Time waits for no one....

TIME 

So I stand on the edge of sanity wasting time,

I glide between decisions taking time...around the reeking,

Because if it won't wait for me, why should I respect or wait for it?

Time and time again, I try to keep up with time!

But it runs away....with me, without me.

Time keeps its own time and therefore does not let me in on its secrets, keeps me distant.

So then I am left wondering where has the time gone?

I refuse to wait for the time...

My stubbornness precedes me like pride to a fall.

For only time will tell and with time comes healing,

With time comes process which develops growth.

Truth be told, I'm afraid of time...because I don't know what time is, what time it is?!

And therefore don't know if there is enough time...time to love, time to laugh, time to learn, time to grow, time to succeed.

I'm afraid time will be stolen and I that I will spend time on foolish things!

But...then...I should hold onto time...not let it go so easy...

Even when it wants to run away....with me, without me,

For time is precious...and all along I should have seen...

That time did not want me to chase, wait or buckle running out of time!

But rather for me to walk IN time...

**Ecclesiastes 3:11a "He has made everything beautiful in its time"**

Lord I pray for us often out of time, that You will help us to redeem the time.

Who am I?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgMD6btCP1M

Acceptance...Identity.....Validation...Insecurity

What makes us who we are? How do we know who we are?

You notice in this day and age everyone's trying to figure out who they are. What box, what category they fit into. And usually people see a box they want to fit into. They are validated by the car they drive, their career path, the position they are in, the amount they are earning. But do these things even determine who you are?

The Creator ultimately knows who we are- knows who He created us to be. And once we know who He is, we know who we are. Why do I say this? Genesis 1 says He made us in His image. We were therefore created as a reflection of Him. But obviously since the fall that image has been distorted and you are left with people who don't know who they are........

You know that once you know who you are- there is no need to fight for acceptance, fight for people to like you- because you are comfortable in who you are, who God created you to be :) When you know who you are, you walk in a freedom that no one can take from you! The most beautiful thing is for people to stop trying to be somebody else and be themselves.

Neither do we need to conform ourselves to the image of others. If somebody has negative expectations of us, if they do not see us for who are - it is not a problem for us to take on. We need to see ourselves through the eyes of God, our Creator, and walk in that.

And its not about us chasing to serve an image of ourselves- and worrying about who we are. In my last blog I mentioned that the Bible says we should not be worrying, but seeking His Kingdom first! We become confused and wrapped up in ourselves when we start serving our insecurities. As we look to God, and love Him, we begin to love ourselves and know who we are. 

We are only called to be ourselves, not fighting to please people or prove to people who we are. Sometimes we think that when we get that position or when x amount people love me or know who I am, then I am somebody :S that is a very worrying place to be at!! We need to accept ourselves and know that we are already somebody! Already valuable! Our worth is too high to spend it trying to please others and trying to be accepted by others!

Live a life of love! You can not love your neighbour as you love yourself, if you do not even love yourself!

The Reason for the Season

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAGZZ1YpdEI


'God rest ye merry Gentlemen' is one of my most favourite Christmas songs EVER. The lyrics bring so much hope during a season where the world has turned a time of hope to a time of defeat.


Christmas - 'tis the season to be jolly -  but you look around and see so much hurt and pain. (mainly because it is COLD). But one of the most saddening news I have heard is the amount of people that have taken their own lives this season as people loose hope. The consumer is pushed to buy buy buy, spend, spend, spend and it ends up being a season of debt, frustration!


What is Christmas to you? I'm not going to lie! I started this winter season with a Scrooge attitude! LOL like the teacher in the news that told her children that Santa wasn't real!  There's so much to do, with so little time - but this attitude comes when we take our eyes off the prize! 


I remember listening to a very encouraging message during the week in regards to the pressures of Christmas.  http://www.elevationchurch.org/sermons Was encouraged to focus on what Christmas is really about.


Isaiah 9: 6 'Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.'


Where does your hope lie this Christmas? Ultimately when our hope is in God, we are not left disappointed. We hope in the glory of God, in His goodness and we are not left disappointed (Romans 5) as the Holy Spirit pours God's love in our hearts! This is not a season for us to walk in defeat, in defeat but to walk in inexpressible joy- because this is the time when we remember that God sent His only Son to restore His relationship with us and we can walk in freedom. We need to take our minds off the chaos of WORRYING about what to buy, what to cook! Remember Jesus told us not to worry! We just seek first the Kingdom of God! We need to keep our minds at peace, meditating on His goodness- rejoicing in what He has one for us! Our minds will be at rest as we keep our eyes on Him the author and the finisher of our faith! Let His peace guard your heart.


Make Christmas a joyful time, regardless of situations- He is the Prince of Peace bringing salvation! God gave us the best gift, of His only Son, Jesus, who came to bring life- and it was for freedom He has set us free. So  enjoy that gift this Christmas- not only in this season, but every season after this one! God sent His only Son so that we can live in His presence, so enjoy His presence (play on words :p) this Christmas!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQNp4n_5VFE

People all over the world, start a love train :p

sums up: why can't we all just get along :Phttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUFT35S7Jb4
LOL! Before reading this blog- you must click the link and watch the video- it forms a great basis for this blog!!


But yeah! Why can't we all just get along sounds pretty cheesy (hence the vid) but on the other hand its a real topic! Something of concern to me- the extent of division that I see. Unnecessary.


I remember God sharing some things with me and it was confirmed when a friend shared it a church service I attended. There can be so much division in the body of Christ, for no reason and I remember a pastor once saying that division comes about by us magnifying our differences (check the link!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpN0vwgVBZkA good pixar animation with serious lessons). There is one similarity between us that is greater than ANY of our differences! The fact that Christ died for us. 'Our focus in our fellowship should be our personal experience with Christ more than agreement over the same issues'. Christ unites us! Eg. There shouldnt be an issue in whether somebody decides that he or she can or can not eat meat and that divides you! I think Paul put it best when he explained in Romans 14:1 that we are not to quarrel over opinions. In my last blog I mentioned Colossians where it discusses we should not live by the standards of others. I like how Paul explains in Romans 14 that we will have different standards- but those are between us and God. Don't force others to live by your standards or judge somebody else's standards. All that we do, should be to the glory of God!


Not only do I see minor differences only separating us but how we treat each other. It is so easy for us to start judging people when they fall, when they make a mistake, and then separate ourselves from them, lest we get infected! But take heed lest you fall! Do we all remember David and Saul? The children of Israel were asking Go for a king over the people as the other nations around them had a king to rule over them, and so God appointed Saul. But Saul's reign was cut short as he was caught in an act of disobedience to God, so in the mean time, God raised up David. Now remember God anointed Saul to reign as king, and David knew this very well. Saul began to mistreat David, as he became jealous of him because the children of Israel loved David for defeating all of their enemies. Saul tried to kill David on a number of occasions, and so David spent a lot of this season of his life - just after being anointed as king - fleeing from Saul. There was a situation where Saul and his men were chasing David and had lied down to rest and David entered Saul's camp, while they were sleeping. Now what would you do if you saw your enemy, the person who has tried to kill you for the past however long, just lying there sleeping...vulnerable! I don't even want to guess what you might do but lets take a look at what David did in 1 Samuel 24. When David saw Saul, he just left him - he just cut off a piece of Saul's robe to show Saul that he had the opportunity to take his life but didn't. In verse 6 David says why he did this. He says that Saul is still the Lord's anointed! After all that Saul had done! Walking in disobedience, allowing insecurity and jealousy to rule in his life, David still recognised him as God's anointed.


We take down the people around us, abuse and mistreat and judge the people around us, when regardless of what we think about them, they are still God's anointed. Instead of pulling people down with our words, we could be encouraging each other, praying for each other, edifying one another. Psalms says how great it is when we dwell together in unity. Doing these things helps to build the unity! Helps to build the body! And no part is more important than the other. In the last blog I mentioned that things get more complicated when we do something other than love God and love people! We need to have a culture of love, not of condemnation!!


In summary I like how Romans 14:17 says that the Kingdom of God is not about all these earthly standards of eating and drinking, but is of righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit!! Let that be how you live-you are not governed by standards but are part of a greater Kingdom! Be encouraged in unity!