Thoughts on Exodus 5:22 Moses upset with God

22Moses returned to the Lord and said, "Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.
Exodus 5:22 (NIV)


Moses was moved by compassion for the suffering of his people, he knew very well that God had plans to rescue them, and he was the agent/ leader to do this.
Prayer:
Father, Lord, thank you for Moses's strength in you, and the clear evidence of how close his walk was with you. He literally demanded from you what you had promised...I am scared to think that he accused you of being unfaithful when he said 'you have not rescued your people at all.' I believe that statement came from having confidence in who he was in you, and a deep rooted belief that you were able to do what you said you would do. It sounds like he was not doubting your ability per se, but was wondering what your motive was for not performing speedily. I am grateful for what I also observe concerning Moses' conscience; it must have been clear towards you. Help me to choose the thoughts and actions that auger well for a right standing with you. Thank you for your grace and for Jesus who gives me direct  access to God now.

Amen

YOU TOO MAY BE A GIANT SLAYER IN DISGUISE

Jealous Saul-triumphant David 1Sam 16-18

The bible's account of the relationship between Saul and David, is rife with Saul's jealousy towards the young, handsome, harp playing, spirit filled warrior and David's determination to honour God rather than reciprocate Saul's several attempts to murder young David.
It is notable that David, prior to his being anointed the next king of Israel, appeared to be a nobody; inconsequential. The baby of the family- the last born who was at best an errand boy for his older brothers and he tended sheep. In short, he was in a humble/lowly estate while his older brothers who were respected and  recognised by the King and the society were warriors and officers in Saul's army. They had the macho job, certainly in national security terms, their job carried more weight than David's.
What at all was that boy up to?...
Playing harps and following goats and sheep around!

It transpires that the brothers too were jealous of David. A feeling that deepened from both David's brothers' heart , and the king's. It all started after the pip squeak of a lad killed Goliath with one of the most unconventional battle weapons ever..... In fact ,Saul had put his armour on him, but the young lad asked to take it off and rather chose to wear his normal shepherd clothes . All he took with him by way of weaponry was a sling shot and five smooth pebbles.   
Na wao!
OMG! 

The boy killed the giant and took his head to Saul!  

Self note:

1) In what ways am I hindering my victory over something because I have taken on a battle strategy that is a wrong fit for me. I am chosen by God to win battles for him in His strength and possibly using the uniqueness of my skill sets, regardless of whether or not these are recognised by others. 

2) A key thing to note, is that God was with David but had left Saul.

3) All their feelings of jealousy, the insults and derision levelled against David  by the brothers and even the attempt on David's life by  the king Saul came to nothing. Imagine! Saul throwing a spear at David twice, with the pre-meditated motive of pinning him to the wall!!
Haba! What was David's offence?
Nothing.
Saul was simply jealous and he was unable to keep his feelings in check. But the bible says the 'evil spirit' that came over Saul was from God.

This I don't understand.
Why would God do this?
When I think of this, I feel sorry for Saul, because I know that even if he wished it, he could not possibly win against a spirit that God had put in him.

4) I am not a lawyer but this 'evil spirit from God' drove Saul to do all sorts of things that could be evidence of criminal intent:
-Malice a fore thought
-Attempted murder
-Stalking David thereby constituting himself into a public nuisance
-Consumed with the unlawful motive to cause grievous bodily harm to David

5) So, Saul was 'set up' by his maker. How could he have done anything to turn this tide? Did he have a choice to do different?
Whatever the answers to my questions, I can learn from Saul how poisonous jealousy can be, and how it will literally drive you insane, and you could possibly break the law too, if left unchecked.

6)....And yes , the close cousin of jealousy is resentment. I must get rid of that and all its other relatives. 
-anger
-strife
-'pull-him-downism'
-'she/ he is such a goody-two-shoes isms'

We must get rid them and throw them away, far, far from our normal living environment, just like we empty our bowels.

7) Also, here I see again God being the perfect Human resource manager in using David's hitherto unrecognised skill sets where it was least expected. David's killing of bears and lion's that had attempted to eat his sheep, was not really recognised as a skill worthy of use for national battle. Certainly not against the huge giant of a man, who's physical size alone struck fear into an entire army.
As well, David, their next king was under their very noses but they did not know!

8) We should  ask ourselves, which staff or junior worker that God has anointed for higher service have we overlooked? As God is God, he will give them the opportunity to spring up one day as He uses them to fulfil an assignment. We may be surprised, but we must not allow jealousy a shred of room.

I ask myself which part of me has The Lord planned for triumph one day, that I am unaware of ? What humble little part of me is a giant slayer in disguise? 

Perhaps you would like to think about these points and see if you too are a giant slayer in disguise? 

HEAVENLY ALGEBRA

1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[S]4Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 

Romans 4:1-5 (NIV)

Self notes:

It was not Abrahams works that made him righteous before God, it was his faith. In fact, I also see that Abraham's faith was evident through his works. I think of faith and works as conjoined twins.

Abraham BELIEVED God.....And ( his belief/faith) was credited to him as righteousness. From this I learn that faith is the seed capital that produces the desired bounty of righteousness. 

Righteousness is ' right standing before God'

I also learn that faith is simply believing God.

Believing God means I trust Him

Trusting Him means that:

1) I am certain of what I believe 

2) I know that I know that I know 

3) I am not swayed by times , seasons or circumstances

For our Chibok girls: surely a future hope

I have researched and found a few scriptures which can be formulated into prayers for the abducted. I am publishing my list now, to support those who are praying for the return of the girls abducted in Chibok, Borno State. I am including my own prayer as well. I trust that heaven will take note of the massive outcry that this dastardly act has generated in the hearts of Nigerians and in the hearts of many concerned people the world over.

SCRIPTURES

“I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.”

-Jeremiah 15:21 (NIV)

Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

-Psalms 71:4 (NIV)

Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”

-Deuteronomy 3:22 (NIV)

no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, ”declares the Lord.

-Isaiah 54:17 (NIV)

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

-Psalms 46:1-3 (NIV)

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

-Psalms 9:9 (NIV)

For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

-Deuteronomy 20:4 (NIV)

But this is what the Lord says:“Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce;I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save.

-Isaiah 49:25 (NIV)

There is surely a future hope for you,and your hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 23:18c (NIV)

PRAYER

Our Father and our God, thank you for your word, on which we can rely, that it shall not return void , but accomplish that for which it has been spoken. There is power in your word, the same power that created the heavens and the earth, all things seen and unseen , and raised Christ from the dead. 

In the matchless name of Jesus, please save the abducted from the hands of the wicked, and deliver them from the grasp of the cruel. Our God and deliverer, save the abducted from the grasp of those who are evil. Give the abducted a strong fighting spirit within such that they will not be afraid of their captors, keep their faith in being returned to safety burning bright for we believe earnestly that The Lord our God himself will fight for them. Our ever present help in times of trouble, we look to you to calm our fear as we put our trust in you. Your word says that captives can be rescued from warriors and plunder retrieved from the fierce . Father, Lord! God of all, contend with Boko Harram because they are contending with our nation Nigeria. Scatter them in several directions and throw confusion into their camp. We declare that no weapon fashioned against our girls shall prosper in Jesus name. Thank you Lord that we can rest assured that there is surely a future hope for the Chibok girls and we agree concerning them that their hope will not be cut off.

In Jesus name.

Amen!

PRAYER PERFUMED WITH PRAISE...my very first sermon!

 I have shared my testimony in many forums , revival sessions at church, women's fellowship meetings etc, but i have never before preached a sermon. I was excited about it and also quite nervous, which was ironic since i was preaching about not being anxious. The part i enjoyed most was putting the key points into bold graphic drawings. I literally sat still until the inspiration came. Awesome God!!!
Anyway, here it is below, including the images i used as slides.

PRAYER PERFUMED WITH PRAISE...
a sermon preached at VFC ; Victoria Fellowship Church
On Mothering Sunday 30 March 2014

Good morning Church!


Let us Pray:
I yield my heart, soul, psyche and spirit to the full control of the Holy Spirit, so that I will be a vessel used to bless your people this morning. And may it be a fragrant offering acceptable to you, to the glory of your name. Amen!

I am grateful to God and delighted for this opportunity to share a few words with you.
When I was first asked to come and share a message with the theme ' prayer perfumed with praise, my immediate reaction was 'what is that!?' I imagine, that you too are asking yourselves what on earth that means. Before I confirmed that I would take up this assignment, I asked for time to think about it and committed it to prayer. To be honest, my initial agenda was to change find a new title for the theme, but The Lord had a different idea, as all my prayers and pondering did not reveal a new theme to me. What was spoken into my heart was to use it as a springboard to share a personal , practical application of both the theme and the bible passage for today.

The word perfume generated a few thoughts in my mind. Firstly in my language Yoruba we have a phrase 'gbo orun' which literally means to ' hear a smell' . Secondly, I am borrowing a definition from my eldest daughter which she coined when she was a little girl, but I think it is quite apt that she said she thought perfume means perfect fumes. This led me to think about what the role of perfume is in a person's life, and I concluded that perfect fumes bring about an enhancement of the atmosphere around the wearer for their own enjoyment and also for the benefit and enjoyment of others. Perfume brings a certain note to the wearer, some of us have a favourite aroma which others can distinguish us by as we walk into a room, the scent wafts in with us.

In the context of our prayers to The Almighty through Christ Jesus, this led me to think about the role of praise in our prayer lives, and how praise brings a beautiful aroma into our communion with our heavenly Father. It made me think how hearing the word of God and ingesting it in a manner that it becomes an intrinsic part of our self talk can introduce a special dimension to our fellowship with our loving Father God.
The Lord hears us saying His own words back to Him, and that is a sweet aroma to His ears, just like the Yoruba description of what it is to perceive a smell that I said earlier.
In my blog, I shared a definition of prayer, which I came to after being part of several bible studies on the subject, and I quote:
Prayer is a conversation with God that communicates with Him in fellowship.
It therefore follows on, that praise can be a sung prayer. The bible says that praising our Father God is what we were created to do, and also when we reach heaven, it is what we will be doing 24/7 into eternity. We will be joyfully in the presence of God. What we are striving to do here on earth should be a pattern after that which God has created us to do. In doing that we know that we will be walking in His purpose for our lives. I believe this is why God made praise so enjoyable. I have observed that praise triggers other good things, like thanksgiving and gratitude.


I went on to read the scripture for the day and was filled with excitement because they are words I have read over and over again, and written notes and commentaries in my journals about. On further reflection, I realise that I have totally absorbed these words into my being, and in retrospect I recognise when I have applied them. That is what happens to the ingested word of God, and how it can be activated to release the promises of God. Just like a drop of perfume is activated by the heat in our bodies to release a beautiful fragrance into the atmosphere around us.

Phillipians 4:6-9 (NIV) says…….
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Lets take a look at this beautiful word of God together and break it down a bit.

art by Lara

Slide 1 The various things that make us anxious have only one outcome…. FEAR…. which is expressed in several different ways. I have left the blank spaces for you to think about and fill in with the things that make you anxious. Because we all have anxieties. We all have issues that are beyond our power to handle without extra help of some sort.

art by Lara

Slide 2 Our creator knows that we will have anxieties real or imagined and has put down some rules that should govern our attitude to them.
Basically, He is telling us to think about what we are thinking and substitute them with the list in the passage. He has asked us to Pray and bring our Petitions to him, with Thanksgiving, believing and trusting that He will come through for us. He says The outcome of those kinds of thoughts is not fear but peace.

art by Lara

Slide 3 I examined the list of things we are to substitute our anxious thoughts for and realize that they are characteristics of God. If we meditate on the characteristics of God, then it isn't too much of a leap to say that we are thus apprehending…The mind of Christ, since The Father and Son are one. Having the mind of Christ brings us Peace. Jesus stated himself, in John 14;27 and I quote…..
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

However, I found that I could not receive that peace while still meditating on my anxieties. In fact, I simply took the words 'Do not be anxious' as a command. What happened to me when I took this word of God as a command still leaves me astounded and grateful to this day. In a nutshell, I obeyed the command, this ignited praise in my heart and I chose to love God through obedience to that command in spite of the massive difficulties I was facing. I made joy my choice, and kept gratitude in my heart as a default. I began to think about what I was thinking, and went about changing my self talk. After choosing to meditate on the word instead of my troubles, I received a very strong palpable message that I was a child loved by my Father, God. He said these exact words to me 'Lara, I love you from eternity to eternity' The import of this powerful exchange will become clearer in the context of what I am about to share.


I have lived with acute asthma since I was a child, and had many emergency grade attacks as an adult. My family and myself thought this was bad enough to deal with until I began to have issues with extreme fatigue and muscle weakness. The anxieties in my heart and mind escalated in direct proportion to many un answered questions. I visited doctors over a span of eight to ten years in four different countries, and every where I went, all the tests came back normal and there began a downward spiral in my mind and spirit as each doctor attributed the symptoms to psycho somatic issues. At first I believed them until I became unable to chew properly, swallow, walk, sit up for more than a few seconds at a time. I became disabled and bed ridden, and began to have double vision and rounds of eye problems that made me so sensitive to light that I had to sit indoors with the curtains drawn and put dark glasses on. On top of that, I had serious breathing problems which took me to the emergency room often .There I would be jabbed with hydrocortisone and adrenalin and would be revived.
At a point, I was so frail and weak that my children took over the running of the house and together with my husband became my care givers. Things got so dire, that the threat of imminent death hung over me, and I cried unto The Lord in anger, frustration, fear and desperation. I cried until there were no tears left to cry. Then I resolved that I would fight, to the last breath in my nostrils, I would fight.

I started making affirmations in order to change my self talk. If God was calling me back, so be it, but if He was not, I would keep on fighting. What got me through those times were scriptures, hymns and choruses I had internalised before I was struck down. These I sang repeatedly in my head over and over again, as I resorted to praise as part of my arsenal of weapons against the enemy. Even in the midst of breathing crisis, I would struggle to sing, as well as praying over myself in tongues. I couldn't read because of blurred and double vision, and my bible was too heavy to lift, so I fed on all the scriptures that I had memorised, one of which is Phillipians 4:6-9.

The practical application of this scripture was played out for me in ways that make it possible for me to say that I am now walking in the physical manifestation of my inward confessions , thoughts and spoken words. Praise was a key element in getting me from where I was to where I am now. Those confessions came intrinsically from the word of God, and I found myself in a place of praise at a time when I should have been totally dejected. But let me back track a little to share with you a phenomenon in which God himself enriched , enhanced and perfumed my life with praise.

When I started receiving various songs complete with lyrics and tunes years before, I had no idea that The Lord was preparing me for a time when praise was the main weapon I would use to weather the storm of very trying times. I had no idea that I was about to enter into a season of torment that was generated by an up scaling of health challenges that had been bothering me for over two decades. I don't play any musical instrument, at least I haven't done so since I was a teenager at secondary school. I have a good appreciation of music just like everyone else, so you can imagine my surprise when the songs started dropping into my spirit. With no other tools to record them apart from my singing. I sang them over and over again, such that my family got a bit fed up of hearing me! I went on to write down the lyrics as well, and the repeated singing soon made them part of me.
We used some of them in our family devotion and I used them often in my personal quiet time.

One of the songs downloaded to me by the Holy spirit is titled
' nothing can prevail' and this and other downloaded songs became a declaration that would see me through many tough times.

SONG
Nothing can prevail
Nothing can prevail
Nothing can prevail when you're standing in the Lord
Nothing can prevail
Nothing can prevail
Nothing can prevail when youre standing in the Lord

Great is His love
Higher than the Heavens
His faithfulness reaches to the clouds
Great is His love
Higher than the heavens
His faithfulness reaches to the clouds

I said….. Nothing can prevail
Nothing can prevail
Nothing can prevail when you're standing in the Lord
Nothing can prevail
Nothing can prevail
Nothing can prevail when you're standing in the Lord

art by Lara

Slide 4…This is exactly what happened with me, the Lord did guard my heart from all the issues I was facing, and I felt the depth of Gods love in a new dimension, and I was able to love God instead of focusing on my feelings of fear, anger, anguish etc. It was like a breath of fresh air, a heavenly fragrance borne on the wings of praise.


Ultimately, I can say that what I received was a Godly exchange, and that was because my burdens were lifted, once I acted in obedience to His word. God has been faithful to His word, He has really 'Perfumed my prayer with praise'

Slide 5

To conclude, I will now share another one of the songs downloaded to me way ahead of my season of torment, that has become a victory song. It is titled "Look at me now'

Look at me now
Look at me now
I'm sporting a beautiful crown
The ashes are blown clean away
Look at me in this place
Look at me by His grace
I'm sporting a beautiful crown

He crowns me with love and compassion
Satisfies me with good deeds
My youth is renewed like the eagles
Im soaring high above the world

Sing…
Higher and higher and higher
Higher and higher and higher
I'm soaring high on eagles wings
I'm sporting a beautiful crown.


Thank you!!!!

Arise shine, Nigeria

In the light of continued Boko Haram bombings and wanton loss of lives, I stand on this word of God by faith.

My prayer for Nigeria is simple and is encapsulated in Isaiah 63.

I love Naija

The titles of the books written and produced locally that i saw on a trip to the Tejuosho Market area, made me think about the way in which we are socialized in this country. It is often said that our behaviour is driven by our large population. I have heard the analogy that we are reacting like rats packed in cages, and therefore it is no wonder we are so aggresive as a default. The rats in various experiments, apparently turned on each other, and started a canibalistic feeding frenzy out of the sheer pressure created by their cramped living quarters. Their hostility to one another became a means of ensuring the survival of the fittest. The results of research into the behaviour of new born male rats and how high levels of testostorone drive them to start trying to eat each other when they are barely out of their mother's womb, is a topic for another day.
My own conclusions from the various experiments and how they relate to Nigerians is that we are very 'dog eat dog' in our approach to life and our actions are akin to the high testostorone induced behaviour of the new born 'male ratties' regardless of our gender.
Even our words of endearment will crack up the most stern faced individual.
'Look at your head like coconut', could be as much an insult as an expression of undying love.
A translation of a yoruba phrase that literally means ' if i slap you, you will instantly have a craving to eat all kinds of foods at once' tells me very clearly that we are graphic and dramatic in our speech and behaviour.
All the foregoing did not prepare me for the book titles i saw at a roadside bookshop, you know; the kind that has winnie the pooh sticker books nestled in any number of cheap, ghastly plastic toys, and all kinds of frightening looking text books targetted at children . The novels didnt inspire confidence either. There were titles like;
'Weep not mother'
'The ugly ones refuse to die'
' Amaka and the sacred fish'
All with suitably hideous illustrations on the book cover. It is food for thought, and fodder for great mirth as well. Ultimately, i can see that these inputs mesh together to unleash a great deal of innovation and entrepreuneural spirit in our country. There are many local champions, and pockets of excellence in almost every shpere of endeavour you can think of. My hope is that eventually, the pockets will spread, and there will be overlaps, and the remaining spaces inbetween will be infinitessimal, and we will have an upsurge of quality standards in this great nation.
So help us God!

AGE OLD WISDOM

When did it ever matter what I think and feel and am?
When?
When will I move my recognition in line with what matters
I came to a place of knowing the revelations of many lies
And the new light stung my eyes like shards of glass

It gave me wisdom of my years and eyes that spoke volumes
Eyes that knew much, had heard much and had seen much
Babbling created white noise that drowned the central truth
Totally masking its importance and diminishing its potency

The white noise is for a time when filters have not yet been
They are the ones for later, advanced models, not yet, not now
It is a smoke screen and a tying down of reasons
Shackled to the ordinary, the explainable
Diminishing the magical, the miraculous
The heavy weight of age old wisdom comes to a new realisation
That what I thought I knew, I do not
And what I thought was certain, is not
Certainty is vain and illusory
She is what we hang on to for comfort
When we need to take courage and step on out
Step on out?

I like that, yes, I like that 

I should step on out
Now that is wisdom

New Year 2014

As 2014 rolled in, I started to reflect on my desires, plans and wishes for the year. In fact, I had been thinking about this for over a month prior to December 31st. 

At the beginning of the previous year 2013, I wrote out a list of elaborate plans which I grouped under key sectors such as;Spiritual,Professional,Personal, Health etc. I wrote down 'next steps', 'action plans' and included all sorts of footnotes. It was a massive brainstorming session. I felt good afterwards, but that feeling was short-lived as I surveyed the long list and instantly got stage fright as it dawned on me what an enormous task lay ahead of me. I actually stuck together several A4 sheets so that I would have everything in one place. There after, a vicious circle began where I attempted to implement my grand plans, came up short, fell into a guilt trip and on and on it went.
At first it seemed like an utterly useless activity! On deeper contemplation, I realised that the excercise had value in that I was able to do a  mental 'clear out' of sorts.

I entered this New Year with only one decision , which is such a contrast to a year ago. In simplifying things, I think I might have got rid of some lurking anxiety and given room to be instructed from above. As a result, I have found myself more focussed, and gaining better clarity as to what my next steps should be. Perhaps after all, the massive brainstorm was indeed part of the route to get here.
The one decision that I made was so simple but yet profound.
It was to be still.
To be still before God is not easy, and requires discipline, and I have discovered that I must keep whispering my new strategy to myself. Being still literally means banishing fear in every shape or form. Fear has its uses, and must be paid attention to in the right context, but really, 99.9% of the time, it is to be stared down and asked to go away.
So far, in two months of being still, there have been positive outcomes. Being still has allowed me to feel the love of God, and to receive it in a refreshing new way. In my stillness I was led to ask for wisdom-oh yeah! Just like Solomon. In my stillness I have discovered un confessed sin, bad attitudes, and hurt that needs healing. This may be the most important decision that I've ever made. I am released into a renewed confidence that I will be led aright and God hears me and speaks to me;because of that, I am strengthened within.

The words of Psalm 131 sprang to mind, I think it speaks very clearly about being still. 

  

National self sabotage...........the broken Nigerian educational system

My shed tears come from some deep place
Spanning back centuries and going forward Millennia
Injustice, lack of knowledge, curtailing of developmental freedoms
Victims of unwitting effects
National self sabotage!
The strategic thinkers, creative and high reasoning leaders of our nation
Literally blighted from the beginning
In their homes, at school, in the environment
A stripping away of vital frameworks for national development
Stamping out, and totally annihilating the possibilities of tomorrow
The ravaging effects of yesteryear must stop
The crying must stop
Young minds must be given the right to grow
No, no no! No more killings
No more strangulated development

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

The beauty of His grace, the power of His love

I have recently been playing around with 'Google sketch up', drawing up my designs of Play ground equipment, and decided to try out my doodles as well. They may look a bit child-like, but i am enjoying trying things out. I just had to draw something to express some of the ideas floating in my head. Afterwards, I looked at it, and thought, that looks so pedestrian! Well, never mind about pedestrian illustrations and my discoveries with a drawing programme, and on to the substantive ideas floating in my head........
. 
I was sitting in a chair inside my room with my back to the window, and I could hear a large bluebottle fly buzzing past my window at top speed, outside, on the other side of the mosquito mesh. I was intrigued that such a loud noise was coming from a small creature, and also the fact that the noise does not come from its mouth! The noise comes from their wings flapping at high speed . It is interesting to note that man takes the credit for having 'invented' all sorts of sophisticated 'rotor blades' that are used in many technology solutions.

The avian family have vocal chords and distinguish themselves with their unique 'bird songs', quite apart from other distinguishing features such as colour, size, shape of beak , feet etc. Giraffes do not have a voice, but they distinguish themselves with their graceful long necks and i think their long eyelashes fringing their beautiful eyes are adorable. Crickets don't actually make a sound from their mouths either but can tune up quite a loud noise , with their own sounds generated from rubbing their wings together. Dogs can hear sounds that are inaudible to the human ear. I don't know why these facts have presented themselves in my mind this morning. It is all a bit random!

However, i observe that the beauty of creation is around us everywhere. Everything has been specially crafted with its own unique design. I know that I am stating the obvious here, but can these things ever be said too often? Can I please appreciate creation and then bow to the master, the creator, the ultimate designer of all time?
Please indulge me.

I believe God's plan in crafting each unique thing is that each one has its own 'voice', each one has been given characteristics and tools with which to express the beauty of how they were created. Each one is given these , and the opportunity to utilise them ultimately to pay back the glory to the one who made them. Each one has the potential to be a reflection of the power of its creator.

No matter the limitations, real or imagined that I have, I am plugged into this idea that I must transcend these and find every possible means of reflecting the beauty of His grace and the power of His love.

So, go ahead, be what God created you to be, join the throng of all creation and distinguish yourself in the ways God intended. Enjoy the knowledge that you are in His purpose.


Let everything that has breath praise The Lord
Psalm 150:6


My own little Psalm of praise.....

I praise you with my voice
With the rushing of breath through my nose 
With the beat of my heart
With the sound of my footsteps

I praise you
With no sound at all
In stillness
I bow
Fear is gone
Your love is near
I bow
And I hear your voice