What happens when…
What happens when you realize the disparity you desire to correct, change, you have help to create. Not only have you helped to create it, you are currently perpetuating it with intentionality through your decisionmaking and actions. You have been on automatic pilot, so you contributed to what has been taught and never questioned because it was part of your world. It has as been a part of your life; you just engaged as an active participant; it is as natural as breathing for you. It appears to be interwoven in all aspects of your life. See, it is the way you overlook the discrepancies, differences and challenges of those skin to you, kin to you, and/or friend to you. It is as much a part of your truth, your reality, your controlled culture group,and it is not a problem. This seamless existence does not push you to step outside your frame of reference to see, maybe something is not right. Until we are ready to submit that we too contribute to the disparity we wish to change, we will never find a solution that works for us. As with most things in life, it begins and ends with us, when it comes to change because unless we change the lens we look through, nothing will seems to change; even when it has. Although it is for us, it is not about us. See we all have a story to tell, and until we know it, accept our own truth as the reason we are, as we are, not to be used as an excuse but for clarification. We cannot understand why you and I stand, and do what we do.
What happens when we release our hang ups, walk outside of our comfortable boundaries to see? We begin the first the steps to grow, improve, change. We find what we knew was only part of story, and the rest shall challenge as it realign all we know. But if we seek God, then the changes is difficult but the transition is easier and we will find helping hands, smiling faces, and appropriate advisement in on the journey.. We choose.... Matt. 20:14 - is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous? (NASB).
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Walking the path...
Walking the path is different than knowing the path. When know the path, you can choose whether you walk or not. However, when you are walking it, it is as if you are on automatic pilot, and you move. You are not envying another's gift, possession, or placement because you know, you are where you are suppose to be, doing what you need to do. Walking the path will put you in places where you would not have chosen, but in your heart you know such a time as this you are supposed to be, and do as the help needed at present to assist you along the way.
When you are walking the path, your enemies have no avail in or on your life success. Each trap laid for you, results in a discovery of their duplicity, if you do not put your hands on it to repair it. Repairing is done in an unorthodox method or illogical order but the outcome shows God's hand is in it for your good. Walking the path puts you in a revelation moment where you see, believe when others around you doubt the way you go. Yet, you know this is the way while trepidation and fear accompanies you, and peace resides within you. Walking the path is nothing like knowing the path to go. In knowing people can confuse you, talk you out of it, or make you think what you know is normal experience to what you are going through; you know it is not. While walking the path, no one is privy to the voice of God directing you, although they play their role to get you where you need to be. See, walking the path is not a regular thing of choosing that you and I are familiar with. It is like watching a baby learning to walk. No one tells them it is time to try, they just do. They fall, they hurt themselves, they are uncomfortable using what has not been used this way before, but yet they do not falter in their pursuit until it is mastered... Walking path is different than knowing it. When you walk it, you do the ordinary and the not ordinary things in ways no one would have thought about, and it fits...
Matt 14:29 - And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus...
When you are walking the path, your enemies have no avail in or on your life success. Each trap laid for you, results in a discovery of their duplicity, if you do not put your hands on it to repair it. Repairing is done in an unorthodox method or illogical order but the outcome shows God's hand is in it for your good. Walking the path puts you in a revelation moment where you see, believe when others around you doubt the way you go. Yet, you know this is the way while trepidation and fear accompanies you, and peace resides within you. Walking the path is nothing like knowing the path to go. In knowing people can confuse you, talk you out of it, or make you think what you know is normal experience to what you are going through; you know it is not. While walking the path, no one is privy to the voice of God directing you, although they play their role to get you where you need to be. See, walking the path is not a regular thing of choosing that you and I are familiar with. It is like watching a baby learning to walk. No one tells them it is time to try, they just do. They fall, they hurt themselves, they are uncomfortable using what has not been used this way before, but yet they do not falter in their pursuit until it is mastered... Walking path is different than knowing it. When you walk it, you do the ordinary and the not ordinary things in ways no one would have thought about, and it fits...
Matt 14:29 - And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus...
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Great Awakening....
"The ancients who wished to manifest their clear character to the world would first bring order to their states. Those who wished to bring order to their states would first regulate their families. Those who wished to regulate their families would first regulate their personal lives. Those who wished to cultivate their personal lives would first rectify their minds. Those who wished to rectify their minds would first make their wills sincere. Those who wished to make their wills sincere would first extend their knowledge. The extension of knowledge consists in the investigation of things. When things are investigated, knowledge is extended; when knowledge is extended, the will becomes sincere; when the will is sincere, the mind is rectified; when the mind is rectified, the personal life is cultivated; when the personal life is cultivated, the family will be regulated; when the family is regulated, the state will be in order; when the state is in order there will be peace throughout the world. From the son of heaven down to the common people, all must regard cultivation of the personal life as the root or foundation. There is never a case when the root is in disorder and yet the branches are in order."
Confucius , "The Great Learning" in Wing-Tsit Chan, A Sourcebook in Chinese Philosophy (Princeton, 1963) p.86-87.]
What does this say to use Americans, Christians? We cannot expect to get something out, what we did not put in it. We cannot expect to gain the knowledge, if we have not investigated with a sincere motivate that is unselfish. We should not go out trying to fix others, when we have not taken the time to remove the beam, plank of madness in our own eyes. No one is expecting perfection, but we do expect you who guide to be further down the path of enlightenment, than the one being guided. We shall see change in others, the world around us, when the change begins in us first. When we learn, and grasp the true meaning of loving thy neighbor as yourself, and loving God, we find love covers and touches. When we ‘get it’, it takes us all playing our part, and watching others to see where we can help another, not hurt them, then we become the village that let each unique light shines within us. No more darkness that robs us of our own self-worth, because we understand too clearly how forgiveness frees all. Because it not just about who was right, who was wrong, but also acknowledge everything has a time a place, and although the right to do is yours, it may not always be right for you to do at this time. Just as we conclude expanding our horizon, perspective is more than just increasing, improving, growth, but also letting go, releasing, putting away childish things are need to mature because the duality of both in the same space makes things dysfunctional, and self-destructive and implosion are imminent. Therefore, we are reminded, we learn by doing, not rhetorical observation, we must practice, what we preach, teach, and explain. Jesus saved us through grace because he came down, out of his comfortable to become vulnerable among men to demonstrate for us the true meaning of servant-leadership.
John 15:1-8 (HCSB) - "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit because you can do nothing without Me. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.
Confucius , "The Great Learning" in Wing-Tsit Chan, A Sourcebook in Chinese Philosophy (Princeton, 1963) p.86-87.]
What does this say to use Americans, Christians? We cannot expect to get something out, what we did not put in it. We cannot expect to gain the knowledge, if we have not investigated with a sincere motivate that is unselfish. We should not go out trying to fix others, when we have not taken the time to remove the beam, plank of madness in our own eyes. No one is expecting perfection, but we do expect you who guide to be further down the path of enlightenment, than the one being guided. We shall see change in others, the world around us, when the change begins in us first. When we learn, and grasp the true meaning of loving thy neighbor as yourself, and loving God, we find love covers and touches. When we ‘get it’, it takes us all playing our part, and watching others to see where we can help another, not hurt them, then we become the village that let each unique light shines within us. No more darkness that robs us of our own self-worth, because we understand too clearly how forgiveness frees all. Because it not just about who was right, who was wrong, but also acknowledge everything has a time a place, and although the right to do is yours, it may not always be right for you to do at this time. Just as we conclude expanding our horizon, perspective is more than just increasing, improving, growth, but also letting go, releasing, putting away childish things are need to mature because the duality of both in the same space makes things dysfunctional, and self-destructive and implosion are imminent. Therefore, we are reminded, we learn by doing, not rhetorical observation, we must practice, what we preach, teach, and explain. Jesus saved us through grace because he came down, out of his comfortable to become vulnerable among men to demonstrate for us the true meaning of servant-leadership.
John 15:1-8 (HCSB) - "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit because you can do nothing without Me. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
God is shifting things for you
God is shifting things in your life. The connection with one person will change your life forever.2 Chron 20:20... And I do not know when, or who that person is. But I realized in the turning of the page, as I read Called Out of Darkness by Anne Rice, the conclusion she found to be profound and true. I do not have to understand it, or figure out if this or that was random, as we are quick to say, because God knows everything but we have freewill. He created all things, and our free will is where we fail because we do not want to do the following- surrender, trust, and love. None of which shall be easy, but it is the path we must travel to find the peace that alludes us. To find the life crave by us, and we must realize, and not rationalize away, God doesn't need us to argue His case in any court, we just need to admit, submit- not my will but Thy will be done. Come before God with a complete trust and faith that empowers you to stand, and become more relevant as a servant-leader in an expanded perspective. You finally get it; no more grappling the absolute because in God it is the absolute. And as time returns, truth is revealed and even though difficulties shall surely come the light shines in the darkness, and my soul leaps because Jesus sacrifice is finally comprehended by me. Words fail me now because how do you describe a moment where the sublime, the complex, the holy, the divine, and the hallowedness greets our imperfectness, and instead of leaving, love sweeps over to settle your frighten soul. You know why the sacrifice mattered and the true essence of it; it had to be for you to see. You are finally called out of the darkness by light that did more than to illuminate a physical way, but also your spiritual way. Nothing shall be the same now, every fiber of your being screams to you, it is done! You understand now more fully why John 8:32 matters and Romans 8:28 needs to be grasped in order for you to progressively grow... God is shifting things so you can be all you shall be, so stand still and 'know'! You choose...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
We trust because He knows
We trust because He knows. We do not have to wreck our brains, to find all the answers to questions that cannot be answered satisfactorily because if you do not see, you do not see. You have to desire above all else, in order to see truth because sometime the answer is trust and obedience is all you get. If you have a faith, a spiritual belief, at some point you must realize in this world of metaphorical landscapes and assessment latent forecast fools us; our intellectual capacity is limited. Yet, God's is not. However, to embrace this way, this disposition one must go to the core of self, and do the uncomfortable, the not feel good thing...surrender through an act of faith.
Failure to have this awareness, comprehension leads to tumultuous relationships, no matter the circumstance or arena, in all our interactions. Why? The reason we fight, the arguments we are active participants in are all a reflection of internal issues, we have fail to address, we do not want to deal with, and now it has manifest in a form we do not recognize. Don't believe me, then ask yourself why are you struggling with the issue of not being worthy, good enough, born on the wrong side of the track, being in the wrong relationships, or to show what you have gain, trying to prove yourself, meet another expectations, etc. I could go on but the fact of the matter is this, when you are at peace with who you are, the good, the bad, the selfish or the scary, no one can use it against you, ever. You have nothing to hide because you know- I am who I am, and not what I ain't. It not an easy way but the path of not least resistance ultimately grants access to 'peace in the midst of life chaos'. And you choose to live out loud authentically. For you have conducted your own SWAT analysis, and realize everything present is needed for your personal growth and gain. Yet, you cannot overcome or have it healed, if you are not willing to reveal it.
Failure to have this awareness, comprehension leads to tumultuous relationships, no matter the circumstance or arena, in all our interactions. Why? The reason we fight, the arguments we are active participants in are all a reflection of internal issues, we have fail to address, we do not want to deal with, and now it has manifest in a form we do not recognize. Don't believe me, then ask yourself why are you struggling with the issue of not being worthy, good enough, born on the wrong side of the track, being in the wrong relationships, or to show what you have gain, trying to prove yourself, meet another expectations, etc. I could go on but the fact of the matter is this, when you are at peace with who you are, the good, the bad, the selfish or the scary, no one can use it against you, ever. You have nothing to hide because you know- I am who I am, and not what I ain't. It not an easy way but the path of not least resistance ultimately grants access to 'peace in the midst of life chaos'. And you choose to live out loud authentically. For you have conducted your own SWAT analysis, and realize everything present is needed for your personal growth and gain. Yet, you cannot overcome or have it healed, if you are not willing to reveal it.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sweet fragrance or repelling stench
We all desire to be seen as someone with the ability to do something. The 'go to person' for a particular thing. To sit head and shoulders above the rest in some area, or some particular topic arena is a craving for most of us. It is nothing wrong with this because it causes us to feel good about ourselves, and work hard to cultivate the talent. Helps us to shine, to smile more, and to become generous in our giving. However, if you find you desire more to be seen as the great expert, in whatever it is you do, over being gracious and sharing with others, you missed the purpose. Our gifts, talents, unique skill set, and wisdom is always meant to be shared with others, not held on to as a proverbial carrot to get others to run after us to get it. Until we understand this truth, being able to stand head and shoulder above others will not matter because people are not looking or do not care because instead of having a sweet fragrance that draw, it release a stench that repels.
Getting noticed for something you do well, does not meant it is about, even thought it is for you. It will be never be about me, even if it looks like it will or is. In order to stay the sweet fragrance rather than the stench, you must reconfigure the lens you see your life, and life through. Evolution of you begins when you become less afraid of your truth in front all all people, and not marinating on the negatives in your life, but to live honest out in the open. See, the historical individuals who were positive examples became great not because of their unique skill set and wisdom, but their graciousness - it is not about me attitude... They were a sweet fragrance that drew others to them, not a stench repelling them because they were not selfish. So, if you are wondering why this person who has less talent or equal talent is succeeding in areas you are not granted access. It is either you are still in the journey to become, so look and learn, or you are making it more about you than it is about others. See, this latter thing is a sneaking thing that manifest itself in various disguises, and is always self destructive.
The most prevalent insidious ones are the times where family members or like family friends are involved. We jump to their rescue because we say I do not want to see them fail, but they are not making any effort what so ever to not fall, matter fact they are doing the opposite. Yet, we continue to toil to keep them free, upright, afloat, and making sure they are getting the things they need. Yet, in the bible Jesus never heal, or perform a miracle where the person(s) did not have to participant in the change. Could He have done so without their participation, absolutely, but it was about the person, not Him. And because it was not about Him the sweet fragrance drew all to Him; God's logic, God's order, and our obedience. Learn it, it works every time. You got to have the faith you speak about, you must act, you mustlive it, then ask yourself sweet fragrance or repelling stench...
Getting noticed for something you do well, does not meant it is about, even thought it is for you. It will be never be about me, even if it looks like it will or is. In order to stay the sweet fragrance rather than the stench, you must reconfigure the lens you see your life, and life through. Evolution of you begins when you become less afraid of your truth in front all all people, and not marinating on the negatives in your life, but to live honest out in the open. See, the historical individuals who were positive examples became great not because of their unique skill set and wisdom, but their graciousness - it is not about me attitude... They were a sweet fragrance that drew others to them, not a stench repelling them because they were not selfish. So, if you are wondering why this person who has less talent or equal talent is succeeding in areas you are not granted access. It is either you are still in the journey to become, so look and learn, or you are making it more about you than it is about others. See, this latter thing is a sneaking thing that manifest itself in various disguises, and is always self destructive.
The most prevalent insidious ones are the times where family members or like family friends are involved. We jump to their rescue because we say I do not want to see them fail, but they are not making any effort what so ever to not fall, matter fact they are doing the opposite. Yet, we continue to toil to keep them free, upright, afloat, and making sure they are getting the things they need. Yet, in the bible Jesus never heal, or perform a miracle where the person(s) did not have to participant in the change. Could He have done so without their participation, absolutely, but it was about the person, not Him. And because it was not about Him the sweet fragrance drew all to Him; God's logic, God's order, and our obedience. Learn it, it works every time. You got to have the faith you speak about, you must act, you mustlive it, then ask yourself sweet fragrance or repelling stench...
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The Journey Called Faith
As I begin this journey of accepting, negotiating, and living this call upon my life. I am frighten, as I wonder how I can escape or minimize the pitfalls that reside in this walk of faith. Where the temptation of pleasing others sits in the shadow waiting for a window weakness to enter. Not being able to escape the fear of the many voices in my ear trying to influence directions, and pull me from my path. When the singular voice of God is what started me on the journey but that same voice is being drown out by the chaos surrounding me. It is overwhelming to me as I sit in the cool of the night, soaking in all that has transpired for me, and warm tears appear; I do not know what to do but stand. I close my eyes praying, am I strong enough in my faith, and gracious enough in my demeanor to not offend others who mean well but never stop to ask me any questions, only assume they know what is needed to be imparted. I am lost in the emotions as the many hands and spirits touched me, while some blessed me, others drained me...I continue to remember - We must learn to understand before trying to be understood. I wonder, what joke God was playing with me, and when is the game over; but that is a fantasy. Reality is here with me struggling to breathe in right because I know this too shall pass, the moment will be over, and I will rise like the phoenix, if I do not get lost in this momentary madness trying to engulf me.
In the deepest recesses of my soul, I know God just wants me to be authentic and truthful in my faith, no matter what, and even if no one follows with me. No one believes in the truth I see, and know in my heart. Yet, I cannot stop my mind from running in circles seeking balance because this is all so new to me. Then I decided, I should seek the lessons, and own the teachable moments; live, learn, not dwell because it is the journey that matters not the event...We all should...
See, we should not forget it is never just about us but for us to share what it is within us. To be the patience listener, who is in the moment, to be the apt students who learns and become the teacher, while seeing the unseen and the seen with our soul and eyes. Being flexible enough to embrace another's truth, without losing our deepest spiritual conviction, or uniformly impressing our perspective upon the unsuspecting soul. We only draw when we remember it is not about me. Although It is unnatural and unpopular, it allows the cream to rise to the top and peace to take resident in our lives. We choose...
In the deepest recesses of my soul, I know God just wants me to be authentic and truthful in my faith, no matter what, and even if no one follows with me. No one believes in the truth I see, and know in my heart. Yet, I cannot stop my mind from running in circles seeking balance because this is all so new to me. Then I decided, I should seek the lessons, and own the teachable moments; live, learn, not dwell because it is the journey that matters not the event...We all should...
See, we should not forget it is never just about us but for us to share what it is within us. To be the patience listener, who is in the moment, to be the apt students who learns and become the teacher, while seeing the unseen and the seen with our soul and eyes. Being flexible enough to embrace another's truth, without losing our deepest spiritual conviction, or uniformly impressing our perspective upon the unsuspecting soul. We only draw when we remember it is not about me. Although It is unnatural and unpopular, it allows the cream to rise to the top and peace to take resident in our lives. We choose...
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