DECEMBER DETAILS

Yes, I did fold my hands a lot this year and let things slide or wait for them to happen to me… somehow!

But, it’s worthy of note that God has been good and so faithful to me this year; More faithful than I have been to myself. That’s the reason why I’m still here in my right senses writing about it.

What I called disappointments this year was actually God saving me from bad relationships! And they’ve been a handful, I tell ya!

The jobs and admissions that didn’t work out were all God’s way of pushing things that were not on my path to destiny out of my life. He is gracious.

He carried me throughout this year, supported my weight through every storm, saw me through all my heartbreaks and gave me grace to forgive and release myself! Amazing

It’s December now, and most of us have started to take stock of our lives.

Some of us haven’t quite hit our target and we are working thrice as hard to get there...Sometimes, working so hard that we forget the people who really matter like family and friends and we stand the risk of losing that special relationship.

Some of us put our time, energy, and resources into plans that started to go well and they just crashed all of a sudden!

Some of us have been waiting for a promise to be fulfilled… waiting like for years!

Some of us feel pretty good about how this year turned out!

This is what God says to us:

To those who are waiting, He says “But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised…for I know the plans I have for you” Jeremiah 29:10, 11

“This plan of mine is not what you would work out… my ways are higher than yours” Isaiah 55:8, 9

“Those who wait for me shall never be ashamed” Isaiah 49:23b

To those who didn’t have things go the way they expected, He says “I will give you abundant water for your thirst and for your parched fields. And I will pour out my spirit and blessing on your children” Isaiah 44:3

“… When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown” Isaiah 42:2

To those who think they had a splendid year, He says “But forget all that- it is nothing compared to what I’m going to do; for I am going to do a brand new thing!” Isaiah 43:18, 19

Yes! It’s December, the end of the year when we start to pay attention to details. However, there is good news!

Every NEW day brings with it NEWNESS!

There’s an opportunity to start over, to get it right this time, to forgive and to restore.

So, look forward to each NEW day with expectation and happy New Year in advance!

WHAT ROCKS?

PHYSICAL	NOT PHYSICAL
THE WAY HE/SHE LOOKS: His eyes, her smile, his hands, her hair, his height, her figure e.t.c	THE WAY HE/SHE IS: His/her personality, character, temperament e.t.c
THE WAY HE/SHE SPEAKS: A good command of any language Their voice texture, tone The wonderful accent they have e.t.c	THE WORDS HE/SHE SPEAKS: Respectful/disrespectful Pure and true or just lies e.t.c
THE WAY HE/SHE SMELLS: Gucci, Giovanni, Dior Awful or smelly	HIS/HER DEMEANOR: The you feel around them ( appreciated, welcome or tolerated)

Interestingly, the physical is very attractive, enticing and almost irresistible!

It blinds. But don’t get me wrong, the physical is very important in the early stages of a relationship. It’s what causes the attraction in a relationship but is not strong enough to sustain or maintain the attraction. The personality and character of the person that you are attracted to is what keeps you in the relationship.

Everything physical is temporary. It can be built upon or torn down.

WORSHIP: An art and a lifestyle.

NOTE TO READER:

This is an independent study for my personal enjoyment. You may draw your own conclusions from it.

Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The adoring acknowledgment of all that lies beyond us—the glory that fills heaven and earth. It is the response that conscious beings make to their Creator, to the Eternal Reality from which they came forth; to God, however they may think of Him or recognize Him, and whether He be realized through religion, through nature, through history, through science, art, or human life and character."

In general, Worship is all inclusive term for everything one says or does which is pleasing to God.

As I come across different people (though not so many), I notice that at the heart of every man is the desire to do something that is beyond himself. Sometimes we call it the “greater good”. There is also an instinctive knowledge of right and wrong (never mind the “if-it-feels-good-do-it” theory). Also, instinctively is the way we seek a higher power when we’ve reached the end of our rope. We just kind of “look up”, even without thinking about it!

The heavens, the stars, nature, the Universe, with its flawless harmony and balance tell us that there is a power that exists that holds it all together. This is GOD.

Paul, in the book of first chapter of Romans says about men who deny GOD that “…what may be known about God is evident among them for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world HIS invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so they are without excuse…”

So why would anyone who sees the works of God and knows them refuse to glorify God?

I can proffer a simple answer: we prefer to worship ourselves!

I know… it may sound a bit bizarre. I mean, how could I think of worshipping myself, right?

But… we do it ALL the time (Especially when you get down to the real meaning of worship)

“…It is the response that conscious beings make to their Creator”

When you become aware or conscious of your creator, how do you respond? That response is worship. Some people sing songs or paint or draw pictures, enjoy nature, explore the universe, discover new frontiers in science or in the world…the list of things we do in this response is endless!

This is why I also define worship as an art because it involves skill and creative imagination; it’s conceptual!

God does not expect us all to worship in one restricted pattern! (He actually would find it really boring)

God expects us to worship Him with our individualities, in our personal uniqueness, in our own style! That’s why a dog will bark, a bird will sing, a fish will… well, do whatever it does, and a cat will meow. If all the animals made the same sound, and there was only one season and only one personality… it would be awful!

It’s no wonder why we have phlegmatics, sanguines, cholerics and melancholies… to be beautiful in our diversity!

Unfortunately, we criticize each others’ art of worship a little too quickly.

A melancholy might expect a sanguine to worship like he does and vice versa, and then we get angry at each other and start to break up into groups whereas our Father in heaven was ‘loving’ the diversity all along!

The most important thing about our worship is who we worship.

The Bible tells us in Exodus 20:2, 3

“I am the Lord your God… you shall have no other gods before me”

In Matthew 4:10

“Thou shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve”

Who is this God?

He is the Lord who does not change; He is the ancient of days, the one who sent His only begotten son to take away the sins of the world because He has loved us with an everlasting love. Our God shows His own diversity in the different names He has revealed:

Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:14), Jehovah Nissi (Exodus 17:15), Yahweh Tsilha (Psalm 121:5), Yahweh Borei (Isaiah 40:28), El Elohi Israel (1Samuel 1: 17), YHWH Shammah (Ezekiel 48:35), Jehovah Elshaddai (Genesis 17:1), Jehovah Adonai

He shows Himself as God in every circumstance and situation because He actually has a name for every situation that we are in! If we need a healer, He is Rapha. If we need a friend, He is Shammah, if we need a provider, He is Jireh… isn’t that awesome!

So, conversely, since we can’t be all that, we can be who we are! If you are a writer, write to worship Him. If you are a dancer, dance to His glory, if you are a singer, sing to him, if you are a discoverer, discover to His glory…etc.

Worship is also defined as “To Honour” By Webster’s dictionary.

This is the part that brings in the lifestyle.

A teacher I was listening to defined honour for God as “letting his words carry weight in your life; giving Him the authority to be obeyed first in your life”

This means that God’s words carries so much weight in your life that it influences everything in your life.

Deuteronomy 6:18 reads “And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord that it may be well with you…” (New King James Version)

Your lifestyle is simply the way that you live your life, the modes that you do the different things you do and the way that you relate to people (The government, leadership, parents, friends, the Boss, e.t.c)

Your lifestyle is unique to you and God instructs that we honour him in our lifestyle.

This means that as we live our lives, doing the things that we do, we must put God first in our considerations and decisions and let His words carry weight in our lives. We know His words and His mind concerning issues as we study the Bible, which is God’s revealed word to us!

Unfortunately, most of us don’t even take the time to study the bible, and yet that is the only way to grow in our knowledge of Him.

It starts with a decision.

Decide that you will worship only God and learn how to honour Him.

It is a step by step process that actually takes a lifetime; but once your mind is set to honour God, He will give you the grace to go all the way.

THE WORSHIP BATTLE (2)

Welcome to part 2.

I just thought about the 10 commandments that the Lord gave to Moses. The first commandment is "I am the Lord your God... you shall have no other gods before me". (Exodus 20:1&2)

HE spells it out clearly; worship only me.

So, we'll get back to the story now :)

Just when you think that Satan has done his worst, chapter 2 of Job tells us more!

Again,the Angels were presenting themselves before God; and again satan was with them.

So God had to brag again; "Have you considered my servant,Job?... still he holds fast to his integrity!..."

So satan is upset and says "Skin for skin! yes, all that a man has,he will give for his life... touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse you to your face!"

Remember we said man doesn't own anything? So what does a man have that he will give for his life?... what do you think? ( we'll get back to that...i hope you already guessed the answer)

So the Lord gives satan permission to touch Jobs body and you know...

satan strikes job with a hell of a plague! Now He has painful boils from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.

"And he took for himself potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes."

In the ancient middle east, pouring sand or ash on your head,wearing sackcloth and sitting in ashes are all signs of deep sorrow or mourning/grief.

I would grieve to if all this happened to me. You know, i've not even experienced this kind of catastrophe; not even a fraction of it! and yet when little things upset me and things don't go my way i get so angry at God! I ask the famous "why me?" ... okay, so maybe i have been over-reacting :(

So, Job is grieving really bad and his friends who have heard about his misfortune come to see him. They don't even recognize him! They sit with him in the ashes and they can't even say anything for seven days because they realize that his grief is really great.

Finally Job speaks and he curses the day he was born. It's the same thing as wishing you were never born. He says some really sad stuff in chapter 3. I guess we all do that when we've lost everything. We wish we were never born. We ask "whoever" why we were born if all we do is suffer,suffer and suffer.

And people do suffer,like really suffer. So, why are we born? what's the point of living?

Then his friends try to answer him.

Eliphaz asks him " can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his maker?

The next chapters document the discussion between Job and his friends. They all try to suggest that maybe God is trying to punish Job for his sins, and Job can't think of anything He's done wrong. But then again, He says what can a mortal say to God?... they go back and forth like that and they make some incredible quotes and ask some thought provoking questions (Um... you'll have to read it for yourself.)

Finally, the Lord answers Job in a whirlwind.(I'm glad i wasn't there... i would have passed out seven times!)

The Lord asks him some really awesome questions. (it's in chapter 38-41. You should really read it and see if you can answer. i couldn't)

God asks " who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?... He who rebukes God, let him answer it."

"Would you indeed annul My judgement?... Who has preceded Me that i should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine..."

Of course Job couldn't answer.

Bottom line, God IS sovereign.

His counsel is the wisest and it will stand.

Oswald Chambers defines sin differently from what we all think sin is.

We generally think that sin is the bad stuff that we do. It's not.

Sin is a nature.

Now, i'll go back to the beginning of the story. Remember God was bragging about Job?

This is because He created us to give Him pleasure and to worship Him.

To worship God is to pay great Honour to Him, to put Him first before our own rights and interests, to obey Him. This is easy to do only after we realize that all we have He has given to us.

So what did Job have that he would give to save his life?

He had his worship. We have been given the gift of free will. To choose how to worship. I almost added ;to choose who to worship. But then, if we can choose who to worship, why is it wrong to worship other god's? This is getting interesting.

I guess, that will start another series.

To end this part, Job abhorred himself before God and repented for questioning Him. Job acknowledged that God IS sovereign and we are just His servants. Here to worship Him.

It does have a happy ending... because God blessed Job twice as much! and returned his covering.

THE WORSHIP BATTLE

There is a story recorded in the Bible about a man named Job.

The story tells us that there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord , and Satan also came among them.

The Lord is really proud of this man Job, and He brags about him to Satan.

Satan says that Job only serves The Lord because of what he gets; He's protected, blessed, healthy... who wouldn't serve the Lord for that!

So, satan states emphatically that if GOD takes away the Hedge of protection, Job would curse God to His face!!!

God agrees to take away the hedge but instructs satan to spare Job's life.

Now while all this is happening in the spirit realm, Job has NO IDEA.

He's just doing what He's always done, holding fast to his integrity, offering Sacrifices to God... I'm sure He didn't know that God had noticed him from on high. I'm sure He didn't know that God had placed a hedge of protection around him and satan couldn't touch him!

I'm sure satan was frustrated because he couldn't touch him.

Anyways, as soon as satan gets permission, he floods Job with catastrophe!

Job looses his 10 children in a tornado, Fire falls and consumes all his cattle, Sabeans raid his oxen, Chaldeans raid his camels and kill his servants... all in one day!!! I tell you, satan couldn't wait!

whoa!!! Is that what you get from being noticed by God? I mean... is it not a GOOD thing to be Faithful to the God you serve? Check it - Job didn't do anything wrong, he wasn't in that discussion and somewhere up in heaven, his fate is decided for a season.

Well, guess what Job did after he got the bad news one after the other ( in rapid succession )?

You won't believe this!

Job " arose,tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground..." (well that's expected)

"... and worshipped."

You have got to be kidding me!!!

I mean, here i am all "goody-two-shoes" and serving God and He lets this happen to me, all in one day! NO way! I'm Quitting the next minute!

Hey,wait a minute... then why exactly am i serving God? Hmm...

Why do i worship HIM? is it just some idea handed down to me by my parents or just something that "the masses" do?

Or maybe it's a gamble or a deal... that if i serve Him,then i get good stuff,else,i get bad stuff.

But if I'm worshipping for what i can get, am i a true worshipper? (John 4:21-24)and what is worship?

Now, back to the story...

Job then says " Naked i came from my mother's womb, and naked shall i return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Wow! This is a profound statement. Job realized that all he had : The Cattle,Oxen, Children... everything was given to Him. I guess today, we would say: The cars, the kids, the estate and landed property, the "bling"... you name it! Everything we have has been given to us. Job NEVER claimed ownership or his right to himself.

I think that's where worship starts. It start when we recognize that we do not have anything apart from what The Lord has given us. We might want to argue and say we've worked so hard to get where we are, spent time and energy,blah,blah,blah...

The truth is, you must be alive to work and if you could pay for life, i wonder how many of us could afford it.We have all been given life! How else do you explain the birth of life; how a baby comes into the world and takes it's first breath!

Face it, no one owns life.

Now, back to the story... hmm... i think i'll break it into two parts! watch out for the 2nd part.

A NEW BABY

I saw a new baby a few days back. She was just three days old and beautiful!

I watched her while she slept...those tiny hands curled up in fists,her hair like dark silk,her complexion fair and lovely.

She reminded me of all thing innocent,pure and lovely.

We forget about those things in this cruel world... i wonder how she'll survive.

Where is innocence, where is purity and where is love?

Every new birth is a reminder that good still exists,that there is still another chance to grow a new breed of people.

She is like a new seed.

Will we grow her to be like everyone else? will we shower her with love and weed the bad and protect her?

I think to grow her right, we need to BE right. I can change my attitude and so can you. I can decide that i will not be influenced by the darkness I can decide that i will be the salt and the light... and so can you.

A new baby needs anew world; and a new world needs a new you!

LEAVE ME BE!!!

He sees the pretty face and smile; so he walks up to say "hello"

She's polite, so she says "hi".

She's hopeful... for something real

He's hopeful... for a kiss and maybe more.

It starts... the search for who gets what and the winner takes it all.

* * * * *

I've had that scenario play so many times and i'm TIRED!

where are all the REAL guys? Pluto?

The good guys ARE still on planet earth... and so are the good girls; It's just that anything really good and worthwhile takes time to come to you,and after you've been through so many counterfeits,you learn to appreciate it's value. It becomes PRICELESS!

I guess what i didn't realize was that i AM getting refined in the process of waiting for the real thing.It's like raw gold going through the heat and getting the impurities burned of... you learn to leave the heavy,impure,unecessary dross in the fire and you come out with what's really important- purity and value.

That is reassuring... but i must admit,it IS hard!

When someone seemingly responsible comes along, i always hope he's the one i'm waiting for...and i find out he's not! That's disappointing... and yet i keep hoping!

It's funny. I'm blessed with this amazing ability to dream!

I really wish the fake guys would leave me be... but they won't. I guess that is part of the process to teach me to learn how to seperate the real from the phoney,to help me see a clearer,sharper picture of who i'm waiting for..because now i know who he is NOT!

So... i guess i won't give the exasperated cry "Leave me be!" ; I'll just ask for strength to go through the process.

Help me EBENEZER! You are the Stone of My Help.

Gloriah's Colours

The first time i met her, she reflected happy colours; yellow, the colour of the sun.
Light colours; blue, the colour of the sky.
She was inviting,welcoming... like home.
I think she knew that her smile was a gift that she could give freely to everyone she meets.
Gloriah.
I wanted to stay longer with her, get to know her better. I did, and then i saw deeper colours.
Violet, the colour of strength,of purpose.
I wondered if ever it were possible that someone almostperfect could exist... so i got closer
I tried to get to her heart and that's where i met the first barricade; she hardly let anyone get that close. I could understand why.
There were hurts that were still healing;deep wounds that were still under bandage... thats when i saw the colour red.
Gloriah.
At her very core was a symbol, asymbol of a cross. THE CROSS.
That must have been where the life must have been emanating from; the reason why she radiated joy and happiness to others despite her own pain and scars.
Gloriah, the Gloriah founded on the Cross. i know she knows that that cross brings healing.
Gloriah's colours - as many as a rainbow's; beautiful in every hue.

LOVE triangle

He's in love with her but on her mind is another
He says the right things,does the right things
They make sense to her mind but her heart has chosen another
Whom the heart chooses and why it does is a mystery

The one in her heart is the one she loves
He has done nothing in particular but it doesn't matter
maybe one day he'll do the right things
love isn't blind,she says, it just sees a better picture

So she chooses to believe that he will become that picture
it is true that faith works through love
but love never manipulates, it only accepts
and so the journey begins

For a while he starts to conform, starts to do the right things
then he goes back to being the one who didn't really do anything
how can she complain?
Love first accepts

Time passes, nothing happens
The one who loved her is long gone and the one she loves is silent
then one day he breaks the ice!
"i miss U " He says

Now she has a spark of hope
Maybe he feels the same after all!
"i knew it!" she exclaims
He just needed a little time


Then he goes quiet again and it start to dawn on her
He doesn't love her, he never did
Love is never silent,it always proves itself
If love is not returned,then maybe it was never there

But she still wants to believe that he can
He may, but sadly, he won't
He had a grip on her
"Release me" She prays

Finally, He does.
"It's time to say goodbye" He says
Should she miss him?
The dream,yes. Him, No.For he was NEVER there in the first place

Now she is free
after taking the long journey to a love that never could be
But she will start again, maybe wiser this time
for she will ALWAYS believe in love.