Real Christian

PURPOSE

2010-07-22T11:42:00.000-04:00

Our greatest purpose in the life that we have is to love and be loved by our Maker. Nothing else matters. No one else matters. Only God. He is our source of life, strength, might, courage, power, love, peace, fulfillment, joy and every good thing. Knowing God's love and experiencing Him on a daily basis is the greatest source of strength and encouragement to do all that He has commanded. We rely on His love. To do good works without His love would be good, but it would lack. Your purpose is to love God and be loved by God. Anything apart from that will always be wanting. But our God says, He is our sheppherd, we shall not be in want. Praise God.

2010-07-21T23:47:00.000-04:00

In desperate pursuit of the love of an infinite God.

Affliction can lead to offense

2010-06-06T09:29:00.002-04:00

Study of Matthew 11:1-19

Let us first look at verses 2 & 3

²Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
³And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Please note that it said that John had already heard of the works of Christ. That is not too hard to believe considering that at some point in time his disciples must have reported to him all that they had witnessed Jesus doing. They must have told him about Jesus preaching to Matthew and the tax collectors, or about the blind that received their sight and the deaf that now hear. And they also must have mentioned to John that Jesus was raising the dead, the lame were standing up and walking and incurable diseases were being cured.

Not only did John's disciples testify of the works of Jesus but John himself also testified of who Jesus was and witnessed with his eyes the Spirit of God descending from heaven upon him like a dove. It was John who saw Jesus approaching him and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" and "I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." (John 1:29-36)

John knew who Jesus was and believe in Him. So then, why was he asking Christ if he was really the Son of God? Let us read on. After John's disciples asked Jesus John's question ...

"⁴Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
⁵The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
⁶And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me."

In verse 6, Jesus told John to not be offended by Him. Why would John, a man filled with the Holy Spirit since he was in the womb, be offended by Jesus? Let us use our minds for a moment to put ourselves in John's position.

John was a great prophet of God. He had a calling on his life that could not be shaken for even the prophet Isaiah spoke of him during his prophetic ministry. John spent his entire life in servitude to the Lord. He was humble and did not seek after glory, fame or riches. He faithfully stayed his course and when Jesus came to him, he was ready to receive him. Now there came a time when John got Herod the Tetrarch very angry since he reproved him for his brother's wife Herodias and his wicked lifestyle. For that reason, Herod threw John in to prison and John was in danger of being beheaded. Let us imagine his conditions in prison for just a moment. Picture the solitude of his cell, the darkness, his frail body laying flat on the ground as he lamented to God day and night. Imagine the smell - the air filled with a mix of pungent odors, the type that one never seems to get accustomed to. Food probably came every other day, if so much, and was not anything to desire.

John was an afflicted man. I could imagine him reflecting on the life that he lived, bringing to remembrance all that he had done for God. He must have asked God a thousand times, "Why?" "Why are you allowing me to suffer in this prison?" His prayers seemed to get no further than the ceiling and his soul found no rest. He refused to be comforted by the Holy Spirit who tried to tell him of the great reward in store for those who endure. I could also imagine his thoughts changing as his hope faded and anger and discontent surrounded him to "Are you really God? Because if you were, you would have rescued me by now? Why would God cause me to die like a dog in prison?" He allowed his flesh to get the best of him and that is when, through the bars of his cell, he commanded his disciples to relay his question to Jesus, "are you really the son of God?"

But God, in His lovingkindness, gently responded to John with an answer and a rebuke to comfort his soul during his affliction. Jesus then already forgave John for his sin and began to speak very highly of him to the multitudes that had surrounded Jesus. (Mat 11:7-19) Because he loved John and he understood his affliction.

Jesus has been in our position. He has been tempted, tormented, afflicted, persecuted, teased, beat up, alone, betrayed multiple times, forsaken by everyone, lied on, lied to, grieved, doubted by others, and every other situation you can find yourself in, Jesus has been there. He loves you, and wants you to understand that he knows how you feel. But do not lose heart, and do not be offended by him when it seems as if he is no where to be found, or it seems as if he doesn't care. He does because he LOVES you.

conscious christian reggae

2010-06-06T00:34:00.000-04:00

Solomon Jabby - Prayer and Meditation

Lyrics:

We are living in a time of mass communication/ There are many sources of daily destraction/ too many voices are fighting for our attention/ we permit our minds to focus on the tension/
the solitude of creation will offer some prevention/ let us steal away to another dimension/ A little prayer and meditation/ We'll find strength in supplication/ Withdraw from all preoccupation/
It's the healing of all the nations/ We are living in a time of massive confusion/ We are suffering from mental intrusion/ You know mankind shall never live on bread alone/ Let us steal away
and seek the throne/ The solitude of creation will offer some prevention/ Let us steal away to another dimension/ A little prayer and meditation/ We'll find strength in supplication/ Withdraw
from all preoccupation/ It's the healing of all the nations/ Meditate in silent so the Truth can be found/ Distraction choked my seed that I buried in the ground/ Escape far away from all this
interference/ We will find our rest with a little perseverance/ The solitude of creation will offer some prevention/ Let us steal away to another dimension.

Cuzzzzz, My Daddy says so!

2010-06-05T23:56:00.001-04:00

Have you ever found yourself worried about your life? Have your feelings or emotions ever gotten the better of you? Do you ever wonder about why you are the way you are? I have. I know how it feels when it seems like no one else understands how you are feeling and I know how it feels to be completely alone even though I know I am not. It's times like these where I play back unchangeable circumstances in your mind wondering where I went wrong. Aw man, Satan is such a liar. He gets me sooo mad!! Grrrr.

You know what my Daddy said? He said that He will never leave me nor will he forsake me. You know what that means? It means that I am never alone. You want to know what else he said? He said that I should never worry about my life, because my heavenly Father knows what I need. He also said that he is my Healer, my Deliverer. He said that I am more than a a conquerer and that NOTHING can separate me from His love. He said that "I will heal you so you can heal others. I will lead you, so you can lead others & I will love you so you can love others. Do not worry about your life. Live your life to help others, build up others and edify your brothers. I will take care of you."

I'm out folks.

2010-06-02T12:57:00.000-04:00

My quest in life at this very moment is to discover who I am in Christ Jesus.

What's yours?

Bus Stop Bible Studies

2010-06-02T11:28:00.000-04:00

Bus Stop Bible Studies Ministry

If you are a communter in toronto then you may have already had the pleasure of seeing the Bible Bus Stop Ministry in action! I remember the first time that I witnessed it. I was walking along side of a bus parked infront of my school and the huge letters posted on the side of the bus caught my attention. It read, "God, how can I reach you?" I remember how shocked I was that someone was actually promoting God - not just any God, but the One, True and Living God! I fell even more in love with God. It made me think of how He loves people so much that He puts it in the heart of a few faithful stewards to reach the world where they are - outside of the church. Well of course, as soon as I went home I rushed to my computer to check out their website. Everything was totally legit as far as I could tell. Bible believing, People loving, Up to the times ministry. It was awesome. Below I have shared a small portion of their mission statement so that you can see where they are coming from.

"The mission of Bus Stop Bible Studies is to present the Word of God to the general public, in the form of Bible studies, using advertising panels inside buses, LRT (Light Rapid Transit), subway cars, and similar mediums. Bus Stop Bible Studies will present God's Word in a clear and concise manner, challenging the reader to think about what they have read by posing thoughtful, searching questions. Through the use of our website and volunteer follow-up, we wish to provide encouragement and direction to those who are impacted by the Bus Stop Bible studies.

The vision of Bus Stop Bible Studies is to see the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly presented, in a way that will bring individuals into a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ, bringing glory and honour to God the Father. This will be accomplished by displaying the Word of God in every transit system in Canada, the United States and beyond. We believe that God is a God of grace, love and righteousness, who wishes that all humanity be restored to a personal and loving relationship with Him."

Also, I would like to show you how their bible studies are presented.

This is just one of the 50 display panels found inside buses, streetcars and subway cars, or on the backs of buses. Click Here to see more.

Some transit companies do not currently allow "religious advertising" so God inspired Photothoughts.
Click Here to see more.

'Get the Word Out' Campaign has 20 different panels that are posted on the sides of buses all across the GTA. Click Here to see more.

Are you interested in finding out more about this ministry? Click on one of the links provided:
Bus Stop Bible Studies Home Page
Finding a Bible
Make a Donation
Questions concerning religious advertising in the public square

Study the Raven, Study the Lilies! Command or Suggestion?

2010-06-02T10:16:00.003-04:00

A brief study of Matthew 6:24-34

Mat 6:26 Behold [to look at with the mind; to consider] the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please read Matthew 6:24-34 to get the full gist of the scripture.

In the above scripture reading, the Lord is telling His people to stop worrying about matters that shouldn't concern us. Things like what we should eat, drink or wear are all part of His provision for us and He is asking us to be more concerned with His kingdom and His righteousness rather than those things. It feels weird to say that we shouldn't be at least a little bit concerned with what we should eat, drink and wear because it is such a necessity in our lives. Just think, without food, we would go hungry and starve and without clothes we would be naked. However, the Lord acknowledges the need for those things in our lives in verses 32-33 when He says, "for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

The Lord already provides for us. Everything that we eat, drink and wear comes from Him whether we choose to give Him credit or not. However, the Lord desires to bless His children in abundance so that they will experience life in the fullness which is in Christ. I believe that this scripture is pointing us to where we should go in order to receive a revelation of God's willingness and ability to provide for His children. Jesus said, "Consider the fowls of the air." He also said, "Consider the lilies of the field." That seems very much like a command. Study the birds! Study the lilies! Then you will see what I am talking about! Then you will see and know that I am a provider! (is what Jesus might say). Whenever I read Matthew 6:24-34, I tend to skip over that command and I try to understand what this scripture is saying by reading it over and over. However, I feel like we have been given an assignment! For it is by studying these things - the birds and the lilies - that Jesus tells us we will understand why we shouldn't worry about food and clothes. Think of how perfectly and faithfully God provides for His animal creations. Knowing that His children are much more valuable than the animals He created we should never be concerned with wear our next meal is coming from or what we should wear.

I don't know about you, but I want a revelation of God's abundant provision for my life. And because I want my faith to grow I will do what Jesus has told me to do and study! I hope you join me! :)

I have already began a little studying. Follow these links to see what I've seen. ;)

All the places where the word "bird" is mentioned in the bible. We aren't the only bird watchers you know!

Study on the Sparrow & Bird watchers in the Bible

Different types of birds mentioned in the Bible

Everything you need to know about House Sparrows

Funny Story about a bird who wouldn't quit

Yellow Hammer birdie singing (YouTubeVid)

Black-Capped Chickadee - HD Mini-Documentary

Tanager - Bird watching in the Desert

I'm actually going to try and buy a pair of binoculars.. then maybe I can be a pro Bird Watcher hahaaa.

Friendly Stranger

2010-05-31T23:33:00.000-04:00

I saw the most blog worthy scene on the train this morning. I was about 4 stops away from my exit and I was trying my best to finish the readings assigned for class that day when I heard giggling coming from the person sitting across from me. I looked up and quickly noticed that he was laughing at his friend who was standing about 7 feet away to my right. He was being tightly embraced by an older gentleman around the same height as the boy who looked no older than 18 years of age. I can boldly say that although I know very little about this boy, his actions told me a great deal about his character, and that it was strong, and that he had a great respect and love for others. It wasn't too long after observing the scene that I realized that the man who had his arms around the boy was mentally challenged, at least to some degree. I say this because he was making loud muffled noises and he began patting the boy's shoulders loudly and soon after, began kissing the boy's hand all with a big smile on his face. While all this was happening, the boy remained calm. He was clearly uncomfortable but he kept his composure and refused to disrespect the man by showing any signs of disgust or contempt towards the man. The public display of hugs and kisses were not scorned but bared with love. He did not push off the man, nor did he yell at him to stop what he was doing. Even the laughter coming from his friend at his 'embarrasing' encounter did not change the boy's disposition. I use the word encounter since it was only until two stops away when the boy and his friend exited the train and I realized the the man who was embracing him was a total stranger to him. All the while I was convinced that maybe it was his family or close friend or at least somebody that he knew. My respect for this young boy - really a young man - increased exponentially. I considered how he handled this unscheduled encounter - with great honour and love - and gave thanks to God.

Communication. One of my greatest weaknesses.

2010-05-18T23:49:00.002-04:00

God made us all completely unique. Just imagine our fingerprints alone. If you searched the past, present and future, you will find not one person with the same fingerprint as you. God took the time to form each and every one of us all in His perfect glorious image. Being unique yet beautiful creatures as we are, we do things differently from each other. We look different, we laugh differently, the way we interpret the world is different, even the way we think is different. As amazingly cool as that is, it also means that we must consider the way we interact and communicate with each other. Since we all have our own sense of the world and we all have our own way of communicating, the challenge in relating with each other lies on the basis that an action that is meant to mean one thing may be interpreted as something else. How do we find that middle ground in communication so that the message sent is the message received? Many have written books claiming to resolve all communication problems. Those books usually group mankind into a neat personas that all think and behave the same. Are you a Type A or a Type B? Because Type A people do this and react this way and Type B. .blah blah. People are not cut out dolls. We are unique and we need to figure out ourselves before we can figure out how to communicate with others. I don't claim to have all the answers. In fact, I don't claim to have any. Communication has always been a great weakness of mine and I have absolutely no clue how to fix me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corin 12:9 NIV)

2010-05-17T11:29:00.000-04:00

Chilling in downtown Toronto with Teesh.

2010-05-17T11:18:00.000-04:00

Is not life more than food?

we are empty vessels

2010-05-17T11:13:00.001-04:00

I hope you've read my previous blog about our purpose here on Earth. This post goes hand in hand with 'Jesus Jr.' In this post, I will talk about the importance of Holy Spirit. This is NOT a study guide on all that Holy Spirit is and does. However, I will tell you this, Holy Spirit is given to all those who are Sons of God, He is God, He operates in us to guide us and display God's power through us. I could give you many scriptures on who exactly Holy Spirit is and what He does which would be fun no doubt, but that is not the focus of this post. My focus here is to show us a bigger picture of who we are as members of the family of Jesus Christ.

First we must completely understand that we can accomplish nothing on our own. To put this into perspective, let's examine what you are probably doing right now. Which one of you can supply their own breath? Who here tells their heart when to beat and when to stop? Your eyes, how do they work? Which colour do you see was of your choosing? Your finger that clicks so that the page scrolls down, where did its strength come from? Was it you who provided the strength for your finger to move? If you broke that finger, would you by the word of your mouth straighten it and renew its strength? I think not. Mediate on every single action that you do that you believe is of your own doing. You will quickly find that none is truly of your own doing and it is the Lord who provides you with everything. It takes a wise person to admit their insufficiency and completely dependency on the Holy God of Israel. When you reach some point of understanding concerning this matter we can move on.

With knowledge that we are but empty vessels, completely dependent on the Most High God, our question to God changes from, "What can I do to glorify your name?" to "How will you use me to glorify your name?" God gave us His Holy Spirit so that we may showcase the glory of God here on Earth. Everyone of us are given a territory that the Lord has ordained for us to take over. There is a different piece of God's glory in each and every believer and it is up to us all to bring to full view God's glory here on Earth. The key to letting God's glory shine is allowing Holy Spirit to work in us. Obedience to Holy Spirit will cause God to be glorified. He is in us to guide our EVERY step. He equips us with God's power in order to make us stand out from the crowd. We are like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. We are the light of the world, placed on a lamp stand so that everyone around us will see God working in us. To understand that it is God working in us to bring Glory to himself changes our focus in life because now our only responsibility is to turn to God. Our focus turns from ourselves to God. Responsibility moves from ourselves to God. Burdens move from ourselves to God. Fears move from ourselves to God. Troubles are no longer troublesome because we know that we are being led by God to glorify God and do what it is He has ordained for us to do.

Jesus Jr.

2010-05-17T10:37:00.000-04:00

For the past couple weeks I have been learning about my purpose as a Holy Spirit Filled Christian on this Earth. Why am I here? What am I supposed to do? I wanted to know the big picture. What is the purpose of every Christian here on Earth? The revelation that I received was not quite the big picture I'm sure, but it was definitely a much broader perspective from my previous way of thinking.

The Holy Spirit led me to John 3:16. Almost puzzled as to why He was directing me to one of the most 'famous' verses in the Bible, I flipped to John and began reading the verse.

John 3:16 (King James Version)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Let's look at the word "Son".

God gave His Son to the world so that through His Son the world may see, hear and believe that He is God.

Why would the world believe in Jesus?

Jesus acted like God, talked like God, walked like God and displayed God's power. God's Son is an exact representation of God the Father who resides in heaven (now with His Son). The world saw all that Jesus did and believed in Him/God because of it.

What does this have to do with us as Christians?

When a person becomes a born-again believer, having believed in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, that person literally becomes a Son/Daughter of God.(John 1:12-13) And so, they in turn are given in the same way unto the world as representatives of Christ Jesus (2 Corin 5:19-21) to do what Jesus did and live as He lived so that others will know God through His children and believe in Him who sent them.

You might even say, "God gave His Son/Daughter, __(your name here)__ so that others may see their actions which are the actions of Jesus and Believe in God."

How do we walk as Jesus did in love & purity?

In order to walk as Jesus walked, you must first know how He walked. Study the things Jesus said, His teachings, How He acted towards others, namely unbelievers or 'sinners' as well as those He loved. As you study Him, submit yourself to God and commit yourself to a change of lifestlye. For Jesus' way of doing things is completely different from the world's way. Set yourself apart to learn from the Master, Christ Jesus.

Secondly, become completely reliant on the Holy Spirit for guidance, conviction and power. Follow up blog on Holy Spirit coming up.

Prayer:

Holy Father, I ask for deeper understanding of what was just taught to me. Give me a revelation of my purpose here on this Earth. Show me the things in which I must do inorder to be more like you Jesus. I ask that you would transform me Lord. Thank You Jesus for listening to my prayer. Amen.

2010-05-05T01:48:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: There are very graphic pictures used in this video.

My sheep know my voice .. ok.. now what?

2010-04-27T01:45:00.002-04:00

John 10:4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

In the past, I have asked spiritual leaders and friends whom I believed would be able to share some wisdom the following question, "How do I recognize God's voice when He speaks to me?" Every individual responded by quoting John 10:4 "the sheep follow him, for they know his voice." That was probably as useful to me as defining a word in the dictionary by using the same word. It did not help.

It was only two Sunday's ago when I began to receive clarity on the topic. It all started during a discussion that took place in my discipleship class. The leader of the class was explaining how sheep operate. She said that at night, shepherds would often gather their sheep together with other flocks since it was easier to protect them from predators. In the morning, each shepherd would call their sheep to them and only their sheep (who are now in one huge flock) would come out of the flock and follow them while all the other sheep would remain.

During the week, I thought about the matter even more and this is what I have concluded. Sheep know the voice of their shepherd because they grew familiar to their shepherd's voice. I do not believe that a sheep that is sold to another shepherd will automatically begin following his new owner's commands the very first day he is brought to the farm. It is the same with a new believer in Christ, or sadly, even long time believers in Christ. Before we can discern the voice of God we must become familiar with His voice.

Not every voice we hear in our mind is a friendly one. I believe that there are a total of three voices in every believer's mind and only one that is trustworthy. (1) Yourself (2) Holy Spirit/God (3) Satan/ The Enemy. That one trustworthy voice being that of God and no other voice is to be trusted. Everyday we hear all three of these voices in our mind and without a familiarity of God's voice, one can easily mistake the voice of God for one of the other two voices.

How we gain familiarity with God's voice is by (1) READING HIS WORD (2) PRAYING. Do both and do them often and you will naturally be able to discern the voice of God when you hear it.

This being said, the next time someone asks you the question, "How do I recognize God's voice when He speaks to me?" You can respond by saying, "You must first become familiar with God's voice before you can discern whether or not He is speaking to you. You will begin to recognize the voice of God as you submerge yourself in His word (Holy BIBLE) and His presence during through prayer."

2010-04-26T22:39:00.001-04:00

Those who talk less think more.

2010-04-26T14:58:00.001-04:00

we live in a microwave generation

2010-04-26T02:08:00.001-04:00

You must first acknowledge how foolish you are before you can pursue wisdom with the intensity you desire.

2010-04-25T22:21:00.000-04:00

Your love feels like the sun's rays on my skin

Your company is better than french vanilla icecream

Your whisper sends tingles down my spine

Your embrace feels like I'm swimming in a pool of warm pudding

As I re-read the above lines I shook my head. It's unfortunate that my limited vocab couldn't express the way I feel about my God. *sigh* 

2010-04-14T17:17:00.005-04:00

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, It's hard to focus on ethnic conflict in Rwanada and underprivileged women in the Global South when all I can think about is You.

Can you move a brick by blowing on it?

2010-04-14T11:50:00.002-04:00

I just thought of this illustration maybe a day ago and it really helped me understand just a tee nee bit more about how Mighty the God I serve really is.

Which is easier to do?

Moving a single brick by blowing on it?
OR taking it in your hand and moving it?

For most of us, the answer is obvious. We would find it maybe a million times easier to simply lift up the brick and move it rather than try to move it by breathing on. Why? Because there is more power in our hands than in our breath.

Ok cool. Now try to wrap your tee nee minds around our huge God.

Psalms 33:6 Says, "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth."

In case you missed the point, God BREATHED stars into existence. Maybe some pictures will help.

Our Sun

VY Canis Majoris

Our sun is just about 1 million times larger than the earth. VY Canis Majoris is the largest known star in all the galaxy. If the Earth was a golf ball, then this star, Canis Majoris, would be the size of MT. Everest. 7 quadrillion earths could fill it. Ya, our God breathed that into existence... !! (There is an awesome video on youtube that illustrates this point way better than I could. It's super interesting so click here to check it out.)

Now onto my next point, let's go to John 10:28-30. It says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

If the BREATH of God is mighty enough to create ginormous balls of fierce flames that never go out, how much more mighty are His hands? Remember our illustration above with the brick? We concluded that hands are more powerful than the breath of a man. How much more powerful are the hands of GOD? So if God is saying that His children shall never perish and no one can snatch them out of His hand, then you better believe it! You are as safe as you can EVER be! You are in the hands of a MIGHTY God who literally BREATHS fire!!!

Wooooot!!

2010-04-12T11:23:00.001-04:00

It's exam season so I've been busy studying. You can find me at Robarts, one of U of T's best study spots in downtown Toronto. 

I have, still i want. I get, still I want more.

2010-04-05T16:30:00.001-04:00

Two days ago I went downtown Toronto with a church group called 'Feed The Streets'. A leader from my church planned the entire day and provided at least a dozen huge bags of clothing plus tons of sandwiches and other types of food for distribution to the poor and homeless in the city. The day was filled with divine appointments, heart wrenching stories, prayer for those who requested it and a massive display of God's love for His children. It was an absolutely amazing day and there are many uniquely inspiring stories that I could share with you but there was one particular conversation that really made me reflect on my own life.

Myself and my three other friends were at one of Toronto's many parks - this one is especially known for being one of the social hubs for the homeless and poor in the city - to distribute the clothing and food we had. It was there that I met my friend. We didn't exchange names but what I received from the conversation was much more valuable than civil pleasantries. His long grey beard and fisherman's hat paired with the solemn expression on his face and calm yet authoritative tone of his voice captured my attention. He spoke about the things he wanted to do in his life and the places he dreamt about travelling. It seemed as if he knew exactly how he was going to get there and when he was going to go. His dreams made me consider my own dreams. He was a man of humble living yet his dreams were so much bigger than my own dreams. I thought, if he could dream that way, then I must be cutting myself short. Why don't I dream the way he dreams? His dreams are so big and so far away from what my eyes told me he could achieve. Yet my heart cheered for him. I thought hey, if you can dream it, then you can achieve it! During our conversation I asked him if he wanted any of the clothes from the bag I was holding and he looked at me dead in the eye and politely replied, "No thank you, I have more than enough." A questioning look appeared on my face since I didn't understand how a man who lived in a shelter could have more than enough so I asked him, "Are you sure?" It was then that he pointed to a bench behind me. I looked back and I saw a suitcase the size of a backpack with a winter jacket resting on top of it. He said, "I have everything I need." His peaceful face testified to his words and that he was being completely genuine. I was awestruck. Here I am, living a beautiful home, driving a car, going to university and clothes in my closet that I never wear and still I am not content. Still I want more. Where did this man find his contentment? How was he so satisfied with what he had? I reflected on his words then and still I reflect.

Philippians 4:11-12 (New International Version)

¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Keziah and Jehoshaphat

2010-04-02T00:48:00.001-04:00

Let me tell you a story:

Keziah and Jehoshaphat were very good friends but for many years lived very far away from each other. One day, Jehoshaphat told Keziah that he would be coming to visit her and he would be bringing as a gift one of the desserts that his town was famous for. Keziah was so excited when she heard this that she told all of her friends about his visit and the dessert that he was going to bring. She expected him to visit and she expected to taste the dessert he was going to bring. She had put all of her hope in him coming because she trusted his character and she knew that if he said that he was going to come and if he said that he would bring a dessert with him then that is what he was going to do. One day, as she was thinking about his soon arrival, God spoke to her and said, "Why can't you have faith in me like that?"

Moral: Everyday we have faith in people and things but what about our faith in God? Can't his word be trusted like the word of the chef who brings you your food that you didn't see him prepare, or a doctor who says he has to cut you open with a knife then stitch you back together and everything will be alright? Trust God like you would trust your best friend. Trust His character. He is honest, faithful, trustworthy, loving and everything good.

Have faith =)

2010-03-31T21:57:00.000-04:00

Statistic Schmatistic!

2010-03-29T18:20:00.001-04:00

2010-03-29T13:48:00.001-04:00

"Your walk with God is an individual thing." 

 - [Wise.man.of.God's.Uncle]

Jesus answer me.

2010-03-26T15:05:00.003-04:00

What do you do when you recognize that a person is hurting? What do you say when you compare your life to theirs and it seems as if the hand dealt to you was inexplicably better? What can you do when your whole heart is filled with compassion to the point where you would give anything, even everything that you have to that person in hopes of satisfying their emptiness, soothing their pain and bringing them joy? What can you do if everything that person needed transcended materialism, even the pleasures of this world? What if that person needed Jesus? What if they knew they needed Jesus but did not know how to experience Him? How do you help a person experience Jesus, meet Jesus, receive love from Jesus, lean on Jesus, depend on Jesus, trust in Jesus when even you sometimes fail at all of the above? How do you hold back tears from smudging the pages of your journal when the solution to this person's problems seems so out of your grasp? How do you go about your daily business when this person's life continues to weigh heavily on your heart? I don't know. Jesus answer me.

Isaiah 43

2010-03-25T22:51:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 43 (New International Version)

Isaiah 43

Israel's Only Savior

¹ But now, this is what the LORD says—
       he who created you, O Jacob,
       he who formed you, O Israel:
       "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
       I have summoned you by name; you are mine. ² When you pass through the waters,
       I will be with you;
       and when you pass through the rivers,
       they will not sweep over you.
       When you walk through the fire,
       you will not be burned;
       the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the LORD, your God,
       the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
       I give Egypt for your ransom,
       Cush ^[a] and Seba in your stead.
⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
       and because I love you,
       I will give men in exchange for you,
       and people in exchange for your life.
⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
       I will bring your children from the east
       and gather you from the west.
⁶ I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
       and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
       Bring my sons from afar
       and my daughters from the ends of the earth-
⁷ everyone who is called by my name,
       whom I created for my glory,
       whom I formed and made."
⁸ Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
       who have ears but are deaf.
⁹ All the nations gather together
       and the peoples assemble.
       Which of them foretold this
       and proclaimed to us the former things?
       Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
       so that others may hear and say, "It is true."
¹⁰ "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
       "and my servant whom I have chosen,
       so that you may know and believe me
       and understand that I am he.
       Before me no god was formed,
       nor will there be one after me.
¹¹ I, even I, am the LORD,
       and apart from me there is no savior.
¹² I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
       I, and not some foreign god among you.
       You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.
¹³ Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
       No one can deliver out of my hand.
       When I act, who can reverse it?"

[click here for verse 14-28]

Encounter with a stranger

2010-03-25T18:31:00.002-04:00

As I type, the sweet aroma of coffee beans fill the air and the chatter of fellow students fighting the good fight of essays and papers surround me. I am sitting down on a suave but comfy dark brown chair at one of my favourite coffee shops sipping on the most delicious blueberry de-caffeinated tea. I just shared over an hour of my study time with a friendly stranger sitting in the chair beside me. He too had his laptop in front of him with his coffee mug situated just to the right of it. It was the wonderful smell of my tea that caught his attention he said. After I removed my head phones from my ears, he then mentioned how good the tea must taste. I confirmed his suspicion and it was then that we entered into our very long conversation. Of course I didn't know it would continue for as long as it did and I suspect he didn't know either; and although we both had work to do, the talk was going so good that it didn't seem to matter. We talked about all sorts of thing; God, the good life, happiness, travel destinations, future aspirations, love and humanity. We were significantly different people. He was a Colombian man, probably in his mid 40s who already has his life together in terms of his career and achieving what he calls happiness. Me, I'm just a 19 year old girl with absolutely no clue where I stand in life or where I am going. My only certainty is the love God has for me which I shared with Him. That was among the many things we talked about. Listening to his perspective of life was definitely a change from the people I surround myself with. I could tell he wasn't very religious, but in many ways he was a good man. He believed in doing good and being kind to others and generous and loving. His career entailed helping others identify their purpose in life as well as developing their future aspirations. I shared how I am in the process of identifying my passions and the type of career I wish to have in the future. He shared a lot of beneficial information that really helped me organize my thoughts for my future plans. He said that I am at the perfect age to just "stop *he paused* and think." It's amazing how two strangers can have a totally deep and rewarding conversation. I gained knowledge and incite of things I had never known and I hope that I was able to impart some knowledge and a different perspective of life to him.

Vid - {K'NAAN - WAVIN' FLAG}

2010-03-25T09:37:00.003-04:00

{K'NAAN - WAVIN' FLAG}

Izzy Baby :)

2010-03-25T01:11:00.000-04:00

The day Izzy visited with her mommy Losotros. She became mine for the day.

I love Isabella aka Izzy =)

2010-03-24T18:43:00.004-04:00

It is not faith to believe for something and still have back-up plans
-[wise.woman.of.God]

2010-03-24T18:42:00.002-04:00

It is not faith to believe for something for others and not for yourself.
-[wise.woman.of.God]

Prayer Request - I have a cold

2010-03-24T18:24:00.000-04:00

I have a cold at the moment and it's slowing down my productivity level HARD. This poses a problem since it's the last week of school and I have assignments to write! Please say a prayer of faith for me so that I will get well A.S.A.P.. Prayer that my sneezes and sniffles go away and that my congested nasal passage gets cleared up and that I get a lot of energy to do my school work. :) Thank You Fam!

Acknowledging God's presence

2010-03-24T00:05:00.001-04:00

Today was interesting. .. then again.. everyday that I walk with God and remembers He loves me tends to be interesting. One of the more interesting parts of my day was bible study. My Pastor Joel came to my campus bible study to teach us about and how to do the good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do. [Ephesians 2:10] His teaching was filled with wisdom and I definitely soaked up alllll that my mind-sponge could retain. However, I believe that the biggest thing I took away from the bible study was from Joel's side notes. Now, if you know my Pastor Joel, side notes can actually be as long as FULL sermons so you better believe that I got a lot of it!! He was teaching us how to stay in constant communion with God and he gave us an illustration of a driver and his passenger. He said that if a driver disregarded that there was a passenger in the car with him and saw something funny outside, he would probably just chuckle to himself and keep driving. It would be rude not to include the passenger into the joke wouldn't it? Now if the driver was aware of the passenger's presence and welcomed that presence, if he saw something funny outside the window he would turn to his passenger and say "Hey! look at that!" and they would both start laughing. Our communion with God is very much like this driver and his passenger. If we know that God is always in our presence, but we do not acknowledge His presence, it's like we are being the rude driver ignoring our passenger. I really took this to heart because I felt like at times I was that rude driver. The illustration really changed my perspective on how I view unceasing prayer with God. Prayer is a dialogue and it is much easier to have a dialogue with a person who you know is in your midst.

That's all for now folks!
Bed time x_x

Seasons change

2010-03-22T23:16:00.000-04:00

As I was driving down a familiar road bordered with beautiful tall trees mixed with large lots of farm land I observed the faint colours of the plants and the naked branches of the trees. I thought to myself that soon enough, spring will come, and the leaves will once again find their places on their assigned branches. It was at that time when I drew a parallel between the seasons of the trees and the seasons of my life. I realised that just like seasons are bound to change - spring will always follow winter, summer will always follow spring and so on and so forth - the seasons in a persons life will also inevitably change. Understanding this brings hope if one is going through a difficult season in their life because then one can be sure that life will soon get better. It also brings hope if you are enjoying a season of rest and peace, because it is during this time that one can prepare for the bitter winter ahead and brace yourself for the 'hard' times to come. Seasons change.. some last longer than others but one will always end and usher in the next.

2010-03-21T10:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to Christos Dep Hibbert!!

2010-03-21T02:14:00.001-04:00

Daniel Diet

Day 10

I never thought that I would miss meat as much as I do right now.

2010-03-20T22:01:00.001-04:00

.Obedience unto death.

Daniel 3:16-18 (New International Version) -Daniel

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
(Read full story)

Esther 4:16 (New International Version) -Esther

¹⁶ "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
(Read full story)

Philippians 1:21 (New International Version) -Paul

²¹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
(Read full story)

John 10:17-18 (New International Version) -Jesus

¹⁷The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
(Read full story)

.Obedience unto death.

Words shape you

2010-03-19T13:30:00.003-04:00

I learned about Mead, Sherif and Kuhn in my Classical Sociology lecture yesterday. These sociologists are well known for their work in the area of the mind, self and society. I chose to blog about them because they helped me gain further understanding of a scripture that I kept bumping into - Romans 12:2. The following points are the conclusions that I drew from the lecture and afterwards I will say why they helped me understand Romans 12:2.

Words have symbolic meaning
Mead says that constraints controlled by the conscious is more powerful than biological urges. He also said that symbolic meaning has more coercive power than biological drives. The symbolic meaning he is referring to is language - words. Sherif shows that language is a symbol system. Each sound is a symbol that stands for something else. He believed that this symbol system can create it's own perception and create its own reality.

Words change our perception of our self and the world
1. Perception of the world: Sherif’s experiment
Sherif did an experiment to prove his point: He had people sit in a dark room and observe a pin point light in front of them that was not moving. It was a stationary light. People typically saw the light moving in an erratic random motion. He then told subjects that the light was moving in a certain way and the people agreed. He then split the people into two groups and told the first group that the light was moving large distances and the second group that the light was moving small distances. Then he put the two groups together in one room and they looked at the same stationary light once more and arrived at a midway point.
In other words, perception changes in response to symbolic communication.

2. Perception of Self: Kuhn's test
Manfred Kuhn performed an experiment called the '20 statement test' where he asked people to have 20 responses to the one question, "Who am I?" He found that people often defined themselves in relation to their social status. He came to the conclusion that humans acquire their sense of 'self' from symbolic creations and we tend to become what we are told we are.

Perceptions of self and the world are a learnt behaviour
Humans do not have an innate self-awareness/perception. We learn from infant hood 'individual' and 'self' concepts symbolically (words) through society. We acquire knowledge of 'self' when we acquire language through communal interaction.

Applying this knowledge to Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (New International Version)

I will focus on the first part of the verse, "be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Knowing that words change our perception of ourselves and of the world, we must be extremely careful of the words that surround us. How many of you know that the word of God is perfect converting the soul, perfect for teaching and instructing and perfect for encouraging? It is a perfect mirror in which we must examine ourselves and continue to being transformed. People are imperfect and therefore, the words that come out of their mouths are also imperfect. The labels that the world places on you are imperfect and what the world thinks about you is imperfect. If you continue to let what the world says about you shape who you are then you will have an imperfect picture of who you are and also, what the world is. You may not believe that the world changes your perception of self and your reality but if you allow the world to be your main source of knowledge then it will inevitably shape you. In other words, you must be constantly emerged in the word of God if you are to be shaped by His words. I heard a friend say, "You cannot know what the lie is until you know the truth." God's word is that truth and everything else is lie. Submerge yourselves in God's word and allow it to shape who you are and your reality. Then you will know what his good, pleasing and perfect will is.

The first time I was introduced to Love

2010-03-18T00:30:00.000-04:00

I want to stand out among the masses and be recognized as an individual. I want my speech, behaviour and actions to cause others to ponder 'why does she, how is it or what causes her to be who she is.' Maybe then one out of the many would approach me, and enquire of me. Maybe then I would be given the opportunity to testify about Jesus and the miraculous work He has and continues to do in my heart. Maybe then a seed would be planted in someones life for eternity - how lovely would it be if it sprouted and it's roots shot into the ground of that one person's heart. I can't live a life like everyone else. My reality has never looked more real. Everything in in my life has shifted completely. They say that the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge. It is because I fear God that I see the world under a much brighter light - any light at all is an improvement from the darkness I used to know. It's funny because this light was in the world so long ago, yet no one recognized Him. How sad. . . - to stare straight into the eyes of your masterpiece and have it turn it's back on you and say it doesn't love you. I say 'Him' because the light is living.. He is real.. He is life.. He is the Son of God - Jesus Christ. I am glad that He didn't give up on me when I turned my back on Him. He was beaten to the point where He no longer looked like a human being and bared MY punishment for MY sin - death. He's awesome though. His love conquered death and he came looking for me. He grabbed me by the hand as I stumbled in the darkness and He drew me close to Him. Immediately His light shone on me and He said, "You are mine." I struggled with Him and tried to get away - I didn't understand His love. Yet he held me even closer and said, "You are mine and I love you." My heart literally melted away as I stared into the deep, fiery eyes of my Maker the very first time I was introduced to Love.

[This scripture was in my mind as I wrote this:

Romans 12:2 (King James Version)

²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.]

2010-03-15T14:28:00.001-04:00

[If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sinss, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.1 john 1:8-9]{Copied from rtzoom}

2010-03-15T14:04:00.002-04:00

[Jesus as a dread. Unlikely, but heavy pic nonetheless]{Copied from Zazzle.ca}

2010-03-15T13:56:00.000-04:00

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

[Psalm 19:14 NKJV]

I'm on a diet

2010-03-12T12:36:00.003-05:00

Daniel Diet

Day 1: It was hard finding food today. My house didn't have any organic foods or whole grain foods or fruits or vegies. Holay... makes me wonder about my regular eating habits?? yikes. I had to go to the super market and pick up breakfast. The fruits and vegetable aisle seemed foreign to me. I just picked up a pear and an apple and a whole grain baguette. That my friends, is my breakfast this morning.

Now on to lunch & dinner. o_O

School Ministry, Wife & Mother

2010-03-10T20:37:00.001-05:00

This is an update on my life. I came to two realizations both today and yesterday. The first realization came yesterday. Weirdly enough, I was in a bathroom stall when it happened and it was right after my friend and I just finished praying for a couple girls. I realized that I am literally a part of a school ministry! o_O I definitely did not see this coming, but it happened. God roped me into His plans hard but hey, All Glory To God! Leadership is foreign to me. Well I should say, being a good leader is foreign to me. I find it a challenge to take on the responsibilities of my own life so how will I manage with the lives of God's precious children? Therefore, I have decided to hand over all responsibilities to God. My leader once told me, If you are doing God's will, your plans will succeed and all Glory will go to God but, if you are doing your own will, regardless of how noble it may be, your plans will fail and it will be your own fault and not God's. I intend to take that to heart. I believe this ministry is God's will and therefore he is in control of it's success. I view myself and the other prayer warriors as a small squad in a huge army with God as our leader. We are being trained for war!

The second realization occured while I was driving to school this morning. It was more of a wide-eyed blank stare moment when a thought of my future came to mind. I saw myself 5 years in the future being a wife and a mother of my first child. o_O That thought alone is totally insane. 7 months ago my 5 year plan looked more like, moving out of my parents house, living in a Spanish-speaking country and living a care-free make-belief life. My mindset is totally different and it's shocking to see such a drastic change in myself. Could that really be me in 5 years? Wife and mother? I'll be no older than 25. I am scared to say that I am ready.. but I somehow believe I am. Sure there are some kinks I have to work out in my life, but I'm almost looking forward to my future. God has planned out so many treats for me to find along the way. I'll let you know how it goes!

2010-03-10T20:04:00.002-05:00

[God love burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. sgs8:6]{Copied from S0inL0VE}

2010-03-09T23:59:00.007-05:00

One thing have I desired of the LORD,

that will I seek after;

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the LORD,

and to enquire in his temple.

[psalm 27:4]

Kizzy pulls an Ezekiel!

2010-03-09T11:37:00.000-05:00

Will I learn it faster if I eat it or read it?

God visits Universities?

2010-03-09T10:33:00.001-05:00

Hey folks, I am on my 10 min break mid-way through my politics class. The lecture is on religion, politics and development... o0o interesting huh?? Nah, not really.. but w.e. I would fall asleep if I did not think the lecture would be on the final, but it will be, so I have commanded my eyelids to re-open every time they decide to close. No one can tell what's going on behind my summer shades and hoodie so I'm gooood.

On another note, God has been doing super big things here on campus. Just last Friday, LESS than a handful of Christian youth put together an awesome worship service in the School's student centre. Over 100 people attended with God as the most honoured guest. Fire poured out from heaven and hearts were changed forever. The walls of the school shook as heaven opened and angels were released all over campus. YAYY!

However, we know that one church service is not going to feed all these new babes in Christ sufficiently so as a follow up, we are planning to set up better organized bible study groups, prayer groups and also strategy to get school youth connected with base churches that will disciple them properly. I don't know about you, but I'm super excited to see the Lord CONTINUE to move on campus. =D

The Lord is perfectly faithful

2010-03-08T11:25:00.001-05:00

For the past couple weeks I have been in a whirlwind of God's love and faithfulness. I would like to take a moment to simply Thank God for his love and faithfulness. You are awesome God!! I remember reading in Isaiah 25:1 that the Lord's faithfulness is perfect. This means that one can be absolutely sure that what He says he will do, will get done! I have been seeing the Lord's faithfulness predominantly in my life and the life of a close girl friend. God's faithfulness has become real to me and I can testify to it! I believe the reason for this revelation of God's faithfulness - I'll get to love in second - has been a direct product of prayer. Ever since I became a born-again Christian I knew prayer was powerful, but it's only been in the past couple weeks where my eyes have truly been opened to the power of prayer and the perfection of God. Now I'll touch on love. Love makes prayer extremely enjoyable. God's love compels you to prayer and when you and God begin to interact in prayer and exchange love, your relationship with Him becomes more intimate and trust begins to flow out of prayer. The scripture that really helped me with trusting in the Lord is Proverbs 3:5-6. It says that we should not lean on our own understanding, but trust in the Lord with all of our hearts. It involves putting aside all the answers that we think are right and seeking the Lord for his answer. It takes humility to admit that your thoughts or action, though they seem right and sensible, are not what God says are right. A combination of trust and prayer produces and outflow of love and faithfulness. If I didn't prayer I would not see God's faithfulness. My friend and I are a witness of His faithfulness. We share the things we prayer for and then soon after there is an answer to our prayer!!! Our faith increases and our joy in the Lord amplify. If I didn't prayer, God would still be faithful, after all, he cannot deny himself.(2Ti 2:13) I just wouldn't get to see it and I would go about my day thinking that the Lord was not involved in my life except for the rare noticeable moments where I find money on the floor or some shopkeeper gives me extra food than what I paid for. ... ugh.. that sounds stale.. I love the excitement that comes from answered prayer and the realization that God cares about each of his children on a personal and intimate level. There is nothing in our lives that is too small or insignificant for the Lord to take care of.

Word of advice: Seek to know the Lord's faithfulness and start praying.

I dance with my lover

2010-03-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

Song of Solomon 1:2-3 (New International Version)

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
       for your love is more delightful than wine.
³ Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
       your name is like perfume poured out.
       No wonder the maidens love you!

Song of Solomon 2:6 (New International Version)

⁶ His left arm is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.

---------------------

Exchanging love with my lover is like partaking in an intimate dance in the ballroom of a King. All the heavenly hosts look upon the groom and his bride as all the angels of heaven sing a beautiful melody. Despite the filled room of spectators, the groom is captivated by the beauty of his bride and she surrendors to his arms. He embraces her as she leans on his shoulder and they become the only people in this fantastically large and royal ballroom. The groom deeply inhales the sweet perfume coming from his beloved as her head rests directly beneath his nose. The bride, in his warm embrace, feels absolutely safe in his arms as she too breaths in the sweet aroma of his love. The two lovers are becoming one in this beautiful and intimate dance.

2010-03-07T00:38:00.000-05:00

I think that I'm in-like for the first time .. ever.

2010-03-06T18:42:00.000-05:00

[Deep]{Copied from ChristineSweets}

2010-03-05T15:25:00.001-05:00

Cute?

As I sip tea on a bumpy trip

2010-03-05T15:20:00.000-05:00

Hey, I've finally decided to update this dusty ol' blog while I''m sitting here on this bumpy ride. (Which makes drinking my tea a bit difficult). Where am I going you ask? I'd say I'm in some sort of hmm.. time portal? It's taking me away from my childhood and I heard it's taking me into the realm of womanhood. . . hm. I'm kind of scared. I've never been to this place before so I had no idea how to pack. I mean, I was rushed out the door so I just grabbed some wisdom from my mother and some training from my parents that they gave me when I was younger & of course I stuck some memories and lessons learned in my back pocket. But there is no turning back now . . . I'll tell you how it goes.

Communication

2010-02-17T16:38:00.000-05:00

For the past couple weeks the Lord has been teaching me a great deal about communication. I believe that the greatest lesson I learned was that communication goes far beyond words. In fact, it is often the non-verbal cues that shape our understanding of a message being delivered on a deeper level. This is true when communicating with God and with other people. First, I'll touch on some of the non verbal ways in which the Lord will speak to people. I used to classify some of these things as coincidences or insignificant random happenings. o_O

-dreams & visions (colours, sounds, images, places, people, objects)
-signs (street signs, reoccuring numbers, random combination of words and letters, shapes that form images or words)
-thoughts (revelations from God without actual words - when a person simply understands something that they did not understand before)

(The Lord communicated with people by these means throughout the Bible - Joseph The Cup bearer and the Bread maker, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, John the disciple of Christ in the NewTestament etc.)

It is an exciting thing when the Lord chooses to communicate with you in these ways. It gives you more reason to seek Him for understanding and revelation of the things He has shown you and in doing so, you deepen your relationship with Him.

Now, concerning human communication, there is much to say and not enough space to say it. I'll list some non verbal ways in which people communicate with each other and you can seek God on the rest.

Tone of voice, facial expressions, eyes, bodily movements (playing with hair etc. [list is too long]), the order of words in a sentence (which words get emphasis), general actions ([different from bodily movements] the way a person acts towards another person).

(One biblical example I can think of at the moment is Ruth lying at boaz' feet)

2010-02-04T21:05:00.003-05:00

Word for the ladies.

"A man will chase you."

.
not the other way around
(Wisdom courtesy of a woman of God)

Election . . Coming soon.

2010-02-04T21:00:00.000-05:00

For the past week and a half I have been involved in some seriously deep thought. My mind has been on the topic of "election" and "predestination." Who would have known that this biblical truth would be so controversial? I am somewhat hesitant to reveal what I know... at least until more prayer and escavation of the scriptures are done.

Blog on election coming soon. . .

YOU ARE VALUED

2010-01-25T13:41:00.001-05:00

For the past couple weeks I have been doing a lot of thinking. A LOT of thinking. I've really allowed the Lord to speak his will into my life, to direct my paths and show me His way - the right way. I have grown more dependent on the Lord. That makes me really happy. *smiling*

The Lord never changes, he is always the same. His truth is eternal, that too never changes. I want to encourage you that in this walk with Christ, it is so very important that we set our minds to know the Lord and set our hearts to understand Him. It is through this, that we gain wisdom and knowledge of the Lord. It is by this that our faith increases, and our trust deepens. For the Lord is my sheppard, I shall not want (psalm 23:1). I shall lack nothing because the Lord is my portion (Lamentations 3:24).

I'm like Ezra. It was written in Ezra 7:10:

KJV - For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do [it], and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
NIV - For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

---

It is such a blessing to understand that on our own, and by ourselves we are nothing. Blessed is the man who the Holy Spirt reveals this truth to. Without God, our Saviour, our Lord, we amount to nothing but dust. We have nothing to hope in. We have no hope. The Lord alone is our hope. He is our light. He is our salvation. The Lord is everything we need and an infinity more.

Look at your life and evaluate it's worth. Without God, without the knowledge of God, what is your life worth? For you bare no good fruit. You do not advance the kingdom of God and you will be thrown into the fire. But again I ask, what is your life worth? A hundred dollar bill, whether it is used to by a blackberry or thrown into the garbage, it is still worth the same. The value of your life is the same whether you choose to waste it or fulfill the Lord's will/purpose for your life. In fact, you are extremely valuable. So valuable that JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD, was sent by your HEAVENLY FATHER to reedeem you from a life that leads to death and give you eternal life. ... um, maybe you didn't hear me.. but I just said, that the GOD of this Universe, LOVED YOU AND I even while we were living a disgusting life of sin soooooooo much that he sent his ONLY BEGOTTEN SON WHOM HE LOVED EXCEEDINGLY TO EARTH, TO BE CRUSHED BY HIM ON THE CROSS SO THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE!!!! He did not send Moses, He did not send Abraham, he sent his only son. That tells me, that the Lord greatly values us. Therefore, there is hope. Because you are still breathing, you must be confident that the Lord is with you. My friends, my loved ones, do not test the Lord for you know not your last day. Put your hope in the Lord now. Put your trust in the Lord today. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and make Him the Lord of your life. Love the Lord by obeying his commands and receive eternal life.

peace y'all.

Athiests... are they believers?

2010-01-21T10:20:00.002-05:00

TODAY IN CLASS I was paying close attention to what the lecturer was saying. I take a Diaspora and Transnational Studies course and I sometimes find it rather interesting since it teaches me about human behaviour on a global level. However, there are less than interesting moments in this class. For instance, today, after the prof defined a list of less than interesting terms, he then moved on to philosphers and their less than interesting bios. blahh. Anyway, the bio of the philosphers are very relevant to what I'm about to tell you since one of those philosphers was the infamous Karl Marx. The man who all of my professors get excited talking about. The man who refers to religion as the "opium of the masses." He was undoubtably a very intelligent man andgreat thinker but sadly, he lacked all wisdom. The teacher was explaining one of his theories called "Marx's theory of History."

(I'll try to sum up the basis of the theory in a couple lines at the most)

Marx believed that history begins, has a middle and eventually has an end. He believes that in the beginning, society was at peace, then conflicts began and are still continuing due to the inequality between classes. However, he believes that society will reach a point where all class conflicts will be resolved and since he believes that that is the only source of real conflict, society will become perfect and "history" would be a term of the past.
(*I really really dumbed it down into my understanding of what I believed the prof was trying to say, but if you want to know the nitty gritty of Marx's theory, click this link. >> Click here! << *)

Now when the teacher finished explaining all that good stuff, I raised my hand and he called upon me and this is what I said.

"Sir, wasn't Marx an Athiest or Agnostic?"

He was an athiest although he came from a Jewish and Christian background blah blah blah

"That's interesting considering that his entire theory seems very religious."

Well he was not a religious man. He called religion the "opium of the masses" blah blah blah

"Well the reason why I said so is because what I understood from Marx's theory of history is that he believed that there will be a time where man kind will no longer have conflicts between classes and what not and people will all live in perfect peace with each other in a perfect society. I don't understand how he believes that that is even possible since I don't see how imperfect beings can obtain AND sustain a perfect society unless there was a supreme perfect being involved."

CLASS please settle down.

"I'm just saying... for an Athiest, Marx seems like a pretty religious dude."

Holy spirit 1 | Lame philosphers 0

Not to mention that his theory resembles bible history and prophecy. Adam & Eve in the garden (In the beginning was perfect) -> Eve and Adam ate the fruit they shouldn't have and society became imperfect with conflicts (good vs evil) -> Eventually the Lord will return (perfect supreme being bringing perfection).
Chea!

sry, haven't blogged for about a week!

2010-01-21T10:11:00.000-05:00

Hello hello,
I would first like to apologize for my inconsistent blog posts. Christmas break is officially over and school is increasingly becoming more burdensome. However, as time consuming as school may be, I have held back from posting for another reason. For the past couple days I have really centered my life(body,heart,mind,soul) around God. Of course this should be an everyday thing but hey, give your saint a break! I'm practicing spending time in God's presence and I pray that this continues till the Lord's glorious return. During this past week, the Lord has been teaching me SO much about forgiveness, his eternal promise of salvation, his omni-presence, humility, patience, trust... the list goes on. It's been a deep week and I've got tons of cool insights to share so look out for more ;)

2010-01-18T20:53:00.001-05:00

I had my nails done last week and sad to say, the dude did a horrible job.
Kiz is disappointed.
Hard.
*SMH*

Praying in your mind and Praying out loud. What's the difference?

2010-01-13T00:46:00.001-05:00

Hello brothers and sisters,
What I am about to share with you is a simple thought I had while I was taking a cool mid-day nap in between classes. It pertains to prayer and the manifestation of prayer in our lives. I'll start off by saying that the Lord can hear and respond to our thoughts. He is the creator of our conscience and His Holy Spirit dwells within us, therefore, it is only natural that everything we have ever thought and ever will think is known by the All-Knowing God. :) Let's move on to prayer. What is prayer? Prayer is communication between you and God. A sometimes one-way conversation, you asking for something or it can also be a two-way conversation, God answering questions on your heart and ministering to you. We are called to prayer without ceasing [1 Thessalonians 5:17] and sometimes that means you'll be at work, or standing at a bus stop when you're supposed to be engaged in prayer. If you were to speak out loud, people would think you were a little crazy and the last thing we want is for people to think badly of our good deeds. [Romans 14:16] So we pray in our minds because 1. God will hear us and 2. We will remain dwelling in the Lord presence.
A slight problem occurs however, when a person ONLY prayers in their mind. The Lord still loves you and His Spirit will guide you in all truth so please do not take my word for it. Test what I say. However, the point I am trying to make is this - praying in your mind is good sometimes but there is a level of authority that is taken when you decide to prayer your prayers out loud. People who are used to praying in their mind have a many reasons for doing so. It could be that they are afraid the Devil will hear their prayers and try to stop their blessing. Or it may be that they have grown accustomed to doing so because of their religious upbringing. Or it may even be that they are very shy and prefer to speak to God in their mind. Whatever the reason, it is a habit that must be broken. Spoken prayer is extremely powerful and sometimes very necessary to bring forth blessings in the spirit realm into the natural. I'll try to break down my point as simply as possible.

What is sown in the spirit is reaped in the spirit. What is sown in the natural is reaped in the natural.

Praying in your mind = Spiritual fruit
Praying out loud = Natural fruit

You can't buy a train ticket then try to board a plane with the same ticket. Train tickets are for trains just like spiritual prayer are for spiritual things.

The power in spoken prayer lies in the power of spoken words. WORDS ARE POWERFUL. Why would the good Lord judge us on every word we have spoken if they weren't of any value? They hold the key to life and death. [Matthew 12:36]

Another example can be seen in the following. The Lord sometimes awakes His servants at night to pray for certain people or things. However, one must remember that the Lord's Spirit is over the entire earth and He witnesses all things, both good and evil. He sees when that 5 year old is getting raped or when that gang member is being murdered in an alley. So why does he awake His servants to pray if He's right there? His will and desire is that those evil things do not occur, but His will lingers in the Spirit realm until His child utters His will into the natural realm and thereby creates a manifestation of His spiritual will. Only then can help come to the child being raped or the gang member who's in critical condition at the hospital after being stabbed several times. Spoken word is critical to affecting natural change and manifestations of the Spirit of God.

However. ..

The Lord is infinitely great and He is able to do all things according to His good will which is why, even prayer prayed in the Spirit is answered. However, it is more effective and powerful to speak natural things into existence by the power of the Spirit living within us. Prayers are brought forth quicker and one gains a greater understanding of the authority we have been given by Jesus Christ to bind and loose things on earth and have the same be done in Heaven. [Matthew 16:19]

Secular author proves why God is real

2010-01-09T18:56:00.001-05:00

I found this in my "Social Thought into the Twenty First Century" book.

"Let us begin by establishing two fundamental and realistic principles. The first of these is that social influences, though not directly observable, produce observable effects. We cannot, for example, directly observe those ideas and involvements that lead people into wars, but we can observe the aftermath of a bombing raid. We can say, then, that even though social forces remain hidden, they are nonetheless "real." They are real because they are real in their effects. If the invisibility of social forces appears to deny validity to the efforts of social scientists, the real consequences of social inolvement gives their work a scientific justification."

Umm, this secular author just proved why God can be invisible but yet real at the same time. The effects of His existance are evident in all of His creation. I won't say much more, take a second to really take it in.

How does one walk blameless before the Lord

2010-01-09T00:13:00.003-05:00

This is a lil something I learned today during my morning devotion/bible study and I thought that I'd share.

Psalm 19:12-13 (NIV)

¹² Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

Genesis 4:6-7 (NIV)

⁶ Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

It concerns being 'blameless' before the Lord. There were men in the Old testament who's walk with God were considered blameless such as Job, David & Noah. But what exactly did it mean to be blameless? Is it was being without sin? The Bible says that no man is without sin. John 8 teaches this. Not to mention that David was an adulturer and Noah got drunk. So that couldn't be it. So why were they called blameless if they were clearly men that sinned?

I believe that it is because they mastered willful sin. David asked the Lord to keep Him from willful sin and he also asked that willful sin would not rule over him. The Lord advised Cain not to commit wilful when he told him that he must master the sin that is crouching at his door. There are certain sinful acts we are ignorant of and althought they are still considered sin, the Lord, if we ask for His grace and forgiveness, will be leniant on us. However, there are certain sins that we are VERY aware of. Who hear doesn't know the 10 commandments? Do not lie, do not steal, do not commit adultury are all familiar to us. If we commit those sins, understanding that it is an act of hatred against the Lord, then that is considered a willful sin, or in other words, a great transgression. That's not cool. I'll give you an example.

If Jane walks into a Chanel boutique and sees a pair of shades that she really likes. Someone took it out of the display and left it on the counter while the person working in the store went to the back room for something. No one is watching her and if she wanted to steal the shades, this would be her opportunity. As she becomes aware of this opportunity, she begins to think about what she should do. *Should I steal it... no ones looking.. it's really nice... nah that would be bad.. thou shalt not steal.. but its so clutch.. like i really like it.. no one will know.. i can ask for forgiveness later.. but nah, God wouldn't be pleased..* [Sin is literally crouching at her door as she ponders to herself] MASTERING SIN is if she stops meditating on stealing the glasses and puts her thoughts back on things that are good and pure. WILLFUL SIN is if she decides, *what the heck.. I'll do it!* and she takes the shades.

Be masters of willful sin and your walk with the Lord shall be called blameless. For the Lord has commanded us to master willful sin.

Take ~~care~~ Love

What drives me

2010-01-05T14:20:00.001-05:00

I heard a Paul washer sermon a while back and I remembered Him saying that heaven didn't motivate him and that God motivated him.

Naturally I agreed with his statement because it made some sense, but it was only today that it clicked.

I had a thought.. "Would you want to go to the most beautiful place in the universe?...I answered sure.. why not.. Then immediately another thought followed.. "Would you want to go there even if you were alone." My answer was no. Then another question popped up right after.. "Would you want to go to place with nothing and nobody around except for God." My answer was immediately yes!

That's why heaven couldn't drive me. Only God. He is my only motivation. He is the only One who sustains me. Everything I have and need is in Him. Without Him I am nothing but with Him, I need nothing.

Take ~~Care~~ Peace Yall!

God's dicipline is like a detox program

2010-01-02T23:41:00.000-05:00

Hey folks! I know I was M.I.A for the Christmas break but I was celebrating Jesus' birthday with food, drinks and my fam. He totally blessed this holiday time and He has faithfully brought us into 2010.

mmmmm. I feel like I just opened a new copy book. Fresh sheets, no dog ears, no marks, *sniff sniff* BRAND NEW! 2010 is fresh y'all and I plan on making the very most out of it.

A thought came to me while I was driving - It's when I do most of my deeper thinking.

The thought was about spiritual growth and the pains that it entails.

We were pagans when God chose us as his people. That's when we entered God's detox program. I call it a detox program because when we were pagans we were addicted to sin - many different types of sin. (anger, lust, greed, envy etc) Addictions are harmful and a lot of times the lead to an early death. Like any detox program, going cold turkey is hard. It involves side effects (stomach aches, nausea, vomitting) The same is involved when you decide to go cold turkey for a particular sin. As we deal with each sin, and our addcition to it, we go through trials and pains. (God's discipline) At the end of our program we are clean and free. However,during the process it is hard. Thank the Lord that we have a trained doctor who is specialized at cleaning people out. Our doctor is God, and he is totally specialized and he is absolutely loving.It is an honour to be a part of his detox program because it means that we are part of his family. :) Love itttttt!

Read Hebrews 12:1-13 for deeper insight.

Love you. Love God. Peace.

2009-12-25T14:16:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas

Yall

Unity

2009-12-23T10:34:00.001-05:00

It think of this scripture everytime me and a couple of the youths from my church get together to discuss God and how he's been working in each of us. Getting together like that truely is edifying to my soul.

Psalm 133 (King James Version)

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Note that the LORD commands the blessing, which is as numerous as dew upon the mountain of Zion. Who knows that when God commands anything, He means business? hahaha. Yesss! Blessingssssssss!

Another scripture that comes to mind is:

2 Timothy 2:22

Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

As a youth, we MUST pursue God in the company of other men and women who LOVE the LORD. We are only babes in Christ and more foolish than we'll ever be in our lifetime which is why we need each other for love and support through daily spiritual battles. Plus, let's not forget the blessingssssss. The LORD LOVES when we get together so if you are a Christian youth, get together with other believers outside of Sunday service and really get to know God on a deeper and more intimate level.

we will NEVER be Holy

2009-12-21T13:35:00.003-05:00

I was cleaning my kitchen and a thought came to me. I took a quick break to share it with you.

One can never attain holiness. One can only pursue it. For holiness belongs to GOD alone. He says, "be holy for I am holy." We are holy not by anything we have done but because we have God. He gave himself to us as a FREE GIFT. Take this equation for example 0 + 1 = 1 We are "zero" and God is "1". Together it is equal to "1" but we had no part to play in that because we are still "zero". God is HOLY. Him alone. Pursue him! But don't for a second believe that you have anything to do with being Holy. We will NEVER be Holy.

British law firm offers gift divorce vouchers this Christmas

2009-12-20T21:21:00.003-05:00

Is this what the world is coming to? *SMH*

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British law firm offers gift divorce vouchers this Christmas

Thu Dec 17, 6:22 PM

LONDON (AFP) - Not exactly festive, but proving popular, a British law firm is offering an unusual present for unhappy married couples this Christmas -- divorce gift vouchers, a report said Thursday.

Lloyd Platt & Company in London said it has received hundreds of enquiries since putting the vouchers on sale last month.

Offering couples half-hour or hour-long advice session with a lawyer, the firm has sold 54 vouchers in three weeks, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The firm is calling the vouchers this year's "must have" present, and cost 125 pounds plus tax (140 euros, 202 dollars).

"Christmas can be a very stressful time for families as we have always seen by the huge increase of people seeking advice in January," senior partner Vanessa Lloyd Platt told the newspaper.

"The vouchers seem to appeal to an enormously wide spread spectrum of people looking for that 'must have' gift for Christmas," she said.

She said buyers include husbands, wives, mistresses and people using them as a suggestion to their friends and family members.

However the vouchers have been criticised for encouraging people to seek a divorce rather than resolve their problems through counselling or other means.

"It?s typical ambulance chasing by lawyers who are doing this for business reasons," said Dave Percival, who organises an annual National Marriage Week, which celebrates the institution of marriage.

Lloyd Platt said the vouchers offer people "all the practical options available to them -- divorce being only one of the options."

Click here for oringinal Article
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Is this what the world is coming to? *SMH*

Answered Prayer - God is faithful

2009-12-19T01:19:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been feeling really off about a lot of stuff. It is the first time in my life where I've been totally immersed in Christ and the Church and it is totally different from what I'm used to. This is definitely a good thing because we [the church] are called to be transformed, not conform. However, I did not feel like I fit into that culture. I was having trouble establishing comfort zones; knowing what to say, how to act, what is acceptable and what is not. Many questions needed to be answered.

I was on the borderline of simply switching churches. I thought that it was just me that did not fit into the Church and I should try some place else. I needed to talk to someone so I talked to my boy Dep. He is not exactly a Christian but he IS wise and a great listener. You would be surprised when I tell you that the advice he gave me, after listening to everything I had to say. He said, "You should pray about it Kiz." I started laughing - Laughing because I was once again taken back by God's supremacy and his ability to use ANYONE to talk to his people.

On my way home from Dep's crib, I prayed about it. I asked God for clarity, understanding and answers. I said that I would not act upon my first reaction to the situation, which was run away from the church, or isolate myself from everyone, but I would wait upon the Lord.

The next day was Friday - the day that I witness to strangers about Jesus Christ. On this particular Friday, both of my parents told me that I should not to go anymore, even though I was already dressed and heading out the door. It was unusual for them to tell me that I should not go because it is something that I do every Friday. I figured that God had something to do with it and I obeyed them and that's how I ended up going to the church fundraiser.

Thank God I obeyed my parents. At the church fundraiser, every question (which were many), were answered by various people at the function. People did not even realize that they were answering questions I had hidden in my heart. I left feeling 100% better and so grateful that the God whom I serve is faithful, and honours the prayers of his people. He is so quick to show compassion. I love Him.

[pics] Field Trip with Wheezblock

2009-12-18T13:20:00.003-05:00

WheezBlock & KizzyEl's field trip

.
.
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TeaOpia

Our first stop was TeaOpia. It is an awesome Tea shop in the middle of DonMills outdoor shopping centre. In this little tea shop, one can find 100 different varieties of tea! Me and WheezBlock are tea fans, so we were excited about the huge selection available to us.

Teopia

Teopia's menu OwwwWWww

WheezBlock checking out the Zamboni! There is a skating rink directly infront of the Tea Shop.

Honeyyyyyyyyyy. A must have in any tea!

*I recently learned that maple syrup is also a fine substitute when honey is not available - courtesy of Andre*

Fairview Mall

Our next stop was Fairview Mall. I was looking for a pet fish! Too bad Fairview doesn't have a pet store. *sad face* However, it did have Godiva's chocolate. So we got some! *happy face* yummmm.

The tiny Godiva store in Fairview mall

I also took a pic with the Olympics torch thingyy.. I'm such a dork at times haha.

Scarborough Town Centre

Our third and final stop was at STC. That is where I finally found my FISHYYYY!

It's name is WeezBee. It's a Beta fighter fish!

Our day was awesome !

Stay tuned for more field trips. ;)

Follow Wheezblock http://www.twitter.com/BackToTheTrap
Follow KizzyEl http://www.twitter.com/KizzyEL

Prayer and Tylenol

2009-12-17T12:14:00.000-05:00

Good morning! Today is thursday.. sweet. I thank God for this day, and this laptop and this blogsite.

I woke up today with the same cold I had yesterday but it seems to have progressed. Grr. However, I am battling it with prayer and praise and when I have enough strength, dance. I'll also be doing some very practical things to get rid of the cold. I've got tylenol extra strength cold tablets which I started taking last night. Although I may have nullified the effects of it by .. ya.. anyways. So I'm starting fresh this morning. See how long this cold can last in the temple of the Most High God muhahaha.

As for the rest of my day, I was supposed to go find a pet fish (a pet that never complains or requires too much attention) buttttt I'm trying to do as little as possible so that my body is given enough rest to fight off those nastiess inside of my body that's making me sick. So since I won't be going to the mall, there's a spot called teaOPia or something like that that my boy WheezBlock was telling me about. We might end up there today. God willing. :) If we do, pics will be taken hehe.

Peace folks!

prayer to Daddy when annoyed

2009-12-17T01:38:00.000-05:00

Dear Father,

I don't know what's wrong with me. I have some issues that need to be taken up with you. Stuff is getting me cheesed. You know what stuff I'm talking about. I'm trying my best ... well.. I'm trying to get over myself. I'm just so annoyed though. Like I'm really annoyed. Fustrated even. Tired of the retardness that's going on right now. I need help. i need helpppppppppppppppppppppppp. Daddy. I need your help. You promised me, that if I cry out to you, you will answer me by setting me free. You promised me that you will never leave me nor forsake me. You promised me that you would help me in times of need. Now this may not be major, but i definitely need rescuing and this definitely is a time of need. I don't know what you're going to do God. But I have put my trust and faith in you. There's no turning back now. I'm kinda excited.. in the midst of my anger..of what you have up your holy sleeve. Because I confident that you will set me free. And I am confident that this is just another soft issue that you will overcome. Bless your Holy name oh God. Lord of my life. Thank You for the peace that is now blanketing me as I type. wow. wow daddy. you are toooo awesome!.

Thank you Abba
-Kizzy

2009-12-17T01:06:00.000-05:00

kay so im kinda cheesed.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

²⁶"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry [Ephesians 4:26]

kay.. im just gonna chill. it's not that serious. God is still the same, loving, faithful, perfect. I love you God!

We've been bugged!

2009-12-16T12:53:00.005-05:00

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

hehe, no wonder I love talking about God. He's not only present, but He's recording everything I'm saying and thinking. That must mean that He sometimes looks back on the things that were said about Him... hmmm maybe :P sooo cool.

[video] Random thought while Studying

2009-12-14T23:05:00.001-05:00

Discipline & Honour - They go hand in hand.

I AM NOTHING

2009-12-13T23:28:00.008-05:00

This revelation I am about to share with you literally shifted my life. I finally understand (however small this understanding may be) the relationship between myself and JESUS CHRIST.

I am two things:
(1) A creation of the living God &
(2) A slave of Jesus Christ/Righteousness

YOU are also two things:
(1) A creation of the living God &
(2) a slave - either to Jesus Christ OR to Sin

You may not consider yourself a slave, and may even take offense to the fact that I called you a slave. But the truth of the matter is that we are ALL SLAVES.

This entire world was created BY-FOR-&-THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

Colossians 1:15-20 says:
¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

God made me for Him! But I sinned... and so did the rest of mankind. We CHOSE to become followers of Satan by disobeying the Word of God and have thereby become SLAVES to sin. God's judgement and wrath will come upon us if we continue to live a life of sin.

Jesus is our way out. (Col 1:19-20)

He bared all of our sins & shed his perfect blood for us so that we may be reconciled with the Father.

Romans 10:9-10

^{BY FAITH 9} if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

BECAUSE WE WERE CREATED BY JESUS, FOR JESUS AND THROUGH JESUS, THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION FOR US AS A CREATION. WE ARE EITHER A SLAVE TO JESUS CHRIST AND RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE, OR WE ARE A SLAVE TO SIN AND RECEIVE ETERNAL DAMNATION. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

ONLY JESUS/FATHER/HOLYSPIRIT.

THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS.

JESUS IS EVERYTHING. I AM NOTHING.

Reflect upon these things. .

2009-12-09T23:53:00.003-05:00

. . .The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. . .[2 tim 2:6]

in context:
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. [2 tim 2:3-7 NIV]

2009-12-09T09:31:00.004-05:00

2nd Final Exam today @ 2pm

PLEASE PRAY THAT I DO EXCEEDINGLY WELL!

THANK YOU!

How to tell the Real from the Counterfeit

2009-12-08T00:39:00.001-05:00

I thank Jesus Christ for revealing the truth to me.

I was just saying to my parents that because my school is filled with Muslims, I want to study the Bible to gain a greater understanding of the foundational truths, but also, that I want to read the Koran for a deeper understanding of the Muslim faith for witnessing purposes. Right after I said it, I felt a bit off and then my pops asked me this, "How do bank tellers learn which money notes are fake and which ones are not?" There was a pause and he continued saying, "They first learn all about the real money notes and from that, they know that if any note does not match up with the real one then that note is a fake." A flood of understanding came to me when he continued to say, "The same applies to the word of God, it is the real thing, and if you get to know it really well, you would be able to rebuttal false truths."

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. [Hebrews 4:12]

When we share the Gospel with others, we are speaking the word of God, which means that it is not our responsibility, nor are we able to convict any person except by the power of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is able to pierce even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow. There is no religion that is too deeply planted that Holy Spirit cannot uproot, for it is the Spirit of God Himself. Therefore, it is not up to us to be scholars of worldly faiths, but scholars of the Word of God, receiving revelations by the grace of Jesus Christ within us.

However, I would be ignorant if I said not to learn about worldly faiths all together. For means of conversation and intellectual conversation, it may prove beneficial to be knowledgeable about the religions of the world. Always keep in mind however, that it is not your knowledge of worldly religions that will save souls, but knowledge of the word of the living and true God.

1st exam of the year

2009-12-07T07:43:00.001-05:00

I am in the 1st semester of my 2nd yr in Uni and I am commencing my exam period today. The first exam is my Diaspora Course @ 9 AM this morning.

Prayer blessings for me that I remember all that is necessary and I get an amazing grade! :P

Peace Folks!

Consecrate yourself

2009-12-05T20:56:00.002-05:00

Wisdom, it is absolutely crucial. Thank God that my Father in heaven is the wisest man I know, and He willingly imparts wisdom on me daily. I was recently taken aback by some of the standards that some of my brothers in Christ have set for themselves in relation to their purity and women. Their standards seemed very extreme to me - a girl who recently came out of the world, who has majority male friends, who has 90% boy cousins, and who even went to an all boys nursery when she was growing up in Trinidad. I am a girl that is very comfortable being around boys. I am not flirtatious in any way and I believe that I am very respectful of other people and their space. This is why it was so hard for me to understand why some of my brothers would not chill with me alone (in the middle of a very busy public area).

I was somewhat embarrassed, thinking that maybe I did something wrong or maybe fellas did not trust me around them. I felt really uncomfortable about the whole situation and had to turn to Jesus. I needed to ask Him what I was doing wrong and to fix me.

He then led me to my sister in Christ who was able to break down the whole situation to me. She explained that, it is not specifically me that they do not trust, but themselves around women in general. As she was explaining it a little further to me, it really began to click and God gave me an understanding of what some of his soldiers are called to do in order to refine them for the good work that He [the Lord] has in store for them. I was relieved - relieved that I didn't offend my brothers. I was also proud - proud that my brothers choose to stand for holiness and consecrate themselves for the Lord. I love you guys.

2009-12-05T08:57:00.004-05:00

I'M A

F-A-N-A-T-I-C

I'LL REP CHRIST
TILL I

D-I-E

Jewel Manifestation in Church

2009-12-04T08:53:00.002-05:00

Pastor Dennis J. Rojas leads a small church in San Juan, Puerto Rico Church and has reported seeing the manifested glory of God during his services. Not only has he seen over 1000 precious stones fall on people's head during praise and worship, but he has seen and smelt precious oil overflowing from his bible for days on end. Not to mention the angel foot prints which he still has record of. Watch the video.

I am not worthy to serve a God as great as He.

An undivided heart

2009-12-02T14:09:00.002-05:00

The Lord led me to this Psalm moments after I finished a 20 page essay last night.

Psalm 86:11-13

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart,

that I may fear your name.

I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;

I will glorify your name name forever.

For great is your love toward me you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

The line, "give me an undivided heart" really stood out to me and I meditated on those words for my entire car ride home. I was in awe at the genius of David's prayer. It occurred to me that if you ask the Lord for an undivided heart, a heart that serves Him alone and detests evil, then praises and thanks will continuously flow from your heart and out of your lips to the Lord. Evil would not be able to dwell in your heart. Your words and deeds would always be pleasing to the Lord.

Pray with me.

Father Lord,

I pray that you teach me your way

so I may walk in your truth,

Give me an undivided heart, O lord

that I may fear your name.

in the mighty name of JESUS I pray

Amen.

Monkey man

2009-12-01T12:49:00.000-05:00

Cool vid. Check out 0.46/2.00.

World AIDS Day 2009 - Pray with me

2009-12-01T10:29:00.003-05:00

It's world AIDS Day today.

As an intercessor, I feel the need to prayer for those suffering with AIDS. Please join me.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hear my prayer, O Lord.

I prayer for the millions of people suffering with AIDS.

I prayer that you forgive them all of their sins, and heal them Jesus.

I prayer that you exchange their blood with yours Jesus.

Purify their blood Jesus.

Show them and the world your great Glory!

Free the oppressed and show them your love and mercy.

Thank you Father!

Amen.

If you to learn more, follow the this link World AIDS Day . org

[video] TRUTH! Do you have the faith the size of a mustard seed?

2009-11-30T12:19:00.003-05:00

Angel Sightings

2009-11-28T12:21:00.000-05:00

[ A group of Christians in Honduras sing worship music around a large bonfire when a nine foot tall figure made of fire appears and dances around the flames, then departs. ]

Awesome huh?

Angels are very real! We all have at least 2 assigned to us. Rejoice!!!

Modesty Ladies, Modesty!

2009-11-27T21:52:00.004-05:00

This is one area where I myself have fallen short. Modesty. Dressing in such a way that glorifies my God. As I walked through the mall today, I took a good look at the way young ladies and women were dressed and I was appalled. I thought to myself, where has self-respect gone, is morality a thing of the past, and can men resist from falling into lust? Cleavage was all over the place, tight form fitting jeans were everywhere, and believe it or not, (even in the freezing weather today) mini skirts were prevalent.

The world in its perversity has deliberately confused the meaning of beauty, with sexy. Beauty is a natural, God given, physical and also inner attractiveness. It does not involve displaying your body, whether plainly or behind sheer or tight clothing. Sexy, according to dictionary.com, is a term given to something or someone who arouses sexual desire or interest. Which term defines you?

Romans 14:13 (Amplified Bible)
Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.

Sisters, before you leave your home, ask the Holy Spirit if what you are wearing glorifies God and will not cause your brother to lust and therefore fall because of you. If you love God and your family in Christ, you must take this seriously.

If you would like to know more about what the Bible has to say about dressing modestly I have selected some very good sites I found.

Test All Things - I love this site! It's written in the form of a blog. Perfect scripture verses.
Teen Modesty - This site has very practical scripture verses and explanations.
Teaching Christian Ladies to dress modestly - This is also nice because it's woman to woman.

JESUS PAINTING [VID]

2009-11-26T13:01:00.002-05:00

The singer in this vid, is not too great but the artist definitely caught me at the end. Did not think it was going to turn out the way it did. Pretty amazing.

This vid is actually the first one I saw. It is heart felt worship to the Lord. I love it.

TRUTH! Do you have the faith the size of a mustard seed?

2009-11-25T09:08:00.006-05:00

Last night, my pops shared a revelation he received with me and it literally had me praising God and saying "wow, I'm excited" from since last night to now. I was excited because the revelation finally increased my faith to the size of a mustard seed! I was excited because I finally understood why it was that the Lord asked me, "Do you trust in me enough?" In a split moment, my life, and view of life, changed for an eternity. My life will no longer be the same after the revelation I receive which I'm about to share with you.

I pray that the Lord opens your heart to receive the truth of this message and that you also receive the same revelation I received and even greater. In Jesus’ Precious Name I pray. Amen.

_________________________________________________________________________

"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the LORD Almighty. [Zechariah 4:6]

What kind of spirit is the Lord referring to?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [John 14:6]

Since Jesus, The Father & the Holy Spirit are all of the same spirit, and Jesus says that He is the Truth, then it would be fair to say that the Spirit the Lord Almighty is speaking of in Zechariah 4:6 is the spirit of TRUTH.

Let's define truth

Truth: A verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like: mathematical truths.[e.g 1+1 will always = 2] or [ Any form or size of light in a perfectly dark room will eliminate all darkness in it's range.]

A truth is something that cannot be argued. It is a truth in ALL circumstances under ALL conditions at ANY period of time! A truth remains when all else fades. This is the reason why Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." [Mat 24:35] It is IMPOSSIBLE for His words to ever pass away because it is TRUTH and TRUTH never ever ever changes.

Why is this important to understand?

It all comes down to God's word. . . every single word found in the Holy Bible is TRUTH. Ta Da!

Therefore, it's not about forcing yourself to believe God's word because God said it. It is really about reading and understanding the word of God as the solid truth that it is - Knowing that every verse is a basic truth that WILL be done once you believe in that truth!

Do you understand as yet? Time for examples!

Let's go back to the very first verse I quoted. Zec 4:6 ["Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the LORD Almighty]

Ever prayed for someone to be healed? Eyes closed, speaking in tongues, going on for hours, spit flying all over the place? That is a classic case of using your Might and the power of the Holy Spirit to confront a demonic attack (any type of illness). At the end of the day, it'll probably work, because the power of the Holy spirit is absolutely incredible. But have you ever asked yourself why Jesus didn't have to do all that when He healed multitudes? No, the answer is not because he was the Son of God. (Which we are too btw. John 12) The answer is, Because Jesus believed/had faith/trusted in the TRUTH that is the Word of The Almighty God.

An example of a truth (any verse in the Bible can be used)

Jesus said, "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:14.

When you pray for someone to be healed, or when you are casting out demons, or anything else for that matter, the above truth will apply. It is a TRUTH, that if you ask for ANYTHING (according to God's will) in the name of JESUS Christ, HE WILL DO IT!!!

A truth is a truth, however way you look at it and once you grasp that basic principle, you can now grow your tiny mustard seed and move mountains in the mean while.

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." [Matt 17:20]

God Provides

2009-11-23T23:09:00.001-05:00

We cannot begin to fathom the ways of God.

My mom and I were reading the 25th chapter of Leviticus and as we were reading about the year of jubilee and other interesting stuff, my mom received an awesome revelation of how God provides for His children.

Ever since winter began, my mom has been saving money and waiting for God's financial provision to buy the family winter coats. She was afraid if the weather got too cold, too quickly, she may not be able to wait till Black Friday (a day of sales in the USA) to drive across the border. However, just a couple days ago, she stopped and pondered about the amazing weather we've been having. Admittedly it has been cold... but considering that it is late November and we're still above 0 degrees Celsius during the day... this weather has truly been a blessing! My mom noticed that she has been wearing regular clothes to work, without the need of a winter coat and she asked herself, "Would God really prevent the cold weather from coming in, just for me, just to give me time to purchase my winter clothes?"

Her revelation was this.

She expected God to provide for her needs by means of money. However, God actually provided for her needs by delaying the frosty weather so that now she has enough time to make it to the Black Friday sale in the US and save tons of money on coats for the family.

God has been providing for her all this time and not once did she say, "Thanks." (Until now at least)

If we as Christians are not sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we may be complaining about God not providing, or "waiting" for the Lord to provide for us when He already has.

perfect LOVE

2009-11-22T22:24:00.007-05:00

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." [Luke 23:34]

That's what Jesus said when they were leading Him out to be cruxified.The world HATED Him, yet out of perfect LOVE, He still asked the Father to forgive them.

Jesus taught me today that I must embrace His perfect LOVE and share that LOVE with the world. People of the world whom I used to call friends now Hate me. Although they may not say that openly, or admit to that, the Bible makes it perfectly clear how the world views me. But, despite how much this world hates me, Jesus taught me tonight that I must treat them with the same LOVE that he treated the world - which included me before He revealed himself to me.

In all things and in all situations, do not allow yourself to be offended or hurt by people's words or actions knowing that they are still part of the world or even your brothers and sisters in Christ who are not perfect, but respond always with LOVE.

Warfare on Parliament Hill

2009-11-22T10:56:00.001-05:00

For the past week, I have been in Ottawa fighting a battle - A battle against social injustice in parliament but also a battle with parliamentarians and senators that have God's best interest in mind. I fought along side 18 warrior youth lead my Faytene Kryskow and Sarah Sonne, the head of the MyCanada association.

Praise God that there are leaders in the Canadian government that actually care about the Lord's judgement, including Prime Minister Harper - unfortunately, we could not meet with him personally since he was in India when we were in his boardroom but instead, we had the pleasure of meeting with his head secretary. God's presence was extremely tangible all week long as we literally prayed without ceasing. There was a ton of angelic activity, grace and favour that was given to us. We had over 60something meetings with Members of Parliament (MPs) & Senators and we were able to share God's heart on social justice issues with them and show them that the YOUTH of this generation actually have a VOICE. We were able to pray and prophecy over our MPs and there were rare occasions where our MPs prayed over us!

One of my favourite moments in the past week was the amazzzzing praise and worship session all 18 members of our team I believe, were able to have in Rod Bruinooge's Huge and not to mention Amazing office! We made sure that our praise soaked into the carpet, the walls, the desks, the chairs, !oj@dk#$% .. just about EVERYTHING in his office!! Muhahaha. We definitely left the Holy Spirit chillin' in his office, after we had left.

Another favourite moment this past week was on the very last day when I was a part of the team of intercessors praying outside on the steps of the Supreme Court as well as in front of Parliament. There was another team of soldiers were having meetings with crucial MPs and Senators. It was raining and cold. My feet were numb in my flats and my toque was having a hard time covering my ears. But. . . it was truly epic. I mean, it was the very meaning of spiritual warfare. It was AMAZING!

The lesson I learned from this week was two-fold.

1. I learned how to literally pray without ceasing. Thank you Jesus!

2. I learned the humility factor - Recognizing my weakness & totally depending on the Lord's grace and love needed to overcome every trial.

Now that that battle is over, time to continue the on going battle of KILLING THE FLESH! RAWRR!

Until the next appointed battle.

I'm ready King. =)