We see God not as God is, but as we are!
We see God through our eyes, our experiences, be they good, bad or otherwise. This is why, I believe, it is very difficult for a person who has lived a hard life or a life filled with insurmountable struggles both inwardly and outwardly, to hear and accept the words, "God loves you." Such a person cannot fathom a loving God in the midst of the painful circumstances of their life, especially if all they've known has been turmoil and pain.
Such a person may not even know what true love looks like or feels like. This is why I believe Jesus was about action and not just words. Maybe that's why he didn't write down anything he said-because he knew that people would fixate on the written words moreso than the doing of those words. We love to quote scripture but are we living what they say? Are our lives living expressions of the scriptures? It's easy to say to someone, "God loves you," but what about demonstration of that love. What do those words really mean and how does one manifest them? It's like a husband telling his wife,"I love you," while he continuously ignores her needs or fails to take time to show her that she matters to him.
Jesus was a man of action and words. The parables he shared, the stories he told were coupled with his feeding of the 5,000 along with his healing of the lepers, the blind, and the crippled. He spoke about God as his Father but he also demonstrated God. He came to show who God was.
When he spoke to the woman at the well, he pierced her heart simply by talking about regular drinking water from a well versus living water that he alone could supply. He went deeply into her personal life about the many men she'd had in her life. By the time Jesus was done talking with her, something inside her had been forever changed. She, from that moment on, knew God in a completely new way.
Someone once said that God created us in His image and we've returned the favor by making God in our image, meaning we oftentimes bring God down to our level.
Check out your life.
Check out your thoughts.
What are your beliefs about God?
Do you equate God's ways with the ways of people?
Do you believe God is just like man?
God says that His ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts. As a matter of fact, His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, as the heavens are higher than the earth.
Perhaps this is why there are so many strains of Christianity, so many varying views and beliefs about God. We all tend to see God as we are.
When will we make room for God to show up in our lives as God truly is and not the God we want Him to be? Let God in, you might be surprised!
Peace
God is much different than we thought and also much better than we feared.
- Richard Rohr,
Things Hidden, Scripture as Spirituality
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Taste and See
Be still and know that I am God. Be still, stop the running around, to and fro. Be still, stop letting your anxieties and your fears control you and drive you into making rash decisions. Be still, you wield much power when you are at peace! Be still.
Stop believing the lie that you're only productive and of value if you're constantly on the move fulfilling all the obligations demanded of you.
Be still for a moment and let God remind you who is really in charge. It ain't you and it ain't me!
Be still, take a minute.
Breathe.
When you are still, so much comes to you. You don't have to be running around like a crazy person searching for answers. Be still and allow the answers to come to you.
Be still and know that I am God- Psalm 46:10.
Why this scripture? Well, I think that we sometimes forget who we are and whose we are. We take it upon ourselves to run things according to our point of view. But do we ever stop to ask God what we should do?
Oh, yes, I forgot that many times we don't ask because we don't really want to hear the answer God might give.
The book of Exodus tells the story of the children of Israel and their journey from Egypt to Canaan, their promised land. It is an incredible story of God's amazing leading of them out of bondage into freedom through Moses. Although they were excited about escaping slavery at the hand of Pharoah, they weren't quite prepared for God being at the center of their very survival. Many times they spoke angrily of wanting to go back to Egypt instead of living day to day in the wilderness dependent on God to care for them. Suddenly Egypt looked better to them than their new life with God running the show. At least when they were slaves back in Egypt, they understood how things worked. They knew their boundaries and they knew very well what each day would bring. Nothing new, nothing exciting, no changes, just more back breaking, soul destroying labor! Interesting!
I enjoy reading this story because in it I see myself and how I sometimes prefer a life of security and familiarity and even mediocrity in place of a new life with God directing my steps. After all, who knows what God might do in my life if I actually let go of the reins?
True, the Israelites were not at all familiar with this God that Moses adored,worshiped,followed and obeyed. Egypt was a place where many gods were worshiped. It must have been mind boggling for the Israelites to hear this God speak to them and perform various signs and wonders before their eyes. They probably wondered could this God be trusted? This was no easy transition. This was more of a mental change than the change in their physical surroundings. And so it is with us. A large part of the change God is trying to bring about in our lives has to begin with our minds and our deeply entrenched beliefs about ourselves, our lives and God.
But God revealed Himself to them over and over again, constantly providing their needs, speaking to them and showing them what a life of trust looked like and what true freedom felt like.
But, sadly, they were more comfortable with their past experience, namely slavery and its many cruelties. Imagine that!
Fast forward many years to the times of Jesus Christ and again you read about those who preferred slavery to freedom. Wow!
Are we any different today? Much God talk abounds in our culture but how many have really tasted and seen that the Lord is good? We love to talk about the promised land but few actually enter therein.
Stop believing the lie that you're only productive and of value if you're constantly on the move fulfilling all the obligations demanded of you.
Be still for a moment and let God remind you who is really in charge. It ain't you and it ain't me!
Be still, take a minute.
Breathe.
When you are still, so much comes to you. You don't have to be running around like a crazy person searching for answers. Be still and allow the answers to come to you.
Be still and know that I am God- Psalm 46:10.
Why this scripture? Well, I think that we sometimes forget who we are and whose we are. We take it upon ourselves to run things according to our point of view. But do we ever stop to ask God what we should do?
Oh, yes, I forgot that many times we don't ask because we don't really want to hear the answer God might give.
The book of Exodus tells the story of the children of Israel and their journey from Egypt to Canaan, their promised land. It is an incredible story of God's amazing leading of them out of bondage into freedom through Moses. Although they were excited about escaping slavery at the hand of Pharoah, they weren't quite prepared for God being at the center of their very survival. Many times they spoke angrily of wanting to go back to Egypt instead of living day to day in the wilderness dependent on God to care for them. Suddenly Egypt looked better to them than their new life with God running the show. At least when they were slaves back in Egypt, they understood how things worked. They knew their boundaries and they knew very well what each day would bring. Nothing new, nothing exciting, no changes, just more back breaking, soul destroying labor! Interesting!
I enjoy reading this story because in it I see myself and how I sometimes prefer a life of security and familiarity and even mediocrity in place of a new life with God directing my steps. After all, who knows what God might do in my life if I actually let go of the reins?
True, the Israelites were not at all familiar with this God that Moses adored,worshiped,followed and obeyed. Egypt was a place where many gods were worshiped. It must have been mind boggling for the Israelites to hear this God speak to them and perform various signs and wonders before their eyes. They probably wondered could this God be trusted? This was no easy transition. This was more of a mental change than the change in their physical surroundings. And so it is with us. A large part of the change God is trying to bring about in our lives has to begin with our minds and our deeply entrenched beliefs about ourselves, our lives and God.
But God revealed Himself to them over and over again, constantly providing their needs, speaking to them and showing them what a life of trust looked like and what true freedom felt like.
But, sadly, they were more comfortable with their past experience, namely slavery and its many cruelties. Imagine that!
Fast forward many years to the times of Jesus Christ and again you read about those who preferred slavery to freedom. Wow!
Are we any different today? Much God talk abounds in our culture but how many have really tasted and seen that the Lord is good? We love to talk about the promised land but few actually enter therein.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Judging
We all do it. We may fool ourselves into believing that we don't judge, but we all do. We judge each other by appearance, by the color of our skin, by the neighborhood we live in, by our material assets or lack thereof. We even judge one another according to religious affiliation. But didn't Jesus say, "Judge not, that you be not judged?"
Why is it that the simplest words spoken by him seem to be the ones we have such a hard time following?
But, you may say, what's wrong with judging others?
Well, the act of judging automatically sets you up as being perfect, no faults, no blemishes,just a great person all around. Judging is limiting because our view of others is quite limited. We only see what's readily visible at that particular moment. It is impossible to see/know everything about another human being. The only one who is able to see everything is God. So, judging is also made from your point of view, your experiences, your beliefs,likes, dislikes, and your overall take on life. How do you know that your view about things isn't a little skewed?
Several years ago, I thought I had it going on concerning how I believed things should be, how people should be and of course, how God should be. I didn't know it at the time but I was quite smug in my understanding of life. I lived in a very small, tight box and I put others into boxes as well with labels and all.This made me feel very secure, by the way.
The labels helped me to figure out who was who and helped me to determine how to approach others, treat them, distance myself from them, trust them etc. Of course,if the person shared the same religion or belief system as I did, we were compatible.Because then we could come together around a shared belief and look down our noses at those who were "different." This worked greatly for awhile until I began to notice how small minded and self-righteous I was becoming. I wasn't the happiest person to be around because I was always looking to tell others what they needed to do to change their lives, which was my prescription. Who made me God? Self-righteousness, by the way, is an exhausting hobby. Don't take it up, it will drain the life out of you!
Jesus says, don't judge- Why? because when you do it you set yourself up by telling a lie, which is that you are perfect and that you know what every one else should be doing. Remember God looks at the heart. God is the only one able to look within at the heart and judge rightly.This is why, I believe, God is a forgiving God over and over again.
Judging requires lots of energy and the energy expended on others could be energy used on oneself to be about your own business.If I am busily judging you, I can't see where I'm going or what I should be doing in my own life. Perhaps this is why Jesus spoke these words. He knew that judging creates division, anger,fear, a false sense of security, and even hatred among people.
Why is it so difficult to let God be God in our own lives and the lives of others?
He's been in the God business for a very long time. I think He knows what He's doing and is more than able to do what He does best.
Why is it that the simplest words spoken by him seem to be the ones we have such a hard time following?
But, you may say, what's wrong with judging others?
Well, the act of judging automatically sets you up as being perfect, no faults, no blemishes,just a great person all around. Judging is limiting because our view of others is quite limited. We only see what's readily visible at that particular moment. It is impossible to see/know everything about another human being. The only one who is able to see everything is God. So, judging is also made from your point of view, your experiences, your beliefs,likes, dislikes, and your overall take on life. How do you know that your view about things isn't a little skewed?
Several years ago, I thought I had it going on concerning how I believed things should be, how people should be and of course, how God should be. I didn't know it at the time but I was quite smug in my understanding of life. I lived in a very small, tight box and I put others into boxes as well with labels and all.This made me feel very secure, by the way.
The labels helped me to figure out who was who and helped me to determine how to approach others, treat them, distance myself from them, trust them etc. Of course,if the person shared the same religion or belief system as I did, we were compatible.Because then we could come together around a shared belief and look down our noses at those who were "different." This worked greatly for awhile until I began to notice how small minded and self-righteous I was becoming. I wasn't the happiest person to be around because I was always looking to tell others what they needed to do to change their lives, which was my prescription. Who made me God? Self-righteousness, by the way, is an exhausting hobby. Don't take it up, it will drain the life out of you!
Jesus says, don't judge- Why? because when you do it you set yourself up by telling a lie, which is that you are perfect and that you know what every one else should be doing. Remember God looks at the heart. God is the only one able to look within at the heart and judge rightly.This is why, I believe, God is a forgiving God over and over again.
Judging requires lots of energy and the energy expended on others could be energy used on oneself to be about your own business.If I am busily judging you, I can't see where I'm going or what I should be doing in my own life. Perhaps this is why Jesus spoke these words. He knew that judging creates division, anger,fear, a false sense of security, and even hatred among people.
Why is it so difficult to let God be God in our own lives and the lives of others?
He's been in the God business for a very long time. I think He knows what He's doing and is more than able to do what He does best.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Change It
If you don't like something, change it,
If you can't change it, change your attitude.
Don't complain.
-Maya Angelou
Why? Because complaining accomplishes absolutely nothing. It simply states and restates the problem with no solution. But why do we do it? Because it just feels good to gripe, and murmur and look sour, unhappy and miserable. Pity parties are fun especially when you get to be the center of attention. Complaining is a self-centered endeavor that guarantees an unhappy outcome. It positions us to look at and focus on the problem and WHAT YOU FOCUS ON EXPANDS. And there are times when we do not want a solution. We just want to linger awhile in our condition of unhappiness and familiarity and comfort, albeit it negative comfort.
In the gospel story (John 5), the ill (perhaps crippled) man at the pool of Bethesda is asked by Jesus if he wants to be made whole.
The man answers,"I have no one to help me into the water. Every time the water is stirred and I'm about to get in, someone steps down ahead of me."
Notice how he focuses on his problem and never once answers Jesus' question.
Finally Jesus just bypasses the man's pity party and tells him to get up, pick up the mat he was lying on and walk.
Could God be asking us the same thing?
What do you want? Do you want to be made whole?
Do you want to be restored?
Do you want health in your mind, your body and your soul?
Do you want to change?
Or will you sit there and complain and tell God what He already knows about your situation or will you answer, "Yes, Lord, I am ready to change my circumstances or my attitude."
He sees and He knows and He cares. The majority of the time God is waiting for us to make a decision!
If you can't change it, change your attitude.
Don't complain.
-Maya Angelou
Why? Because complaining accomplishes absolutely nothing. It simply states and restates the problem with no solution. But why do we do it? Because it just feels good to gripe, and murmur and look sour, unhappy and miserable. Pity parties are fun especially when you get to be the center of attention. Complaining is a self-centered endeavor that guarantees an unhappy outcome. It positions us to look at and focus on the problem and WHAT YOU FOCUS ON EXPANDS. And there are times when we do not want a solution. We just want to linger awhile in our condition of unhappiness and familiarity and comfort, albeit it negative comfort.
In the gospel story (John 5), the ill (perhaps crippled) man at the pool of Bethesda is asked by Jesus if he wants to be made whole.
The man answers,"I have no one to help me into the water. Every time the water is stirred and I'm about to get in, someone steps down ahead of me."
Notice how he focuses on his problem and never once answers Jesus' question.
Finally Jesus just bypasses the man's pity party and tells him to get up, pick up the mat he was lying on and walk.
Could God be asking us the same thing?
What do you want? Do you want to be made whole?
Do you want to be restored?
Do you want health in your mind, your body and your soul?
Do you want to change?
Or will you sit there and complain and tell God what He already knows about your situation or will you answer, "Yes, Lord, I am ready to change my circumstances or my attitude."
He sees and He knows and He cares. The majority of the time God is waiting for us to make a decision!
When...
When all the trees have been cut down,
When all the animals have been hunted,
When all the waters are polluted,
When all the air is unsafe to breathe,
Only then will you discover you cannot eat money.
-Cree Prophecy
Sound familiar?
When all the animals have been hunted,
When all the waters are polluted,
When all the air is unsafe to breathe,
Only then will you discover you cannot eat money.
-Cree Prophecy
Sound familiar?
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Think on these things
What is the opposite of Love?
Believe it or not,it is not Hate, but Control.
The opposite of love is control.
And when I take a moment to think about this, I do believe it is true. Love allows you to be you, to choose the way that you want to go. Love is kind and patient and always looks out for your best interest. Love allows you space to explore, to grow, to become. Love wants you to live life abundantly.
While control, on the other hand, insists on having its way. Control is restrictive and limiting and just feels tight. Control is always about keeping its interests and desires number one. Control is selfish.
The scripture says, God is love. God does not coerce us into anything. We have the ability to choose our course of action, concerning our lives. Love looks out for you and promises to direct your path, leading you in the way that you should go. Love promises to never leave you nor forsake you. Love says, "cast your cares upon Me because I care for you." God is Love and Love is good.
Believe it or not,it is not Hate, but Control.
The opposite of love is control.
And when I take a moment to think about this, I do believe it is true. Love allows you to be you, to choose the way that you want to go. Love is kind and patient and always looks out for your best interest. Love allows you space to explore, to grow, to become. Love wants you to live life abundantly.
While control, on the other hand, insists on having its way. Control is restrictive and limiting and just feels tight. Control is always about keeping its interests and desires number one. Control is selfish.
The scripture says, God is love. God does not coerce us into anything. We have the ability to choose our course of action, concerning our lives. Love looks out for you and promises to direct your path, leading you in the way that you should go. Love promises to never leave you nor forsake you. Love says, "cast your cares upon Me because I care for you." God is Love and Love is good.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Guard Your Heart
Proverbs 4:23- Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
The year was 2002 and I was in the throes of ministry with my Pastor in West Africa. On day two, I was introduced to a prophet who amongst other things, told me very pointedly, "to guard my heart."
I had no idea what he meant. I believed myself to be in the company of God's best servants, people who would look out for me and have my best interest in mind. I thought that we were all on the same team, with the same goals-winning souls for Christ. Boy, did I have a lot to learn!
"Guard your heart," the scripture says. I was totally clueless as to what that meant because I was in the habit of easily dismissing myself (dreams, aspirations, goals, even joy). I came of age in a church environment where you were taught to die to the self. Pretty much all interests, dreams, and desires that did not coincide with the pastor's vision of ministry were dismissed and counted as a waste of time. From this teaching, I became very good at silencing my inner voice (myself).
Secondly, guarding my heart didn't make sense to me because of the teaching that says, the heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt and severely sick (Jeremiah 17:9). So, needless to say, I automatically applied this to myself as the church was very thorough at reminding its congregants of their sins. Amazing,while we are taught that we are forgiven by God, there still remains that teaching that has to remind people that no matter what, they are still sinners. So then, what's the point of being a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17)? Yet, I was taught that I could not trust myself, listen to myself or to the roaring of my own heart. The roaring inside was not that of a lion seeking to devour and destroy me. It was the gentle sound of my own voice moving me toward my destiny, God's purposes and plans for me.
"Guard your heart for out of it flows the springs of LIFE. The heart is that place where God speaks to us. Remember hearing this phrase?-"follow your heart, follow your gut." The way a thing feels inside us matters. But we oftentimes fail to hear God because our hearts are cluttered with so many other things. If we are being told to guard it, that means there are things that need not gain entrance. I think it's safe to say that what is in a person's heart is what eventually manifests. Talk is cheap; who a person truly is, will show itself. So the heart can harbor both good and evil. This scripture, however is speaking of the heart as a well of life.
We can have a cluttered heart by listening too intently to the voices of other people. Their opinions about us often outweigh our opinions about ourselves. I used to hang onto every word my pastor uttered,even when his words didn't feel right in my spirit. I always deferred to him because I believed his connection to God was better and more accurate than mine.
If out of the heart flows the springs of life then I would assume that listening to your heart will not steer you wrong. But if you are in the habit of looking for answers outside of yourself, you will never come to trust yourself.
Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you"(Luke 17:21).
Guard your heart- it is God's dwelling place. Keep it safe and free of distractions, go there often for it is there that He awaits you!
Peace
The year was 2002 and I was in the throes of ministry with my Pastor in West Africa. On day two, I was introduced to a prophet who amongst other things, told me very pointedly, "to guard my heart."
I had no idea what he meant. I believed myself to be in the company of God's best servants, people who would look out for me and have my best interest in mind. I thought that we were all on the same team, with the same goals-winning souls for Christ. Boy, did I have a lot to learn!
"Guard your heart," the scripture says. I was totally clueless as to what that meant because I was in the habit of easily dismissing myself (dreams, aspirations, goals, even joy). I came of age in a church environment where you were taught to die to the self. Pretty much all interests, dreams, and desires that did not coincide with the pastor's vision of ministry were dismissed and counted as a waste of time. From this teaching, I became very good at silencing my inner voice (myself).
Secondly, guarding my heart didn't make sense to me because of the teaching that says, the heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt and severely sick (Jeremiah 17:9). So, needless to say, I automatically applied this to myself as the church was very thorough at reminding its congregants of their sins. Amazing,while we are taught that we are forgiven by God, there still remains that teaching that has to remind people that no matter what, they are still sinners. So then, what's the point of being a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17)? Yet, I was taught that I could not trust myself, listen to myself or to the roaring of my own heart. The roaring inside was not that of a lion seeking to devour and destroy me. It was the gentle sound of my own voice moving me toward my destiny, God's purposes and plans for me.
"Guard your heart for out of it flows the springs of LIFE. The heart is that place where God speaks to us. Remember hearing this phrase?-"follow your heart, follow your gut." The way a thing feels inside us matters. But we oftentimes fail to hear God because our hearts are cluttered with so many other things. If we are being told to guard it, that means there are things that need not gain entrance. I think it's safe to say that what is in a person's heart is what eventually manifests. Talk is cheap; who a person truly is, will show itself. So the heart can harbor both good and evil. This scripture, however is speaking of the heart as a well of life.
We can have a cluttered heart by listening too intently to the voices of other people. Their opinions about us often outweigh our opinions about ourselves. I used to hang onto every word my pastor uttered,even when his words didn't feel right in my spirit. I always deferred to him because I believed his connection to God was better and more accurate than mine.
If out of the heart flows the springs of life then I would assume that listening to your heart will not steer you wrong. But if you are in the habit of looking for answers outside of yourself, you will never come to trust yourself.
Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you"(Luke 17:21).
Guard your heart- it is God's dwelling place. Keep it safe and free of distractions, go there often for it is there that He awaits you!
Peace
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Are You Wise?
Proverbs 14:1- Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
A few definitions of the word "wise": sensible, enlightened, understanding, well-informed,cautious, watchful, discriminating
So, a sensible, discriminating woman is not a foolish woman. She is someone who recognizes the amazing gift that she is from God. This woman knows that when God created her, He declared her good. She acknowledges that it is through her that life is made possible, that she is the vessel through which new life emerges. Even if she chooses to never bear children, a woman is a vast resource of the goodness of God. Women have a knack for knowing things, sensing or just feeling things out. We often just know a thing without knowing why we know a thing. We just know!
We are so much more than our outer appearance or our dress size, ethnicity, or whose last name we carry. It is vitally important that we understand our creative power both physically and spiritually because we birth things all the time, oftentimes without even realizing it.
Every wise woman builds her house. To build is to create, to make something come into existence that didn't exist before. So, what are you building-a dilapidated shack, broken down place with holes in the roof, broken windows, and doors hanging off the hinges ? Or are you building something beautiful but functional that you are proud to call your home? We are creating all the time with our thoughts and our words.
A wise woman builds her house, can mean an actual literal house or it can mean the self. If you were to picture your self as a house, what shape are you in inwardly? How do you nurture your self? How do you build up your self? I'm speaking here of inner work, which is your foundation, the invisible part of you that sustains and supports you just like your skeletal system.
Ours is a society that puts a great deal of emphasis on outer things often to the total neglect of our inner selves. We are bombarded daily with messages that tie our self worth to how we look, what we eat, where we live, the cars we drive and so on. But I haven't seen any commercials about the need to nurture one's soul. So how do we build our own houses?
1. Take time out for yourself.
2. Take time to quiet yourself and be still. I read that so much comes to you when you are still.
3. Limit the amount of noise you are exposed to. Turn off phones, televisions, radios, gadgets in general and allow yourself to sit in silence.
4. Ask God to show you how best to do this in accordance with your circumstances.
5. Make a date with yourself to pamper yourself by doing nothing- no nail salons, hair stylist or shopping- just make yourself comfortable in a quiet place and relax.
6. Do not worry about the kids or what they're going to eat, or the sink full of dishes or the hundreds of other things you must get to(Matthew 6:25-34). Just take a few minutes out of your day to love on your soul. Remember, going to the mall doesn't count. Your soul does not need a new pair of shoes. Your soul needs your undivided attention,so be still.
Psalm 46:10- Be still and know that I am God...
The foolish woman,on the other hand, tears down her house with her own hands. This one is a no brainer. This woman doesn't need anyone else to destroy her stuff, she does it all by herself. She lacks good judgment, is senseless, reckless and just plain ole' stupid. Doesn't sound very nice but...
There are women who fit this category perfectly. I believe that if you don't know your worth or who you are, you move about in this world crippled and not fully aware of the gift that you are. Instead of building oneself up, you do the opposite becaue you don't see any good thing in yourself.I believe self hate is a phenomenon unique to human beings.I've yet to see a bird perched on a fence beating itself with its wings. No, the bird uses its wings to soar, to ride the wind. The bird uses what God has given it and lives!
Are you wise?
Peace.
A few definitions of the word "wise": sensible, enlightened, understanding, well-informed,cautious, watchful, discriminating
So, a sensible, discriminating woman is not a foolish woman. She is someone who recognizes the amazing gift that she is from God. This woman knows that when God created her, He declared her good. She acknowledges that it is through her that life is made possible, that she is the vessel through which new life emerges. Even if she chooses to never bear children, a woman is a vast resource of the goodness of God. Women have a knack for knowing things, sensing or just feeling things out. We often just know a thing without knowing why we know a thing. We just know!
We are so much more than our outer appearance or our dress size, ethnicity, or whose last name we carry. It is vitally important that we understand our creative power both physically and spiritually because we birth things all the time, oftentimes without even realizing it.
Every wise woman builds her house. To build is to create, to make something come into existence that didn't exist before. So, what are you building-a dilapidated shack, broken down place with holes in the roof, broken windows, and doors hanging off the hinges ? Or are you building something beautiful but functional that you are proud to call your home? We are creating all the time with our thoughts and our words.
A wise woman builds her house, can mean an actual literal house or it can mean the self. If you were to picture your self as a house, what shape are you in inwardly? How do you nurture your self? How do you build up your self? I'm speaking here of inner work, which is your foundation, the invisible part of you that sustains and supports you just like your skeletal system.
Ours is a society that puts a great deal of emphasis on outer things often to the total neglect of our inner selves. We are bombarded daily with messages that tie our self worth to how we look, what we eat, where we live, the cars we drive and so on. But I haven't seen any commercials about the need to nurture one's soul. So how do we build our own houses?
1. Take time out for yourself.
2. Take time to quiet yourself and be still. I read that so much comes to you when you are still.
3. Limit the amount of noise you are exposed to. Turn off phones, televisions, radios, gadgets in general and allow yourself to sit in silence.
4. Ask God to show you how best to do this in accordance with your circumstances.
5. Make a date with yourself to pamper yourself by doing nothing- no nail salons, hair stylist or shopping- just make yourself comfortable in a quiet place and relax.
6. Do not worry about the kids or what they're going to eat, or the sink full of dishes or the hundreds of other things you must get to(Matthew 6:25-34). Just take a few minutes out of your day to love on your soul. Remember, going to the mall doesn't count. Your soul does not need a new pair of shoes. Your soul needs your undivided attention,so be still.
Psalm 46:10- Be still and know that I am God...
The foolish woman,on the other hand, tears down her house with her own hands. This one is a no brainer. This woman doesn't need anyone else to destroy her stuff, she does it all by herself. She lacks good judgment, is senseless, reckless and just plain ole' stupid. Doesn't sound very nice but...
There are women who fit this category perfectly. I believe that if you don't know your worth or who you are, you move about in this world crippled and not fully aware of the gift that you are. Instead of building oneself up, you do the opposite becaue you don't see any good thing in yourself.I believe self hate is a phenomenon unique to human beings.I've yet to see a bird perched on a fence beating itself with its wings. No, the bird uses its wings to soar, to ride the wind. The bird uses what God has given it and lives!
Are you wise?
Peace.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
EL-SHADDAI
El Shaddai: Warm-Breasted One
I like that; conjures up images of love, comfort, warmth, security, provision. Could this be God?
These words create, in my mind, pictures of a God who cares about me and whose arms I would want to run to.
Breast- symbolic of nurturing, sustenance, pleasure and life.
Life? Yes, life.
God is not cold, distant, aloof and looking down on us with His nose turned distastefully up in the air.
God is warm and inviting and promises to answer even before we call and while we are yet speaking, He will hear (Isaiah 65:24).
Sounds like a caring and quite available God to me.
In the literal sense, a woman's breasts are the life force of a newborn baby. The human body has been designed by God so ingeniously that even prior to birth, the breast begin to fill with milk for the new life that is developing within. I can remember my own pregnancies and how painful it was sometimes as the milk supply seemed to greatly outweigh the demand. It seemed like I was storing up enough to feed a small army but thankfully my body "knew" to balance supply with demand, thus producing what was actually necessary and ultimately making both me and baby very happy-amen!
And it is also known that breast milk completely supplies everything a baby needs for the first few months of life. Again, sounds like God to me, nurturing us as a mother would a newborn babe, feeding us from Himself.
Is it then possible that God, the warm-breasted One also knows our vital needs and is more than able to give us what we need?
Yeah, bottle milk is o.k. but it is not the same as breast milk. We can substitute many things for the provision that comes from God alone but those things, whatever they may be are not the REAL THING.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention: Holy Spirit is called the Comforter(John 15:26).
Peace.
I like that; conjures up images of love, comfort, warmth, security, provision. Could this be God?
These words create, in my mind, pictures of a God who cares about me and whose arms I would want to run to.
Breast- symbolic of nurturing, sustenance, pleasure and life.
Life? Yes, life.
God is not cold, distant, aloof and looking down on us with His nose turned distastefully up in the air.
God is warm and inviting and promises to answer even before we call and while we are yet speaking, He will hear (Isaiah 65:24).
Sounds like a caring and quite available God to me.
In the literal sense, a woman's breasts are the life force of a newborn baby. The human body has been designed by God so ingeniously that even prior to birth, the breast begin to fill with milk for the new life that is developing within. I can remember my own pregnancies and how painful it was sometimes as the milk supply seemed to greatly outweigh the demand. It seemed like I was storing up enough to feed a small army but thankfully my body "knew" to balance supply with demand, thus producing what was actually necessary and ultimately making both me and baby very happy-amen!
And it is also known that breast milk completely supplies everything a baby needs for the first few months of life. Again, sounds like God to me, nurturing us as a mother would a newborn babe, feeding us from Himself.
Is it then possible that God, the warm-breasted One also knows our vital needs and is more than able to give us what we need?
Yeah, bottle milk is o.k. but it is not the same as breast milk. We can substitute many things for the provision that comes from God alone but those things, whatever they may be are not the REAL THING.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention: Holy Spirit is called the Comforter(John 15:26).
Peace.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
He Served Them
This little excerpt is written by Laurie Beth Jones, author of Jesus CEO. It's entitled, HE SERVED THEM:
Most religions teach that we are put here to serve God; yet, in Jesus, God is offering to serve us. Picture the shift in thinking. Old Testament mentality looked at humanity as being indebted to God, trying to find countless ways to please God. And then along comes Jesus, who says, "He who sees me sees the Father." He even goes to people and asks them, "What do you want me to do for you?"
The writer continues-Some people are shocked at the inference that God serves us. Yet Jesus did just that. He asked people how could he help them. This is scandalous!
Jesus served without a fight. He wasn't looking for anything in return. Many times after healing someone, he would tell that person to go their way quietly without making a big production to attract attention. Isn't God amazing? He doesn't go for all the fanfare and noise and attention like us. God is God and that's all. No need to prove anything. When you know who you are, you don't have to make a lot of noise, proclaiming your identity.
Jesus did all these things without a fight because he was coming from one power:LOVE.
To love is to serve. And God is love.
Well, after reading this, I was blown away because it challenged what I'd been taught about God. The God I grew up hearing about wasn't too nice and if you failed to walk a straight line, He'd get you (pop you upside the head or something). Let's just say, I was taught that you didn't mess around with Him because He could take you down with the blink of an eye. Although I heard countless times about how loving He was, those words meant little because the truth was that I was afraid of Him. I had to make sure I did everything right or else KABLAM!
Yet, the gospel is all about Jesus doing good- healing, comforting, blessing, partying with the chief sinners and feeding folks for free. Scandalous!
And this serving thing is not about looking for God to be Santa Claus or cause you to suddenly win the lotto. I believe it's more about God touching your life deeply, profoundly, bringing healing to those broken down places within you, mending your broken heart, drying your tears, fixing things in your life that you thought were unfixable(my own wording).
Jesus's touch, no doubt, turned people's lives completely upside down. They were never the same again. This is the kind of serving God does. He will serve you right on into a brand new life.
Peace
Most religions teach that we are put here to serve God; yet, in Jesus, God is offering to serve us. Picture the shift in thinking. Old Testament mentality looked at humanity as being indebted to God, trying to find countless ways to please God. And then along comes Jesus, who says, "He who sees me sees the Father." He even goes to people and asks them, "What do you want me to do for you?"
The writer continues-Some people are shocked at the inference that God serves us. Yet Jesus did just that. He asked people how could he help them. This is scandalous!
Jesus served without a fight. He wasn't looking for anything in return. Many times after healing someone, he would tell that person to go their way quietly without making a big production to attract attention. Isn't God amazing? He doesn't go for all the fanfare and noise and attention like us. God is God and that's all. No need to prove anything. When you know who you are, you don't have to make a lot of noise, proclaiming your identity.
Jesus did all these things without a fight because he was coming from one power:LOVE.
To love is to serve. And God is love.
Well, after reading this, I was blown away because it challenged what I'd been taught about God. The God I grew up hearing about wasn't too nice and if you failed to walk a straight line, He'd get you (pop you upside the head or something). Let's just say, I was taught that you didn't mess around with Him because He could take you down with the blink of an eye. Although I heard countless times about how loving He was, those words meant little because the truth was that I was afraid of Him. I had to make sure I did everything right or else KABLAM!
Yet, the gospel is all about Jesus doing good- healing, comforting, blessing, partying with the chief sinners and feeding folks for free. Scandalous!
And this serving thing is not about looking for God to be Santa Claus or cause you to suddenly win the lotto. I believe it's more about God touching your life deeply, profoundly, bringing healing to those broken down places within you, mending your broken heart, drying your tears, fixing things in your life that you thought were unfixable(my own wording).
Jesus's touch, no doubt, turned people's lives completely upside down. They were never the same again. This is the kind of serving God does. He will serve you right on into a brand new life.
Peace
Sunday, September 4, 2011
The Creator really is Greater
I can't believe it's September already. I really, really enjoyed and relished in the beautiful, warm, ok- hot summer season. It was very restful and insightful, a time to sit back and just ponder some things. One such thing I've had the chance to ponder that blew my mind was ISAIAH 55-
" For My ways are not your ways, neither are your thoughts My thoughts, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."
Here, of course, God is speaking about himself and letting us in on a little secret. He ain't like us in His thought patterns or His methods, plans, actions or ways of doing things. Say What?
I got excited.
It is said that you don't see a thing as it is but you see it as you are. We all have our mental images of God based on our experiences. Some will say that God is love while others who have lived difficult lives may see God as indifferent or uncaring.
But, for me, this scripture in Isaiah says so much about God. His ways are not my ways. What is my way? Usually my way is a patterned way of how I approach life, behaviors which I've learned from my parents and others, which may or may not work. If we're honest we have to admit that we all have our way of doing things, our way of living this life and we find it very difficult to change our ways even when those ways cause us to continuously hit a brick wall.
OK, so His thoughts are not our thoughts, they are higher than ours. Wow- is this saying that God thinks on a higher plane or level than we do? I once heard someone say that in order for a person to figure out a level 1 problem, they'd have to ascend to level 2, above the problem to see its solution. We don't usually do this, instead we focus on the problem, examine it from all angles, talk about it to whomever will listen, cry, cuss or whatever, but rarely do we focus on how to change the thing. I think talking about it is so juicy because sometimes we really like the drama of our situations. Remember, what you focus on expands. So focusing on the problem does not help. It just makes it more overwhelmingly unbearable and creates more anxiety.
God's thoughts, on the other hand, are higher than ours because He sees and understands the bigger picture while our seeing is limited. Sometimes we cannot see past our own noses. We cannot fathom anything different when we can't see beyond our situations, problems or circumstances. But He can!
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways and thoughts higher than yours. Many times it helps if we can just step away from our problems and get another point of view.
As the rain descends from above and waters the earth, so does God rain upon us everything we need in order to live this life abundantly. Rain is free, don't cost you nothing. The question is how willing are you to soak in God's promises, God's ways, God's presence, God's words to you?
Our problem as a culture is that we've created God in our image. We believe God to be small and of little power and not all that interested in us. Not true!
God is HUGE, VAST, BEYOND what you or I could ever imagine or comprehend. God is not small and limited in what He can do in your life. It is time we stopped limiting God and take Him at His word. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20). God can do anything!
" For My ways are not your ways, neither are your thoughts My thoughts, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."
Here, of course, God is speaking about himself and letting us in on a little secret. He ain't like us in His thought patterns or His methods, plans, actions or ways of doing things. Say What?
I got excited.
It is said that you don't see a thing as it is but you see it as you are. We all have our mental images of God based on our experiences. Some will say that God is love while others who have lived difficult lives may see God as indifferent or uncaring.
But, for me, this scripture in Isaiah says so much about God. His ways are not my ways. What is my way? Usually my way is a patterned way of how I approach life, behaviors which I've learned from my parents and others, which may or may not work. If we're honest we have to admit that we all have our way of doing things, our way of living this life and we find it very difficult to change our ways even when those ways cause us to continuously hit a brick wall.
OK, so His thoughts are not our thoughts, they are higher than ours. Wow- is this saying that God thinks on a higher plane or level than we do? I once heard someone say that in order for a person to figure out a level 1 problem, they'd have to ascend to level 2, above the problem to see its solution. We don't usually do this, instead we focus on the problem, examine it from all angles, talk about it to whomever will listen, cry, cuss or whatever, but rarely do we focus on how to change the thing. I think talking about it is so juicy because sometimes we really like the drama of our situations. Remember, what you focus on expands. So focusing on the problem does not help. It just makes it more overwhelmingly unbearable and creates more anxiety.
God's thoughts, on the other hand, are higher than ours because He sees and understands the bigger picture while our seeing is limited. Sometimes we cannot see past our own noses. We cannot fathom anything different when we can't see beyond our situations, problems or circumstances. But He can!
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways and thoughts higher than yours. Many times it helps if we can just step away from our problems and get another point of view.
As the rain descends from above and waters the earth, so does God rain upon us everything we need in order to live this life abundantly. Rain is free, don't cost you nothing. The question is how willing are you to soak in God's promises, God's ways, God's presence, God's words to you?
Our problem as a culture is that we've created God in our image. We believe God to be small and of little power and not all that interested in us. Not true!
God is HUGE, VAST, BEYOND what you or I could ever imagine or comprehend. God is not small and limited in what He can do in your life. It is time we stopped limiting God and take Him at His word. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20). God can do anything!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Came across this the other day: "matrix- mold in which a thing is cast or shaped."
Of course, the word matrix is the title of my favorite movie, played well by Keanu Reeves and that fine, Laurence Fishburn (in my opinion). Anyway, the premise of the movie is that mankind lives in a dream state , so to speak, completely asleep and unaware that they're not really living at all but are instead being used as human batteries to promote the existence and eventual takeover of the world by MACHINES. Isn't sci-fi wonderful?
But think about it. As in many such movies, there is a definite message for those who take the time to look closely, dig a little deeper and pay attention.
It has been my experience that great things, things of value are usually hidden from the eye of the casual observer. Most people will not take the time to see below the surface of a thing, if it ain't readily visible and understood, they ain't got time!
Jesus, therefore lost quite a few listeners and potential followers because he spoke in riddles. He used parables to convey his messages and they were often quite confusing, unclear words and sayings that made a person have to stop and THINK.
Oftentimes the people left his presence more confused than at the start. I'm sure they must have said to one another," Who is this guy that won't simply give us straight up answers? Why does he answer a question with a question?"
They didn't want to be fully engaged in the thinking process, thus giving TIME to really ponder their day to day existence, their long held beliefs about God, religion, their culture, society and their role in that society.
Doesn't it make you mad when someone comes along and messes with your belief system especially when you have to finally admit that some of the stuff you were holding on to for dear life was just played out, purposeless, and no longer working for you?
Well, as said in the movie,"Will you take the red pill or the blue pill?
Either way, you must choose.
Of course, the word matrix is the title of my favorite movie, played well by Keanu Reeves and that fine, Laurence Fishburn (in my opinion). Anyway, the premise of the movie is that mankind lives in a dream state , so to speak, completely asleep and unaware that they're not really living at all but are instead being used as human batteries to promote the existence and eventual takeover of the world by MACHINES. Isn't sci-fi wonderful?
But think about it. As in many such movies, there is a definite message for those who take the time to look closely, dig a little deeper and pay attention.
It has been my experience that great things, things of value are usually hidden from the eye of the casual observer. Most people will not take the time to see below the surface of a thing, if it ain't readily visible and understood, they ain't got time!
Jesus, therefore lost quite a few listeners and potential followers because he spoke in riddles. He used parables to convey his messages and they were often quite confusing, unclear words and sayings that made a person have to stop and THINK.
Oftentimes the people left his presence more confused than at the start. I'm sure they must have said to one another," Who is this guy that won't simply give us straight up answers? Why does he answer a question with a question?"
They didn't want to be fully engaged in the thinking process, thus giving TIME to really ponder their day to day existence, their long held beliefs about God, religion, their culture, society and their role in that society.
Doesn't it make you mad when someone comes along and messes with your belief system especially when you have to finally admit that some of the stuff you were holding on to for dear life was just played out, purposeless, and no longer working for you?
Well, as said in the movie,"Will you take the red pill or the blue pill?
Either way, you must choose.
Monday, July 25, 2011
I'm Just Sayin'...
Ever wonder about the things we say simply because we heard someone else say them? We speak a whole lot of stuff without giving much thought to our words. And those very words become our reality. Here's a few:
Life is short.
God helps those who help themselves.
You take one step, God will take two.
Something is better than nothing.
Life is hard.
The first one says, Life is short, but is that true? Is it really short or does it seem to be so because we waste much of it by living an unaware life, almost like being asleep. Let's admit it, we spend a large part of our lives trying to please other people. I know I did. Living your life asleep is what you do when you constantly silence your own inner voice. It's what you do when you allow other people's words, opinions, likes and dislikes to outweigh your own.
If you live your life with this belief, you may very well believe life is short, which therefore doesn't leave you much time to enjoy it. It is a task to be mastered or controlled.I lived many years with self-imposed restrictions that I believed was necessary in order to please God. You see, I believed God to be as small and closed minded as I was.
If life is short, you then busy yourself with taking care of business, getting things done, rushing to get to the end of a thing because you haven't much time. You busy yourself with getting to the end result and never once do you pay attention to the journey, the process of becoming. You may not allow yourself much leisure time to just sit and do nothing because time is always against you. And if you have kids, you rush them as well. They need to hurry up and grow up because again, time is short. Wow!
Life is neither short nor long. Life is....
It is a gift from God to me and to you. The question is what are we choosing to do with what the Creator has placed in our hands?
Life is short.
God helps those who help themselves.
You take one step, God will take two.
Something is better than nothing.
Life is hard.
The first one says, Life is short, but is that true? Is it really short or does it seem to be so because we waste much of it by living an unaware life, almost like being asleep. Let's admit it, we spend a large part of our lives trying to please other people. I know I did. Living your life asleep is what you do when you constantly silence your own inner voice. It's what you do when you allow other people's words, opinions, likes and dislikes to outweigh your own.
If you live your life with this belief, you may very well believe life is short, which therefore doesn't leave you much time to enjoy it. It is a task to be mastered or controlled.I lived many years with self-imposed restrictions that I believed was necessary in order to please God. You see, I believed God to be as small and closed minded as I was.
If life is short, you then busy yourself with taking care of business, getting things done, rushing to get to the end of a thing because you haven't much time. You busy yourself with getting to the end result and never once do you pay attention to the journey, the process of becoming. You may not allow yourself much leisure time to just sit and do nothing because time is always against you. And if you have kids, you rush them as well. They need to hurry up and grow up because again, time is short. Wow!
Life is neither short nor long. Life is....
It is a gift from God to me and to you. The question is what are we choosing to do with what the Creator has placed in our hands?
Friday, July 22, 2011
Revived
Well hello,
Didn't realize that two years had passed since my last entry. A dear friend brought it to my attention by simply asking,"What happened to your blog?"
I responded, "Oh yeah, that blog. I don't know. I just stopped writing."
Interesting how oftentimes the things we love to do, tend to be the very things we let fall to the wayside as we immerse ourselves in the daily hustle of life.... and then we wonder why we so often feel aimless and frustrated.
My brother often quoted this scripture to me: A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men (Proverbs 18:16). The gift, which is from God to us and through us will open doors for us. The gift is not to be ignored or taken lightly. It is a big deal because it comes from Him!
Well, until later.. ..
And thanks again, friend, you know who you are!
Peace
Didn't realize that two years had passed since my last entry. A dear friend brought it to my attention by simply asking,"What happened to your blog?"
I responded, "Oh yeah, that blog. I don't know. I just stopped writing."
Interesting how oftentimes the things we love to do, tend to be the very things we let fall to the wayside as we immerse ourselves in the daily hustle of life.... and then we wonder why we so often feel aimless and frustrated.
My brother often quoted this scripture to me: A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men (Proverbs 18:16). The gift, which is from God to us and through us will open doors for us. The gift is not to be ignored or taken lightly. It is a big deal because it comes from Him!
Well, until later.. ..
And thanks again, friend, you know who you are!
Peace
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