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Friday, June 14, 2013

Those days when we just don’t feel the best

 DespondentPrayer.jpgThere is no logical way to the discovery of these elemental laws. There is only the way of intuition, which is helped by a feeling for the order lying behind the appearance.~ Albert Einstein

“Feelings, nothing more than Feelings” by Albert Kings describes his feeling of sadness at a lost love.

Yet, we can feel down without losing love. There are those days when we are just not at the top of our form, when the life experience is off center, and when we want to rather lie down and take a nap than to stride out and take life on in its fullness.

Those are the days when the sun seems brighter than we want it to be, when a cheery voice seems detached and forced, and when we would like to submit to the soft calmness of a gentle lapse into sleep to drown the discomforts of life.

Difficult days to deal with! Awkward days to approach, but approach them we must.

Why?

Because it is on these days we perceive life from a different angle, the events are the same, but life experience is different and this is good.! It is good because it allows us to know things passed by in the blinding haste of a normal days life.

On these days we are focussed from a different direction, we see life through a different filter, and can ask questions of our feelings that can move us in new and wonderfully different directions. We need to push away any sadness as the joy of God still needs to underpin our day. However we should relish the experiences as a gift. A gift given from a different angle than those in our normal routine day.

 

This is an opportunity to find new thoughts, new feelings, new hopes, and in some ways new nuances of love.

Logic is not all there is in life. To submerge ourselves into trusting in God’s will despite not feeling our best , To give control over to Holy Spirit enabling a new control of our day and renewed perceptions is a gift. It allows God to take us forward, albeit with some reluctance into a day of events that can shape our soul in a new way. It is actually quite exciting if we can face this day with an underlying expectation and joy.

Let’s realize that God loves us and sometimes we need to be more mouldable than others. Days like this can be an opportunity to become something better than we are already.

Let’s let God have that opportunity today!

Fri, June 14, 2013 | link          Comments

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Serious prayer! A serious situation!

tugoverturned.jpg"There is a vast difference between saying prayers and praying” –Anonymous

Yesterday we caught a glimpse of a person who has undergone a horrible ordeal.

Trapped under water for two days, with only a bubble of air to breath and nobody else alive around him, thestar.com describes how a cook survived a shipwreck.

Harrison Okene the cook of tugboat, was on-board with 11 others when huge swells capsized the boat 30km off the mainland, alongside an oil tanker filling up at an oil platform.

The water rushed in so fast nobody had much time to react. Harrison managed to get into a toilet area where a bubble of air enabled him to breath.

Now 30m below the surface, he was almost certain to die.

What could he do but pray?

Two days later divers found him, they took him to a decompression chamber where after another 60hours he was able to step into the normal air we breathe.

His words describing the event “I don’t know what stopped the water from filling that room. I was calling on God. He did it. It was a miracle”

Serious prayer! A serious situation!

Do we remember God in serious situations?

The reality is God wants to have us talk to him more often than that and we often fail to connect with God until we are in an emergency situation.

Why?

God says...

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Mathew 7:7-8

Let’s not wait until the situation becomes desperate. There may not be time then. We may not connect our thoughts to God at that time.  There were 11 other people on the boat. They became fish food according to Harrison who heard them being eaten. They did not escape.

Waiting until the last minute to get ourselves aligned with God does not give us the best chance of a life under his control, where Jesus is king and we live daily enjoying God’s presence.

The swells of life can easily catch us off guard and then where will we be?

Let’s chat to our wonderful creator today. That way it’s natural to call out to him in times of emergency.


Thu, June 13, 2013 | link          Comments

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Is life fair?

 manFalls.jpg"Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.” ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr. 

Living in first world countries with law that is upheld and systems to ensure they have effect can easily lead to a delusion.

We think that law is justice and justice is fairness.

 

Is it? The law is not really just ,it is just the law. Justice is often less fair than mercy since in love, truth is discovered.

 

We need to remember Solomon’s words...

Here’s something else I’ve seen on this earth.

Races aren’t always won by those who run fast.
    Battles aren’t always won by those who are strong.
Wise people don’t always have plenty of food.
    Clever people aren’t always wealthy.
    Those who have learned a lot aren’t always favored.
God controls the timing of every event.
    He also controls how things turn out. Ecclesiastes 9

 

God is in control of all things. Only he can temper Justice with the right measure of mercy. Only his laws are true and we need to understand that while his laws are true, their implementation under human hands fail in many ways.

Our understanding of truth is marred by our lack of eternal perception.

Is the CO2 we produce damaging the earth? We think so! It appears to be doing so now in the current epoch. Yet, in the eternal scheme of things, it may have very little effect. Our influence on this universe is minimal unless it is tempered by God’s hand and will.

Consider that we cannot even know the truth of any matter unless it is actually revealed by God’s Holy Spirit. We need to submit to the Godly guidance to enter into eternally effective pathways of life.

Our strength is limited, fleeting and indeterminate in guiding our future. Our wisdom is mere dust on the maps of eternity. Studying increases universal knowledge little and impacts the universe almost nothing at all, but does enable our understanding to increase.

Our value is not in ourselves alone, but in the fact we acknowledge and walk in the paths of the everlasting, eternally powerful, just and merciful God. Through him we do make a difference. Without him we die in selfish, dishonorable worthlessness.

Let’s turn to God before trouble comes our way...

A man doesn’t know when trouble will come to him.

Fish are caught in nets.
    Birds are taken in traps.
And people are trapped by hard times
    that come when they don’t expect them.

Maybe we can learn from Solomon’s wisdom...

Remember the One who created you.
    Remember him while you are still young.
Think about him before your times of trouble come.
    The years will come when you will say,
    “I don’t find any pleasure in them.”

Time slows for no man.

Young man, be happy while you are still young.
    Let your heart be joyful while you are still strong.
Do what your heart tells you to do.
    Go after what your eyes look at.
But I want you to know
    that God will judge you for everything you do.

Let’s move into today knowing that our paths are right if they follow God’s guidelines and nothing we can do makes a difference if we are not guided by the eternal God.

Have a wonderful blessed day!

Wed, June 12, 2013 | link          Comments

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

How easy we as humans blaspheme! Do we even know what we are doing?

oops.jpgSome say using God’s name in a trivial manner as a cuss word is no different than using any other word.

Let’s test this! Let’s say that your or my name was “Joe”. What if in a conversation people made statements like...

“Oh Joe, Oh my Joe, Joe how that annoys me”, or, “In the name of Joe” or “for the love of Joe!”

...words that totally do not apply to us and yet are used in our company frivolously or worse, associating our name with filthy words and thoughts.

Somehow I don’t think this abuse of a name would be appreciated!

What do you think?

The bible does have something to say about this abuse of God’s name.

It says, “Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will find guilty anyone who misuses his name.” Exodus 20

How often are people rude to God in this way?

Some people even consider it absurd or stupid to respect God’s name. Yet how many of these same people abuse Allah’s, or Mohammed’s, or Buddha’s names in this way.

It’s interesting that the Christian / Jewish God is singled out so much in this way, isn’t it?

 In many ways it shows me that Satan is in fact alive and well and wanting people’s destruction. What better way than to get them mocking the God of the universe?

Maybe we should use Satan’s name frivolously?

Not many would dare would they?

Somehow a superstitious fear erupts in people’s hearts at such a thought.

Somehow they want to keep on the side of the bad guy, and assume the good God will just forgive their abuse.

I have even seen Christian’s misuse God’s name. Have we come to this due to the loving forgiveness of God who would rather see us saved so gives us space to even misuse his name so that we might get to know him instead of being blasted to hell for the stupidity of our words.

We need to cling to the words in Romans 5

At just the right time Christ died for ungodly people. He died for us when we had no power of our own. It is unusual for anyone to die for a godly person. Maybe someone would be willing to die for a good person. But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Let’s turn away from this selfish, nasty and ignorant acts...

Luke 15 “I tell you, it will be the same in heaven. There will be great joy when one sinner turns away from sin. Yes, there will be more joy than for 99 godly people who do not need to turn away from their sins.

The simple fact is that if we love God, if we want to be holy, if we want to be pure, we eradicate the misuse of God’s name from our mouths.

I guess film stars who misuse God’s name and then come to a saving knowledge of God have to pray deeply for they cannot take back the misuse of God’s name on film that lives longer than they do.

This is a sad situation!

The fact is we are exposed to people abusing God and thereby themselves daily in our media and around us in life.

We can do nothing about that! That is their failure!

Our task is to respect and honor God. Even hearing his name being abused will draw us closer to him. I know I pray for those I hear misusing God’s name! Perhaps today you could do the same?

Tue, June 11, 2013 | link          Comments

Monday, June 10, 2013

Avoiding hell at the last minute?

SafeSecrets.jpgCan you accept Jesus a few seconds before you die and still go to heaven?

Leading a hell of a life, and then planning on accepting Jesus just a few seconds before we are ready to die is what a few people intend to do with their lives.

Hey, the thief that was on the cross with Jesus did that, didn’t he...

39 One of the criminals hanging there made fun of Jesus. He said, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself! Save us!”

40 But the other criminal scolded him. “Don’t you have any respect for God?” he said. “Remember, you are under the same sentence of death. 41 We are being punished fairly. We are getting just what our actions call for. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23: 32-43 NIRV

This second guy was serious about what he said. The first guy was not. Only one was with Jesus in paradise.

Sincerity is the key to forgiveness!

Forgiveness minutes or seconds before we die needs something else...it needs time!

It takes time to connect with God in prayer and give our lives to him.

What happens if a car or truck hits you from behind? Or if you have a huge sudden heart attack?

Time is critical!

Trying to beat the clock is silly! It’s a game of Russian roulette, but where the cost isn’t death, but extreme pain for eternity.

Surely nobody is that silly?

I hope so, but in speaking to a few people I really wonder if they don’t think they can get away with that last minute plea.

The problem is God sees our heart!

Will our plea be sincere? If not ,we lose again!

There is a warning in the words Paul sent to the Corinthians;

If the building doesn’t burn up, God will give the builder a reward for his work. If the building burns up, the builder will lose everything. The builder will be saved, but only like one escaping through the flames. 1 Cor 3:14-15

There is an aspect of what we do on this earth set’s the scene for what we get to do in heaven. I don’t understand that but the bible clearly indicates that.

Last minute escapes lead to arriving in heaven with little of this reward in place. God will be providing a reward for life’s work. Eternal life is for all who accept Jesus, but the bible does speak of rewards for faithful service.

On judgment day it will be brought to light. It will be put through fire. The fire will test how good everyone’s work is.

Last minute escape, with planned abuse of God’s guidelines through this life will just not cut it for getting those rewards.

I guess we need to realize...

Don’t fool yourselves. Suppose some of you think you are wise by the standards of the world. Then you should become a “fool” so that you can become wise.

The wisdom of this world is foolish in God’s eyes. It is written, “God catches wise people in their own tricks.” (Job 5:13) It is also written, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise don’t amount to anything.” (Psalm 94:11)

Paul said it succinctly...

So no more bragging about human beings! All things are yours.

As Christians we have everything right now.

We are joined to Jesus and Jesus to God!

Amazing! Wonderful! In time for eternity and God’s rewards!

Now isn’t that a great thought for today?
Mon, June 10, 2013 | link          Comments


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Rift in Evil

By Ken X Briggs

  • Published: September, 2010
  • Format: Perfect Bound Softcover(B/W)
  • Pages: 208
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  • ISBN: 9781450250894 

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This suspense thriller centers on Kiara, a beautiful young woman pursued by a murderous group of people, who relentlessly and ruthlessly hunt her and her sisters. Kiara has no idea why she is being targeted! When Kiara and her family turn to the law for help, this fails. Her pursuers’ powers reach deeply into the political and law enforcement world. Family support for her dwindles when they too have to flee her pursuers. Can Kiara escape the clutches of both the law and dishonest big business? With the media broadcasting that Kiara and friends are dangerous and subversive, can Kiara clear her name and bring her pursuers to justice?

 

 
  

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 RiftInEvil.gifThe town of Zinaville is dropped into a spiral of evil causing a young man and a beautiful but abused woman to launch into an investigation that unveils an evil conspiracy.

A horrific mining accident results in Joshua Robyn's father being killed. Joshua struggles both with himself and his townsfolk as he tries to make sense of an incomprehensible situation. Is it an accident or a murder? Why is there a seeming link to evil? Why is his work environment suddenly threatening? What is the conspiracy about and what are they trying to do? As action moves dramatically from exotic African grasslands to the heart of North America's cities, the plot unfolds and the pace quickens. Will there be time? Why is a beautiful abused young woman in the center of this plot?

Evil tendrils tighten on their lives and the interplay between the visible and invisible world shows opposing forces at work.

Will there be a rift in evil?

Will they be able to stop the evil in time?

 

 

 
Click here to order Rift in Evil (ebook or Paper available)
  • Published: September, 2010
  • Format: Perfect Bound Softcover(B/W)
  • Pages: 208
  • Size: 6x9
  • ISBN: 9781450250894 

Available from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iUniverse. Chapters

 
  
you can email me at Author@KenXBriggs.com
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