A letter to a timid heart

Dear _______,



       Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid. I know how you tell yourself that you are good for nothing. I know that you torment yourself! What drives you to do such a thing? Why do you commit yourself into an everlasting cycle of self-hatred?

       You tell me, that you've been brought up this way. I tell you, that I can see it in you. I understand what you go through - I was brought up that way as well. Even now, the system that I was borne from tries to pull me back in. The people of the world say that you MUST hate yourself to grow stronger. To wallow and punish yourselves for the mistakes and crimes that you did (and more often than not, did not) commit.

       I met a person once, who had a gentle soul, but in everything that he does, he tortures himself with thoughts of remorse, regret and guilt. The worst part was, that these things were unfounded! Nobody blamed him, nobody scorned him - it was just that he felt that way. He also used to tell me that it was his "upbringing" that taught him so.

     And what can be said? The system of the world teaches everyone to be pressured, to pressure themselves, to stress themselves. To be filled with stress, one needs to be destroyed internally. To have his confidence broken, his spirit broken - only then can he be pushed around. Tell me, are you mules? Are you beasts? Or do you think, and feel? 

      Be strong! There is hope for you yet! You who say that you believe, there is a great hope for you. I was once a part of such a system of belief. I hated, and was ashamed of everything that I did. Even when it was good. I told myself that I could never have anything good - and that I did not deserve praise.

      My heart cries out for you, my friend. I know the pain that you go through and I know how far back this pain stretches. You may not see it, but it stems all the way back into your childhood. Consider your past, and tell me it is not so? Be truthful - call abuse for what it is, and praise for what it is.

      What else can be said, my friend? All my words will fall upon deaf ears if you who hear, do not want to change. Often times, we enjoy this feeling of pain. Some people externalize it.. some others, turn it inwards, destroying themselves with these feelings.

      Where does this stem from, you ask? Injustice. Many who have suffered injustice, wallow in this feeling - only because this is the only feeling that they know. The only feeling that was so strong in their childhood. In time, it becomes the driving force. They can claim that this driving force is what keeps them going, but without the Father's hand, and without facing it, and being freed from this chain of Injustice, in time; the process will repeat itself. Only now, you will be the one who is unjust.

       So how do you get free of this? It come back to only one solution. Go to God. Seek Him, cry to Him, and He will answer you without fail. But beware! He will definitely answer you - it is whether you choose to act upon that answer in love and obedience or not, that decides the outcome.

       Do not torture yourself with these kind of thoughts any longer my friend. There is hope for you. What you lack, He will fill. Seek Him with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul. I am nothing but a guide. Nothing more, nothing less. He will be the one who strengthens you, for indeed:

  "God is my savior; I will trust him and not be afraid. The LORD gives me power and strength; he is my savior. "

Isaiah 12:2 GNB

A Letter - On how to receive your blessings

Dear ________,

         There are many times that we ask of things that are seemingly in line with what He wills us to have - it is often during those times that He seems the most distant. I often wondered if it was a sign that He was reluctant to bless us.

         Now though, I realize, that often when we ask for something, the first thing he ALWAYS does is to test us. To see if we are ready to receive such things. If you were to ask for Faith, He most certainly will grant you faith! It's also certain that He will temper you, and test you - and often times, it is true this period of testing and tempering that you will gain that faith.

        See, the Father will ALWAYS answer your prayers, it's not a question. It's a statement. Does that mean you can pray that the moon will blow up and it will happen? No! He's a benevolent God, but he is definitely not stupid! If a man who is manipulative, asks the Father for wisdom, do you think God will grant him wisdom? Surely he will! But only after humbling that manipulative man, and then testing him over a period of time, forming and shaping him; changing his evil ways.

       Often times when people pray, they don't see the ending clause. God -will- bless you, He -will- answer your prayers, but only -IF- you obey. Why obey? Simple. Positioning. Even in the spiritual, we need to position ourselves to receive the full measure of blessing that the Lord has in store for us.

      If I say "I've dropped a supply crate 100km northeast of your position," the only way for YOU to get those supplies, is to walk 100km northeast and take it! If you don't obey, then anyone else who happens to stumble across that supply crate will happily take it for themselves and you become none the wiser!

     Metaphors aside, it's the same with blessings. Okay, so your prayer may go something like, "Lord, help me be a more loving, compassionate and  wiser person" and God may tell you "Okay, I want you to talk to that woman by the roadside and listen to what she has to say, and you will receive that wisdom." It then becomes our choice to believe what He tells us to do and do it, or not. The effect of which, is to receive the fruits of his blessing, or not.

     It's really difficult to give an exact idea on -how- to receive your blessings; especially blessings that He promised you (whether He really did do that is a different matter altogether). All I can tell you for sure is this:

     Obey and have faith. Even when you do not see, obey and have faith. The MORE you do not see, the MORE you must obey and have faith. If you lack the strength to do what is right, then seek Him more. If you lack the faith to see it through, seek Him more! For He WILL restore your strength. Put your trust in Him.

 "But those who trust in the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak. "

Isaiah 40:31 (GNB)

"Jesus said to him, "Is it because you have seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed! "

John 20:29 ISV (International Standard Version)

A letter to Believers

Dear ______,

How many of us claim to know who God is, and yet fail to represent Him? "Be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect" - Impossible? No. Not for Him. He knows that you CANT do it, and that's why He sent the Holy Spirit down to aid us!

So why isn't every church, every pulpit, every soul, burning with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, endurance and forbearance? The difference, dear friends is our choice. Do we choose to follow His ways, and in turn, be made whole? Or do we choose to hang on to our way of life, and wonder why we feel so hurt, alone and broken all the time?

I've had -so- many people come up to me and say "I tried God, it doesn't work." To be entirely honest, it's not that "God doesn't work" it's that we DIDN'T choose Him in the first place. Most of us, just want what -we- want. We have NO interest in what He wants for us because we think that all He wants of us, is to suffer! And it is to this belief we hold on to with our dear lives. No wonder it didn't work out well! We already believed that it WONT work and that we'd have to suffer through our lives!

Well, I'm sorry to break this to you, but the God I know of, is a God of blessing, of the Living. Not of Curses and Death. You want to take part in Curses and Death? That kingdom is that-a-way.

Stop believing that God is here to serve YOU. He's not. Stop worshiping other gods! Oh, you're not? Then, take that car that you treasure so much and sell it off, then ask the Lord where He wants you to put the money. Go, build a church, a shelter for orphans, dedicate your life to serving the Lord and I guarantee He will take care of you, and that you will be filled with much joy!

Sounds easy? How many of will survive two months - no, two weeks doing those things? A vast majority of us will not (note I said will not) sacrifice the life that we have, the "I am God over my life because I can control the outcome of this and that".

Believers, you who profess and claim that you will serve the Lord 100% - Allow Him first, to remove the log that is in your eye. Allow Him to chastise you, to form you, allow Him to be Lord over your life. Only THEN can you seek to help others. Do not even THINK of helping others out there when your own life is in chaos - you are running away from your reality, the people you are "helping" become your escape.

Remember, remember! God is NOT a vending machine. You don't put in a prayer and expect things to go your way. The Lord has plans for you, plans of prosperity, not of woe! But often, we want things to go OUR way. We are selfish. We act like children, throwing tantrums, turning our backs on the Father because we didn't get what WE wanted. Be aware!

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. "

Mat 6:33

A letter to religion

Dear ______,

      I wonder what would people say, when I come out and say it, "I... am not a religious person at all, I don't like religion, I never have, and never will."

      It's strange that not many people know what the word Religion stands for, and yet we go around, so actively binding ourselves to that word. The root word of religion, is "to bind" - "to tie" - "to fasten".

     When Jesus came, did he come to preach religion, or freedom? Think about it for a second. Christian life isn't supposed to be a set of rules that you follow, a set of laws that you obey. It's a way of life, a choice of living, doing what is right, in obedience and accordance to the Father.

     How is this different from religion? Simple - Religion teaches us - say 300 prayers and observe 3000 laws, or you will go to hell.

    Christian freedom and life tells us "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" and to 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'

   Again, in all things, it comes down to choice. If God tells you "if you eat junk food everyday, you're going to suffer health problems", it becomes our choice whether we want to OBEY or not! The way of the world teaches us is that obedience, is slavery. No, it isn't. Obedience is borne out of love. Slavery, is servitude, out of fear.

    Let me give you an example: Recently I met a man (and his wife, but that's not the focus of the story) and he'd just walked into the house, leaving the front door wide open. Now, the area that I live in has a wonderful thriving community of mosquitoes just waiting to come in. So I up and asked that man

   "Is there anyone else outside?"

   His response? "There are angels out there."

   Can you hear that? That's the sound of me slapping my forehead in exasperation. Who says that?! Do you feel more respected by being so religious? Foolishness!

   For everything, there is a time, and there is a season, you don't plant grain when it's harvest time, you don't harvest when it's time to plant your grain! Be careful of what you say and when you say it! Saying something when the time is wrong will only lead to more chaos. Only a fool does not guard the words of his lips!

   Friends, be aware - your life, is a testimony to others. The world is already full of burdens and laws that bind and contradict. They weigh you down, they press you. Religion is just an over glorified way of the world. You who say you are Christians. Live your life by the words of Jesus, enough with wandering around worshiping religion. Your God isn't named Religion.

   Jesus did not come down to die for us, only for us to hand ourselves back into chains.Many of you have said that Christianity, followers of Christ, is a way of life, but how many of you actually understand what it means?

   Here's an interpretation of being a follower of Christ, a Christian:

 "...And you must love God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength; and you must love your neighbor as you love yourself. It is more important to obey these two commandments than to offer on the altar animals and other sacrifices to God." 

Mar 12:33 

A letter to oneself - Part II

Dear ______,

               The pressure of keeping peace is something that you cannot handle with your own strength. You know how to cry out to the Father, you know how to seek Him, and yet, you refuse to. Is it because you are afraid? Or, is it really because you're comfortable with knowing only this?

               I see that you are frustrated, angry, and even distressed - how long will you hold on to these "familiar" emotions? How long will you let them rule you? Will you let your anger rule you? Your distress? Your frustration? Will you let these things be the driving force of your life? Perhaps you can justify these emotions, but even you know that holding on to these things will only slow down your progress forward.

              Yes, it seems that life isn't moving the way you want it to be, obstacles seem to throw themselves at you from all angles, but is this reason to give up? In your war against the enemy, he seeks to inspire fear, frustration, and a sense of "let's give up and go home". Laying down and constantly devoting your time towards his principles instead of the Father's principles, will only drive you further into the mud.

            You are confused, torn between the principles of the world, and the principles of the Kingdom. But the time has come for you to make a choice, a stand. Will you stand for the Kingdom? Or will you go back to whom you once were?

           Brother, do not subject yourself to torture. Do not torture yourself with thoughts of retribution. Every moment you spend dwelling on the negative, is a step back to where you began. Rise up! You are not alone. For "He who is in you, is greater than he that is in the world". Do not cling on to your distress. Rise above it! You are a conqueror, not a slave. The situation around you must not control you. You, control it.

         Do not give up hope! The prayers of many go with you. Stand firm, the Lord's blessing is at hand. Do not despair! Rise above the circumstances and take your place as a child of the most high God.

A letter to oneself

Dear _____,

            It is difficult to believe, and to have faith when the times get rough. Everything you do seems to fall short of what you'd like it to be. But I believe, that if you hold on, the sunrise is just over the next hill. Don't give up hope!
         The seas will toss and turn, the thunder may roar, and all seems bleak, hopeless. You begin to question everything you believed in, everything you thought you knew. You hoped that by taking a rest, by catching your breath, you'd find peace. But you never did, instead, the world seems to close in around you ever faster. I'm writing to you to remind you of one thing - you survived where others did not. You chose to walk in faith all those years. You believed, and it was a great joy. No more did you have a false sense of peace, but a true sense of peace. You remember how you told me, how you felt? It was a glorious sensation, like, light.

        The period of trials will come and go, but it only serves to strengthen you. You've held on for so long, believing, and waiting. I tell you, you will be blessed by Him. He will raise you up, He will wipe away your tears and restore joy into your heart. I tell you solemnly, that the Father loves you. He will never forget you and He cares for you more than you can ever imagine.

       Yes, you must wonder why the test must come? But is the bond of love ever tempered through peace? The choices you make in this time of testing either diminishes or grows your love for Him, and this is a test that He will help you succeed in. "I will never forsake you" was His words. His only begotten son was crucified for this very reason. So that He will never forsake you.

      It is difficult to see hope through the dark clouds. It is even more difficult to believe that there is hope. But trust me when I say, that your time is coming. The time for breakthrough is upon you. Don't lose faith, don't give up! Look back on your life, and see what He has already done for you. Have you not been healed of much? Have you not been restored to strength?

    Brother, remember that in our weakest hour, we are strongest. This is where we depend on Him most. And who better to depend on, than the Creator of all things?
   
     I hold you in my prayers, and I decree into your life, the fullness of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Endurance and Forbearance. You will be raised up. Your tears will be wiped away, and your joy will be everlasting. Stand firm and do not let the lies of the enemy destroy you. Stand firm in faith and call out to the Father, for He hears and always answers our prayers. Always.


From,
Your Friend

Distractions

Distractions are a common thing. They are so common that you'd forget they were even there! These things pull you away from what is important, they coax you to slow down, relax, and lull you into a sense of false peace and security.

In this same respect, Distractions are what keeps you from growing in Faith, in growing in belief. And in growing - in general. They keep you occupied, drawing your focus away from what is important, feeding you with unimportant duties and false ideals.

Let's say you went to seek God. You sat before Him in silence, trying to listen for His voice, you've already called out to Him and now you are waiting for His answer.

Suddenly! A wild lizard appears! And your mind starts to wander, it starts slow, first flitting from thought to thought, then you begin to feel agitation build within you. Suddenly you feel that you can't sit still any longer and before you know it, your mind is elsewhere, planning what to do for dinner, planning your day ahead; thinking about football...

Time spent in God has just become time spent in yourself.

How are we, as a people, to focus on what is important, to focus on the right things, if we are so easily distracted?

How is it that we can focus so wonderfully on the Distractions, and yet lose focus so quickly when we're seeking God?

Can Distractions bring you peace? Can Distractions feed your spirit? Can Distractions, bring you closer to God? Can Distractions feed you? Can Distractions sustain your life? Can Distractions give you eyes to see, ears to hear?

If Distractions can do these things, then even I would recommend that we worship this thing called Distraction.

To grow closer to God, and to receive EVERYTHING that He has promised to us,we need to first learn how to focus on Him. To get to know Him personally. We need to get there. And these distractions? They're not helping. They're just burdens that weigh us down, holding us back, slowing us down from what is really important.

If the lives of a thousand people hang in the balance. Surely you'll empty your mind of all distractions!

It is because we think that we DONT need Him, that we allow ourselves to be so easily distracted. We do not consider Him to be of any importance.

Note that I said "we allow". And truly, we do allow ourselves to be distracted. It is an ALLOWANCE. It is a choice that we have to make.

If you truly desire to seek God, then you will know that these things are just hindrances. If you want to receive the full blessings from the Father, the fullness of real Joy from the Father, then you need to get to Him. Cry out, seek His face and you will find. And as you sit before Him, seeking his face, ask Him to teach you how to not be distracted, how to focus on the things that matter, and not the things that seek to slow you down.

  "They arrived at Jairus' house, where Jesus saw the confusion and heard all the loud crying and wailing.   He went in and said to them, "Why all this confusion? Why are you crying? The child is not dead---she is only sleeping!"  

They started making fun of him, so he put them all out, took the child's father and mother and his three disciples, and went into the room where the child was lying.

 

  He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha, koum," which means, "Little girl, I tell you to get up!" 

  She got up at once and started walking around. (She was twelve years old.) When this happened, they were completely amazed. "

Mark 5:38-5:42

Wings of Change - Salvation

Salvation. It is something that we don't work for, it is something that we don't work -towards-. Rather, salvation has always been for us. Salvation is NOT our greatest reward. It is a great thing, yes, but it is not the end of the road. It is the beginning.

Once you believe, salvation is yours. That's it, you're saved. Now you need to understand what it means to be saved.

Does being saved means you're automatically changed as a person? Of course not! As with everything that God does, there IS a process, there IS a state of change that has to take place, and there ARE resistances (from us, from our own selves). Many who are saved, carry on doing the things they've done BEFORE they were saved. But what does that say?

God is the same, now and forever, but don't think for a second that it means He is forever in a state of not-moving. If you read His word, you will see that He is constantly moving FORWARD. In that same line of thought, shouldn't we be moving forward? For the better?

If we claim that we are following the one true God, where does His traits reflect in our lives? Which part of us reflect His attributes?

Many of us cling on to the past, hanging on for dear life to that "sweet" suffering. We can say that we've let go, that we've moved onwards. But be honest, if someone were to come along and do the EXACT thing that they did to you in the past, would you be able to handle it? Chances are, you'd react the exact same way that you reacted in the past, albeit in greater measure.

So why do you do it? Why do you clutch on to the pain? And when God comes in to your life to REMOVE it, you get angry! You start to justify it as "experience", giving all the excuses to hold on to it.

Let go. Let go of all the obstacles in your way, let go of that painful memory that memory that you've grown so attached to, let go of all those thoughts of victimization, embarrassing memories, shame and disgrace. Surrender it to God, and let Him take it away from you. He came to die for all these things. Not one of these are too small or too big for Him.

It took me awhile to let go of my own memories of pain and frustration. But as I've come this far, I realize that most of the time, the first step to letting go is to forgive. Forgive that person, forgive the people who laughed at you, forgive them for all these things that they have done... forgive -yourself- for the mistakes you have made. Do not be afraid to forgive yourself. Let it go and move forward.

God is waiting for you, with His arms open wide, waiting for you to return to Him. And I tell you this, when He sees you turning back to Him, He will run out to meet you. He will find you. But you must make the first choice. Choose to find Him, cry out to Him, LOOK for Him. It will be a start of a new day for you, the moment you seek Him. Ask Him for understanding and wisdom. Ask Him to teach you how to forgive, how to REALLY forgive, and not just utter empty words.

Your heart must forgive. It will be a lie, if your heart does not, and you speak empty words.

If you find that you can't forgive, all the more you should seek God. Seek Him, He -will- teach you how to forgive, and how to be forgiven. All will be well, because He is your Father who loves you. Yes, you.

This is how faithful the Father is -to- us. He will do these things.

"The LORD said, "They are my people; they will not deceive me." And so he saved them..."

Isaiah 63:8

Wings of Change

Change is difficult. Change is nasty at it's worst, and heavenly at it's best. But more often than not, nobody wants to change. Most people are forced to change, or move into change - in desperation.


Ever looked at a situation in your life and went, "Oh, I wish that person would change.. if he doesn't change, I'm not going to bother!" or maybe you'd go "This person MUST change, I'll do everything in my power to change him!"

Never really works out well does it? You either fall into apathy, or fall into the "I am god, so I will change this person" trap.

WE don't change people. We CANT change people. But GOD can and is able to.
The only problem is that we, as people like to resist the changes that He makes. And because of the free will that He has given us, He let's us make the choice, even if He knows we'll end up destroying ourselves.

See, the problem here isn't so much of God being unable to change people, it's more of the fact that WE resist the changes. We force changes where none was necessary and resist change where it is necessary.

A liar will lie, force him to change, and he will resist with all his might, because lying is what gets him around!

Until a person is convicted (convinced) he will not change. Change isn't just about the external. What's most important is in the inside. If you have a change of HEART. Everything on the physical level, WILL follow.

IF you change the physical but leave everything on the inside dusty and broken and abandoned, you are just living another lie.


So how does one change? I find it easier to go to God, seek His help. He is the only one who is able to help you renovate the house of your heart. He is the ONLY one who can see what you're going through, tear for tear, blood for blood, shame for shame. Nobody else can step in your shoes and FEEL it as He does.

Doesn't it make sense that the only one capable of helping you get out of your personal Hell is the one who can deliver you into a personal Heaven?

Again, as everything in His kingdom goes, the most important thing is to go to God. Find Him, seek Him, cry out to Him. He will answer you.

May you grow in the strength of the Lord. His light will shine your path. You will receive the fullness of His mercy, love, compassion and joy. If only you choose.

Understand this, doing right before the Lord, doesn't make you a fool. It doesn't make you less than everyone else. Let's put it this way, if you please a King, do you think that he wont grant you his blessings? The king will lavish grand things upon you. Because he is pleased with you.

The same goes for God. The only difference is, He already loves you! How much MORE will He do, the creator of EVERYTHING - what more will He do, when He is pleased with you?

 "Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God---what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect."

-Romans 12:2-

Hanging on!

Often times, one would hit a low point in their life. These are times where you question everything around you, you separate yourself from people, you feel empty, unaccomplished and weak.

These are the times of despairing, where everything you ever known, is put to the test. Everything you believed in and loved, is questioned.

If you would ask, "Who sets these tests? Who decides when these times come? Did God do this?"
Then I would have to answer, "He who sets the test, is the ONLY one that can help you pass it."

Let's put things into perspective. It is THROUGH these times of despair that you truly realize what you hang on to most. Whether it's alcohol, men, women, friends, games or even obscure things such as being abusive, being hateful or spiteful. What you FOCUS on, or in any case, what you HOLD on to, is what you believe in. And that becomes your god.

Now, depending on WHICH god you hold on to, you'll garner different effects. If you hang on to Drugs as your salvation (or savior), you'll fall into addiction and repeat an never-ending cycle of destruction. That's plain to see isn't it?

How about Jealousy? or Pride? If you hang on to these things and hold on to them as your saviors, you WILL fall into the same cycle of destruction, albeit, a different kind.

Let's put it this way, any kingdom can come attack in a myriad of ways. Sometimes you'll have enemies singeing your walls. Sometimes, a plague will strike your people, or sometimes, your people are the ones who will be doing the striking! All these are just different forms destruction takes.

Now, what if, you hold on to God the Father, He who will protect you, He who is your strength, He who will be your shield. He who is life. Like I said, what you hold on to the most, is what you believe in. And whatever you hold ON to, you reap the blessings; or the curses that follows.

Holding on to the Father, is like; holding on to Life itself. Holding on to Love itself. Not only that, holding on to Him is the only way to rise ABOVE the despair. So much so that it will never trouble you again; because you've risen above it! You have conquered the mountain!


For those of you who see that life isn't any good for you right now. You think that the people around you will never change. You feel abandoned, lost, and hopeless.
As you read this, some of you may have started to give excuses to yourselves, justifying the reason you feel this way. "Oh, I don't actually feel weak. I'm actually okay, I know I can get through this on my own."

Pause those thoughts, be honest with yourself. Nobody is waiting to laugh at your weaknesses.
However, there is someone, who is waiting to turn your weakness into your strength.

If you are willing, find the time, make the time, cry out to Him. Call on His name. He will answer you. He will hear you. He has been waiting for you to turn back to Him. You are not forgotten and you are loved. Do not be afraid to turn back to Him. He will raise you above the storm, and you will be blessed. More than you can ever imagine and in ways, you will never expect. In the name of Jesus, receive the blessings that the Lord has in store for you. He will restore you and fill you with peace. God bless you all.

" I said, "I have worked, but how hopeless it is! I have used up my strength, but have accomplished nothing." Yet I can trust the LORD to defend my cause; he will reward me for what I do. "

-Isaiah 49:5-

Unconditional Love, Who is this God person?!

There's just so much to say, it's nearly impossible to address every issue at a time.

"Pick one!" you would say.

"I'd love to," I'd reply ,"but everything I speak about intertwines with everything else."

Ah, how I wish my thoughts would arrange themselves on paper on it's own accord.

Now, I've had people ask me before, "Can you hear God?"

I've learned not to start laughing like a madman before replying, so here's my answer.

"Being Christian gives us a direct phone line to God Himself. Even Jesus had that, why wouldn't we?"

Now, with that settled; onwards!

Unconditional Love

People in this day and age have forgotten what family is.
Family isn't about taking your children out to lunch or dinner.
It isn't about meeting each other for the sake of it.
It's not about favors, it's not about dependency.

A family, is a force.
It is something that binds people together.
A true family shares with each other, understands each other, and chooses to overlook, not ignore; each others weaknesses.
A family stands together only when each member of the family chooses, consciously, to stand for each other, no matter what happens.

That, is an example of  unconditional love.

That love is only achieved by one method.

Growing close to God.
By understanding how much He loves you, in spite of your weaknesses, in spite of you screwing up, your embarrassment, your weaknesses!

I've had people say, "But God hates sin!"

"Very true!" I'd exclaim, "But you are not a sin. You're a human person, are you not?"

Let me make it clear once again:
God hates SIN.
But you are NOT sin.
You are his beloved son (or daughter). He loves you unconditionally.
Without condition. Regardless of your state.


You feel weak, you feel useless.
You feel that nobody cares for you.
You even feel that there's no God there.
You feel that your life is empty, and you're waiting for something to fill that emptiness.
You're hoping to find something, someone to love.

There's hope for you, friend.
God cares, He loves you, He -is- there.
Yes, all the situations in your life are telling you that He doesn't exist at all.
Yes, your anger and frustration is telling you that it's impossible.
Yes, you feel weak, you feel useless! Broken! Pathetic!

But listen well!

He is there. He is listening to your cry, He is aiding you.
If you really want proof, I ask you now, find the time, when you are alone, I don't care where, and I'm sure as God is real that -He- doesn't care where you do it.

Get down on your knees, lie down, or bury your face in your pillow; but cry out to Him.

If you want proof, ASK Him for the proof.
Ask him to SHOW you the proof.
Ask him to let you SEE the proof.

But be aware, friends; when you pray like that, and when proof is shown, no matter how "insignificant" it seems. Do not disregard it. He will be faithful, for the children he loves.


"Aren't -you- supposed to be the one convincing us that God is real?" you might say.

No, I'm sure that He's real enough to answer you Himself, if you ask.      : )

Bite sized - Marriage

I've had many people ask me if I've had a girlfriend yet, and almost always, I reply with these exact words,
"I'm not looking for a woman in my life just yet, if I'm unstable, I cannot support her. I must stabilize myself, first, before I choose to find my future partner, who is for life."

Getting a girlfriend is -not- status and it is -not- maturity.

Choosing the right one, and knowing when you are ready for a relationship is the true mark of maturity.

We must remember, that breaking hearts, isn't as easy as forgive and forget.

Oh, it looks so nice in the movies, but that's where movies and reality come apart.

Heartbreak rarely heals on it's own. Something happens that reminds someone of that special somebody some time ago, brings back painful memories that they'd thought gone. It's there, like a wound that's hidden beneath the gauze, ignored, not forgotten.

The relationship between a man and a woman, how ready both parties are and how willing both parties are to support and aid each other decides the next step in their relationship.

Many times people rush headlong into relationship with the simple mentality of "it feels good when we touch" or "she must be the one" or "there was instant chemistry".

Those things are fleeting, and will not last. I do not denounce that two people cant end up loving each other since they first met, but it is rarely the case.

Anyone can marry anyone. But it's whether both parties would, in love; stand for each other that decides how far their relationship will go.

A husband and a wife are a pair, who chose to come together, to support each other, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.

So how come the divorce rates are so high?

Simple.

Most people weren't ready for that level.


In a game, you can't play level 100 if you don't play level 1 - 99. The same goes for relationships.

-IF- you cant handle your emotions, how can you expect to deal with another person's?

If you cant even stand fast for your principles, how can you expect to defend your partner's principles?

If you cant be responsible for yourself, how then, are you going to support your partner?

Love, isn't just the warm feeling you get.

Love is also the joy of sharing each others' presence.
The joy of sharing life together, the joy of sharing time with each other.

For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.

So, if you were to ask, where does God fit in all this?




I can tell you, for sure; without a doubt, that He needs to be present in -every- area, and in -every- moment.

No marriage is perfect, and your life will -NOT- be all shiny and happy for all eternity.

If you are going to get married for that reason, stop right now. That's not the way.

There will be storms, the boat will be tossed around.

It is up to both parties to hold the fort. Both parties to stand strong together, in love and in faith.

In joy, in sorrow

In sickness, in health

In chaos, in peace

In love, remember

You are not alone.

Faith

We as humans, have faith.

All of us have faith.

It is where we place that faith that truly matters.

Think about the sunrise, when we sleep at night, we have faith that it will rise.
We have faith that seasons will come and go.
We have faith, that when rain falls, the temperature will drop.
We even have faith, that when we press the power button on our computers, that it would start.
Believe it or not, opening this web page is also an act of faith.
You believe that the page will load, and that there is something here for you to read.

If you didn't have that faith, you wouldn't have loaded the page in the first place, you would have been worried whenever the rain came, you would have been anxious about pressing the power button on your computer.

Faith in God, is something that we have lost.
Faith, in everything else, we can do without a second thought. In fact, without even a thought.

But when it comes to giving up our lives to God, who loves us, Jesus, who cares for us; that is when we balk.
That is when we start to shiver and be afraid and have a thousand and one thoughts.

Why are we afraid of the Creator who loves us? What is it about Him that makes things so... fearful?

Perhaps it is because we believe that God is someone that takes away everything dear to us.
Or perhaps we simply "lost faith" because of something that happened some time ago.

Where we place our faith, truly, is where it matters.

Some people say that they've lost faith in God.
I ask them, truly, where did they put their faith in, during those times of so-called trust?

In my experience, whenever I say "I have faith that God will do -this-"
I end up forcing my way into a situation, trying to force God to do something, going
"You're not fast enough!"
or maybe
"I want it done -THIS WAY- not -YOUR WAY-"
(Because obviously, we know the best way to handle every situation, right? Wrong.)

That, is faith in the self. That, is faith in the small scope of things that -I- see.
Not faith in my Father-God. The one who sees wider and much farther than I can EVER see.

So today, ask yourself, in your situation right now, in your sickness, in your stress, in your loneliness, in your anger, in your frustration, in your emptiness, in your longing...

With whom or what, are you putting your faith in?

Who is God? - The Choice

There are so many aspects of God that are nearly impossible to cover no matter how long you try. Or how hard you try. Today, I'll start with:

God is love

First and foremost. He sent His only son, Jesus, to die for us. But what does it really mean?

Let me ask you, as a parent, would you ever send your son or daughter to die for a people that could -choose- not to change?

Would you, send that brother, that sister, that wife of yours that you treasure so much, to die for a people who could -choose- not to believe?

Would you sacrifice everything that you have, on a maybe?

That's just a fragment of God's love for us. He KNEW we won't be able to change on our own, so He sent His son to die for us, so that we wouldn't have to pay for our mistakes, for an eternity.

Even then! He GAVE us the freedom to choose whether we wanted to be saved or not.
The door is open, but it is our choices that makes the difference.

Now, remember this, He doesn't actually NEED us!
Even then, He chose to save us human beings. He chose to trust us. He chose to believe in us.

It is difficult, of course; in this day and age. To understand and to know about a true father's true love.
Many of us today don't have fathers. Or mothers.

They may be there physically, but spiritually, emotionally and mentally, there's a father/mother shaped hole, waiting to be filled. Some didn't even have parents physically!

But is all lost?
Have we come so far in life that we've lost the only chances to fill that emptiness?
Some of us are old enough to be fathers of our own!

But no, it is never too late. Ask God, make the time, get down on your knees and cry out to Him.
He hears. He will answer. He knows that you are in need.

He's just waiting for you to choose.

Being Human

Let us, for a moment, step back from talking about being Christ-like.

The very basis, the fundamental, the foundation of being Christian, is by being a human person.

Let us be very honest with ourselves.

People in this era, -most- who are non-Christians, are more Christian than those of us who claim to follow Jesus!

Before we should even consider ourselves followers of Christ (which, by far, is a higher calling), we should start on the basic -human- level.

Charity, generosity, goodwill, joy - these are but a few of the things that we were created with.

Note that I said "with".

All these things that are good, were created with us. In us. It is we ourselves who forgo these things and gladly surrender them to the enemy! The cause of which, is the entrance of things like anger, rage, hatred, desolation, loneliness, emptiness into our lives.

At this point, we must forget about running around declaring "I will serve the Lord 100%!!!!!!!!"

If we do not have the basics of being a good human person, the rest is useless. When the foundation of a building is placed on sand, an ever shifting medium, how can the building stand strong in times of trouble? In fact, if the building were to collapse, what a danger it would be to other dwellers!

Why "be human?" you ask. The word is clear on that matter for "The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son. "-John 1:14 (italicize and bold added)

First and foremost, Jesus came to us as a human being.
Let that sink in, He didn't come as God.
He didn't come on a thundering chariot of lightning and thunder.
He was born in a manger as a human being.

If we claim to follow Jesus, we -must-, without a doubt, start where he started.
By being human.

Being Christian

In this day and age, the term "Christian" brings about many negative emotions and thoughts.

Christians are generally viewed as "overzealous religious nuts" who look down on others because they think they are better than others.

But can we blame them?

The only reason why we are getting such negative responses is because of our own fault. Our own false witnessing, our own holier-than-thou attitudes have gotten ourselves into this mess.

Do not blame the media, do not blame the people. They are as human as you or I are. And some, even more so.

As true Christians, ask yourselves, "Have I done anything that is right in the eyes of God? Have I done right as a witness, as a follower of Christ?"

Or even, "Have I done right, even as a human person?"

I tell you, Jesus Christ did not come down to be tortured, beaten and crucified just so WE can stand on our brother's and sister's heads.

He did not come to die for us, just so that we can demean and mock the non-believers.

Mar 2:17 "Jesus heard them and answered, "People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts." (GNB version, italics and bold added.)

If we are to call ourselves Christians (Christ-Like) we must start -not- by changing the world around us, but by changing ourselves.

In some ways, in many ways, we are the ones who need to receive salvation once again. Only when we have received the full understanding of what it means to be saved, can we witness to the others, only when we ourselves have become truly Christian can we be Christ-like.

Forgiveness

There are many times in one's life, where we fail to act, fail to take the right step.
There are often times where we regret decisions we have made, and actions that were taken.
Many a time, we hang on to that thread of blame. We carry that burden around with us, gladly carrying the guilt wherever it wishes to go.

When those times come, would we be strong enough to forgive ourselves?
Would we forgive those who hurt us?
Should we forgive ourselves for mistakes made?

If you should ask, "Why must I forgive others? Why must I forgive myself?"

The simple truth is, we must forgive ourselves to forgive others.
In the same way, we forgive others to forgive ourselves.
Because once we are forgiven, we can start anew. A new page in our chapter of life.

Forgiveness is not purposefully ignoring. That, is ignorance.
Forgiveness is saying: "I know you screwed up, but it's okay, I still care, let's get through this."

As Jesus says in Mark 11:25:

"...And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done."

 As much as we need to forgive others. We must also learn to forgive ourselves, only then can we move on in life. Guilt and shame are anchors that chain us to the spot, barring us from moving forward. Refuse to hang on to them, because I tell you, it is not the Guilt or Shame that hold on to you. It is you who hold on to them. It is a choice that only you can make and no one else.

Receiving

Sometimes we ask ourselves, does God really answer our prayers? Does He really hear us? Does He care?
Or sometimes, we say "I've prayed and prayed for the last 10 years and nothing has happened!"

But the truth is, He does answer your prayers. The key factor here is our position before Him.
Our position before Him affects how fast we receive the blessing, the fruit of that prayer. And in some cases, whether we receive the blessings at all!

I tell you truthfully, the Father does answer our prayers. But the question we should ask ourselves is this,

"What have I done to activate the blessing of that prayer?"
"Have I placed myself in a position to receive?"
"Have I obeyed Him?"

Positioning, it is important in every factor, in every kind of game. The principle applies in the Father's kingdom as well.

Think about baseball, there's the batter and the pitcher. If the batter is out of position, would he be able to "receive" the ball? Of course not!

But how would you know how to position yourself to receive His blessings for you?

Cry out to Him, ask him to teach you, to show you.
Above all, be honest with Him. Believe me when I say, He knows when you cannot do something. He knows when you're frustrated, He knows when you're in despair. He wants you to take His hand and arise above these things. But to do that, you must learn to obey Him.

Position yourself to receive and you -will- receive, because:

"...Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks."
Luke 11:9-10