Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
come back...
It's been a long day at work...
have not felt so bushed mentally in awhile...
And thoughts have really been streaming in,
think i need to write a little...
I used to think that I had to feel inadequate,
but then i slowly stopped when i realised it,
and realisation brought maturity...
when i suddenly saw what was missed before
I thank you that you have personality enough for 2 people,
because when that happens, I can do what comes naturally,
sit comfortably, being my quiet introverted self,
and just think things through better & clearer
I think i much prefer being a dead man walking,
somehow that posture speaks to me of all that is right,
why should we look at ourselves as all important & mighty,
when we are but truly dust, blown away with the slightest breeze
Some speak lively words, spritely, fast-moving electric ones,
being there, talking, moving, breathing, yet...somehow flat within...
smiling outside, broken inside
Puppet with strings held by an invisible puppetmaster
Contrast? or plain paradox?
Dead man walking, yet totally alive with...
Lively, spritely exterior, yet...dead within...
You say, it's not either/or but there is a middle ground...
Really?
or only Maybe?
...to live on the edge requires one.
Radical obedience or empty disobedience
And choices are good gifts given to us. Truly...
Same verse...Romans 8:6-8 (NIV)
Sorry
Meant to be said in the here & now,
so that the force of the blow,
does not extend to the future?
No, just because...
I mean it
have not felt so bushed mentally in awhile...
And thoughts have really been streaming in,
think i need to write a little...
I used to think that I had to feel inadequate,
but then i slowly stopped when i realised it,
and realisation brought maturity...
when i suddenly saw what was missed before
I thank you that you have personality enough for 2 people,
because when that happens, I can do what comes naturally,
sit comfortably, being my quiet introverted self,
and just think things through better & clearer
I think i much prefer being a dead man walking,
somehow that posture speaks to me of all that is right,
why should we look at ourselves as all important & mighty,
when we are but truly dust, blown away with the slightest breeze
Some speak lively words, spritely, fast-moving electric ones,
being there, talking, moving, breathing, yet...somehow flat within...
smiling outside, broken inside
Puppet with strings held by an invisible puppetmaster
Contrast? or plain paradox?
Dead man walking, yet totally alive with...
Lively, spritely exterior, yet...dead within...
You say, it's not either/or but there is a middle ground...
Really?
or only Maybe?
...to live on the edge requires one.
Radical obedience or empty disobedience
And choices are good gifts given to us. Truly...
Romans 8:6-8 (The Message)
5-8Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn't pleased at being ignored.
6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.Same verse...Romans 8:6-8 (NIV)
Sorry
Meant to be said in the here & now,
so that the force of the blow,
does not extend to the future?
No, just because...
I mean it
Friday, March 18, 2011
going deeper...
I posted a thought earlier...
And really...this thought just simply continues in so many different ways
I'll try to be coherent in just one...
Many times we take a glance at a person...
and the "first impression" we get, gives us a feel...
& what usually happens is that we judge based on the surface,
it could be looks, could be personality (funny, charming etc)
and that just makes everything seem so cotton candy sweet...
or cloyingly ugly...
But really...truly, how often have we realised...
our "first impressions" were wrong, one-dimensional, flawed?
How we could feel this person was awesome, yet...
you realise later they were just two-faced, & you saw the nice one?
I think...that happens more than we wanna admit...
That said, i'm not an advocate for "first impressions"...
I believe in taking the time to go deep and to know more,
giving people time, and looking out for things that are not obvious,
the subtle things that people do not say or do not do...
that helps me form a better understanding of someone...
because we are all complex, unique and made wonderful! =)
Now...that was the base thought, time to go on tangents! =)
1) So...knowing the above...how much of OURSELVES do we REALLY know?
Do we know ourselves as a person? or just a personality?
Like...we can easily say one thing, but our actions do another...
& when that happens, do we understand how come?
I look, and i realise that i see many who build a personality,
funny, interesting, fun, charming, nice to look at,
yet they have neglected crafting character...their principles,
When i see that, I think it's abit sad...
because they look more like actors than real persons,
playing a part, more than LIVING a life
Questions are real, doubts vocalised, that's being authentic...
But sometimes, there is a lack of strength in the soul to show that "weakness",
or...the facade seems more important than showing those flaws...
I think that's why the first lesson Jesus gave to many was...
die to SELF, crucify it, surrender it...ultimately EXCHANGE it...
He promises that we are a NEW creation in Christ...
And that means we are being re-made!
So...to this tangent...i say...
resist the temptation to merely "look good",
but trade in the ashes, and watch God turn it to true beauty
succintly, surrender & exchange self for God's wholeness!
Which leads to tangent 2)
We know the personality of God, but do we know the Person?
When we talk about God is Love, what comes to mind?
A cushy pillow, soft lighting, sweet scent, feelings of joy...
all that is good and true, yet...if we just stop there,
we stop short of know God as a person,
and He is just a romantic figure to us...
Love...God's kind, is a very personal one...
He came fully divine, yet LIMITING His divinity,
in the person of Jesus...
He ate, slept, led reluctant followers, overturned tables,
performed miracles, showed incredible tenderness,
but was also uncompromising to pharisees,
He served, washed feet, ate with sinners,
associated with lepers & outcasts (samaritans),
and that Love at the end of the day...
shed sweat drops of blood, before that long road to calvary,
to become a sacrifice lamb for us...
THAT is LOVE...the PERSON...
Don't stop short just to know the wisp of love,
when knowing the DEPTH of Love,
the intensity of His undying Love is there for us
So...for tangent 2...
Know God...REALLY know Him...
as a person, because He has revealed himself in the bible,
He is NOT hidden, but...we have sadly...not bothered to know God.
Knowing, REALLY knowing God changes our lives inside-out
I feel there's so much to say...
yet...this seems a good place to pause...
Tangent 1) talks about ourselves,
Tangent 2) about God...
I wanted to do tangent 3) about others...
but...i think the quote i started with says it well...
& tangent 3) is just a natural extension of 1) & 2)...
so...let me stop here...
I no longer desire to just feed people with answers
I hope to see this light a fire within others...
that will spur them to want to know God better,
drink of His streams deeply, and bask in that fullness, completely
"Be a person, not just a personality
The difference?: A whole world
What's needed: The effort to build deep..."
The difference?: A whole world
What's needed: The effort to build deep..."
And really...this thought just simply continues in so many different ways
I'll try to be coherent in just one...
Many times we take a glance at a person...
and the "first impression" we get, gives us a feel...
& what usually happens is that we judge based on the surface,
it could be looks, could be personality (funny, charming etc)
and that just makes everything seem so cotton candy sweet...
or cloyingly ugly...
But really...truly, how often have we realised...
our "first impressions" were wrong, one-dimensional, flawed?
How we could feel this person was awesome, yet...
you realise later they were just two-faced, & you saw the nice one?
I think...that happens more than we wanna admit...
That said, i'm not an advocate for "first impressions"...
I believe in taking the time to go deep and to know more,
giving people time, and looking out for things that are not obvious,
the subtle things that people do not say or do not do...
that helps me form a better understanding of someone...
because we are all complex, unique and made wonderful! =)
Now...that was the base thought, time to go on tangents! =)
1) So...knowing the above...how much of OURSELVES do we REALLY know?
Do we know ourselves as a person? or just a personality?
Like...we can easily say one thing, but our actions do another...
& when that happens, do we understand how come?
I look, and i realise that i see many who build a personality,
funny, interesting, fun, charming, nice to look at,
yet they have neglected crafting character...their principles,
When i see that, I think it's abit sad...
because they look more like actors than real persons,
playing a part, more than LIVING a life
Questions are real, doubts vocalised, that's being authentic...
But sometimes, there is a lack of strength in the soul to show that "weakness",
or...the facade seems more important than showing those flaws...
I think that's why the first lesson Jesus gave to many was...
die to SELF, crucify it, surrender it...ultimately EXCHANGE it...
He promises that we are a NEW creation in Christ...
And that means we are being re-made!
So...to this tangent...i say...
resist the temptation to merely "look good",
but trade in the ashes, and watch God turn it to true beauty
succintly, surrender & exchange self for God's wholeness!
Which leads to tangent 2)
We know the personality of God, but do we know the Person?
When we talk about God is Love, what comes to mind?
A cushy pillow, soft lighting, sweet scent, feelings of joy...
all that is good and true, yet...if we just stop there,
we stop short of know God as a person,
and He is just a romantic figure to us...
Love...God's kind, is a very personal one...
He came fully divine, yet LIMITING His divinity,
in the person of Jesus...
He ate, slept, led reluctant followers, overturned tables,
performed miracles, showed incredible tenderness,
but was also uncompromising to pharisees,
He served, washed feet, ate with sinners,
associated with lepers & outcasts (samaritans),
and that Love at the end of the day...
shed sweat drops of blood, before that long road to calvary,
to become a sacrifice lamb for us...
THAT is LOVE...the PERSON...
Don't stop short just to know the wisp of love,
when knowing the DEPTH of Love,
the intensity of His undying Love is there for us
So...for tangent 2...
Know God...REALLY know Him...
as a person, because He has revealed himself in the bible,
He is NOT hidden, but...we have sadly...not bothered to know God.
Knowing, REALLY knowing God changes our lives inside-out
I feel there's so much to say...
yet...this seems a good place to pause...
Tangent 1) talks about ourselves,
Tangent 2) about God...
I wanted to do tangent 3) about others...
but...i think the quote i started with says it well...
& tangent 3) is just a natural extension of 1) & 2)...
so...let me stop here...
I no longer desire to just feed people with answers
I hope to see this light a fire within others...
that will spur them to want to know God better,
drink of His streams deeply, and bask in that fullness, completely
Abba, help us know you better,
clearer & more intimately,
Thank You that You are not hidden,
& that the person of Jesus is for us to know
May our heart beat in tune with yours
In Jesus' Lovely name,
I dearly desire & humbly ask,
AMEN
clearer & more intimately,
Thank You that You are not hidden,
& that the person of Jesus is for us to know
May our heart beat in tune with yours
In Jesus' Lovely name,
I dearly desire & humbly ask,
AMEN
Thursday, March 17, 2011
mirror image...
There's something to be said abt being made in His likeness,
I think maybe that's why we have gifts & talents...
craft, skills, imagination and creativity...
I somehow love creating and shaping...
though the things i do always are slow and takes a long time
Maybe that's why God uses so many metaphors...
stories that tell more than just a story...
and I really love the way that the parables tumble forth!
If I were to tell a story...it would be of a farmer...
holding in his hands, precious seeds...
each seed containing the potential of countless fruit,
but so many things may happen, the seed may not sprout,
the ground may be infertile, the weather may turn...
fruit that are produced may turn bad...
and then again...some will be good, and multiply...
In it...what can the farmer do?
Plant the seed, till the land, fertilise the ground,
unweed the place, water and take care of the trees,
and when the fruits come, be ready for the harvest...
and the cycle continues...
The farmer spends his whole life in service to a seed...
and the fruit that come may never ever really be wonderful,
but the gardener stays the course and does his work,
learning lessons this season, so as to improve the next...
But of course, we never think about fruit, or food...
when it's on our plate, we take it for granted that it'll be enough,
and that it will never run out...
yet...it has taken faithful farmer to plant & harvest,
no doubt God has a plan for us...
but how many answer the call to be a humble farmer?
Most look to "nobler" ambitions, and loftier aspirations...
but crafted in the image of God...
the picture of the humble farmer, tells a story...
a story that's far deeper in significance than we first see
I think maybe that's why we have gifts & talents...
craft, skills, imagination and creativity...
I somehow love creating and shaping...
though the things i do always are slow and takes a long time
Maybe that's why God uses so many metaphors...
stories that tell more than just a story...
and I really love the way that the parables tumble forth!
If I were to tell a story...it would be of a farmer...
holding in his hands, precious seeds...
each seed containing the potential of countless fruit,
but so many things may happen, the seed may not sprout,
the ground may be infertile, the weather may turn...
fruit that are produced may turn bad...
and then again...some will be good, and multiply...
In it...what can the farmer do?
Plant the seed, till the land, fertilise the ground,
unweed the place, water and take care of the trees,
and when the fruits come, be ready for the harvest...
and the cycle continues...
The farmer spends his whole life in service to a seed...
and the fruit that come may never ever really be wonderful,
but the gardener stays the course and does his work,
learning lessons this season, so as to improve the next...
But of course, we never think about fruit, or food...
when it's on our plate, we take it for granted that it'll be enough,
and that it will never run out...
yet...it has taken faithful farmer to plant & harvest,
no doubt God has a plan for us...
but how many answer the call to be a humble farmer?
Most look to "nobler" ambitions, and loftier aspirations...
but crafted in the image of God...
the picture of the humble farmer, tells a story...
a story that's far deeper in significance than we first see
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
hey sUnshine...
Hey you sUnshine, where do you fall?
The places you do, they shine as day,
glow with warmth, and radiate! =)
But oh sUnshine, why do you hide?
Some days you come, some days you don't,
sometimes you stay, others...you won't...
Stay oh sUnshine, do u need to see a grown man beg?
Oh...would you shine, glow, send your warmth?
Or is the fickle thing, something that you have to do?
If you oh sUnshine, gave your light unabashedly,
saw the darkness that you push back, & the direction you give,
if you but understood, maybe you would do it more...
Do you oh sUnshine, do you fear?
Are you so afraid, scared, uncertain...
that you hide behind dark clouds & loud thunder
Oh dear sUnshine, instead of flashes of lightning,
the constant glow, the radiant light, that beacon...
it gives hope, grants warmth, and illuminates much more!
My dear sUnshine, give your all...always
Shine like no one else can, because...
really...no one else was made like you are made
You know, sUnshine...they say the moon...
it just reflects your light, but as i talk to the moon,
I feel just abit like i'm talking...again...to you
But dear sUnshine, the moon can't compare...
and i would much rather have you...
a cold night can't compare with a warm, sunny morning
Now dear sUnshine, before i close my eyes...
would you send a little warmth, some light, show the way
they say it's darkest just before the dawn...
So now sUnshine, i await a new dawn,
that fresh beginning, when you smile again,
I live for that smile! =) just...wanted you to know...
sUnshine, you were meant to be in my life,
radiating through my life, permeating other's lives,
so...be that light, that warmth, don't hide yourself =)
& here ends this poem, sUnshine, just...for you
may you apprehend the light, warmth & radiance within,
and may you bless greater, longer, stronger...
Love,
me...
The places you do, they shine as day,
glow with warmth, and radiate! =)
But oh sUnshine, why do you hide?
Some days you come, some days you don't,
sometimes you stay, others...you won't...
Stay oh sUnshine, do u need to see a grown man beg?
Oh...would you shine, glow, send your warmth?
Or is the fickle thing, something that you have to do?
If you oh sUnshine, gave your light unabashedly,
saw the darkness that you push back, & the direction you give,
if you but understood, maybe you would do it more...
Do you oh sUnshine, do you fear?
Are you so afraid, scared, uncertain...
that you hide behind dark clouds & loud thunder
Oh dear sUnshine, instead of flashes of lightning,
the constant glow, the radiant light, that beacon...
it gives hope, grants warmth, and illuminates much more!
My dear sUnshine, give your all...always
Shine like no one else can, because...
really...no one else was made like you are made
You know, sUnshine...they say the moon...
it just reflects your light, but as i talk to the moon,
I feel just abit like i'm talking...again...to you
But dear sUnshine, the moon can't compare...
and i would much rather have you...
a cold night can't compare with a warm, sunny morning
Now dear sUnshine, before i close my eyes...
would you send a little warmth, some light, show the way
they say it's darkest just before the dawn...
So now sUnshine, i await a new dawn,
that fresh beginning, when you smile again,
I live for that smile! =) just...wanted you to know...
sUnshine, you were meant to be in my life,
radiating through my life, permeating other's lives,
so...be that light, that warmth, don't hide yourself =)
& here ends this poem, sUnshine, just...for you
may you apprehend the light, warmth & radiance within,
and may you bless greater, longer, stronger...
you are my sUnshine, my only sUnshine,
you make me happy, through night & day,
now you know dear, how much i Love you...
please don't take my sUnshine away...
you make me happy, through night & day,
now you know dear, how much i Love you...
please don't take my sUnshine away...
Love,
me...
powerless
There are certain times in life...emotions just hit
and then the feelings get too overwhelming...
Powerlessness, in the face of human tragedy...
Sadness, because the loss is great...& eternal
Compassion, for the cold & suffering...
Concern, for friends who are there right now
Pain, for...reasons i can't even fathom really...
If my leg were not like that,
I may have been on the scene,
first responders are there now...
and they may even be part of the tragedy...
Why would someone rush to the scene of disaster?
We go because we can, we go because they need help...
We go because our eternal destiny is secure...
& others need the gift that we have...
Here, safe in shelter, we talk about the challenges of discipleship,
the need to break barriers with people, the need to overcome...
the difficulty in sharing about this good news of the gospel
over there, there is no need for talk...
everything is broken, action is the language that will speak
Love will shine through, and true...
We pray prayers but we never intently look for the answer...
But if we dare to pray, "Break my heart for what breaks yours",
how can our hearts not be rent asunder by the pain in others?
If the people in Japan are suffering & such images...so compelling,
then no heart ought to remain cold, and hidden...
& yet, the truth is...many are...many really are...
We're thankful it doesn't happen here,
fearful of abit of "toxic radioactive rain"
protective of our own interests...
& critical of those willing to risk themselves for others
There are good things, in this life,
but there are also great ones...
When we see the merely good,
it obscures the truly great...
I look out for great moments,
God moments...
Some i get to boldly participate in,
others i can but pray...
Daily life is not monotony, though it can be boring
Prayer in the mundane is sometimes most trying...
But perseverence has taught valuable baubles of wisdom...
Daniel had to press into prayer...for reasons later shown
There is a human tragedy underway right now,
and as we grapple with the weight of it...
let's also not miss the pain that is ripping the heart of God,
a compassion that pours from Him because these are His children,
I can barely imagine what a Father might feel...
but I know that it must be heart-wrenching...
This is not just a physical pain, a ripple in the here & now,
it is a spiritual pain, that also has reprecussions for eternity...
Prayer is a powerful weapon, given for all situations...
But now, when needed most, it is most effectively wielded...
if we remember to wield them at all...
so...pray, pray, pray, not just for the suffering,
but more so for the people to know God
and His Love that was given at Calvary...
and then the feelings get too overwhelming...
Powerlessness, in the face of human tragedy...
Sadness, because the loss is great...& eternal
Compassion, for the cold & suffering...
Concern, for friends who are there right now
Pain, for...reasons i can't even fathom really...
If my leg were not like that,
I may have been on the scene,
first responders are there now...
and they may even be part of the tragedy...
Why would someone rush to the scene of disaster?
We go because we can, we go because they need help...
We go because our eternal destiny is secure...
& others need the gift that we have...
Here, safe in shelter, we talk about the challenges of discipleship,
the need to break barriers with people, the need to overcome...
the difficulty in sharing about this good news of the gospel
over there, there is no need for talk...
everything is broken, action is the language that will speak
Love will shine through, and true...
We pray prayers but we never intently look for the answer...
But if we dare to pray, "Break my heart for what breaks yours",
how can our hearts not be rent asunder by the pain in others?
If the people in Japan are suffering & such images...so compelling,
then no heart ought to remain cold, and hidden...
& yet, the truth is...many are...many really are...
We're thankful it doesn't happen here,
fearful of abit of "toxic radioactive rain"
protective of our own interests...
& critical of those willing to risk themselves for others
There are good things, in this life,
but there are also great ones...
When we see the merely good,
it obscures the truly great...
I look out for great moments,
God moments...
Some i get to boldly participate in,
others i can but pray...
Daily life is not monotony, though it can be boring
Prayer in the mundane is sometimes most trying...
But perseverence has taught valuable baubles of wisdom...
Daniel had to press into prayer...for reasons later shown
There is a human tragedy underway right now,
and as we grapple with the weight of it...
let's also not miss the pain that is ripping the heart of God,
a compassion that pours from Him because these are His children,
I can barely imagine what a Father might feel...
but I know that it must be heart-wrenching...
This is not just a physical pain, a ripple in the here & now,
it is a spiritual pain, that also has reprecussions for eternity...
Prayer is a powerful weapon, given for all situations...
But now, when needed most, it is most effectively wielded...
if we remember to wield them at all...
so...pray, pray, pray, not just for the suffering,
but more so for the people to know God
and His Love that was given at Calvary...
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
diverse tastes...?
Hmmm...now that i've had time at home for awhile,
i've had the chance to study some things i never had time for!
One of the things that interests me is cultural anthropology,
and some associates...sociology and psychology...
Now, i've distilled this abit for myself,
but for the next part, i need some help...
So...yes, whoever reads this blog...
feel free to comment...
I will not publish your comments on this blog
unless you want them to be published!
But yes, in a nutshell...
& as succintly as i can...
I wanna find out why we have some diverse tastes!
And what do we look for in something "nice"
So...my experiment is a contemporary song...
"Parachute" by Cheryl Cole...
google & give it a listen...
Some find it so good that it's nominated for a Brit award,
others...they get irritated hearing it...
I wanna hear what you think about it,
what catches your senses (or offends it)
Basically, do you like it or not? & why?
Any thoughts will be great! =D thanks in advance!
i've had the chance to study some things i never had time for!
One of the things that interests me is cultural anthropology,
and some associates...sociology and psychology...
Now, i've distilled this abit for myself,
but for the next part, i need some help...
So...yes, whoever reads this blog...
feel free to comment...
I will not publish your comments on this blog
unless you want them to be published!
But yes, in a nutshell...
& as succintly as i can...
I wanna find out why we have some diverse tastes!
And what do we look for in something "nice"
So...my experiment is a contemporary song...
"Parachute" by Cheryl Cole...
google & give it a listen...
Some find it so good that it's nominated for a Brit award,
others...they get irritated hearing it...
I wanna hear what you think about it,
what catches your senses (or offends it)
Basically, do you like it or not? & why?
Any thoughts will be great! =D thanks in advance!
Monday, March 07, 2011
I hate this!!!!! really?
If this could be put into words...it might sound something like this...
You speak & the words that emerge...though they sound right,
yet they tinge with mistrust, and the eyes...they are not right...
Flit about somemore, or play about with them...
the trouble is that...it's not worth the trouble you know?
Why play with fire, when you know you (or someone else) is gonna get burnt?
But sometimes, you say (silently) the heart just wants what it wants...
& later on...we all discover, what the heart wanted was just deceit...hidden...
then the pain, distrust and grimaces, fleeting flights away...they start
Who knows where the end will come...we might not know...
yet...each player in this strange act, each plays their role...
Convoluted, messy, tangled web that it all turns out to be,
all starts with a simple yes, a simple no, but so often...simple it isn't
It's so easy to say...but we shouldn't expect...oh yeah?
Have you really been honest with yourself when you say that?
It's also...but...we shouldn't...
& then, in the next instance, we do...
One moment clear, the very next...blinkered
Receptive, then quickly, shut off...
Paradox? Lies?
Truth? Half-truth?
What to do with it? What to do with this?
God says Grace...
We say Faith...
It matters no longer the rousing chorus of rants or shouts,
the clamour of screams or plethora of desperate cries
Many & most are just plain noise...
they fade when the important is in focus.
Maybe it takes a broken leg to do that...
Don't be ashamed, Jacob got his hip broken by God
Daniel, He stared Faith in the eyes of a lion's den,
Ezra, a contrite spirit, a rebuilt temple,
Nehemiah, a broken heart then a rebuilt wall...
Perspective moments are needful,
& God's grace provides them...
When we hate them most,
and we are most wrecked,
let's have the searing conscience do it's work...
I wish...I hope...but in the end, all the "I's" do not matter...
the answer lies not in the "I" but in the "I AM"
You speak & the words that emerge...though they sound right,
yet they tinge with mistrust, and the eyes...they are not right...
Flit about somemore, or play about with them...
the trouble is that...it's not worth the trouble you know?
Why play with fire, when you know you (or someone else) is gonna get burnt?
But sometimes, you say (silently) the heart just wants what it wants...
& later on...we all discover, what the heart wanted was just deceit...hidden...
then the pain, distrust and grimaces, fleeting flights away...they start
Who knows where the end will come...we might not know...
yet...each player in this strange act, each plays their role...
Convoluted, messy, tangled web that it all turns out to be,
all starts with a simple yes, a simple no, but so often...simple it isn't
It's so easy to say...but we shouldn't expect...oh yeah?
Have you really been honest with yourself when you say that?
It's also...but...we shouldn't...
& then, in the next instance, we do...
One moment clear, the very next...blinkered
Receptive, then quickly, shut off...
Paradox? Lies?
Truth? Half-truth?
What to do with it? What to do with this?
God says Grace...
We say Faith...
I say...broken leg
It matters no longer the rousing chorus of rants or shouts,
the clamour of screams or plethora of desperate cries
Many & most are just plain noise...
they fade when the important is in focus.
Maybe it takes a broken leg to do that...
Don't be ashamed, Jacob got his hip broken by God
Daniel, He stared Faith in the eyes of a lion's den,
Ezra, a contrite spirit, a rebuilt temple,
Nehemiah, a broken heart then a rebuilt wall...
Perspective moments are needful,
& God's grace provides them...
When we hate them most,
and we are most wrecked,
let's have the searing conscience do it's work...
I wish...I hope...but in the end, all the "I's" do not matter...
the answer lies not in the "I" but in the "I AM"
Are you the biggest problem to God's answer?
His clarity is in His ONLY answer...
The One that died on the Cross & rose again...
Jesus Christ
If the cross isn't powerful enough for you,
You are choosing to say God is lying...
Or that He isn't Good or God...
But once again...
this is YOUR choice...
And in choosing so...
You elevate yrself & your choices above God's truth...
so...
Are you the biggest problem to God's answer?
One of my most beloved phrases...
be with me enough, you'll surely see me write it,
hear me say it, or speak it with conviction
in the Message version now...
Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Or more familiarly...
I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Greater Love I've never seen...
His clarity is in His ONLY answer...
The One that died on the Cross & rose again...
Jesus Christ
If the cross isn't powerful enough for you,
You are choosing to say God is lying...
Or that He isn't Good or God...
But once again...
this is YOUR choice...
And in choosing so...
You elevate yrself & your choices above God's truth...
so...
Are you the biggest problem to God's answer?
One of my most beloved phrases...
be with me enough, you'll surely see me write it,
hear me say it, or speak it with conviction
in the Message version now...
Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Or more familiarly...
I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Greater Love I've never seen...
*Additional:
Just spotted an awesome post on Min's blog...http://www.gab-fest.blogspot.com/
Today's post also...March 7th 2011...
Her's is more palatable, a gentler version but we're on similar ground...
Think of mine as the cutting through the dross, wake up smack,
hers as the gentler, sharing of heart...
But capture the most important part...
God is central, self is put away...
The other thing to note...
Truly turning to God also shows in our prayer...
How much time do you truly spend with God?
Is He your BE ALL & END ALL?
The space filler in between the sentences?
Or is He merely the last resort?
Just spotted an awesome post on Min's blog...http://www.gab-fest.blogspot.com/
Today's post also...March 7th 2011...
Her's is more palatable, a gentler version but we're on similar ground...
Think of mine as the cutting through the dross, wake up smack,
hers as the gentler, sharing of heart...
But capture the most important part...
God is central, self is put away...
The other thing to note...
Truly turning to God also shows in our prayer...
How much time do you truly spend with God?
Is He your BE ALL & END ALL?
The space filler in between the sentences?
Or is He merely the last resort?
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
excuse me pls...
Someone should teach me how to forget...
maybe then, I would be clearer in some ways
Or maybe i just need to act blur, or fake stupid...
but none of the above things are consistent with who i am
Some people can live with a huge degree of incongruency, inconsistency,
I somehow can't...I need to have my inner life & outer one, one & the same
How we define value is how we live it out, isn't it?
But why can some live in utter confusion & chaos...
how did Jesus bear knowing all that He knew?
What was on His mind as He waited & wept, when Lazarus died?
How can we love the Lord who did miracles & gives us good gifts,
& then turn our back on, and mock the one on the cross...
It's so easy to play with God, flirt with Him sometimes,
when He speaks, we doubt, hesitate & fear...
but when gifts drop in our laps, love unconditional is shown,
we quickly forget, fail to be thankful & then forsake the giver again...
Going to church makes you a christian,
only as much as sitting in a Carl's Jr makes you a hamburger...
We are NOT what we wear, what we proclaim, or what we seem,
We ARE what we DO, what we LIVE, what we LOVE
Our hearts are easily misled, quickly enchanted, easily distracted,
how quickly we forget, forsake and then are left forlorn...
Easy words lead to empty promises, which tear an invisible rift
Isn't it an irony? We expect God to heal, while we go on destroying
Convenience is such a contemptuous evil...
Intentional Love does the hard thing
Cheap flattery, witty flirtatious lines...will be shown up as lies
truth may hurt for awhile, but it's also healing & redemptive
We follow people, and forget Christ,
when we should follow Christ, and introduce them to Him
Selfishness is celebrated, exalted & constantly trumpeted,
where selflessness is taken for granted, trampled & casually discarded
Excuse me please...
It's time to wake up!
In the most simple declaration of divine sadness i've ever read...
maybe then, I would be clearer in some ways
Or maybe i just need to act blur, or fake stupid...
but none of the above things are consistent with who i am
Some people can live with a huge degree of incongruency, inconsistency,
I somehow can't...I need to have my inner life & outer one, one & the same
How we define value is how we live it out, isn't it?
But why can some live in utter confusion & chaos...
how did Jesus bear knowing all that He knew?
What was on His mind as He waited & wept, when Lazarus died?
How can we love the Lord who did miracles & gives us good gifts,
& then turn our back on, and mock the one on the cross...
It's so easy to play with God, flirt with Him sometimes,
when He speaks, we doubt, hesitate & fear...
but when gifts drop in our laps, love unconditional is shown,
we quickly forget, fail to be thankful & then forsake the giver again...
Going to church makes you a christian,
only as much as sitting in a Carl's Jr makes you a hamburger...
We are NOT what we wear, what we proclaim, or what we seem,
We ARE what we DO, what we LIVE, what we LOVE
Our hearts are easily misled, quickly enchanted, easily distracted,
how quickly we forget, forsake and then are left forlorn...
Easy words lead to empty promises, which tear an invisible rift
Isn't it an irony? We expect God to heal, while we go on destroying
Convenience is such a contemptuous evil...
Intentional Love does the hard thing
Cheap flattery, witty flirtatious lines...will be shown up as lies
truth may hurt for awhile, but it's also healing & redemptive
We follow people, and forget Christ,
when we should follow Christ, and introduce them to Him
Selfishness is celebrated, exalted & constantly trumpeted,
where selflessness is taken for granted, trampled & casually discarded
Excuse me please...
It's time to wake up!
In the most simple declaration of divine sadness i've ever read...
God himself said..."My people have forgotten..."
='(
stunning it is...
that we can break the heart of God so easily...
and be so oblivious of it
May we know You more this day Lord
Please unlock the deaf ears,
open the blind eyes...
incline every cold heart back to You
AMEN
='(
stunning it is...
that we can break the heart of God so easily...
and be so oblivious of it
May we know You more this day Lord
Please unlock the deaf ears,
open the blind eyes...
incline every cold heart back to You
AMEN
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Walk in Nehemiah's shoes...
I wonder how Nehemiah felt when he conducted his first survey of the broken down walls of Jerusalem? The bible records that he did it under cover of darkness...and people have conventionally thought that he did it to prevent detection from enemies...
However, what if there were other reasons...
in chapter 2:11-12...just WHAT did God place on Nehemiah's heart?
it's never stated, just that he went with a few men under the cover of darkness...
Maybe it was the rebuilding of the wall...maybe it was something else...
Maybe he did it in darkness because, then...
he could see the true state of the wall,
feel the terrifying weight of the darkness,
see with his senses what his eyes could not see...
can you imagine walking the dung gate in the dark?
they say when you deprive some senses, the others heighten
gosh...who can tell the assault on his senses...
Smells funky, can't see much, every sound like an attack,
maybe in that whole night of his journey...
He was experiencing a dark night of his soul,
abit like Gethsamene for Jesus
feeling what it means to be without light,
darkened senses, to feel...fear...
And maybe...just maybe...the night was effective cover for tears
like Jesus' own anguished sweat drops of blood...
I think we think too small of God...
When He planted something on Nehemiah's heart,
I think it was a God-sized task...
yes, the building of the wall was a great task...
but men could do it (and they did it!!)
In the process, the Jews who did it were encouraged,
they were empowered, they were ministered...
Building up the individuals...a mammoth task...done by God!
BUT...Maybe, and maybe i'm even thinking too small here...
but what if...the God-sized task that was placed on Nehemiah's heart,
was the rebuilding of the wall, the strengthening of individuals,
the reformation of a nation, the REVIVAL of belief in God!
I think that might have been it...REVIVAL
Where throughout, the people had a sense of their abilities
a sense of what they might do with their strengths, gifts and talents.
Yet at the end of the day, the most important thing...
was that they regained a sense of WHO God is...
The great I AM...He who could, and WOULD...
do all that is needed to rescue His people, build them up,
and once again, remind them that in Him...
all other problems are small, tiny, utterly meaningless! =)
However, what if there were other reasons...
in chapter 2:11-12...just WHAT did God place on Nehemiah's heart?
it's never stated, just that he went with a few men under the cover of darkness...
Maybe it was the rebuilding of the wall...maybe it was something else...
Maybe he did it in darkness because, then...
he could see the true state of the wall,
feel the terrifying weight of the darkness,
see with his senses what his eyes could not see...
can you imagine walking the dung gate in the dark?
they say when you deprive some senses, the others heighten
gosh...who can tell the assault on his senses...
Smells funky, can't see much, every sound like an attack,
maybe in that whole night of his journey...
He was experiencing a dark night of his soul,
abit like Gethsamene for Jesus
feeling what it means to be without light,
darkened senses, to feel...fear...
And maybe...just maybe...the night was effective cover for tears
like Jesus' own anguished sweat drops of blood...
I think we think too small of God...
When He planted something on Nehemiah's heart,
I think it was a God-sized task...
yes, the building of the wall was a great task...
but men could do it (and they did it!!)
In the process, the Jews who did it were encouraged,
they were empowered, they were ministered...
Building up the individuals...a mammoth task...done by God!
BUT...Maybe, and maybe i'm even thinking too small here...
but what if...the God-sized task that was placed on Nehemiah's heart,
was the rebuilding of the wall, the strengthening of individuals,
the reformation of a nation, the REVIVAL of belief in God!
I think that might have been it...REVIVAL
Where throughout, the people had a sense of their abilities
a sense of what they might do with their strengths, gifts and talents.
Yet at the end of the day, the most important thing...
was that they regained a sense of WHO God is...
The great I AM...He who could, and WOULD...
do all that is needed to rescue His people, build them up,
and once again, remind them that in Him...
all other problems are small, tiny, utterly meaningless! =)
Will you walk in Nehemiah's shoes?
Do you see your broken Jerusalem wall?
Are you able to lift your gaze further...
to see that God has called you to be a Holy Nation,
A royal priesthood, A people belonging to God,
Who called us out of darkness & into His marvelous light? (1 pet 2:9)
We ARE,
because He IS,
the GREAT
I AM
Do you see your broken Jerusalem wall?
Are you able to lift your gaze further...
to see that God has called you to be a Holy Nation,
A royal priesthood, A people belonging to God,
Who called us out of darkness & into His marvelous light? (1 pet 2:9)
We ARE,
because He IS,
the GREAT
I AM
Monday, February 21, 2011
laugh or frown?
Hmmm...i dunno whether to laugh or to cry! =|
this silly little rubber thing at the bottom of my crutches...
it looks like nothing, just a little rubber thing...
like a shoe for my crutches...
but whoever could fathom such an important role for it!
i used to figure that yeah...it gave me more traction,
helped me to navigate water and muddy situations better...
well...today...the little rubber shoe tore...
and i was thinking how it looked so funny!
just a show with holes! had some "character" woo! =P
then...just after that...
when i started to move around...
i realised that metal on floor contact...
makes tons of grinding noises...
scratches on the floor...
and worst of all...that crutch slides every which way...
never fell/threatened to fall so many times in sucha short time...
sigh...so now, the toilet is my greatest threat since it's wet and all
and i dunno if my family can find the rubber thing now,
shops close in afew mins...but hopefully we can find it!
this silly little rubber thing at the bottom of my crutches...
it looks like nothing, just a little rubber thing...
like a shoe for my crutches...
but whoever could fathom such an important role for it!
i used to figure that yeah...it gave me more traction,
helped me to navigate water and muddy situations better...
well...today...the little rubber shoe tore...
and i was thinking how it looked so funny!
just a show with holes! had some "character" woo! =P
then...just after that...
when i started to move around...
i realised that metal on floor contact...
makes tons of grinding noises...
scratches on the floor...
and worst of all...that crutch slides every which way...
never fell/threatened to fall so many times in sucha short time...
sigh...so now, the toilet is my greatest threat since it's wet and all
and i dunno if my family can find the rubber thing now,
shops close in afew mins...but hopefully we can find it!
God...HELP!!!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Youthphoria history...
Hearing from Wendy last week...
then Rufus...i think i should also share...
before history gets forgotten...
But i don't know where to start...
then Rufus...i think i should also share...
before history gets forgotten...
But i don't know where to start...
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Standards
Was in a ponder moment earlier...
then i saw a quote that really gave me pause...
And as i thought about it,
the unmistakeable plea of something deeper emerged...
So often, we have a certain measure,
a standard that we have, hidden, unconscious even,
but it is there within us...
We want certain things...
friends of a certain kind (funny, good-looking etc)
things that are special, unique, individual,
Deep within, we hide an inner complex...
wanting to be superior, smarter, better,
pride, selfishness and other things hide within...
do you even know what is within you?
Alot of times, we don't...
because we are able to deny it easily...
However, what we cannot ignore is this...
We have a certain standard, a way to "measure",
now...where did that ever come from?
And why is it there?
I love the way God convicts and moves...
And today i have one simple thought,
one that i hope will help illuminate the rest of the thought...
This world says we must have a certain standard of living...
it leads us to want to acquire more, have the best things,
and when we cannot, it leads to a desirous lust of the eyes,
sometimes even to a deadly green-eyed envy...
However God has never asked nor measured us any such way...
Instead of a standard of living...I think God would ask us...
How is your standard of Giving?
If the God of the universe, started creation by an act of Giving...
Giving us light, water, trees, animals, life...
and if He crowned creation by creating Man,
then isn't giving supposed to be deeply ingrained in us?
Sadly...it isn't...
But God had a final, supreme act of Love...
When He GAVE His son, Jesus Christ as the atonement for sin,
In this ultimate act of giving, God redeemed us fully...
Now...this free gift is laid on us...to give...
When our eyes are set on the wrong things,
we can completely & totally miss the point...
but if we know the abundance & the gift that we have,
then we also know God, who gives us all that we need,
and He is a God who can be trusted to give richly...=)
then i saw a quote that really gave me pause...
And as i thought about it,
the unmistakeable plea of something deeper emerged...
So often, we have a certain measure,
a standard that we have, hidden, unconscious even,
but it is there within us...
We want certain things...
friends of a certain kind (funny, good-looking etc)
things that are special, unique, individual,
Deep within, we hide an inner complex...
wanting to be superior, smarter, better,
pride, selfishness and other things hide within...
do you even know what is within you?
Alot of times, we don't...
because we are able to deny it easily...
However, what we cannot ignore is this...
We have a certain standard, a way to "measure",
now...where did that ever come from?
And why is it there?
I love the way God convicts and moves...
And today i have one simple thought,
one that i hope will help illuminate the rest of the thought...
This world says we must have a certain standard of living...
it leads us to want to acquire more, have the best things,
and when we cannot, it leads to a desirous lust of the eyes,
sometimes even to a deadly green-eyed envy...
However God has never asked nor measured us any such way...
Instead of a standard of living...I think God would ask us...
How is your standard of Giving?
If the God of the universe, started creation by an act of Giving...
Giving us light, water, trees, animals, life...
and if He crowned creation by creating Man,
then isn't giving supposed to be deeply ingrained in us?
Sadly...it isn't...
But God had a final, supreme act of Love...
When He GAVE His son, Jesus Christ as the atonement for sin,
In this ultimate act of giving, God redeemed us fully...
Now...this free gift is laid on us...to give...
When our eyes are set on the wrong things,
we can completely & totally miss the point...
but if we know the abundance & the gift that we have,
then we also know God, who gives us all that we need,
and He is a God who can be trusted to give richly...=)
i'm learning that...
The greatest gifts we can ever give...
are the free ones...
Love, Time, words, effort
Free gifts...but immensely costly, & hard
& maybe the beauty is captured...
in the way that God made this...
So that no one can have an excuse...
I never had this...i never had that...
We have ALL been given a heart to love,
& the same 24 hours each day,
an ability to talk, write, paint, create, or just be there
and people with whom to bless them with...
Is your standard of living more important
than your standard of giving?
How are we giving with all that we have?
The greatest gifts we can ever give...
are the free ones...
Love, Time, words, effort
Free gifts...but immensely costly, & hard
& maybe the beauty is captured...
in the way that God made this...
So that no one can have an excuse...
I never had this...i never had that...
We have ALL been given a heart to love,
& the same 24 hours each day,
an ability to talk, write, paint, create, or just be there
and people with whom to bless them with...
Is your standard of living more important
than your standard of giving?
How are we giving with all that we have?
somedayswonder
racked with a splitting headache,
& another wrenching -ache,
One of a physical nature, beyond control
the other of cheap words & badly broken promises
Congruency, a long obedience...
the same-old, same-old...
seems to hold no value for a microwave age,
on-demand fun, a roving eye for the next thrill
like a ball out of left field...
sudden gut shots hurt the most
little twitches that used to not matter,
suddenly become amplified, snowballed...
If we look for the tangible, we get the tangible,
if we look for the intangible, we see gold...or sometimes...none
What obscures what? White covers black? or Black over white?
You say there is no answer? I say there is...
From a relativistic view, nothing is certain...
then, to even make such a statement debunks itself.
We live by laws beyond our control...
gravity, electromagnetic fields, light, sound...
Darkness can only exist because the Light isn't present,
So in any situation, Light, illumination is needed...
then darkness will simply have to flee...
Light beats back the darkness...
And that's true now too...
When we see, ignore the darkness, it is fleeting,
Look for God's light and fan that forth...
We are ALL made in God's image, everyone of us,
so there is none that is "more worthy"...
or one that is "more despised"...
Our measure is Love...
and we are all Loved by the King...
some just know it better than others.
And those who know it better...have a responsibility...
a responsibility NOT to hoard it,
but to demonstrate that gift to others,
to show it...to draw others out of the darkness,
to show the world what true Light looks like.
& another wrenching -ache,
One of a physical nature, beyond control
the other of cheap words & badly broken promises
Congruency, a long obedience...
the same-old, same-old...
seems to hold no value for a microwave age,
on-demand fun, a roving eye for the next thrill
like a ball out of left field...
sudden gut shots hurt the most
little twitches that used to not matter,
suddenly become amplified, snowballed...
If we look for the tangible, we get the tangible,
if we look for the intangible, we see gold...or sometimes...none
What obscures what? White covers black? or Black over white?
You say there is no answer? I say there is...
From a relativistic view, nothing is certain...
then, to even make such a statement debunks itself.
We live by laws beyond our control...
gravity, electromagnetic fields, light, sound...
Darkness can only exist because the Light isn't present,
So in any situation, Light, illumination is needed...
then darkness will simply have to flee...
Light beats back the darkness...
And that's true now too...
When we see, ignore the darkness, it is fleeting,
Look for God's light and fan that forth...
We are ALL made in God's image, everyone of us,
so there is none that is "more worthy"...
or one that is "more despised"...
Our measure is Love...
and we are all Loved by the King...
some just know it better than others.
And those who know it better...have a responsibility...
a responsibility NOT to hoard it,
but to demonstrate that gift to others,
to show it...to draw others out of the darkness,
to show the world what true Light looks like.
somedaysiwonder...
isheavenreallylikeasweetmaplesyrupkiss?
isheavenreallylikeasweetmaplesyrupkiss?
Monday, February 14, 2011
broken & poured out
3 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head
Mark 14:3 (NASB)
22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is My body."23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.24 And He said to them, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Mark 14:22 (NASB)
Mark 14:3 (NASB)
22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is My body."23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.24 And He said to them, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Mark 14:22 (NASB)
This short passage in Mark 14 really spoke & challenged me today...the first is the lady who broke the alabaster jar of perfume, worth a years wages...she gave her BEST and her ALL as a gift...then it was Jesus later on, who broke the bread for the last supper...and He was showing us that He was going to GIVE us His all! wow...stunned and amazed at these 2 stories and the same pictures used...BROKE (Alabaster jar & bread)...POURED OUT (Perfume & blood of the covenant)...
And the other key words, both were COSTLY, and both were...GIFTS...wow...WoW...WOW!
And the other key words, both were COSTLY, and both were...GIFTS...wow...WoW...WOW!
To live a life that is BROKEN & POURED OUT
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Concise
I love it when things are broken down to it's simplest & truest form, when done succintly...it is plain wonderful!
It's easy to confuse fasting with a hunger strike,
to get God to do what you want.
Pray that God will empty YOU of all that is YOU,
and fill YOU with all that is HIM.
Simple, short, true...
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places
“If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
10 If you are generous with the hungry
to get God to do what you want.
Pray that God will empty YOU of all that is YOU,
and fill YOU with all that is HIM.
Simple, short, true...
Isaiah 58 (The Message)
5 Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?
6 “This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts...
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places
“If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
10 If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
11 I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones. (!!!!)
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
Was surprised by God this morning =)
Precisely because of this passage in Isaiah,
and especially verse 11 above! =D
Firm muscles & strong bones!! haha!
Truly God knows EXACTLY what i need,
exactly what I have been asking for...
and He put it into His LIVING WORD,
eons before I even knew i needed it...gosh...
The way that You Love is truly amazing God!
Precisely because of this passage in Isaiah,
and especially verse 11 above! =D
Firm muscles & strong bones!! haha!
Truly God knows EXACTLY what i need,
exactly what I have been asking for...
and He put it into His LIVING WORD,
eons before I even knew i needed it...gosh...
The way that You Love is truly amazing God!
What can i say but...I Love You Lord! =D
Thursday, February 10, 2011
the longest Psalm
Today...i read the longest Psalm in the Message version...
and once again, just by pure reading, things are striking me! =)
Want to just share the things that hit...
because this way...the word of God speaks for itself! =)
and once again, just by pure reading, things are striking me! =)
Want to just share the things that hit...
because this way...the word of God speaks for itself! =)
1 You’re blessed when you stay on course,
walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
2 You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
doing your best to find him.
3 That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;
you walk straight along the road he set.
4 You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
now you expect us to live it.
5 Oh, that my steps might be steady,
keeping to the course you set;
6 Then I’d never have any regrets
in comparing my life with your counsel.
20 My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!—
insatiable for your nourishing commands.
walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
2 You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
doing your best to find him.
3 That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;
you walk straight along the road he set.
4 You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
now you expect us to live it.
5 Oh, that my steps might be steady,
keeping to the course you set;
6 Then I’d never have any regrets
in comparing my life with your counsel.
12 Be blessed, God;
train me in your ways of wise living.
13 I’ll transfer to my lips
all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
14 I delight far more in what you tell me about living
than in gathering a pile of riches.
15 I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
20 My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!—
insatiable for your nourishing commands.
32 I’ll run the course you lay out for me
if you’ll just show me how.
33 God, teach me lessons for living
so I can stay the course.
34 Give me insight so I can do what you tell me—
my whole life one long, obedient response.
41 Let your love, God, shape my life
with salvation, exactly as you promised;
42 Then I’ll be able to stand up to mockery
because I trusted your Word.
66 Train me in good common sense;
I’m thoroughly committed to living your way.
67 Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place,
but now I’m in step with your Word.
71 My troubles turned out all for the best—
they forced me to learn from your textbook.
72 Truth from your mouth means more to me
than striking it rich in a gold mine.
79 Let those who fear you turn to me
for evidence of your wise guidance.
80 And let me live whole and holy, soul and body,
so I can always walk with my head held high.
95 The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me,
but I’m only concerned with your plans for me.
96 I see the limits to everything human,
but the horizons can’t contain your commands!
97 Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed;
I reverently ponder it all the day long.
98 Your commands give me an edge on my enemies;
they never become obsolete.
99 I’ve even become smarter than my teachers
since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel.
100 I’ve become wiser than the wise old sages
simply by doing what you tell me.
101 I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil
so I can spend all my time keeping your Word.
102 I never make detours from the route you laid out;
you gave me such good directions.
103 Your words are so choice, so tasty;
I prefer them to the best home cooking.
104 With your instruction, I understand life;
that’s why I hate false propaganda.
105 By your words I can see where I’m going;
they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
106 I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back
from living by your righteous order.
Oh yes...today marks 1 month into recovery of this broken ankle!
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
because this speaks better!
5Meanwhile, all the other people live however they wish,
picking and choosing their gods.
But we live honoring God,
and we're loyal to our God forever and ever.
picking and choosing their gods.
But we live honoring God,
and we're loyal to our God forever and ever.
6-7"On that great day," God says,
"I will round up all the hurt and homeless,
everyone I have bruised or banished.
I will transform the battered into a company of the elite.
I will make a strong nation out of the long lost,
A showcase exhibit of God's rule in action,
as I rule from Mount Zion, from here to eternity.
Micah 4:5-7 (The Message)
I find myself at a loss for words...
the good sort of lost for words =)
Because, sometimes, we just are...
& it's best to be speechless before the King =)
He is the I AM
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