IN MY AFFLICTIONS

Beseeching for assured welfare ailing with discontentment stare cleaving to divine promises I treat as rare while earnestly wanting to share… My soul seeks God Who meets me with all His care! Gripped by angst of insecurity, sighing anxiously expressing complaints sorrowfully murmuring about unfairness grudgingly while questioning my state bitterly… My mind yields to God Who counsels me compassionately! Struggling against frustration succumbing to sinfulness’ oppression leaning toward welcoming desperation while craving for serene restoration… My heart clings to Who God grants me pardon’s sanctification! Cringing in difficulty mourning over self-inflicted calamity grieving because of worldliness-caused infirmity while yearning for His joy and tranquility… My spirit beseeches God Who helps me attain servanthood maturity! Afflicted* by guilt of fruitlessness’ blight so weary in persevering for triumphant flight magnified by seemingly worthless fight while wallowing in self-inflicted futility plight… My faith finds succor* in God Who upholds me with His might! *Psalm 140:12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. August 10, 2020 2nd place "INFLICTIONS" Poetry Contest

How do you view your body? message and verses excerpts from Derek Prince's sermon on same title..(link provided)

1 Thes.5: 23-24 (NKJV) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify[g] you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. Psalms 139:13-14 (NKJV) For You formed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works. Romans 12 New King James Version (NKJV) I beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. "what you do with your body will appropriate what God's will is in your life". 2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 1 Corinthians 6:19 New King James Version (NKJV) Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s Phil 3:18-21 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. 1 Cor 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. How should we care for our bodies Isaiah 55:2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Hosea 4:6 My people perish because of lack of knowledge

POSITIVE THINKING

Football coach Joe Paterno said that, and boy, did

he have it right. Nothing substitutes for positive thinking.

Nothing. It is more powerful than all the money, all the

influence, all the 'friends in high places' on earth.

You only need one friend in high places--and you already

have that. So go ahead, expect to get into the end zone.

You'll find that you do, 90% of the time.

DISCOVER YOUR PASSION

Want to help people discover their passion? To do that, John C.Maxwell's ask these questions:

• What do you sing about?
• What do you cry about?
• What do you dream about?

The first two questions speak to what touches you at a deep level today. The third answers what will bring you fulfillment tomorrow. The answers to these questions can often help people discover their true passion.
While everybody can possess passion, not everyone takes the time to discover it. And that’s a shame. Passion is fuel for the will. Passion turns your have-to’s into want-to’s. what we accomplish in life is based less on what we want and more on how much we want it. The secret to willpower is what someone once called wantpower. People who want something enough usually find the willpower to achieve it.
You can’t help people become winners unless they want to win. Champions become champions from within, not from without

Success: What it isn’t By John C Maxwell

The problem for most people who want to be successful is not that they can’t do it. The main obstacle for them is that they misunderstand success. Maltbie D. Babcock said, “One of the most common mistakes and one of the costliest is thinking that success is due to some genius, some magic, something or other which we do not possess.” If that’s not right, then what DOES it mean to be a success? What does it look like? First, let’s talk about what it DOESN’T look like: Many of us have a wrong picture of success. Frankly, the majority of people misunderstand it. They wrongly equate it with achievement of some sort, with arriving at a destination or attaining a goal. Here are several of the most common misconceptions about success: 1. Wealth: Probably the most common misunderstanding about success is that it’s the same as having money. A lot of people believe that if they accumulate wealth, they’ll be successful. But wealth does not bring contentment – or success. Industrialist John D. Rockefeller, a man so rich that he gave away over $350 million in his lifetime, was once asked how much money it would take to satisfy him. His reply: “Just a little bit more.” King Solomon of ancient Israel, said to be not only the wisest but also the richest man who ever lived, said, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” Even Greek millionaire Aristotle Onassis recognized that money isn’t the same as success. He said, “After you reach a certain point, money becomes unimportant. What matters is success.” 2. A Special Feeling. Another common misconception is that people have achieved success when they feel successful or happy. But trying to feel successful is probably even more difficult than trying to become wealthy. The continual search for happiness is one of the main reasons that so many people are miserable. If you make happiness your goal, you are almost certainly destined to fail. You will be on a continual roller coaster, changing from “successful” to “unsuccessful” with every mood change. Life is uncertain, and emotions aren’t stable. Happiness simply cannot be relied upon as a measure of success. 3. Possessing Something Specific and Worthwhile. Think back to when you were a kid. Chances are that there was a time when you wanted something really bad, and you believed that if you possessed that thing, it would make a significant difference in your life. When I was nine years old, it was a red and silver Schwinn bicycle. Back then, the thing to do in our neighborhood was to race around on our bikes. But I was riding an old hand-me-down bicycle, and I had trouble keeping up with the kids on newer bikes. But I figured that if I had that new Schwinn bike, I’d have it made. I’d have the newest, fastest, best-looking bike among all my friends, and I’d make them all eat my dust. On Christmas morning, I got my wish. And for a while it was great. I loved that bike, and I spent a lot of time riding it. But I eventually discovered that it didn’t bring me the success or long-term contentment that I’d hoped for and expected. That process has repeated itself in my life. Over the years, I found that success didn’t come as the result of possessing something I’d wanted. Possessions are at best a temporary fix. Success cannot be attained or measured that way. 4. Power. Charles McElroy once joked, “Power is usually recognized as an excellent short-term anti-depressant.” There’s a lot of truth to that statement, because power often gives the appearance of success, but even then, it’s only temporary. You’ve probably heard before the quote from English historian, Lord Acton: “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Abraham Lincoln echoed that belief when he said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Power really is a test of character. In the hands of a person of integrity, it is of great benefit; in the hands of a tyrant, it causes terrible destruction. By itself, power is neither positive or negative. Nor is it the source of security or success. Besides, all dictators eventually lose power – even benevolent ones. 5. Achievement. Many people have what I call “destination disease.” They believe that if they can arrive somewhere – attain a position, accomplish a goal, or have a relationship with the right person – they will be successful. At one time, I had a similar view of success: I defined it as the progressive realization of a predetermined worthwhile goal. But over time I realized that definition fell short of the mark. Simply achieving goals doesn’t guarantee success or contentment. Look at what happened with Michael Jordan. In 1993, he decided to retire from basketball, saying that he had accomplished all the goals he had wanted to achieve. And then he went on to play baseball in the minor leagues – but not for long. He couldn’t stay away from the game of basketball. He played again from 1995 to 1999. Then he retired again – for a couple seasons. He played his final seasons 2001-2003. Playing the game was the thing. Being in the midst of the process. You see, success isn’t a list of goals to be checked off one after another. It’s not reaching a destination. Success is a journey.

How to know you’re out in front By John C Maxwell

When You Get Kicked in the Rear,
You Know You’re Out in Front

Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “Criticism is something you can avoid easily—by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” Obviously, that isn’t an option for anyone who wants to be successful as a leader.

Good leaders are active, and their actions often put them out front. That often draws criticism. When spectators watch a race, where do they focus their attention? On the front-runners! People watch their every action—and often criticize.

Since criticism is a part of leadership, you need to learn how to handle it constructively. The following has helped me to deal with criticism, so I pass it on to you.

Know yourself.

Do you really know yourself? Are you aware of your weaknesses as well as your strengths? Where do you fall short as a person and leader? Not sure what your weaknesses are? Ask five trustworthy people close to you. They’ll be able to tell you where you come up short.

Know the criticism – and the critics.

When you receive criticism, how do you tell if it’s constructive or destructive? (Some say constructive criticism is when I criticize you, but destructive criticism is when you criticize me!) Here are the questions I ask to get to determine what kind of criticism it is:
■Who criticized me? Adverse criticism from a wise person is more to be desired than the enthusiastic approval of a fool. The source often matters.
■How was it given? I try to discern whether the person was being judgmental or whether he gave me the benefit of the doubt and spoke with kindness.
■Why was it given? Was it given out of a personal hurt or for my benefit? Hurting people hurt people; they lash out or criticize to try to make themselves feel better, not to help the other person.

Stay open to change.

Let’s assume you now know yourself pretty well. You can tell when a criticism is way off-base; maybe it’s directed more at your position than at you. And you know when a criticism is 100% legitimate because it’s about a weakness that you’ve already discovered.

But what about the gray areas? The criticisms that might hold a grain of truth? A good leader stays open to improvement by:
■Not being defensive,
■Looking for the helpful grain of truth,
■Making the necessary changes, and
■Taking the high road.

Accept yourself.

Jonas Salk, developer of the Salk polio vaccine, had many critics in spite of his incredible contribution to medicine. Of criticism, he observed, “First people will tell you that you are wrong. Then they will tell you that you are right, but what you’re doing really isn’t important. Finally, they will admit that you are right and that what you are doing is very important; but after all, they knew it all the time.”

How do leaders who are out front handle this kind of fickle response from others?



The Serenity Prayer, made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs, gives direction in this area:

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

If you have endeavored to know yourself, and have worked hard to change yourself, then what more can you do?

Forget yourself.

The final step in the process of effectively handling criticism is to stop focusing on yourself. Secure people forget about themselves so they can focus on others. By doing this, they can face nearly any kind of criticism—and even serve the critic.

I try to live out a sentiment expressed by Parkenham Beatty, who advised, “By your own soul learn to live. And if men thwart you, take no heed. If men hate you, have no care: Sing your song, dream your dream, hope your hope and pray your prayer.”

As leaders, we must always be serious about our responsibilities, but it isn’t healthy for us to take ourselves too seriously. A Chinese proverb says, “Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves. They shall never cease to be entertained.”

***

My friend Joyce Meyer observes, “God will help you be all you can be, but He will never let you be successful at becoming someone else.” We can’t do more than try to be all that we can be. If we do that as leaders, we will give others our best, and we will sometimes takes hits from others. But that’s okay. That is the price for being out front.

INSPIRATIONAL SAYINGS

"Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict."

~William E. Channing~




"It is surmounting difficulties that makes heroes."

~Louis Kossuth~




~Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are.~

~Bernice Johnson Reagon~




"Men take only their needs into consideration, never their abilities."

~Napoleon Bonaparte~




"We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible."

~C. Malesherbes~




"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

~Dale Carnegie~




"If not us, who? If not now, when?"

~Kennedy, John F.~




"Never be satisfied with what you achieve, because it all pales in comparison with what you are capable of doing in the future."

~Rabbi Nochem Kaplan~




"All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them."

~Walt Disney~




"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow."

~James Dean~




"If you're going to be thinking, you may as well think big."

~Donald Trump~




"Where there's a will there's a way."

~English Proverb~




"If you really want something, you can figure out how to make it happen."

~Cher~




"A determined person will do more with a pen and paper, than a lazy person will accomplish with a personal computer."

~Catherine Pulsifer~




"So long as there is breath in me, that long I will persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles on success; if I persist long enough I will win."

~Og Mandino~




"We will either find a way, or make one!"

~Hannibal~




"You have a very powerful mind that can make anything happen as long as you keep yourself centered."

~Dr. Wayne W. Dyer~




"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything."

~Napoleon Hill~




"Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~




"Happiness is the only good. The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so."

~Robert G. Ingersoll~




"Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see bird that had the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses."

~Dale Carnegie~




"You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need."

~Vernon Howard~




"Real happiness comes from inside. Nobody can give it to you."

~Sharon Stone~




"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."

~John Quincy Adams~




"That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well."

~Abraham Lincoln~




"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

~Thomas Edison~




"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

~Winston Churchill~




"When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters—one represents danger, and the other represents opportunity."

~John F. Kennedy~




"He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else."

~Benjamin Franklin~




"Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses."

~George W. Carver~




"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

~Mark Twain~

Why Not You?

Why Not You?
Author Unknown


Today, many will awaken with a fresh sense of inspiration. Why not you?


Today, many will open their eyes to the beauty that surrounds them. Why not you?


Today, many will choose to leave the ghost of yesterday behind and seize the immeasurable power of today. Why not you?


Today, many will break through the barriers of the past by looking at the blessings of the present. Why not you?


Today, for many the burden of self doubt and insecurity will be lifted by the security and confidence of empowerment. Why not you?


Today, many will rise above their believed limitations and make contact with their powerful innate strength. Why not you?


Today, many will choose to live in such a manner that they will be a positive role model for their children. Why not you?


Today, many will choose to free themselves from the personal imprisonment of their bad habits. Why not you?


Today, many will choose to live free of conditions and rules governing their own happiness. Why not you?


Today, many will find abundance in simplicity. Why not you?


Today, many will be confronted by difficult moral choices and they will choose to do what is right instead of what is beneficial. Why not you?


Today, many will decide to no longer sit back with a victim mentality, but to take charge of their lives and make positive changes. Why not you?


Today, many will take the action necessary to make a difference. Why not you?


Today, many will make the commitment to be a better mother, father, son, daughter, student, teacher, worker, boss, brother, sister, & so much more. Why not you?


Today is a new day!
Many will seize this day.
Many will live it to the fullest.
Why not you?

Start Where You Stand

Start where you stand and never mind the past,
The past won't help you in beginning new,
If you have left it all behind at last
Why, that's enough, you're done with it, you're through;
This is another chapter in the book,
This is another race that you have planned,
Don't give the vanished days a backward look,
Start where you stand.



The world won't care about your old defeats
If you can start anew and win success;
The future is your time, and time is fleet
And there is much of work and strain and stress;
Forget the buried woes and dead despairs,
Here is a brand-new trial right at hand,
The future is for him who does and dares,
Start where you stand.

The Vow

The Vow
By Malcolm O. Varner


No matter how deep the sadness or wide the pain,
I vow to live for a brighter day will come again.


No matter how many mistakes I’ve made in the past,
I vow to live and in the future avoid them, surefooted and fast.


No matter how many tragedies beyond my control take place,
I vow to live and stay my course within this race.


No matter how poor or rich I may ever be,
I vow to live and aspire to search for the dignity in simplicity.


No matter how much a lover may pierce the inner core of my heart,
I vow to live for like spring I’ll get a new start.


No matter how isolated and alone I may feel,
I vow to live and do something for someone else to heal.


No matter how hopeless my situation my appear,
I vow to live and reflect until my viewpoint is clear.


No matter what happens in this life – good or bad
I vow to live, do my best, and just for living – be glad.

Just One...One of it

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.


One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal


One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.


One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.


One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,


One life can make a difference,
You see, it's up to you

The days gone by...

I miss the old days
When mom and pops would ride off to work and the house was ours to own…
I miss the long afternoons with nothing to do and no bills to pay
The mystery of love that twirled loosely in my young heart
I miss the sincerity of the ink letters that tore my virgin emotions lose
I miss the suspense that came with thinking if she would ever notice and write back…
I miss the dark nights where I took count of the starry velvet sky
Wishing intimately to myself of the day we would ride our magic carpet up on High
I miss the times we would gather and picnics we the in thing
I miss dancing in the rain; Watering the rose flowers in our mini-garden;playing shake in the courtyard
I miss the way I would record her a cassette tape full of songs she loved..from the radio..lol!
Yeah; it was either sundowner or late date that caught my fancy
I miss her shy smile and walking her home..no cars, no gadgets ;just we
I remember the long walk would go to and fro a dozen times; who didn’t do this?
I miss stealing the kiss just outside her home then suddenly someone came opening…busted!
I miss fumbling over my words..and saying nothing but gibberish
I miss that she really sympathized and gave me a second chance..
I miss saying “” I love you..and she saying “I love you too”!Like we knew what love was..
I miss the innocence of having to buy her a penny’s worth of goody goody…
Because frankly I did not have any money and she totally loved it!
I miss watching rythmix on Friday evenings and serenade her the blues
I miss the joy of sleep overs with pals and playing cards like we didn’t have a care in the world..
I miss the long strolls at aboretum park down the sunset lane..collectin’ souvenir pebbles
I miss the rain soaked windows, candle lit hot chocolate over a romantic movie..with her
I miss the days of call box and hoping my coins would last me through the convo…
I miss looking into her eyes; promising her the sun, moon and the whole galaxy; holding her hand..Wishing forever
I wouldn’t know what became of her now but it made teenhood all the worthwhile..
I do miss these and more..But ..
Though I treasure those moments; I live for the present because I’m jazz, I’m a hopeless romantic but ‘tleast I’m a keeper!


(c) jazzkuria

Greatness cannot be locked up By John C Maxwell

Hello from Harare, Zimbabwe! For the past few days, I’ve been speaking on leadership in cities in Zimbabwe and South Africa. It’s been a wonderful trip, with audiences hungry to grow. And I’m grateful to my host, Dr. David Molapo. He’s taken care of every detail.

But today I want to tell you about something else I’m grateful for. In Cape Town, South Africa, I received a very meaningful gift from my friend Shaun Battleman: a visit and private tour of Robben Island.

If you haven’t heard of Robben Island and the prison that used to be there, you might have heard of one of its more famous prisoners: Nelson Mandela. You might also be familiar with this picture of him in his jail cell, where he spent 27 years of his life for the “crime” of protesting South Africa’s policy of apartheid.

On a sunny spring day in Cape Town, we boarded Shaun Battleman’s yacht and traveled over to Robben Island. After disembarking, we were taken on a private tour of the facility (which is now a museum). Our tour guide, Jama, had been imprisoned there at the same time as Mandela.

Once we entered the former prison, the doors were slammed shut – to give us a sense of what it felt like to be locked in. We saw the area where prisoners were issued a number and lost the use of their name, along with the censor’s office, where news from loved ones was literally cut out of letters.

Most significantly, we visited Nelson Mandela’s cell – the one in the picture above. Here’s another photo that shows more of the interior.

The furnishings consisted of a bucket, a stool, and a “bed” that was really just a mat on the floor. Jama allowed me to unlock the cell door and enter the space that had been “home” to Mandela for so long. First, I lay down on the mat – it was very uncomfortable, as you might imagine. Then I looked out the cell window onto the prison yard, just like Mandela did in the first photo. And I was overcome with emotion, inspired by Nelson Mandela’s courage and commitment. For you see, he never stopped fighting apartheid, even while imprisoned.

He and fellow prisoners, who were not allowed to interact, met in the one place in the whole prison where the guards left them alone: the cave that they had to use as a toilet. Because of the smell of the cave, the guards would not go in. So it was there that Mandela and his fellow prisoners discussed the future of South Africa.

Released in 1990 after the dismantling of the system of segregation, Mandela went on to serve as first president of the new South Africa from 1994 to 1999. And after retiring, he continued to serve his people. He’s now 93 years old, and one of the leaders that I admire most who I haven’t been able to meet. We had an appointment set up last year, but Mr. Mandela had a health problem that forced us to cancel. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to meet him, but I can tell you the lessons I’ve learned from him. This is what I took away from my visit to his prison:

* Our surroundings need not control our spirit.
* People who devalue us do not determine our value.
* Dreams can be birthed during the daily grind.
* Out of our brokenness, we can be made whole and bring healing to others.

A writer in the Bible’s book of Proverbs wrote, “A man’s gift makes room for him.” Nelson Mandela had no room in his cell, but his gift could not be contained. In time, his gift made room for him to lead and bless his country.
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STILL I RISE

"Of the greats that have inspired me, Maya Angelou has been among them. She is Grace personified and her poems are nothing short of genius...here's one of them.Enjoy and God Bless" ...Jazz

STILL I RISE
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.


Maya Angelou

HEATHER HEADLEY'S "I WISH" - AUDIENCE OF ONE

I'd give you the moon But you'd never the warmth of the sunshine I'd give you the world But exactly what would that do?
I'd promise you wings to fly But how would you ever learn to run? So I wish you all you need to be than I could be This is what I wish for you
I wish you rainy days So you can know the beauty of a clear blue sky I wish you falling leaves So you understand that seasons change
And if I gave you the mountains would you learn to climb? I pray you'll always see the forest through the trees This is what I wish for you This is what I wish for you
If I could I'd say the word And chase your fears away And I'd stay right by your side And point the way that you should take
But this is your life This is your story And when all is done and said Say you lived with no regret
I wish you ocean breeze And rivers that bring you everything you need I wish the air you breathe Is all that you'll ever need
And I wish you nights of love And days of joy and shoulders when you cry And just enough hellos to get you through goodbye This is what I wish for you
I pray one day you'll have a home With arms that open wide And you'll have someone who loves you Always by your side
And when you lose your will to try I wish you wings to fly, I wish you wings to fly I wish you everything you need This is what I wish for you, this is what I wish for you

SONGS FROM HEAVEN

Where golden light becomes the red,
And red becomes the white,
Burning with the zeal of love,
A land devoid of night,
Powering the universe
From star to distant star;
Consume the dross, O Ancient One,
Let no aberrance mar
All that belongs to You alone,
Created by Your word;
All that is seen and understood,
All hidden and unheard.
Consume the sin, O Ancient One,
Consign it to the night;
For us there’s oneness with our God,
The Everlasting Light.
No shadow dare exalt itself,
No darkness dare display,
Where God Eternal rules and reigns
The land of endless day.
Praise Him, all you heavenly host,
Praise Him, Sons of men.
Turn your faces toward the Son,
God’s “Yea” and His “Amen.”
Every little seam,
Every little seam
Sewn with the thread of life;
Every little seam
Joins the living stream
Flowing to the river of life
Let my life extol the living God,
The Father of all light.
From the ends of the earth through the universe,
Extol His mercy and might.
Forever is not long enough
To praise His glorious name,
The forever of forever
To shout His glory and fame.
O celestial court, throw down your crowns
‘Neath the ruler of the earth.
Living creatures, sing your songs
To the King of the universe.
o joy unspeakable, joy foretold,
Ever new and ever old,
Before the Father’s throne be bold
To lift your songs of praise
Angels in their glory
Can never touch the flame,
The fire, pure incandescence,
That burns within Your name.
Let them gaze in wonder,
In awe, as they proclaim:
“Holy God, though ever new,
Eternally the same.”
Frightened, frozen, fettered.
Those who seek to fight,
Numbed and gnawed and naked,
Those who choose the night.
But we are covered by His love,
Beneath His banner stand,
Hidden in the Rock above,
Sheltered by His hand.
Angels in their glory
Can never touch the flame,
The fire, pure incandescence,
That burns within Your name.
Let them gaze in wonder,
In awe, as they proclaim:
“Holy God, though ever new,
Eternally the same.”
Praise You beyond the highest heaven.
Praise You beyond the lowest depth.
Praise You for Your loving presence.
Praise You for Your judgments blest.
Praise You, sun and moon together.
Praise You, whirling wheels and stars.
Praise You, angel chorus sounding.
Praise You near and praise afar.
Children sing Your praises, Father.
Maidens praise You, holy Son.
Holy Spirit, we adore You.
Finish now what You have begun.
Started long ago, hallelujah,
When together we did sing,
Blessed Father, Son, and Spirit,
To You, O God, our praise we bring.
Praise Your holy name, hallelujah,
Praise Your holy name, hallelujah,
Praise Your holy name.
The Holy Spirit’s Song
Let the brush of angels’ wings
Never blind the eyes
Of those who see beyond the veil
To gaze at paradise.
Gaze on, gaze on past the golden rim,
Gaze on past streets of gold,
Gaze on past all created things
To the new One, ever old.
Ever old and ever new,
Ancient of Days is He.
Infinity within His hands,
Light eternally.
Compassionate God, He who is good,
Compassionate God of might,
Life as a river flows from Your throne
To those who turn from night.
Let the cherubim in awe,
The seraphim in praise,
As those who see beyond the veil,
Upon Him ever gaze.
Gaze on, gaze on past the golden rim,
Gaze on past streets of gold,
Gaze on past all created things
To the new One, ever old.

Adapted from "anna roundtree's" Heavens opened book.

(c) jazzkuria

CLOUDS.WINDS.STARS

Friends,

I found the following an interesting read:

“For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does for the church.” Eph. 5:29


Love him boldly, not with the corners of your eyes. Let her not see in the stars a wish….let the stars see in her a mate.



Lying on her back, fingers from the left and the right hands converged behind the rear of her head to give a pillow effect. She watched as the stars happily twinkled. On a remote corner of the skies, the clouds seemed to feel left out, especially the grey and dark and black ones. Is that why they move right underneath the stars, clouding them out to claim some attention too? For if they were at all mindful of the stars and their glitter they would consider a highway above the stars for their aimless journey. Or is it the wind speaking to the stars, “If you do not grant me the honor I’m due I’ll huff a stubborn cloud curtain to obscure your glitter into a lifetime of night!”


“Stop looking into space and pay attention to your soul!” she summoned herself to concentration. She was here to search her soul – and now she was searching the skies. But the more she approached her inside the more she was drawn to the outside. Closing her eyes and opening them was one and the same thing – she felt torched from within as she felt illuminated from the outside. Something far out seemed to rhyme with her deep down. As she searched her heart with her thoughts, the random yet ordered dance of the wind, the clouds and the stars too took her through the paces. What happens when frowns take to the floor to dance with smiles? What do you call this dance? She saw as she had felt, admiration so hastily despising. She had felt as she was seeing, hate turning to so intensely loving. Collaboration and conspiracy intertwined as if conspiracy was a kind of collaboration and collaboration a type of conspiracy. The dance she was feeling inside, her eyes were observing outside.



There is nothing like the village sky. It has this inviting power that cranes your neck towards it. Not so in the city. What with all the people who are out to snatch your bag? Dare to look up and the bag in your hand is gone, snatched by one who is tantalized not by twinkling skies but by slinging handbags. So for the love of our bags we drill our eyes into all faces intentionally labeling them all suspect. There are those who walk with the gait of the owners of the city zealously dodging faces choosing instead to gaze into the tunnels between necks. They dodge not because they are shy, but because they fake disinterest and pretend to spit all faces out of their eyes. Their eyes focus on the spaces between the faces, but their minds are face to face with you. They accord you a subordinate corner-of-the-eye view. But like the eyes of an anxious chameleon their minds turn you over and over with admiration.


Clouds. Winds. Stars. Dance. Dance well. Dance carefully. Let the cloudy move not be to mock her step, but to shield her from hurt. Let the wind that is your breath whisper the loudness of his worth. Love him boldly, not with the corners of your eyes. Let her not see in the stars a wish….let the stars see in her a mate.




Pastor Buri E.

"Disappointment with God"

one of my first books to read.. and what a revelation i got.here's the excerpt and Phillip words himself describing his book. If you must know, this is a must have and I highly recommend it.

Biography
Philip Yancey is an author and an editor-at-large for Christianity Today magazine. His articles have appeared in scores of magazines, including Reader's Digest and The Saturday Evening Post. He has written the book Where Is God When It Hurts? and co-edited The Student Bible. With Dr. Paul Brand he wrote Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and its companion, In His Image. All four of these books won Gold Medallion Awards. His newest book is Disappointment With God. [Biographical information is correct as of the broadcast date noted above.]

We encourage you to purchase Philip Yancey's books through Amazon.Com
which will donate 15% of the purchase price back to the Chicago Sunday Evening Club
and 30 Good Minutes.

"Disappointment with God"
Have you ever been disappointed with God? It's hard to admit, I know. It seems somehow wrong. Yet after I wrote the book, Disappointment with God, a little over a year ago, I started getting letters, all kinds of letters from all kinds of people. Each of them told me in a different way, "I've been disappointed with God." It's a common experience, almost universal, among Christians. Many of them went on to tell me their stories. Some became disappointed with God because of a tragedy. The most common one was the loss of a child. At such a moment of pain they turn to God and say, "Why? Why would a loving Father allow something like this to happen to me?" Other people wrote and said, "There is no one specific thing on which I can pin down my feeling of disappointment, but the relationship I have with God sometimes seems very close and personal and other times He seems far away."

There is a bumper sticker I have sometimes seen in church parking lots. It says, "If you feel far from God, guess who moved?" Some of these people said to me it seemed like God moved. Disappointment with God. If you have ever felt that, I start with an encouraging word. The word is you're not alone. Not only have other Christians felt that same experience, but many of the people who wrote the Bible have experienced disappointment with God as well.

A lot of us turn to the Book of Psalm when we want comfort. If you really read those Psalms carefully, by my estimate about a third of them are written by disappointed people. They will call God to task. They will say, "I thought we had a deal, God. Why are these bad things happening? I followed your will and yet I am surrounded by enemies. My life is caving in. It's not fair." They look around them and say, "This world is not fair. Wicked people seem to be prospering while righteous people like me are suffering. It's not so easy. Explain yourself, God." About a third of the Psalms have something of that tone.

It is not just in the Psalms. There are other books like Jeremiah and Habakkuk in which disappointment with God is a major theme. There is one book in the Bible, however, where it is right at the center. That book is the Book of Job. Bible scholars say that Job may be the first book written in the Bible, the oldest book. I find it interesting that when God set down the word He wanted us to know about Him, He began with one of the hardest questions of all.

A lot of you have read Scott Peck's best-selling book, The Road Less Traveled. The book starts with a three word sentence. It says, "Life is difficult." If I had to summarize the message of the book of Job, it would also be a three word sentence. That sentence is "Life is unfair." Poor Job. He reminds me of a character that the cartoonist Al Capp used to draw, a little man who had a thunder cloud over his head all the time. No matter where he went, it was always raining on him. That's how Job must have felt when his life started to fall apart.

It's not always big things that cause us to questions things like, "Is life unfair?" I find that often for me it I s the petty things - when my car won't get started. Maybe you have ten pounds you've been trying to lose for two years and you can never keep them off. For me as a writer, the most discouraging thing is when I work all day, or a couple of days, on an article and then through some computer foul up, I lose it and have to start all over. It's at moments like this that I start thinking life is unfair.

That is the experience that Job had, but he had it in the largest way imaginable. Job was a wealthy man. He had a large family, ten children. Yet in one day his wealth was destroyed, taken away from him. He lost all ten children. He lost his own health and poor Job sat there scratching himself with shards of pottery. All he had left was a wife and three friends. His wife sat in the corner and said, "Give up, Job. Curse God and die." She wasn't much help. The three friends sat around trying to prove to Job that it was his fault that he was suffering. They told him, "Job, God is punishing you because of something bad that you have done." Well, Job sat there. As the book goes on, together they all explore the question, is God unfair.

When I got to the portion of Disappointment with God that dealt with the Book of Job, I decided to look around me and find the person I knew who was most like Job. I found such a person. He was a righteous man in the same sense that Job was righteous. He was a good man. He had been trained as a psychotherapist, but he gave up a lucrative practice and started to work in the inner-city among poor people. Yet after he did that, his life started to fall apart as well. The first thing that happened was that his wife came down with a case of breast cancer. She started taking chemotherapy treatments and that affected his whole family. She was always tired and often felt sick. Douglas, the man's name, had to pick up a lot of work around the house. The spot of cancer spread and appeared on her lungs. Her life was seriously threatened and a new series of treatment started.

Douglas had to deal with that new situation. In the middle of his pain and in the middle of the suffering of their family, they were involved in a serious traffic accident. They weren't doing anything wrong; they were driving down a road. A drunken driver crossed the median, and smashed into their car head on. Douglas's twelve-year-old daughter went through the windshield and was badly lacerated in the face. His wife was also hurt. The worst injuries were to Douglas himself. Douglas hit his head on the dashboard. First, he had trouble with his vision. One of his eyes wouldn't cooperate and he saw double. He couldn't even walk down a set of stairs without stumbling. The worst thing to him was that he could no longer read. Douglas loved to read. I knew Douglas. I knew his story.

When I started to write about the Book of Job, I decided to interview Douglas. I called him up and scheduled an appointment. We met for breakfast. He told me some of the story. We sat and chatted for a while. After breakfast had been served I said, "Well, Douglas, I'm writing a book about disappointment with God. I thought of all the people I know you have the right to be disappointed with God, you're right at the top of the list. Tell me, what would you say to people who are disappointed with God?" Douglas thought for a minute and stroked his beard. Finally he looked at me and said, "You know, Philip, I don't think I've ever been disappointed with God." This was a great shock to me. I was amazed. I had specifically chosen Douglas because I thought of all the people I knew, he was the one most likely to be disappointed, even angry at God, because of the unfairness he had seen.

I asked, "How can this be?"

He said to me, "You know, Philip, I learned a long time ago and especially through this accident not to confuse God with life. Is life unfair? You bet. My life has been unfair. What has happened to my wife, what has happened to my daughter, what has happened to me, it's unfair. But I think God feels exactly the same way. I think He is grieved and hurt by what that drunk driver did as much as I am. Don't confuse God with life." He said, "As I read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, I notice that those people were able to separate the physical reality of their lives from the spiritual reality of their relationship with God."

As we sat there together, we went through some of those people. We turned to a passage, for example, in Ezekiel where God tells about three of His very favorite people: Daniel, Noah and Job. Think about those three people. One of them spent the night with a bunch of lions; one of them lived through a huge flood that killed thousands of people and then, of course, there's Job, the greatest example of unfairness in the Bible. Yet when God looks at those people, He says these are three of my favorites.

All three of them—Daniel, Noah, Job—and many others—Abraham, David, who wrote some of the Psalms—learned to have a relationship with God that didn't depend on how healthy they were and how well their lives were going.

A Jewish theologian named Abraham Heschel once said of the Book of Job, "Job gained a faith that could never be shaken because he got it out of having been shaken." That's the kind of faith that these people seemed to have.

We sat there together going through so many of these stories from the Bible. Suddenly Douglas glanced down at his watch and said, "I've got to go. I'll leave you with one last thought and that's this. If you are ever tempted to confuse God with life, go back and. read the story of Jesus, the story of God on Earth. Ask yourself how Jesus would have answered the question, is life unfair." Just before he left Douglas said, "For me, the cross of Christ demolished for all time the idea that life is supposed to be fair."

I took Douglas' challenge. I went home and read the Gospels and I asked myself how Jesus would respond to that question, is life unfair? When Jesus was with a poor person or a sick person, He never said, "Well, that's your lot in life. You have got to accept it." He changed it. He healed that person.

When Jesus had a friend who died, He responded much like we do. He cried. He grieved. When Jesus faced pain and possible death, He was afraid, as you or I would be.

The guest last week on this program was Henri Nouwen. He tells a moving story from the country of Paraguay. It is about a doctor who cared very much for the poor people in his little village. He would often treat them free of charge. But others—the authorities, the police, the government in the village—didn't like him. They didn't like his politics. They thought he was stirring up foment among the poor people. He was too popular for them to take on, so instead they kidnaped his son. They took his son, arrested him, put him in a jail and tortured him. They tortured him too much and the son died.

When news of the son's death spread throughout the village, they wanted to hold a huge demonstration march. They wanted to carry his body through the village and demonstrate to the media, to the newspapers, what had gone on. But, the father said, "No, I don't want to do that. I just want a funeral in the church here in the village. We will show in our own way."

When people arrived for the funeral, they had a surprise in store. The father had taken the body of the son just as he had found it in the prison cell on a blood-soaked, dirty mattress. Instead of being all dressed up in a nice suit in an expensive coffin, the corpse in that little village was naked, lying on this mattress covered with scars. It was the strongest protest imaginable. What that father did was put the injustices of his village on grotesque display.

Henri Nouwen goes on to ask, "Isn't that what God did at Calvary? He spread out for the whole world to see the injustice of this world. The cross in one minute showed what kind of world we have—a world of violence, a world of cruelty, a world of injustice, and what kind of God we have, a God of sacrificial love who gives Himself for us."

Is God unfair? It depends on how closely you relate God and life. I challenge you not to confuse God with life. The question "Is God unfair?" is very different than the question, "If life unfair?" No one was exempt from tragedy, pain, disappointment. Job wasn't. The other people in the Old Testament were not. Even God himself, when He came to earth, was not exempt from unfairness, from pain, from tragedy.

The story of the Gospel does not end there. If you want to find some disappointed people, read the stories of the disciples who were around Jesus when He died. They had waited and followed

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

May 23rd 2011 has to go down as my breakthrough day as I was was privileged to encounter my “eureka” moment on God’s Love for me, actually All of us, in such a wonderful way. A perspective of God’s AMAZING, EVERLASTING LOVE that was hitherto unbeknownst to me. Friends, I will try and make this as brief as possible to enable a quick understanding.

1 john 4:15 – 21 will be my focal reference bible verses.

John was one of Jesus’ disciples and in his Gospel of John, he often referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and I always imagined John being overtly showboating in his expression as to insinuate that Jesus loved him specially more than the rest of the disciple but upon reading more of his writings in 1st and 2nd john , I realized that he had come to a certain truth while being with Jesus; and that was God’s unconditional Love to us! NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS!
It is John who wrote that memorable redemptive verse (john 3:16) to impress upon us God’s Love for us through Jesus Christ.

Prior to the coming of the Messiah, we were under the Law of Moses and the prophets, which was summed up in one sentence .Luke 22.37 – 40. And since Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets, He became it and thus instead of living under the law to please, serve and Love God, which we always fell short, we got the way, the truth and the life in believing in Jesus as our savior’s such John continues to emphasize on john 3:36 since by not believing in Jesus, we tell God that we are still under the Law.
Now in 1st john 4 : from verse 7 John helps us know that it is not in our own love towards God that we can please God but the inverse, God’s Love for us enables us to Love God and thus Please God. Wow!!!!Triple Wow!!!! Imagine that; verse 19:” We love because He first Loved us” and by understanding this Love that God grants all those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, we make a statement to God that we accept His Love , and thus are no longer living in fear but in Love.
In doing so, in understanding God’s Love towards us, we are able to love our brothers; Summing up the law and the prophets as Jesus said – We Love God through believing in Jesus Christ and through His Love , we Love our neighbors’ and we love ourselves.
Apostle Paul understood this Love that God had lavished on us when he wrote in Romans 13: 8 – 10 and also Romans.
When I fully grasped this, I was in awe. Awe of God’s Love to me and I am overwhelmed.

God bless

GIDEON AND THE GOLDEN EPHOD

Gideon’s golden ephod seems to have been a good idea gone bad. After a striking, against-all-odds victory over the Midianites, Gideon turned down an offer to become king over all Israel. He humbly refused this offer because he knew that it was not God’s intention for Israel to have a king like the surrounding nations. God was their King! God’s Law said, “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6), and Gideon rightly responded to the people, “I will not rule over you…the Lord shall rule over you” (Judges 8:23). That was the good news. The bad news was that Gideon requested a “small” financial reward for his services—just one gold earring per person from the victory spoils taken from the enemy. Not much, but it led to a big problem for Gideon and the nation! The desire for gold always leads to problems (1 Timothy 6:9).

The people honored Gideon’s request and gave him more gold than he asked for—about 43 pounds of gold. That’s a lot of gold! He had the gold molded into an ephod, and set it up for all to see in his home town of Ophrah. Now why did Gideon want a golden ephod? An ephod was one of the cloth garments worn by the high priest under his breastplate. Gideon wasn’t a priest. Ephods were not his responsibility. Did Gideon secretly desire to be a priest? Did he have a guilty conscience about taking the gold, so he decided to “put it into a good cause”? Did he create the ephod with good motives, as a memorial to the Lord’s victory over the enemy? Was the ephod meant to remind Israel that it was a nation of priests led directly by God? After all, it wasn’t a golden crown, but an ephod.

Although Gideon’s motive for making a golden ephod may have had good, the results were disastrous. The golden ephod became a trap to Gideon and his family, and became an object of idolatrous worship for all Israel! What went wrong? The answer is obvious. Gideon may have had good intentions, but his idea was not in line with Scripture. Only the priests were to be involved with ephods and Gideon was not a priest. Furthermore, ephods were not to be made of gold, and they were not to be used or kept in places like Ophrah, but only in association with the Tabernacle. Gideon certainly knew this, but he must have reasoned that since his motive was good, a little deviation from the strict letter of God’s Law would be OK. However, good motives must always be combined with biblical methods. Whenever we stray from the Word of God there will be bad fallout.

Beware of Golden Ephods
Beware of golden ephods! Golden ephods can be projects or ministries or anything that is done “for the Lord,” but is out of line with His Word. Whether it be elaborate buildings or fund-raising projects or even ideas for new ministries, beware of creating a golden ephod! The motives behind golden ephods may range all the way from a genuine spiritual desire to serve the people of God to secret selfish agendas. So be careful! Make sure the ideas line up with Scripture. Otherwise, in the future that golden ephod could become a pitfall for you and God’s people.

Remember, too, that a biblical beginning is not enough. Any service for the Lord can become a golden ephod. Take, for example, ministries or churches that no longer proclaim the gospel and teach the Word of God. They may have started out on a solid biblical foundation, but over the years they have strayed from Scripture. They have become golden ephods. Their assets have grown and their buildings may be impressive, but the ministries or churches themselves have become “objects of worship,” and are maintained because of the worldly human desire for positions of power and pride. They are an obstruction to the spiritual growth of God’s people, and a pitfall for those who don’t know Christ.

Some institutions for Christian education or biblical studies have become golden ephods. Established many years ago with the good motive of training future teachers and leaders of God’s people, they have not only departed from biblical standards, they have even undermined the Word of God by denying its inspiration and authority. False doctrine is disseminated by professors who may even question the deity of Christ. These golden ephod institutions have become wealthy, heavily-endowed spiritual disasters, a trap and snare not only for their students, but for all the people of God.

The Golden Ephod Syndrome
Could your church or ministry become a golden ephod? The answer is obvious. Any church, institution, ministry, magazine, evangelistic group—any service for the Lord can become a golden ephod if it departs from the Word of God in its purpose, principles, ideas and methods of operation. Be on guard! Satan’s golden ephod ideas always look good- but they lead to spiritual disaster! New biblically-based methods or ministries that are scriptural can be used by God and greatly benefit God’s people, but great caution must be taken to keep the ministry on biblical track, and prevent the insidious creep towards a golden ephod. Be careful that the desire for “a few golden earrings” doesn’t ensnare you, your church or your service for the Lord into the golden ephod syndrome. Unfortunately, administrators, pastors, trustees, church members, presidents, evangelists and project supporters can become so enamored with their ministries that they will go to almost any lengths to preserve them, even when they have departed from their original purpose and become golden ephods. Remember, once a golden ephod is created and established, it is almost impossible to remove it!

The biblical narratives of the bronze serpent and the golden ephod were “written to teach us” (Romans 15:4). It’s a serious sin to distort the worship of God and to obstruct the growth of His people by creating, treasuring or maintaining bronze serpents or golden ephods.

David R. Reid

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