Whenever a breakthrough is about to happen, many small distractions will pop up. If you have been given steps to follow, do not stray to the left or right. Do not allows people, even those whom you care about, to force you to the left or right. Just keep moving forward. Most of the time, you are the only person who sees the future the way you do. So don't expect others, not even your family or friends, to understand why you do the work that you do.
You may worry, "What if I am wrong and I become a failure?" Do not let those worries become a part of your mentality. You may fail, but you are not a failure. And, if it is God's will that you will succeed, then who can question your actions?
It is more likely that you will face this decision: Who is truly worthy of your acknowledgement on the day of your success?
If you fail once, people will accept you back. If you fail twice, people may accept you back. If you fail three times, some people will accept you back. If you fail 7 times, only one will accept you back, and that one is God along with anyone who has God's spirit within. So what will you do when you succeed? Who will you extend your hand to in favor of friendship? For you should only accept those whom you have judged to be within a righteous spirit. Not everyone who apologizes, is of a sound spirit. Like I said, even some of your family will attempt to persuade you away from your calling. But if they did so in favor of your safety, then you should bless them and return the favor. For they knew not what you knew, and you cannot hold this against them. However, if some people have forsaken you in favor of personal gain, or if it were in their means to destroy you, then they are much like the enemy. Those people should be cast away from your sight forever.
The most important lesson is this: When God gives you a vision, do not close one eye to it. It is through God alone that we find grace and mercy. If we reject the one one who will not reject us, then we shall ourselves be rejected on the day of Judgement.
Stay strong in the faith!
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Friday, October 10, 2014
Leadership: Waiting on God
Number 20: 12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Do you realize that Moses led the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt to a desert. And the Hebrews were upset with Moses' leadership because they were stuck in the desert for an entire generation. But Moses must have been a strong leader because even though he did not reach Canaan, the next generation did, just as God promised.
What does this have to do with leadership? Well, do you think you are a strong enough leader to face the people who followed you into a promise and tell them that you are waiting on God? Essentially, that's what Moses did. But what I find interesting is that the topic of leadership is marketed very strongly in today's society. Universities, corporations, and book stores are all capitalizing on the idea of leadership. Everyone wants to develop strong leaders, but no one wants to do it alone. I have heard someone go as far as to say that if you have no followers than you are not truly a leader. Well, that sounds correct, but it is really a bogus claim. Jesus Christ had no followers at one point in time. Noah had no followers up until the point that he locked the doors on the ark and watched the world drown out around him. So are we to think that Jesus, Noah, and Moses were not leaders?
Okay so following is an important concept when it comes to leadership. I do not think you can be a leader without following. You have to follow something or someone. In my provided examples, these leaders were following God. I believe that following anything else is a hopeless situation. There are even clear biblical examples of what happened to people who chose to follow something besides God. The Tower of Babel is one example. You can read about that later, but I'll tell you that those people became as the scattered sands on a playground after a hurricane.
Another thing that is highly important is vision. You have to know where you are going, but you cannot see without a message from God. So some of us would call this faith. Perhaps this is the reason why the scripture says faith without works is dead. Faith comes from God, and it is impossible to please God without Faith. But what happens when we are acting purely on faith and there seems to be no message from God? Do we make something up and move forward with a lie? Or do we wait on the Lord until we receive a word from God?
I know that self-appointed leaders place a lot of pressure on themselves to keep "congregation" happy. People need constant communication otherwise they leave. So these leaders have a problem when God they stop hearing from God. If you are not hearing from God it can be one of two reasons: 1. You are not listening to Him or 2. God is choosing not to speak for a purpose. In either case you need to continue praying to God and waiting for a Word from Him.
I think the concern that you now have is what should you do about the people who are following you? Well, that is a good question, but if you are asking this question than you may have the whole role of leadership wrong. Those people should not actually be following you; you are not God. Of course, God may have appointed you as a leader of many people and he may have asked those people to follow you as if you were God, but you are not actually God. So when God is still you should be still and so should the people who follow you.
Exodus 4:12 (KJV) Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say
Mark 13:11 (KJV) But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Leadership is about being a consistent follower of God. Will you wait on God and depend on the Holy Ghost to speak for you? If you are interested in learning more about leadership you should read more from the Bible about Moses, Noah, and Jesus. Specifically, read more about Jesus hanging on the cross while the people who crucified Him were demanding that He save himself as He had saved and performed many miracles for others. Why did Jesus not save Himself? Because He was waiting on God.
Read a brief article by Matt Slick, President and Founder of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, about why Moses did not enter the promised land.
Do you realize that Moses led the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt to a desert. And the Hebrews were upset with Moses' leadership because they were stuck in the desert for an entire generation. But Moses must have been a strong leader because even though he did not reach Canaan, the next generation did, just as God promised.
What does this have to do with leadership? Well, do you think you are a strong enough leader to face the people who followed you into a promise and tell them that you are waiting on God? Essentially, that's what Moses did. But what I find interesting is that the topic of leadership is marketed very strongly in today's society. Universities, corporations, and book stores are all capitalizing on the idea of leadership. Everyone wants to develop strong leaders, but no one wants to do it alone. I have heard someone go as far as to say that if you have no followers than you are not truly a leader. Well, that sounds correct, but it is really a bogus claim. Jesus Christ had no followers at one point in time. Noah had no followers up until the point that he locked the doors on the ark and watched the world drown out around him. So are we to think that Jesus, Noah, and Moses were not leaders?
Okay so following is an important concept when it comes to leadership. I do not think you can be a leader without following. You have to follow something or someone. In my provided examples, these leaders were following God. I believe that following anything else is a hopeless situation. There are even clear biblical examples of what happened to people who chose to follow something besides God. The Tower of Babel is one example. You can read about that later, but I'll tell you that those people became as the scattered sands on a playground after a hurricane.
Another thing that is highly important is vision. You have to know where you are going, but you cannot see without a message from God. So some of us would call this faith. Perhaps this is the reason why the scripture says faith without works is dead. Faith comes from God, and it is impossible to please God without Faith. But what happens when we are acting purely on faith and there seems to be no message from God? Do we make something up and move forward with a lie? Or do we wait on the Lord until we receive a word from God?
I know that self-appointed leaders place a lot of pressure on themselves to keep "congregation" happy. People need constant communication otherwise they leave. So these leaders have a problem when God they stop hearing from God. If you are not hearing from God it can be one of two reasons: 1. You are not listening to Him or 2. God is choosing not to speak for a purpose. In either case you need to continue praying to God and waiting for a Word from Him.
I think the concern that you now have is what should you do about the people who are following you? Well, that is a good question, but if you are asking this question than you may have the whole role of leadership wrong. Those people should not actually be following you; you are not God. Of course, God may have appointed you as a leader of many people and he may have asked those people to follow you as if you were God, but you are not actually God. So when God is still you should be still and so should the people who follow you.
Exodus 4:12 (KJV) Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say
Mark 13:11 (KJV) But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Leadership is about being a consistent follower of God. Will you wait on God and depend on the Holy Ghost to speak for you? If you are interested in learning more about leadership you should read more from the Bible about Moses, Noah, and Jesus. Specifically, read more about Jesus hanging on the cross while the people who crucified Him were demanding that He save himself as He had saved and performed many miracles for others. Why did Jesus not save Himself? Because He was waiting on God.
Read a brief article by Matt Slick, President and Founder of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, about why Moses did not enter the promised land.
http://carm.org/questions/about-people/why-couldn%E2%80%99t-moses-enter-promised-land
Friday, August 22, 2014
Where is your talent invested?
Have you ever read the parable of the ten coins? If not, you can read it in Luke 19:11-27. This parable has always reminded me of the importance of working diligently in every task that we are given, whether at home, work, or in the community. In our lives it is inevitable that we do not report to someone who holds us accountable to our actions or whom we must commit to in performance. Sometimes those people seem to be just like the nobleman from the parable. For example, maybe a boss who does none of the work, but takes all of the credit. Well, we know that this life is temporary at best. As Christians we ought to devote ourselves to sharing the Gospel, or The Great Commission as it is mainly recognized. All other things that happen to us on earth are vanity. However, we are still human and we will still be given opportunities of earthly value, such as a promotion or a great opportunity for recognition. So the question that you must ask yourself is, "Where are you investing your talents?" Are you investing your talents in a place that will reap dividends? Or are you simply burying your talents in the ground because you don't want someone else to receive the rewards that you think you deserve.
I believe that there are two concepts that are important to a successful life: contentment and complacency. We must be content with what we are given, and we must not stay complacent with our ability to do better. Additionally, we must constantly remind ourselves of Colossians 3:22 and Ephesians 6:5-9. We must obey our earthly masters (a.k.a. your boss at work/parents/leaders) and if we are the earthly master than we must show our servants respect (a.k.a. your employees/children/patrons). I will add this one reminder that we are referring to earthly matters and not spiritual matters in these two scriptures because spiritually we only have one master who we can serve.
To conclude this post, I invite you to consider your own performance and personnel. Are there any areas of your life that you need to re-invest your talents in? Do your best to think about this with a renewed mind and be sure to pray to God. It may take some time for you to identify and correct any bad investments or talents that are just sitting on the shelf collecting dust. You may have to re-adjust your time commitments so that you can allocate your resources properly.
For more information about maintaining balance you should read more scriptures. Perhaps the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes would be a good starting place.
I believe that there are two concepts that are important to a successful life: contentment and complacency. We must be content with what we are given, and we must not stay complacent with our ability to do better. Additionally, we must constantly remind ourselves of Colossians 3:22 and Ephesians 6:5-9. We must obey our earthly masters (a.k.a. your boss at work/parents/leaders) and if we are the earthly master than we must show our servants respect (a.k.a. your employees/children/patrons). I will add this one reminder that we are referring to earthly matters and not spiritual matters in these two scriptures because spiritually we only have one master who we can serve.
To conclude this post, I invite you to consider your own performance and personnel. Are there any areas of your life that you need to re-invest your talents in? Do your best to think about this with a renewed mind and be sure to pray to God. It may take some time for you to identify and correct any bad investments or talents that are just sitting on the shelf collecting dust. You may have to re-adjust your time commitments so that you can allocate your resources properly.
For more information about maintaining balance you should read more scriptures. Perhaps the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes would be a good starting place.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
God honors faith; hope is for the mind of men
Defining Faith
What is faith, and why is it so important to the survival of
the supernatural being? Merriam-Webster.com defines faith as "strong
belief or trust in someone or something." God honors faith. This statement
made me question where faith comes from. Many people argue their faith as if it
belongs to them, but according to the definition of faith, it belongs to
someone else. That someone else can be anyone, so it does not have to be God,
or a deity of any kind; however, according to the Bible God never falls short
of his glory, and his glory is to keep his promise. His promise is the faith
that he bestows upon us. So for the sake of this post I am choosing to focus on
Faith in God.
Have you ever heard or used this the word faith to describe
your trust in someone else? I reference faith all the time, especially when I
say, "I trust God." There can be no faith without evidence of trust.
Before one can trust, there must be a promise to accept. Now, if we consider
that salvation is the promise that God gave us, then we should realize that
faith is a matter of eternal relevance. For this reason, faith cannot be
honored until we experience death. This is why faith is highly important to the
survival of our supernatural being. Here's a question, "What proof exist that
faith will be honored?" Well, we could turn to the bible for this answer.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Why?
Because He showed the world that there is life after death. Jesus Christ is the
only security that a believer needs that God will honor faith.
Faith versus Hope
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the
conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, English Standard Version).
What does it mean to hope? Have you ever hoped for something?
Merriam-Webster.com defines hope as "to want something to happen or be
true and think that it could happen or be true." So hope is purely
personal. Hope belongs to the individual, regardless of who are what is in
control of the end result. You can hope for warmer weather and lower taxes, but
you'd be a half-baked cake if you did not pursue assurance for your hopes.
I think that is important to note that both faith and hope
are action words, also known as verbs. Do you realize that faith without works
is meaningless (James 2:17). Also, "without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6, King James
Version). What does this mean? It means that God will not honor the faithless.
It means that hope is not enough to please God. God does not care about what
you want to be true because He is truth.
Obtaining Faith
What must you do to obtain faith? The answer is simple. You
must seek God. Then your faith will be the evidence of the things you hope for.
What should you hope for? Perhaps you should hope to experience the reward of
God's honor, also known as faith. Hope for the strength to endure. Hope for
things that bring peace to your mind, but have faith in God; He is the author
and finisher of your faith.
References:
Faith. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 30,
2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faith
Hope. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 30,
2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
A little inverse motivation
Sometimes all you need is for someone to tell you no. I call it inverse motivation because the word "no" backwards spells "on." Basically, under the correct circumstances, the word no can stimulate one's mind to turn on the power of freewill and become devoted to excellence and success in the task at hand.
Granted, no means no unless the person telling you "no" has no power or authority over the project. The lesson to be learned is this: consider the weight of one's opinion before adding it into your suitcase. You do not want to lug around a suitcase filled with someone else's stuff. Only carry what you need and leave the rest behind. Find the motivation, from the good or the bad to accomplish whatever you have set your mind to. Most importantly, take it all to God in prayer. Allow him to have the final word.
Isn't it strange that the first person to speak always seems correct until another person speaks up and puts him or her to shame. Maybe you recognize this one: the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Of course, that was in reference to the end times. Perhaps it is time put the foolishness to end. Flip the script on em'!
Take this word of wisdom and find a little inverse motivation in the destructive comments of your naysayers.
Granted, no means no unless the person telling you "no" has no power or authority over the project. The lesson to be learned is this: consider the weight of one's opinion before adding it into your suitcase. You do not want to lug around a suitcase filled with someone else's stuff. Only carry what you need and leave the rest behind. Find the motivation, from the good or the bad to accomplish whatever you have set your mind to. Most importantly, take it all to God in prayer. Allow him to have the final word.
Isn't it strange that the first person to speak always seems correct until another person speaks up and puts him or her to shame. Maybe you recognize this one: the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Of course, that was in reference to the end times. Perhaps it is time put the foolishness to end. Flip the script on em'!
Take this word of wisdom and find a little inverse motivation in the destructive comments of your naysayers.
Turn on the power of freewill and live free in God's will.
Additional Words of Wisdom
Remember that one door closes so another may open. Rejection from one person opens you an opportunity to be accepted by another person. Sometimes you may be the person saying no. It can be spiritually healthy to practice discernment on a regular basis. "No" does not equal bad. You just don't want to be accepted by someone who doesn't strongly believe in you or what you do.
Interesting Read About Free Will - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Power of No - Self Growth
Dealing with Rejection - Professional Counseling
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Ready for a miracle.
Have you ever been in a position where you were praying for a miracle? Maybe you were actively communicating your wishes to God in prayer, or maybe you were passively suggesting the idea in your thoughts. Either way, it may have been one of the many moments in your life when you believed that it would be impossible for you to accomplish a certain task. Maybe you are in the process of praying for a miracle right now.
I hope not to disappoint the reader, but I do not have any tips or secrets to help you stumble upon a miracle. The reason I am writing this post is because I have personally experienced a couple of miracles recently and it inspired me to write out about it. Not specifically the miracle itself, but the lessons that I learned from the experience.
It is important that we define what a miracle is so that we can understand the need for one. Dictionary.com defines a miracle as "such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God." Quite simply, I define a miracle as something that was exactly what one needed, but totally unexpected and without reason. For example, I had a 1700 page paper to write for one of my classes, but I was sick in bed for two days. With less than 24 hours to write the paper I was in need of a miracle. I was prepared to stay up all night writing this paper; however, my professor unexpectedly had to go out of town and decided to delay the due date by four days. I considered this a miracle because it was exactly what I needed.
Second, we must understand that God is greater than any problem we may face, and God will not put more on us than we can bear. This means that we must always understand the conditions under which we work. If God is for us than who or what can be against us? If you ever feel like you are facing an impossible task, than it is most likely that you are dealing with an undisclosed miracle, but you must have faith to see it come to manifestation. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. (Do you know where to find those sentences in the Bible?)
Third, you cannot complain. What good is it to ask for a miracle if you are going to mumble despicable things under your breath. God is only interested in messengers who will deliver his words as they are. He does not want us to change his word or alter their meanings. For example, I experienced a miracle one week where God gave me more time to do what I had to do. The next week I experienced a second miracle where God gave me unexpected strength to work through the night on another essay and wake up early for work without any feelings of exhaustion. Miracles can come any way that God pleases so we must be ready and willing to take it as it comes.
The final thing that we must ask ourselves before committing to a prayer for a miracle is, "Am I ready for a miracle?" Am I prepared to face an impossible task? If the answer is yes, than you should keep on keeping on my friend. Remember, if the task is impossible but necessary you are most likely being set-up by God for a miracle. Open your heart and mind, and be ready to receive it.
I hope not to disappoint the reader, but I do not have any tips or secrets to help you stumble upon a miracle. The reason I am writing this post is because I have personally experienced a couple of miracles recently and it inspired me to write out about it. Not specifically the miracle itself, but the lessons that I learned from the experience.
It is important that we define what a miracle is so that we can understand the need for one. Dictionary.com defines a miracle as "such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God." Quite simply, I define a miracle as something that was exactly what one needed, but totally unexpected and without reason. For example, I had a 1700 page paper to write for one of my classes, but I was sick in bed for two days. With less than 24 hours to write the paper I was in need of a miracle. I was prepared to stay up all night writing this paper; however, my professor unexpectedly had to go out of town and decided to delay the due date by four days. I considered this a miracle because it was exactly what I needed.
Second, we must understand that God is greater than any problem we may face, and God will not put more on us than we can bear. This means that we must always understand the conditions under which we work. If God is for us than who or what can be against us? If you ever feel like you are facing an impossible task, than it is most likely that you are dealing with an undisclosed miracle, but you must have faith to see it come to manifestation. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. (Do you know where to find those sentences in the Bible?)
Third, you cannot complain. What good is it to ask for a miracle if you are going to mumble despicable things under your breath. God is only interested in messengers who will deliver his words as they are. He does not want us to change his word or alter their meanings. For example, I experienced a miracle one week where God gave me more time to do what I had to do. The next week I experienced a second miracle where God gave me unexpected strength to work through the night on another essay and wake up early for work without any feelings of exhaustion. Miracles can come any way that God pleases so we must be ready and willing to take it as it comes.
The final thing that we must ask ourselves before committing to a prayer for a miracle is, "Am I ready for a miracle?" Am I prepared to face an impossible task? If the answer is yes, than you should keep on keeping on my friend. Remember, if the task is impossible but necessary you are most likely being set-up by God for a miracle. Open your heart and mind, and be ready to receive it.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
The Burden of Greatness
People say that they want to be the best. I guess there's nothing wrong with that but I wonder if it's emotionally healthy to desire to always be in a position where you are the benchmark for success. Furthermore, I truly believe that people who actually are the best did not gain that position from mere desire to be labeled as the best at what they do. I'm pretty sure that some people were born into tough situations that required them to be the best at what they do or else they face the consequence of not being the best.
Isn't this the definition of the term best: better than everything else in comparison? This means that to be the best you have to be better than everyone you are comparable to. It's a title of great accomplishment. I can only imagine what thoughts the man who is the best sniper in the world has in his mind. He might say something like, "I am the best because otherwise I would be dead and so would many other friends of mine. This is not something that I desire to be the best at but it is a requirment in order to sustain life in my community."
I'm sure that most people are a little more realistic and want to be the best singer or the best cook or even the best driver. I wonder what motivates a person to be the best at anything and on what scope would you consider a person to be the best. Are they the best in their town or the best in the world? No matter the details I'm sure it requires a high level of dedication, passion and focus. To be the best at anything must require something extra besides just the wont of a title.
Once again, I would argue that the best are born and raised into the title as a mode of survival. Maybe the best singer in the world is the best singer because as a child she sang songs to hide all of the pain and hurt of a broken household of lies, drugs and sex. And so now she continues to sing on a global level because people need something as beautiful as her voice to console them in the midst of crisis and poverty. Maybe she would prefer to be just an everyday joe with a normal voice who sings songs to pass the time of day; but she was not born into mediocrity.
The best are by no means mediocre. They are not allowed to be mediocre. The best are bound to terms of greatness and any less would cause them to be suffocated in pity. To them, greatness is a responsibility, a burden that not all may carry. I am sure that God has called all of us to be great in some aspect of our lives. My greatness shines through my smile and demeanor. Where does your greatness exist?
Isn't this the definition of the term best: better than everything else in comparison? This means that to be the best you have to be better than everyone you are comparable to. It's a title of great accomplishment. I can only imagine what thoughts the man who is the best sniper in the world has in his mind. He might say something like, "I am the best because otherwise I would be dead and so would many other friends of mine. This is not something that I desire to be the best at but it is a requirment in order to sustain life in my community."
I'm sure that most people are a little more realistic and want to be the best singer or the best cook or even the best driver. I wonder what motivates a person to be the best at anything and on what scope would you consider a person to be the best. Are they the best in their town or the best in the world? No matter the details I'm sure it requires a high level of dedication, passion and focus. To be the best at anything must require something extra besides just the wont of a title.
Once again, I would argue that the best are born and raised into the title as a mode of survival. Maybe the best singer in the world is the best singer because as a child she sang songs to hide all of the pain and hurt of a broken household of lies, drugs and sex. And so now she continues to sing on a global level because people need something as beautiful as her voice to console them in the midst of crisis and poverty. Maybe she would prefer to be just an everyday joe with a normal voice who sings songs to pass the time of day; but she was not born into mediocrity.
The best are by no means mediocre. They are not allowed to be mediocre. The best are bound to terms of greatness and any less would cause them to be suffocated in pity. To them, greatness is a responsibility, a burden that not all may carry. I am sure that God has called all of us to be great in some aspect of our lives. My greatness shines through my smile and demeanor. Where does your greatness exist?
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Tears of Lamentation
I am definately a guy that is always ready for a good laugh and a happy moment but I recognize the importance of lamentation and prayer when necessary. It is healthy to smile and be happy. But it is not okay to overlook the sorrow of pain and hurt. There is a balance that must exist between these two emotions and they are based in behavior and attitude.
Personally, I have a deep relationship with God. I trust in God no matter what the circumstances are and I have lived a life that speaks in concert with that statement. And it is not very often that I am found with my face buried deep in a pillow crying away my hurt but when I do cry I shed tears of lamentation to heal a broken soul.
I write this post without mention of any of the personal attacks that I have survived in this current month or even the past months or those to come. I share these thoughts only to serve its purpose in my blog of Wisdom. But to just make note that less than 30 minutes prior to the writing of this post I was deep in my sadness over a matter of small significance. I call it small now only because tomorrow it will matter very little because God is the alpha and omega. And if I could make only one final statement in my last breath that is exactly what I would say, "God is alpha and omega."
Personally, I have a deep relationship with God. I trust in God no matter what the circumstances are and I have lived a life that speaks in concert with that statement. And it is not very often that I am found with my face buried deep in a pillow crying away my hurt but when I do cry I shed tears of lamentation to heal a broken soul.
I write this post without mention of any of the personal attacks that I have survived in this current month or even the past months or those to come. I share these thoughts only to serve its purpose in my blog of Wisdom. But to just make note that less than 30 minutes prior to the writing of this post I was deep in my sadness over a matter of small significance. I call it small now only because tomorrow it will matter very little because God is the alpha and omega. And if I could make only one final statement in my last breath that is exactly what I would say, "God is alpha and omega."
"I just cried and when the water ran down my cheeks the tears were so warm because they came straight from my heart. I felt my soul vomit a little as well. My spirit was vexed. My hope is in the Lord every step of the way. #prayerofhope" - My status update from Facebook 7:38pm
Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Counting The Value of a Moment in Seconds
For every great event in history there is an innumerable amount of ideas, thoughts, actions and failures that create a moment worth remembering. People remember when History was made but they don't consider the stories that made it all possible. Maybe it is a matter of being too busy to count the seconds when you're looking at the hours pass. For those of us who feel as if we are growing weary and the clock has only begun to tick we should focus on every passing second rather than allowing ourselves to become restless with slowly progressing breath taking moments.
Life is an event that develops over many years but ends quicker than a moment can be remembered. Seconds are the smallest unit of time measurement that we can easily count without losing focus of what it means to exist. If you count enough seconds you will eventually count the minutes. And after you count a couple of minutes you will realize how quickly time passes when you're not paying attention to the passing of the day. And once you learn to place priority on the passing of a day you will learn the value of one second because one second is all it takes to beging the next day. And once you learn the value of a second you will learn the value of a great moment that can be remembered forever in the historical timeline of life because one day that great moment shall come to pass. And all of life's events can be summed up by just one breathtaking moment called death in less time than a second can be counted.
Count each second. Enjoy every minute. Improve every hour. Make the most of each day. You will be remembered for the life that you lived. Not the one that you didn't. Because after you die, life is but a moment remembered.
P.S. For those who seek to learn more, there is always more written than what can be read in a paragraph. Reading between the lines is truly the path of knowledge hidden to fools and revealed to the wise because not all are willing to do so. Wisdom is found in doing what others are not willing to do.
Life is an event that develops over many years but ends quicker than a moment can be remembered. Seconds are the smallest unit of time measurement that we can easily count without losing focus of what it means to exist. If you count enough seconds you will eventually count the minutes. And after you count a couple of minutes you will realize how quickly time passes when you're not paying attention to the passing of the day. And once you learn to place priority on the passing of a day you will learn the value of one second because one second is all it takes to beging the next day. And once you learn the value of a second you will learn the value of a great moment that can be remembered forever in the historical timeline of life because one day that great moment shall come to pass. And all of life's events can be summed up by just one breathtaking moment called death in less time than a second can be counted.
Count each second. Enjoy every minute. Improve every hour. Make the most of each day. You will be remembered for the life that you lived. Not the one that you didn't. Because after you die, life is but a moment remembered.
P.S. For those who seek to learn more, there is always more written than what can be read in a paragraph. Reading between the lines is truly the path of knowledge hidden to fools and revealed to the wise because not all are willing to do so. Wisdom is found in doing what others are not willing to do.
Monday, May 28, 2012
In Times of Happiness Be Happy
I will make this one short and simple but full of wisdom for the years to come. Happiness is a state of mind that we create from within ourselves. People have the ability to decide what will create happiness and what will create sadness. This is a very key concept behind the wisdom that you must focus on for the remainder of this year in order to truly find success in your life.
I will not quote the bible but you can find this statement in the book of Ecclesiastes: There is a time for everything and for everything there is a time. Although we have the ability to create happiness in our mind we do not have the ability to create happiness. Happiness is simply a state of mind.
There is a girl that I used to date who told me after our harsh break up that at the end of the day she must do whatever makes her happy because that is what is important. And she suggested that I do the same and even gave me examples of others who lived by the same rule. I responded to her, "Life is not about creating happiness for one's self. If anything, life is about doing what is right. Be happy in times of happiness but be sad in times of sadness." I believe that this girl made a decision to be a nasty human being with poor life choices because she was concerned for her happiness and although she did what made her happy she did not create happiness. She simply turned a time of sadness into a happy moment for herself. At the end of the day she was happy but at the end of the week she was unhappy again.
Because happiness is a state of mind, do we have the ability to turn sadness into happiness? But if we turn sadness into happiness will we also turn happiness into sadness? And if there is no sadness in life is there such a thing as happiness? Is it possible that life without sadness is death? I personally believe that a life without balance is no life at all as the Lord abhors dishonest scales.
Once again, if I may refer to the book of Ecclesiastes (only for the sake of wisdom) time is cyclical. All things occur in seasons. It will be hot in summer and cold in winter. The other two seasons are a time of transition where one day's outcome does not always measure out close to the next. This shall hold true for every living thing from the time of birth until the time of death.
No man can create happiness unless he also has the ability to create the four seasons. I would say that it is a wise decision to be happy in times of happiness and be sad in times of sadness but always be content with the season because without it there is no year of wisdom.
Please do check out this blog that I found online, Happiness in times of crises. I did not obtain the topic from the blog but it closely matches the thoughts that I have shared.
How should we view happiness? Is there a secret to life that creates an eternal smile? Is happiness truly the meaning of life or is Righteousness the bottom line? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section. As always people will do what they want to do and the consequences will be their own earnings. I only aim to find truth in wisdom and share it unconditionally with those who will partake.
I will not quote the bible but you can find this statement in the book of Ecclesiastes: There is a time for everything and for everything there is a time. Although we have the ability to create happiness in our mind we do not have the ability to create happiness. Happiness is simply a state of mind.
There is a girl that I used to date who told me after our harsh break up that at the end of the day she must do whatever makes her happy because that is what is important. And she suggested that I do the same and even gave me examples of others who lived by the same rule. I responded to her, "Life is not about creating happiness for one's self. If anything, life is about doing what is right. Be happy in times of happiness but be sad in times of sadness." I believe that this girl made a decision to be a nasty human being with poor life choices because she was concerned for her happiness and although she did what made her happy she did not create happiness. She simply turned a time of sadness into a happy moment for herself. At the end of the day she was happy but at the end of the week she was unhappy again.
Because happiness is a state of mind, do we have the ability to turn sadness into happiness? But if we turn sadness into happiness will we also turn happiness into sadness? And if there is no sadness in life is there such a thing as happiness? Is it possible that life without sadness is death? I personally believe that a life without balance is no life at all as the Lord abhors dishonest scales.
Once again, if I may refer to the book of Ecclesiastes (only for the sake of wisdom) time is cyclical. All things occur in seasons. It will be hot in summer and cold in winter. The other two seasons are a time of transition where one day's outcome does not always measure out close to the next. This shall hold true for every living thing from the time of birth until the time of death.
No man can create happiness unless he also has the ability to create the four seasons. I would say that it is a wise decision to be happy in times of happiness and be sad in times of sadness but always be content with the season because without it there is no year of wisdom.
Please do check out this blog that I found online, Happiness in times of crises. I did not obtain the topic from the blog but it closely matches the thoughts that I have shared.
How should we view happiness? Is there a secret to life that creates an eternal smile? Is happiness truly the meaning of life or is Righteousness the bottom line? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section. As always people will do what they want to do and the consequences will be their own earnings. I only aim to find truth in wisdom and share it unconditionally with those who will partake.
Friday, April 13, 2012
From Meditation and Prayer to the pages of my heart
I consider myself to be a fairly wise young man and these are just a few thoughts that I meditated on today as life has been presenting me with difficult situations.
Be grateful for the things that you have. Don't be in a rush to meet your future. Many people say life is short but in retrospect life is long. Don't allow the bad to outweigh the good. Always maintain a balance. If too much good happens at once than you should expect an overdose of bad. Even batteries operate on positive and negative.
Do a better job of listening to people who repeat themselves often. Many times we tune them out because we've heard them speak before but repetition creates a pattern and patterns are predictable which helps you prepare for things to come. Remember that life is cyclical. The sun rose today and it will rise again tomorrow. If you miss the first wave be ready for the second wave and know that there is a third wave right behind you.
Do your best to remember people for the good and the bad. Everyone makes mistakes so it is not okay for you to continue looking down on others. When a person does something wrong you should discuss it and disclose your emotions only to people who will properly help you justify your feelings. Give yourself time to understand the entire situation from all perspectives and when opportunity presents itself allow yourself to overcome with a new appreciation for life. Also, never place anyone higher than the heavens. Man should not become an idol to other men nor should any creation become an idol. Otherwise you create a false image that cannot be replicated. Every man and creature has a place and you should not move ancient boundary stones lest the Lord take up the case.
People don't remember what you do as much as they remember how you make them feel. In every thing that you do always try to make people feel better than they did before they interacted with you. This is a very difficult task to do expecially when the people you interact with have made you feel bad in the past. But if the world is going to go from good to great than it is necessary for us to wash the plate clean and serve a fresh dish. If you do good only for yourself than you may learn that you are doing bad for everyone else.
I don't have all of the answers nor do I know enough questions to ask. I am a young man who prays and meditates and places myself in a position to receive the best the Universe has to offer. My hope is that others will follow as I follow. Consider this a true statement that shall be written in history, "If it wasn't for you I would have given up a long time ago."
Aaron Harris
Be grateful for the things that you have. Don't be in a rush to meet your future. Many people say life is short but in retrospect life is long. Don't allow the bad to outweigh the good. Always maintain a balance. If too much good happens at once than you should expect an overdose of bad. Even batteries operate on positive and negative.
Do a better job of listening to people who repeat themselves often. Many times we tune them out because we've heard them speak before but repetition creates a pattern and patterns are predictable which helps you prepare for things to come. Remember that life is cyclical. The sun rose today and it will rise again tomorrow. If you miss the first wave be ready for the second wave and know that there is a third wave right behind you.
Do your best to remember people for the good and the bad. Everyone makes mistakes so it is not okay for you to continue looking down on others. When a person does something wrong you should discuss it and disclose your emotions only to people who will properly help you justify your feelings. Give yourself time to understand the entire situation from all perspectives and when opportunity presents itself allow yourself to overcome with a new appreciation for life. Also, never place anyone higher than the heavens. Man should not become an idol to other men nor should any creation become an idol. Otherwise you create a false image that cannot be replicated. Every man and creature has a place and you should not move ancient boundary stones lest the Lord take up the case.
People don't remember what you do as much as they remember how you make them feel. In every thing that you do always try to make people feel better than they did before they interacted with you. This is a very difficult task to do expecially when the people you interact with have made you feel bad in the past. But if the world is going to go from good to great than it is necessary for us to wash the plate clean and serve a fresh dish. If you do good only for yourself than you may learn that you are doing bad for everyone else.
I don't have all of the answers nor do I know enough questions to ask. I am a young man who prays and meditates and places myself in a position to receive the best the Universe has to offer. My hope is that others will follow as I follow. Consider this a true statement that shall be written in history, "If it wasn't for you I would have given up a long time ago."
Aaron Harris
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Is it my turn to take out the trash again?
There is a time in life when you must actually grow up and stop learning to grow up. I am not certain what exactly occurs in the brain to make a person realize that this time has come but I know that it occurs later than needed for some and earlier than needed for others.
Being that I am a 25 year old single male I don't have many responsiblities. It was my choice to move out of my parent's house and rent an apartment with my friends from work. It was also my choice to quit college and begin my career at The Walt Disney Company. I can even say that it was my choice to pay my own cell phone bill and car insurance. For me it was simple to take on these responsibilities because I truly had no real responsibilities.
Currently, I live in a 4 bedroom apartment with 3 roomates. I take ownership of two bedrooms (I use 1 to house all of my musical equipment and the other as an actual bedroom). My close friend and his fiance' take ownership of the master bedroom and a friend from work takes ownership of the fourth bedroom. In total there are 4 "adults" living in this apartment. Even with four adults to share the workload, taking out the trash is never a simple task. Whenever there is a debate about who should take out the trash everyone wants to point fingers and blame one another. No one is on the same page. It seems that taking out the trash is a fairly simple task that requires little to responsiblity, if any at all. We all have full time jobs and bills to pay but no one wants to throw out the trash.
I had a converstation with my close friend who is engaged to be married soon. I told him that its funny how when I lived in my parents house I never really saw a full trash bag sit in the house for more than one day. Although my mother and father used to get angry when I would walk by a full garbage can without changing the bags they never allowed my unethical behavior to allow trash to build up in their house. I looked my friend in the eye and said, "You know something funny....today you and I can blame each other for not taking out the trash and its totally fine because we're friends and we don't have to stay with each other forever. But some day our roomates will be our family members and who will we blame for not taking out the trash? Family is an extension of one's self. Family members will take care of you even when you don't take care of yourself." He looked back at me and said, "When that day comes I will take out the trash everyday if necessary but in this apartment I don't think its fair that one person should do all the work."
I didn't think that my conversation with my friend would get anywhere but I learned a valuable lesson that day. Even if I never have family members as roomates I will gladly take out the trash whenever necessary because if I allow it to sit for too long it will get in the way of my life. And who can I blame for a trashy house and a trashy life if I walk past the trash and do nothing about it. I also learned that true lovers never ask each other how many times they took out the trash...they just do it.
You can't spend your entire life pointing fingers at people blaming them for not contributing the goodwill of the community. You will waste more time trying to identify who is truly in the wrong and you might be suprised to see how little you actually do compared to those around you. Besides, you must realize that trash has to come from somewhere. And while the roomates are busy complaining about the build up of trash, the chef of the house is running out of space to cook food. And what would happen if the chef begins to question everyone's contribution to the kitchen labor? Eventually every person of skill would only do for themself and the house would stand divided by selfishness.
In this year of wisdom, please, learn that there is always someone else who will do more than you do. And next time you see trash that needs to be taken out smile and say, "I guess it is my turn to take out the trash today."
Being that I am a 25 year old single male I don't have many responsiblities. It was my choice to move out of my parent's house and rent an apartment with my friends from work. It was also my choice to quit college and begin my career at The Walt Disney Company. I can even say that it was my choice to pay my own cell phone bill and car insurance. For me it was simple to take on these responsibilities because I truly had no real responsibilities.
Currently, I live in a 4 bedroom apartment with 3 roomates. I take ownership of two bedrooms (I use 1 to house all of my musical equipment and the other as an actual bedroom). My close friend and his fiance' take ownership of the master bedroom and a friend from work takes ownership of the fourth bedroom. In total there are 4 "adults" living in this apartment. Even with four adults to share the workload, taking out the trash is never a simple task. Whenever there is a debate about who should take out the trash everyone wants to point fingers and blame one another. No one is on the same page. It seems that taking out the trash is a fairly simple task that requires little to responsiblity, if any at all. We all have full time jobs and bills to pay but no one wants to throw out the trash.
I had a converstation with my close friend who is engaged to be married soon. I told him that its funny how when I lived in my parents house I never really saw a full trash bag sit in the house for more than one day. Although my mother and father used to get angry when I would walk by a full garbage can without changing the bags they never allowed my unethical behavior to allow trash to build up in their house. I looked my friend in the eye and said, "You know something funny....today you and I can blame each other for not taking out the trash and its totally fine because we're friends and we don't have to stay with each other forever. But some day our roomates will be our family members and who will we blame for not taking out the trash? Family is an extension of one's self. Family members will take care of you even when you don't take care of yourself." He looked back at me and said, "When that day comes I will take out the trash everyday if necessary but in this apartment I don't think its fair that one person should do all the work."
I didn't think that my conversation with my friend would get anywhere but I learned a valuable lesson that day. Even if I never have family members as roomates I will gladly take out the trash whenever necessary because if I allow it to sit for too long it will get in the way of my life. And who can I blame for a trashy house and a trashy life if I walk past the trash and do nothing about it. I also learned that true lovers never ask each other how many times they took out the trash...they just do it.
You can't spend your entire life pointing fingers at people blaming them for not contributing the goodwill of the community. You will waste more time trying to identify who is truly in the wrong and you might be suprised to see how little you actually do compared to those around you. Besides, you must realize that trash has to come from somewhere. And while the roomates are busy complaining about the build up of trash, the chef of the house is running out of space to cook food. And what would happen if the chef begins to question everyone's contribution to the kitchen labor? Eventually every person of skill would only do for themself and the house would stand divided by selfishness.
In this year of wisdom, please, learn that there is always someone else who will do more than you do. And next time you see trash that needs to be taken out smile and say, "I guess it is my turn to take out the trash today."
Patience is the passing of time
This blog will be short and simple but I hope it conveys the message properly.
Every teacher has been taught. Every fighter has been fought. Every speaker has been spoken to. In every thing that we do it has been done to us already. As the writer of Ecclesiastes wrote, there is nothing new under the sun. I believe that the shorter the wait the less learning there is that had to be learned. For those who are impatient it seems as if even the simplest life lessons are long learned but of course this is the very reason why the lessons are long.
How long will it take for the world to realize that history repeats itself in cycles? Time is a cycle. Every day has a beginning and an end to it but some people seem to miss that portion of the day...every day. The moment the world realizes that there is a definite beginning and end to each day, life will begin to move at the speed of eternity. That last sentance in itself is a lifetime long learning.
I believe that patience is the reason why one person can go from rags to riches literally overnight while another person has the same opportunities but never actually reaches that full potential. A wise proverb says that the poor stay poor because the rich steal their crops but who says that a poor man can't learn to be rich and teach others to do the same. It would take extreme patience for a poor man under those harsh conditions to learn to become rich but if he is willing to learn it is totally possible.
To conclude I should answer this question which was already answered in the title: What is patience? History always repeats itself because it is based on time which is cyclical. If you are willing to wait you can learn anything under the sun because there is nothing new under the sun. Even the poor may have their fill of riches and the rich their fill of poverty. But the wise shall become wiser and the foolish shall perish. But both have time in common and in the end patience is the passing of time. So maybe the best question to ask is, "Who has the patience to wait for time?"
Every teacher has been taught. Every fighter has been fought. Every speaker has been spoken to. In every thing that we do it has been done to us already. As the writer of Ecclesiastes wrote, there is nothing new under the sun. I believe that the shorter the wait the less learning there is that had to be learned. For those who are impatient it seems as if even the simplest life lessons are long learned but of course this is the very reason why the lessons are long.
How long will it take for the world to realize that history repeats itself in cycles? Time is a cycle. Every day has a beginning and an end to it but some people seem to miss that portion of the day...every day. The moment the world realizes that there is a definite beginning and end to each day, life will begin to move at the speed of eternity. That last sentance in itself is a lifetime long learning.
I believe that patience is the reason why one person can go from rags to riches literally overnight while another person has the same opportunities but never actually reaches that full potential. A wise proverb says that the poor stay poor because the rich steal their crops but who says that a poor man can't learn to be rich and teach others to do the same. It would take extreme patience for a poor man under those harsh conditions to learn to become rich but if he is willing to learn it is totally possible.
To conclude I should answer this question which was already answered in the title: What is patience? History always repeats itself because it is based on time which is cyclical. If you are willing to wait you can learn anything under the sun because there is nothing new under the sun. Even the poor may have their fill of riches and the rich their fill of poverty. But the wise shall become wiser and the foolish shall perish. But both have time in common and in the end patience is the passing of time. So maybe the best question to ask is, "Who has the patience to wait for time?"
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Davenport, FL 33896, USA
Friday, January 27, 2012
January 27, 2012
First, I should apologize for waiting so long to post something to this blog. It was a bit refreshing for me to read the title I chose earlier this month and think that this year would be full of wise thoughts and sayings.
My first thought that I wanted to share was very visionary of myself (when am I not a visionary person). When I get older somebody is going to browse and research all of my life work and write a book about me. I figure that it is probably easier for me to just load the ink in the pen and start the first couple of pages for whoever wants to take on that task.
It will be amazing to think how my son or daughter could pull up this blog that I am writing tonight and relive this moment with me. Tonight I decided that I was going to accomplish at least two things this year. The first is to have a girlfriend. She must be pretty, self motivated and positive. This is important to me because at this point in life I really do need some sort of female companionship or else I'm gonna forget how be a romantic man. I won't go into any more detail on this as my kids could possibly be reading this some day in the future.
The second big accomplishment for this year will be to save money for a house. I would say that I'm going to buy a house this year but I don't know exactly when I'll buy the house. It's much more important for me to focus on saving the money for the house and also looking for the house. This house will have all of the qualities that I have been looking for.
Remember, tts not always about the destination. The journey is just as important as where you are going. When driving a long distance you should let down the windows and experience the breeze of the wind on your face because the closer you get the slower you drive in anticipation that you will need to stop soon.
Clearly I am no where close to my destination and time is not stopping anytime soon for me so I must bring this note to a close and get some sleep. My final thought to share: I pray that this blog will serve as an inspiriational note to many but mostly to myslef. If ever there is a day when I am no longer the man that I know I was born to be, this note will help me bring myself back to life.
My first thought that I wanted to share was very visionary of myself (when am I not a visionary person). When I get older somebody is going to browse and research all of my life work and write a book about me. I figure that it is probably easier for me to just load the ink in the pen and start the first couple of pages for whoever wants to take on that task.
It will be amazing to think how my son or daughter could pull up this blog that I am writing tonight and relive this moment with me. Tonight I decided that I was going to accomplish at least two things this year. The first is to have a girlfriend. She must be pretty, self motivated and positive. This is important to me because at this point in life I really do need some sort of female companionship or else I'm gonna forget how be a romantic man. I won't go into any more detail on this as my kids could possibly be reading this some day in the future.
The second big accomplishment for this year will be to save money for a house. I would say that I'm going to buy a house this year but I don't know exactly when I'll buy the house. It's much more important for me to focus on saving the money for the house and also looking for the house. This house will have all of the qualities that I have been looking for.
Remember, tts not always about the destination. The journey is just as important as where you are going. When driving a long distance you should let down the windows and experience the breeze of the wind on your face because the closer you get the slower you drive in anticipation that you will need to stop soon.
Clearly I am no where close to my destination and time is not stopping anytime soon for me so I must bring this note to a close and get some sleep. My final thought to share: I pray that this blog will serve as an inspiriational note to many but mostly to myslef. If ever there is a day when I am no longer the man that I know I was born to be, this note will help me bring myself back to life.
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