What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
- William Morrow
Truer words have never been spoken! If you have the fortitude you can face any storm or adversity with the utmost confidence. It isn't what you face that makes you! It's what you do with what you face that changes you! Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world, according to God's Word. You have the greatest potential to be anything you want to be right inside you. You already possess the power. Use it! Become! Change your world! You have the power within!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
There is a Time
Charles Dickens began his book, “A Tale of Two Cities”, with these words:
“IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,”…
Mr. Dickens penned those words in regards to the year 1775; they express how he felt about that particular time.
We, like Dickens, are living in "the best of times," and "the worst of times." There has never been a better era in which to live, but the world has never been more wicked than it is now. It is your choice as to which side you will live in. Will you choose to live in "the epoch of belief" or the "epoch of incredulity?" The world and it's violent ugliness has created a time so bad that it is unprecedented in the history of the world. We are, however, living in the greatest, most powerful time the church has ever known.
“IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,”…
Mr. Dickens penned those words in regards to the year 1775; they express how he felt about that particular time.
We, like Dickens, are living in "the best of times," and "the worst of times." There has never been a better era in which to live, but the world has never been more wicked than it is now. It is your choice as to which side you will live in. Will you choose to live in "the epoch of belief" or the "epoch of incredulity?" The world and it's violent ugliness has created a time so bad that it is unprecedented in the history of the world. We are, however, living in the greatest, most powerful time the church has ever known.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Happy Busy People!
"The happiest people are those who are too busy to notice whether they are or not."
-William Feather.
An idle mind is the devil's workshop! I have heard this comment for years and believe it to be true. No I am not talking about resting. Everyone needs rest sometime. When you just sit around however, your mind becomes a playground for mischief. I have often heard quoted, "If you want to get a job done, ask a busy person." These people often have a better outlook on life, and see life as a journey and not a destination. Hence, their whole life is consumed with keeping themselves occupied and making forward progress. We all derive satisfaction when a goal is accomplished and done well. This makes us happy. Therefore, most happy people are busy people.
ARE YOU HAPPY?
-William Feather.
An idle mind is the devil's workshop! I have heard this comment for years and believe it to be true. No I am not talking about resting. Everyone needs rest sometime. When you just sit around however, your mind becomes a playground for mischief. I have often heard quoted, "If you want to get a job done, ask a busy person." These people often have a better outlook on life, and see life as a journey and not a destination. Hence, their whole life is consumed with keeping themselves occupied and making forward progress. We all derive satisfaction when a goal is accomplished and done well. This makes us happy. Therefore, most happy people are busy people.
ARE YOU HAPPY?
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Happiness is a Choice
Our greatest happiness in life does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.
- Thomas Jefferson
Happiness is a by-product of living well, and with a good conscience. Living well with a good conscience comes through living for God. Being happy is a choice. I can either be happy or miserable. When worries try to overwhelm us, and they will, we need to poitively make a choice to smile through the pain and laugh through the sorrow. I have made a choice that I will not go through life miserable.
"Don't Worry, Be Happy!"
- Thomas Jefferson
Happiness is a by-product of living well, and with a good conscience. Living well with a good conscience comes through living for God. Being happy is a choice. I can either be happy or miserable. When worries try to overwhelm us, and they will, we need to poitively make a choice to smile through the pain and laugh through the sorrow. I have made a choice that I will not go through life miserable.
"Don't Worry, Be Happy!"
Saturday, January 12, 2008
UNITY ≠ UNIFORMITY
Uniformity and unity are not at all the same thing. According to Random House Dictionary, 2006, uniformity and unity are as follows:
u·ni·form·i·ty /ˌyunəˈfɔrmɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo-nuh-fawr-mi-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ties. 1. the state or quality of being uniform; overall sameness, homogeneity, or regularity: uniformity of style.
2. something uniform.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Origin: 1400–50; late ME uniformite < MF uniformite < LL ūnifōrmitās, equiv. to L ūnifōrm(is) uniform + -itās -ity]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
u·ni·ty /ˈyunɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo-ni-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ties. 1. the state of being one; oneness.
2. a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.
3. the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.
In short, uniformity is when all the parts are a cookie cutter copy of each other, whereas, unity is the homogenizing of parts into a whole.
Never will you find true uniformity among people because we are so vastly different depending on our background, environment, socioeconomic status, race, educational diversity, cultural diversification, etc...
Unity on the other hand is taking what we have and blending it together toward a common purpose and goal in order to achieve maximum success. My son is the bass singer for a group name "freeWAY" (formerly known as the WAY quartet). Each young man's voice is so uniquely different from the other; you wonder how could they possibly blend these four voices. It is really quite simple! Each man seeks to blend with the other and form one harmonious sound. Each one will get his chance to solo and show off his vocal talent and uniqueness, but for the homogeneity of the group, they choose to lay aside personal preferences for the sake of the whole.
With regard to the Bible, God has certain absolutes! No one ever crossed those without getting God's attention, oft times with consequences. With regard to these points, God expects conformity. No group will ever see eye to eye on all their convictions, however, biblical principles are not convictions, they are mandates. It is time we guard our own convictions but meld our spirits into a unity of the brethren. I heard a man once preach a message that we need to "Save the Bean Patch", referring to guarding our principles. I agree! Yet, we need to save the bean patch, even if our brother is not growing the same beans as I am! I shouldn't go around trying to pull out his beans because he is not growing the exact same variety as mine. Isn't his bean patch also important? I am in no way eluding to the compromise of God's message of Oneness, Holiness or Sanctification. Simply stated, even though we do not see eye to eye on every point, if our biblical message is the same, aren't we brethren, even without uniformity, but with unity?
Am I diluting what I believe by doing this? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I am "...endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace... until we all come to the unity of the faith..." Ephesians 4:3,13
u·ni·form·i·ty /ˌyunəˈfɔrmɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo-nuh-fawr-mi-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ties. 1. the state or quality of being uniform; overall sameness, homogeneity, or regularity: uniformity of style.
2. something uniform.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Origin: 1400–50; late ME uniformite < MF uniformite < LL ūnifōrmitās, equiv. to L ūnifōrm(is) uniform + -itās -ity]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
u·ni·ty /ˈyunɪti/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo-ni-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ties. 1. the state of being one; oneness.
2. a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.
3. the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.
In short, uniformity is when all the parts are a cookie cutter copy of each other, whereas, unity is the homogenizing of parts into a whole.
Never will you find true uniformity among people because we are so vastly different depending on our background, environment, socioeconomic status, race, educational diversity, cultural diversification, etc...
Unity on the other hand is taking what we have and blending it together toward a common purpose and goal in order to achieve maximum success. My son is the bass singer for a group name "freeWAY" (formerly known as the WAY quartet). Each young man's voice is so uniquely different from the other; you wonder how could they possibly blend these four voices. It is really quite simple! Each man seeks to blend with the other and form one harmonious sound. Each one will get his chance to solo and show off his vocal talent and uniqueness, but for the homogeneity of the group, they choose to lay aside personal preferences for the sake of the whole.
With regard to the Bible, God has certain absolutes! No one ever crossed those without getting God's attention, oft times with consequences. With regard to these points, God expects conformity. No group will ever see eye to eye on all their convictions, however, biblical principles are not convictions, they are mandates. It is time we guard our own convictions but meld our spirits into a unity of the brethren. I heard a man once preach a message that we need to "Save the Bean Patch", referring to guarding our principles. I agree! Yet, we need to save the bean patch, even if our brother is not growing the same beans as I am! I shouldn't go around trying to pull out his beans because he is not growing the exact same variety as mine. Isn't his bean patch also important? I am in no way eluding to the compromise of God's message of Oneness, Holiness or Sanctification. Simply stated, even though we do not see eye to eye on every point, if our biblical message is the same, aren't we brethren, even without uniformity, but with unity?
Am I diluting what I believe by doing this? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I am "...endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace... until we all come to the unity of the faith..." Ephesians 4:3,13
Friday, January 11, 2008
I Can't Get Close Enough
I reach out my hands to draw you in,
but I can't get close enough.
I see you in each smiling face,
tho I can't get close enough.
I whisper your name in the stillness of night,
still I can't get close enough.
I breathe you in with every flowery fragrance,
I can't get close enough.
My soul craves your touch,
I can't get close enough.
I kneel my knee at the wood,
again I can't get close enough.
Then you come and dwell within,
suddenly you are close enough.
but I can't get close enough.
I see you in each smiling face,
tho I can't get close enough.
I whisper your name in the stillness of night,
still I can't get close enough.
I breathe you in with every flowery fragrance,
I can't get close enough.
My soul craves your touch,
I can't get close enough.
I kneel my knee at the wood,
again I can't get close enough.
Then you come and dwell within,
suddenly you are close enough.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Nature Speaks of God
Howling winds caress mountain peaks
carving them into picturesque silhouettes--
Trees raise their branches in silent submission
to the heavens above them--
Rivers flow carving out their deep crevices
like tears flowing down a muddy face--
Vast valleys wind through the earth
searching for that pristine meadow--
Man finds his God by raising his hands
in deep contrition to his Creator.
carving them into picturesque silhouettes--
Trees raise their branches in silent submission
to the heavens above them--
Rivers flow carving out their deep crevices
like tears flowing down a muddy face--
Vast valleys wind through the earth
searching for that pristine meadow--
Man finds his God by raising his hands
in deep contrition to his Creator.
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