Perspectives:

We sometimes have different perspectives on the thing same issues. For instance your analysis on how the economy should be run may be different from mine, we’ve sat and discussed how we think the economy should be tackled, and we’ve become self professed economic analyst.

Regardless of our perspectives, the current government did not seek our opinion before going ahead with the cuts and changes which we are currently experiencing. The government, together with experts in different fields sat down to the reality of the current state of the economy and decided (regardless of the perspectives of the people) to make certain changes. And by God will they hurt?

This got me thinking, it’s the same with God. He does not seek your opinion or perspective on your future. He already determined our end from our beginning, which means that before we were conceived, God already knew what each second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year has in store for us. He did not have a round table discussion with you when you became a teenager to decide how your future will turn out. He already had that figured out.
Does it mean we have no part to play in our daily existence? Not at all, the fact that the government did not seek our point of view before making these changes doesn’t mean that we have no part to play, our part is to find out how the changes will affect us and come into line with it. We may need to re-organise our personal finances to come in line with the governments.

In the same way we too can find out what God’s plans are for our lives are and come into line with them. The bible clearly tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that his plans for our lives are good not evil. Our perspectives on our lives are irrelevant if we haven’t viewed it in line with God’s perspectives. God’s perspectives is contained in his word, it is loaded with guidance and clues which are certain to bring us into his perfect plan for our lives, but because we are so pre-occupy with our own plans and perspectives we fail to seek and see what his are, we struggle to understand where the problem lies when things aren’t working the way we thought they should.

I encourage you today, if you are struggling to understand the way your life is turning out, go to God in prayer, ask him to show you areas you’ve neglected to involve him and come into line with his plans.

What he shows you may be difficult to implement, he may ask you to change your attitude, change your perspective, change your location, change your character, change, and more change. But whatever he ask of you, be ready to get on board with his purpose for your life, as we wrap up this year and set assail into 2011 a territory unknown us but known to him.

Hope That Saves!

The remarkable story of 33 miner buried 2000 feet below the surface of Chile’s Atacama desert made head news around the world. Even more remarkable was the unbelievable rescue of these men. I'm sure you are familiar with the story so I won't bore you by telling it again.

One thing struck me through it all and that was the resilience of the men, they didn’t give up hope. They kept their hope alive by pulling together, when one was weak, there was one who encouraged, together, with the help those on the surface they kept their hope alive.

Often, we are faced with dire situation, ones which threatens our very existence. Literally we feel buried in those circumstances with no way out. If you recall, there was no way in or out of that mine after it collapsed (talk about a hopeless situation). An emergency rescue plan had to be put together to get them out.

Straight from my heart is this piece to encourage you to have faith in God, in the face of buried dreams and seemingly hopeless situation.
Look up your help comes from the Lord, in a way you could say their hope saved them. Watching them come out, not one of them had an angry or exhausted look, and they kept their hope alive by hooking up with God, those on the surface and encouraging each other.

For some of us, it may look like there’s no way in or out of our situation, but hang in there help is on the way. While waiting for a rescue, reshape your attitude, let go of pain, anger and hatred, have a winning attitude, because you can’t tell your story with all those things written over your expression.
It may require a dramatic effort to bring you out but it will happen.
As Romans 8:24-28 says, we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is no hope at all, who hopes for what he already has? 25: but if we hope for what we do not yet have we wait for it with patience.
Hope in God, have faith that he's working all things out for your good. Be assured it won't be long before he rescues you. Just stay hooked up and connected to him.

Snared, bruised and brushed, still I arise.
Knocked down but not out, kicked but not killed, still I arise
With gaze upward looking,
My hope is rekindled with the vision of victories ahead.
I arise.

Still Arise

As I speak with various people and read the news daily, it is apparent that the tough times are getting worse. There seems to be no end to loss of job, house, loved ones etc. As I ponder our current circumstance one scripture came to mind.

Habakkuk 3:17: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stores, “
18: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation”.
19: “The Lord is my strength, he will make my feet like the hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon my high places”.

Straight from my heart is this piece to encourage you to Still Arise, lift your head regardless of the temporary pain or heart ache you face, Arise.

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Worries, fears, toils and ruins
On parallel lane abound
Hush, still arise, amidst the turbulence.

Know that the birds toil not, yet are fed, clothed and catered for
Know that the roses, though beautiful they appear, do blossom in summer and wither in fall
Yea, a yearly cycle of bloom and gloom, still they arise,
They do not give up blooming,
Neither do birds give up flying amid the storms and wind.

So too, rise up and strive pass the temporary pain and set back, look forward to the day of relieve though it may seem distance and appears tough now, ride out the storm, stay the course of whatever betide, stir up your spirit to arise and shine.
Do not waste the time of turbulence,
Nay, but rather, gather the dust of your setback,
Lay them up as a memento for the future, a reminder of how you overcame.

Lift your head and arise.