Heaven sent algebra

8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Mathew 7:8 |NIV

This quotation is one of those written in red which means they are words that Jesus actually said. 

What the tone of this word implies is that we do not get stuff because we were not seeking or asking in the first place. My understanding from this is that I must go after opportunities  in life in general such as in faith, in business,  in building relationships, being a life long learner and in being open to change and risk. I see this quote as a template for living intentionally.

The opposite of this is to remain static and to live a life of thwarted potential. This word literally says I must constantly reach out beyond my comfort zone. In the context of my faith, this is the bedrock of building trust in the one in whom I have believed .

I receive the directives here in the light of other words that Jesus said like:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

And also other words in the Old Testament like:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Scripture references:

Mathew 28:18-20

Joshua 1:9 | NIV

Asking, seeking and knocking has been the basis of my survival for many years and I think God rewarded my effort by pulling me back from the brink of early demise several times. Since surviving life threatening health challenges, I have also employed this strategy in my every day life and I manage the health conditions I am living with by constantly paying attention to what my body is telling me and being acutely aware of any change. I am also a keen observer of trends and symptoms and the triggers . All this sounds like hard work but I am grateful for grace. I am grateful for the grace to build in many of my life sustaining strategies seamlessly  into my life. I am constantly seeking ways to overcome and master. 

I am committed to grabbing the best of what my life has to offer, always willing to learn new skills and refusing absolutely to be ruled by the challenges posed by Myasthenia Gravis and Asthma , both of which I had learnt to manage until the addition of the unpleasant side effects of being on the cancer prevention medication Tamoxifen. 

Initially, the combination of these three things were exponentially overwhelming.  It was a very tough time while my body adjusted, and while I got my psyche in gear to push back and conquer all the emotional and psychological triggers of fear and anxiety that came out of debilitating physical discomfort . Mental focus, and agility, born out of employing battle strategies based on my faith and trust in what my powerful, loving Father God has put within me has made me an overcomer every time.

I am literally walking in the amazing results of following the directive in this scripture and I remain committed to excercising as often as I can, eating healthy, keeping a positive focus and always leaning on 'all the powers of heaven'. 

Journal notes on John 21-THE RESURRECTED KING MAKES A BREAKFAST BARBECUE

In my study this morning, I am taken by the fact that food is an important element in fellowship and the showing of love. Jesus displayed this kind of fellowship to His disciples after He rose from the dead. Amazing how he was still looking out for his disciples, nurturing them and providing for them because God is love!

Inherent in Jesus's nature is the desire to love and provide for His followers. He spoke words to the disciples that were deep and profound, thereby feeding their minds with the substance of what was to come. Enabling them with His spoken word and more or less instructing them and sending them forth. 

He even made them a barbecue breakfast.

What a God!

What a Saviour!

Hebrews 10:38-39 inspired- To whom we belong

Hebrews 10:38-39
"But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back." 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

To whom we belong
Are those who have faith and are saved
We do not shrink back
We stand firm
We believe, we affirm
Every truth in your word
We stand firm
We believe that it is done
We do not shrink back
Because of the one
To whom we belong

To a spacious place

I am grateful Lord

For more things than I can say

You are faithful and loving to me

Breaking down mountains

Raising up valleys

Delivering your loving power to me

I see you in a myriad ways

From the spectacular to the mundane

Lord you reveal yourself

And I am strong in you

I walk tall in victory

Because you are loving

Because you are faithful

Against all odds you have brought me

To a spacious place

Lara Cookey

Joburg

July 2015

Freedom in Christ Jesus

I took off the cloak of fear
It never fitted me well
It was itchy and misshapen
It had shards that hurt me
It hurt me more while taking it off
I got scratched and scuffed
And it struggled with my every move to cast it off
It wounded me with lies that have been told to me
Lies confirmed by my lived experience
Hanging blinkers over my eyes so i cannot see
That the circumstances may be true
But they are not permanent
They do not define who I am
For i am defined by something else
Something embedded in Hebrews eleven
Raise up the blinkers, cut them away
I fix my eyes on the consuming fire of God
Who will burn away all this junk to unrecognizable cinders


Lara Cookey
05 June 2015

Not today

We were sort of in lock down due to the fuel shortages. The weather was hot and humid, there was no electric power and therefore no running water in the taps in our block during the day. Our generator hours had been reduced in order to manage meagre generator fuel resources, and there was zero power from the national grid. I was unwell also, and all compounded to make me feel even worse. In order to distract myself from the circumstances, I decided to pull out a couple of canvases and did some painting. Something I have not done for over thirty years. It was cathartic. So therapeutic that i scarcely noticed the lack of the usual cooling air conditioning. I swerved the effects of the  resultant intolerable heat, by hydrating frequently, and focussing on delicate brush strokes. It was like a drug! 


There was no feeling sorry for myself as I shut down every negative thought , every desire to whinge and whine, and channelled my energies into painting my impressions of God's beautiful creation of flowers and plants. During the time i had brush in hand and acrylic paints  squished on to my palettes, i was just a conduit mirroring the strokes of the master artist that i have waxed lyrical about often on this forum.

I also wrote some poetry, ( or is it prose?), in any case, the title for this post was taken from the title of the poem. I hope you enjoy looking at my paintings as much as i enjoyed painting them. They were inspired by real photographs that i took on my trip to the Bahamas by cruiseship via Miami earlier in the year. One was taken on the Island of St Thomas and the other in St Croix.
Enjoy!

And here is the prose titled 'Not Today'

Not today

Will i dwell in the mind space of fear and pain

Not today

Will i make my shortcomings top of mind

Not today

Will i dwell in the shadow of all that is not well

Not today.

Today i will dwell in the secret place of the most high

Today i will abide under the shadow of the almighty

Today i will plug into all the powers of heaven

And own the facts that are true

That i am fearfully and wonderfully made

That i am the apple of God's eye

That i can do exceedingly abundantly more

That i am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus

Not today

Will the enemy get a foothold

Not today

Because i choose joy

Today i choose faith

Today i choose gratitude beyond measure

Today i choose flight on eagle's wings

Today i walk in the power of all of heaven

I adopt the gait of a conquering hero

Today i take courage

For i am victorious and not a victim

Lara Cookey

30 May 2015

A new day has come for Nigeria

A new day has come for Nigeria
An opportunity for a fresh start
Will this be an era of real change?
A season of moving out of darkness into light?
Will the heart of the president be directed by God
Like a watercourse
In the direction of the right
Attitudes, desires and wishes
That augur well for nation building
That will be centered on serving our needs
When will we maximize our enormous potential?
Will it be today?
When will mindless greed stop?
Will itbe today?
When will pillaging and thievery stop
Will the cry of countless dead souls speak
The crushing and thwarting of children's development
Totally contrary to the laws of survival
Will this be the change we need and hoped for?
Nigeria must rise!
Out of the ashes of mediocrity
Out of self sabotage on a monumental scale
Nigeria must rise!
A new day has come
Let the God of creation
Direct our noble cause
To build a nation where peace and justice reign
Nigeria must rise!


Lara Cookey
30 May 2015
The morning after inauguration day

Happy democracy day

Happy Children's Day!

Happy Children's Day 2015

Play is not wasted time but rather time spent building new knowledge from previous experience

( Wikipedia)

Spectacular display!

 

I was woken this morning
First by the booming sounds of thunder
And then by a spectacular display
Dazzling lights and crackling sounds
God of might!
Displaying His splendour
Displaying His power
The beauty of His creation
Peals of thunder rent the heavens
The earth shuddered
Flashes of lightening
Mega volts of a trillion stars
Like a fire work display
Amped up to the hilt
Awesome, mighty God!
You pour down the rain like a silky garment
The clouds form a canopy
Over the earth's space
I watch in wonder at the power of your might
And the beauty of your creation
I bow, i worship
Lord you are like no other!


After a spectacular thunderstorm
6:30 am
23 May 2015

Discipleship flows

Powerful , practical interpretation of the fruit of the Spirit- a must read

                                

Someone sent this to me and I think it is the most empowering interpretation of Galatians 5:22 that I have come across. I just had to share it.

Go for it!

"If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace." - Max Lucado, from Let the Journey Begin It's a New Day: The Choice is Yours  by Max Lucado, Let the Journey Begin It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met. For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose. I choose love. No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves. I choose joy. I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical... the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God. I choose peace. I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live. I choose patience. I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite Him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage. I choose kindness. I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me. I choose goodness. I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness. I choose faithfulness. Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home. I choose gentleness. Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself. I choose self-control. I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest. ~ When God Whispers Your Name Excerpted with permission from the Let the Journey Begin by Max Lucado, copyright Thomas Nelson 2>Let the Journey Begin by Max Lucado, copyright Thomas Nelson 2015

The master artist

There are so many things
That have been placed here for us 

That reveal the hand of a master artist
Beauty for our eyes to behold
Stunning sunsets and bright full moons
Graceful sea and land creatures
Awe inspiring mountains and hills
Cloudscapes that tell stories
Why have I got into this appreciative mode?
I looked at a floral arrangement
That I made for my coffee table
It reminded me of the rich hues of African batik

See for yourself

Do you not wonder

At the hand that speckled these leaves

That imbued them with varieties

Of shape and colour and form

Do you not wonder

At the majesty of the master artist?

God bless Nigeria, for He can use any king ( president or governor ) to deliver His promises

Hello everyone,
This has been an intense season of campaigning and politicking . With rising fears of impending flashpoints and the uncertainty that they bring, it is not at all surprising that sentiments and emotions have been running high. The tension in the air has weighed heavily on everyone like dark storm clouds about to break. Everyone is waiting to exhale.

Now that the presidential elections are over,we must all rise up and pray assiduously for the leader the people have chosen, whether or not it is the result we hoped for. The enormous task of nation building is still at hand and never more needed. It is the responsibility of both the leader and the led to be intentional about engaging in the kind of thinking that promotes the enormous teamwork that it will take. We all need to get with an ideology that will steer the ship of this great country of ours through the tumultuos, deep waters that form the fabric of our extremely complex inter tribal/political dynamic. 

My prayer and mantra is:

Nigeria must rise! 

In my research into national leadership and the delivery of God's promises to a nation, I focussed on King Cyrus. His reign was characterised by exploits that are a great example that we can learn from. I have reposted part of a well written, detailed  article below for those who may want to read it. It contains severall crucial elements of what a leader can do for a nation and a people when under the guidance of God's hand.

Proverbs 21:1 is my scripture of the moment especially because I have recently been reading Psalm 46. In verses 4 & 5 , there is a beautiful statement which melts my heart each time I read it-

 'a river which makes glad the city of God'. 

The preceding three verses speak to a calamitous situation , or in Naija parlance ' katakata don bost!' 

In my vivid imagination, I picture a river raging and bursting its banks, flowing everywhere causing big 'wahala' and then it becomes calm and flows gently. There is a calm and peace, there is silence as God directs things. The river is the human spirit; the soul , and it goes where it was designed to. ( imaginings all mine) 

 I like what it says later in verse 6 about Nations being in turmoil and the profound impact of the power of The Almighty on a tumultuous situation just by the sound of His voice- 

'the earth melts.'

Following on is another statement expressing God's sovereign power over the affairs of nations, and I have altered it here and appropriated the spirit of the words for Nigeria, especially in a critical time like this.

 

The Lord Almighty is with Nigeria, the God of Jacob is our fortress.

 I think it is important to keep faith and hold on to His word regardless of the facts around us. I speak what I wish to happen here with an assurance that it will come to pass in God's own time
I beleive it. 

Back to Proverbs 21:1 , which I think is particularly relevant to Nigeria because we definitely need a country CEO who's heart is inclined towards serving the people. What we need is a 'shepherd- leader' like the shepherds in biblical times who cared for his flock to the extent that they may risk their lives for the safety of the animals in their care.

I will end my self notes here by bridging psalm 46;4-7 and Proverbs 21:1

So here is my bridge as it came to me today, it puts the right words out there for you and me to focus on and it gives hope. I have found that hope based on the word of God, is never misplaced. It took some twenty years before I got a diagnosis that saved my life. I held on, my family, friends and myself stood on His word,  He did not disappoint us. In due season, my deliverance came. He is the same yesterday , today and forever. 

Psalm 46:4&5 and Proverbs 21:1 ( amalgamation all mine) 

In the Lord's hand is The president of Nigeria's heart ;He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases, and to the river which makes glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within Nigeria, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 
Our Nation has been uproar; He lifts His voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with Nigeria; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Amen and Amen!

What are your thoughts?

Notes on King Cyrus- Culled from www.gotquestions.org

Cyrus is a king mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible and is identified as Cyrus the Great (also Cyrus II or Cyrus the Elder) who reigned over Persia between 539—530 BC. This pagan king is important in Jewish history because it was under his rule that Jews were first allowed to return to Israel after 70 years of captivity.

In one of the most amazing prophecies of the Bible, Isaiah predicts Cyrus’ decree to free the Jews. One hundred fifty years before Cyrus lived, the prophet calls him by name and gives details of Cyrus’ benevolence to the Jews: “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him . . . ‘I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me’” (Isaiah 45:1, 4; see also 41:2-25; 42:6). Evincing His sovereignty over all nations, God says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please” (Isaiah 44:28).

Cyrus’s decree releasing the Jewish people, in fulfillment of prophecy, is recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:22–23: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.”’” Other Old Testament books that mention Cyrus include Ezra and Daniel.

King Cyrus actively assisted the Jews in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem under Ezra and Zerubbabel. Cyrus restored the temple treasures to Jerusalem and allowed building expenses to be paid from the royal treasury (Ezra 1:4–11; 6:4–5). Cyrus’s beneficence helped to restart the temple worship practices that had languished during the 70 years of the Jews’ captivity. Some commentators point to Cyrus’s decree to rebuild Jerusalem as the official beginning of Judaism.

Among the Jews deported from Judah and later placed under the rule of Cyrus include the prophet Daniel. In fact, we are told Daniel served until at least the third year of King Cyrus, approximately 536 BC (Daniel 10:1). That being the case, Daniel likely had some personal involvement in the decree that was made in support of the Jews. The historian Josephussays that Cyrus was informed of the biblical prophecies written about him (Antiquities of the Jews, XI.1.2). The natural person to have shown Cyrus the scrolls was Daniel, a high-ranking official in Persia (Daniel 6:28).

Besides his dealings with the Jews, Cyrus is known for his advancement of human rights, his brilliant military strategy, and his bridging of Eastern and Western cultures. He was a king of tremendous influence and a person God used to help fulfill an important Old Testament prophecy. God’s use of Cyrus as a “shepherd” for His people illustrates the truth of Proverbs 21:1, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.”

Ponder anew, a feature article on Easter by Efena Otobo

This young lady has written an inspiring piece on what Easter means to her in a feature article on the 'it's milk and honey' website. Given that this Easter season is the anniversary of a car accident that has left her with severe spinal injuries and attendant disability, her candour and optimism is a testament to the power of God in her and her strength. Please read Efena Otobo's article at the link below. This is a great way for me to greet you all, Happy Easter !

Enjoy!

http://www.itsmilkandhoney.com/feature-the-easter-phenomenon