Light-Her-Lamp {the writings}

About your FRUITY Peculiarity...

2009-11-07T04:43:00.006-05:00

It starts from somewhere inside you. You can't stop it, it's just who you are...you can't even help it. It heats up like a warm spring, bubbles up like waters in a sauna, and rises up like forceful conventional heat currents that have no choice but to rise...higher and higher, and higher into a distant place in the sky. It can't decline and refuse the path that has been paved for it, it either comes out of you as something to be acknowledged or something to be despised. It is you and you are it, this thing on the inside of you. It is intertwined with the ropes of your spirit, interjected by the thoughts of your soul.

"...every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush..." (Luke 6:43)

The things that come out of you are only an illustration of your "fruity peculiarity." You are like a tree planted by waters, but you are the owner of the roots and you direct the path you want the roots to take. Your roots could either go in the direction of the soothing and life-giving water, or you could direct them into an arid dry desert land (towards the opposite side).

At the end of the day, the key lies in your hands to be peculiar in a "fruity" way. No one will come to you for healing if you don't have the right words; no one will come for provision if you can't show kindness in simple and small ways; no one will come for laughter if you can't crack jokes; no one will come for lessons if you can't show any iota of brilliance; no one will come for your celebration when you are a dead-looking "frowner"; no one will smile at you if you never smile at anyone; no one will listen to you if you have no visions, goals, or dreams.

Who are you? What is your life about? Are you just merely existing, or do you know the reason why you're here? If you don't know, I'll let you in on a little secret. You were BORN for a golden purpose that no one else will do. If you don't do that which you were born to do, it will just be the loss of one more wasted life. God created you to be a solution to a problem...and you need to find that problem and solve it. You are PECULIAR, but in a FRUITY kind of way, such that if I should come near you today I should be able to smell the fruitiness of your future. You are a tree that needs to produce fruits, and by your fruits we will know that you are utilizing the things God has placed inside of you.

Everyone has a fruity peculiarity, but many haven't found theirs yet. How can you find it? By giving your life completely to Jesus. He's the only way...I can't tell you any other way, because I've tried Him and yes, I've found myself, my niche, my dwelling place, and a way to produce the fruits I was born to bear. Why else would you think I'd want to write about it? It's the only way...there's only one way to bear much fruits. Try this way.

May your own land yield its increase...(Psalm 85:12)...but you have to find that land first.

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The Weirdo in Summary:

2009-10-30T10:27:00.005-04:00

He was such a weirdo. A rich man who took over his father's property...but see the things he did. He ruled in a different way from kings that had gone before him. I may not be able to portray the full details of his life the way I really want to, but I can give you a few notable things about him.

Any time his mother would come into the room, he would get up quickly and bow down to her, and then he also set up another throne for his mother to sit (kind of like his own), so that he wouldn't be the only one sitting on a throne when the mother who bore him for nine months was around. Pretty deep man!

He gave some ridiculous offerings to God. Imagine in a time when people counted sheep for the slaughter, he came with a thousand of them...to be served up as burnt offerings. In hind-sight, I would not have understood his offerings...I may have thought he was crazy at the time. But now I know better. His reasoning was that even a thousand burnt offerings was not adequate for a God who created the Universe, so why come to the altar with less when he had more back at home? Such a weirdo!

He's the only king recorded to have given a huge feast specifically for his servants. Yes, for the members of his palace who toiled day and night to keep the place clean, to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner...and generally to take care of the royal courtyard. He made a feast for all of them. I don't know...he was pretty weird.

I want this kind of weirdness...the ability to do extraordinary things that the eyes cannot fathom in a natural state. The power to be non-traditional because I won't always think with the mind-set of a mere human. The capability to operate exactly as the Spirit of God wants me to operate, even if it doesn't make sense to onlookers. Wow, I like Solomon. Such a weirdo!

Inspired by 1 Kings 2 & 3

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For Your Body's Sake:

2009-10-28T08:17:00.003-04:00

In this lifetime, you will retreat for your body's sake. You will feel many things pressing towards you---many things of life: family, friends, work, projects, and other things. And if you are wise, you will understand that your body and well-being is very important...so you will retreat. You were created by God to operate in full dominion and authority. You were not created to be pushed into the gutter or trampled upon. You were created in the image and likeness of God. So when the enemy comes unto you like a flood, God must lift up a mighty standard against him. But you must know your own limits. Do what you can and retreat, leaving the rest to God.

I have some examples of when Jesus was teaching multitudes of people in Luke chapter 5. And so it was that he was standing at the edge of the lake, and these people kept pressing towards him. They kept moving forward, forward, and continuously forward...trying to glue their ears to what He was saying. I noticed that He looked back and saw two boats behind Him, then He thought about it again and made the decision to enter one of the boats, and then He told the owner to please drift out a little bit. And He continued teaching from His new vantage point...

See, when you don't drift out a little bit, the people will compress your message. The people might drown you inside a pit of no return. It is good to go away a little bit to re-group. When you say your message when people are not drowning you, you will sound stronger and more confident about what you carry.

Also, before you make important decisions of your life, you need to go away to your quiet place to consider what you are about to do. In Luke 6:12-13, it was recorded that Jesus went out by Himself to the mountains to pray, and He continued all night in prayer. The next morning was when He selected those 12 disciples that He would later reveal the secrets about His life to. The selection was an important process that He had to go through, but He went on a retreat with God FIRST before He made that decision. Do we do that before we make important decisions?

So my message today is that you must learn to care for your body and your mental health by retreating into the quietness of God's presence. In a quiet place you can think properly and communicate with God, asking Him about the best ways to proceed with certain decisions you have to make. Also, from a vantage point, you can see the people trying to press towards you more clearly, you can gauge each one of them and identify what areas they need your help in. You can ascertain the needs and characters of people by stepping away from them for a while, rather than studying them when they are right up in your face.

There goes my thoughts for today...I've been a little busier than I expected, but I will post again really soon. I may not be able to reply every single comment, but I want you to know that I will read your comments and probably smile at one or two...lol. I pray that you will learn to seek wisdom from a quiet place and a vantage point when no one is with you. Most of all, I pray that God will bless you and make His face to shine upon you, and that your hands will receive everything that He has already equipped you to be successful in this world. It's already in your hands...

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The Vulnerabilities of a Single Story:

2009-10-16T13:52:00.004-04:00

On hearing the popular Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, speak about the dangers of a single story on TED, I was inspired to write about it.

A single story can change a posterity or a younger generation forever, either for the better or worse. A story embedded in the minds of the youth is what will cause them to want to become something great, or maybe something minuscule. A single story will dare us to dream mighty BIG, or will do the exact opposite-- drowning our thoughts of irrefutable success in an ocean that we cannot be rescued from.

What stories are we telling? What stories do we use to speak to our own destinies, or even the destinies of those around us? What stories are we publishing? Which ones do we deem as our representation here on earth?

My story is NOT a single story, but rather multiple stories wrapped into one, about the richness and intelligence of God's creations. My story tells of a series or combinations of how God originally intended for the world to be. This story is inspired by the Holy Spirit to inspire Nations. It is for everyone, regardless of race, color, or status. There are no disparities in this one, because God don't make ugly. There are no sensitivities, because the truth must be told, and tell it we must. There are no lies here, only transparencies. There is no judgment, only a plea for you to see that God designed you for greatness, and that He is actually real and not just a figment of your imagination. There are no obscurities because the will of God is clear. In God's story, there are no CHOSEN or SELECTED readers...because when God created you, He did it with a purpose in mind...so everyone is included in the plan. We just have to find out what that specific plan is.

I am in support of what Chimamanda has said HERE, regarding the dangers of a single story. But what matters are the stories that we CONTINUE to tell.

CONTINUE to strengthen your own story.

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Clay...

2009-10-05T11:02:00.003-04:00

You're lying there in an empty arid valley...not breathing, not sighing, not in the least bit conscious. You don't have any form, you're just soft and gooey. You are CLAY. You're the hardened surface of a flat land, spread across a hidden valley...far from life and human existence. In this moment and in your subconsciousness, you secretly wish that you had a voice-- something to express the thoughts that weaken your soil. Something to make you leap and shout and fine-tune the energy that grills your being. You also wish that you had a body, something to give you the strength to move and exist in a better form.

Suddenly you feel a slight breeze blowing through your sandy veins. In the rising of a second, you do something you've never done before-- you open your eyes and you see the valley for the first time. It is beautiful. You begin to do other things too, like stretching out your hands to feel the lily of the Valley, and sniffing the soft scent of the buds. Then you also feel your whole being rising up to appreciate the day. As if this newness of life isn't enough, your throat starts to wobble and you begin to struggle in your plight to stop the movement. But you can't stop it, your words spill out like unstoppable Tsunamis...and you realize that God has visited you. You were only CLAY, but now you're alive. You were dumb, but now you can speak. You were hardened, but now you have a heart. You were blind, but now you can see yourself the way God truly sees you.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In every man's life there will be an awakening of his soul. You will not be the same forever. Someday, you will have a witness inside of you...an experience that will change your life forever. This experience will have something to do with God. It will be unexpected, and you will be like clay in His hands...undoubtedly allowing Him to mold you in the right direction.

When that time comes, do not harden your heart. Allow yourself to be softened and to be open to receive the blowing of a new wind. With everything going on in the world today, there will soon be a major awakening.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Photo by Redbubble.

Physician, Heal Thyself!

2009-09-29T11:32:00.007-04:00

Sitting down on the last row of the pews, I strained my eyes to hear him. He was standing right there on the altar, in front of the stained glass windows, wearing his old peach-colored saintly regalia-- he looked like he had been enlisted among the angels of heaven. I was listening hard and long, searching for words to burst through my veins. Just digging through the piles of literature for something to touch me inside, although I didn't know what.

I am his daughter, but there is a thin line between the man and my father. He preaches every Sunday, but yet our own home is torn apart into unrecognizable fragments by the devil himself. His words are true, but they are a lie to me. He is a physician to the people here, but he cannot heal himself.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In this fictional story, a daughter observes her preacher man father distastefully. He is speaking the word of God, but it makes no sense to her because her home is torn apart...and the head of her home is the preacher man. In Luke Chapter 4, after reading the Torah in the synagogue, Jesus told the people that their salvation was already here. He told them that even though it was right in their faces, they weren't going to understand or recognize it. Even until the end...because they would tell him, "Physician, heal thyself."

When I read this I thought about how people sometimes observe the messenger. If the messenger does not look like what he's presenting, then they choose not to believe. I know it makes sense to you, but I want to tell you that sometimes the messenger will not look like the message.

You need to focus on the words, not the carrier. Yes, the carrier may look thin and shabby, but his words could carry so much power. The voice of God could be a still small voice, yet we may be waiting for a thunder-storm kind of voice. Our healing could come in such a small way as closing our eyes and opening them again, but we may be waiting for many years for a torrential impact-- possibly the laying of hands by a popular minister.

Things are not always the way they seem. They shouted "Physician, heal thyself!" when Jesus was on the cross dying, but they never thought to look at the grave to see if he had risen from the dead. Don't focus on the obvious, focus on those things that are not so obvious.

True Health Reform:

2009-09-22T13:16:00.005-04:00

Fact:

True health reform is a complete eradication of those things that obstruct the health of the citizens. Of those things that cause the depreciation of the mental conundrum, the defragmentation of the human body, the blindness of the eyes, deafness of the ears, dumbness of the lips, and lack of sensitivity of the skin.

True health reform is not here today. Not until all individuals find God...

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come..." Matthew 24:14

We can do as much as we physically can to improve the world. But diseases will come and go. Famines will slash the people, and then disappear. Storms will come and go. Winds will keep blowing from the North to South, and from East to West.

But the Word of God will remain...

The word that stands sharper than any two-edged sword, setting asunder the spirit and the flesh and tearing them apart. Only that truth will stand. And through this truth, many lives will be saved and will receive true health reform and transformation. Only this Word...the Word which sometimes we take for granted, but which, like the doppler effect, has not ceased since the day it was spoken from the mouth of God.

Only this truth can transform our lives...only this truth can save us. That God saves...

If only you can understand that there will be no complete healing, no complete transformation, or even reform...if only you knew and were convinced, then you'll understand what I mean when I say there is no true health reform outside GOD. But when you find Him, then you'll know PEACE.

On Revering Caesar...

2009-09-16T07:33:00.004-04:00

Imagine this stratagem...

You are well-renowned and respected in your field and almost every one of those things concerning your ideologies. Your aim is to, maybe someday, be a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, or something close to that caliber. You fear God, and you worship His Name. And so you veer away from uselessness and make yourself indispensable and highly productive in the world, as much as you know how.

You've travelled to Asia, Africa, and Europe...and you hope to travel to the rest of the continents of the world. Everywhere you go, you constantly sow seeds of kindness and altruism in the lives of those ones who cannot even dream to repay you. And then, there's this thing about your heart...you've fallen in love three times, in each of those three continents...and every single time you've gotten your heart spliced into three sections. But you remained unrelentless in the plight of finding love...and you believe you will...really soon.

You are all these and more...but there's one thing lacking. Your RESPECT for Government. You've looked at the scrolls and even the constitution, but many things are opposite to your way of thinking...or let us say opposite to the laws of God. If Jesus came right now, many of the people in the Government might very well go to hell...at least according to you. And who knows? You may just be right...

BUT that does not mean that you should not revere Caesar. Oh yes, you need to give the Government the respect that is due to them. When Jesus was here, He briefly said at some point, "Render to Caesar those things that are Caesar's, and to God those things that are God's."

God has not called you to be an insurrectionist. Or to be in rebellion against the Government. Not that you should necessarily be "a part" of Government, no that's not what I'm implying here. But you must learn to respect your leadership and play your own little role in improving the laws of the land. You were not called to be the judge and to point out who the devil is in Government, or the angel (although you must not be foolish as not to know). You were called to be a "LIGHT" shining in the midst of darkness. You were created to have dominion in your own little area, and then let's see if the world will not change at your own end.

Today, the call is just to be respectful of leadership...not just Government, but every form of leadership that God has allowed.

Painting by Derek McCrea.

Stranger in My Own House...

2009-09-10T09:43:00.008-04:00

I am walking around without my socks and slippers, every tip toe counts. It is dark and I don't want to turn on the switch to the light bulbs in the patio, so I skulk and move around stealthily. I push the sliding door open, but I do it very slowly so that the screeching sound is not heard in the next room. As I stand there pushing slowly, I hear a distant sound coming from the basement. I panick. My heart is beating louder and faster now, like a wild horse galloping on a rodeo show. What was that brusque sound? I listen again, and I hear the same thing. Sounds like someone hitting a box. Or perhaps someone walking up the stairs...

I abandon my task of pushing the sliding door and I bend really low, as if ducking to avoid a water ball, and then I crawl on all four limbs to hide behind the sofa. There is a blue and red striped accessory pillow on the carpet. I pick it up and hug it, pulling my knees upwards towards my chest. I close my eyes. I am in a ridiculous predicament, a senseless limbo. Who is walking up the stairs? I stay there for a while, eyes tightly shut and hoping that no one catches me in this house. I do not want to be caught. I just want to get out of here. The sound stops and I start crawling towards the sliding door again. This time, instead of standing up, I try to push the sliding door from my low position. It's not moving half as fast as I want it to...

All of a sudden, the light comes on. Oh no, it's my father. I AM in my own house!

"What are you doing honey?"

"Daddy, I...errrr...I was sleep-walking again."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

There have been times when we are conscious, at least enough to realize that the kingdom is ours, and ours for the taking. At times like that we act like royalty...kingly, priestly, and very bold. In fact, we refuse to see or accept defeat, because our plight is only victorious. There's no room for anxiety because there is support on every side.

But what about those times when everything seems bleak? So bleak that you begin to act like a stranger in your own household. It feels like you're just sleep-walking in an unfamiliar territory, moving in a strange land. In times like this, you need to WAKE UP.

WAKE UP! WAKE UP! The land is still yours and you still have a heritage in your daddy's house. WAKE UP! The whole earth is groaning for your manifestation. WAKE UP! It is time for your mighty prowress to be seen in the world today. You need to realize that you are not a stranger to God, but you're His SON. You're royalty in His eyes, but you live like a hot mess. You're intelligent in His eyes, but you keep living like a scatter-brain. How about you wake up and turn on your light bulbs? Let these words be a lamp unto your feet even as you awaken to today's new dawn...

Joel 3:9 "Proclaim this among the nations: “ Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up..."

Joel 2:7 "They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks..."

Mark 9: 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Luke 9:1-2 "Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick."

John 14: 12-14 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

If you don't know these things, then you may be a stranger in your own house-- scared to walk upright and afraid to do those mighty things that you were called to do. But don't be afraid...

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FALLEN BUILDINGS:

2009-09-08T10:07:00.003-04:00

“See these great buildings?” Jesus asked his disciples, referring to the great architecture of the buildings of the Jewish temple they were standing in, and maybe those buildings surrounding it as well.

The disciples must have turned their heads towards the buildings, looking upwards, downwards, and all about them. Their eyes must have glittered with awe and excitement. They must have marvelled at the intelligence behind the buildings. The great thoughts that went into creating something so extraordinarily superb. A place of worship and selfless abandonment. They were staring intensely at the architectural stones. The way the stones etched into each other, one by one, as if forming the illusion of an unshakable stronghold. Stone into stone, marble unto marble.

“There shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down,” their teacher added, continuing his former sentence.

But He was not just marveling at the beauty of the temple, He was speaking rather of the signs of the end. He went further to explain what He was trying to say.

In the end times, the fallen buildings symbolize the fallen bureaucracies of the world—everything that man has worked so hard to establish as standards in the world we live in. The standards will fall. “Heaven and earth will pass away, and only God’s word will remain.” Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Earthquakes, famines, and troubles. But even these will only be a preview to what the real shocker will be. The gospel must first be published among all nations, and then the true afflictions would come. Yes, many of us are getting desensitized by the news and the portrayal of the woes of the world we live in by the media. We see earthquakes, famines, and lots of troubles every day, and they don’t phase us. But when I read Mark 13 this morning, in verse 19 Jesus said, “For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time…”

That tells me that something different is bound to happen that will SURELY stand out from all the other crazy happenings. Something magnanimous, possibly beyond our comprehension. I wonder if the popular media will have the voice to carry the news. But you and I must be ready when that time comes. Ready to see the fallen buildings, but not crush under their weight. The great thing about it is that Jesus ended on this note, “watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.”

You can watch. Your eyes can be glued permanently on the buildings, so that you will not be standing under them when they are ready to fall. You need to be at the right place and at the right time, doing the right things.

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The Early Risers Call...

2009-08-28T00:01:00.003-04:00

Update: You've MISSED OUT sorely. But nevertheless, you should be able to hear the recording of the The Early Risers Call (TERC) conference HERE

The TERC blog can be found Here.

Photo by Red Bubble

Your Conversations...with God...(see you THIS MORNING)

2009-08-27T01:00:00.001-04:00

Why, why, why?

You're sitting on an ancient Chinese-style stool in your verandah, and tumultous waves of ruminations and multiple deductions are racing through your mind. Unlike a mathematical or scientific experiment, you end up on an obsolete empty mission...because this is a matter of faith and to you there are no real answers in the physical world.

And so you stand up and fling your hands up in the air in deep frustration, wondering why things are the way they are. Why did yesterday go by the way it did? Why didn't that man wake up in the morning? Why are you alive? What signs should you be looking for? When do you say "Yes," or "No," or even "Maybe"? When should you move or when should you just stay back and be still? Is there really a God? If he's there, why is He silent? How can you hear His voice? What does it mean that Jesus is returning a second time? Why are you so afraid? What is real and what is unreal?

So here I am also, sitting in front of my computer...knowing you may have questions and aching to show you some things that I've studied in God's word. I'll be hosting a free phone-conference this morning (Thursday, August 27th: 7.00am-12noon EST), and I'm inviting you to come and search the scriptures with me. Let's see what God has to say...let us teach ourselves.

In the bible, there were these group of people called the "Bereans." They were very knowledgeable. When they heard something, they did not just take it as their bread immediately. Instead, they went back home and searched the scriptures-- investigating every nook and corner and discussing it amongst themselves. To be wiser we need to investigate the Truth. And moreso, when two or more are gathered in God's Name, He's there in their midst.

Conference Details:
Thursday, August 27th: 7.00am - 12noon EST (United States)
Call-in number(s):
From 7:00-12noon: 1-309-946-5000 (code 37460)

SEE YOU THERE THIS MORNING!!! Don't forget to set up reminders/alarms on your cell phones for this morning's free conversation! It's short notice, but I know that at least one person needs this. Bring some bread and coffee if you like...lol :)

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"I See Men as Trees, Walking..."

2009-08-19T11:09:00.010-04:00

The first time God opened his eyes to see the world, he was ecstatic. He was lost for words and his eye muscles were hyperactive. He had been detrimentally blind, but all of a sudden with a touch from the Messiah he began to see the things he had been desiring to see. Those things which had only been a part of his diffused imagination. The unbelievable objects in his wildest dreams.

But the first time God opened his eyes he didn't get it.

The first time God opened his eyes he could not see the clear picture...he saw men as trees walking...that's what he said...the men he saw were trees walking down the street. Jesus had to put His hand on the blind man's eyes again! (Mark 8:22-25)

This miracle was done in two parts. Oh, I know you thought all the miracles performed were just by one-time touches, right? Naaaaaahhhhh! This one was different. Jesus laid His hands twice so that the man could get the full picture. The second time around, he saw men as "real men" with two legs walking down the street. The deed was completed the second time around. (*See comments below to add to your understanding*)

*************************

The first time around you may not have understood what God was trying to tell you. The first time around, maybe you were still psychosomatic or still on your rampant rage. Maybe you got the message, but you didn't know how to apply it so you continued in your old life. Hmm...maybe you even cried for joy because God had touched you somewhere beyond your heart, but later on you felt like there was still something amiss? Yeah, you knew what God was trying to do (it's not like you didn't know)...but you just could not see the clear picture....YET.

The first time around really happened...

But you just didn't get it. Wanna know something? God can touch your eyes again...He wants you to get the clearer artistic picturesque vision! He's not up for halves or near-misses! He wants you to really really get it. He wants you to completely feel His touch. Not to feel the wave about your head, but to feel it actually moving through you. And you'll get it this second time around...right here...now...He's right there with you, revealing things to you again.

The second time around is part of your miracle...this time you won't see men as trees, walking. You'll understand exactly what God has been trying to tell you for the longest time. Today, you'll feel His presence and you'll understand more of your purpose here on earth. You'll feel it as you read this blog...you'll just know. Nothing is impossible with God, but it's up to us to receive our miracles. We also have a role to play to see things the way God sees them.

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The ultimate LET-DOWN:

2009-08-13T09:25:00.004-04:00

Fiction

Admittedly, you are one of those people who are very trusting of people in dignified positions. You have a lot of respect for authority. You are not notorious for being off and disjointed at sanctified meetings, or even for being aloof. You respect order. You adore hierarchy, and you believe that the world would be in utter chaos without lineages, patriarchy, matriarchy, monarchy, primogeniture, and kingdoms-- whichever one a society deemed good enough to use. In your head, everyone has their place, and rightly so. There cannot be two masters or two contrasting authorities. You are a sucker for order and leadership, and you believe that you are the better for it! Your mind is stable and in place. You are not lost in a world where others are lost in their own instability.

This being said, the things that have been going on in today's world must come to you in sadness. The increasing lack of trust of authorities. The mis-use of power. The injustice of kings and the selfish magnetization of wealth. You are a Christian, but that does not help matters because the toxicity has crept into the confines of the church as well. There is the abhorring smell of apostles and those who are supposed to save the people, and you cannot stand it anymore. You read the word and you know deep inside you that something is drastically wrong somewhere. The body of Christ is ematiating and self-destructing in the muscles of the head, and of course the virus is leaking downwards to the other areas of the body like the flesh-eating Streptococcus pyogenes.

Do you step out? Or do you stay? Do you let go, or do you remember who God is to you?

A long time ago, God made one of the disciples, John, see this kind of chaos in a vision. John wrote his vision in the Book of Revelation (Chapter 2). He revealed that there are certain people who will be eaten up inside by so-called apostles of God. "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My Name's sake, and have not become weary (tired). Nevertheless, I have this against you-- that you have left your first love."

Today, I write to those who have continually offered respect to their leaders, especially in a Godly environment. I write to you who have been hurt in one way or another--by those leaders who promised to show you the right way, and yet they spat on your faces and led you down the path of hell. I write to you who have cried endlessly for the raping of minds and the deceit of words. I want you to know that God sees.

What God wants from you is your intimacy with Him. And if you are that intimate with Him, you will understand that you should never lose respect for authority. That you should keep laboring just the way you did when you first fell in love with God. Your leaders, as much as they preach perfection, may not practice what they preach. But what do you do when they don't? You hold them. Instead of judging them, or leaving them, you uphold them and lift their hands. In some cases, you need to begin to become that leader you're aching for. You were not called into God's love to be hidden in darkness. Rather, you were called to shine and be a beacon for all to see. So instead of running away from God, why don't you run towards Him and ask Him to save you (and them?). Many of these leaders could be in the wrong, but God is asking you to be right with Him. Are you right with God? Do you even remember your first love? Do you remember the day you fell in love with your Maker? Do you remember how passionate you used to be when you woke up each morning? Do you remember?

It will all boil down to "your FIRST love." It will all go back to the One who has all the power. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The One who created you, and the One who loves you. No one else matters. God wants you. The leaders will get their own consequences, but God wants you.

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The Day the Swing Called My Name:

2009-07-31T08:32:00.003-04:00

Fiction

Let it be known that kids also play dirty political games! Ayana was only five years old like I was at the time, yet she was taller than most. But if you glued your ears to the walls of our house in the middle of a hot afternoon, you'd hear her laughter all the way from the playground, laughing at whoever was a whimsical weakling and could not climb the swing.

Once I heard it, I would close my ears so tight with my palms, and tears would begin to fall. My parents thought I had a disorder, maybe "Attention Deficit Disorder," but they did not do anything about it. Once I caught them discussing it with the good neighbor, then I saw them laughing together. I do not think they understood the real reason why I cried every afternoon. Maybe because other symptoms also persisted: I would refuse also to go out to the swing area to join the rest of my siblings, I wanted to be with mummy and daddy all the time...morning, noon, and night. They thought I was old enough by now. But I sure wasn't as brave as little red riding hood. Oh, there was something else. When mama took my hands at 7 O' Clock, and we went for a stroll in the park, I would notice that all the kids had left with their own mamas and I would release my mother's grasp and run to the swing. But I always made sure to stand far away from it, many inches in front. So that when Ayana came the next day she would not even smell my footsteps. I would not climb. I would not swing. I was not as strong as the rest. Too afraid that I would be too weak to hold it and would fall.

But this crazy day came, and it was not as hot as the rest of the days the week before. I felt different today because it was my sixth birthday. At lunch, I told my older siblings defiantly (with head held up high) that I would be going to the playground with them. My parents looked at each other, but pretended they did not hear what I said. I was too excited and finished my meal before everyone. On this day, Ayana and the rest of the kids were there. She was watching me with those big white eyes as I took those steps to stand in front of the swing, poised to laugh, ready to pick on me. Slooossssh. Slooooosh. Sleeeeasssh. The leaves were crumbling under my feet as I stepped forward. The girl on the swing got up and gestured that I could get on. The swing called my name and I smiled. I took a hold of it and sat down. The wind worked with me and lifted me up...higher and higher...until I started to laugh...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Who told you that you couldn't do it? Everything you think you cannot do is all inside a figment of your imagination. Who told you that you're different from the fire-releasing ministers, or the too-good-to-be-true people of the world? Who told you that you cannot make heaven? Who told you that you can't be forgiven?

The swing is right there, waiting to work with the winds on your behalf. Just silently waiting to take you higher and higher. Throw the notion that you cannot do "it," whatever your "it" is, away into the dust-bin. Because you can! Yes, you can run with your visions, goals, aspirations, and desires. You can even be the person who Jesus spoke about in the book of Matthew, when He said, "Be the light of the world and the salt of the earth."

The problem is that you're looking at someone else. Someone you think is stronger than you are. Someone you think is more of a leader than you are. Someone who will laugh at you when you tell them who you want to become. But you need to look at yourself and see the treasure inside of you. You can become a president, an ambassador, a King, a Queen, a CEO, an entrepreneur, or any other thing of empowerment...if you only look inside you. You can also come to know God more if you tell yourself that you can do it.

The swings are waiting...the winds are not blowing yet, until you hop on for the long haul.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5: 13-14

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Hey, Mr. Stony:

2009-07-28T07:48:00.002-04:00

Hey, Mr. Stony
Where are my seeds?
The little brown dusty seeds I gave you
The ones that look like white dots in the middle of a sliced water melon
Did you put them in your soil,
Or did you throw them away?
What happened to them, Mr. Stony?

I remember yesterday so clearly
No, my vision fails not...it really happened
It was only just yesterday, why would I forget?
My memory goes back for as long as I can remember
You were looking at me with your ever daunting eyes
I could sense the anticipation in your soul
A longing and an insatiable hunger in your spirit
A delectable humility to soak in every moment
A rare kodak moment of expectation bursting with exhilaration

Before I opened my hands,
Yours were already open
Before I spoke the Word
Your ears had already listened
Before I said "lift up your hands"
They were already all up in the air
And so it was that I buried my seeds in-between your palms
Inside the seat of your ability

Immediately you sprung from your seat
Like a mountainous volcanic eruption
Or fireworks that refuse to be restrained
You said you must go and plant those seeds
And maybe someday they would become trees
I smiled in knowing recognition of your willingness
I smiled, knowing you truly meant every word

Today has come and I thought I should visit
So where are the seeds, Mr. Stony?
The little brown dusty seeds I gave you
The ones that look like white dots in the middle of a sliced water melon
Did you put them in your soil,
Or did you throw them away?
What happened to them, Mr. Stony?

I wrote this because yesterday I read Mark Chapter 4 again...the parable of the man who went out to sow seeds in different grounds, and was reminded again of how sometimes we are like stony grounds receiving much seed with so much gladness but not having much soil to hold the seeds well, of how the seeds spring up immediately but have no depth and do not last long...of how we're so quick to say how these writings make sense to us, or how we're going to do something about them. How enough is enough and how there is work to do. Is the joy of reading these words only for a moment, or is it for the long haul? Is it just for the hour, or is it for a life-time?

The issue is...what do we do with the seeds when we wake up the next morning? Do we forget all about them?

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This Thing Called Tradition:

2009-07-20T06:43:00.006-04:00

16-year old Jerome sat still on the white leather ottoman, holding tightly to the precious thing in his left hand. The thing looked like messy cloudy waves sitting on top a sea of life-less muddy water. It was in a little cream-colored cup which had letters strewn around it in a circular pattern, alluring to the eyes and pleasing to the mouth. It was like gold to him, this triple layered chocolate-flavored vanilla swirl Jell-O pudding. Nothing could dare to replace it all these years, not since he was two and still breast-feeding. Anyone that tried to change him eventually gave up on him. It was his permanent way of life, his very own inundated tradition. He held on tightly like his life depended on it, not caring whether he was currently fifty pounds over what his Body Mass Index indicated was healthy for his age. It did not matter to him- what people said, or whether there was a healthier substitute. He loved the life he was living; he felt as good as Shrek feels when he's hidden in a solitary place where no one can tell his true ugliness.

He squeezed the cup and a little Jell-O dropped on his jeans. He looked downwards, and when he saw the stains the waterworks began. The tears fell freely, although they say a grown-up boy should never cry. He wanted to break it...he wanted to tear this silly tradition into two. But he just couldn't fathom a single good plan...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Is your life based on a failing tradition? Have you been telling yourself to stop something, or even to start something new...but you keep falling short?

Hey, God always has His arms open with unlimited chances! You can easily stop your ancient tradition. You can stop your "Religiosity" and move on to "Intimacy" with God. You can tell yourself that you don't just want to hear or read the scriptures, but you want to actually "do" what it says. You know something? No one will ever see the things that you read...not even a neuro-surgeon as powerful as Ben Carson can understand the depth of your knowledge about God. Only you can.

You're the only one that can break your unnecessary traditions: listening on Sunday without really understanding the words, doing good without knowing why, giving alms without loving the poor, settling fights without having the peace of God within you, waking up in the morning without knowing who owns your breath, preaching the word without being the messenger, singing along to worship lyrics without really worshipping, stretching your arms to heaven without understanding where God sits, doing what you usually do at the middle of the night without knowing that He sees you, being prideful rather than running into His arms again.

We're in a ludicrous season when each man should know his own calling and his own plight. We're no longer in the era of 'group-hugs' and 'family affairs.' Rather, each person should be ready to break his or her traditions into something deeper. There's no use leaving this world with a steady-set of rules that cause you to live your life with no revelation. My message today is "Yes, you can change. Yes, you can change any old tradition and have a more meaningful life instead."

It's a new day...a new dawn. A time to put the old traditions in the thrash and break forth into a deeper understanding of who God really is..."To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the Lord. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or goats. Bring no more futile sacrifices...wash yourselves, make yourselves clean..." (Isaiah 1: 11-20). To me, the 'multitude of sacrifices' written here is representative of die-hard traditions which people find really hard to give up.

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The Sign-Watcher:

2009-07-13T06:54:00.003-04:00

It is midnight and you are ready to go. People call you a sort of "watch-man," but your job is really not to stay at the top of a watch-tower waiting for boats to pass by or arrive at your seaport. You, on the other hand, are a different kind of watch-man! Your self-assigned task is to watch for signs & wonders without anything such as a blink. Every single night as the clock hits 12:00, you pick up your indispensable tools: an old opaque magnifying glass, a crinkly torch-light, an ancient telescope, and a worn-out fall jacket. It's an obsessive compulsive routine that you've gotten used to at this point in your life. You can't change it. It is who you are, and it is what they know you as.

And so you walk out on your porch and put on your crinkly torch-light. You proceed to position your ancient telescope in such a way that you can see the brightest star, and finally you begin to watch for the move of God's mighty hands. Two weeks ago you spent your time studying the clouds; last week it was the darkness around the clouds. Tonight, you will spend your time waiting to catch the sunrise. You must not sleep if you want to see exactly when the sun rises. No man has ever caught the awakening of the sun, but what is impossible with others is possible with you. You know it. You can just feel it in your veins. You're an unstoppable watchman!

You are a sign-watcher. And that's just who you are.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My mission this morning is to tell you that it's not all about the signs. Sign-watchers are those ones who actually miss the signs. I was talking to a friend last night and she said that many times we're waiting for the mighty and great works of God to prove that He exists, meanwhile He has already moved in the smaller things around us, but we didn't catch His movement. Sign-watchers usually, most times than not, miss it.

There were three young Hebrew boys who didn't miss it: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. These three were at the risk of being thrown into a very hot burning fiery furnace, just because they chose not to bow to the King's non-living statue. But it is what they said that shows that they understood that it wasn't about the signs: "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O King. BUT IF NOT, let it be known to you that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

But if not...

What in the world? What kind of boldness was that? So what if God did not come in a whirlwind to rescue them? Honestly speaking, they didn't really care. They had already been previously convinced that God was real, so they didn't even need Him to show up at that point.

What if God doesn't rescue you today? What if when you speak to Him you get silence for words? What if your prayers haven't been answered yet? What if instead of perfection it seems like everything is spiraling downwards? The answer is that He may not give you a sign, but He sure does know what's going on. And He said that He will do it...so He will. Stop depending on signs, just be someone who can bask in His presence...no matter what you're going through.

When Sleep Becomes Invigorating...

2009-07-11T06:20:00.004-04:00

I heard something inside me that caused my blood to boil and my spirit to get excited.

Sleep could be sweet. Sleep could become invigorating, just like little drops of water eventually become a stream, and a stream eventually becomes a mighty river. Slowly, but surely. Maybe unexpectedly. When I sleep I tend to stretch my muscles, pulling the fibers into sheer relaxation. I am not a static sleeper...sometimes in the middle of the night, I twist and turn sideways, and then I turn back to my original position. Sometimes I hug my fancy pillows, but at other times I throw them far away from me...maybe even on the carpet...or maybe on my bedside table, kicking everything therein away.

Sleep could become really invigorating, maybe even intoxicating. Like a drunkard who knows what alcohol does to him, but still will take a wrack the next time he sees a bottle. Sleep is very tempting. Not just physical sleep, spiritual sleep. It starts with a doze. A little doze won't hurt, a little snooze won't kill. Then surely, the lures of deep sleep take over...making you unconscious of the happenings of your surroundings. But when sleep becomes invigorating, you can always wake up. You can shout and say, "heyyyyyyyyyy...it sure ain't my time to sleep yet!"

This was probably Fela Durotoye's thoughts when he quoted Isaiah 60 and verse 1, "Arise, and shine, for your light has come." Whose light? Your light? Yes, yours. There's something burning inside you and it has been caught by invigorating sleep for a long time now. There's something just waiting for the cock to crow so that you can open your eyes and see the first drops of sunlight...or maybe the fresh early morning dew on the soft green grass outside.

I don't know what that thing is, but the Holy Spirit has told you, and the vision has borne a witness inside your heart. You totally concur because you've been waiting to shine all these years. It is your time to shine, it really is. I'm not saying this because it is the gospel. I am saying it because if you take one look around you, there's darkness all around. When God saw darkness, He stopped for a second and said, "Let there be light!" And there was light. If you stop for a second and realize that darkness oozes out of the corner of every street, you will say to yourself, "Arise & shine...for my light has come."
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Selah.

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Heal the World:

2009-06-26T11:09:00.003-04:00

So many things I want to say. So many feelings in me. So many thoughts, of healing the world. So many people are dying, and not just physical deaths. So many people are suffering, from lack of knowledge. So many people perish...so many.

But each day is a chance...to heal the world. Each morning we wake up is a brutal chance to live...to have life abundantly. Michael Jackson rocked my world, and a part of him also healed the world. In his own way, he did. Now, he's gone...like a candle in the wind. No one can control his or her life, life and death is in the hands of the Master Potter...the One who fashioned the world with His own mighty hands.

But each day we're alive, is a chance to heal the world.

Watch: Heal the world...

For the People You were Born to Meet:

2009-06-23T08:52:00.005-04:00

Each day she wakes up to what the day has to offer. Each morning comes with its share of laughter and pouch of pain. Yet, she wakes up, throws aside her curtains and opens up her blinds. He is the one running free with the wind, going to wherever it carries him on the face of the globe. He does not believe in anything; not because he doesn't want to, but because he sees no reason to. His heart is empty because he cannot satisfy this void. Their smiles are devoid of any happiness, some as a result of the Angelman syndrome-- a sad disease which unfortunately places a permanent smile on their faces. But how would you even know?
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You wouldn't know a thing or two about them. You can't tell their empty smiles from their genuine ones, because you only see them in passing. On your way to work, shuffling through the crowds...tick, tack, toe...1, 2, & 3. On your way to the subway, pushing past the hustle and bustle, rubbing against slimy sweaty arms...or worse still, coming face to face with only a few centimeters of distance, daring you to move away first. Running away from the black puff of their smoke, second-hand cancer is death. Moving some inches away from the mad man on the train, his boom box too loud and wrecking your flow and focus.
.

You see them, but you don't really see them.

In my current line of work I run around all the time, just constantly on the move. Therefore, I have been opportuned to meet a lot of people before I get to my final destination. I once told you about the Man from the Middle East. That was an interesting experience.
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A month ago I met another old man who sat beside me on the bus. I'm used to it, people just want to talk sometimes. So I obliged. His younger brother had died a few years back, and he said it should have been him in his place. He was already a grown teenager when his brother had begun kindergarten. I told him no, there were some things he needed to fulfill in this world before he finally left. Although he had white hair, it was not too late.

I met an atheist two days ago. He wanted to talk and the first thing he said was, "do you read a lot of books?" I wanted to say no because I read a specific type of genre nowadays, but I said yes. He brought about 10 books out of his bag and recommended them to me. I told him to read Frank Peretti and Francine Rivers. We entered the bus, and he asked if he could sit beside me. I agreed. I asked him why he was an atheist, he said, "Life is enough of a miracle. I don't need God." He told me Religion was a way for people to fill the void in their hearts. I told him that I wasn't into religion but a "relationship", and that when I am alone in my room...just me and God...I feel His presence. And when I look at the heavens, the clouds, the seas, the trees...I know surely He exists. I told him of a miracle that happened to me in 2007, which no man could have done for me. He said, "I don't even want to know where $13, 000 came from." I laughed.
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On my way home, I wondered about how many people I was born to meet. About how many people I will be a sign and a wonder to. How many? Lord, how many? I can't meet the whole world, but I was destined to meet someone.

"For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Romans 8: 20-21.
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You were born to meet someone and change their life.

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ps: I apologize for not updating sooner. Can't explain the extent of being involved in multiple projects. Looking forward to writing more regularly. How are all of you doing? Never forget that you were born to be a sign and wonder.

This Thing Called Your Level of Thinking:

2009-06-11T08:03:00.009-04:00

It can't be denied, it's a part of you, and you're a part of it. The way you think. It is who you are, and you are it. You become it. This faction of your mind, this state of your being. Albeit, the most important part of your anatomy. The most incredible part of your psyche. The part of you that causes a demarcation between your spirit and your flesh.

It's a part of you, and you're a part of it. It could either be a light to you, or a well of darkness. It could be the very thing that causes you to die, or to live. It could either give you a commanding sense of direction or a complying element of misdirection. It is your powerhouse. Your watch-tower. Your beacon.

It's a part of you, and you're a part of it. It is the eye that sees through the depths of your soul. It is the ear that hears through walls made of metal. It is the hand that shatters the glass houses of other people, and the heart that feels compassionate, or maybe even dispassionate. It is the battery of your body...your energizer bunny. The only part of your anatomy that determines whether you're alive or dead. It is who you are, and you are it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

* "Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep," (Psalm 64:6);

* "Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established," (Proverbs 16:3);

* "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," (2 Corinthians 10:4-6);

* "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart," (Hebrews 4:12).

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Your thoughts are powerful.

There is an uncanny command of your thoughts, lurking behind every choice you make. Your thoughts are the driving force of your life. If you think little of yourself, you will be little. Yet, if you dare to think highly of yourself (high self-esteem), you will no doubt rise above your peers and be in the right position where you were meant to be, a position meant for only kings and queens. No son or daughter of royalty is brought up to think low. No child of the King has a despicable and handicapped mind. There is always a clear demarcation between being royal and being servile. The difference is very clear.

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Photo Copyright: Stephen Mitchell
Writing Copyright: Jaycee, 2009

This Thing that's Killing You Softly...

2009-06-04T04:28:00.004-04:00

Is it this thing? This insignificant and non-melodious rhythm plucking at your heart's strings? This outrageous dwarf that boasts as though it were a giant? Is it this powerless figment of your wildest imagination that seems to be as real as the sun light that pours down your skin? Is it this heart that beats so fast as though you will die in the next second?

What is it that troubles you so? Is it the late-night news or the shows that bring forth unneccesary laughter? Or is it your "un-shy" tears whenever you are in public? Is it the sadness of the season where plane crashes and wars are familiar tales? Or is it the inability to be who you really want to be, or the dream that dies in you immediately it surfaces?

What is it that kills your spirit? Is it the words of the devil and his agents that God is not real? Or is it the fear you have when you wake up in the morning only to find that you do not even own your own breath? Is it the mountains and the lakes which you did not create with your bare hands? Or the little artistic work you painted last night? Is it your architectural design in school or your project management at work? Or is it the patient that you could not cure who passed away last night? Surely, God can see much more further than your eyes can see...

What is it that freaks you out? Is it the books you've read about Demons and Angels? Or the fact that maybe they aren't real? Is it really that you have tried to change but it is absolutely impossible? Is it the fact that some people you look at "seem" to be holier than you, and you are not in their category? I laugh loudly at that...you must know that surely they are imperfect...if you look past the glory you will find the stains so red. But will it scare you when you realize that Jesus took all their stains away to make them white and He can do the same for you?

What is it that is killing you softly? It must not be the things of this world! It must not be those things that you desire so much, that if you don't get them NOW your world will end. It must not be those things! Why? Because there's something else much more important than the frailty of your heart.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field..." Jesus (Matthew 13:44) Whatever you need to do to find this kingdom, do it now. You're wasting time. You can't buy time.

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"Secret Sinner:"

2009-05-26T10:49:00.006-04:00

Who can understand his own errors?

It had always been a premeditated action. Sworn into deceit and connived into fraudulence, she became a captive to her own erroneous actions. It was not that she did not know that the things she did were wrong, she just always found herself doing the same thing over and over again. Only she knew about them! Yes, she knew the secret things she did at night when she was all alone. She knew the whereabouts of the missing files at work, and of course she knew the reason why her girlfriend's man left the babe in shambles. She also knew the source of her boss' smiles, and about the gifts he gave her.

Tonight, she would go out again for a 'girls-night-out' and they would sit around the chocolate-colored coffee table to discuss shocking tales about conniving bastards at their various social networks. Yet again, she would laugh in disgust and contribute her own opinions, denying any part of such nonsense. But the next day she would become someone else again and manipulate people to fulfill her own wretched desires...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In Psalm 19:12-14, David wrote a song about self-deceit. He said, "who can understand his own errors? Cleanse me from secret faults and presumptuous sins. Let those sins not have dominion over me so that I can be blameless."

Many times, people know the "right" and "wrong", but nevertheless they still do the exact opposite. Thus far, you've been going around in circles fighting your so-called inner demons. But seriously, are you really fighting them? Or are you lying to yourself?

Fighting something is going all the way until you win. Imagine those heavy-weight champions on the boxing ring, you never see them quit just because blood oozes out of their noses. No, they get back up again and keep boxing. It probably took them years of training to endure the blood and the pain. Meanwhile, when no one is looking at you, you go back to your "secret sins." You go back to those things because you feel that no one is watching, and well, you can always ask for forgiveness anyway.

Yes, God always has his hands open to us, and you are very right. But remember the parable of the rich fool who thought he had his life all stretched out before him like a sheet of gold, and yet that very night his life was required of him and he left this world without any of his riches? I pray that you will live a long and prosperous life-- but you have to know that your life is not in your hands. You have to stop doing whatever it is that makes you watch the shadows to see if anyone is looking at you. Oh God is looking, He's always looking! He sees through the depths of your heart and knows all that you think and do in secret. If you know that you have some "secret faults," make them open to God and let Him in so that He will help you stop them. There is no battle that cannot be won. There are no impossibilities with God. Trust him to live a consistently good life...

Πάντα ῥεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν μένει-- everything flows, nothing stands still (the only constant is change) ~ Plato (Greek)

Whenever you choose to change for the better, your life automatically gains more value. Don't be stagnant in your secret sins, take a hold of Jesus' garment and let Him make you whole again ~ My take.

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A Modern Tale of being Left Behind: The Emphasis

2009-05-16T02:51:00.004-04:00

I love art. I've always loved art. I don't know when my love for art began. As I glanced through several featured works on one of my favorite sites, I saw this one. Eyes piercing and sharp, but a little sorrowful. Colorful but dark at the same time. Plain, but intriguing. More than a little bit of sadness.

And then I thought of the last post I wrote. In these times, passion has begun to fade. Those things that once made people jump with glee and run the good race have diminished. So I post this picture here for emphasis, don't be left behind. It is not a one-day 'lightning' experience. It starts with your thoughts, it starts with your emotions...it comes in a subtle way.

PS: feel free to read and comment on the last post, if you haven't already :)

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