Dream

"Nothing happens unless first we dream" - Joseph Herrin

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Making Changes in 2013

While many will set New Year's resolutions and declarations, you are to be applauded for your willingness to take new actions in your life.  Realistically the difference between 2013 and 2012 is but a few hours.  Change is hard work and it takes dedication and persistence. If the only thing sparking your willingness to change is the excitement in the change of one day on a calendar, most likely you haven't set realistic expectations and goals. Before you resolve to make a change, ask yourself is your idea of change Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and can be accomplished in an acceptable span of Time .  Be safe tonight folks and use your noggin'.

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Hope, Patience, & Prayer

Romans 12-12   "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. " (NIV)

The verse above is a pretty simple concept and it can hit home for all of us. It says that in my hopes I am to be joyful. Even while I am hoping for something to happen or for God to move, I must be joyful in my current state.

In my afflictions, I must exercise patience. Now, I know this can be a hard one. You mean to tell me while I'm going through suffering and distress I must be patient? Well, yes.  That's what the word says doesn't it? See, a lot of the times we have issues with being patient even when we aren't going through something. To say be patience in time of hardship is one that's hard for us to grasp. Well guess what? It's in the Word and the Word doesn't lie. So, be patient in your affliction.

Lastly, you must be faithful in your prayers. Do you have a broken prayer life? Could you do a little more to improve your prayer life? I cannot speak for you, but I find myself wavering on this one. At times, I make sure that I stay prayed up. Then in times of distress, I get lax. Well, the first step is acceptance. I accept the fact that I do this and now the next step is to fix it. What's the solution? Simple! I just need to do what I'm told to do and pray faithfully, night and day; through good times and bad times.

If you can digest this simple but powerful verse I think it can help you in your every day walk as well. As Jesse Jackson would say, "Keep Hope Alive". As the good 'ole saying goes, "Patience is a virtue" and last but not least pray, pray, pray.

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"World View", by FLAME - OUR WORLD FALLEN

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Freedom: A Double Edge Sword

Freedom. You here it so much in the news. You've heard present and past Presidents say that countries need to be democratic and free like the USA. You here about how freedom is better for everyone, but I would like to offer another perspective on freedom.

First let's get a working definition of freedom. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary says that freedom is the "liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : INDEPENDENCE". Let's look at some things from a Biblical point of view. First of all, freedom means free to an extent, but you still have to answer to somebody. Look at 1 Corinthians 7:20-22:

"(20) Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. (21) Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. (22) For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave." (NIV)

If you are a Christian, then you are still a slave to Christ. So you must answer to Him!

When the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt, what did they want? To be free. But, despite being slaves they stuck together. They took care of one another. Families stayed together. Then, Moses stepped up on behalf of the slaves.  He was called by the Lord to lead his people out of Egypt and it started by Moses approaching Pharaoh.

Exodus 5:1  Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” (NIV)

Then what did Pharaoh do? He told the slave drivers to make the slaves find their own straw, but they still had to fill the same number of brick quota per day. Hey, they upset Pharaoh and that's a price you pay for wanting to be free. We know that the Pharaoh's heart was harden and after a couple of times he finally let the Hebrews go to Moses. However, let's look at the turn of events.

With their freedom, they became unruly. People began to buck against Moses and what God had planned for them. False idols began to become their God's instead of the Lord (see Exodus32:7-14, Numbers 32:1-13). Even during Moses' time, we see how freedom is a good thing and bad thing. It was great to no longer be in bondage to the Pharaoh. However, it was a bad thing because the people felt free to do whatever they wanted; free to go against the Lord and his commands.

As an example, let us fast-forward from Moses' time and look at the US slavery of black people. During that time, black people stuck together. They prayed together. They raised their children together. The Lord was the head of their households. All the while being controlled, morals remained in tact. Men went to work and supported the family. You didn't leave your family when the chips were down. However, as the late 1950's & early 1960's arrived (The Civil Right's Movement) there was the desire for more freedom. Of course blacks deserved to have equal rights just as much as any other US citizen, correct? Schools were later integrated and an entire series of events happened that gave blacks freedom  (or the appearance of being free).

Now, look at the black community from then to now. You will notice how morals and the sense of urgency to protect family values have gone out the window. This freedom that was desired has helped to become the downfall of the black community. More black men are selling drugs and leaving their families. Now, it's the norm to have a single parent home. Women support their husbands while the men sit at home and watch TV or run the streets. I speak from the perspective of a black man living in America, but the statements above don't just represent the black community. Look at the United States as a whole. This whole ideology of being free has actually opened Pandora's box. Look at the definition of marriage. Now it is now longer man and woman. It's man and man or woman and woman.  Is this ok in the site of the Lord? NO! Quick reminder, look at Sodom and Gomorrah!

The whole freedom movement is seems great for a sense of not having to answer someone. But it is bad because we do not have to answer to someone (so at least some think). When you get to the point where the US is as a country, you have television showing cursing, sex, and anything else not good for us? Why? Well, we have freedom of speech of course. We have freedom of privacy. We have freedom of ________ (you fill in the blank). We are becoming more and more desensitized to what's morally right and wrong with all the freedom we have to express ourselves.  Not that it is a bad thing because the Lord made us as beings with free-will.  The drawback is that He gives us the ability to choose to live according to His Word.   Yes, freedom is good but so is the side of the sword being swung away from the swinger.  It is the other side of the doubled side sword that cuts and separates when you are not paying attention.

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Tests From Uncomfortable Places

Have you ever been somewhere and from afar, you see someone approaching you?  In their approach, you have already predetermined several things about this person:

• They are living a pretty rough life;
• They are coming to ask you for some money;
• They probably are going to do something with that money other than the reason in which they asked.

There may be a list of other things that run through your mind, but in that moment this person asks you for a couple of dollars.  What do you do?

I have talked about this before, but as we grow the same life learning lessons can take on new meanings.  With that said, I have had this happen to me on many occasions and I use to be that person that would say, "I know this person is not going to do XYZ with this money and they are going really going to buy alcohol, drugs, etc."  I think bigger these are at question in these situations and one is "Who am I to judge this person?"  In Matthew 7:1-5 (AMP), it says:

(1) Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. 2) For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.  (3) Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye?  (4) Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye?  (5) You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.

As normal it is always easier to point out other people's problems than it is to acknowledge our own.  It is true that a person may have some type of abuse problem or they may not have a stable home, but does their problem make your sinful acts any better than them.  Does acting un-Christ-like while driving down the highway with road rage make you not as bad because you are a Christian?  Nope, not really.  If anything it is worst to know the teachings of Jesus and not do it, than to not know it at all (see James 1:22).  If you look at your daily life, it is a constant struggle to walk in Christ and we constantly fall short.  

So now, back to this individual who is asking for you money.  Can you look past what you interpret and give any way?  After all, what they do with the money is not of your concern. I know you may say you do not want to aide and abet a person in partaking in some abusive habit, but really can we predict the outcome of our actions?  I believe a bigger issue at hand is that we may be missing the bigger test.  We miss the idea that this individual could be used by God to test our generosity for those we consider poor and maybe in a bad place (remember that God used the most unimaginable people to carry out His will all throughout the bible).  Most importantly, we are doubting that what we do can make a difference in that person's life AND we are doubting the power of God's ability to work a miracle to instantly heal someone!  Now, I am not suggesting that someone else's healing and blessing is predicated on the actions of other humans.  

The test is can you overcome your own judgmental perspectives in order that you can heal and grow.  You should try changing your thought process a little.  Instead of being apprehensive about what you think, try being faithful in what God can do!

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History Is On Your Side

One of the coolest things to know is that history is on your side.  What history does for us is provide a record of what happened prior to the lead-up to where you are right now.  The question is what are you choosing to do with it?  Sometimes, we do not think about it much, but the way we carry ourselves through life has a big dependency on our past.  And, this does not just apply to individuals, but it can apply to groups, organizations, and companies as well.

The bad thing about the past is that some can dwell on it, do nothing in the future because of it, and/or let it control all the negative aspects of their life.  For example, someone who has been abused throughout their childhood may grow up to be abusive to their children or others around them.  Or, an organization could have done great things in the past that brought them to a position of major prominence or prestige.  The issue is that rather than continuing excellence, that group could rest on what was done and never continue to move forward creating new history.  The next thing you know the group is floundering and not as successful because they've rested on their past and what it did for them decades ago.

The great thing is that history can be a good learning moment.  Those same examples above could be spun into positive movements forward. The person who was abused could choose to let their past help positively shape their future in a way that:  1) helps them or others around them to not go through abuse, or 2) help them to recover from abusive relationships.  The organization that could have failed because of resting on their laurels could use their great past and history as a learning platform on how to continue to create positive history to continuously propel their group forward.  It is all a matter of which side you choose.

You can make a choice to allow your past to positively propel you in life or you can let it negatively drag you down. My questions for you are how does your past shape your life or group and which side do you fall on??

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Where Is Your Heart?

As I walked down the side walk on the way into work this morning, something hit me that I should do.  As I thought about this idea, it struck me how much effort and thought I put into it.  It was so easy to plan and conjure more ideas of how to make the previous idea work! It is amazing that the things we are passionate about are so easy to do.  It doesn't take much to put your best foot forward when you are moving forward towards something where your heart is.

In book of Matthew, Jesus speaks to a multitude of people about a range of subjects.  One of those subjects is about storing your treasures in heaven:

Matthew 6:19-21  - "(19) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Man, this is so simple and makes so much sense because Jesus places this exactly where normal people can understand it.  Verse 21 is where I would like to focus, because it has more implications in our every day lives than we care to understand.  Your treasures can be your physical money or possessions.  Your treasure could also be your time and where you spend the most time can also tell where your heart is. 

Everything that you do links back to our values and the things about which we are passionate.  Whether it be for good or for bad, you heart is somewhere.  The question is where is your heart?  What drives or motivates you?  What do you wake up in the morning and think you absolutely need to get done today?  It never hurts to do some objective self-reviewing because as we move through life, we can do so obliviously at times.  Today, take a step back.  Take a little time to re-evaluate where you are placing your treasures.  After all, if you find where are your treasures, there you will also find your heart.

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Try It. You Might Like It.

(Photo courtesy of Mommy B Knows Best)

You should try it.

You might like it! 

Try it. You’ll like it.

Try it. You’ll like it.

Try it. You’ll like it.

Try it. You’re gonna like it. 

I know it’s new, and you’ve never tasted it.

You’ll just have to trust in me.

Just give it a try.

The lyrics above are from the song "Try It, You'll Like It", which comes from the TV show, Yo Gabba Gabba.  For those of you who have kids and watch Nick Jr., the song and the characters in the above photo will be quite familiar to you.  For those who are not familiar, the song is a way to teach kids to try new food in which they have never tasted.  What better way to engage kids in trying something new than with education through music?!

You know how kids, as well as some adults, can be.  We are quick to look at something we've never eaten before and say we don't like it.  It's easy to do, especially if it is not appealing from the outside.  After all, appearance is what gives us our first impressions.   It is this same appearance and feeling that people get when they view followers of Christ.  With so much going on in the world and with the actions from those who supposedly love the Lord, it is no wonder why someone else would not want to believe on Him.  I know because I was one of those people who judged for myself that being a Christian was  not for me because of what I observed of those who claimed to be Christians.  I can admit, for me the appearance was not looking good, but as with everything a couple of bad apples can seemingly spoil it for a bunch.

"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him" (Psalm 34:8). You have to get past the display to give it a try for yourself.  Until you get to that point, you can never claim to have formulated a decision based off of own experience of "taste".   You have to be curious enough to want to try Him for yourself, despite what you see around you.  "I know it's new, and you've never tasted it", but you will just have to give it a try it.  "You might like it!"

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Natural Visionaries

Have you ever noticed the design of the human body?  Have you ever noticed the placement of the eyes on our faces?  I know this sounds pretty ridiculous because you are probably thinking, "Duh, yes I do know that our eyes are in our head and on our face." That's fine, but what I am more interested in is where on our head our eyes are placed and in which direction they allow us to see.

Our eyes are not on the side, top, or back of our heads.  They are placed on the front of our face almost most at the highest point of our body.  They allow us to see forward. Yes, they allow us to see from side to side as well as up and down, but the main line of vision is still with a forward focus. Without the movement of your neck, you may look up, but the direction is primarily forward and I believe this is for a reason.

We are designed with a forward thinking focus in mind.  We can see in front of us.  We cannot see behind us (without turning around) and that ability helps us to have forward thinking focus!  I am talking about vision, where someone wants to make something happen because of a God given purpose and/or the desire to address a needed changed.  When was the last time you knew of someone to have a vision that focused on going backwards?  The answer is probably and most likely, never. "Vision is a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be"¹.  If you are focused on what "could be" and "should be" then you are talking about something that has not happened yet, but you can "see it".  It is looking forward.

Time moves forward. We face forward.  We walk forward.  Even to someone who does not have the physical abilities of sight, their other senses (hearing, touch, smell, & taste) are extra sensitive in assisting them to move forward in and through life.  It is not natural to move backwards or to dwell on the past because no matter where you choose to place your focus, life is still moving forward.  You might as well look to the future with your natural expectancy and envision where you could and should be going.  The question is now, where are you going?


¹Stanley, Andy. "Visioneering: God's Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Personal Vision". Pg 18. 2005.

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