Majestic you are, our God!

I just got back from spending some ten days in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and went up to the top of the Canadian Rockies via a cable car which they call 'Gondolas'. I asked my host about this peculiar naming of an aerial vehicle, and the name being the same as the famous Gondolas which ply the canal system in Venice, but he was unable to explain how this came about. It would be so cliche for me to launch into the peculiarities of North American phraseology as compared to that of the United Kingdom. I won't. Free me!

There is something about natural beauty that inspires praise. I was awe struck by the scale of the mountains and how they looked like a giant helping of icing sugar had been sieved over their tops. The striations in the rocky sides, the gorges, trickling streams , vegetation and the sheer vastness had a profound impact on me. I am quite sure it was the natural environment and not any bit indigestion after my onslaught of the buffet brunch we had prior to the mountain top trip. Myself and my colleagues have observed how we have all got a tad more rotund, and we have made promises to each other to do our best to reverse this when we get back to our respective bases. Hmmmm!

I breathed in the cold, crisp air and looked across to opposite mountains as well as into the valleys and ravines and all I can say is that I saw God everywhere. I felt a strong imprint that this was a minuscule, physically accessible expression of his power. I stood there and just gave him praise, and tears of joy sprang to my eyes. When we had reached close to the bottom of the mountain in our return journey by car, we spotted an Elk, obviously an old papa one judging by the size of it's antlers. He just stood there at the edge of the road in the bushes staring at us, as though urging us to take our photos then vamous so that he could carry on with his life. He was such a beauty. We speculated as to whether or not he was about to cross the road to drink at a nearby stream. Maybe that was correct, maybe it was just our fantasy, but that is what nature can do to you. Put you in an inspirational plane.

So, I am sharing my offering of praise which came to me on the mountain top at Banff below.
Enjoy the pictures too, though I fear they do not do justice to the experience.

Majestic you are, our God
You speak through the beauty of your creation
The snow capped mountains, the trickling stream
The mighty roaring ocean and flowing rivers
How awesome you are
How profound and inspiring
My heart bursts into song
And I praise you with all my being

PARADIGM SHIFTS AND TRANSFORMATION

PARADIGM SHIFTS AND TRANSFORMATION;
 Reflections on Mathew 19:14 and Romans12:2

Matthew 19:14 (NIV)
Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.


Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.

When Jesus made the statement in Mathew 19:14 concerning children, it seems to me that it was a profound one which has greater depth of meaning than it would at first appear.
This statement says to me that our God has asked us as parents and people in authority over children not to hinder the connections He has hard wired into them that will lead them along the paths of purpose that He has already provided for them. Many adults are not aware that they are 'hindering' their children at all, most behave the way they do out of their own received paradigms, and also to conform to societal norms.

However, in Romans 12:2, our God speaks to His desire for us to constantly shift paradigms according to renewal that comes to our minds via the word; God's vehicle of creative impetus. Societal norms are great ways in which order is established in our society, and they have their place, but we are clearly commanded not to get stuck in a rut with them, and to let go, and let God renew us where he chooses.

It is in the place of renewal, re thinking, changing one's mind that transformation can take place. Transformation that is absolutely essential to our growth in every regard, and especially how the different facets come together to walk us in purpose. The adults are to allow this transformation in themselves, so that they can pass on the power of creativity and enlightenment that this brings to the influence and direction we have over the next generation.

In conclusion, Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children, and i have learnt by inference from other principles in the bible that, it belongs to everyone who can come to God like a child. For me, this means that we come to God in a manner that allows Him to develop our talents and skill sets for a purpose which is an intrinsic part of His plan for his kingdom here on earth.

So, I believe that what God is saying through these scriptures is;

DO NOT HINDER ME, 
DO NOT HINDER WHAT I HAVE PLANNED TO DO IN AND THROUGH YOU, 
AND THROUGH YOUR FUTURE GENERATIONS. 
ALLOW ME TO TRANSFORM YOU FOR THE PURPOSE I HAVE SET FOR MY KINGDOM

Succession planning

Succession planning

The bible has several examples of how God himself had already worked out a succession plan for many key players in the script of His play. The successors came in different shapes and sizes, and some were even reluctant to take up their posts. Many times, they did not know that God was putting them through a sort of job shadowing/ internship training prior to their call up to service. Those experiences would have come across to the trainees as simply their life's experience, and some of these experiences were not pleasant at all.
However, our Lord, God, the Master planner, knows exactly what He is doing when He allows us to pass through our life's challenges and triumphs. He orchestrates the connections we have with various people.
I wonder if my successor that God has planned is right there in my orbit of life, but I have not recognised them yet. They may not present themselves yet as such. Their season has not yet come.

Joshua's season of leadership came after Moses died, and he had spent quite some time under Moses's leadership prior to this. Together with Caleb, his contemporary , they brought the minority report when the spies went to spy the promised land . Caleb was not given the leadership assignment though he also was a likely candidate. What skill sets, attitudes or character quality did Joshua have over and above all the likely choices in his generation? 

The upshot of what I have observed is that God is totally in charge.

He decides the who, the what, the where ,the when and the how, but I must take responsibility for my part. Is that a credible answer to the question 'are leaders born or made?'

What do you think?

On Acts 8:26-28 ......Obedience, implementation and discipleship

In obeying God promptly, Phillip was an agent of change in the life of the Ethiopian eunuch. His immediate obedience was a significant pre cursor to an important event, a clear actualisation of Godly purpose for the Ethiopian eunuch. 

As I read this scripture, and thought about obedience, I began to consider  it's role in parenting. Training children to obey their parents is part of the transition process by which they come to have the right inclination of heart to obey God. Obedience learnt at the hands of parents then becomes a foundation on which obedience to God can be built, and therefore discipleship. A kind of mind map, highlighting how strong discipleship can be built inspired me to sketch a ' discipleship wall' and the building blocks that contribute to it. Conceptually, the mortar that holds it all together is FAITH.

To OBEY , you must first hear the instruction or command
To HEAR, you must first be LISTENING
To LISTEN you must first open your heart
To OPEN YOUR HEART, you must first engage your conscious ACT OF WILL
To submit your will, you must first DISCERN what the available choices are.
To discern the particular choice to make you must first RECOGNIZE them
To RECOGNIZE them, you must first SEEK
To seek, you must ASK
To ask, you must first have a NEED.

The Ethiopian eunuch had a NEED. he wanted to understand the scriptures he was reading. There he was moving along in his chariot, pondering these things and God set into motion , something, that is nothing short of a miracle.
Whether I am the recipient of the services of 'a Phillip'; one in the place of seeking and wanting to understand God's word, or I am the 'Phillip' for someone, it is strengthening to know that God will pull out all stops to connect an obedient implementer to a seeking follower. 

Ultimately a seeking follower is a strong disciple.

Most of my posts centred on the Bible are excerpts from my journal ; personal devotion notes to self.

I am asking myself what NEED is there in my heart that seeks to understand the word of God today?

How can I build on it to start to ASK questions?

I pray that you will be able to RECOGNISE your need also, for our God will pull out all stops to meet you at the point of your need. He needs you and I to do this as part of His working out the purpose of our lives. 

Strength and grace to you in Jesus name!

Amen