Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Our Knowledge is Partial and Incomplete, but God is Omniscient
This morning, I read the story of the healing of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-19). From it, I learnt the importance of trusting God and not depending on my own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding" (New Living Translation).
Elisha instructed Naaman to go to the Jordan and wash himself so that he may be healed. Naaman was reluctant at first, but eventually followed Elisha's instruction and received his healing.
Like Elisha, God sometimes gives us instructions that we do not understand. According to our intellect, these instructions do not make any sense. We expect something else, not the instruction that God has given us at that point in time, and are reluctant to do what God has instructed us to do.
Well, I have news for you…
God still expects us to trust him and carry out those instructions as Elisha expected Naaman to trust him and follow his instruction.
Why should we trust God and not depend on our own understanding?
Here are two reasons:
1. Our knowledge is partial and incomplete
In 1 Corinthians, Paul says, "Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete… we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror," (1 Corinthians 13:9,12). We do not have knowledge of everything. Our knowledge is limited to our education and experiences. But complete knowledge spans beyond our education and experiences.
2. God is Omniscient
In Psalm 147:5, the psalmist declared, "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit." God's knowledge is perfect and eternal. He knows all things which can be known, past, present, and future. God also knows how best to attain His desired ends. We can only but trust Him to lead us to those ends.
Like Naaman, we will only see our breakthroughs when we do what God has told us to do. God knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen. He knows how things will turn out in the end. On the other hand, we do not have knowledge of everything. Our knowledge is limited to our education and experiences. So, let us put our trust in the Lord. Let us not depend on our own understanding. Amen
Friday, May 20, 2011
Do not let the day pass
Do not let the day pass
Without a smile, better still a laugh, on your face
Tickle the soul with glee
Give worry and anxiety a bitter blow
Do not let the day pass
Without learning anything new
Each day has its lesson
Search it out at any cost
Do not let the day pass
Idle
Doing nothing
Poverty and lack will soon creep into your house
Do not let the day pass
Without working towards fulfilment of your dreams
The fulfilment is only but the last step
The journey to them is actually much longer
Do not let the day pass
Without making the most of the opportunity that is before you
Stop assuming that there will be late arrivals
They might just not turn up
Do not let the day pass
Without making peace with your neighbour
Never abandon a friend – either yours or your father's
In the day of calamity, a neighbour living nearby will be of better help than a relative far away
Do not let the day pass
Without communion with God
Life is but a moment that passes away with each new day
What is today is tomorrow no more
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Mothers’ Day Special
I posted the following article once or twice before but feel the urge to post it again. I hope it helps you remember what such a special person your mother is or, if you are a mother, what such a special person you are.
Going through what Mama went through…
… is what it is going to take to make your life count.
Really, I mean it!
Going through what Mama went through is what it is going to take to make your life count: her life models the path to greatness that many of us dream of.
To justify my point, let's have a look at what Mama went through.
She was wooed by a man
A man saw her and became interested in her. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her so he set about wooing her to himself. Likewise, God is interested in spending eternity with you so He is constantly wooing you to Himself.
She had an intimate relationship with her man
When the man had wooed her to himself and she had fallen for him they began to get to know each other in a much deeper and intimate way. Likewise, God woos you to himself so that you enter into an intimate relationship with Him. Through this, He creates an opportunity for you to get to know Him; He knows you already.
She became pregnant for her man and gave birth to a baby
As she pursued an intimate relationship with her man, she became pregnant for him and gave birth to a baby. Likewise, as you pursue an intimate relationship with God, He is going to impregnate you with and cause you to give birth to His vision.
She natured her baby until it grew up
When the baby was born, she rearranged her entire life so that she could nature baby until it grew up to maturity. Likewise, you are to nature the vision that God gives you and see to it that it does not die but live to impact this generation and the generations to come.
Friday, April 29, 2011
How to Get Whatever You Want in Life
Do you have a burning desire for something? Do you know how to get it? I have a simple process that you can use to get whatever you want. Honestly, you can use it to get whatever you want in life.
Make a strong RESOLVE
Decide what you want. See it. Feel it. Taste it. Smell it. Touch it. Experience it with your whole being. Let it become a part of your present reality.
Build-up some RESILIENCE
Think of why you should already be having it. Why is it important to you?
Face the RESISTANCE
It will come. No doubt. Resistance is inevitable. Stand up to it.
Chase after the RESULT
Go after it. Don't stop. Don't give up. In the end, you will get it.
It is easy to get whatever you want in life. A strong resolve, powered by resilience will produce a resistance that will lead you to your desired result.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Timeout is better than Burnout
From time to time we find ourselves so busy that the idea of taking a break sounds absurd.
Even when we are tired, we sometimes opt to continue working until we complete our task. Only after the task is done, do we take a break.
This is a good way of getting things done, no doubt, but at times leads to burnout – a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.
Burnout is a terrible thing. It reduces your productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.
However, taking a break in the middle of your task is at times a better alternative.
Think about it.
Taking a break in the middle of your task enables you to relax and prepare to be more productive. It gives you time to renew yourself emotionally, mentally and physically. It increases your productivity and boosts your energy.
Suggesting taking a break in the middle of a task may seem absurd at first – especially if you are a very busy person – but when you consider the renewal that comes from doing so you will agree that timeout is better than burnout.
So here are 10 Easy Timeout Ideas:
1. Go for a walk/jog
2. Hit the gym
3. Take a friend out for lunch
4. Watch a movie
5. Spend time talking to your family
6. Clean
7. Visit a gallery or exhibition
8. Have your friends around for a braai
9. Pick up a hobby you have neglected
10. Find a popular spot to sit and people watch
All of these are just suggestions to help you get you off your task and create some time to renew yourself emotionally, mentally and physically.
Even when we are tired, we sometimes opt to continue working until we complete our task. Only after the task is done, do we take a break.
This is a good way of getting things done, no doubt, but at times leads to burnout – a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion.
Burnout is a terrible thing. It reduces your productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.
However, taking a break in the middle of your task is at times a better alternative.
Think about it.
Taking a break in the middle of your task enables you to relax and prepare to be more productive. It gives you time to renew yourself emotionally, mentally and physically. It increases your productivity and boosts your energy.
Suggesting taking a break in the middle of a task may seem absurd at first – especially if you are a very busy person – but when you consider the renewal that comes from doing so you will agree that timeout is better than burnout.
So here are 10 Easy Timeout Ideas:
1. Go for a walk/jog
2. Hit the gym
3. Take a friend out for lunch
4. Watch a movie
5. Spend time talking to your family
6. Clean
7. Visit a gallery or exhibition
8. Have your friends around for a braai
9. Pick up a hobby you have neglected
10. Find a popular spot to sit and people watch
All of these are just suggestions to help you get you off your task and create some time to renew yourself emotionally, mentally and physically.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Position Yourself for Success - Part 4
In the bible, one of the best descriptions of a competent person is
that of a “noble wife” (Proverbs 31:10-18). Competence is the eminent
feature in her qualities:
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark.
She provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it.
Out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sees that her trading is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the
bread of idleness.
Possessing all these abilities enables her to effectively run her
home. Without them, her household would be in a mess.
In addition to enabling her to effectively run her home,
Her abilities make her valuable. “She is worth far more than rubies.”
Her abilities make her trustworthy. “Her husband has full confidence in her…”
Her abilities make her efficient. “She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.”
Her abilities make her self-confident. “She is clothed with strength
and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
Her abilities make her praise-worthy. “Her children arise and call
her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”
Like a noble wife, a competent person has a specific range of skills,
knowledge, or abilities that makes him or her very effective at what
he or she does. He or she is also valuable, trustworthy, efficient,
self-confident and praise-worthy.
that of a “noble wife” (Proverbs 31:10-18). Competence is the eminent
feature in her qualities:
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark.
She provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it.
Out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sees that her trading is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the
bread of idleness.
Possessing all these abilities enables her to effectively run her
home. Without them, her household would be in a mess.
In addition to enabling her to effectively run her home,
Her abilities make her valuable. “She is worth far more than rubies.”
Her abilities make her trustworthy. “Her husband has full confidence in her…”
Her abilities make her efficient. “She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.”
Her abilities make her self-confident. “She is clothed with strength
and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
Her abilities make her praise-worthy. “Her children arise and call
her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”
Like a noble wife, a competent person has a specific range of skills,
knowledge, or abilities that makes him or her very effective at what
he or she does. He or she is also valuable, trustworthy, efficient,
self-confident and praise-worthy.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Position Yourself for Success – Part 3
Success belongs to the competent.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.” Increasing your competence at anything is like sharpening a dull axe. As the sharp axe will always turn out more efficient than the dull one, the competent will always turn out more efficient than the incompetent.
Consequent to being more effective, the competent always have better chances of being noticed and elevated by men than the incompetent. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people” The competent always reach a stage where man cannot but elevate them.
America’s 26th president, Theodore Reosevelt, once said “There are two kinds of success. One is the very rare kind that comes to the man that has the power to do what no one has the power to do. This is genius. But the average man who wins what we call success is not a genius. He is a man who has the ordinary qualities that he shares with his fellows, but who has developed these ordinary qualities to a more than ordinary degree.” Competence is seldom naturally acquired, but is habitually developed. The majority of the people that are successful in life have acquired a specific range of skills, knowledge, or abilities and developed them to a more than ordinary degree.
If you are to be successful in life, you need to acquire a specific range of skills, knowledge, or abilities and develop them to a more than ordinary degree.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.” Increasing your competence at anything is like sharpening a dull axe. As the sharp axe will always turn out more efficient than the dull one, the competent will always turn out more efficient than the incompetent.
Consequent to being more effective, the competent always have better chances of being noticed and elevated by men than the incompetent. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people” The competent always reach a stage where man cannot but elevate them.
America’s 26th president, Theodore Reosevelt, once said “There are two kinds of success. One is the very rare kind that comes to the man that has the power to do what no one has the power to do. This is genius. But the average man who wins what we call success is not a genius. He is a man who has the ordinary qualities that he shares with his fellows, but who has developed these ordinary qualities to a more than ordinary degree.” Competence is seldom naturally acquired, but is habitually developed. The majority of the people that are successful in life have acquired a specific range of skills, knowledge, or abilities and developed them to a more than ordinary degree.
If you are to be successful in life, you need to acquire a specific range of skills, knowledge, or abilities and develop them to a more than ordinary degree.
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