long journey

Whats in arrears

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I read this  it made me chuckle, “a lady in front of me in the queue at the bank had a rolled up fiver (£5) in one ear and a tenner (£10) in the other. When she got to the booth they told her she’s £15 in arrears (behind in payment)”, I hope the play on words is seen by those like me who have English as their second language.

In the light of the word play I wonder what is in your arrears or ears, as it’s should say?    What is in my ear, such a stupid sounding questions but profound in its application, in other words what is getting the most, or who is getting the most listening time from you and I.     What are we investing our listening towards there is so many noises and sounds everywhere which we work though in every day, there is so much accessibility to sound today.   I think we live in an era when silence is fought against.    One thing out of many Sandra and I love in Africa is the deafening, still silence, so still that it ministers to you, yes you did hear right, deafening silence, to stand where there is no sound pollution to rob, distract and overwhelm.

Our world seems to be filled with people who have become adverse to silence  with music in lifts, songs in bathrooms, ear buds full of music in people’s ears.    Sounds and noise every where we go, musac, however you say it, lift music, in-store music, music every where.    Even people who have the TV on in the background for noise with no one listening to it, no attention being paid to whats on, TV being for security and comfort that there is some one there rather than have a still silent house, as I said adverse to silence.

Are we polluted by sound or is there a sound producing in us, is this not the difference, when we are polluted we become unable to conduct life normally or distracted for any actions our thoughts filled with cluttered thoughts, distracted from every angle.    However there is a true pure sound, a sound that will produce an inner person, that brings about a purpose.   A sound of the creator that resonates inside us, calling us, making a clear sound in the midst of so much sound pollution, can we hear it?    Here is a different take on a well-known text on Jesus life, while Jesus challenge in the garden of Gethsemane, a fight of what sound would Jesus listen to, the inner thoughts of his own will against the pure sound of the Father, in the struggle of his mind the human sounds, the voice that said “No”, “there has to be a different way”, the voice in your head that says this is life threatening, too hard, go another way.   But a pure sound resonated inside Jesus he cleared the sound pollution become clear purposed “not my will but yours”.    That settled it the noise, the sounds became silent, its done now.      I know submitting to the will of God was and today is the challenge for us daily, however I know that when the purpose and will of God is before me noise, sound pollution of my mind speaks to prevent applying the will of the Father and I have to do a clean out of “whats in my eras“.

Where shall I turn to, whom shall I listen to?    So much information is available to make us all experts, I hear the challenges of some teachers and preachers today, discovering that as they teach, the people listening are more expert than they are, as they have the ability to research what is being said on iPad, iPhones and the like, right in front of the lectern, they can discover even more about the subject than the teacher/preacher does.   I even heard of one setting that invited twitter responses with questions as they taught, so they could deal with the questions in real-time, how exciting a use of modern technology, so to speak, it has become a realisation that people know more due to the accessibility of information.   Who will you listen to?

There was a day when we gathered to hear the superior knowledge, when the teacher at school or at the front, knew more than even mum and dad, when the child said “teacher said”, I recall saying it and hearing it from my own children.   Now with so much sound available, through podcasts, multiple teaching CD’s, books and the number of ‘Christian TV ‘ channels, who do you listen to?

In our world we live in if you do not define or outline the words you use, what you mean by every concept or biblical term, we all hear through gained filters of other people’s definitions and communication.   Try its use a term in a room covenant, authority, Kingdom of God, anointing.   To introduce simple words in conversion or teaching only to discover that even in a room with a few say a dozen people 12 different definitions and view of the same word or term are present.   The self-confessed expert has dominated our ears and we struggle to hear anything different.

More than ever it is necessary for us to help each other hear the sound of God, the voice of the Father, to enable us to say “what is in my ear”, so “What is in your ear?

It’s an time in the midst of so much sound, noise pollution, so much being said, so much teaching available that even contradicts.   How can be sure of whats truth any longer?    Neither cannot return to a day when one teacher had the monopoly of our ears, there is so much available today for us all, TV, podcast, books etc., etc.     Which can be and is a good thing as long as we instruct, teach more perfectly how each one of us can hear vice of God, helping us all to distinguish through our sentiments, emotions, insecurities, whats in vogue, whats the now word, even teaching us not to be subjective but how to know a God Sound.     The scriptures say “my sheep hear my voice” so you can hear God is dealing with the polluted sounds to get the pure sound.    Also realizing that revelation is not an individual event when it breaks in on our world but it is meant to be a corporate experience and corporate forming, so God Sounds are to be openly shared to become more perfect through each diverse life filter.    Find people who you know hear the Father and watch while listening so that they can help you here God Sounds.

So finally “Whats in your ears?”

 

Thoughts on a Kingdom

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“My Kingdom is not of this world”

“My kingdom is from another place”  John 18:36

“…not of this world…” in this day when more and more we are recognising  our responsibility of stewardship and transformation to our environment, our world;  when we are realising that our destiny does not wind up in an escape from this fallen world but in transforming this creation to Gods’ ultimate intention, that Christ will fill all in all.    There is a tension to hold to in “…not of this world…”  meaning we do not belong to this world,  the Kingdom of God finds its source – origin – its genesis – nature – authority – life – laws  and resources all find their root or origin outside of this cosmos.      As a matter of fact I tend to see that the Kingdom of God is the Christ and that God is the Kingdom.    The origin may not be in this cosmos but it is God breaking into our world.

The Kingdom of God cannot be understood by seeking parallels of kingdoms in this world, it is not worth examining kingdoms of old or even kingdoms that  still exist, as they are totally incompatible.    For this thought lies behind the theological mystery spoken to Nicodemus “…you must be born again…” this experience, encounter is not for salvation but  “…you must be born again to see the Kingdom of God”

Your responses to life’s situations, your behaviour and actions are the result of your theology not of your intellect or emotions.   The way you think and feel are shaped by your deepest convictions from your spirit – God.    At least this is how it should be, today I must admit I see many that are challenged to conduct themselves this way, they struggle to remain true to their convictions, to the established foundation of their lives.   Life can become so fickle and changeable as the commercial emotional living on the surface of life prevents convictional living.    Decisions are then made for the benefit of the immediate, self-gratifying rather than what belongs to people’s advance and betterment which is about maturing.  We have come to a world that react rather than living out convictions from the foundation of life actually from the Christ, who is our foundation.

This is why “if any is in Christ…new creation” the spiritual house, mankind is governed by the Spirit, as the agent of the Godhead, as God working with in us to bring us into the life way of the Kingdom of God.    This is the law written on our hearts by which we will reign in life.

To believe this is to live this – which is why the reality of many people’s claim to being born again is questionable.    If this cosmos rules in our life then it is questionable, if the other place Kingdom has been either seen or entered, it will alter our way of life.

I shall continue my ramble through the Kingdom thoughts the as I write in my next blog, I will continue this thought line from this point onward as we go forward, until next blog which will be soon a joyous reaching for the King.

3 Small Things are Exceedingly wise.

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In the book of Proverbs there are many one liners of wisdom for life, wrapped up in the words, they speak to relationship, family, to business practices and environments, their wisdom will help you become a better leader, manager, husband, wife, child, person.    They just deal with people and life to the full.   I have often encouraged young men and women to form a habit around the reading of at least one proverb a day, letting the proverbs groom life and enable a better person to emerge.   They are not only helpful to the individual but they will produce a better society if we could embrace them.

I must admit there are some strange ones as well, such as what do you do with “if you dig a pit you will surely fall into it” or “if a man stand on a log he will surly fall off” clearly they did not have health and safety.   In Proverbs 30:24 forward we have presented to us “small things” unimportant things yet they are presented as small insignificant things which are very significant for us, they are “exceedingly wise”.   Small is worth listening to and taking note of some times, I would suggest to you, always.

How many times have we missed the Father as it was not exceedingly big enough for us, significant for us, of notoriety, or even X Factor enough to take note of, yet there was wisdom for the day there.

MY prayer is that we all see significance according to the lesson, the insight of wisdom delivered, not its position, impact, or even any value system we may employ.   How many times has God been there dressed in such a non attractive manner, I wonder how many missed Jesus as he was not as they expected.   Proverbs also encourages us that “wisdom cries in the street”, Ok lets train our eyes and ears to see and hear  the “small things” for exceeding wisdom.

Why start with small things well here are three small wisdom’s for life I have noted in my life and others that we would do well to take on board and employ the wisdom.

1.         Experience Life thought the lens of faith – it’s all down to how you view life, your view will enable or trip you up it’s so important how you look on life.   People around you and situations will shout “no you cannot”, “you should not” and will make reasons why not, however you and I must face the storm and look through another view.   What has God promised you, what has he said, what will you do in the light of that.

This is not about a fanciful, wistful saying, but what has become part of your fabric, that which God has said.  One thing is certain, if God has said it, it will be beyond your ability, means and emotion at present, BUT God, we do or don’t believe.    What keeps you together in the situations of life that you can align your whole being with?

There is no better way than to see and take life and all it has while looking through afresh lens.   I am not suggesting we become presumptuous or individualistic and alone, but I am encouraging us to Know what God has said and look at life through those very words.    To see with your hearing perhaps, as the lens is established by what you have heard, it is when sight is determined by hearing!

So what lens do you govern yourself by, what experience will you have tomorrow.

I wear glasses to enable 20 20 vision, without them well let us say there would be many bruises as I would walk into things, I experience life through the putting on of two circular glass plates, without them I would have a distorted view of life.  The view would be so out of focus that I think I would end up in a darkened room, it is tiring trying to have to squint and stretch to get focus but with glasses, o boy can I see far and short.    Experience life though the lens of Faith, its clear, challenging, humbling but adventure beyond.

Through this lens of faith,  we have testimony down through time, of people’s views being transformed, this lens enabling forward advance.   One such transformation came to William Wilberforce after a sudden conversion experience, William began to see his work (and world) in a whole new light.

“The gospel freely admitted makes a man happy. It gives him peace with God, and makes him happy in God. It gives to industry a noble, contented look which selfish drudgery never wore; and from the moment that a man begins to do his work for his Saviour’s sake, he feels that the most ordinary employments are full of sweetness and dignity, and that the most difficult are not impossible. And if any of you, my friends, is weary with his work, if dissatisfaction with yourself or sorrow of any kind disheartens you, if at any time you feel the dull paralysis of conscious sin, or the depressing influence of vexing thoughts, look to Jesus, and be happy. Be happy, and your joyful work will prosper well.”

2.      Bloom where you are planted – so many of us are robbed of fulfilling all God has for us, as we have adopted a saying that keeps us from where we are, “grass is greener on the other side” so we make every where seem better that where we are.   It produces an unhealthy dissatisfaction and dislike of the gift God has given us.

I have a desire to enable people to live to the full where they are, the missing factor is, we have lost the understanding that God has planted us where we are!   Not as a discipline or judgment against you but with the purpose of transformation.   If we cannot grasp this, Gods’ planting for us, we will never bloom.    We say that identity is important, which it is, but I would say to you believing and realising that where I am is the planting of the Lord is equally vital.   In Genesis God not only planted a garden but he planted Adam into the garden, a place prepared and planted mankind.   I would say we have to know Gods’ hand placing us so we can bloom.

Your decision to be planted will make you and the people around you flourish, that is as you become planted and convinced of your setting, which is often our battle being convinced, for being convinced having a conviction is a necessary strength for life.    As you are convinced of being planted or where you are now being the will of God watch your planting attract people and opportunity to you.    So many wish their lives away wishing they where somewhere else or in anther person place.     It is  fashionable to belong to networks for advance and they are effective to a degree, but the knowledge of being planted and living accordingly will cause you to bloom!

3.         Have the stamina to pursue your God-given passions until the end. – the challenge of finishing well, of getting through all the distractions, the disappointments and letting the passion that God has worked into you to have its end.   Living life with no regrets, there may be sadness but nothing that steals stamina.   The developing of stamina of staying in when it is all up hill and getting harder and harder.   As I tell you, you will have moments when you feel that you are crushed Paul said he was perplexed, crushed on every side but he kept going and so do we too.

Stamina is so necessary in every day to be able to keep your emotion, your attitude your physical ability up, to achieve what God has revealed to your lens and through your planting to bloom.

There is no time here to consider the ways of building stamina of ensuring that the company you keep, the way you talk, the way you see, all effect stamina.  To consider how to build your stamina for the journey is another worthwhile topic for another blog, the how to build, the necessity of stamina, the cultivating of the means to strength for the road ahead.

Leadership while sitting Continued – lessons from a cyclists seat.

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Heralded as the greatest cycling Olympics ever, the London 2012 velodrome has become a golden event at least 7 golds and a few other silver and bronze medals for the UK, from speed trials, team sprint, omnium producing Gold medals.   Cycling lessons will be written and debated for many years in team strategies and life’s forums I am sure.   Watching the interviews of the team trainer works and how his strategies shave produced such a golden team.   His comments of breaking down each event and dealing with the little things, then all the little changes amalgamate to make big advances.  In their own right these little changes are insignificant yet together in the overall achievement great advance.  Changes such as even down to how a cyclist would wash their hands.

Even before the golden advance in the velodrome we began in the last blog to enjoy some of the benefits in lessons from a bicycle seat, looking at Lance Armstrong’s‘ advice  in building team.    We will now continue without any more introduction looking at some noteworthy thinking and how it affects the life of a Christ follower.

Lance Armstrong outlines practical insights to gain advance for our consideration.

  • No matter what the cards are that life deals you, you have to make the most of it.   

For all of Lance’s athletic prowess, one thing that he could not control was the fact that he developed testicular cancer. This cancer later spread to his brain and he developed a brain tumour. For a while, it looked as though Lance was losing the battle against cancer. Yet he kept fighting. At the same time, he kept winning. Many people would have given up in those circumstances. Yet, not only did he not give up, he triumphed against adversity, winning races while suffering from cancer.

The bible teaches us that our lives are not about amassing but much more about producing the character of the Son in our lives becoming like the Christ and being sons of God this is our goal, that He might fill all in all.   In other words life is about producing what the scriptures call ‘Overcomers’ that we are to overcome rather than duck and avoid life.   So many people duck responsibility avoid accountability and even rebuke the challenges, bind them in prayer and cast them out when they have been presented with overcoming opportunities.

We hear many say that they are a transitional generation for example they are  a  bridge to the generations or racial gaps, what ever gaps really, yet so often when we are presented with the gifts of transition we tend to think that they are evil and from satan, but they are actually gifts to bring transition and cause us to overcome.

  • Every race starts with a single rotation of the wheel.

To achieve great things, you have to first achieve the little things.  A long-distance race victory doesn’t just happen instantly, it has to begin somewhere and from those many rotations of the wheel, victory followed.    Every little press down of the foot to create another rotation of the wheel counts, or you could say every small event makes the big picture work.    Someone once said ‘the sea is made of water droplets’, for you and I we only see the sea and push aside the little drops that make it up as we only want or value the big, great, yet the small pushed aside are where life is at really.

  • Preparation.

For a race that would last days, he would spend all year round training hard and competing in other events. He was known to push himself to extremes in training, more-so than most endurance athletes.

We are encouraged through the scripture to be shrewd and wise taking a view of the culmination of Gods purpose and not to live in the shallows of now only.   Is this not the encouragement of “without a vision people are unrestrained (perish)” it is about having a view which demands a long-range.   To be expectant of the return of Christ yet plan for the long-term future, it’s the tension of living the ‘now and not yet’ making provision for the long haul and the immediate.

  •  Do not doubt yourself when others doubt you.

For a large portion of his career, Lance had to put up with doping allegations made against him, many of them made by former team-mates. Some of these allegations could perhaps be attributed to jealously.     Being accused of something, particularly by former friends, can be quite upsetting. Much speculation remains on whether or not Lance took performance enhancing drugs, and it’s likely to follow him the rest of his life.

Believe that God has chosen you, empowered you equipped you don’t let others hold you back or their insecurity or control pull down what God has promised.   See through Gods view on your life.   ‘Enduring for the joy set before’ was the Jesus style of life that  is distracting challenge our wills, some times challenges makes us wonder yet there was a joy in Christ of knowing what God wanted of Him the Christ.   Don’t take on other people’s feelings, live in the inner life of God.

  • Family is important.

Winning is important. But it’s not everything. Despite his hectic training schedule, Lance Armstrong still found time to father five children.

A Family is what  God is after, the church is the family of God we must see this as important beyond anything else, to be a family and model a family at every level.    To prevent the church becoming organisational and remain as a family that the influence, leadership and stability of the community of God, the church comes from mothers, brothers, fathers and sisters.  For this is the governments of the church, there will be the functional apostles, prophets etc., reproducing the very same in a people,  yet these functions are fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers but certainly not positional but relationship in a family.   It’s a challenge in our day as we cross to business models, which there is nothing wrong with business in its sphere yet the church crosses and finds little true relationships, as we take on cooperate models and realise we are about filling the earth with a person not business strategies we are FAMILY, the FAMILY OF GOD together, the Christ like corporate body, the image and likeness of the Father.

  • The determination to succeed.

His drive to become the best was phenomenal. It is all the more incredible to have succeeded so often in an endurance sport. Unlike many other sports, endurance sports are not won with one play, or a short period of maximum effort. They require maximum effort over a long period of time.    To win one Tour de France title is incredible, to win it seven times is something else.

Jesus set his ‘face like flint’ he determined his direction, he asked can ‘this cup be taken away’ then concluded ‘not my will but yours be done’ he determined to finish.   Paul said ‘I have run the race…I have finished the race‘ determination to get to the end, the old idiom that goes ‘the measure of a person is in how they finish, finishing well’

  • Do not get complacent.

Once you have achieved your goals, there’s always the temptation to sit back, relax and enjoy your success. After the first few Tour de France wins, you would forgive Lance for slacking-off training a little. After all, he had accomplished great feats. Yet Lance wasn’t happy with just one or two wins, he wanted more. Even as he was rapidly approaching middle-age and suffering from a terrible disease, he kept going.

You could say of Lance ‘He put the same amount of determination into his last victory as he did his first one’.    Don’t let your world become small and just survive, it seems some times that life throws all at us to produce this,  but we must not be complacent.     Knowing if God who started something ‘will complete it’ as Paul put it can we join in with that same essence and life to complete what we start and not get complacent?

  • If you have succeeded at anything, there’s always more to do.

No matter what life throws at you, with the right frame of mind you can overcome. Even when life is cruel. And when all others doubt you, you can go that extra mile and become the best in the world.

We are OVERCOMERS in Christ, who can separate us from the love of God, all these are there so we know and experience that we can be those who get through and accomplish the goal of God for all creation.

How to Start A Day

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How to start a day on the right footing, ever wondered that?   Before you put your foot on planet earth from your floating haven above the ground by 150 mm or more, before you step out of your cocooned security, the warm blankets.    As you decide to make that first small step that giant leap stirred by an alarm call, the sound of creation stirring or just your own body clock, how to start the day comes to mind in various ways.

Whether a fog over your eyes or clear thought “what does today hold?” moves through peoples mind, a day much like yesterday? a red letter day or for some the weight of the day is so heavy a reluctant awaking comes, having to face the riggers of the day.   How do I start my day?

Here’s a thought “God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand” this is not about finding my mistakes or looking for my failure, the Psalmist asks God to search him twice at the start and end of the Psalm 139:15-22, investigate me.   The picture painted is of a gold digger going to a deep mine, or panning for gold at a rivers edge, knowing that there is treasure in this stream, to search knowing the treasure is here.   God search for the treasure you put into me earlier before the foundation of the world.   It is  a wonderful secure search, investigate me to bring to light the treasure in side of me, the treasure you put there.   Starting the day with a search for the treasure that God put in side of you will remind you of his works each morning – a good way to start the day!

There is a popular action in many today of going to the streets and conducting a Treasure Hunt in peoples lives, as they go about their daily life, an exiting adventure.   Taking the gifts of God to the street and awakening people to the treasure of God.   Well to see it flow more so, I would suggest start the day with a God treasure search in you, the hand of God in you each day, the eye of the Lord each morning, from there you will deliver treasure more effectively.    Let God pan, dig deep to bring your treasure out to the light of day, that you might see you accordingly to heavens investment in you.

“…Investigate my life…”

“…An open book…” nothing closed – is this not the aim of our redemption which is a deliverance on ward going that nothing can be closed or shut off from Father God rather than just being open to people.    Its about having an open book life before God

“…Never out of sight…”

“…You’re there…”  Fathers companionship, never without God, always with God.

“…Too much…”

“…Too wonderful…”

“…I can’t take it all in…” –  what if life was like this, what a way to work with God at all times.   This  would bring us to a place of overwhelming, an amazing way of life “too much” one would cry, I can take it any more, not that I can’t cope, but its overwhelming me “too much” the God of too much.

May we discover God as the Father of “…Too Much…”

This is a very personal psalm (139) (notice the pronouns ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’, and ‘mine’) it is attributed to David and has been called ‘the crown of the psalms’. It is certainly safe to say it is one of the best loved of all the psalms and of all Scripture passages.

A day started with the attitudes of  “openness” “thankfulness” these are all good ways to commence a day, the writer tells us be thankful to God. Praise him, but how, not as we are inclined to praise God, for blessings we have received, but David praised God for who God is. Our praise will never be what it should be until we ascend to this level.      David starts the day by praising God for his perfect knowledge of him. Nothing about us is hidden from God.

He knows when we sit down and rise up (v. 2). He knows our thoughts before they ever come into our heads (v. 2). He knows all about our ways (v. 3).

‘… God knows what rule we walk by, what end we walk towards, what company we walk with…‘    Furthermore, he knows every word we speak before we speak (v. 4).

The psalmist stood in awe of God’s knowledge.

The things I know for each day :

“…Investigate my life…” “…An open book…”  “…Never out of sight…” “…You’re there…”  

The response I make:

“…Too much…” “…Too wonderful…” “…I can’t take it all in…”

To have this relationship is wonderful, to see the God of ‘too much’ to you at the start of every day, this is too wonderful, I cannot take it in, it is so high and lofty in my experience.

It is the only way to start the day what ever awaits the first touch down of my foot from my slumber!