"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
Friday, 16 May 2008
Don't give up
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Where are the Fathers?
“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
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Knowing His will
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.
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
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 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.
Sunday, 11 May 2008
The most difficult and the most rewarding
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.
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.
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Running
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
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.
- 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.
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.
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