EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD

The Bible gives us a glimpse of the God of everything.  Objects such as books are pretty ordinary in our everyday living.  But the Bible is alive.  It contains the word of God.  Words to live by,  THE instructional manual.  Yet, we ignore its importance in the application of our daily movements.  The only real time we pick up this book is when we are in some kind of trouble when it seems like divine intervention is the only untapped source to find our solution.   We think that God is the happiness dispenser, approach only when necessary.

It’s amazing how selfish and whiny we can be.  We indulge in self-pity and whoa-is-me type of mentality.  We forget that in these types of situations, satan is fully aware of our vulnerability and ready to pounce at the chance to sink us even further to the bottom.   However, we don’t have to  wallow in our sorrows and instead rise to the top.  We need to look outside ourselves and into the heart of others in order to find the happiness we truly seek.

When we begin to adopt the ways of God towards others, we begin to experience true happiness. We can pull the strength from God’s love for us, the strength that only comes within his sacrifice for His only Son Jesus Christ.  

We have to remember first and foremost that we are not in control of ANY situation that come our way.  Instead we need to accept that God is in control.  God has promised to do “good work” in us, and to complete it (Philippians 1:6).  When we are stuck in the muck of the moment, we need to focus on what is above us, and keep our eyes on heaven so that we can put the things on earth in correct perspective.

We must strive to turn our own obsession into love for one another.  Let us try to forget ourselves and focus on the beauty of shared life.  In this day and age it is sad to see that everyone is too engrossed in themselves.  We are all selfish.  But we forget that there is beauty in sharing our lives not just with our immediate family but also to others whether friends or foe.  There is real joy in serving others in the form of acceptance, encouragement, forgiveness and submission.

Think about someone you love.  You would do anything for that person just to see them happy.  If only a fraction of that is spread to others, imagine how much the world will change.

It is the responsibility of parents to teach their kids to do so.  As terrible as the world is today, I still have not given up on it, no matter how small I think I am, God thinks otherwise.

Until my next rant… LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

Let God Do His Job and Stay Rooted

God respects us enough to not get in the way of our own will.  Although He is a jealous God, He allows us to make our own decisions when it comes to loving Him.  One of His top commandments is to not put anything or anyone above Him.  In my opinion, He does deserve that honor, to be above all else.  After all, we owe everything we have, and everything we are to Him.

Even if we are given our own will, it is not to surmise that He puts people in place in our lives so that their own testimony to being a Christ follower encourages us to make a decision to be on His team.  People like true Christians are conditioned influenced by their purpose to help others understand God's love.  

However, because of our sinful nature, sometimes the very same people who set out to spread the word become so engrossed and entitled that they push the envelope to far up their prospects that instead of whole heartedly hopping on the Jesus train, they opt to let it pass.  Not only were they turned off on the pushiness, the pusher also misses the mark because of their unawareness of their own self-righteousness.

If our life purpose for God is to sow the seeds and understanding the process of putting our faith into action through evangelism, we are simply sower of the seeds, sowing a valuable seed wherever we go.  Though we are faithful to the purpose, not everyone will listen immediately.  Some may not respond to our words, others might have preconceived notions about Christians themselves, which in this case will take a little bit more subtle convincing, others may simply be too unfocused on the message that we are imparting to them.  Whichever the case, there are those whom the seeds will bear fruit, the seed we sow in them can produce crops far greater than we could ever imagine.  There is the joy of new life in Christ and it is great!  

Although it may be nice to be able to control which seed takes root and which does not, it is not our job to do so.  Our role is to offer the seed, God will handle the rest.  We need to let God walk through the paved way we have created.  Then we ourselves must stay rooted in order to be able to sow more and more seeds.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

FOCUS ON ONESELF

There is a big difference between self analysis and being selfish or conceited.

The former entails self-evaluation honestly sizing yourself in how you relate to others.  We often strive to do what is right, even going out of our way to do so but sometimes imposing our ways to others.  There is some danger in conducting ourselves this way.  That danger is that sometimes we don't see things from a different perspective.   Even though we mean well, we unintentionally become rigid in our analysis of others until we believe that there is no other right way but ours.

This is what I mean.  Sally has been a model human being from the gate.  Sally does everything right to please everyone.  She thinks that if she avoids any kind of conflict, no feathers will be ruffled.  There are people in Sally's life who loves Sally for who she is.  However, some of these loved ones see that because Sally is so agreeable, others take advantage of her.  But whatever they do, Sally just goes with the flow to avoid any conflict.  In a way, what Sally is doing is admirable.  However, when the situation calls for it, it would not so wrong for her to stand up for what she believes.  

Now Sally has a friend named Mitch.  Mitch is the exact opposite of Sally.  Although he is a person of integrity, he sometimes gives opinions which are unwelcome.  But that's just the way Mitch is.  If you get unsolicited advise from him, it is better just to ignore him.  

Had Sally and Mitch focused on themselves and know when to or when not to exert themselves, instead of thinking that others should take note and learn from them, they would be more wholesome.  Sometimes knowing yourself paves the way for better communication which then leads to relational successes.  

Whether or not majority of others will agree that your way is the right way, the world changes with or without you.  External influences will always distort someone's truth and we are better off adjusting to the movement of time and space in this world but limited to the will and grace of God.  God is timeless, it means His ways flows with time and space.  His presence is the ONLY presence in the entire universe that can travel through and from multi-dimensions.  The closer you are to understanding yourself in relation to others, the better and much more tolerable the world will be.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

EMERGENCE FROM THE DARK

Ah, the darkness!  We all go through times when it seems to be trekking from one dark tunnel into another.  Sometimes we think, "Can I just catch a break?"  Situations come into our lives unwelcomed.  Even if we try to do things right, life throws us a curve ball and always when we least expect it.  Ride with the tide they say.  Well, it's so much easier said than done, you know?  

The dark days may seem endless when we have no faith.  No matter how close our relationship is with God, it seems that darkness follows us anyway.  It is true.  But we have to put things in perspective.

If we break it down, whether you believe in God or not, we all go through down days.  No one is exempt from that.  So, being aware of this fact is already the harbinger for better days to come.  Not that we expect that bad days will follow good ones, but we all need to be prepared.  

Preparation entails faith.  Knowing and accepting that prayer really works would be the next step to disastrous circumstances.  I can't even begin to imagine those who have no faith in God.  I mean, how do they cope?  If they can just tap into that gift of prayer and faith that there is a God who really cares for you, and will take that burden from you if you let Him.  But only if you let Him.  If you surrender it to Him, it has to be a full surrender, not a half-ass one.  Surrendering and taking it back from Him won't work.  

God has a light inside us all that if fanned into flames will only serve to benefit us rather than extinguishing the fire and becoming self-reliant.  God has the power to change ANY circumstance and when He does, you will know that it is Him who paved the way to the solution of your burdens.  Keep your hearts open, accept that you are powerless against those curve balls that are coming your way.  There is always a God-sized hole in everyone's heart.  No one escapes that.  Once filled, life is easier to handle.  Let go and let God!  I love that phrase!

UNTIL MY NEXT RANT... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

GOD OUR FATHER - HAPPY FATHERS DAY

Yes, He is the one who created everything.  He was the one who Adam and Eve feared, the one who was envied by the once very beautiful and intelligent angel cast out of the heavens because he was envious of the most powerful one!  The one who orchestrated every single event from creation to current events.  He is the one that we cannot ever escape from yet we choose to reject Him.  

He is the reason for all the turmoil and battles being fought to this very day.  He was the one who punished the rebels and the stubborn people since the beginning of time.  He is feared, mocked, rejected, turned away from because of lucifer who runs amok on this earth being given liberties by those who rebel against Him, the very powerful God of the entire universe!

Since the beginning of time, God has revealed Himself and has been known to man as a scary God.  A God who is angry.  

But that is not how I know God.  For me, God my father is a gentle God.  A person I turn to who extends His arms and His heart openly to me when I need to be comforted.  Sure, in the days before Jesus, He was a very stern and sometimes angry God.  But He was also gentle to the people who were loyal and loving to Him.  Over and over again, He has saved them, forgiven them and given them blessings throughout history.  Not until He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus, did he back off, letting Jesus take over.  Jesus is our advocate, the gentle part of God who understands our situation because He became human just like us.  He was able to feel what it's like to hurt, to want to live, to feel physical pain.  He is our protector, our guide, our shelter and our solace.  

A good father is one who will take a bullet for his children.  He will protect them from harm, work hard to support them and be their children's confidante.  The one whose fathers were absent, He especially loves and protects.  I am that person.  God has always been my go-to person, especially today.  The older I become, the more I understand God and the more I understand Him, the more I love Him.  I may not have had a father to guide me throughout my life, I have to say, all my life God was there for me.  A father that is ever present, a father who got me in touch with two other father figures, Papa Henry and Grandman.

God is the best father there is.  Sure, most people have been the prodigal children but when they are ready to come back to Him, He will have his arms stretched out so far He could hug them all at the same time.

Until my next rant... HAPPY FATHERS DAY and LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!

JESUS CHRIST, OUR SUPERSTAR

In all of history and in all of humanity, no one  in this planet who was born, lived, died had ever came back to life, left, and will come back again except Jesus Christ.  Did it every occur to you or do you know anyone else in existence having the wherewithal to enter and exit our world defying multi-dimensional realms?  If you haven't thought about it, maybe it's time that you do.  

How shameful it is when we mourn celebrities who pass away and pay tribute about their lives but don't even give Jesus a second thought.  The one and only who not only contributed to all of humankind while He was alive but continues to do so to this very day and forevermore!

You may say that Jesus walked the earth eons ago and you may even doubt He ever existed.  But if you put it in perspective, the likes of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Charlie Chaplin, etc. are still being memorialized and kept alive to this day, re-living their contributions to this world via their records, stories, videos, etc. and we pass them along to the next generation as role models.

Similarly, the Bible is the legacy of Jesus Christ, a tribute to His existence in this world and is THE WORD that is still relevant and applicable to this life.  But yet, it is doubted, He is doubted, forgotten and crucified over and over again with so much hate.

Think about this.  If Jesus is the King of the coming world, this world and eternal life, then how can He not be the King of our lives?  I believe that if anyone deserves reverence, worship, perfect example, etc., it is Jesus!  He should be numero uno in our lives.  In return, He will bless you with an abundant life here and for the one after.  Caring for God is caring for your own soul!

Death is inevitable for all of us, whether or not we leave a lasting legacy on earth.  We all want to be remembered.  But when we are remembered, we ought to strive to be remembered as Christ is remembered, the one who sacrificed His life to save ours, because that type of remembrance is significant for the good of all mankind.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

DISCOVERING YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE

***PAINTING IS AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON ETSY*

https://www.etsy.com/listing/398923995/introverted-artist?ref=shop_home_active_1

I was posed a question one day, "What were you born to do to make a difference in the world?"  It must have been one of the most difficult questions I have ever had to answer.  It wasn't an instant knowledge for me.

It took years of analysis of my own life, my own abilities to be able to come up with the reason for my life.  There were times when I struggled with it.  Until one Sunday, at a church service, Pastor Bill narrowed it down for me.  He said, what is your natural talent that God has given you to share with the world for his Glory.  The question wasn't easy to assess but it got me closer to my answer.  I then asked myself, how can I use being an artist to help further the kingdom of God?

I wasn't in any way a public speaker, I am a self-proclaimed introvert befitting to my artistic personality.  I have the words in my head about what to say, but put me in front of people and I clam up.  So that avenue was out.

I am however, a pretty decent writer.  I've written poems, short stories and in the process of writing an autobiography, maybe not for the world to read but at least my family's generation to come.

So here I am today, writing blog posts associated with my artwork.  I found a niche I could fit in.  God tells me almost daily what to write and illustrate.  It is perhaps the most comfortable place  for me.  My posts are being read all over the world.  But mostly America and Russia.  Thank you so much to you all who read my posts and view my artwork.  I hope it inspires you as much as you all inspire me.

So to recap, what are you passionate about?  What are your talents you can share to the world for God's glory?  Like Steph Curry who is unabashedly giving God the glory for every time he plays and plays well.  What can you contribute?  It may not be a talent you think is a talent.  You may have the gift of gab and engage people to what you are saying.  You may be able to influence someone to turn their lives back to God. My motto is, if I can only save ONE soul, then my purpose is completely satisfied.

Thank you again for readying my posts.  Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!