My wish is for you to have a Happy Monday and a blessed Holy Week.
I am told that religion is a private matter and therefore it is a topic that is off limits for open discussion.I will not debate the issue but life is so brief (365x80=29,200 days or lets round the figure to 30,00 days) in an age when scientists are confidently telling of what happened millions of years in the past. In light of the extensiveness of the past and the brevity of the present religion gives hope for the future because science address the past while religion addresses the future.
This week most Christians around the world will celebrate Holy Week to commemorate the most significant event in history, that is,. the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many people have a problem with the teachings of Christianity but the reality is that western civilization cannot look at its history without coming to grips with the impact and contribution of the church, Christians and the Jewish people.
A person that is living in a western country then that decides to have nothing to do with religion is behaving like the proverbial ostrich. It is said that when danger is near the ostrich hides it head in the sand with the hope that the danger will disappear. The issue of religion that is being ignored may however become like the ostrich in that an ostrich can outrun a horse and has a kick that is powerful enough to kill a lion. Religion is woven into our history so why ignore it?
Many persons are quick to point out the faults of the church in an effort to escape dealing with the issue of whether a man called Jesus Christ at one time walked this earth. This man Jesus Christ gives an answer to the future. It is still to be explained how genuinely believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God changes a person. This however is one of the reality that happens and Jesus Christ gives the answer for the future.
My challenge for this week is for you to seriously look at the historical Jesus Christ whose death and resurrection will be commemorated this week by christians. Science look at what exist and try to explain how it came about but Jesus Christ gives answers to the future. When our 30,000 or so days are over there still remain eternity in the future and this is what religion answers
Have a blessed Holy Week..
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
The weak and the strong
My wish is for you to have a Happy Monday.
Nature has equipped the strong to survive and from among the strong nature continually weed out the weak and that is part of the success of the natural order for millennia. There always has remained in place the Greater Power that originally ordered the order of nature.
It is fascinating to look at a tree that have withstood everything that nature has thrown at it for millennia and this tree is still standing and producing fruit. These trees stand in stark comparison to crops that must be replanted every four months and cannot withstand any change in the weather pattern. Each serves a desired purpose and the great philosophers at times compares man to the trees. You and I then must asses our lives and determine how we want to be seen whether as a crop that must be replanted every four months or whether as a tree that after millennia have passed we are still producing fruits.
Presently in life the strong are the originators and they are sitting at the top and encouraging the weak to become imitators. These originators demands are that these weak imitators initially give their best because they do not want the weak to build a solid foundation just in case they too become strong. These originators flatter the weak into believing that they can successful by imitating the successful and forgo the required effort. Imitators may reap a measure of success but they never gain the same degree of respect as the originators.
This week it would be good to learn a lesson from Christopher Columbus. It was believed that the world was flat and if you come to it's edge you would fall off into space. Columbus did not believe this, he thought that the world was round and if he sailed long enough he would end up where he began. Columbus did not just believe this but he was willing to set out and prove that he was right. He finally found a royal couple that was willing to finance the venture and sailors that were willing to take the risk. Thanks to Columbus a whole new world was opened up to the Europeans.
This week do not let anyone quash what you really believe and remember it is not enough to believe but be willing to act upon what you believe.
Nature has equipped the strong to survive and from among the strong nature continually weed out the weak and that is part of the success of the natural order for millennia. There always has remained in place the Greater Power that originally ordered the order of nature.
It is fascinating to look at a tree that have withstood everything that nature has thrown at it for millennia and this tree is still standing and producing fruit. These trees stand in stark comparison to crops that must be replanted every four months and cannot withstand any change in the weather pattern. Each serves a desired purpose and the great philosophers at times compares man to the trees. You and I then must asses our lives and determine how we want to be seen whether as a crop that must be replanted every four months or whether as a tree that after millennia have passed we are still producing fruits.
Presently in life the strong are the originators and they are sitting at the top and encouraging the weak to become imitators. These originators demands are that these weak imitators initially give their best because they do not want the weak to build a solid foundation just in case they too become strong. These originators flatter the weak into believing that they can successful by imitating the successful and forgo the required effort. Imitators may reap a measure of success but they never gain the same degree of respect as the originators.
This week it would be good to learn a lesson from Christopher Columbus. It was believed that the world was flat and if you come to it's edge you would fall off into space. Columbus did not believe this, he thought that the world was round and if he sailed long enough he would end up where he began. Columbus did not just believe this but he was willing to set out and prove that he was right. He finally found a royal couple that was willing to finance the venture and sailors that were willing to take the risk. Thanks to Columbus a whole new world was opened up to the Europeans.
This week do not let anyone quash what you really believe and remember it is not enough to believe but be willing to act upon what you believe.
Monday, March 16, 2015
The uncontrollable and the supernatural
My wish is that you are having a Happy Monday.
An observance that I have been finding fascinating is that more and more persons are arguing that there is no need for the gods or God and people should get up off their posterior and go and get things done because what ever you want to do you can do it without the help of gods or God.. This argument is compelling and at times it is even tempting to believe what these people are saying however there are many factors which ridicule these self help prophets. Two of these factors are the uncontrollable and the supernatural.
The uncontrollable are those things and events over which we cannot exercise any control. None of us knows what the future holds or hold control over what another person does although unknowing to us it will affect us.We cannot control events or the weather but we are told to plan and do it by ourselves. We were not allowed to select who were our fore parents or parents and we had no say in what character traits we inherited. We cannot control whether we get sick or whether we live or whether we die. These are just miniscule examples of things that we cannot control.
I have heard enough stories that can be authenticated of persons being unconscious in a sick room and yet later testifying and telling all that was said and done to believe. Maybe I partly believe because of dreams.This is a phenomena that science is yet to understand. Many persons will confess that they had a need and later discovered that the answer to that need was on it way a long time before the need arose in their life. Anyone whether they chose to believe or choose not to believe will find countless persons who will tell of events and things happening that are outside of the natural order of things.
The big question now is that since anyone who dares will find that there are the uncontrollable and there are the supernatural then there must also be someone controlling these. In ancient times this were believed to be the gods and for some the only one true God.
My challenge this week to you is to seek the one who control the uncontrollable and the supernatural.
An observance that I have been finding fascinating is that more and more persons are arguing that there is no need for the gods or God and people should get up off their posterior and go and get things done because what ever you want to do you can do it without the help of gods or God.. This argument is compelling and at times it is even tempting to believe what these people are saying however there are many factors which ridicule these self help prophets. Two of these factors are the uncontrollable and the supernatural.
The uncontrollable are those things and events over which we cannot exercise any control. None of us knows what the future holds or hold control over what another person does although unknowing to us it will affect us.We cannot control events or the weather but we are told to plan and do it by ourselves. We were not allowed to select who were our fore parents or parents and we had no say in what character traits we inherited. We cannot control whether we get sick or whether we live or whether we die. These are just miniscule examples of things that we cannot control.
I have heard enough stories that can be authenticated of persons being unconscious in a sick room and yet later testifying and telling all that was said and done to believe. Maybe I partly believe because of dreams.This is a phenomena that science is yet to understand. Many persons will confess that they had a need and later discovered that the answer to that need was on it way a long time before the need arose in their life. Anyone whether they chose to believe or choose not to believe will find countless persons who will tell of events and things happening that are outside of the natural order of things.
The big question now is that since anyone who dares will find that there are the uncontrollable and there are the supernatural then there must also be someone controlling these. In ancient times this were believed to be the gods and for some the only one true God.
My challenge this week to you is to seek the one who control the uncontrollable and the supernatural.
Monday, March 9, 2015
In spite of opposition
My wish as always is for you to have a happy Monday.
History has produced and continue to produce great men and women that are so outstanding that their names and memory are immortalized. History has also produced the ignorant and unworthy and their desire is to tear down and destroy what is considered to be worthy and noble. Some men and women names are remembered with contempt disgust and ignominy.
Today many men and women are saying I do not want fame and glory when I am being eulogized but I want it now while I am still alive. This has lead to many men and women searching and endeavoring to achieve fame and glory. These men and women failures lie in their not realizing that those who history considered to be worthy did not set out to achieve fame and glory but that they simply surpassed the expectations of men. These were the men and women who did not accept the given but were willing to act on their convictions.
One of the ironies of life today is that we are programmed to oppose or to being opposed. This results in the good being opposed and even what is noble coming under attack and things less noble being presented as being of a better value. There are less and less consensus to accept good ideas and working toward a goal. It is in light of this that you and I must pursue our convictions and chase our ideas and dreams. There is hardly the likelihood of us receiving any accolades but history will vindicates our beliefs.
Here are some of the choices that we have;
1. To be lost in the crowd and at no time be seen upfront
2. To blow our own trumpet while trying to achieve fame and glory
3. To rise far above the bar and let history be out judge
There is no neutrality in this game and if we fail to make a choice life and circumstances will choose for us.
History has produced and continue to produce great men and women that are so outstanding that their names and memory are immortalized. History has also produced the ignorant and unworthy and their desire is to tear down and destroy what is considered to be worthy and noble. Some men and women names are remembered with contempt disgust and ignominy.
Today many men and women are saying I do not want fame and glory when I am being eulogized but I want it now while I am still alive. This has lead to many men and women searching and endeavoring to achieve fame and glory. These men and women failures lie in their not realizing that those who history considered to be worthy did not set out to achieve fame and glory but that they simply surpassed the expectations of men. These were the men and women who did not accept the given but were willing to act on their convictions.
One of the ironies of life today is that we are programmed to oppose or to being opposed. This results in the good being opposed and even what is noble coming under attack and things less noble being presented as being of a better value. There are less and less consensus to accept good ideas and working toward a goal. It is in light of this that you and I must pursue our convictions and chase our ideas and dreams. There is hardly the likelihood of us receiving any accolades but history will vindicates our beliefs.
Here are some of the choices that we have;
1. To be lost in the crowd and at no time be seen upfront
2. To blow our own trumpet while trying to achieve fame and glory
3. To rise far above the bar and let history be out judge
There is no neutrality in this game and if we fail to make a choice life and circumstances will choose for us.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Growing
My wish is that you will have a happy Monday.
Many people will confess that the most fruitful times in their lives were when they were down and experiencing extreme hardship. This is one of the ironies of life that hardship should build in us characteristics that shape and mold us.
Am I suggesting that we should desire hardship in our lives? No way. When we set new goals and desire to reach new and higher heights then accomplishing these goal will provide the necessary challenges. A man who set a goals that provides no perceivable challenge is little better than a lazy man. A man who set a goal that is seemingly impossible is a courageous man because he initially begins by facing his fears and he is willing to take on the impossible.
The solutions we seek are not often as difficult as we believe because it is only when we begin that door begin to open and opportunities become present. Many time the door are open and waiting but even had we entered we would have no use for the opportunities.
This week I challenge you to continue working on one of your impossible dreams and if you have none why not start doing something that you fantasize you doing.
Many people will confess that the most fruitful times in their lives were when they were down and experiencing extreme hardship. This is one of the ironies of life that hardship should build in us characteristics that shape and mold us.
Am I suggesting that we should desire hardship in our lives? No way. When we set new goals and desire to reach new and higher heights then accomplishing these goal will provide the necessary challenges. A man who set a goals that provides no perceivable challenge is little better than a lazy man. A man who set a goal that is seemingly impossible is a courageous man because he initially begins by facing his fears and he is willing to take on the impossible.
The solutions we seek are not often as difficult as we believe because it is only when we begin that door begin to open and opportunities become present. Many time the door are open and waiting but even had we entered we would have no use for the opportunities.
This week I challenge you to continue working on one of your impossible dreams and if you have none why not start doing something that you fantasize you doing.
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