clue where they’ve been, where they are going to or where they are. Even though the passage I was reading talks about “disputable matters”, I still think caution should be taken when talking about others especially when what they have done does not directly impact us. The general guideline is if we cannot help or the matter does not really concern us, we should stay out of other folks business.
I was reading through Romans today and found these verses:
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” Romans 14: 1-4
“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?” Romans 2:1-3
Just because someone is weak in an area different from ours does not make us better than they are. We become “fruit monitors” or the fruit police and start complaining about the presence or lack of fruits of the spirit in other people. The Bible clearly states that if you break one law, you are essentially guilty of breaking them all. No one is perfect but we go around thinking and acting like we are, crucifying others for their weaknesses. We are imperfect but we are looking around for perfect people. Someone makes a mistake or is living in sin and we talk down to them and refuse to associate with them. When we insist on abandoning wrong-doers who will demonstrate God’s love to them?
While we were yet sinners, Christ dies for us all – not for some but for all. Let’s learn how to love people into the Kingdom of God, faults and all. People have to be able to see God through us.
I don’t know what kind of life they’ve lived. I have no clue where they’ve been, where they are going to or where they are. Even though the passage I was reading talks about “disputable matters”, I still think caution should be taken when talking about others especially when what they have done does not directly impact us. The general guideline is if we cannot help or the matter does not really concern us, we should stay out of other folks business.
I was reading through Romans today and found these verses:
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” Romans 14: 1-4
“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?” Romans 2:1-3
Just because someone is weak in an area different from ours does not make us better than they are. We become “fruit monitors” or the fruit police and start complaining about the presence or lack of fruits of the spirit in other people. The Bible clearly states that if you break one law, you are essentially guilty of breaking them all. No one is perfect but we go around thinking and acting like we are, crucifying others for their weaknesses. We are imperfect but we are looking around for perfect people. Someone makes a mistake or is living in sin and we talk down to them and refuse to associate with them. When we insist on abandoning wrong-doers who will demonstrate God’s love to them?
While we were yet sinners, Christ dies for us all – not for some but for all. Let’s learn how to love people into the Kingdom of God, faults and all. People have to be able to see God through us.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Sin Brings Misery
Sin has no value - any pleasure it brings is simply temporary. Before long we dig ourselves into a hole that we can’t get out of. When we chose sin over the word of God, it’s like making a conscious decision to do what we want and not what God will have us do. We believe that we think we need supersedes what God has for us. All sin will bring into our lives is misery and regret – nothing else. Even if it feels like we are having a good time and have made good decisions, it’s only a matter of time before woe descends.
The real basis or reasoning behind sin is pride. We arrogantly think we know best. We are unhappy with our situation so we decide to move ahead of God knowing fully well that our plans are contrary to the word of God. And just in time, the enemy will send people to us to tell us that the choice we are making is what is best for us. The folks for the enemy will be more than those that are speaking for God. Lack of faith allows us to commit one sin after another because we fail to believe God can bring us out and we take matters into our own hands. All DIY jobs concerning the things of God will definitely fail.
Thankfully God knows what we are planning to do even before we do it. Remember he sees our thoughts. He may be cringing about our decision to sin but he loves us in the midst of it all. The consequences for our sins we will surely pay – no doubt but if we are his, all things that the enemy meant for harm including the sins we fall into can be turned around for good under his mighty power.
I am grateful that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. We may be delayed but we can never be denied. Thank Almighty God for his everlasting love, mercy and kindness!
The real basis or reasoning behind sin is pride. We arrogantly think we know best. We are unhappy with our situation so we decide to move ahead of God knowing fully well that our plans are contrary to the word of God. And just in time, the enemy will send people to us to tell us that the choice we are making is what is best for us. The folks for the enemy will be more than those that are speaking for God. Lack of faith allows us to commit one sin after another because we fail to believe God can bring us out and we take matters into our own hands. All DIY jobs concerning the things of God will definitely fail.
Thankfully God knows what we are planning to do even before we do it. Remember he sees our thoughts. He may be cringing about our decision to sin but he loves us in the midst of it all. The consequences for our sins we will surely pay – no doubt but if we are his, all things that the enemy meant for harm including the sins we fall into can be turned around for good under his mighty power.
I am grateful that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. We may be delayed but we can never be denied. Thank Almighty God for his everlasting love, mercy and kindness!
Sunday, June 3, 2007
You Can't Continue in Perpetual Sin!
“No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. No one who is born of God will continue to sin because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.” 1 John 3: 6 and 9
People often use this verse to preach a life of perfection but I found out that’s not what it means. It does not mean that once we come to God we become sinless. It simply means that we sin less. Being human, perfection is impossible; Only God is perfect. He knew we could never be perfect so he gave his only Son as a ransom.
As children of God, our lives should not be the same like it was before. We should not be living in perpetual sin like we once did. Even if we went back to those sins from our past, we would never get the same satisfaction from them that we once did because we are changed by the presence of God in our hearts. Our lives are now filled with the desire to please God such that we leave most of those things behind.
The desire to continue to repeat sinful activities becomes a thing of the past because our motivation for living changes when we know that we are loved by God. When we remember where he picked us up and what he has brought us through, our lives must surely change. We begin to live a life out of love for God rather than out of fear. We are not afraid of what God will do to us if we sinned; we are more inclined to righteous living because we are certain of how our falling into sin hurts our loving God.
The Bible tells us in 1 John 3:1 that “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
I heard today that when a non-Christian sins, it’s a creation sinning against its creator but when a Christian sins, it’s a child sinning against his/her father. How profound is that!
People often use this verse to preach a life of perfection but I found out that’s not what it means. It does not mean that once we come to God we become sinless. It simply means that we sin less. Being human, perfection is impossible; Only God is perfect. He knew we could never be perfect so he gave his only Son as a ransom.
As children of God, our lives should not be the same like it was before. We should not be living in perpetual sin like we once did. Even if we went back to those sins from our past, we would never get the same satisfaction from them that we once did because we are changed by the presence of God in our hearts. Our lives are now filled with the desire to please God such that we leave most of those things behind.
The desire to continue to repeat sinful activities becomes a thing of the past because our motivation for living changes when we know that we are loved by God. When we remember where he picked us up and what he has brought us through, our lives must surely change. We begin to live a life out of love for God rather than out of fear. We are not afraid of what God will do to us if we sinned; we are more inclined to righteous living because we are certain of how our falling into sin hurts our loving God.
The Bible tells us in 1 John 3:1 that “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
I heard today that when a non-Christian sins, it’s a creation sinning against its creator but when a Christian sins, it’s a child sinning against his/her father. How profound is that!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck
Today as I post my 101th post, I'll like to share some information that got sent to me. It affected me for a minute simply because sometimes we don't stop to enjoy the most magical things in life. We are too busy running around and we miss what is most important. I hope this challenges you like it did me.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it.. . live it and never give it back.
STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us. Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with, and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally. I hope you have a blessed day.
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was dying from cancer).
***************************************************
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it.. . live it and never give it back.
STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us. Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with, and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally. I hope you have a blessed day.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Forgiveness
If you live in this world, people will offend you. There are times you even believe some people are designed just to upset you. If we are to be in relationship with others, we must accept the reality that we will be offended.
We all need the Gift of Forgiveness. Forgiveness is a gift from God – the ability to look at somebody who has done us wrong and say to them “I forgive you; and I release you – you have no need to carry any burdens over what you did to me” is truly a gift from God because not all of us can do it.
Forgiveness is very vital to us because it is for us. When you forgive, you heal yourself. The burden of holding people in un-forgiveness is lifted. We are free to move on with our lives.
We must forgive:
1. Every Time
2. Everyone
3. Everything
Spend some time today to search your mind and see if you are holding a grudge against anyone. Ask God to help you in the name of his son Jesus Christ to release those people. Give the person(s) a call to let them know they are forgiven and watch your life improve as you do so.
God Bless You as your forgive those who trespass against you..
We all need the Gift of Forgiveness. Forgiveness is a gift from God – the ability to look at somebody who has done us wrong and say to them “I forgive you; and I release you – you have no need to carry any burdens over what you did to me” is truly a gift from God because not all of us can do it.
Forgiveness is very vital to us because it is for us. When you forgive, you heal yourself. The burden of holding people in un-forgiveness is lifted. We are free to move on with our lives.
We must forgive:
1. Every Time
2. Everyone
3. Everything
Spend some time today to search your mind and see if you are holding a grudge against anyone. Ask God to help you in the name of his son Jesus Christ to release those people. Give the person(s) a call to let them know they are forgiven and watch your life improve as you do so.
God Bless You as your forgive those who trespass against you..
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