Puppy has grown. His finally got a name; Shujaa. He's joy is infectious. He looks like he'll wag his tail right off sometimes. Is it him wagging his tail or his tail wagging him? He's happy. The twinkle in his eye's, sheer innocence, trust; you wish noone would that take away.
But that doesn't happen.
Life takes ALOT out of us. The gleam in our eye goes out, sometimes it fades away, sometimes it just goes out like a light bulb. Our dreams dusty boxes on shelves. We can't really laugh from the depths of our belly like we used to. We can't really look at others in the eye with hope and trust because too many times we did, too many times they let us down.
But I like the reset button there is in life. The one that allows you to feel like you'll explode with joy. The one that you enjoy the new ring in your laughter. The one that lets you sing loudly, even though you're off key. The one that lets you talk and talk and talk and you like it.
The reset button lets you have a new bounce in your walk. It lets you throw your shoulders back. It lets you exhale and smile in the mirror at yourself and decree how beautiful I am, how handsome I am. I am perfect, wonderful, justas I am. My hands aren't glued to the sides of my body so I can dance!
Its a very easy button friends. Its called TRUST. Trust God's promises are true. His love is true for you. He's got good plans for you and if you are alive He's not thru with you. Being a Zombie isn't anywhere in the plans He drew up. Fullness of joy, peace, love, happiness, provision, all you need is on the menu for you. Shujaa style. Its yours for the taking.
Say enough is enough and hit the reset button swearing to yourself If i died today I'll die happy. I die with peace, with joy, with love in my heart. At my funeral, when they look at me in my casket, I'll be smiling.
Get moving people. Lets Trust. Lets trust with every fibre of our being that the best selling Book is true for me and you!
Get loosed!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Supermans' Kryptonite
There's that one thing that fells giants. Even the greatest of men and women. The one smooth stone in a sling that brings them to their knees. The Kryptonite that makes Superman jelly, helpless as a tot.
We all know what our smooth stone is. The one thing that we dread would be flung our way. Betrayal, I think top's many peoples list. Some rejection. Whatever it is for each of us, the pebble sinks deeper, when its thrown from the ones we love and trust.
Maybe its done quite in error but in our human and fallen state, we hurt those we love deepest. We hurt them with what they treasure deepest. We crash their ego's, their happiness, their accomplishments, their failures, their past, their hopes, their dreams. We make them relive their worst nightmare.
In fear of dying from the one thing we dread the most, many build walls, some fortresses with electricity. Some have fiery and poisonous arrows shot out when one approaches too close. Some run. Whatever the choice of defence mechanism, fear is the driving force.
The Chinese teach that when we've mastered our fears, we are then great. I agree. It means we don't have to look over our shoulder constantly but rather we'll be looking ahead. We can hope, rejoice, forge forward. We spend less time and resources watching the security system and invest in building whatever greatness we are meant to be. We can spend less energy running and more building.
The ability to master your greatest fear is to acknowledge it, understand it, believe it can't crash you. Refuse your fear to be the driving force that gets you out of bed. Or not. You are needed out there by a world to find you in your finest form, eyes ahead, hope abundant. Trust that your back is covered.
Your pain, your fears, your nightmares will get you to your next place. Not crash you because you are bigger than them. Eyes ahead. Trust.
All things work together for good for them who love the Lord.
Go out there brave and mighty soldiers and excel!
We all know what our smooth stone is. The one thing that we dread would be flung our way. Betrayal, I think top's many peoples list. Some rejection. Whatever it is for each of us, the pebble sinks deeper, when its thrown from the ones we love and trust.
Maybe its done quite in error but in our human and fallen state, we hurt those we love deepest. We hurt them with what they treasure deepest. We crash their ego's, their happiness, their accomplishments, their failures, their past, their hopes, their dreams. We make them relive their worst nightmare.
In fear of dying from the one thing we dread the most, many build walls, some fortresses with electricity. Some have fiery and poisonous arrows shot out when one approaches too close. Some run. Whatever the choice of defence mechanism, fear is the driving force.
The Chinese teach that when we've mastered our fears, we are then great. I agree. It means we don't have to look over our shoulder constantly but rather we'll be looking ahead. We can hope, rejoice, forge forward. We spend less time and resources watching the security system and invest in building whatever greatness we are meant to be. We can spend less energy running and more building.
The ability to master your greatest fear is to acknowledge it, understand it, believe it can't crash you. Refuse your fear to be the driving force that gets you out of bed. Or not. You are needed out there by a world to find you in your finest form, eyes ahead, hope abundant. Trust that your back is covered.
Your pain, your fears, your nightmares will get you to your next place. Not crash you because you are bigger than them. Eyes ahead. Trust.
All things work together for good for them who love the Lord.
Go out there brave and mighty soldiers and excel!
Did You Know?
Did I tell you we have a new addition to the family? Florence the hen. She's brown. She's given me three delicious eggs. I am actually having one now for dinner with the previous harvest from the farm.
Yes indeed city born girl has taken up farming! Guess you didn't know that about me. Its been an adventure, a learning process. Super sized vegetables in two months and tiny tiny ones of others 6 months later. Its about the type of seeds, I later learnt. Tears of joy at the birth of bunnies, tears of frustration at their death. The cycle of life in your hands, so to speak, gives you a new perspective of life.
There are many things we don't know about people. For various reasons and its ok. I think their best kept secrets are of their pain. Their midnight tears, their fears, their regrets. I'll personalise this.
You and me walk out there trembling, screaming on the inside. But the toys, the clothes we hide behind provides a super facade and some but few know of the true anguish we go thru.
But do they really know? Do they really understand? Maybe not. Maybe because best as they may try, your pain isn't quite what they can understand. Some pretend to understand, some simply don't care. Well, either way, its still is real. The pain still is yours.
Now one thing we'll never, ever share is the doubt that our faith is suffering from. That the faith is wavering. A cloud is looming.
Never, ever will this be vocalised because, well, I guess we fear we'll loose face with those who believe we have 'real faith'. Or maybe because we're afraid those who have taunted us for the longest will have a field day knowing there's weakness in this faith you speak boldly of.
Even to God we can't admit we are having doubts. We sing songs, quote His word but like a nagging fly, doubt hovers.
Noone really knows. Noone, so we think but I think God knows. He knows in our human fraility its easier to trust the seeds we can see, touch and plant and then harvest, than invest in faith that His promises are true.
Can we confess to God our doubts and still have favour? Will He love us less or does He smile gently and knowingly like a father to his doubting child?
I think we can confess our doubt, apologise about it. Surely our fallen human nature comes with that manufacturing fault.
Lord, even though we sing Great is Thy Faithfulness with hearts and tears of doubt and shame of our doubt, Lord forgive us. You still remain Lord. You still love us.
Yes indeed city born girl has taken up farming! Guess you didn't know that about me. Its been an adventure, a learning process. Super sized vegetables in two months and tiny tiny ones of others 6 months later. Its about the type of seeds, I later learnt. Tears of joy at the birth of bunnies, tears of frustration at their death. The cycle of life in your hands, so to speak, gives you a new perspective of life.
There are many things we don't know about people. For various reasons and its ok. I think their best kept secrets are of their pain. Their midnight tears, their fears, their regrets. I'll personalise this.
You and me walk out there trembling, screaming on the inside. But the toys, the clothes we hide behind provides a super facade and some but few know of the true anguish we go thru.
But do they really know? Do they really understand? Maybe not. Maybe because best as they may try, your pain isn't quite what they can understand. Some pretend to understand, some simply don't care. Well, either way, its still is real. The pain still is yours.
Now one thing we'll never, ever share is the doubt that our faith is suffering from. That the faith is wavering. A cloud is looming.
Never, ever will this be vocalised because, well, I guess we fear we'll loose face with those who believe we have 'real faith'. Or maybe because we're afraid those who have taunted us for the longest will have a field day knowing there's weakness in this faith you speak boldly of.
Even to God we can't admit we are having doubts. We sing songs, quote His word but like a nagging fly, doubt hovers.
Noone really knows. Noone, so we think but I think God knows. He knows in our human fraility its easier to trust the seeds we can see, touch and plant and then harvest, than invest in faith that His promises are true.
Can we confess to God our doubts and still have favour? Will He love us less or does He smile gently and knowingly like a father to his doubting child?
I think we can confess our doubt, apologise about it. Surely our fallen human nature comes with that manufacturing fault.
Lord, even though we sing Great is Thy Faithfulness with hearts and tears of doubt and shame of our doubt, Lord forgive us. You still remain Lord. You still love us.
Moses must have been one frustrated dude. His people are in bondage they half like it because anyways do they know otherwise? Also the Pharoah doesn't want to let them go and God has even hardened his heart just to add onto the already daunting task. God has called Moses out of the desert where he'd rather be at this point and he's having his own doubts whether he can pull this one off. Leave alone the logistics of moving about 4 million people to a new place, he had their hearts to deal with. Why should we move? Its just fine right here. What does he know anyway of this promised land? He's never been there anyway? What does He know of our suffering? He's been in the desert cause he's too coward to do our work etc
Moses must have had death threats as well.
Fear by day by night. But he had to do it. He was called, chosen. He could have chosen to give up but he had a passion for too many years now in his heart for his people. Try as he may to ignore, his people were in bondage. They died before their time, they didn't know fullness of joy, they didn't know of God's love, His blessings, His face. Pharaoh had nothing to loose having God's people in bondage. He had everything to gain. 400 years, it even seemed the normal way of things. Why change the status quo?
Not by any fault of his own, his brother Aron didn't really buy into Moses's passion. So he couldn't carry out his dream. He spoke on Moses's behalf to the King, he acted on his behalf when Moses went to the mountain. But he only spoke the words Moses gave him. He didn't speak from his heart, from his own passion. He couldn't. Aron compromised with Israelites when moved from their comfort zone to doing things based on faith. Based on obedience. But the peoples hearts got in their own way. They did what they knew best and fed their selfish needs. Moses will never need to know if we don't tell.
Moses was raving mad and I totally feel him when he broke the tablets. I'd have done the same. Don't these twits see its not for me but its for God?
The same God who got them across nothing humanly possible in the parting of the Red Sea.
The Israelites had seen signs and wonders over and over again but these guys were not getting Moses's mission. Arg!
But Moses did what he needed to do and didn't quit despite his own self doubts. Despite the evident hearts of doubt from the Israelites and Egyptians alike. Neither did Christ. Both Moses and Christ saw to the end the freedom of God's loved people and they didn't die until their mission was accomplished. Then the people finally got it!
Moses and Christ were here to really to give us the life we should have. We are set apart, loved, chosen, not needing to be in bondage. Free.
There's not going to be another Christ, another Moses. We can be the complaining, murmuring Israelites casting doubt on his credibility and even his ability, his intentions. We could even spend our lives committed to debating Moses or Christ and his mission.
The bottom line is that we are loved by God. He intends for us to live life in fullness even in the trials of life.
Whats asked of us is 2 things; trust and obey. Thats it. Run out of excuses for being in Egypt. On sitting on the fence. Of living in misery. Say enough is enough, say you want to live in freedom and listen to Moses. Forget the meat you ate in Egypt, manna is even better for your health. Make sacrifices. Forget the gods you served. What did they give you but temporary relief? But did they ever see you to a great future eventually? Worship God with your body and mind and soul to whom declares He has a great future for you. Quit complaining the rules are too strict and obey them so you can be stretched to all you can be.
There will be no other Moses, no other Christ so today I'll call it what it is and speak directly, now is when to Trust and Obey God who loves you.
Moses must have had death threats as well.
Fear by day by night. But he had to do it. He was called, chosen. He could have chosen to give up but he had a passion for too many years now in his heart for his people. Try as he may to ignore, his people were in bondage. They died before their time, they didn't know fullness of joy, they didn't know of God's love, His blessings, His face. Pharaoh had nothing to loose having God's people in bondage. He had everything to gain. 400 years, it even seemed the normal way of things. Why change the status quo?
Not by any fault of his own, his brother Aron didn't really buy into Moses's passion. So he couldn't carry out his dream. He spoke on Moses's behalf to the King, he acted on his behalf when Moses went to the mountain. But he only spoke the words Moses gave him. He didn't speak from his heart, from his own passion. He couldn't. Aron compromised with Israelites when moved from their comfort zone to doing things based on faith. Based on obedience. But the peoples hearts got in their own way. They did what they knew best and fed their selfish needs. Moses will never need to know if we don't tell.
Moses was raving mad and I totally feel him when he broke the tablets. I'd have done the same. Don't these twits see its not for me but its for God?
The same God who got them across nothing humanly possible in the parting of the Red Sea.
The Israelites had seen signs and wonders over and over again but these guys were not getting Moses's mission. Arg!
But Moses did what he needed to do and didn't quit despite his own self doubts. Despite the evident hearts of doubt from the Israelites and Egyptians alike. Neither did Christ. Both Moses and Christ saw to the end the freedom of God's loved people and they didn't die until their mission was accomplished. Then the people finally got it!
Moses and Christ were here to really to give us the life we should have. We are set apart, loved, chosen, not needing to be in bondage. Free.
There's not going to be another Christ, another Moses. We can be the complaining, murmuring Israelites casting doubt on his credibility and even his ability, his intentions. We could even spend our lives committed to debating Moses or Christ and his mission.
The bottom line is that we are loved by God. He intends for us to live life in fullness even in the trials of life.
Whats asked of us is 2 things; trust and obey. Thats it. Run out of excuses for being in Egypt. On sitting on the fence. Of living in misery. Say enough is enough, say you want to live in freedom and listen to Moses. Forget the meat you ate in Egypt, manna is even better for your health. Make sacrifices. Forget the gods you served. What did they give you but temporary relief? But did they ever see you to a great future eventually? Worship God with your body and mind and soul to whom declares He has a great future for you. Quit complaining the rules are too strict and obey them so you can be stretched to all you can be.
There will be no other Moses, no other Christ so today I'll call it what it is and speak directly, now is when to Trust and Obey God who loves you.
Divine Valentine
A Valentine may play a love song for you, but God sings you the sweetest love song in the universe.
The Lord your God... will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
A Valentine may give you flowers, but God sent you the most beautiful rose of all. Jesus.
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
Song of Solomon 2:1
A Valentine may bring you chocolate, but God provides you with something even sweeter, His Word.
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103
A Valentine may love you for a lifetime, but God loved you before you were born and will love you for all eternity.
Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love...with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3
Praying you're blessed by the wonderful love of God this Valentine's Day and always
The Lord your God... will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
A Valentine may give you flowers, but God sent you the most beautiful rose of all. Jesus.
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
Song of Solomon 2:1
A Valentine may bring you chocolate, but God provides you with something even sweeter, His Word.
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103
A Valentine may love you for a lifetime, but God loved you before you were born and will love you for all eternity.
Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love...with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3
Praying you're blessed by the wonderful love of God this Valentine's Day and always
You Are!
I want to help you learn to confess your faith, and then let that confession lead to life change so that it demolishes your old way of thinking and gives you a new way of thinking about life, God, yourself, hardship, your family and your world.
And here’s how to do it: Stop confessing lies. Confess your faith! Say the same thing God says about you. Let it change the way you think . . . and it will change the way you live.
Here are some things the Bible says about you that need to become things you say about yourself. Start every day by confessing these truths --
My Faith Confessions
I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)
The Son has set me free. I am free indeed! (John 8:36)
My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19)
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)
He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
Nothing can ever separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38-39)
In all things God works for the good of those who love him. (Romans 8:28)
God is faithful. He will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
My light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:17)
He is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within me. (Ephesians 3:20)
God is for me! Who can be against me? (Romans 8:31)
When you say what God says (confession), you begin to think what God thinks (repentance). So let this be your confession of faith. And let it be the foundation on which you build your new life.
This is not the power of positive thinking. It’s not your good thoughts that will turn your life around. God’s power will turn your life around. He’s just asking you to believe he is who he says he is, believe you are who he says you are, and then live like you believe those things.
Does that mean bad things will stop happening? No. But it does mean you will experience many more victories than losses because the Word of God is at work in you.
Buddy Owen
And here’s how to do it: Stop confessing lies. Confess your faith! Say the same thing God says about you. Let it change the way you think . . . and it will change the way you live.
Here are some things the Bible says about you that need to become things you say about yourself. Start every day by confessing these truths --
My Faith Confessions
I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)
The Son has set me free. I am free indeed! (John 8:36)
My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19)
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)
He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
Nothing can ever separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38-39)
In all things God works for the good of those who love him. (Romans 8:28)
God is faithful. He will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
My light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:17)
He is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within me. (Ephesians 3:20)
God is for me! Who can be against me? (Romans 8:31)
When you say what God says (confession), you begin to think what God thinks (repentance). So let this be your confession of faith. And let it be the foundation on which you build your new life.
This is not the power of positive thinking. It’s not your good thoughts that will turn your life around. God’s power will turn your life around. He’s just asking you to believe he is who he says he is, believe you are who he says you are, and then live like you believe those things.
Does that mean bad things will stop happening? No. But it does mean you will experience many more victories than losses because the Word of God is at work in you.
Buddy Owen
What Did God Say
Lasting change doesn’t start with you. It starts with God. And it all begins when you say, “Yes Lord, I’m taking you at your word.” God isn’t asking you to make a promise that you can’t keep. He is asking you to receive a promise that only he can keep.
When you confess your faith, you are receiving God’s promises into your life, and he always keeps his promises. When you confess your faith, you are taking God at his Word, and you can!
He loves you – you have his Word on it (John 3:16).
You are forgiven – you have his Word on it (Psalm 103:3).
You belong to him – you have his Word on it (Romans 1:6).
He will never leave you or give up on you – you have his Word on it (Hebrews 13:5).
He will meet your needs – you have his Word on it (Philippians 4:19).
He has a plan and a purpose for your life – you have his Word on it (Jeremiah 29:11).
As you build your life on the Word of God, he will truly make you into a new person – a total makeover from the inside out. And what God starts, he will finish.
“I am convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion” (Philippians 1:6 GWT).
Your responsibility it to confess it. Let it renovate your life. “Be made new in the attitude of your minds.” But let me warn you: expect to be challenged. The Devil doesn’t want you to be free, so he will whisper old lies to you. He’ll try to discourage you and accuse you. He will bring up your past to haunt and harass you. But, as Greg Laurie says, “Whenever the Devil tries to remind you of your past, remind him of his future.” And start confessing your faith.
What lies do you still believe? What is keeping you from walking in the freedom and joy of the Lord? Start declaring the truth of the God’s Word and then act on that truth.
And that will truly make a new you.
Buddy Owen
When you confess your faith, you are receiving God’s promises into your life, and he always keeps his promises. When you confess your faith, you are taking God at his Word, and you can!
He loves you – you have his Word on it (John 3:16).
You are forgiven – you have his Word on it (Psalm 103:3).
You belong to him – you have his Word on it (Romans 1:6).
He will never leave you or give up on you – you have his Word on it (Hebrews 13:5).
He will meet your needs – you have his Word on it (Philippians 4:19).
He has a plan and a purpose for your life – you have his Word on it (Jeremiah 29:11).
As you build your life on the Word of God, he will truly make you into a new person – a total makeover from the inside out. And what God starts, he will finish.
“I am convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion” (Philippians 1:6 GWT).
Your responsibility it to confess it. Let it renovate your life. “Be made new in the attitude of your minds.” But let me warn you: expect to be challenged. The Devil doesn’t want you to be free, so he will whisper old lies to you. He’ll try to discourage you and accuse you. He will bring up your past to haunt and harass you. But, as Greg Laurie says, “Whenever the Devil tries to remind you of your past, remind him of his future.” And start confessing your faith.
What lies do you still believe? What is keeping you from walking in the freedom and joy of the Lord? Start declaring the truth of the God’s Word and then act on that truth.
And that will truly make a new you.
Buddy Owen
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