A Father's Voice

Mentor Believer

2011-11-26T13:59:00.001-05:00

Whenever we assume good faith, born of good motives and inner security, we appeal to the good in others.
Stephen Covey

People have a desperate need for someone to believe in them. they have hidden potential. desires, dreams, visions, passions, perspectives and graces that could contribute to groups, communities and society at large, but they are lacking that one person that believes enough in them and trusts them enough as an individual to see it released to the world.

The mentor/father is that person that can and would believe in you and accept as someone who has potential and wants to express it.
My mentor that influenced my life, always believed in me and with his his usual positive approach to life and his belief in those he mentored, would encourage me to release my potential and be who I am called in this life to be.
Even on my last conversation with him before he passed away, he last words to me were: " I believe in you!" I had just shared a dream, an idea with him, that I believed had the potential to affect peoples lives, and as he always did assumed my best motives and believed I could apply my best to the project.

It always exerts a tremendous influence on your life when someone believes in you.

But mentor/father if you are in the habit of labelling, criticizing, judging and profiling a mentee you will ensure their dependence on you, their constant need for affirmation, their lack of initiative, and them never reaching their God-given potential.
This is all because generally speaking, of your own personal insecurity, frustration, and dependence on external appearances, status symbols, positions and achievements. Is it possible that you do not believe in your own potential and the influence you can exert on this persons life? Or is it because you secretly do not want your mentee to be or do better than you? Are you afraid of the possible outcome of them rising to the best they can be?

There will be those that take advantage of you but that shouldn't be the excuse to press everyone down, keeping them under and never allowing them to rise to the place you believe they can be and treat them accordingly.

Another mentor that I journeyed with on the other hand, was so insecure that he would reject any if they would not or could not stay within his determined framework for them, which most of the time was beneath him so he could feel better about himself. By profiling and manipulative words he mastered the art of reducing people and making them feel they are doing their best.
this kind of behaviour and habit as a mentor is just the kind of action that keeps individuals small, inferior and less than their best. It has an influence but the wrong kind, taking the mentee in the opposite direction for their lives.

Mentor/fathers be a powerful influence in the lives of mentees and believe in them, assume the best of them, seek out and nourish the dormant potential in them and make a huge contribution the wave of next generation leaders.

The Mentors Integrity

2011-11-23T06:47:00.001-05:00

Instructors instruct andteach;
Trainers train

But
Mentor/fathers influence bybeing an example, by building relationship, by wise counsel and guidance andcoaching.

Mentor/fathers know it is avital habit to be individuals of absolute integrity.

Our ability to make and keep promises is one measure of faith inourselves and of our integrity.
Stephen Covey.

Integrity means I keep mycommitments to myself and to others.
It means I live true to my ownpersonal values and principles.
Of course, it stands to reasonthese must have a foundation in principles that are grounded in that which addsvalues to my personal life and the lives of those around me.
It means I live an authenticlife from within my own personal leadership and then also staying true to thecommitments and promises I make to others.

For us to grow and for us tokeep progressing it will always be necessary to commit to resolves and to makepromises, but never make a promise you are not prepared and able to keep andfulfil.
Only then can others/ menteestrust us to keep our word and stay true to who we are and what we are committedto.

Do not promise what you knowyou will falter on.

Fathers this is a biggie.

When you make promises you donot keep, not only have you devastated a little persona expectation, but youhave also subtracted a little more trust from your relationship, and left yourheart insecure within yourself – you cannot trust yourself.
This is not even to mentionwhat blatant lieing will do to a relationship and your own heart.

Well, the fact of the matteris, if you do not keep your word and your resolve you have lied to yourself andto the other person.
Every relationship is built ona delicate foundation of trust, which comes from a a life of integrity.
This trust then builds andgives expression through communication.
No trust, no communication.
No integrity, no trust.

It is a tremendous influenceto your mentee, when you believe in yourself and show the confidence that comesfrom this internal integrity.

But also when you are known asa person that keeps your word
and who fulfills yourcommitments, finishes your tasks and can be depended on.

Good intentions account fornothing when those intentions are not complimented with actions of integrity.
I have sat with influentialmen who have flat out lied about their motive and give altered accounts ofincidents to flower them or to deceive so as to avoid scrutiny.
And then again I haveencountered individuals who have down right lied by making exorbitant claimsand promises that they could not or never intended to fulfil.

How do you rate you integrity?
Do you keep your personalcommitments to yourself?
Is your word your bond?
Are you known as someone whocan be depended on?
Are you building trust in yourrelationships through being authentic and building trust into thoserelationships?
Can your mentees trust you?

What Do You Have, Mentor?

2011-08-31T07:36:00.002-04:00

As a mentor/father you need a conscious knowing of, and confidence in, your value and worth internally. Many people and mentors do not really know what they value and why. Without this intrinsic confident self-awareness, you cannot deal with others in a relationship with security and assurance.

If you do not know and have a deep sense of knowing your value, your worth, and secure contentment with who you are, you cannot convey and impart it to another.

But to do that you also have to be able to distinguish between the behaviour and the individual.

Let’s look at ourselves:

If we are constantly putting ourselves down with self-talk, bemoaning our failures, afraid of taking initiatives, still trying to prove ourselves, needing recognition, and have an inner sense of discord and discontent – you can be sure we are weak and insecure and will try to manipulate and control our environment. We will never feel “good enough”, strong enough, and confident enough.

If we are comparing ourselves with others and belittling ourselves because of our weaknesses, we will always be attaching our value and worth to our action, accomplishments, and behaviour.

Now the same applies to the mentee. Even though bad behaviour and weak character traits need to be confronted and dealt with, change can only begin from the inside out.

First there needs to be an investment and communication and acknowledgement of the individuals worth and value.

When I begin a mentoring process with an individual, I begin with a values discovery assessment. Because I know that to change anything in their life, they will need a secure confident knowledge of who they are, what they believe in, and what is important to them.

Of course, mostly, they want to get straight to what we can do now to make everything better and right. Fix my marriage NOW! Fix my life NOW!

The same goes for mentors or individuals that want to mentor others. If they are unaware of the value of who they are, they will rather judge and measure (regardless of how confident they may make themselves out to be) the mentee or others, by their character and behaviour.

Bring out the best in the person by believing in their potential as an individual, apart from their behaviour.

Always think inside-out!

I have noticed over the years how leaders who have little self-belief and self-worth will for the most part, demand action, right behaviour, strict adherence, loyalty, and proper treatment, thinking that these will produce the best results. When the persons who have been built up intrinsically with a conscious sense of strength in the inner man, value that has potential, security in their worth, and real self-esteem, will ultimately, with initiative, produce the best quality, and be on a path of continuous improvement.

Inspire their best – build their inner person.

I Can’t Talk to My Mentor!

2011-08-29T07:31:00.003-04:00

Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.
Samuel Johnson

Mentor/Father, you are going to need a good dose of perseverance to influence mentee’s (or children or others).

Perseverance is the ability to be patient and restful with another when everything around you is screaming for attention.

Often we find ourselves in times of stress and anguish, reacting to people in our lives with hasty anger and punishment in one form or another, without having given them the time to communicate with us what they are experiencing.

“Don’t bug me!” is sometimes the message we convey by our intolerance and short snide response to an enquiry or when they show a lack of keeping up with us. Patient perseverance involves a refusal to retaliate, a refusal to be overwhelmed, to permit my demeanour toward a mentee, to be affected by my surroundings.

We may say the wrong thing or become sarcastic when we are stressed and impatient. Or we just refuse to communicate and rather communicate a sulky attitude – “I will punish and show you!” attitude.

Basically, we reject the person and remove them from our space, by the defence mechanisms of our emotions. The result is, more than likely, going to be withdrawal and even despair from the mentee. It will breed a lack of trust, feelings of inferiority, counter dependence, inadequacy, and low self-esteem.

Bear in mind, that if you are doing it once, then you are doing it in other forms on most occasions as well.

Perseverance is a state of character and heart that is a characteristic and discipline actively part of your make–up as a mentor/father, but also as a mature human being.

It means being able to be merciful under even extreme pressure. It is not a passive resignation, but a conscious knowledge that everyone is on a journey. That everyone has the need to be significant and accepted and loved and acknowledged.

It means to exercise understanding and patience toward others, to be merciful. It means we have self-restraint before moving to any form action.

The result is giving the mentee, the sense of being accepted and important, conveying by our attitude and demeanour, that they are valuable.

One man that I viewed as a mentor, never seemed to have time for me. Always, always, he would have some excuse or other that there was a pressing need that didn’t allow him to listen, understand or spend any time with me. People around me who would witness these encounters would ask why he was rejecting me like this. That is exactly what it is – rejection.

I have learnt that even though I may be busy or not agree with the individual, but having an empathetic attitude of interest and genuine perseverance, allowed me to influence them so that they trust and receive from me, not for any accomplishments, but for the fact that I made time to listen, understand and accept them.

Over the years I have seen and experienced so many leaders that do the same. If it’s an inconvenient time, say so, but give the mentee or person, an alternative, to show and impart a sense of their value and uniqueness.

Do you have time for people? Ever?

When you do is it always on your terms?

Are your relationships suffering because you don’t have time for significant and insignificant others in your life?

Is it irritating, or do you take time, to listen to their feelings and experiences?

Are people around you sensitive and removed because of your harsh, closed, I’m-not-interested attitude toward them?

Or do others feel you are approachable, interested and involved in who they are what they are going through, and what insights they have to offer?

Guard The Tongue.

2011-08-26T11:08:00.001-04:00

Courage is the quality of every quality at its highest testing point.

Stephen Covey

Guarding what you say and how you say it takes tremendous courage and self control.

Derogatory or negative words can inflict wounds beyond anything we could physically do to a person. Words last longer, go deeper, and influence than we sometimes can imagine.

Some people take great delight in boasting about their ability to tell someone off, putting others in their place, sarcastically bring them down to size and tell them exactly how 'they feel' about them.

But the Bible says:

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in WHAT HE SAYS, he is a perfect man, able to keep HIS WHOLE BODY in check. James 3.2

Perfect here is not, as in, never a fault, but rather a mature, fully grown up person. Someone who is emotionally mature enough to keep themselves in control, even as a mentor(verse 1).

Isn't that amazing?

Keep your tongue in check and controlled and you keep your whole body bridled or mastered.

Weighing your words before speaking, especially when you are stressed, under pressure, tired, frustrated, and irritated, takes tremendous self-discipline. But this could mean the difference in destroying someone's life and purpose, or at least inflicting wounds that create callous insensitive hearts or an mentee that does the same to others.

You must be a reference point, a model, an example of someone who can guard their words so that you do not react to situations, without a self-discipline or self-control.

Much can be said about the power of words to build, encourage, acknowledge, love, and empathise with another person, or to tear down, wound, destroy, break down, discourage, manipulate and divide from another person.

But really the idea here is that we see the vital place of making control of or tongue a habit and behaviour that we can live as mentor/fathers, to be seen by those we mentor and father.

Do you think before you speak?

Or do you mouth off and then regret what you have said afterwards, if at all?

How measured are your words?

Do you personally have mastery in this habit, this element?

Can you honestly say, under all conditions, that you are able to choose your words and not react with negative words?

Are you in the habit of building people with your words?

Please! Your Habits, Mentor!

2011-08-24T11:08:00.000-04:00

Over the years, my encounters and journeys with various mentors have taught me some things to do and some things not to do.

My own journey as a mentor/father has allowed me to discover what I should do and model and what I shouldn't do and model.

Either way, as a mentor/father there are certain elements that allow you to influence and mould your mentee/child.

What I found over the years was that I am by no means perfect and definitely needed reminding about these fundamental actions and habits in my life and relationships wherever I am.

You see, its not the great big things we do that matter in the long run, its the basic elements we can habitually exercise in our dealings with those we mentor every day. Whether I am in business, ministry, a father, a friend, disciple, spouse or dealing with people, these fundamentals need to be part of my behaviour and personal make-up.

Even though as mentor/father you are not a failure if these things are not always there in your lives, but from my experience, they will affect the outcomes of your mentoring.

And definitely will affect how you feel about yourself. Your own self esteem as a mentor/father.

Developing mentee's is an outcome of what you live, how you relate, and what you instruct.

As a mentee on a journey, I never looked for perfection in a mentor/father but for some basics that would assist me in my own change of paradigms. Someone who could and would model and be a reference point for what it was that would be my own purpose and destiny.

Mentor/fathers are so important for the honing of the life skills necessary as a leader and successful individual. When we look around us in the professional and personal world, in politics and church, we can see the need for the deep shaping of character based on the right values and principles modelled by mentor/fathers par excellence.

Its easy to command, demand and instruct but another thing to invest and develop and guide a person to a fruitful and effective life, in every area.

The key here is the fundamental personal elements that can be modelled and passed onto them, shaping their paradigm and view of the world and their behaviour in interacting with others,

but if you cannot master these and infuse them into your behaviour and relationships – what will you be producing in your mentor mentee relationships?

What strengths or weaknesses are you likely modelling?
Do you exercise self-control in your habits?
How are your relationships? Friction? Don't get on with people? Inconsiderate?
Are you what you teach and instruct?
Do you try and impose a rigid standard or do you influence by being an example?

In the next posts we will look at these in more detail.

Til next time.

Hey Mentor Are You Hearing Me?

2011-08-16T16:20:00.000-04:00

It is such a privilege to sit with a mentor/father and hear their insights, stories of their experiences, their wisdom and to receive their input on issues that you may be facing.
But there are just those times when you wish you could share your heart and soul with them.
Mentor/Fathers have to learn to listen, to listen to understand, to hear the paradigm of the mentee.
It is a skill that mentors should bring to the relationship from day one.
It is a skill because most have a 'sell and tell' focus. (As my friend always says)
They feel that regardless of what you have to say, they have the answer anyway, and generally cannot wait for you to finish speaking so they tell you how it really is. (Did this one too!)

Listening, really listening with your heart
Develops trust
Helps you to understand the mentee
Eliminates assumptions
Creates the opportunity to share what the mentee needs
It is the beginning of a paradigm shift
Opens the door for more intimate future encounters
It inspires creativity

When you don't listen first, you really create an environment for assumptions, misunderstandings, suspicion, and disappointments.
Simply because you may be hearing enough for you to think you have the solution, and you begin to speak from your own paradigm and the danger is you could be imposing something on the mentee that he/she doesn't need or want.
The result will be that they will 'swith off' somewhere in the rhetoric thinking they don't know me and don't want to.

Is there room to give your input as mentor/father?
Definitely!
But the key is to be an empathetic listener - first.
When the mentee, believes you are prepared to listen and understand where they are coming from and what they are trying to say and why they are saying it, they will be prepared to listen to your view - your values and principles.

The Bible talks about being "quick to hear and slow to speak".
There may come a time when you will have to guide the conversation so that what is being shared is constructive and reaching a point of insight and reflection; where the mentee can begin to understand their own paradigm and make the shifts necessary or strengthen and be aware of what they haven't discovered about themselves and their paradigms yet.

Mentor/father, it takes discipline and perseverance to acquire this essential skill.

Build deeper relationships with your mentees
Reveal your wisdom
Make your counsel available
Be a trusted friend

Mentor: You Are Not Needed

2011-05-03T06:17:00.000-04:00

As a mentor/father you do not have all wisdom, all knowledge or all the revelation required.

I stressedso much trying to have the answers for every question, for every shortcoming and mistake from the mentee's. But in raising my own children I soon realised its not having all the answers that is required. In fact, its an insecure leader that needs everyone to chase after them, requiring them to have all the 'counsel' for their young lives and leadership. Rather, it is a true leader mentor/father that has the wisdom to guide the mentee into an understanding of their own ability to choose, to decide and listen to the dictates of their own conscience.

Many say they do, but their imposing rules, laws and conditions testify to a different condition and purpose altogether. Yes, there needs to be a set of guidlines, principles and boundaries for the relationship to operate in. Yes there needs to consequences to wrong behaviour. Yes there needs to corrections and disciplines.
But Are we not creating an emotional dependency on us, in a sense a CO-dependency through our needing the mentee "needing" us, and them never reaching the place where they do not need us.

A mentor oncesaid to me, "Why are these people not seeking my counsel, my wisdom? Don't they realise I am the one skilled in these things?". Hearing this, I wondered what it was that HE needed or though he needed. Was it not possible that they DID NOT need him right then? That if he had rather spent his time and energies investing in the relationships and providing acceptance, unconditional love, patient undestanding of where they were in the season of their lives, they would, when needed, seek his input, wisdom and counsel?

My own sons still call me and ask my input on various subjects and issues in their lives. Its such a privilege!
Yet, as I have always been, very sensitive to 'guide', rather than direct, to coach by helping them investigate the options, rather than impose my own personal idea and agenda.

Mentees and children more than anything desire and seek acceptance, and sometimes without them realising it, the opportunity to be educated in, listening and obeying the voice of their own heart, conscience and what flows out of their own character
Release them to hear and act upon the voice of God within them.
Allow them to take the initiative of their lives.
Have the strength of character to NOT be needed all the time, and it will take strength.
But be close by to give the needed acceptance, support when they miss it, affirmation and approval in their decisions and choices.
Believe in them, even when you think it should be handled differently, remembering its not your life and journey but theirs.

Mentors Live What You Teach

2011-04-30T09:48:00.000-04:00

A few years back, I submitted myself to a Mentor/Father, but unfortunately he had agendas that I was not aware of that in the long run cost me dearly.

People would ask very suspiciously why I would even have considered the relationship. Understanding the dynamics of the mentor -mentee relationship is hard to explain when you have not been there and when you get caught in the web- that place of deception and control.

I was given a series of teaching by another mentor in my life and when I listened, I was so inspired within, because it was what I knew to be true and knew I needed. You see, as a young minister and leader I was still struggling so much with insecurity and wanting to do it right. my heart had always been to preach and teach God's Word and see the church and people come to their full potential and 'learn' to know the Lord in a deeper dimension by knowing the Word. My wife and sat under some of the best teachers in the world and sensed the calling of God to take it to the world. We were so excited. We had worked with young people and children and had shared at numerous church camps, youth retreats, crusades and campaigns. We had taught and overseen our own cell group which had grown, we even had planted a little church that didn't do too well.

But when it came down to it, the second church we planted grew and we were excited about those coming to fellowship us. I sought out men who I thought could help me with leadership, of myself and others. In retrospect I can see they probably didn't know much either, because I went from "If you want to relate to me, you have to relate to my organisation" to outright rejection when I didn't do it their way. the stuff I ended up being scripted in was not always beneficial and left me still with a vacuum in my leadership and in who I was.

Of course the instructors wanted me to 'come under' so they claim something of how many they have 'under' them. But that was not my heart.

Where were the mentor-fathers who at their cost of their own lives would be prepared to take you under their wing , with no agenda and share their lives and experience with you.

Everybody had their own idea and basically really knew.

I then heard the message about the pastor and his father that I shared about earlier in this series, and I saw it, I saw what was needed. But as I began to share it with others, boy, did I ever get rejected again.

Fast forward to the day I receive the set of tapes with teachings regarding what needs to happen in the church and I believed I had encountered an Apostolic Father. I listened day and night and studied the word for myself. I pursued and tried to associate as much as possible, believing that here would be a father that could assist me with my leadership and shortfalls. But Oh was I ever so wrong!

Unfortunately, slowly but surely I began to discover that what I was hearing and what I heard was not what was being lived. the actions of the 'mentor-father' did not line up with their instruction. IT WASN'T REAL!

I was devastated, and it left me disappointed and disillusioned. But even more it left me wiser. Even though in the lesson of control, manipulation and all the pain, trauma and devastation, it cost me everything I had - even my purpose, my vision, and my sense of self esteem I was Wiser because I now had been to the jaws of and belly of control by a very insecure leader who could teach but not live what he taught. Leaving a trail of broken, disillusioned and robbed leaders behind him.

It was only by the grace of God that I was released from this, and found my freedom that comes through the gospel of truth.

We have to learn, as mentor fathers to be real and live what we believe, because that is what our disciples/mentees will emulate.

Do not teach what you do not do.

Be real, be transparent.

Do not let your insecurities control you.(or others)

Always, always keep in perspective that the child/mentee's full potential is the agenda not your fame and ego.

Seek their liberty as leaders, that they may come into the place of independence and inter-dependence, rather than the immature emotional state of counter- and co-dependence.

Research Survey: For Break Out Event

2011-04-28T13:26:00.001-04:00

As an accredited Mentor/Business Coach and pastor/teacher for many years I have counselled and assisted many individuals and groups with various areas of victorious and successful living with a focus on living with integrity from the heart basing their lifestyle on the principles of the Word of God.

I have sensed for some time that the Lord has been prompting me to 'minister' to the market place and invest into the "church" outside the 4 walls, with mentoring/coaching and training to encourage and equip for their ministry, calling and function.

I am working on some programs that I believe will be a blessing but I need your assistance.

First off, if you could complete this online survey, it would greatly assist me to assess what the prevalent needs and issues and concerns are in the market place, and thereby offer the right information and direction and guidance to those I will minister to.

Survey Here with SurveyMonkey

And secondly, if you could ask others to also complete, that would really be great.
It is on my wall on FaceBook as well, but I need as many as possible so as to ascertain the best possible reflection and measure of the "need" in people's lives.

Thirdly, we will be launching our new and revitalised w/shop and event with mentoring and coaching; watch this space.

Thank you so much for helping with this, I really appreciate.

Survey here with SurveyMonkey

Taking Your Authority Too Far

2011-04-22T11:39:00.001-04:00

There are few things is this earth as powerful as spiritual authority.

As a mentor you function in an authority that gives you tremendous influence over those you mentor. It therefore has to be taken very seriously and as Jesus said it should be handled as someone who deems themselves a servants and last of all. Not as those who exercise authority and as those who lord it over others, especially those they lead, mentor and father.
I believe mentoring/fathering gives you a God-given authority in the life of those you mentor that has deep spiritual dimensions, especially if you are a 'spiritual' mentor. Now the abuse of this authority and influence through the vehicles of manipulation and control and intimidation, leave those in our care dis-empowered and traumatised.

They are constantly in the battle of their minds, trying to understand and get to grips with whether they are wrong or whether they are right.

An abuse of spiritual authority is in all reality witchcraft!

It very frequently and mostly goes hand in hand with a spirit of deception. The deception leaves those in your charge unable to discern what is actually is going on, and even when they do sense that something maybe 'wrong', they are too afraid and intimidated to make a decision because they are so dis-empowered that they think and believe that it has to be them that are wrong because they MUST submit.

Not many understand this level of control, unless you have been there yourself and escaped and found your God-given liberty and freedom by knowing and walking in the truth.

Abuse of any form, kind or fashion is evil and is a manifestation of witchcraft, even when found in the church. And they all have a spiritual dimension that forms a web in the mind and goes hand in hand with a spirit of deception.

But the control and abuse exercised by spiritual leaders and authorities, goes far deeper and leaves the victim by far more scarred and with effects that take longer to overcome. I believe this is because of the level of trust and intimacy of relationship that forms and takes place in this relationship.
At times it can be as bad as not trusting anyone or discussing anything with anyone because it may get shared with the 'leader'. To very extreme cases you will whisper to the closest person to you just in case it may overheard.

Does this sound extreme?

You will find yourself in a situation where you want to "get out" but cannot, because of fear - not a physical threat of life, but just an intimidation; a fear of displeasing, of doing it wrong, of missing the way, and of being rejected.
To those that have been there and experienced this, it is a very real and indescribable place. Unless someone has been there it is hard to explain and put in to words. Yet as a victim, you suffer the anguish of accusation by association, judgement, suspicion, criticism, and blame. You are placed in a'box' labeled, and viewed as 'damaged' goods.

Yet those have experienced and been traumatised by the abuse of spiritual and other authority, and survived will be so much more sensitive to the feelings of others, recognising the signs and outcomes of such illegitimate authority. Misunderstood, but certainly stronger.

Its a fine line to walk as a mentor/father. My challenge is always to those that have this privilege to walk circumspectly and soberly in the role God has given you as a mentor and father, whether to one or many.

Err rather on the side of too little than too much!
Never, never violate the ability of the mentee to hear and obey the unction within their own heart.
Die to your own ideals, agendas, personal convictions and tendency to label the mentee.
Be unconditional in the relationship and the process of the mentoring.
Never, never take advantage of the relationship, even if the opportunity is staring you in the face- your integrity is at stake!!
Repent of and avoid any form of control and manipulation at its slightest inclination in your life and leadership.

A Friend In Need

2011-04-15T16:56:00.000-04:00

Jesus said: Greater love has no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Friend can be defined as :
Noun: A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

As Mentor/Fathers we have the privilege of BE-friending our children/mentees; of getting to know them and developing a bond of affection. I believe this bond carries some guiding principles that will build and develop the relationship.

Number 1:
It should never, never be violated. Trust is a precious commodity that is given to us by those we lead and mentor/father. When we violate this very basic and foundational building block of relationship we harm the potential of the mentee to interact with others in the future.

Number2:
Carry this bond in the integrity of your own heart. Its always hard to recover from the harmful effects of betrayal. Let them know, but also show them that you can be trusted and depended on in the relationship.

Number 3:
Give them a chance to express who they are and how they see their world. Don't ever presume to know everything and impose your view on them all the time. You may not agree but when your mentee/child sees you are willing to and do understand them, they will be far n more willing to listen and understand you.

Number 4:
Recognise the mentee does not 'need' you all the time. In fact, they need to learn to listen their own conscience and voice of the inner man. But they do need you to be a friend who gives them support and acceptance. That at times can be communicating with each other, and other times just being together.

The harder we try to be 'superior' in some way, the less intimacy of friendship we will experience, but as we share our life and heart, purpose and they know we see them as the agenda of our time, the more we will experience their love and respect.

Be a good friend to those who are given to you and see your influence, and person grow.

The Love of a Mentor Father

2011-04-12T16:39:00.001-04:00

Mentor Fathers understand the concept of UN-conditional love.

It takes unconditional love to bring out life in those we love. When we as fathers and mentors attach conditions we in fact place limits, strings and conditions that will control and manipulate and ultimately control those we 'love'.
I have somehow been aware of this principle but never quite could explain it, until I recently read something along these lines that made me so much more aware of how this works.

When we love our children and those we mentor without condition they will learn to understand life ie. how to interact with secuirty and true identity. They will walk in an assurance and confidence of who they are because they will sense they do not 'have to' conform to some conditional expectation that we hold over them. They will never share their heart with you and certainly will not trust that you have their best interests at heart.

Why?

Because really they do not have the liberty to 'hear' the voice of their conscience; the voice of their inner man, to guide them to making decisions for themselves, taking responsibility to take the initiative for their own lives.
True mentoring will always empower the mentee, the child, to the power of obeying their own conscience.

Many mentor/fathers have said to me that there is no "expectation".

But do you know that expectation can be implicit or explicit.
Implicit when I have expectations but do not share them, you can however feel them and sense they are there, and know that if you do not meet them, there will some form of punishment or consequence. Explicit when they are shared and made clear in the relationship and therefore can be measured and agreed to by both parties.

The implicit one is the one that goes with the love given with condition..

I have discovered this one many times. Even when the person or organisation says there are none and may not even be aware there is expectations, they none the less, with their culture and way of doing things, expect you to conform; at times even obligate you to conform. And God help you when you do not.

One thing I can say about the man God used to mentor/father me was he never had a condition or an expectation upon me. I never sensed anything like I needed to be like him or had to act a certain way or attend certain formalities. He just always encouraged me to pursue the relationship, and made it easy to do that with his acceptance and love for me. Yet I earnestly desired to the right thing always and sought his guidance and correction for my life.

But boy on the other end of the stick, I have had men (of God) reject me because I didn't or couldn't or perceived to not want to do it their way. Even when I pursued their relationship.

The unfortunate thing is that when we make our love conditional, the object of our love begins to work so hard at trying to prove that they have value and identity without our acceptance that in fact they do not follow the dictates of their inner man and stay in an immature state. We then arrogantly begin to criticize them for their rebellious -ness, and all simply because they are back-peddling from our 'conditions' of love.

Mentees/disciples/children/followers are desperate for unconditional love and acceptance. It does not mean we do not confront or correct or set boundaries for our relationships and their lives. But understand discipline is different to punishment for not conforming to our implicit conditions that we lay upon them for receiving our love and acceptance.

Search your heart today,
Are you loving your children regardless of their decisions and choices in ,life?
Do you constantly have your own idea or dream that you want to impose because you feel that is best for them?
Do you manipulate those you lead to get them to conform to your view and do they have to 'work' for your love?

Don't say you love unless you love UN-conditionally!!

Growth and Maturity Continued

2010-07-23T08:27:00.002-04:00

1 Thess 2: 11
For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory.

My initial experience in the ministry, was that 'instructors' tend to focus more on their legacies , on the vision of their ministry, on results and achievements for the gospel. i say this a bit tongue in cheek probably because of the negative connotations this had for me, but I'm very sure every 'instructor' is sincere and pure in motive of what their purpose is.

I discovered that many men and sons of God are desperately (knowingly or unknowingly) searching for the fathering that a mentor-father can give and needs to give. I needed it but couldn't not find it until much later. What I am trying to highlight is the need for this powerful quality.

Paul says in 1 Cor 4:15 "Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, ..."

Guardian originally referred to the slave who was responsible who was responsible for the child's early education in conduct. It would be an instructor or supervisor. One who takes care of the early stages of growth for understanding of the ways and conduct necessary in the house. But they did not and could not seal with the seals of a father.By what Paul indicates it's obvious these instructor types abound. But the mentor-fathers are scarce, or rather are not quite so prolific.

From the verse in Thessalonians we see there are 3 areas that mentor-fathers contribute to their sons:
1. encouraging
2. comforting
3. urging

Encouraging means we contribute counsel, aid, help, to exhort, with the purpose of producing an intended outcome.
It's always for the purpose of strengthening and establishing the individual, not for our own benefit. It could include even correction or admonition.It could be a stronger plea to the person even than to beg. To appeal to.

Comforting: Comes from a combination of words. alongside and mythos - telling stories. We are to come alongside with comforting stories of victory and inspiration and miracles so the son or child or believer can get comfort and motivation from what happened to those before us.

Urging: To affirm, validate, confirm positively, and establish as true, attest, declare. To drive forward onward and impel, entreat earnestly and repeatedly,To advocate earnestly the doing, consideration, or approval of; and press for, to stimulate; excite, to exert an impelling force; push vigorously.

Can you see the vital need to bring these components into our mentor-fathering so that the mentee, child, son, believer begins to live in the way that is required of them. This is not a small responsibility. Its not about your perfection, its not about being too demanding, its not about too much responsibility, its not even about being too religious - No! This is about fulfilling the call to be mentor-fathers in the earth and raise up a generation of sons who live for God as God's sons.

Measure yourself on scale of 1 to 10, 10 being dong great and 1 not so great:
Do I as a father/leader/male

Encourage 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Comfort 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Urge 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Where would you like to be a year from now?
Where are the biggest gaps?
What can you do immediately to begin to correct this gap?

Please write me and let me know how you are doing and how you would like to do and maybe correct some disparities.

Allowing The Power of an Opinion

2010-07-21T06:07:00.008-04:00

One thing I had to learn during this time of transition and change was that for son's/children/mentee's to grow they needed a platform of expression.

I began my fathering with a idea that 'children' were meant to be seen and not heard. Of course I learnt that from my parents and others that came from the same culture. But I soon learnt that the Heavenly Father loves our honesty and wants us to express our hearts before Him.

Hey the Lord is not surprised by your opinions and utterances. He knows your heart before you do. Who knows the thoughts of man better than the spirit that is in man (1 Cor2:11). And yet He allows us to be who we are because He made us this way. Don't we try and mold people to our way because that's the way it has always been done before?

Someone taught me this principle: Consider all the facts; Make a single-minded decision; And settle it with finality; And live with consequences.

I began to teach my children and others around me this principle. because as we deliberate and halt between 2 opinions or places, we are double-minded and inactive and passive and the book of James tells us we are unstable in ALL our ways. We need to learn to make a single-minded decision and learn that decisions have consequences.

So, as part of their maturing, I began to allow my children to 'speak their mind' as such;to share the perspective in things, topics; to make their own decisions about things, but advising them to consider the consequences. I even found I had been taking the power to grow away from the members of our church by not allowing them to decide for themselves what God's will was for them. I would have my own agenda and idea of what they 'needed' and what was the Lord's will for them. Shame on me!

Empowering, growth, maturity means that we are allowed the responsibility of making the choices that affect and influence our destinies.

Have you noticed that in the book of Acts we told things happened but we are never given a 5 or 10 point plan or instruction on how to do the same thing. I believe it's because the Holy spirit wanted us to 'find' our what works for us; to make the decisions and choices that would bring about the same Holy Spirit inspired results.
Have you noticed how the Heavenly Father never 'forces' or coerces you to do something but says:"I set before you.. Choose, that you may live".

It takes patience and maturity on behalf of the father-mentor to 'listen' to the mentee and not constantly want to direct him. I had to deal with that in my own heart over and over. As a mentor-father are there times to guide and direct? Absolutely! But we should always have the mentee's/child's/son's maturity and empowerment in mind.

Responsibility is part of growth.

And the Journey Continues: Growth and Maturity

2010-07-10T16:25:00.004-04:00

My encounter with the Heavenly Father as father and dealing with the sense of lack, I had felt in my own heart, now led me to ask what my responsibilities were as a man, mentor and father.

There were men around me and I knew that my responsibility to them ran deeper than just being a minister or preacher.

Col 1:27-29 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

These few scriptures revolutionized my thinking. Paul states that his focus was to warn and teach every single man, to present every one mature, grown up, and complete.
This was is work, his labour; striving according to the energy the Lord worked in him powerfully.

Interestingly, the word striving means to contend, struggle, and labour intensely.

How on earth was I going to do this? Fortunately, at that stage, many of the men in the ministry with me and I had a fairly good relationship, but I needed to take it to another level, so that we could begin to journey at a different level.
It really would be about family. The difficulty was that I was still functioning and viewing most of what I would do through a wrong mentality for what was required of me.

Much of what I instruct to be out-of-balance thinking today, I did back then. I certainly said some totally unnecessary things and certainly had some unrighteous attitudes. But the Lord was gracious to me and so were many of my friends.
What a learning curve!

I committed and stepped out. Now I saw that it wasn't just about sharing or instructing and encouraging the 'sons', but also an element of correction and discipline. But here was the problem, I was totally intimidated and felt what happens if I am wrong.

Mentoring meant I had to get off my little soap box and begin to listen and understand and allow my friends to come into their completion and season of maturity.
Even though I had always wanted that for them, their maturity I mean, it now revealed my insecurity to actually see it fulfilled. Hey I enjoyed and needed everyone needing me and depending on me to guide them in what was 'necessary' for them. Really no-one could actually do what they thought was the direction and leading of the Lord for them, rather I would imply what it was they needed to do.

OK, so I am embarrassed about it now. But how many fathers in the natural still treat their children like that? We want them depend on us and we will make their decisions for them and always be telling them what to do. They have no room for growth and maturing by being allowed to make their decisions and living with the consequences; while being mentored by their mentor-father.

The only problem is that we keep them immature and unable to 'think for themselves.

I realised I had to fulfill my responsibilities, but boy it was going to take an enormous amount of growth and maturing of my own.

When was the last time you reviewed your responsibilities as a mentor-father?
Are you focused on your children's growth and maturity?
What do you have to deal with for your own growth?

New Dimensions

2009-10-06T03:42:00.000-04:00

There is another dimension to fathering.

The term used is “spiritual fathers”.

When the term is used for many it immediately creates vivid images that are off-putting. Others would swear by the power of the God-given gift of spiritual fathering.

Unfortunately, both are true, having been experienced by many.

What are spiritual fathers?

The revelation has been given by the Holy Spirit to the church of Jesus Christ. It is solid and necessary.
Spiritual fathers are those graced by the Lord Jesus, to manifest the Heavenly Father, to the church.
Jesus said: “If have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”

Jesus did not coming proclaiming He is the Father, but the Son, of the Father. He always directed the disciples to the Father, emphasizing that the works, the words, and the truth, was of the Father. He openly declared the Father was greater the Himself.

Hence, spiritual fathers are men, graced by the Heavenly Father, to manifest, reveal the Heavenly Father to those whom God has brought to their lives and ministry, to see this work done in them.
Anytime, a spiritual father, begins to take the place of God the Father’s place in their lives, you can be sure he is beginning to set himself up, exalt himself and take possession of you.
No man can do the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
No man should dominate and control and manipulate others.
No man can and ever will be the Heavenly Father.

Paul said: “You have many instructors, but not many fathers.”

Spiritual fathers will come and go in our lives; manifesting and revealing a dimension of the Fathers heart for our lives. It may be for a healing, a restoration, a correction or an encouragement.
As I discussed in my book “Where Are The Father’s?”, father’s will seal their children with seals of acceptance, acknowledgement, and approval.
So also it is with spiritual fathers, they will seal the sons of God with the seals of the Heavenly Father.
But, they will never own, possess, or demand the sons of God as their own. Man never shed their blood for you, purchased you from the tyranny of Satan, or redeemed you from sin and the curse, so they can never, ever take possession of you, insulting the Heavenly Father, by calling you “their” sons.

Some will say that Paul did in fact say that Titus was his son.
Well, let us take a closer look at this.

Tit 1:4
To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

‘Own’ here is:
gnēsios : From the word legitimate (of birth), that is, genuine: - own, sincerity, true.

So, you can see this has nothing to do with ownership, but rather, true, and genuine.

True spiritual fathers, like Jesus, will always direct and guide you toward, a deeper relationship, a deeper devotion, a deeper love, toward the Heavenly Father.

Mat 6:9
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Jesus prayed and said we should all pray in this way.

True spiritual fathers, will not demand payment, of some sort of son-ship tithe.
They will never lay legalistic demands on you, for their benefit.
We have been brought into the Kingdom of Christ and God. The kingdom of God is just that, the domain where the King of Kings rules, and has dominion. It is the Kings domain.

2Th 3:7
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

Where on earth do men and women get the right and the audacity to rule over and have dominion over other men and women?

Spiritual fathers, as fathers have been instructed in the Word of God to do, will nurture and admonish, teach and correct, and seek the maturity and completeness of those they have responsibility for.
Their sole aim and goal, in fact, would be to see the sons of God, be imitators of their Heavenly father.

Mat 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Col 1:28 - 29
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Men have, as they do many of the graces of our Lord Jesus, abused this powerful revelation, and used it for their benefit to control, manipulate and dominate (which is witchcraft) others.

Rom 8:19
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

The earnest expectation of the creature is the manifestation of the sons of God, not the sons of men.

Is it any wonder that church is so weak and defeated, when all we are reproducing is spiritual children of our own kind?

The greatest objective of a true spiritual father will be the sons of God’s maturity. That they would grow up in to all things in Him, coming to the full measure of the image of Christ.

A Matter Of Terms

2009-09-30T02:21:00.000-04:00

Let me clarify…

I use the term mentor-father, due to some very important considerations.

Personally, I see that every man who sires a child is called to be a father, and a mentor.

A father, not just being a sire, a pro-creator, but one who exhorts, comforts and charges his children, so they may conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, with character, and healthy habits.

A mentor, being someone, who is that trusted advisor, one who comes alongside to show the way. One who mirrors the life of the mentee, without judgment and condemnation.
A mentor doesn’t just instruct, although instruction would be included, but he would also guide, and demonstrate, and develop, a relationship of such quality, that the child would always have a sense of in-dependence and inter-dependence, while experiencing the freedom of being able to approach the mentor, without force or coercion, to express their individuality, in opinions, ideas, and insights.
The mentor will, wisely and discerningly and discreetly and lovingly, show the boundaries, the essential characteristics and pathway to personal victory and success.

Who does this include?
Who should be doing this?

As I have said every man, basically.

We all have a responsibility to mentor-father this generation and the next. They desperately need us. What a program that would be, that instead of devoting our time to building men’s kingdoms and empires, we would be sacrificing our time to influence and effect a generation.

Ron Luce said that we basically have about a five year window period to win the next generation.
What will the outcome be if we don’t?
What will the world we live in, look like if there are no fathers?

Already, we can see the results of a father-less generation.

What would the effect be if we adopted our children’s friends?

What if we invested more than just an education and some ‘nice’ toys for our children?

What if we took out time every week, to meet and model, and mentor a father-less youth? Took the time to understand them and listen to their hurts and fears and aspirations?

Each and every one of us, as men, have been called by God, the Father, graced and equipped, to be exceptional mentor-fathers, to this next generation.

Change The Course

2009-06-30T06:32:00.002-04:00

The challenge in my own life, was the need for me to apply what I was being led to learn.

In my own children's lives, I could see that unless I made a concerted choice to apply the principles of mentor-fathering, the "generational curse" of a lack of mentor-fathering would continue in my sons lives to their sons and their sons sons. What a disaster, if I were to teach this to others and yet have failed the most important people in my life - my sons.

I made a decision to change the course of the family tree, and begin to invest in them. I studied their personalities and character. I sought, on every occasion to impress upon them their way of doing things, their heart attitude toward things and their security as sons of God. As often as I could I would affirm, acknowledge and express my acceptance of them.

Being a young father myself, without a good model of a physical father, I certainly didn't get it right all the time, but I was determined that I would give them the best platform I could, from which they could have a better model or view of what a mentor-father would be.

It wasn't easy, I can tell you. But I had grace to keep pressing through the obstacles. Today, I proud of our sons (my wife and me). Not of what I have accomplished by any means, but by their depth of character to take what I have tried to impart and live it, successfully.

The Call For Mentor-Fathers

2009-06-30T06:13:00.002-04:00

I see a problem in today's mentor-fathers, that they take positions over others without knowing really what they are doing.

Fathering is an impartation. It's something you receive from someone who is a mentor-father. We are trying desperately in the world and the church to make what has been lost with books and CD's and seminars and DVD's etc. So, the result being we have individuals trying to be mentor-fathers out of a mental knowledge of being one.
Although this is necesssary and certainly contributes to the lack and assists with building skills, as with everythng today, we are attempting to replace the way it is designd to be caught and imparted, with instant solutions.

A man that has not grown up with parental oversight, especially a father's input and model, will find himself struggling to effectively raise children of his own. He is lacking in some areas the ability to impart character and direction to his children. Unless he makes a concerted effort to study the ways of a parent and father and seeks out the modelling of a reasonably successful father, he will always find his mentor-fathering, specifically, flawed. Please understand, I am not saying it cannot be done, but generally, father's are too busy and too unconcerned to put in this kind of effort it may require of them.

Hence the desperate need for mentor-fathers in our world today. Those that will be willing to take up the 'cause' for another generation. Everywhere people are driving themselves to accomplish more, be more popular, establish greater fame for themselves, gather more, but where are those that will say they are willing for another generation, take a step back and be the mentor-father's this generation needs?

There are children everywhere, and men, young men, who need mentor-fathers to show them the way. next door, at the work-place, in your community, in your family.

Who's Your Daddy?

2009-06-19T15:13:00.002-04:00

What I noticed over the years is how men want to be a father before they have been a son. For my son to be a good father, he will have to learn to be a good son or child first. He has observed my ways within the family, with his mother and with other social contacts. He has observed my way within my responsibilities and roles that I have taken on in my life. All this has imparted to him a way of being himself but with a constitution, with character, with guidelines, with principles.

All over the world we see the results of children growing up without fathers, a generation without mentors. We don't realise when we are young that we need a father/mentor in our lives. We cannot bypass this stage in our lives, this need, this input in our lives. Not physiologically, emotionally or spiritually.

We need the journey, the process, the relationship of a mentor-father in our life, which will give us the skill, the character, the vision, the depth, the understanding, the will and the values to be a mentor-father.

Every coach has been coached.

Every father has been mentor-fathered.

To Journey With A Mentor-Father

2009-06-19T14:42:00.002-04:00

Spending time with my mentor-father was quite an occasion. Many times he would go about his business and life and I would just sit and watch and learn. To me it was such a privilege to be part of his life and receive from being around him. How he treated his wife, his children, his duties, his relationships, his love of God was all a life lesson and experience for me.

The thing about it was that it was who he was. he wasn't teaching, instructing, commanding or demanding, he was just being himself. He didn't have a 10 point plan. He didn't insist I have to attend some seminar. He didn't even expect an offering, a contribution or a honoury gift. The fact of the matter is he was still learning himself about the power of the mentor-father role for his life as a leader. But yet, he was natural at it. I personally believe his secure sense of being, his confidence in being just who he was, was more powerful than any teacher of the principles with great revelation.

The journey lasted a number of years and still continues in a rich relationship even today. We do not live in the same city right now, but we correspond regularly and know each other in spirit regardless of time or space.
Someone said that I would be a deformed mentee because I was not in the same vicinity (or something to that like that). Immediately, he affirmed my relationship and told me to ignore such comments. We are still in a mutual beneficial relationship while those with the 10 point plan and regulation are not even around anymore.

Being a mentor-father is about being; about fulfilling a role that flows naturally out of who you are, without effort, without force, without coercion. It's about giving an impartation by being and being there. It's about imparting your presence, your life, your values, and your character to another.

Being a mentee is about being there to receive, to allow your worldview to be molded, your value system to be challenged, and your life to be influenced, until you can be without effort.

Generational Mentor-Fathers

2009-06-18T06:34:00.002-04:00

During this revolutionary time of my life, I was so eager to share the fact that not just being Sons was important, not just being great orators or whatever else we felt our 'calling' was, but that being mentor-fathers to other men and young men and our children was essential, with everyone I thought would listen. Well, I soon found out not everyone shared the same vision as I. This concept was not that popular then, and many times I was shrugged off as the extremist. ( Sometimes a little harsher than that!)
My heart burned with the idea that surely we are NOT to be 'working' just for our own legacy, but the legacy of the next generation, for our children and childrens children.

Yes, it would mean I may have to sacrifice my own importance and self-centered concepts of what is important to me. Yes, it may mean that I would have to have a major paradigm shift with regards to my personal value system and what my priorities would be. Few understood my passion for this ideal. I had caught a glimpse of the fact that with the investment of mentor-fathers another generation in our land in the world, in the church could be influenced to be strong, committed with a moral sense of destiny for their lives.
Like myself when I was growing up, I saw many children and young people sidelined in the priorities of life. "Children should be seen and not heard", was the quote I had often heard. "We don't understand these teen agers, hope to God they grow up soon and get out of the house" was another. What a missed opportunity!

My greates desire was to see the men in my circle of influence so impacted and shifted in paradigm that their children and their childrens children would carry the impact of it. I desired to see them grow up with me just to see the outcome.

But I did not even know where to start!
I just did the best I could with the wisdom and the knowledge I had at that time while searching and studying all I could lay my hands on to increase this skill.
Except for the man who was my mentor-father, there not many who knew how or even wanted the responsibility of mentoring me let alone others.

Mentoring takes time, commitment, sacrifice, vision, and love.
Mentoring is not something you can hasten through in a 10 week program.
Mentoring means you lay aside your agendas and the mentee becomes the agenda.
Mentoring means you have and work toward a long term vison and objective, very long.
Mentoring means you give up ambitions of popularity and 'greatness.
Mentoring means you will have to encourage (give courage), confront (challenge) and pay the price for it.
Mentoring is rewarding, but an obscure reward.

Devote yourself today to becoming a mentor-father by studying what it means and begin, even though you may feel inadequate, begin, someone one day will be thankful you did.

Raising Fathers

2009-06-18T06:17:00.002-04:00

"Son, don't raise him just as a son, but as a father".
The words reverberated through my soul that evening as I looked at my oldest son sleeping.
My concern, like any father I am sure was, will my son grow up to be all he is supposed to be. Each of my boys are such a blessing to my life, and as I stood looking at my son sleeping, I was so proud and so thrilled and so awed at the task of raising him right.
But with these words a new dimension faced me in my responsibility as a father. I needed to be a mentor too. I realised just getting him through school and into the world and out of my hair could not and would not cut it with these words of a definite new role in my life.
Do you k now what new roles do to you?
They shift your paradigm or your world view or how you see things.
I couldn't just raise children anymore but now I had to raise fathers. I had to mentor them to raise another generation. To invest in another generation. As a mentor-father, my actions, my decisions, my investment would influence those yet to be born.
What you do as a mentor-father is going to go beyond what you can see. Good or bad.
It's going to strengthen, inspire, liberate, heal, seal, stabilise those you cannot yet see.Or weaken, breakdown, demoralise, discourage those you cannot yet see.

Our actions as Mentor-fathers go far beyond the time we live in.

live with purpose today toward that need you to father them.

Where Are The Fathers?

2009-06-17T07:50:00.002-04:00

There is such an orphan cry from so many in the world: "Where are the fathers?", Who will father me?".

At one Sunday service, during that early period when I was being illuminated in the dimension of being a mentor-father, I sensed an urgent need to call all the men forward who had never been hugged by their father. To my surprise a very large part of the audience came forward. These included even older men who probably were grandfathers themselves by now.
As I went from individual to individual and hugged their neck whispering encouragement of a fathers love to them, many, many broke down and began to weep, experiencing a release from years of missing something that everyone needs in their lives - the love of a father.
I am not sure if it was the physical hug that I gave or just an acknowledgment on their part and subsequent affirmation of a fathers love that resulted in the reaction.

Even more surprising was the response from the women and young girls from the audience. It broke my heart to see their reaction. I wept as I affirmed each lady. Their pain from rejection and abuse and lack of love was so emotionally and visibly evident. But what a freedom permeated the auditorium that morning as we concluded the meeting.

Again, I could only go to my study later that day, and realise the huge need there was for mentor-fathers to invest in a hurting, rejected generation.

Do you realise that the kid next door, sitting next to you in church, or attending your child's or grand-child's school could be, and probably is crying out for the affirmation and acknowledgment of a mentor-father?

The Quest

2009-06-15T05:08:00.002-04:00

Mentor-Father, is not a role a person could just assume in a person's life. It is a place that has to, in a way, be given, earned and, certainly be destined.

As my heart began to yearn for more knowledge and skill of what a mentor-father should be, my quest was to discover how to do this. Personally, my own father had been good to me, but absent and lacking in passing on the skills of fathering. The father-mentor in my life was being an amazing inspiration and source of impartation to my life. His influence was creating a definite sense of being just who I am and need to be. Spending time with him on a regular basis fashioned me more and more into a secure self-sufficient individual capable of functioning without the constant approval of certain groups. This influence helped me to quit wanting to be like someone else or anybody else other than myself, simply because I didn't believe in who I was. I realised how that, my view of myself, had an impact on on how I functioned, how I related to others, especially leaders. Many didn't know I would just tremble inside when I spoke to them. I needed their acknowledgemnet; I needed their acceptance; I desperately needed them to approve of me. I worked so hard to have them as friends, to belive in me; and yet I couldn't find it there. The more I sought it, the more I seemed to be rejected, the more insignificant I seemed to end up feeling.
Except for the man who was destined, whom I had given permission in a sense, and
who through his own strength of character and open-heartedness, was now my mentor-father.
Outside of his influence, there were no books, CD's or DVD's about the topic to guide my thinking and understanding and quest to learn. No, I had to depend on the what I would learn through impartation.
Honestly, I now see that is the only way we can in fact learn this age-old skill, passed down from the Heavenly Father Himself.

Who has permission to impart the skills of the father's to your heart?
Who do you trust to leave behind in your life the understanding necessary to pass on the skill to another generation?
Is there someone you believe is destined to do this with you?

Your Legacy, Your Significance.

2009-06-11T08:14:00.002-04:00

I heard of a man whose father had died. He was reqested, by his mother to do the funeral. His father was not a very significant leader as far as the circles he moved in. He had been the minister of a small local church and had been a rather obscure figure in the city.
Upon arrival in the city the night before the funeral, the son decided to visit at his fathers little down town church to pay his last respects. Upon entering the building the lack of light caught him off guard and his made his way into the little auditorium he found himself stumbling over something and then again and again. As his eyes began to adjust to the dark he noticed that young men were laying in the aisles and between the pews.
These were young men who had come from all over the country to pay their last respects. These were the next generation leaders that his father had mentored and invested in over the years. This seemingly insignificant leader had invested himself in what others had not noticed or paid attention to.
Now my details may be sketchy, but this story I heard about 12 years or so ago, affected me deeply. The cry of my heart after hearing this was that I may influence many in this way.
What an honour to this mans life and work. What an honour to his time and investment. It wasn't about his legacy, his 'great' name, his great ministry. It was all about pouring his life into another generation.

I began to see that the only true legacy I could leave behind was in the lives of others. To deposit the little of my revelation and understanding into someones life was the most significant contribution I could ever make in this life. I was so stirred and inspired. And yet I was broken and feeling incapable of such a task.

Where is your focus?
What is your significance?
What are you leaving behind?

My call has been since then and still is "Where are the Fathers?","Where are the Mothers?"

The Mentor-Father

2009-06-09T09:11:00.002-04:00

Where does a journey begin, really? It could start anywhere. But let me tell you where mine started - searching, unknowingly for a mentor-father. I was insecure and rejected by some whom i highly respected and needing the affirmation of a mentor-father. It just seemed nobody understood what that meant. I didn't even know what that meant.Until a friend explained it to me and suggested I request a certain man to be a mentor-father to me.
When I did it seemed that a weight lifted off of me that had kept me inferior for so long. His acceptance and unconditional love offered me a whole new world of understanding of myself and of others. No more would 'leaders' be out of my league. No more would I feel insignificant in their presence. No more would I have to do anything to 'earn' their acceptance and love. I didn't 'need' their acknowledgment anymore.
You talk about liberation! This was huge! Our journey since then has experienced joys and tests, but that commitment to journey together stood the test of time. What an understanding of mentor-fathering it deposited in me.
what a threat it became to others...
Till next time.

My Journey

2008-12-29T21:33:00.003-05:00

"Dad", my middle son exclaimed."I really am the happiest and the most excited when we are planting, or doing church."
Wow~ My heart was stirred within me. That after all we have been through, that would still be his heart. As a father, that is all I could ever have wished for.
But now...How was I to see that fulfilled for him, for me. I feel so weary, so dispaired!

As each of my sons were born, there was a prayer and a cry in my heart, that one day, we would be able to serve together in great army of the Kingdom. This became a mission for my wife and me, as a father, to teach and train them in the ways of the Kingdom and to lead them to its true riches; to be their mentor and model first and foremost, before I was to any others.

But now, at this point, I felt a broken man, maybe a failure. How can I do this?
"Let's start again, Dad. You can do this! You are the best at it. You know how to reach people. God uses you Dad. More than in anything else." His words stabbed my heart. I don't even know in which city I belong anymore, let alone to what purpose. Oh my heart ached to be able to be the father I had set out to be years back.
So much had happened since then, since the day my Heavenly Father had spoken to me as I looked at my firstborn sleeping soundly, " My son, you are not raising a son , but a father."

This is going to be a story about my journey. The journey includes principles the Father taught me; the changes I made; the mistakes I committed; the fathers who impacted me, both spiritual and natural; and the dream I carry in my heart.
Please feel free to join me as I unfold my personal journey. I hope it instructs you in some ways, and heals me in many.

Choices

2008-11-21T08:29:00.003-05:00

"You and I are essentially infinite choice-makers.
In every moment of our existence, we are in that field
of all possibilities where we have access to an infinity of choices."
— Deepak Chopra: Doctor and mind/body/spirit author

On the free teleconference call I did last night I quoted Albert Einstein who said:"

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity."

Regardless of what the situation or crisis or circumstances, we can find opportunity. Its all based on the choice we make of attitude, of perspective and of possibility. You can choose to develop your skills; your knowledge; yourself; you can choose to serve your ability, your gift, your energy to someone even though you yourself may be in a tight place.

I remember my grand mother would give so much to others even though her and my grand father would be in dire need themselves, and I never knew them to be in place where they could find a way out of their situation.

Make wise choices today that will make and take opportunity in the midst of anything the world may offer.

Keep The Right Perspective

2008-10-23T09:59:00.004-04:00

With a constant stream of 'bad' news, telling us that there is a world-wide financial crisis, we need to 'see' beyond the current state of affairs.
There is no denying what we are facing is serious and has been brought upon us by the greed and ultimately the fear of the world.
I learnt in a share trading course a few years ago that the economy and especially the share trading market where we find most investment taking place is kind of ruled or controlled by the emotions of greed and fear. Robert kiyosaki in Rich Dad, Poor Dad, said the same thing, declaring that based on the emotional state of the economy we should have without the goverments help been in a depression long ago, simply because the general feeling in the market is depressed.

But there is another side to this, a good friend who is geologist once shared with me that everything in the earth moves in cycles. He shared that with me soon after the tsunami, stating that shifts and moves take place on the earth as a matter of cyclical routine. At first I didn't agree, but now I see what he was saying is true.
Even business and markets go through cycles. Everything gets shaken. All that can be shaken will be shaken so that what cannot be shaken will stand.

Maybe we need a tightening of the proverbial belt for a time, but this is a great time for entrepreneurs and especially those who have their hope in another Source. Now is the time to begin looking for opportunity, make use of this time to begin thinking outside the box.

Don't look at what is falling; look at what stands.

Take hope in the fact that what goes up comes down, but what comes down also goes up again. Its a cycle.

Where do you stand?

Set a plan in place.
See your future as a somewhere to go with confidence.
Believe.Believe in the Promises that never change.
Add faith to an amazing hope we have.
The just shall walk by faith. Begin to walk.
Take inventory of what you have in your hand. What skills and passions do you have? What has God given you that you can develop into an economic viable opportunity?
Stay positive in your outlook and perspective.

If you quit, you lose. If you stay focused and positively full of hope and faith, opportunity and clear vision will be attracted to you.

Imperfect

2008-10-12T20:49:00.003-04:00

A Chinese proverb says "Do something imperfectly, rather than nothing perfectly".
Isn't it amazing how we can 'sit on' ideas and be frozen in action because we do not feel what we have is perfect yet.
There are many things we do have to get right, and skills we need to aquire, but we will never have everything perfectly in order to start. A perfect start just doesn't exist. The best have started without any idea where they were headed but started anyway.
Take action and begin to move with what you have in your hand today. I mean wasn't that Moses excuse to the Lord when he was being sent to the Egypt.
Wherever you are sitting today, under whatever conditions, do not let the wall of perfectionism stop you from starting.
Do your reseach, develop a plan, make a decision, and then begin, begin, begin...
Opportunity never is lost. It always passes on to someone else.

You Have The Capabilities of Genius

2008-09-02T10:07:00.001-04:00

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just
that I stay with problems longer."
— Albert Einstein: is the father modern physics

Right now, no matter your education or experience, you have the capabilities of a genius. Perhaps you could write an incredible novel, paint an incredible work of art, come up with an incredible idea, or create an incredible invention. Don’t believe it? Just know that you don’t simply have days, weeks, or months — you have the rest of your life. Use your life to complete one inspiring work of genius, and you’ll inspire other geniuses in future generations.

FROM NIGHTINGALE.COM

A Force Of The Inner Man

2008-08-30T09:56:00.004-04:00

There are powerful forces flowing from our inner man that affect our lives and of those around us. King Solomon said we should guard our hearts for out of it flow the forces of life. Although these forces 'feel' like strong emotions, they are in fact not emotions, but spiritual drivers that are revealed in our emotional states.

Of these, one that seems to be a constant among us, but also its opposite - forgiveness. Forgiveness is the powerful force we have to release the past of its hurts, violations, scrapes and bruises. Its the God-given ability of the inner man, to begin every day with a fresh approach to our future and not have have any dibilitating hindrances that keep us 'bound' by the chains of the past.

As powerful as the force of forgiveness is, so is the force of UNforgiveness. Unforgiveness, the strong force driven by holding to deep hurts, motivated by perceived injustices, feuled by misunderstandings, maintained by resentment and revenge and boiling anger.

Forgiveness, brings with it a healing as it releases, those that have been the perpetrators of the hurts or perceived hurts. Bearing in mind that, not all disappointment, offense and violations of our lives is on purpose, but comes as our perceived injustice to our lives, because it comes in violation of the way we want smething to be.

However, there are times when unrighteous injustice is inflicted upon us and abuse of our person and life takes place. That is when we have this powerful force of forgiveness. You see, the force of forgiveness is not only to release others who have have harmed us, but mostly, it is for us to experience the healing and tranquility of our inner man, through release of the guilty and the harm they have done.

Unforgiveness, on the hand, destroys our lives. It is a negative force, that in time, affets our mental and physical health, and not to speak of the disturbance it is to our inner man, our spirit. I would venture to say that, many are suffering physical ailments today, because the could not relinquish hurts and injustices of the past. It seems this force controls many in a very negative way, being a very negative force.

Unforgiveness is still operating, even when we say we have forgiven, but will not forget. To forgive is to release everything, and if we have, then we cannot and should not keep resurrecting the past, to our, and others detriment.

Forgiveness, means we treat the person as if nothing ever happened. An unforgiving force, however, will be revengeful and punitive, inflicting punishment through whatever justified means we can conjure up while looking innocent.
Do you punish by not speaking to the person, or maybe speaking about them to create a negative perception of their character?
Do you take revenge by withholding yourself from them in friendship, in fellowship?
It gets worse when we begin to insinuate, critisize, slate, accuse, become sarcastic, and then justify our stand.
All the while, though, we are beginning to, slowly at first, hinder and then, stop the life-giving forces of the inner man, that bring health and wellness to our lives and to others around us.

While holding to unforgiveness you cannot reach your full potential, in fact you will reverse your potential.

It's Fun to Know

2008-08-27T12:43:00.000-04:00

It's Fun to Know: Fruity Gifts

Would you pay $2,000 for a honeydew melon? How about $900 for a bunch of grapes? In Japan, these incredibly high prices are not uncommon. But we're not talking about your run-of-the-mill grocery store produce. These fruits have been painstakingly cultivated to be the most ideal specimens possible.

The Japanese don't buy these perfect, pricey fruits to eat them. They are extremely popular as gifts. It has to do with the ancient Japanese tradition of giving away the very best instead of keeping it for yourself.

(Source: Associated Press, Daily Express)

How To Make A Good Investment

2008-08-27T07:35:00.003-04:00

What seemingly insignificant thing do you have in your hand today?

That which you have in hand, could be the key to transform a life, could be the seed of a brand new beginning for your life, may open an opportunity that goes beyond what you could dream about.
Often times, we allow our dreams, our visions of something significant taking place through us, to fade into the a state of wishful desire, lost in the daily pressing for the mundane.

What can I do?
Well, what is that in your hand today?
A small idea; a hand shake; a passion; a desire; a dream.
Sow it today. Begin to give it.
What is that in your hand Moses? A stick! Stretch it out and defeat the world's most powerful army!

You never know what lays before you, what lays beyond the next challenge, around the next corner. But if you do not 'sow' what you have in your hand, if you do not 'stretch it out', you may never know. Exercise diligence and plan what it is you can begin to do today that can carry you toward that God-given destiny written in your life.

The Chinese proverb says: A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Look at your skills, look at your desires, passions, abilities, resources and begin today. It may begin with writing out what it is, what you have in your hand, in your heart. Writing out a plan, steps you can take today to move you in the right direction, could be the first, and probably is, the step you can take to realizing a transformation of the mediocre, the mundane and the hopeless.

Maybe you already have stepped out, but facing opposition, or have settled into the best you think you have, but there is always more. Stretch! Invest what you have, you; your small seed, that which is in your hand. Take another step toward the path of your significant destiny.And keep stepping.

One step could take you toward your significant destiny and begin an exciting journey of influencing your world, of transformation of lives, of investing only that which you can.

Isn't It Time To Be A Contributor?

2008-08-25T07:56:00.004-04:00

Isn't it strange how we think that the Golden Rule - do good to others - should be done to us.

Somehow people always feel that they need to be respected, considered, and be pampered.
I suppose that is in our psyche. We need to know we are important, that we are special and significant, and that we have value. We do receive a lot of our significance from others, unfortunately. We have such a need for others to approve us, simply because we have not found it in our own value, our own principles, because we don't believe in ourselves and what we have been created to be.
But that breeds an unreal expectation in what we think others should be 'giving' to us in acknowledgment, in approval, in consideration, in whatever it is we think and believe we need,

What we miss is, that the GR states,"Give to others, as you would have them give to you".
It is only in giving, that we understand receiving. It is only when we unselfishly, without agenda and motive, give what others need that we can begin to receive and even understand what it means.

While we are expecting others, constantly, to meet our emotional need, we will find ourselves in a constant need. Do you need a friend? Be a friend. Do you need consideration? Give consideration.

Why don't they ....?
Why don't they ...?
Why don't they ... ?

I heard an account of how Warren Buffet, in his early days, to learn the industry he was involved in, offered to work for nothing. As we know, the result of that 'giving' was how much he learnt and has been able to apply in amassing his own wealthy profile and become a charitable donor.

Instead of thinking, and behaving like everyone owes us a favor, is obligated to us, should be doing something for us, why not begin to contribute what it is we think we need. Be considerate, be respectful. Maybe even work for nothing and see how it opens 'doors' of opportunity to your life.

Everyone needs, and so they are very focused on their own needs, their own lives and, therefore, actually don't have time for yours. But, that is exactly where you can be begin to carve out a place in this world for yourself. Take the focus off you. Make others your agenda. It's amazing how others will respond to those who selflessly give and contribute to their 'need'. As you give what you can, what you are good at, what you believe you need, you will begin, in time, to see a remarkable path of giving begin to open to you.

The greatest significance does not come from receiving, but from giving.
Begin a life of bold contribution today. Give first. Give liberally. Give without expecting anything. Give because you can. Give because someone needs it. Give your pleasantness. Give your respect. Give your talent. Give and reach your full potential.

To Character, or Not To Character

2008-08-23T07:29:00.002-04:00

Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Effective People said, "The basic task of leadership is to increase the standard of living and the quality of life for all stakeholders".

Leadership is about who you lead, how you lead them and why you lead them. Leadership is a privilege afforded because of certain elements that have been learned or acquired through experience. One of them being maturity.

Why is it today that the focus is not on maturity in leadership, but on personality or performance; skill and 'giftedness'?
Maturity means the leader is balanced in his/or her leadership, carrying a deep sense of purpose and mission, secure, confident, taking initiative and upright. All in all this could be encapsulated in a word:character.
Somehow, today, it is assumed that 'gifting' and 'skill 'on a leader is the stamp of approval on their character as well. Not so. The character of leadership is found in the inner core values and principles by which the leader lives and conducts himself. These inner core values will be their guiding compass and the foundation of their own inner security of who they are. And that is why they are leaders, because they do not need others to prop them up and create a celebrity status, for them to know who they are and what their mission is. It is when they are so insecure that they need these, that they begin to use their strength to control the weaknesses of others, demanding compliance and agreement and imposing their own belief system on those they lead.

Leadership means I can lead others, influence others, to their own initiative and responsibility, to take charge of and leadership of their own lives, and thereby, bring a synergistic common focus and mission for the organization or task.

Where is the maturity of character in leadership that ensures they will lead regardless of popularity? they will lead with conviction of priciple? they will lead with the strength of their own security? that will lead with integrity? that will be able to experience disagreement/opposition without feeling they are losing their leadership? and most of all, that will lead with uprightness; moral and conscious principles aligned with foundational, unalterable principles that benefit and and increase the standard of living and life of all stakeholders?

Surely, if the leaders of today cannot lead with this kind of leadership, if we cannot find this leadership among us, what is to become of those that seek true leadership? that need leadership? what is to become of our society? what kind of generation of future leaders will we raise?

If our leaders do not have what it takes, if they do not have the fortitude of character to lead with upright conviction, if our spiritual and governmental leaders can compromise, justify and excuse themselves from weakness of character, immature conviction, and immoral principle, what is left for the rest?

I have encountered some leaders of such true and secure character, mature and principled, that have influenced, increased and uplifted my life, so that because I met and knew and was influenced by them, I am a better person today. But I have also encountered leaders large and small, who were so misaligned and insecure, that they tore huge holes in my own character and in those around them. The sad thing is, we are so hungry for and desperate for mature leaders that when a leader arrives with great flash and pomp, we gravitate to it, believing this will be the 'one' that can lead me to where I am designed to be, to my mission, to my purpose in life.

Let us begin to be, not so impressed with the great 'ability' of the leader, as much as, knowing and aligning with principled leadership of mature character.

The One Thing That Guarantess Failure Every time

2008-07-24T08:50:00.001-04:00

What will guarantee your failure in any endeavor? Whether it is a business venture; a weight loss program; saving your marriage; an exercise program; your spiritual journey; whatever it is , this one thing will cause you to fail: EXCUSES!

What is an excuse?
Someone has defined it as a well-planned lie. We don't see it like that, but every time we give an excuse why we can't or why we shouldn't or why we didn't, we are giving a well-planned lie to reason away our lack of results. We cannot live by excuses. As a pastor I was sure there was a book listing all the latest excuses, because there were all the common one's and then every now and again a new one.

Our excuses could include blaming others, or the weather, or the circumstances, or the economy, or our parents, or leadership or some other obscure reason. But the fact of the matter is, you are the result of your reasoning,your excuses you have made for not getting results in your life.

One of the big ones that Christians use is that the Lord...
Have you noticed how often He changes His mind? Well, not really. Its really us. As soon as we hit a bump, an obstacle, a pressure point, as soon as it gets hard on our flesh or the seems to be a insurmountable problem, we say the Lord doesn't want me to do it anymore. Maybe I shouldn't be doing this. Maybe the Lord is revealing that its not His will.

O My goodness! We just make excuse after excuse and we get so good at them, that we actually believe our own excuses after awhile.

Let's leave those well planned lies behind and begin to believe we can find a way, that we can solve the problem, that we can finish what we start, that we can fulfill our commitments, that we can do that which needs to be done

We Are Human

2008-07-23T09:56:00.002-04:00

"If you don't change, reality in the
end forces that change upon you."
— Stuart Wilde: Metaphysical author, modern visionary

We're human. Therefore, for many of us, we don't change our eating habits until the doctors or diseases force us to. We don't change our spending habits until we have to sacrifice the things we love. We don't always embrace spirituality until our days on earth are numbered. It's the rare, but enlightened person who chooses to change before change is thrust upon him or her.

Hello....Hello....

2008-07-23T09:24:00.003-04:00

Some simple action steps for improving your listening skills:

Don't finish other people's sentences. There is nothing worse than having someone constantly finish your sentence, or put in a word when you are thinking of what to say. What's worse is they usually get it wrong. In the end you don't even feel like talking anymore.
Don't daydream while the person is talking (it's easy to space out and start thinking about something irrelevant to the conversation). This can be really embarrassing for you. Ever have someone talking to you and you went off to another zone and they asked a question? When you came back to earth you discover you don't know the question and therefore reveal your wonderful interest in what they were saying. Pay attention.
Plan your response after the person has finished speaking, even it means there will be a delay in the conversation. A bit of silence is well worth it. Think about what you are going to say. Again, many times people will speak without contemplating their response and the result being they have either misunderstood totally, or they address what was said insensitively. This can especially happen when you are listening with your mouth full of words ready to blurt out your response just because you have something to say, before they are even finished speaking. Be sensitive.
Provide feedback in the form of rephrasing what you heard. Sometimes we are listening though our filters and don't hear what's behind the words, properly. By repeating you actually confirm the "heart" of what was said, and therefore can adress it correctly, not just assuming.
Take note of non-verbal cues. They're an important part of communication. Watch the body language it will also assist in assessing the person's intention and motive in what they are saying.

A Sense That Makes The Difference.

2008-07-20T09:05:00.004-04:00

At a business coaching session recently, someone said they wish they could have their employees go through a course on 'Common Sense'. Well, my response was, "I'm still working on that one", But it got me thinking about the concept of having some common sense.

Common sense is defined as the ability to make intelligent decisions in every day matters. At first, that seems like a daunting concept, that not every one can aspire to, but still its common sense. So, it should be something that everyone has or at least has access to.

Common sense, in its raw form, is the practical-abilty of using what you know. In other words, its the ability we have of applying our knowledge in a practical way to result in a productive outcome. Its a sense of foresight, of discernment, keeness, shewdness that we should be applying in every day matters.

So, this sense we should be applying, should be common among us, but I don't always see that. I don't believe I even always apply it to my own circumstances. When I look at the definition, I see more than just a "well its the right thing to do". No! This concept speaks of a deeper meaning, the ability to be practical with foresight and discretion for every day matters. And yet it should be common.

Well how do I get common sense?
King Solomon said that wisdom is the principal thing. Wisdom in its definition, is the skill to apply knowledge in every day affairs. Wisdom comes from God. Spending time with God and His word every day will begin to manifest as "common sense" in your life.
Taking time to think through a concept to make it practical. Many have a good idea or know what needs to be done, but just do not know how to practically apply it. Why wait for the big things in your life, start in the little things and the big things will get easier.
Jesus said the children of this world are more shewd than the children of light. He was talking in this sense about how they use their resources. People of the world manage their resources with far more foresight and wisdom and prudence and discernment, many times, than does the church.

We need to apply ourselves, take the time to let God teach you the principles of wisdom's discernment and insight and understanding. Let's begin to be practical minded about what we believe and know in this world. Let's apply what God has given us all, the thing called Common Sense.

Get Out The Box!

2008-07-19T11:18:00.002-04:00

"Think outside the box!", they told me, but what they meant, I did not have the faintest idea. Looking back now, I didn't even know I was in a box. All my years growing up I had seen only seen one way of doing things from my parents. I was well aware that there were many others who lived better than us and accomplished more than us, but that was just their fate-their BOX.

As the years went on and I began to meet people and learn new things and be exposed to new mindsets, I discovered, I WAS IN A BOX. My life had been fashioned and dictated by a certain mindset, although sincerely, but sincerely wrong. Of course, we were totally convinced we were right, however the results and way we lived proved us wrong. I was rewarded and punished according to that mindset, and slowly but surely over the years my BOX was being formed for me.

With encounters with people of different mindset, I began to realise I needed a change in thinking, in mindset - I needed to think outside the box. Not only did I need this new pattern of thinking, but I also needed to put this thinking pattern into action. No longer could I be an expression only of what I was raised on, I needed to begin to form my own expression.

So, what does it take to get a new mindset and begin to set it into motion?

1. Firmly realise that not all you have been exposed to and taught is the total reality of life.
2. Read about and meet others who have stepped out of their box, and probabaly challenge yours.
3. Decide what roles you want to fulfill in your life and what those roles will accomplish.
4. Begin today to envision a new you in those roles. Allow the dreams and desires in your heart to begin to take shape, regardless of whether you, or others, think it possible or not.
5. Act. Take some action steps today, this week, this month and this year to move you in the direction of your vision, your dreams and desires.

Don't allow the box to limit you all your life. What box has been created to box you in? Begin to think outside that box!

Trials...?

2008-07-18T08:06:00.001-04:00

"The gem cannot be polished without
friction, nor man perfected without trials."
— Chinese Proverb

What do you call a person who breezes through college, lands the perfect job, climbs the corporate ladder with ease, and quickly makes a fortune? A fairy tale — it just never happens. Real life is littered with struggle, problems, mistakes, and lessons. And like a gem, each should be treasured because they are what will build your best life.

Motivational Quote

2008-07-12T10:45:00.001-04:00

"Your life right now is a reflection of your past thoughts. That
includes all the great things, and all the things you consider not
so great. Since you attract to you what you think about most, it
is easy to see what your dominant thoughts have been on every
subject of your life, because that is what you have experienced."
— Rhonda Byrne: Australian writer and producer, known for The Secret

Stress off

2008-07-10T14:58:00.004-04:00

Hi
Here's a South African actor, Leon Schuster, that my family and I really enjoy, doing one his stunts. Its hilarious well we think so anyway.
Laughter is is as medicine!
Relieve some stress and have a laugh. Enjoy!

"Is my world the same as your world?"

2008-07-09T00:01:00.004-04:00

Why do people do what they do?

What we do is the result of a pradigm that we hold to. What is a paradigm?
It is perceiving our world from a frame of reference that we believe is reality.It isn't necessarily,but to that or from that paradigm, it is.

We all have our paradigms that have been fashioned over time through various factors that have influenced us to perceive the world in a certain way. These factors could have been family tradition passed down or through traumatic events or just the influence of educators, friends etc. Whatever way they have come, right or wrong, we all have them. And our paradigm is how we perceive the world. Its our reality.

But that doesn't mean that it is so. We may perceive that everyone is rejecting us, and so as a defence mechanism we reject, before we get the perceived rejection. So, now, everyone withdraws from us, because we are rejecting them, and our wrongly perceived view, we now feel, has been proven.

These paradigms are so real to us, that many times, we manipulate and 'control' the enviroment out of our perception of it, and it becomes a self-fulfilling 'prophecy'over our lives. The idea that everyone is against me, for instance, is just not real. However, can everyone be wrong and I am the only one right. In the way I perceive things, Is it not maybe because my paradigm is a little out of sync? We may try hard to 'fit in', but just experience more rejection,or more insecurity, or more gathering of like-minded paradigm people.

King Saul was absolutley convinved he had obeyed the Lord, when he was confronted by Samuel the prophet about why there was a lowing of cattle and a bleating of goats. Emphatically,and categorically he stated "... But I did obey...". Even though we know the command had been not to take anything, but yet in his paradigm for some or other reason he believed he was right. Of course, the next step was well the men, who were with him, wanted to keep the animals for a sacrifice. Wow! Now in his mind, in his paradigm, it was everybody else. He perceived the world and his actions as reality, and therefore had to be right and had to be acceptable. When confronted, it was now in this 'reality', everyones else's fault, not his.

What is perceived from our paradigm as reality, is not necessarily reality at all. It's not as it seems. Godliness, is to perceive the world from God's paradigm. To be transformed into Christ's likeness, is to be changed, in foundational paradigm, to a Christ-like perception of things.
People will destroy, manipulate, control, hold grudges, walk in unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, punish those around them, and feel totally justified because they perceive. out of their paradigm, this is what needs to be, this is reality. But it is just a skewed perception of the reality.

To have a change of behaviour, we need a change of paradim. We need to change the way we perceive our world. We need to understand that the way we perceive the world and our enviroment is not necessarily, reality. It's not always as it seems, to us.

The mystery of Nursery Rhymes and our Values

2008-07-08T12:34:00.005-04:00

There is a relationship between many historical events and the "innocent" Nursery Rhyme that have long been forgotten. The Bubonic Plague and its symptoms were shown in "Ring around The Rosy" and the English Queen Mary I (Bloody Mary) was believed to be the 'star' of the rhyme "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary" which features a hidden reference to the Queen's treatment of Protestants using instruments of torture like the silver bells and execution by burning them alive at the stake! It's no wonder that this Queen has since been known as Bloody Mary! Witches and their 'familiars', like cats, frogs, mice and owls, are frequently, but subtely, referred to in the words of a Nursery Rhyme as we have discussed in Mother Goose.

The point here is that we have for years sung these "vicious" rhymes of hidden meanings and violent nature to our children from a very young age. These nursery rhymes hold secret and sometimes violent hidden messages, that were very relevant to the times, but have no bearing whatsoever on the lives of our children. But we have never questioned the meaning or the words or the 'foundation' of these rhymes. We have, myself included, just done what every else has done and is still doing without any idea of why or where this comes from.

This is how it is in many areas of our lives as well. We "believe" things taught over generations just because it's tradition, or maybe it sounds good, but we are not sure where it comes from, how it got here and what it really means. We wonder how we end up where we are many times, not realizing that our belief system or value system, that has been fashioned by others and their imposed values, has left us with a certain behavioral pattern that we have no idea why it is the way it is. What we believe, our paradigms of how we see the world, has been fashioned by people influencing our lives, by our education and by circumstances. So, we assume that our lives have to be this way, because it has always been this way and always will. Our parents had it this way or it has always been taught this way. Even though it may be wrong or having a negative impact on our lives, or as in the case of nursery rhymes, on our children, we don't question it or evaluate or make a decision regarding my own belief or value system.

It was interesting, that as i was discussing this point of nursery rhymes and their mystical origins with some friends the other day, no one actually knew any of the facts or history or meanings. Do you understand why you do what you do?
Are you holding onto belief patterns that affect your thinking and therefore your behavior but never given any thought to its origin or motive?
In the book of Acts we are told that the Berean's were of noble character, researching the scripture to see if what Paul was teaching was so. The Bible calls them "noble".

Before we pass things onto our children and the next generation, let us be aware of its implications on their value system which ultimately will affect the outcome of their lives.
To change behavior we need to change our and their Value or Belief System.

Ingredients to a fulfilled life

2008-07-07T11:55:00.002-04:00

Two ingredients, I think, are very important for a satisfied life, are PASSION and PURPOSE.

Passion is the driver and purpose the track that the driver can run on.

Passion could be defined as "a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept" or "an object of desire or deep interest". It also could be described as zeal or enthusiasm. It is the ingredient that keeps us focused and intense for the task ahead. Passion draws all the juices of my life into what I'm doing. Its really the reason I do what I want to do. Without passion, the task becomes dreary and mundane and I easily become bored with the concept and see no future or end to what the task involves. Passion comes because I am involverd with something that is my make-up, my slant, my 'ability'. It suits my personality and my mission in life. Passion is not excitement ( now this is not a study in the definition of terms, but rather a flow with semantics). Excitement, generally, will leave you disappointed if the expectation that you excitedly entered the task for, is not met.

People often ask me if I'm excited about the new venture, but my answer now is "Not really". What I am when I enter a venture, is passionate. It keeps me motivated and allows me to give my best to the task at hand. We need to be passionate about our mission in life, about our destiny. Many, lose their passion, either early in life or somewhere along the way. This is generally due to disappointments or external pressures from relationships, circumstances or misguided self-perceptions.
Passion is evident in how we talk, how we think, how we walk and how we approach life. An enthusiastic person will come alive when they talk about their passion, about their vision, their dream or their task. You will soon identify a passionate person or what a person is passionate about by how they enthuse themselves for the mission or task at hand. Enthusiasm , means to be inspired from within, to be in-breathed. Inspiration, the Bible says is to be God in-breathed."The inspiration of the All-Mighty, gives understanding, wisdom and skill." it says in Job. This is the wonderful ingredient that God has given us to live at a fulfilling level of our lives.

But passion needs something, it needs purpose. Purpose is the track that passion runs on taking it to the end destination. Whether it is a task, a career, a venture, a relationship, a life's mission, or just life, it needs this track called purpose. Purpose is like that strategic plan that keeps order and focus.

Passion with out focus becomes a lot of enthusiasm with nowhere to go. Have you seen people like that? They are all excited and enthusiastic, but are like a racehorse on a tread-mill. Not going anywhere. If you fail to plan, you have planned to fail, someone has said. Oh! and how true.

Without a purpose this great ingredient we have called passion or enthusiasm will be wasted breath and wasted energy. I love getting up every day with a knowledge of my purpose and where I'm going to direct my energies for the day, for the week and for my life. We need to take time to develop a strategic plan, so that we are moving in the right direction and not becoming frustrated with this treadmill thing, or just running out of 'place' somewhere on the our enthusiastic, passionate road... to nowhere.

If we don't have this purposed plan, with an end, a vision in 'sight', we are are on the road to nowhere and will experience the frustration and mundane boredom people, in general, experience every day, because they don't live passionately on purpose.

A great interview

2008-07-03T16:01:00.005-04:00

This interview is recorded on the last post. I listened to it last night and was so impressed with the point of view expressed. With our young generation "losing faith" rapidly in the institution of marriage and sex rampantly being practiced outside of marriage, there surely needs to be some foundational 'answer' to this crisis.

[Click on the WEB EXTRA INTERVIEW on the previous post]

As the parents of this generation we lament the condition and as the church we frown upon and are horrified by the state of affairs in family and marriage. With divorce higher in the church than out, maybe we should be asking what we are doing wrong and not just condemning the 'world' for its influence.
As a pastor I probably have been guilty of the same 'pressure' on young person's relationships Mark Gungor speaks about here.
Don't we think it's time for us to grow up our children, by stopping to try and control the outcomes of their lives. allowing and rather assisting them to make their own decisions that will affect their futures. We fear so much that they must not have and can't have the same life as we have that maybe we are driving them to total irresponsibility of their lives.

Not only by our own lack of character to live Christlike and faithful to the covenant of marriage, but also by our misguided philosophy, we drive our children to a self-centered life of disloyalty and misguided irresponsibility.

Have a look at this interview and see its merit. Its not always the answer, but I honestly believe that there are huge foundational truths we are missing here.

[Click on the WEB EXTRA INTERVIEW on the previous post]

Michelle are married now for going on 27 years and we married at the young age of 21(me) and 18. We waited for 6 years to have children, but enjoyed each other tremendously and worked through our differences, even without a lot of help from the church or family. We never really dated and so didn't have to deal with that whole minefield. I never knew anyone else, and you know I am very glad that I can be devoted to one person for the rest of my life.

How to Find a Mate Without a Date

2008-07-02T16:24:00.003-04:00

By Paul Strand
CBN News Sr. Washington Correspondent

June 28, 2008

CBNNews.com -- ENUMCLAW, Washington -- You go to college, you get a career going, then you find a mate.

That's pretty much the way the marriage game is played these days.

But is it the best way?

WEB EXTRA!
Pastor Mark Gungor Interview

CBN News visited some people who say the Bible and thousands of years of experience and wisdom point to better ways.

There's a small church in rural Washington that when it preaches God should be Lord of your life -- they mean that all the way -- right down to letting God pick your spouse.

Romance Half-Way 'Round The World

If we told you a young man and woman had agreed to marry without even meeting each other first, what Old World country do you think they'd be from? Well, this is a story about a young man from here in Enumclaw, Washington, and a young lady from Scotland who agreed to do just that.

Even before he was a teenager, Joshua Williams told his preacher-parents he didn't want to date and he didn't want to play the field to find a wife -- he wanted what Isaac and Rebecca had in Genesis -- a God-arranged marriage.

His mother Carla Williams remembered, "We had always encouraged our boys to wait on the Lord for their bride, and I had been praying for their brides since they were really little, and when he said that to me he was only about 10 years old."

Joshua clung to I Corinthians 7:27: "I was not to be seeking a wife, and I was taught that from a young age."

On the other side of the world, in Scotland, Kerry was also believing God for an Isaac/Rebecca marriage. "When I read that story, I just knew that's what God was saying: 'this is my plan. This is the perfect way marriage is supposed to be.' I really had that desire, that I wanted God to pick my husband."

Back in Washington state, not dating was tough sometimes for the teenage Joshua, especially in this bold new age when girls often chase the boys. Carla said girls would come up to her when she'd be volunteering at Joshua's school and say, "'Tell Joshua to ask me to the dance.' And I'd say 'No. He's waiting on God. You know that's his decision and I'm praying for that person. If you're not that person, what can I do about it?'"

And Joshua never wanted to go against the Word when dealing with the girls around him. "Scripture talks about we're to treat younger women with absolute purity."

After Joshua graduated high school, he admits he did sometimes despair about how he'd ever find a wife. But then when he was 20, his parents went to Scotland to do some ministry. Carla said, "We didn't go out looking for a bride for Joshua. When I went to Scotland, that was the last thing on my mind."

God Whispers

But they ran into 19-year-old Kerry at one of their first ministry meetings. And Carla remembers God right then speaking to her as she saw Kerry. "I walked into this room and she was coming in from the outside, and it was like 'woah!' and God just whispered in my ear, 'Joshua's wife.'"

Carla kept her mouth shut about this and prayed fervently to make sure she'd really heard the Lord, finally asking her husband about it half-a-week later. "And I said, 'what about Kerry?' And he said, 'Joshua' ... just as strong and determined as could be."

When they came back to the States, Joshua's dad asked him, "'How would you feel if we had someone for you?'"

Joshua knew this was certainly unorthodox, but he had a great peace about it. So he said he was on-board. And then, "... My mom called up Kerry and we say that she proposed for me."

Then, Joshua started e-mailing Kerry, his first note saying something like, "'... Hello, I'm going to marry you."

Kerry soon emigrated to Washington, and moved in with Joshua's parents months before the marriage, absorbing Carla's wisdom gained through three decades of marriage, "Learning from a real godly wife how to be a wife, and just how to serve, how to love."

Joshua and Kerry married in 2002. Now young parents, they tell the whole tale in their book The Perfect Date. And they minister together, taking to churches and conferences and church camps the Williams family message: God wants to be the Lord of who, when and even if you marry.

The Gungor Philosophy

After we'd interviewed the Williams family, we heard about Pastor Mark Gungor, author of Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage, and one of America's most popular and successful speakers when it comes to love and marriage. He disagrees with the Williams' belief that people should hear a word from the Lord before marrying. In fact, he finds no biblical evidence to support such thinking.

But in other beliefs, he's just as radical as the Williams clan.

For instance, he believes we're trying to force young people to wait far, far too long before they marry. Gungor told CBN News, "The thing that turns boys into men is marriage, responsibilities, children. That's what jerks the slack out of you. So while we're saying 'no, they're too immature, they're too immature' and we push it and delay, delay it ... they stay immature. Ask any girl, 30 years of age and single trying to find a guy to marry, and she'll tell you: 'they're all so immature.'"

Gungor said it's unrealistic for the church to expect endless abstinence from young people who are also told to put off marriage for many years. "And I would argue that if you can wait that long, then don't get married! Good grief, what does Paul say in Corinthians: the overwhelming reason to get married is a sex drive. Okay?"

And Gungor said we need to consider: are we pushing young people towards family and love, or away from it?

"The biggest factor to successful marriage is the involvement of family. Without question. So what do we do? We threaten our kids 'if you get married too young, I'll disown you.' So that when they do get married, the family pulls away from them ... leaves them out there hanging. Then they fail and everyone comes running in and saying, 'I told you so!'"

Gungor stated young people and their parents shouldn't let college or lack of money get in the way of marriage. "Man, if you were helping your kid if they were single and 20 in college, why because they're married now are you not helping them? What sense does that make?"

If they marry, start working, and the money's tight, he said parents should help them.

If they want to marry and continue college, he said again parents should help them.

And he added, "Every study shows that married college students fare better than single ones."

Family Should Be Involved

He went even further, saying relatives should help young people find a mate. "Family should play a huge factor in even helping you decide who to marry in the first place."

And Gungor pointed out, "For thousands and thousands of years, men and women got married because their parents got together and helped them decide."

Joshua's mother Carla totally agrees parents need to have a say. "It's our responsibility as parents to be one hundred percent involved in that."

Joshua and Kerry told CBN News they're so glad Joshua's parents always made it a priority to hear from God about his future and be involved. Joshua said, "Years before they even met Kerry there was the wrestling in prayer: 'what is God's plan for Joshua?'"

And Carla pointed out, if parents and kids both keep their eyes on God first, He'll lead when it comes to marriage. "So if you wait on Him, and not seek that and get all worried up about that and keep your mind on God, then God's going to take care of all that."

In the end, who do you trust more to pick the perfect mate: you or God? It's such an important decision, you do want to get it right.

Enjoy your life!

2008-07-01T13:59:00.004-04:00

As clergyman Henry van Dyke wrote nearly 100 years ago, "To be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars; to be satisfied with your possessions, but not contented with yourself until you have made the best of them; to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness, and to fear nothing except cowardice; to be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts; to covet nothing that is your neighbor's except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners; to think seldom of your enemies and often of your friends... these are little guideposts on the footpath to peace."

Everyone needs a mission for their lives; a purpose that they know is clear, meaningful and somehow influential to this world. It says of King David that he served his generation and then died. Without this meaningful mission it seems that life becomes just a sequence of mundane duties that has no inspiration or direction.

But this mission is more than just money or pleasure, which are so temporary in their ability to fulfill us. No, this mission is one that can be maintained and is inspirational in the face of the most trying of situations and circumstances. It will always ensure that there is a harmonious balance to all the facets of your life, and leave you sensing the deep knowing that you are experiencing your best life.

Have you spent time really looking at what it is you are 'called' to do here on this earth? What it is that you will do and should do that will serve this generation?

Have you written down this mission and purpose for your life and developed a strategic plan of tasks that will keep you on track to fulfill this mission for your life?

Don't just survive! life is too short for that. Enjoy every day. Live each day. Go to bed at night having that sense of contribution in some small way that will benefit this world because you were in it.

A forgotten virtue?

2008-06-24T09:23:00.006-04:00

Why humility?

Humility makes us more likeable. It's that character trait that makes us more flexible and adaptable to the personalities of others, and allows them to adapt to us. Pride insists that everyone be like me, think like me and adapt to me. Pride breeds an exclusivity. Unknowingly, pride begins to exclude others from its 'world' because they may differ from it. Hurting and insecure people tend to do this with great emphasis. Groups, too, can become ingrown, but really it is a form of pride and lacks humility. Pride will tend to be unaccepting of the differences of others.
Humility makes it easier to work with others. Humble people don't try and force their will off on others. They don't impose themselves on the will of others. They don't try and force their ideas and opinions off on others. They don't try and force strong-minded people to accept their ideas and opinions.
Humility makes us more teachable. Humble people are willing to listen to the views of others and learn from those that may know more than them. Its pride that says we don't need others and that we know it all and cannot be taught. How about the person we think knows nothing or is not an expert in our field? Is it possible someone else can teach me something I haven't learned yet? Is it possible my opinion may not be the in the right perspective? Personally, I believe that our filters of discernment are sometimes discolored and motivated by a sense of pride, and therefore give us dogmatic approach to our own opinion and belief of issues. Humility means I can change, I can adapt.
Humility is a confidence in the identity of who I am and Whose I am. Humble people are confident, not arrogant. They don't need to 'display' themselves. When we know who we are and who we are in Christ, we don't need to 'destroy' everything that is a threat to us. We are not threatened by that which is different to us or holds a different view to us, or may be stronger than us. Insecurity is a form of pride. It manifests as 'humility' but is really a pseudo form. Insecurity fears its 'position' or 'place' is threatened and therefore could lose it and be embarrassed. Embarrassment is the result of an anticipated loss of honor and dignity. But when you are confident in who you are, your sense of dignity and honor is not found in 'positions' and 'praises', but in a deep knowing, regardless of where you are found.

In a world where push, demand, bite, devour, self-exaltation, win-at-any-cost is applauded and valued, we need a new rethink of this forgotten characteristic and virtue: HUMILITY.

2008-06-24T09:23:00.001-04:00

Self-discipline

2008-06-22T11:31:00.000-04:00

A satisfied life comes from meeting your most important objectives. And that means doing what needs to be done, without wasting time or energy worrying about whether or not you feel like it. As the Nike slogan insists, "Just do it."

"When we develop the habit of plunging in without whining, complaining or procrastinating, we are on our way to genuine freedom," observes author Laurence G. Boldt. "We may not want to face it in such stark terms, but the choice is self-discipline or dependency; boss yourself or be bossed."

Are We Really Trying? Excerpt from The Gift of Change: By Marianne Williamson

2008-06-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

Everyone I know wants the world to change. All of us want to be part of the solution. We find the thought of the complete revolution of human values a very attractive idea. Everyone's all ready to sign up. Let's go!

But wait. You start to hear a few little complaints. "Can we do this when 'The West Wing' isn't on?" "Could I sign up for a slot between two and four on Saturday, when the kids are at soccer?" "Couldn't we meet in a nicer place?" We're the only generation in the history of the world that wants to reinvent society over white wine and brie.

Only in America would someone expect changing the world to be convenient! Hello. Reality check: The suffragettes had no cell phones. The abolitionists had no faxes.

They did have love in their hearts, however. And so do you and I.

I asked a friend what I should speak about at a talk I was to give in his bookshop, and he said, "Speak about the challenges of living a spiritual life today -- I mean, we all try so hard!" And I thought to myself, "No, we don't!"

For whatever reason, however, we keep telling ourselves we do. We're all revisionists these days, and we're not content to just revise our past -- we even revise the present. We seem to have a magical belief that if we describe ourselves a certain way, then it must be true.

We talk about how hard it is to live a spiritual life when we're not even meditating regularly or making the deepest effort to forgive those who have hurt us. Perhaps we have spent so many years in the classroom that "student mode" has become a habit.

It's time to graduate. Enough of us know spiritual principles now; we've read the same books and listened to the same tapes. It's time to become the principles now, to embody them and demonstrate them in our daily lives. Until we do, we will not really learn them at the deepest level. They will not inform our souls or transform the world.

And if that's the case, we will go down in history as the generation that knew what we needed to know yet didn't do what we needed to do. I can't imagine how it would feel, to die with that realization.

We've subscribed to a kind of ivory tower notion of spiritual education: keep it abstract and intellectual and safe. Yet the spoils of history usually go to those willing to get dirt underneath their fingernails.

I heard a woman talking recently about her frustration with politics: "We've tried so hard, and nothing ever seems to change!" I thought she must be joking.

"Uh, no, we haven't. How many of us even vote?" I asked her. "And if we do, what does that mean -- we go to the voting booth every two or four years? Where do we get off thinking that we've tried so hard?" Are we thinking we made some supreme and noble effort to change the world, and it didn't work?! We've been so trained by thirty-minute sitcoms that if we don't get what we want in half an hour, it's like, uh-oh, we tried but failed. Too bad. It's over. Next.

Mother Teresa made a supreme and noble effort. Martin Luther King, Jr. made a supreme and noble effort. Susan B. Anthony made a supreme and noble effort. We have not made a supreme and noble effort. In fact, most of us make very little effort to change the world. But then we feel frustrated when we see that it's not changing!

Usually, when people say, "We've tried so hard!" they're not really talking about themselves. It's more like, "Well, there are other people I know who have!" It's laughable when you think about it. Perhaps we don't realize the big secret in our midst -- which isn't how little power we have to change things, but rather how much power we have that we aren't using! We're like birds who were never informed, or have forgotten, we have wings.

But a great remembering is reverberating among us, and whatever we've done or haven't done, succeeded at or failed at; whatever time we've used well or time we've wasted; we are here, we are available, we are present to the moment and up to the challenge.

All we need remember is this: if God has given us a job to do, He will provide for us the means by which to accomplish it. All we have to do is ask Him what He wants us to do and then be willing to do it.

About the Author:

Marianne Williamson is an internationally acclaimed author and lecturer. She has published ten books, five of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. A popular guest on numerous television programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, and Charlie Rose, Marianne Williamson has lectured professionally since 1983. In 1989, she founded Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that serves homebound people in the Los Angeles area. Today, Project Angel Food serves over 1,000 people daily. Ms. Williamson also co-founded the Peace Alliance. http://www.marianne.com

You are going down, man! Part 2

2008-06-02T11:01:00.001-04:00

As we view our lives and the experiences we have been through, we can see that the hand of the Lord has been on us for our good and for our growth. Satan has used weapons against us to destroy our lives and to keep us out of the game of life, but the very weapons he has used against us are the very weapons that God will use, as we get victory over them, to deliver many caught up in the deception of darkness.

The grace the Father extends to us for our salvation and deliverance, becomes the weapon of choice to be the vessel of God's salvation and the manifestation of His revelation to others. "Be strong in the grace of the Lord Jesus", Paul told Timothy.

Becoming "skilled" in this weapon, in this grace, and letting the Spirit train your fingers for war, is essential for the ministry the Lord has for you. You see, David had to fight only one giant that day. Not the whole army. Only one champion of the enemy was necessary to be defeated. Once that enemy was taken down, the whole host, the whole horde of the Philistines collapsed and were defeated.

What is your giant that you have been "trained" to defeat?
What champion of the enemy sits as a hindrance to your victory, championing the cause of the hosts of the enemy?
What armies could be defeated if you were to defeat the one champion? What hosts could fall, because of your obedience, your training, your equipping?

Be prepared in the fields of seeming insignificant duty and responsibility. Defend the faith at times of obscurity. Face up to enemies that will try and rob your life and duty before God. These times will be the preparation you need for that time when you will be assigned to that giant, to that champion, that will bring the kingdom of God to regions and people.

We need to understand that the Lord is not calling us to 'kill' all the giants. But we are called to defeat the one he has assigned for us. The one no one else wants to tackle, or are not graced to tackle.

So, prepare well. don't be distracted and take down that enemy!

Lilongwe, Malawi

2008-05-29T11:07:00.002-04:00

This is my good friend and 'spiritual son in the faith", Salima McOnly and his precious wife Promise.

They have been friends and partners for the past 11 or 12 years now. They are planting a Enoch House church in Lilongwe, Malawi and already have +/- 30 attendees. Salima also oversees a small church in a village called Migowi, which is in the border of Mozambique and Malawi, and an orphanage for AIDS orphans of approximately 100 children.

I have ministered on two occasions with them in Blantyre and Migowi to do leadership conferences, which was a life-altering experience.
The hunger of the pastors was both inspiring and humbling. They would travel 2-3 days on their bicycles, non stop, to sit all day, for 3 days, to listen to the Word of the Lord. After the conference they will ride their bicycles back to their villages and then they begin a process of traveling from church to church to discuss and pray about how they can implement what they have learnt.
As a young man from the village of Migowi, Salima met Christ in a powerful way and began, practically immediately, to preach the gospel all over the region. He would travel into Mozambique even during their civil war, putting his life at risk to encourage the rural pastors, sometimes even traveling through minefields to get to them.
I obtained a letter from someone in which Salima was requesting someone to come and minister in his village. As I prayed I felt a strong leading of the Lord to go. Not knowing what to expect, a friend from our church in Melkbos and I went to their village to bring a message of encouragement to the leaders.
We soon discovered that we were not prepared for what lay ahead. We did not have enough money to pay for everything. Salima and his wife did their best to feed us and the elders that would visit at night to spend time with me. We did not have any linen or sleeping bags or such like and had to put up with whatever could be acquired.
But we endured and experienced so much joy from being there.
We discovered, we were the first "white" people in the village and so the chief gave us a gift of a plump chicken. The children would cry and run away from us because we were 'alien' to them.
To some up our 'investment" there, I tell the story of the young man who on our last night brought us each, my friend and I, a coin wrapped in a piece of newspaper. he had 'bunked' school for 3 days to attend the conference and was so blessed and joyed by what he had learnt, he wanted to show his gratitude. He was a little embarrassed to enter the room, but upon my encouragement, he came and gave us the 'gifts'.
I, even now, weep as I think of this meager little offering, but how rich it was before the Lord. All the hardship we had endured was nothing in the light of this offering given with the whole heart. The coin was not even equal to a South African cent, but its worth to the Lord was more than can be counted here on earth. I think 6 or so months later he was found dead in his bed.
What a privilege we had of sharing the word of God with this young man.

We still support Salima in his ministry there in Malawi on a monthly basis.

You are going down,man!

2008-05-28T22:33:00.002-04:00

Five choice stones.
That's all he took. That's all, he felt, he needed. It was his weapon of choice. It was the weapon he felt 'comfortable' with, to defeat the champion of the opposing army. The stones, he knew, that came from the brook, were smooth and round and, therefore, could travel streamlined to their target.
Although the armies had been facing up to each other for months now, no headway could be found on either side. Now, the Israelites were facing an accomplished champion. He had championed many a battle for the enemy and had defeated many armies as their champion. Scarred and hardy, Goliath was a formidable foe, ready and skilled to face any opposing champion.
At this stage of the strategy of these armies, it seemed that champions facing each other could end this stand-off. But, the Israelis had not one champion to handle this decisive show-down. Well, they did, but King Saul was hiding and very willing to surrender his place to another by giving them his armor.
David,,however, had learned how to keep intended focus in battle while defending seemingly insignificant livestock.
David knew this strategy well, take down the main giant and see the host fall. Don't try and be the whole army, stay focused on your strength and your choice weapon. He was carrying a staff and maybe a sword, either way he was out to defeat this obstacle and reach the objective of the battle to defeat the enemy. He was going out with what he knew best - the sling.
The sling with 5 stones. If one doesn't work, there are 4 others that can and will do the job.

Even though mocked by the overwhelming odds against him in this battle, and by the foe himself, David went out with focused intention to bring this battle to an end. No hesitation. No half-hearted swinging of the sling-shot. David dug deep into his faith in the covenant they as a people had with the Almighty God and ran with surety and confidence toward the champion of the Philistine army.
This wasn't even a match in their minds. Like vultures ready to tear the flesh from the carcass, the Philistines hovered in the background, sure they were about to devour Israel and plunder their treasures of the battle field and who knows what else they intended.

What a surprise it must have been to them to see this young, small in stature shepherd boy, so skilled and intentional, deliver such a accurate, hard and well-timed blow to the head of this enormous warrior that it must have fractured his skull, after finding its way past his helmet armor. Needles to say, it brought the battle scarred and -experienced warrior to the ground and long enough for David to use the warriors own sword to sever his head from his body.
That day, that incident, that one strategic action defeated the hordes of Philisti. It also began a career for the young, now warrior David, as a soldier of note, general and noted champion. The Philistines continued to suffer casualties at his hand and experience the ever lingering reminder of their defeat that historic day on the battlefield.
One weapon of choice; one stone; one focused, intentional, passionate, young man; who could not be intimidated by the odds against him.

Moving along

2008-05-27T13:33:00.002-04:00

Our first call is to FOLLOW Jesus . His first invitation to the disciples was "Follow Me!".
And they did. Not all, but the 12 did. Against all odds and with much persecution they followed, even to the death.
Many say "I will follow You, Jesus. Where ever You lead, I will follow." But many do not understand what that entails.

What does Jesus mean when He invites us to follow?
To follow is the Greek word: Akoloutheo
From 2 words: a - together + keleuthos - a way
(Coming from the root word: kello - to move quickly and euthos - straight).

This word is so deep in meaning. This follow-ing is not the occasional and temporary following of the crowds, who hung with Jesus for the "works" He did for them. Nothing wrong with that. But Jesus requires more from His disciples.
This follow-ing involved an abiding fellowship with Him, not just for learning, but also for Salvation.
Discipleship is about us being"transformed into His likeness" and "conformed into His image".
Basically, to become more like Him and manifest or show that likeness in the world we live. To have that, though, requires a certain price, one of abiding fellowship.

What does that mean?
What is the price?
What is needed?

Mat 8:21 Another man, who was a disciple, said, "Sir, first let me go back and bury my father."
Mat 8:22 "Follow me," Jesus answered, "and let the dead bury their own dead."

A closeness fostered through absolute trust and obedience. Trusting He knows and has our futures and purpose really worked out for us. There can be no "Let me first"'s. Any delay in obedience is 'no' obedience. And only when we trust will we obey. "If you love Me you will obey My commands" Jesus said. This trust is a relinquishing of my own rights, even though you do have rights in His Kingdom, for trusting His choice for your life. Leaving all your design for your life to cleave to Him for your life.
An unquestioning following of His leading, every day. If I trust Him and I am willing to obey Him, then His leading is what I will always choose above my own 'common sense', many times. "My sheep follow My voice" Jesus said. As true sheep we will be absolutely committed to following the Master in all things. He leads to green pastures and beside still waters.
A commitment from the heart to always act according to His example. "Whoever follows Me will have the light of life". Jesus wants His disciples to learn of Him and become like Him, not just become aware of a bunch of regulations and rules. He doesn't want us just transferred from one culture to another. No! He wants us to be like Him; to represent Him in the earth. "Hang with Me. Closely". Is His admonishment. "Then you will more and more be like I am and show the world what I am about. Not just in what I say, but in who I am." Says the Lord.

So. from now on, when we boldly declare "I will follow you, because I have decided", let us be very aware what Jesus means when He says
"Follow Me!"

If we look at the definition of this word again, we can see the word means by definition to follow together with straight and closely. No deviations or distractions. No delays. Just full out following.
For many this may be hard to swallow. But this is what it means to follow Him. No agendas, no "self".
Let us be swift and quick to follow Him and straight in the path that He leads us on.

Starry-Big

2008-05-26T15:16:00.000-04:00

Help! I'm on earth

2008-05-22T12:06:00.003-04:00

Its such a vital aspect of Christianity that we are "servants" to one another. We all need each other to 'minister' life and encouragement to one another.
Ministry is not just about pulpits and great words and gifts, but the everyday concern for His Body and the availability to do the little things that can count so much.

It's the phone call when we think of someone; the prayer; the text message with some encouraging word. With the seemingly insignificant investments into the 'family' of God we can and will make such a significant difference to the environment of faith.
Someone said that if we spent more time encouraging one another we would have far less counseling in the church.

Its not the champions that make up the marathons, but all the 'normal' people who compete for the prize of just finishing. We do need the champions, but we need the 'field' to be made up as well. Jesus handed out 10, 5 and 1 talents. Many are envious of the 10 talented or 5 talented or many are feeling inferior to them, but Jesus did give 1 talents and we should be content and excited about it. The Body of Christ needs those 1 talented persons because they make up a channel for the Lord to bless His church that the 10 and 5 talented will never be able to.

This 'ministry' of encouragement and blessings is what Jesus meant with washing each others feet. Peter wanted all to be washed, Jesus said it was not necessary.
As we walk through this world we find we pick up contamination from the 'world' and find ourselves dirtied and needing washing. This is where each one of us comes in-wash one another's feet with those seemingly insignificant gestures of love and servant hood.

A total wash is not necessary because we are washed and cleansed in the blood of the Lamb who forgives and cleanses us from all our sin(s). What we do need here and now on this earth is someone to care and be used by the Lord to minister to me, walk with me through the difficulties and temptations and earthly things that could distress my walk in the Lord.

Jesus says as He did it to them so they should do it to one another. As they traveled their feet got dirty and needed washing. My focus here is not so much , do you have someone to wash? But rather, are we prepared to wash? Are you willing today to believe that the Lord wants to use you, not only after 10 courses and hands laid 50 times and the prophet prophesies, to minister encouragement to those around you in your church and community?

Did you wake up thinking about someone?
Did you suddenly 'see' someone's face before you?
Have you been feeling burdened for a brother or sister?
Do you feel a need to write a letter?
Do you feel a need to call and utter a simple prayer?
Do you sense an urge to invite someone to coffee after work? It could save their marriage.

It's never insignificant!
Wash someone's feet today, big or small, significant or not. Put on that servants garment and minister encouragement and see them be cleansed from earthiness.

Joh 13:4 So he rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel around his waist.
Joh 13:5 Then he poured some water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist.
Joh 13:6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Are you going to wash my feet, Lord?"
Joh 13:7 Jesus answered him, "You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later."
Joh 13:8 Peter declared, "Never at any time will you wash my feet!" "If I do not wash your feet," Jesus answered, "you will no longer be my disciple."
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter answered, "Lord, do not wash only my feet, then! Wash my hands and head, too!"
Joh 13:10 Jesus said, "Those who have taken a bath are completely clean and do not have to wash themselves, except for their feet. All of you are clean---all except one."

The voyage of discovery

2008-05-20T09:18:00.001-04:00

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking
new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
— Marcel Proust: Was a French novelist and essayis

A key to upliftment

2008-05-20T08:40:00.002-04:00

Joshua 1:8
Be sure that the book of the Law is always read in your worship. Study it day and night, and make sure that you obey everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Social upliftment is something we should definitely be involved in. Being in touch with the people in our world is vital to not only meet the needs of others around us, but also to see our 'christianity' lived out in practical ways.

James 1:27
What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world.

But what we must never neglect to see is how vital the Word of God is to people's upliftment. All our 'action' without the Word of God will leave people fed, but with no future. When we give people the Word, it gives them the answer to every need in life. Regardless of our situation, when we believe, we can overcome all. To believe, requires the Word of God being found richly in our hearts.

Col 3:16
Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom.

Admittedly, people often need a helping hand to get started and get them on their feet, but nothing replaces the power of God's word to increase and prosper us in every situation.
It's a known fact that where the Bible is preached and believed in all its fulness the people begin to prosper and increase. Faith comes by hearing the word and by faith, the bible says we overcome. Jesus said, all things are possible to those who believe.

Not only for our own lives, but for those in a less position than ourselves, need the Word of God. God told Joshua, if you would study, think about and talk about the Word, the message of God, all the time, it will make you prosperous and successful in your endeavors.
So, make a decision to not only be actionable in your social upliftment programs, but also to be a sharer of the Word to those that need it. Who needs it? Everyone.

The best way to become a sharer is to fill your own heart with the Word daily. Let it dwell in you richly. Just the overflow will the blessing people need. please go take a look at Deut 28, and see what happens when we believe and obey the word of God in our lives.
We are blessed!

Don't give up

2008-05-16T10:49:00.000-04:00

"Most of the important things in the world have been
accomplished by people who have kept on trying
when there seemed to be no hope at all."
— Dale Carnegie: Was an American writer and lecturer

Where are the Fathers?

2008-05-15T14:56:00.004-04:00

“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

"As I watched my firstborn son, at 7 years old, sleeping so peacefully, this warm fuzzy feeling came all over me. I was such a proud father. To be able to see the creative power of God at work and what is more, allowing me to partake with Him in creating my son was somehow overwhelming.

While I was leaving his room, I sensed the Father speak to me:

“Son (Shaun), I don’t want you to raise a son, but rather raise a father.”

That one statement got my attention! What did that really mean?

Deep down I knew what it meant, I could sense the Fathers will and hearts cry.

“Where are the fathers?”

As I pondered on the revelation of my Heavenly Father’s heart, I knew that I was now on a mission, a quest, not only for my firstborn, but also for my two other sons to follow. The mission would also continue to other sons and their fathers, who I would have the privilege of influencing."

Get the first edition of my my book "Where are the fathers?"

at

http://www.lulu.com/strategy4life

Amish country

2008-05-15T10:04:00.002-04:00

Knowing His will

2008-05-13T21:43:00.004-04:00

Knowing the will of God for our lives is about wanting what He wants.

Joh 6:38 because I have come down from heaven to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Jesus said we should pray that the Fathers will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Our citizenship is heavenly, and the will of Him that sends us is heavenly, not earthly.
To do His will, we need to remove ourselves from our own will. We need to reckon ourselves already dead to our wills, our own opinions, our own desires, our own personalities and our own interpretations of the will.
Many times what we do is interpret the will of God through our filter of personality or demeanor. So, just because we are shy does not mean that God's will will always be 'shy' through us. Or visa versa. He may require us to be aggressive at times, or bold, or gentle , or hold back.
What we do need to do is remove how we want to interpret His will because that is how we want it to be.
And definitely, beware of interpreting the will of God for others because of how we view them.
I have seen very shy and reserved people roar with boldness in meetings. I have seen very bold individuals become very quiet and sensitive in certain settings.

How can you know the will of God?
Well, there are many things we need that can assist and 'lead' us into the will of God, but I would like to deal with just one.
Worship.
True worship. Not of "self", but of the the One whose will we desire.

Luk 4:5 Then the Devil took him up and showed him in a second all the kingdoms of the world.
Luk 4:6 "I will give you all this power and all this wealth," the Devil told him. "It has all been handed over to me, and I can give it to anyone I choose.
Luk 4:7 All this will be yours, then, if you worship me."
Luk 4:8 Jesus answered, "The scripture says, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!' "

Who you worship has the control of your life, has the control of your will.
As you worship the Lord you will more and more become aware of His will and how He wants it be manifest in the earth.
Worship self it has the control. Worship God and you begin to remove the 'filters' that cause you to interpret the will of God the way 'you' want.

Eph 5:10 Try to learn what pleases the Lord.

The Right One's

2008-05-13T21:16:00.002-04:00

Our growth as individuals requires relationships, but we absolutely need the right one's.
The circle of relationships that forms our world that influences us can either be our increase or decrease. If we are the strongest individual in our group, we are in trouble and need to change the circle of relationships. The danger here is that we will never be stretched or challenged, therefore we could become comfortable with our status quo. Of course, it means that if we have character quirks, nobody feels the strength to confront us. This is very dangerous for the leadership of our lives because God adds relationships to our lives to keep us focused and with the right depth of character. Accountability is necessary up and down. In other words, we need to accountability to "leaders" who are 'over' us and we need accountability to individuals we are over.
My children have always had the liberty to correct or hold me accountable to godly and sensible behavior. But if they are all the accountability I have that will be to my detriment, but they do have the liberty.
We need to be influencing relationships and we need to be influenced, constantly.
Another danger is only surrounding ourselves with those who agree with us. I have made that mistake in the past and had it cost me. Ask yourself whether the relationships around you stretch you or if you are moving without challenges.
We need change in our lives, but the only the right relationships can bring about the right change.

The most difficult and the most rewarding

2008-05-11T14:57:00.002-04:00

From the time we are born we have this built in need for the physical touch of our moms and others. We were born for relationships. As a teenager I had this cynical philosophy about how weak the human race is because, just look at how babies are compared with animals, but as I have seen my own children grow and grown in my own relationship with my Heavenly Father, I have seen that we are totally unable to help ourselves due to God wanting us from get-go to know and experience the relationships around us. Our dependence on others becomes very evident and this dependence is what solidifies our need for people in our lives and our bonding to them.

Have you noticed that God sent His Son to the earth, as a gift, but that He didn't send 'a gift' as a ministry gift like a prophet or a pastor. Now, we know, Jesus did and was those gifts to human kind, but He is revealed as a Son . The Son reveals God as Father. Not as some foreign entity who is unrelated. Then, we are told, that we are brought into the relationship with the Father as sons and daughters. This is all relational. We understand that God is the Master of and deeply concerned and therefore provides relationships for us.

I personally believe if the 'world' - those who don't believe in Him- really could see how and why God is God and how He wants to relate to us, it would change their whole cynical view of Him. But since we as the church are more concerned in making members than sons unto God, we have lost the most powerful testimony of all; that God wants to be a Father to us and adopts us as his children.

Relationships are challenging and probably will be in any area of life, the most challenging issue you will face. Parents and children; husband and wife; leaders and followers; work place; social; extended family; it seems that these areas are constantly offering the need for certain ingredients that will make a successful environment for our relationships. If we would take the time to discover these essential ingredients and actually exercise them we would fin ourselves enjoying the most rewarding thing on the earth given to man, our relationships.

Hope you have a wonderful mothers day.

Running

2008-05-07T11:35:00.003-04:00

2Ti 4:7 (ASV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: (GNB) I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith. (ISV) I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith. (KJV+) I have foughtG75 a goodG2570 fight,G73 I have finishedG5055 my course,G1408 I have keptG5083 theG3588 faith:G4102

You, like Paul, have a race, a course, a distance for your life;
This path requires fulfillment;
Fulfillment means to complete, execute, conclude, accomplish;
We need to do our 'best' in running this 'career' that is the path of our destiny;
What race will you have run, when you reach the end of it;
Paul says he has finished, accomplished, executed the race, the full distance;
There is a race, a career,a course for you to accomplish and execute;
On the course we are able to observe, preserve, reserve and serve the faith;
Staying on track allows us to fulfill the faith walk;
Allows us to fulfill the command of faithful living;
On our course is the grace to live by faith and maintain its cause.

I remember the first marathon I had to run, or rather chose to run. It was a whole 42 km's. The race was before me and I chose to run it. I wanted the medal, at all costs. This was to be my first full marathon. my father-in-law and I had run a few shorter distances and we had helped Michelle's uncles run a few hundred-miler's ( That is 100 miles of running. From 7pm until finished, normally the next day some time). Of course, helping is not the race itself.

The starters gun fired and we took off. From experience on the very long runs and shorter ones that we had completed, I had learnt to start slow and pace myself, especially since i was known as a "plodder". But then I would rather plod and finish than try and win the race in the first 30 minutes and not make even half the distance.

I remember on one occasion we were helping on a 100 mile race and this novice took off bouncing down the road. Freddy and Eric, Michelle's 2 uncles, said,"We will see him soon". Sure enough, a few hours later an ambulance went past and, as we discovered the next day, ( he was laying in the medical tent) it was our bouncing athlete.

So, here I was running my first official full marathon. It probably was the worst on the circuit I could have chosen. From the beginning, we had to double back and run past each other. It wasn't the best organised, but I was determined. After running about 28 km's, my legs decided that it was the end of the road for them, but I was determined...

I walked the rest of the way. 14 km's!
I wasn't stone last. I was only second last. Everybody wanted to go home, so they kept asking me if I wanted a ride. No. I could see that jolly medal, even though it was only bronze, sitting there waiting for me. I had to finish this race. Well I did and I did get my medal. The whole time I was walking, I could see that medal and I knew that if I gave up - no medal. Of course, what would the rest of the guys say?
No, I persevered and accomplished and completed, the race, the path that was chosen.
I still have the medal today and the race was....well, I'm not sure if I should tell you; what the heck,... about 19 years ago!

Anyway, the point is, there is path, it has to be run and it must be run with cause, with determination, with our best effort. Finish. Arrive at the destination of your life. Arrive honorably, having "kept" the faith. Forget the distractions to get you off the track. Persevere, even when you feel like quitting. Keep seeing the end goal:

2Ti 4:8 And now there is waiting for me the victory prize of being put right with God, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day---and not only to me, but to all those who wait with love for him to appear.

Rest

2008-05-06T12:54:00.005-04:00

(New York skyscrapers from Central Park)

It's critical to find "rest" in the midst of your crazy world.
John 16:33
(ASV) These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Peace is that undisturbed sense of well-being, that only Jesus can give through His word. Its the weapon we have within, to withstand to pressure without.
Isa 26:3 You, LORD, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.

Peace is what keeps us restful in the middle of a storm or when facing a tribunal, conviction and condemnation to death. Its our spiritual immunity to face anything and everything in this crazy world, because w know that He has overcome. perfect peace is not some nice mushy feeling of tranquility temporarily found in a exquisite sunset or something, as wonderful as these are.

No! This peace is only found in our sure, secure, firm-footed focus on our purpose and His word.

Ambitious

2008-05-06T12:04:00.003-04:00

While taking a friend to the airport we got to spend some time in New York City yesterday. Nice to visit, but I wouldn't want to spend too much time there in the city. Too busy.
To me it looked like there are 3 kinds of people, generally:

those that make it;
those that fake it &
those that can't take it!

Those that make it are of the "lottery" of life. Everybody wishes they were them, but never get there. Mostly others fake it, hoping they can make it, but if not, they'll feel better just looking like it. And unfortunately, there is a whole bunch that can not take anymore. They fall through the cracks of life, giving up on any dreams or aspirations.

Luke 4:5 Then the Devil took him up and showed him in a second all the kingdoms of the world.
Luke 4:6 "I will give you all this power and all this wealth," the Devil told him. "It has all been handed over to me, and I can give it to anyone I choose.
Luke 4:7 All this will be yours, then, if you worship me."
Luke 4:8 Jesus answered, "The scripture says, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!' "

There is a constant draw to pursue the power and wealth. There is no mistaking it is there, otherwise it would not have been a temptation to Jesus.

But the price is.....Worship!
Worship gives us intimacy with what is worshiped and makes us its devotee.

Only the worship of God is liberating. Worship always costs us, but one will liberate you; the other will be bondage. You see the devil wanted worship, but the focus was to get the power and the wealth.
Whereas, God requires worship as Him being the focus. Its personal, intimate and fufilling. You see, in Him is all that we need and that's why Jesus did not need anything other than to worship God. We don't need anything else, except to worship God. He is so devoted to me, to us. We can never out-devote Him. We have no need of false dreams and aspirations. We do not need to "fake it" or even get to the place of "can't take it". Worship God, and allow Him to position you and guide you and equip you and see Him bring to pass every good plan He has for you.

Discipleship

2008-05-02T10:13:00.003-04:00

Mat 28:18 Jesus drew near and said to them, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
Mat 28:19 Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."

"In "going" make disciples" is what Jesus said was our commission. "On the same road you have been travelling, carry on going", "What you have learnt and been shown, this is what you need to keep doing", is the greeting Jesus gave the twelve on His departure from the earth. This was His final and official commission given for them to carry out and pass on to His church.

GO; MAKE DISCIPLES; BAPTIZE; TEACH: "Go" was His greeting; "Make Disciples" was the activity.
Jesus promise was that He would never abandon or leave them while they carried out this directive of the His.

Now, we have seen that He had crowds with Him, and that He had had compassion on them and ministered to them and he also had a bunch of other disciples whom He instructed and sent out to minister on His behalf, but that He invested and imparted into and focused on the 12.

But why?
Joh 2:23 While Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, many believed in him as they saw the miracles he performed.
Joh 2:24 But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew them all.
Joh 2:25 There was no need for anyone to tell him about them, because he himself knew what was in their hearts.
Whom did he entrust Himself to? The 12 disciples, whom He had chosen after prayer.

Joh 6:25 When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they said to him, "Teacher, when did you get here?"
Joh 6:26 Jesus answered, "I am telling you the truth: you are looking for me because you ate the bread and had all you wanted, not because you understood my miracles.

Jesus knew the crowds were really there because of the 'fish sandwiches' and the miracles, but not because of who He really was, and is. Their focus was to get their needs met. Now, that is not particularly a bad thing, because Jesus met those needs, but Jesus does call us to a higher place.

Joh 6:28 So they asked him, "What can we do in order to do what God wants us to do?"
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered, "What God wants you to do is to believe in the one he sent."
Joh 6:30 They replied, "What miracle will you perform so that we may see it and believe you? "What will you do?"
Another translation says"What are the things God wants us to do?"
Jesus answer is that, God wants us to BELIEVE! What? In the One He sent.

This is what Peter 'saw' in Matthew chapter 16.
Mat 16:15 "What about you?" he asked them. "Who do you say I am?"
Mat 16:16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
Mat 16:17 "Good for you, Simon son of John!" answered Jesus. "For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven.

After Jesus' answer they immediately ask for a sign again. "Give us a miracle", they say. "What will you do?"
You see, Jesus is wanting to take His disciples to a place of where if they never have another miracle, or another prayer answered, or have another sign or wonder, they will never be phased because they BELIEVE. They believe in who He is, not just what He does.

Joh 6:57 The living Father sent me, and because of him I live also. In the same way whoever eats me will live because of me.
Joh 6:58 This, then, is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread that your ancestors ate, but then later died. Those who eat this bread will live forever."
Joh 6:59 Jesus said this as he taught in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Joh 6:60 Many of his followers heard this and said, "This teaching is too hard. Who can listen to it?"
Joh 6:61 Without being told, Jesus knew that they were grumbling about this, so he said to them, "Does this make you want to give up?
Joh 6:62 Suppose, then, that you should see the Son of Man go back up to the place where he was before?
Joh 6:63 What gives life is God's Spirit; human power is of no use at all. The words I have spoken to you bring God's life-giving Spirit.
Joh 6:64 Yet some of you do not believe." (Jesus knew from the very beginning who were the ones that would not believe and which one would betray him.)
Joh 6:65 And he added, "This is the very reason I told you that no people can come to me unless the Father makes it possible for them to do so."
Joh 6:66 Because of this, many of Jesus' followers turned back and would not go with him any more.

Even the disciples (not the 12 ) had a problem what he required of them. It was too hard for them. Not the miracles, not the 'fish sandwiches', but the Son of the Living God Himself should be the focus of their life and faith. His very life and nature and character was to be reproduced in them. They had to eat His flesh and drink His blood, covenanted and committed until His life was their life.
But that was too hard for them and many turned away at this.

Joh 6:67 So he asked the twelve disciples, "And you---would you also like to leave?"
Joh 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.
Joh 6:69 And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God.

The 12 however, whom Jesus had invested in over the time He was here, stayed because they believed and knew. They had the revelation of Who He is.

When you move to that place where who Christ is, is being reproduced in you, the outward factors are something that happens, but don't move you. You are are a follower because you receive Him. Will you see signs and wonders and miracles? Most definitely. But they are not the reason or the motivation of your follower-ship. He become the centre of your life. Christ Jesus is the reason for your existence. You hunger for Him to reproduced in you and to be reproduced in others. As a "12" disciple you direct people to Christ the Lord and Savior, you 'show' Him, and do not try and draw attention to you or your giftings and ministry. Your one desire is Him and His words that produce Life.

Watchman Nee said," Only the foolish are proud of the words God gives, for has He not shown that He will speak, if need be, through an ass!"

Prayer:
Jesus forgive me for taking your Life and call so lightly. Forgive me for every time I have become offended because i felt You didn't answer or 'do' what i felt You should. Today, i set and committ my life to make You the Focus and be a disciple who believes and knows. Holy Spirit help me be a 12 disciple.

The Law vs Faith

2008-04-28T07:27:00.004-04:00

Gal 3:22 But the scripture says that the whole world is under the power of sin; and so the gift which is promised on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ is given to those who believe.
Gal 3:23 But before the time for faith came, the Law kept us all locked up as prisoners until this coming faith should be revealed.
Gal 3:24 And so the Law was in charge of us until Christ came, in order that we might then be put right with God through faith.
Gal 3:25 Now that the time for faith is here, the Law is no longer in charge of us.
Gal 3:26 It is through faith that all of you are God's children in union with Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 You were baptized into union with Christ, and now you are clothed, so to speak, with the life of Christ himself.

"The law kept us locked up as prisoners":
This means the law was a sort of 'watcher in advance'; it means that it mounted guard; hemmed in, to protect.(phoureo)
It held us under, especially in an inferior position or condition and specifically covertly. (hupo)
The law being the regulation and prescribed principles.(nomos)
"in charge of us":
This is the word 'paidagogos' - meaning being led by a servant whose office it is to take the children to school; a tutor; instructor; schoolmaster.
So, the law hemmed us in and mounted guard over us with regulations to keep us in an inferior condition and position, and that done covertly, to lead us bound, in a sense, to school to learn and be tutored.
But why?

It was only till Christ would come and we could believe in His completed work for us. The law held us in bondage, till faith came. Jesus revealed the power of faith when He walked on the earth. Never before had man been able to live by the power of his own faith. Jesus fulfilled all the law and took its curse (Gal 3:13), thereby giving us the ability to live by our personal full persuasion, moral conviction of truth; especially reliance upon Christ for our salvation, and then the constancy in the profession of our faith; assurance, and belief. This is what FAITH is. (pistis)

Just like the Pharisees who wanted to keep people under the bondage of the law even though Christ was the Redeemer, so even today, we have those who use the 'law' of regulation to manipulate and control as many as they can. The Judiazers insisted that the gentile believers be circumcised as they were, but Paul the apostle refuted this as a 'frustration' of the grace Christ has brought us.
We cannot 'control' peoples behavior, much less their personal belief system. We can persuade and influence through the Word, but not 'control'.
The Bible tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Heb11:6) and that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom 10:17).
Laws and regulations will only leave you spiritually in a place of inferiority and bondage. Your condition will always be one of hemmed in feeling of being 'watched' at every move you make. But Christ came and with Him the time of faith. Now we receive the promise on the basis of faith because we believe.

Galations 5:1
"We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So, stand strong. Do not change and go back into the slavery of the law. 2. Listen, I Paul tell you that if you go back to the law by being circumcised, Christ does you no good".

The freedom we have through faith is because Christ set us free.
Freedom: eleutheria: legitimate, chiefly moral or ceremonial: - liberty.
Made us free: eleutheroō; to liberate, that is, (figuratively) to exempt (from moral, ceremonial or mortal liability): - deliver, make free.
Stand strong: stēkō; to be stationary, that is, (figuratively) to persevere: - stand (fast).

Christ has delivered and liberated us from moral or ceremonial liability, and He made it a legitimate liberty so that we are free and can stay free. In fact, we are to persevere in that liberty. If we don't, we end up back under the entanglement and snare of being yoked or brought into servant hood and slavery and bondage to laws and obligations to the ceremonies, regulations of this yoke. Its the yoke of being 'balanced', judged and brought into the ensnarement. (enecho; zugos; douleia) You are never sure of your ability to do it right or fulfill its obligations. In fact, you cant!
Only believing in Christ, walking by the faith of the Son of God, do you experience knowing that all is fulfilled because of Him and now you can walk in all of it because of Him.
When men are 'laying' on you the 'law' of regulations, you too feel as if nothing you do is right or enough, leaving you to try and obtain your promise through the fulfilling of your ceremonies and regulations.
You may even be applying this personally. Because you cannot 'believe' Christ would do it all for you , you feel you need to give Him some 'help'. But you don't realise you are bringing yourself into a snare of bondage, slavery to your own 'works'.

Eph 2:8 For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it.

Christ has brought us freedom and legitimate liberty, so that we may walk in faith in His total complete work for us and receive His promised gift. No more slavery, no more yokes of bondage.
All is Christ.
Everyone needs to be brought to faith so that they may receive. Personal and individual.

Questions:

1. Are you constantly 'striving' in your faith walk to try and be good enough or accepted?
2. Do you feel you are 'good enough' to receive what Christ purchased for you?
3. When leaving meetings, do you feel you not good enough and the standard is too high for you?
4. Do constantly feel you need to please someone to 'earn' your acceptance?

Confess today:
I walk by faith and not by sight. Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law. Its not by my might or the power of my own effort that I receive and enjoy all that Jesus died for for me, but by His grace and by my faith I enjoy all. Today I stand strong in His freedom for my life purchased with His blood. I am free to worship and free to receive. My faith works today. No more bondage for me.

Legalism is bound to produce pride of heart

2008-04-27T14:18:00.005-04:00

Legalism is bound to produce pride of heart. To live by the law I must exert my strength of will, often against my own inclinations. Such effort inevitably leads me to despise or pity those who are not trying as hard as I, or who are trying and failing.
My very exertions give me a superior feeling that sours me toward them, and even though I keep my feeling to myself, I shall soon find I am too aloof even to pray with those I consider less spiritual.
Living by the law leads to this . But God is too big to stereotype His saints. People are not to be conformed to me, but to His death. And that is just as well. For sourness in apples is no mark of maturity! Ripe apples are sweet.
If God is really producing something in me I shall find no difficulty in going along with other saints whose history is different from mine.
Watchman Nee

2008-04-27T14:10:00.001-04:00

Our home in Narvon. And a snowy day on the way to our home.

2008-04-24T14:28:00.001-04:00

Amish buggies pass by our house daily. It feels like we are caught in a time warp, the 18th Century in the 21st.

Discipleship of the Twelve

2008-04-24T13:15:00.004-04:00

Luke 6:12 At that time Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God.
Luke 6:13 When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles:

It's interesting that Jesus focused on a group called disciples. In these passages here, we see that he goes up on a hill to pray. He spends the night there. When He returns the next morning,He chooses 12 guys who will be with Him.
What we must understand that He had disciples all around Him, most of the time. In fact, Jesus constantly put out a call and an invitation for people to join Him as His disciples. now that was nothing unusual in those days, because the pharisees had disciples and so did John the Baptist. So, coming down from His night in prayer, Jesus approached a bunch , maybe ranging in the hundreds of His already following disciples, to choose 12 to be with Him.

Let's understand that Jesus was the pattern Son, reflecting His Father in nature and example. Jesus said if you saw him you had seen the father. That's what he told Phillip at one point. Jesus never operated independently. He always followed the pattern that had been set by the scriptures and represented the God of heaven, His Father, in everything.

A question I asked myself many times was, why 12? Why not 10 or 13? What was so significant about the number 12?
We know the number 3 speaks of Trinity, 4 Earthy, 5 Grace, 6 man, 7 Perfection, and 12? ...Government.
Not only that, there were 12 tribes of Israel, 12 loaves, 12 stones, 12 governors.

Jos 4:3 and command them to take twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests were standing. Tell them to carry these stones with them and to put them down where you camp tonight."
Jos 4:9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, where the priests carrying the Covenant Box had stood. (Those stones are still there.)
1Ki 4:7 Solomon appointed twelve men as district governors in Israel.
1Ki 4:27 His twelve governors, each one in the month assigned to him, supplied the food King Solomon needed for himself and for all who ate in the palace; they always supplied everything needed.
Eze 48:30 There are twelve entrances to the city of Jerusalem.
1Ki 18:30 Then Elijah said to the people, "Come closer to me," and they all gathered around him. He set about repairing the altar of the LORD which had been torn down.
1Ki 18:31 He took twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes named for the sons of Jacob, the man to whom the LORD had given the name Israel.
1Ki 18:32 With these stones he rebuilt the altar for the worship of the LORD.

There must be some significance to this number. So much so that Jesus felt the need out of all those following Him to choose 12. But Jesus knew the pattern. He invested Himself in these 12, putting His vision and character into them. They were the one's who would carry His vision and goverment to the nations. In fact, we are the result of those 12 men's lives and ministries.
These 12 were the "foundation" of all that He would do while on the earth.

Mar 3:14 and he chose twelve, whom he named apostles. "I have chosen you to be with me," he told them. "I will also send you out to preach,
Mar 3:15 and you will have authority to drive out demons."

These men were more than just helpers or assistants or 'staff'. No, they were to be the very foundation of all His 'building'. His investment.

Luk 7:11 Soon afterward Jesus went to a town named Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd.

Even though Jesus did minister to the crowds and other followers or disciples and they would travel with Him, he did choose and minister specifically to these 12 men, imparting to them not just a knowledge but a practical outworking of who He was and what He did. he called them "apostles" meaning ambassadors or governmental representatives. they would be the one's who would be able to represent fully the government of Jesus Christ to the earth.

To build any Christian work effectively, we should follow Jesus' pattern and though we minister to the crowds and the disciples who come because of our teaching and instruction, we find the '12' in whom we can invest the character and vision of the Kingdom of God, not only in knowledge but in practice. 12 who will carry out the 'work' and the vision to the generations.

I don't believe this is something unique or 'way out' idea, but just a following of the Master and how He did it, how He built what the Father sent Him to do. I believe it was very effective, don't you?

So, even though we we may be making disciples of those we instruct are we investing, like Jesus, into the lives of a few that the Father shows us, for a duplication and multiplication of the work we have and the vision we carry.

Mat 28:18 Jesus drew near and said to them, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
Mat 28:19 Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."

This was Jesus' last and final commission to those disciples and eventually to us.
Because he has ALL authority, we should be "going" and doing the same as he did. That is what this greeting to them actually means. And because he is with us ALWAYS, we do not have to fear in doing what He has has commissioned. In fact, we CAN do it.

This is what we as the church need to be actively involved in, making disciples.

NEWS APRIL

2008-04-23T10:39:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone
PA is well into spring now and the surroundings here are amazingly tranquil. We are enjoying the slow pace of the rural world with Amish buggies going by daily and plenty of bird life.
We, again, have begun to make good friends and meet wonderful new people, even a couple from South Africa who have been a blessing to us already.

After stressing a little as we sought the Lord for His purpose for our lives here, we at last have begun to see the hand of the Lord begin to direct and bring destiny to us. What I have learnt these past few weeks is that if we would rest in Him and trust that the Lord will direct our paths we would experience destiny being brought to us.
Live on purpose for your destiny every day and you will begin to live it out over time and seasons.

While wondering what we are doing here in PA, we through a series of divine connections and appointments , were approached by a family to start a work in a town called Reading which is about 14 miles or so from here. After praying and discussing and seeking the Lord's wisdom for us, we have come to conclusion that this it!
We received a letter not long before this from someone in Europe out of the blue saying that they sensed from the time we met in SA that we should be pastoring, with an apostolic thrust. That was such an answer to prayer as we had been praying and seeking the Lord that week about how He wanted us to position ourselves and what He wanted us to do.
Soon after that we received this "Macedonia call" to come and plant and pastor a church in Reading.
Act 16:9 That night Paul had a vision in which he saw a Macedonian standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!"

Reading has a population of +/- 80,000 people and is located about 2 hours from Philadelphia.
Already I sense an intense urge to pray and press for a significant door of opportunity to open there for the message of Christ to be brought to these people.
Col 4:2 Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God.
Col 4:3 At the same time pray also for us, so that God will give us a good opportunity to preach his message about the secret of Christ. For that is why I am now in prison.
Col 4:4 Pray, then, that I may speak, as I should, in such a way as to make it clear.

Please pray for us over this season of planting. The foundation of any work is the prayer labor that goes before and during the planting. I honestly believe that 80% of the success is due to prayer and 20% due to effort. Obviously it cannot just be us, but as many as we can muster to help with this work of the Spirit to preach the Word to a hungry people. Even hunger for spiritual things comes with prayer. Prayer moves heaven that moves the hearts of men.
We still sense though that this is not just a local work,but will reach much further to an international level. Already we are beginning training and mentoring of people for church planting to other nations. Some of this will be online and some locally.

As a source of income I am also mentoring Christian business people and individuals in personal strategy for their lives. A real blessing has been an online marketing coach who is assisting me to launch the ministry online and market the market place ministry. The Lord never abandons or fails us, never. He always makes a way, even when it seems all the ways have closed.
If we obey Him and are sensitive to His positioning of our lives for His purpose, tremendous provision comes with it.

We were also recently accepted by King's Way Fellowship International (www.kingswayfellowship.org)as an ordained international minister and missionary and so soon we will have non-profit status, for tax exemption.

So, what is the Lord saying to you at this time?
How is he positioning you?
What changes is He requiring of you for the establishing of His goverment?
Where is your world of influence?

It is vital that everyone of us seek the Lord to be spiritually and physically where he wants us to be in this season. World wide there is a shaking going on and the Lord wants to position us not only for our salvation and increase, but also for Him to influence the world through us.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jesus defined the difference between a faithful leader and a religious leader.
A faithful leader is an example worth imitating.
A religious leader only cares about external appearance and always justifies his actions.
The apostles belonged to the first group and the Pharisees to the second.
To which group do you belong?
The vision Jesus established goes beyond simple religiosity, it is the character of Christ reproduced in us so that we may reproduce it in others.
Rom 8:29 Those whom God had already chosen he also set apart to become like his Son, so that the Son would be the first among many believers.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Many blessings to all

Thank you for everyone's love and support and prayers over this transition time for us as a family. It all has worked effectively on our behalf and will result in a pouring out of gratitude to God from many who will receive because of the positioning of the Lord.
Thank you also to all who are partnering with us for the mission and purpose of Christ on our lives to preach the gospel message to this great country and more. We appreciate you and pray blessings on you and your family.

Shaun, Michelle, and Boyz
www.aFatherVoice.blogspot.com
--
The Enoch Enterprise
+1 717 412 1828
A ministry of discipleship and mentoring to reach, establish and send individuals and groups to influence their world.

Going to a new level

2008-04-21T19:57:00.005-04:00

From the book of Nehemiah we find some principles that give us direction and encouragement as we pursue the Lord in our season of seeking Him for the way forward and to a new level.

I am quoting from the the New Century Version. Nehemiah chapter 1 + 2

1. VISION
verse 2,"One of my brothers named Hanani came with some other men from Judah. I asked them about Jerusalem and the Jewish people who lived through the captivity. They answered me,'Those who are left from the captivity are back in Judah, but they are in much trouble and are full of shame. The wall around Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burned'".

Nehemiah has this vision of what Jerusalem should be and inquires into its present state. Leaders are visionaries. All effective leadership involves vision. Vision guides a leader and keeps him/her on the right track toward the fulfilling of their calling and destiny. Without vision people perish. Vision motivates and strengthens. Vision is the language of the Spirit.
Nehemiah had clear vision for the future and what Jerusalem should be, but his inquiry reveals that the present state of the city is one of trouble, shame and broken down conditions. Gates are broken, he hears.
For us as the church to go to another level in this season, we have to be clear about the vision Jesus has for his church. What has he said about it?

Matt 28:19 Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."

The glory that he has purposed to be released through her and the end result is not what we see now. Jesus said the gates of hell shall not prevail against His church, but at present we see her gates burning with hell's onslaught.
Nehemiah wanted to know the state of the city of Jerusalem presently, but knew clearly and absolutely what it should be.
We need to have a clear and concise, descriptive vision and dream of our ministry, what it is, what it should look like, what it will accomplish and when.

2. PRAYER
Verse 4: "When I heard these things, I sat down and cried for several days. I was sad and ate nothing. I prayed to the God of heaven".

Once you have a vision burning in your heart, given from heaven by the Holy Spirit, and you perceive the true condition of things at present, you are moved to intercessory prayer. A deep stirring in the heart with groans and travails.
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much or has much power in its working". James 5:16

Prayer is what moves the hand of heaven to move conditions, situations and men's hearts. To go to another level we need to labor in prayer for the vision. All ministry and Christian work should be 80% prayer and 20% effort. All the 'greatest' programs and efforts in the world can never accomplish what time in prayer will. True vision will inspire true prayer. No vision always dampens prayer, except the religious kind.

Nehemiah's prayerfulness and travailing, burdened heart become evident to the King.
Verse 2: So the king said,"Why does your face look sad even though you are not sick? Your heart must be sad."
Even though he says he had not been sad in the presence of the king before, he now showed his deep groaning, prayer-burden. Some Christians don't need a prayer burden, they are just sad all the time, besides, when they are mad. We should be like Nehemiah, experiencing the travail of the Spirit as He stirs us to pray for the vision and dream He has established in our heart.
At present, as I 'take on' a new project of the Spirit in planting a church again in the region here, I wake at night with groans, I find myself with a heaviness in Spirit as I begin to intercede for the manifestation of the dream the Lord has in His sight for the city.

3. THE LORD HEARS YOUR PRAYER.
Verse 4: Then the king said to me,"What do you want?"

God never ignores the cries of His children and He certainly never ignores those that are the travail of the birthing of the vision He has laid upon your heart. He asks "What do you want?"
I love Nehemiah's response. He doesn't answer immediately.
"First I prayed to the God of heaven. Then I answered..."

Its important at this stage in seeking the direction of God, to seek His will for the response to His request for what do you want. Does He know? Absolutely! But He seeks to reveal your heart for this vision He has given and wants to see fulfilled.
Answer: Send me!
Are you committed the dream, or is it just a nice ambition? Are you willing to be the vessel or do you seek convenience?
Send me so I can rebuild, restore, complete.
Isa 61:4 They will rebuild cities that have long been in ruins. (GNB)

A clear mission is envisioned in this servants heart. "Send me so I can rebuild and restore". He doesn't palm it off on someone else. "Well you know Lord it is a great dream but not for me. Please send Joe Soap, I'm sure he'll pay the price". Not like Moses, who said he wasn't qualified. The vision and the process of God for your life is the qualification. It was his time and he knew it. What is your answer to the Lord's request today?
Isa 6:8 Then I heard the Lord say, "Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?" I answered, "I will go! Send me!"
Isa 6:9 So he told me to go and give the people this message:

4. GET THE PROMISES THAT COVER YOUR VISION.

Don't presume. Know what the Lord says about what you are embarking on.
Verse 7: I also said to him, "If you are willing, give me letters..."

God gave Abram the vision of the stars, but also spoke into his heart "So shall your seed be." He had the vision every time he would look at the stars, but when it was a cloudy or foggy night, he had the Lord's promise reverberating in his heart. Find the scripture that 'speaks' to you concerning where you are headed. Write them down and hold onto them. Speak them when you feel like it and when you don't. They will speak to you when you need them. I cannot tell how many times in my walk with the Lord and in my pursuing the dream He has placed on my heart, I have needed the word He has spoken concerning my life and the vision he has laid on my heart.
Rom 4:20 His faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God's promise; his faith filled him with power, and he gave praise to God.
Rom 4:21 He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised.

5. TRUST THE ANGELS WILL BE YOUR PROTECTION AND MINISTER STRENGTH TO YOU.
Verse9: The king had also sent army officers and soldiers on horses with me.

Psalm 34:7 His angel guards those who honor the LORD and rescues them from danger.
Heb 1:14 What are the angels, then? They are spirits who serve God and are sent by him to help those who are to receive salvation.
Luke 22:43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

6. REJOICE, PERSECUTION WILL COME.
A true vision from the Lord will always stir up the demons of hell to hinder, ridicule and oppose your move in the Spirit. Be sure it will happen. But Jesus said:
Mat 5:10 "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
Mat 5:11 "Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers.
Mat 5:12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted.

The devil does not mind when we do our 'churchy' stuff and never bring onslaught to the kingdom of darkness. If we are not experiencing opposition in spirit and from people, we need to know we are not a threat, but those that have a true vision will be shaking the status quo and will be, through their prayer and preaching and their work, shaking devils from their comfortable positions. therefore, opposition, criticism and accusation will be the order of the day. I remember at one time , a group of men I was discipling, met and were saying how wonderful it was to be fulfilling the vision of the Lord and that we were the only ones who got it, finally. My admonishment to the them was that, already, the 'enemy' was studying the weaknesses and strengths of this group and will apply himself to destroy and that we were to be vigilant and cautious of our behavior and attitude. Sure enough, it took some time, but a few years later, that enemy had found our weakness and exploited it and us.

6. INSPECT AND EXPLORE YOUR VITAL AREAS.
Verse 13: I went out at night through the Valley gate. I rode toward the dragon well and the trash gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and the gates that had been destroyed by fire.

Nehemiah goes out and inspects certain parts of the wall, without anyones knowledge. This is a crucial exercise and just as crucial a time. Firstly, notice he did not discuss with others what his intention was. I have thought on this and think about Paul who did not discuss his vision with anyone for 14 years and then he only mentioned it and did not give detail. We, today, find it hard to keep quiet for even 14 minutes. Before we share anything, let us first begin an inspection or investigation of some crucial elements.
The Valley Gate: The valley is the most fertile part of the land and speaks of the place where we will plough and sow and reap the harvest. Where is it that you are going to put your effort? Where is the area of provision going to come from? Where are your resources?
The Dragon Well: Know your enemy. What areas of opposition can you predict? What laws could work against you? Who will be your biggest accusers? What 'devils', strongholds and spirits can you anticipate? What are your threats?
The Trash Gate: This refers to the 'sin' of our lives. What are your weaknesses? Two areas Satan works on is your strengths and your weaknesses. Know them and be very ruthless with them bringing them to the Spirit light so they cannot 'rule' over you. What are those areas that you know, now, that could be fatal to you staying and walking in integrity? What is it in your life that could cause you to 'fall'? What could trigger your flesh?

6. GOD ADDS PEOPLE TO HELP WITH THE VISION.
verse 17: Then I said to them,"You can see the trouble we have here. Jerusalem is a pile of ruins, and its gates have been burned. Come, let's rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so we won't be full of shame any longer." Verse 18: Then they answered, Let's start rebuilding." So, they began to work hard.

This was commitment to the vision. People don't commit to need, but they do commit to vision.
As you receive a vision from God and dwell on it and pray it through and find scripture that backs it up and gives it substance and you commit to that vision, God sends resources in the form of people to support and carry the vision through to fulfillment with you.

By the vision the Spirit of God births into your heart you will know the guidance of the Lord into your future and into your destiny. Many do not have a vision for their ministry or their lives in its various facets. Dreams and visions are the language of the Spirit. You need to fellowship with the Holy Spirit and ask Him to reveal the Father's will and future for you.

2008-04-12T15:33:00.002-04:00

Psa 33:1 All you that are righteous, shout for joy for what the LORD has done; praise him, all you that obey him.
Psa 33:2 Give thanks to the LORD with harps, sing to him with stringed instruments.
Psa 33:3 Sing a new song to him, play the harp with skill, and shout for joy!
Psa 33:4 The words of the LORD are true, and all his works are dependable.
Psa 33:5 The LORD loves what is righteous and just; his constant love fills the earth.
Psa 33:6 The LORD created the heavens by his command, the sun, moon, and stars by his spoken word.
Psa 33:7 He gathered all the seas into one place; he shut up the ocean depths in storerooms.
Psa 33:8 Worship the LORD, all the earth! Honor him, all peoples of the world!
Psa 33:9 When he spoke, the world was created; at his command everything appeared.
Psa 33:10 The LORD frustrates the purposes of the nations; he keeps them from carrying out their plans.
Psa 33:11 But his plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally.
Psa 33:12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD; happy are the people he has chosen for his own!
Psa 33:13 The LORD looks down from heaven and sees all of us humans.
Psa 33:14 From where he rules, he looks down on all who live on earth.
Psa 33:15 He forms ( through the squeezing into shape; to mould into a form; especially as a potter; figuratively to determine (that is, form a resolution): - X earthen, fashion, form, frame, make (-r), potter, purpose.
all their thoughts and knows everything they do. -its powerful that he gives the thoughts, the purposes and determinations of our hearts and imaginations.
Psa 33:16 A king does not win because of his powerful army; a soldier does not triumph because of his strength.
Psa 33:17 War horses are useless for victory; their great strength cannot save.
Psa 33:18 The LORD watches over those who obey him, those who trust in his constant love.
Psa 33:19 He saves them from death; he keeps them alive in times of famine.
Psa 33:20 We put our hope in the LORD; he is our protector and our help.
Psa 33:21 We are glad because of him; we trust in his holy name.
Psa 33:22 May your constant love be with us, LORD, as we put our hope in you.

Remember

2008-04-12T08:31:00.000-04:00

Remember giving is more important than receiving, that anything worthwhile is difficult, and that anything is made much better if you keep smiling.

A day is coming...

2008-04-09T11:52:00.002-04:00

Isa 2:11 A day is coming when human pride will be ended and human arrogance destroyed. Then the LORD alone will be exalted.
Isa 2:12 On that day the LORD Almighty will humble everyone who is powerful, everyone who is proud and conceited.
Isa 2:13 He will destroy the tall cedars of Lebanon and all the oaks in the land of Bashan.
Isa 2:14 He will level the high mountains and hills,
Isa 2:15 every high tower, and the walls of every fortress.
Isa 2:16 He will sink even the largest and most beautiful ships.
Isa 2:17 Human pride will be ended, and human arrogance will be destroyed. Idols will completely disappear, and the LORD alone will be exalted on that day. (NCV)

We have to realize that we are on the brink of a new season and work of God. We need a revival, but I do not believe it is going to be anything like we have experienced in the past and certainly not like we would like it to be. I believe this is simply because the generation that will need to embrace it it so different, besides, the Lord will not allow this 'move' to be exploited, by men's boasting of their part in it. It will be a nameless and faceless generation moving with the Spirit in obedience to the Fathers will.
We will not be able to contain it or organize it.
The main signs will be, humility, boldness, supernatural signs and wonders, but not in the church structure, rather in the streets and in the market place. It will evidenced by deep personal relationships igniting the foundational principle Jesus taught, discipleship.
Strong apostolic fathering without control, will be the driving , stabilizing adhesive to keep this move pure. Prophets will again remove themselves as John the Baptist did, from the establishment of the day, rather choosing to wear different "garments" than they do and eating different "delicacies" than they do. They will be found in the "wilderness" areas of society, causing the "Herod's" of our time to seek to remove their voices by cutting off their heads, in other words they will attempt to remove their authority.
Evangelism will be relational rather than confrontational, hence the move of the Spirit to encourage and establish men and women in market place ministry. Supernatural signs and wonders and unhindered free flow of the manifestations of the Spirit will be the world's confrontation with a real and very present gospel.
God is presently raising up equippers of the church to prepare them for works of service in the market place. Some leadership are still not embracing this and could find that the Spirit of God will bypass them in these days.
There will always be leaders who are so insecure and immature that they will, more and more use manipulation and seductions to control the Bride of Christ, but that is only because they are afraid of losing their 'platform', but in the days to come they will find themselves with only a very small center of influence, not making significant impact anywhere.
Unrepentant sin, pride, arrogance, evil motives, compromising leadership, performance oriented leadership will be exposed through the fiery trials that only faith can overcome.
This is going to be a season of perilous times or lion-like times that will require God's children to live by faith, true faith. not hinting or manipulative. I see there will be many leaders going into the market place to work "with their hands" as the Lord will require their influence there and to purge His 'house' of those who only occupy their platforms as a career.
Again, there will be a spirit of wisdom and revelation released so that the reality of Christ will be known in the land.
Apostles and prophets will bring forth revelation of who Christ is in spirit and truth. The 'builders' will take this revelation and bring forth a practical living for discipleship and holiness. Persecution is going to come from the fact that these disciples and followers of Jesus live by faith and therefore will evidently live supernatural overcoming lives. Those around them will either gravitate to their faith or begin to accuse them of all the trouble on the earth.

It is important that now while we have the opportunity and the liberty, we spend time in prayer and the Word, that we begin as leaders to evaluate and place ourselves on the Rock to be broken, that as disciples we position ourselves for the will of God ,that we live a simple faith life acknowledging every good thing that is within us, that we seek God in these days even though it may seem He is hidden and afar off. A famine, not only economically, but also spiritually has begun in the land, a famine for the revelation Word of God. If you seek the Lord in these days and nurture a intimate, living relationship with the Spirit of God, many will come to you for the refreshing word that you will not only carry in your heart, but also become, as you practically live it out before your world.

1Pe 4:17 The time has come for judgment to begin, and God's own people are the first to be judged. If it starts with us, how will it end with those who do not believe the Good News from God?
1Pe 4:18 As the scripture says, "It is difficult for good people to be saved; what, then, will become of godless sinners?"
1Pe 4:19 So then, those who suffer because it is God's will for them, should by their good actions trust themselves completely to their Creator, who always keeps his promise.

Passion

2008-04-03T10:51:00.001-04:00

We should not be so concerned about just getting political influence back as we should be about getting the passion back in our lives, the loss of which has caused us to lose the influence Christians once had for good. We must get the fire back. We must get our first love back and never lose it again.

(GNB) But this is what I have against you: you do not love me now as you did at first.

(ISV) However, I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.

The right relationships

2008-03-24T08:49:00.000-04:00

The question is, how do I know who the right life partner is for me?
Is there one specific person for me to marry and spend the rest of my life with?
Well, how do we know anything is right for us?

Some have a clear knowledge that they have found the right one, but many others don't. So how can they know?
Rom 9:1 I am speaking the truth; I belong to Christ and I do not lie. My conscience, ruled by the Holy Spirit, also assures me that I am not lying.
In every decision we need to be led by the Holy Spirit's promptings, nudges, leadings and impressions. Sometimes these can be a gentle "feeling", and then at times it can a very strong resolution within the deepest part of your bowels.
Every time I have disobeyed these promptings, these cautions, I have found myself getting into situations that were undesirable and costly in one way or another.
Always "listen" to and obey those promptings and nudges you have within.
Confront the person involved, if necessary.
But sometimes you may have to just step back and reevaluate the situation you are stepping into.
Always be secure in who you are. You do not need to 'please' anybody and thereby make a mistake.
Don't be desperate.
Trust the discernment of your heart.
Listen to your "heart".
Be careful, and know when you are being manipulated and intimidated-this is not God's way for you. Godly relationships are liberating, edifying and allow free expression of your individuality and personality.
Know that when you try an appease men, you are being enslaved to them.
Live right, the dream comes to you.

Marriage

2008-03-23T09:36:00.000-04:00

On Friday Michelle and I celebrated another year of marriage and companionship. This makes 26 years. When you chose that amazing and wonderful partner, as the one for the rest of your life, you really do not know how that relationship and its vows are going to be tested. And probably a good thing too, otherwise you may never choose.
But you know the Lord has a purpose for our lives, including the person we are to spend the rest of our lives with.
When I met Michelle there was no way I could anticipate all that our journey together would have to endure and enjoy.
Now, I don't think there is anyone I would rather have chosen. She has been such a strength to me in my most critical moments. (Thanks Honey!) She has given me three great sons and been my companion through thick and thin.
Do not base your marriage only on the 'feelings' that change from season to season. Because they change, they can go from bad to good as sure as they go from good to bad. Value what the Lord has given you. How quickly we take for granted that which we treasured so much when we first received.
The essence of marriage is that the two shall become ONE flesh. This is an intimacy of spirit and soul that keeps what God has put together as the center of focus.
The danger is we somehow slip into an old mode of thinking that settles into a mentality of well they just need to happy with me. Instead, we should constantly keep our spouse's life and needs in mind. Be sensitive to their growth and changes they are experiencing and grow with them. When your spouse is your agenda, your communication and efforts are geared toward them and their needs. Always what you give away will come back to you, so much more anyway.

So, here's praying for a rich, satisfying and fulfilling marriage for you too.

News March

2008-03-22T11:27:00.000-04:00

We have seen some changes this year and we still are not sure what lays ahead for us these next few months.
The ministry we were with was disbanded and left us rather high and dry and then we moved to Pennsylvania only to find we don't fit here either.
But we know the Lord is not surprised by these things either and He will make a way for us.
We are nonetheless busy with ministering to peoples lives, mentoring wherever the Father gives us opportunity. As we share the heart of the Father with people we constantly hear the comment, "We need this, it's so refreshing".

Paul said,"For we brought the Good News to you, not with words only, but also with power and the Holy Spirit, and with complete conviction of its truth." 1 Thess 1:5
People are tired of just hearing men's hearts, they NEED the Father's heart. Michelle and I seek to share the revelation of God's truth not just as mere words of men, but with absolute conviction of its truth, with substance.

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1 Corinthians 4:4

"For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers;..."

Instructor: A tutor, someone in the office of leading children to school.

Father: a person respectable on account of his age or dignity.

In the time we live in, a very necessary element required is that of mentors or fathers. I perceive that instructors or tutors have brought us to a season where now it is time for the church to function. but such function requires the wisdom of experience, the function of fathers or mentors in the Body.

One is not more important than the other. Both are needed in this hour. But where are the fathers? Where are those who are prepared to lay down their lives for the sake of fathering and mentoring another generation to take the flame and the reigns to reach a lost world.
As I have ministered on this topic in many places and to many hearts across the country, I have become aware of some characteristics of the 2 functions that we need.

1.Instructors/tutors have an agenda to impart. they are captivated by their purpose of imparting a teaching, a revelation, and that is their agenda. Now as I have stated there is nothing wrong with that, but we just need to understand the differing roles and how they are to be perceived.
However, the mentors agenda is the individual. Mentors lose themselves, in a sense, and focus on the work and progress of God in the individual or group that they are dealing with. Though they may use their own lives and experience as an example, the focus is not on them, but on the protoge.

2.Instructors are concerned with the accuracy of their knowledge and its presentation.
Mentors are more concerned with the individuals life's journey and guiding them in it.

3.Instructors are excited and and focus on the quantity of the knowledge, but mentors have a focus on the mentee. To the mentor, the mentee's experience of reaching maturity is upper most and will direct the mentee to find the resources for attaining that.

4.For instructors the process they are presenting is the path or road to fulfilling potential (Please understand these are very broad terms), but the mentor journeys with their mentee in a constant pursuit of their destiny and the will of God for their lives.

5.For the instructor the relationship is always one of teacher to student. The mentor/mentee is a relationship that goes beyond mere influence, but one of being a mirror to the intents of the heart, direction in the wisdom of being who the mentee is, friend, confidant, a personal reflector of values and belief system, inspiration to the heart and most of all a representation of the Heavenly Father.

Yes we need mentors and it's real buzz word today. But what responsibility this carries, as these men and women shape the deep character of another generation. The hidden values that each generation carries are those passed on from generation to generation. Whether we mentoring as parents or spiritual leaders or business leaders, let us never take for granted the awesome platform God has given us to fashion the behavior of the next generation by our investment in the present generation of the qualities that reveals our wonderful Father in Heaven.
Jesus always made a point of directing everything He did to the His Father. Though He trained and equipped them for their ministry, in essence He said "I show you the Father". John 8:54
May men and women arise who will show us the Father.

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Thank you so much to all that have so generously contributed to our ministry and lives here. We so appreciate your gifts, but most of all the fruit that abounds to your account because of God's supply for all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

If you wish to send a gift or a seed offering, please drop us an email and we will let you have the details you need.
__________________________________________________________________________

The Enoch Enterprise is a ministry of mentorship to bring groups and individuals to a walk with God that is pleasing to Him.
Please partner with us as we reach out to people personally in the church and market place. We appreciate your love and prayers.

As a market place business ministry, the Lord has given me the opportunity to apply my experience in pastoring, ministering and mentoring to help individuals in their journey to be their best and balance their lives purposefully and passionately.
If you know of anyone who would be interested in a personal journey of strategic living by having a mentor/coach journey with them, or maybe even yourself, please pass on my details. I would be very grateful.
www.mbcint.com
shaun.smit@mbcint.com
______________________________________________________________________________

Till next time...
Be blessed and
Be strong

2007-12-17T06:10:00.000-05:00

In this season, God is calling us to a deeper place of prayer and intimacy, in order to suddenly release us into our destinies. Today, moving in the Spirit is essential to our survival. Hearing God's voice in everyday life is no longer an option but a necessity.
Jill Austin

Change..

2007-11-26T09:11:00.002-05:00

Change is an inevitable part of life. We may not like it or want it, but, nonetheless we will all face change in our lives.
Many try and get through life without changing or letting anything change around them. They, basically, hate change. But change will come and many times be forced upon us. Nobody, I believe, enjoys change, but we do have to deal with it. Whether it is a change in career, change in location, change in family dynamics, change in economical enviroment, change in our financial situation, change in age, change in our bodies- everything changes. To try and maintain a status quo throughout your life is impossible. Change is guaranteed to stay!
What is required:

Flexibilty
Adaptability
Endurability
Character
Vision

But just knowing we face change every day and preparing for it is one thing, but then we have to overcome our own insecurities and shortcomings. I have found that even when I do embrace the changes that are before me, still the whole frame of my character has to constantly be managed, in a sense, to deal with that change.

These changes we face, big or small, have to and will be pulled through all our 'filters' we have built around our insecurities. But we must face them at whatever cost we feel to our own souls, because it is only by facing, enduring and embracing change that we experience the growth, take advantage of the risk and overcome in this life.

In our own life, as a famly, we have had to embrace challenging change. Moving continents has been, at my age, quite a daunting experience. But God requires us to change in the light of His positioning us for destiny. Contrary to critics, I don't change for what I personally think is personal benefit, I look only for the change that the Lord requires of me, because that will be His perfect will for my life. Personally, I hate change, but have found that embracing it causes me to grow in character and in the elements required for future change.

Change..

2007-11-26T09:11:00.001-05:00

2007-11-24T11:08:00.000-05:00

I'm amazed at how easily we judge each other based on our outward evaluation of actions. Twice John in Revelation bowed to an angel and was told not to, but to worship God. Yet, he still got to see the revelation of Jesus Christ,as revealed by the Spirit. You see, our Father is more concerned with our hearts attitude than our "stupid" things we do sometimes in the flesh. Paul says that we ought not to regard men after the flesh anymore, but after the spirit. But, still, we are constantly scrutinizing and trying to trip up each other in the 'workings' of the way we do things, the way we say things, and the way we approach things. The question is, are we coming under the Headship of Christ, under His Lordship?Are we truly worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth?We will demand the correct protocol, yet miss the 'weightier' things that is being impressed upon us by the Spirit of God. How devastating our own insecurities can be when they are threatened! Yes! How we do things are important, but isn't the measure of that, that I do them by the law that is written upon the tablets of my heart by the Spirit of the living God. Oh! May the walk of the Spirit be manifest in us all. May we all be led by the Spirit. May we all leave the judgement to Lord of the spirits who bring to light all our motives and intentions on that Day.

2007-11-24T11:06:00.000-05:00

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns--November 20, 2007:
"Changes will begin to occur in the spirit realm before you ever see the physical manifestation. This will create a strange spiritual atmosphere that is unfamiliar and perhaps even disconcerting. But, I say to you that it is important that you maintain your equilibrium and poise of soul. Stay calm and trust Me in these times of transition. Let Me lead you through in perfect peace. You must also let go of things past before you can embrace what is ahead. Be fluid as you yield quickly to the pressure of the circumstances that move you in the flow of My will," says the Lord. Jeremiah 17:7- 8 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit."
Bill and Marsh BurnsFaith TabernacleEmail: ft111@spiritofprophecy.com

2007-10-12T07:55:00.000-04:00

"One of the most difficult things is not to change society - but to change yourself."

Imprisoned for 27 years and enduring the rigors of battling apartheid, Nelson Mandela was able to change the world as we know it. However, changing who he is was even more difficult. Most of us will never face the struggles that Nelson Mandela endured, but we all have our own habits, problems, and excuses.

2007-10-12T07:21:00.000-04:00

"It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny."

Have you ever walked into your boss’s office on annual review and mumbled under your breath, “I hope I get a good pay raise?” If you have, chances are you weren’t shocked afterwards when you didn’t get it. The reason? You were leaving something as important as your income to chance. Instead, why not choose to get the pay raise that you deserve? Choose to be the most indispensable employee in your company. Choose to make yourself so valuable that your boss has no choice but to give you everything you deserve and more. As Nick Hall observes, only then will your destiny be determined.

2007-09-13T02:09:00.000-04:00

"Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else."

Where you are today, what you’ve accomplished in your life, and who you will become in the future is determined by one person…YOU! Once you grasp that concept, you take the first steps toward empowering yourself to become the person you’ve always longed to be. Many people today believe that other people, outside influences, and environment shape who you are. As a result, those people will never possess the inner confidence to improve themselves. Les Brown

HIDDEN BENEFITS OF STRUGGLE

2007-09-12T12:32:00.000-04:00

Whether you are your own boss or you work for someone else, you've probably faced some 'rough patches' from time to time where things didn't turn out quite like you had expected or you went toe to toe with a challenging problem.Some were probably minor, others a bit more serious, but if you look carefully, you'll find that virtually all of them helped you in one unexpected way or another.

How could struggle possibly help you?

There's an old legend about a little boy who was playing in the garden and found a caterpillar crawling in a nearby tree. He picked it up and took it inside to show his mother.The boy was so excited, that he asked his mother if he could keep his new "pet." The mother was a little perplexed, but said he could keep it if he took really good care of it.

The boy kept the caterpillar in a large jar. He gave it some leaves to eat and a few little sticks to climb. Each day he would bring more leaves and spent hours watching the caterpillar chow them down.

One day, the caterpillar climbed up one of the sticks and started hanging upside down from it. They boy was worried and asked his mother what was happening. The mother explained that the caterpillar was creating a cocoon and soon would change into a beautiful butterfly.The boy was excited to learn about all the changes that his caterpillar was going through.

Each day he would watch and wait for the butterfly to come out.One day, he noticed that a small hole appeared in the cocoon and the butterfly started to come out. But the hole was too small and it was a real struggle for the butterfly to fit through that tiny little hole.

Soon, the boy became concerned. His butterfly was struggling sohard and making so little progress. He worried that the butterfly would get stuck, give up, and die.The little boy was so worried, that he decided to help. He got asharp knife from the kitchen and used it to make the hole a littlebit bigger.

With his help, the butterfly quickly emerged from the cocoon with little struggle.However, the boy noticed that the butterfly was very swollen and had tiny shriveled wings. He waited and waited for the wings to expand so the butterfly could take off and fly, but it never happened.

The mother took the boy to a wise man from the village who explained that the hole in the cocoon was too small on purpose...the butterfly was supposed to struggle to come out of its cocoon.He said that all that struggle pushes the fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings.Without the struggle, the fluid was stuck in its body. Thebutterfly would spend the rest of its life with tiny, shriveled wings and would never be able to fly.

I have mixed feelings about this story because it makes it seem like struggle is necessary. Unlike butterflies emerging from their cocoons, I don't believe that people need to struggle in order tobe successful.In fact, most successful people take advantage of their strengths and talents to do things they are naturally good at and that come fairly easily to them. Often they are so good at them, that they make it seem effortless.

Does that mean they never struggle? Of course not!

But it does mean that they struggle a lot less than those who are not leveraging their natural talents and strengths.At the same time, struggle does have hidden benefits. It helps you learn, it helps you grow, and it develops persistence and flexibility.

It may sound like an old cliche, but struggle does build character.The key is to recognize the difference between positive struggle that challenges you and makes you stronger, and needless struggle that is keeping you trapped and leading you nowhere.

Whenever you face struggles or challenges, as most people always do, look at it as an opportunity to grow rather than just a waste of time.

Here are some practical tips to help you get the most from difficult experiences. You'll often find that changing yourperspective just a little bit is enough to turn things around.

1) Learning experience

It helps if you view every difficulty and failure as a potentiallearning experience, even if the ultimate lesson is that you needto start playing to your strengths and trying something else.

2) A difficult situation helps you grow

By problem solving and gaining new knowledge, you strengthen yourcharacter and expand your expertise.

3) Be positive

Just because you struggled doesn't mean that the outcome is alwaysnegative.Maintain a positive attitude throughout your situation. This helpsyou make good decisions and will also keep your stress levels undercontrol.

4) Become stronger

Use each new life experience to better equip yourself for whateverthe future holds.

5) Perspective

Sometimes, your ability to handle difficulties is all a matter ofperspective. Try to put your situation in perspective by comparingit to things you've gone through in the past.Sometimes, it also helps to think of a "worst case scenario".Realizing how things could have turned out much worse can quicklyshift your perspective.

6) Know when to let go

Constant struggle could be a sign that you are using a poor strategy to pursue your goals.

Take a step back and see if there is a better, easier, or simpler way to accomplish your objective.Don't keep banging your head against the wall!

Taking this a step further, sometimes you just need to let go of this particular outcome and open yourself up to other possibilities.This doesn't mean you need to give up on your ultimate goal, but it may mean that you need to find another way to get there.Sometimes it's better to find a way around an obstacle rather than trying to force your way through it.

THE MAIN THING...

2007-08-29T10:02:00.000-04:00

The main thing that we can do to help the earth in a permanent and lasting way is to help the Church become what she is called to be. The most effective way that we can do this is by loving God more, knowing Him better, abiding in Him and directing the Church's attention to who He is. The Church is in desperate need of knowing who she is called to be, but it is not by knowing who we are in Christ that we will be changed, but by knowing who He is in us. We do not want to worship the temple of the Lord, but the Lord of the temple. Even so, as we come to understand His love for His Bride, we will do everything we can to help her get ready for Him because of our love for Him.

The Church... (Part 1)

2007-08-17T05:06:00.000-04:00

Rom 8:14 Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children.
Rom 8:15 For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's children, and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God, "Father! my Father!"
Rom 8:16 God's Spirit joins himself to our spirits to declare that we are God's children.

Rom 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
Rom 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

It's important to see that we have received a "spirit of adoption". Not to an organisation but into the family of God. When God sent a Redeemer to purchase us from the bondage of Satan's kingdom and his tyranny, He didn't send a pastor or a prophet (although Jesus was all that) But He sent His Son. Why?
God was revealing that His heart is for 'family'. He doesn't just make 'Christians' or believers or even members of the 'church'., but He adopts sons and children into His FAMILY.
No, God purchased with the blood of Jesus, our adoption into the family of God. Adoption papers have been issued for ALL. The opposite to that, and that's where we ALL found ourselves in the past, was in a "spirit of bondage" or slavery,leading us to fear. You see we may not think that is our case before we get "saved", but everyone suffers from 'fear' of death In fact, all fear stems from fear of death and leaves all men in bondage. But God...
He redeems us, meaning, He purchases our adoption, with the blood of Jesus and makes it available to ALL men. The GOOD NEWS is that we we are adopted, ALL, EVERYONE, but some just have never heard about it.
Somehow the message has been conveyed that you are born-again to go to church. But there is so much more than that.... Well, in fact, rather, we are adopted to be members OF HIS FAMILY!
The word "bondage" or "slavery" means to be enslaved; which means: The state of being prevented from enjoying and possessing life freely; a state opposed to liberty. Jesus came and revealed not Himself only, but the revelation of the Heavenly Father. Time and time again He would refer to the Fathers will and that it was the Father who had sent Him. Why? Jesus was bringing a revelation of the Father and His family to the earth, not just some austere God out there, but a real father who loves us and relates to us. Who makes makes us part of His family regardless of the past. Satan's system of "death" kept us enslaved, in bondage, so we could not enjoy the free abundant life or liberty that the Father wanted us to have, but would all our lives be in fear.
But hey! The GOOD NEWS is we are adopted and part of His family. Paper work done, all you need to to do is accept it and receive your adoption as children of God.
Check this out:

Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Gal 4:5 in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as his children.
Gal 4:6 Now because you are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to cry out, "Abba! Father!"
Gal 4:7 So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if you are a child, then you are also an heir through God.
God sent His Son- relational,
to redeem us- legally its been taken care of,
to be adopted- not as Christians but as children.
(Now don't go around saying Shaun doesn't believe we are 'Christians'. But consider this, that only once was 'the church' called Christians, and that wasn't by God! In fact, the term Born-again is also only used once by Jesus, to a religious leader, at night, away from the crowd of people. I do believe we are Christians and I do believe we need to be born-again [John3:3-8]. However, the real emphasis should be on the fact that you are adopted into the family. With rights as an heir.
Let's look at another scripture:

2Co 6:16 What agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said: "I will live and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
2Co 6:17 Therefore, "Get away from them and separate yourselves from them," declares the Lord, "and don't touch anything unclean. Then I will welcome you.
2Co 6:18 I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters," declares the Lord Almighty.
Did I read this right?
Did God just say that we would be...sons and daughters?His sons and daughters?
OK! Now we can see that church is not just an organisational structure made up of 'members', but a real family,made up of children, with God being our Father. Jesus prayed at one time "Our Father..."
He was revealing a family and that is why the Jewish leaders of the day were getting so mad at Him. I mean, how can this man call God His Father?
"Adoption" in Romans 8 means: to be placed in the position of a son.
As family we don't have to earn or 'work' to be accepted or to try and make ourselves 'good enough' to be part of the family. We had NOTHING to do with the adoption process, except to receive the benefit of being called His sons and daughters. Heavenly Father, doesn't just pay the legal price, but gives us the Spirit of His Son, the Spirit of adoption, so that with full assurance we too can cry out, with absolute certainty, FATHER, FATHER.....
So, today, Go to your Heavenly Father and settle with Him the fact that you ARE His child.Received, accepted, assured and identified. Just be!
My sons don't try and convince me that they are my sons, No they just know and act like it.
Next time we will look at some more of who we are as the 'church'.
[Hope this helps Cale: be blessed and GO FOR IT!]

2007-08-15T11:56:00.001-04:00

Eph 4:11 It was he who "gave gifts to people"; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers.
Eph 4:12 He did this to prepare all God's people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the body of Christ.
Eph 4:13 And so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God; we shall become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ's full stature.
Eph 4:14 Then we shall no longer be children, carried by the waves and blown about by every shifting wind of the teaching of deceitful people, who lead others into error by the tricks they invent.
Eph 4:15 Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.
Eph 4:16 Under his control all the different parts of the body fit together, and the whole body is held together by every joint with which it is provided. So when each separate part works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up through love. (highlights are mine) GNB Bible

The Lord gave all 5 gifts, to be gifts to the Body, to equip the Church(every member) for their works of service. Under His control, all the parts FIT together and held together by EVERY JOINT with which the body is provided.
When we recognise that all needs to be under the Lord's control, it is His church and His people. The 5fold ministry should all be contributing as the Lord has set them in place, to the equipping/perfecting of the church. But NOT controlling!
As the church is equipped by all these giftings the Lord has given, then and only then will the "works of service" and the "edifying of the body" take place.
Ministry will flow from the equipping of the saints.

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NEWS APRIL

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