Nonviolence

……

May my spirit fill the world with beauty and wonder.

May my mind seek truth with humility and openness.

May my heart forgive without limit.

May my love for friend, enemy and outcast be without measure.

May my needs be few and my living simple.

May my actions bear witness to the suffering of others.

May my hands never harm a living being.

May my steps stay on the journey of justice.

May my tongue speak for those who are poor without fear of the powerful.

May my prayers rise with patient discontent until no child is hungry.

May my life’s work be a passion for peace and nonviolence.

May my soul rejoice in the present moment.

May my imagination overcome death and despair with new possibility.

…….

 

(Extract from Prayer for the Decade of Nonviolence by Mary Lou Kownacki)

Relying – Loving

1Corinthians 13v3:

“If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

One thing that really makes me crazy (especially when I do it!) is to judge easily and by just taking in consideration how things look like and not trying to find out, at first, how they really are! I have experienced this phenomenon so many times in my life – especially practiced by people quite close to me – and I admit that it is a trigger.

However, the Lord will judge the heart. We are saved by grace. He will judge the motivation behind the deeds. Before we do anything better to check our heart and honestly to recognize what it is in it!

Love is more important than sacrifice. Sacrifice is not necessarily love, love can be sacrifice but still love won’t see it as a sacrifice but as the best that can be done as it is done willingly. When we learn or see various forms of sacrifice and wonderful acts, we believe that it is done out of love, true interest, passion, faith or ideals. It is not always as such. Many times is out of ego, useless expectations, masochism, showing off, fear, thinking what others might say about us.

“I don’t think there is anyone who needs God’s help and grace as much as I do. Sometimes I feel so helpless and weak. I think that is why God uses me. Because I cannot depend on my own strength, I rely on Him twenty-four hours a day.”

-Mother Teresa

Job 39v11

“Will you rely on him for his great strength? Will you leave your heavy work to him? “

Life on earth, including planet earth itself, goes on with us or without us! We need to remember that we are unique, for sure different – yet, equals – still, we are not the keepers of the Universe.

We think that we can have control on our life and we are not wrong to believe so. Certainly, we are capable to make decisions and to create most of our dreams if we put our mind into it!

The question is “What we do when we feel weak and scared?” We remember God! The error is that life becomes more difficult because we do not rely on Him during the good times, the bad ones, the sad ones, the exciting ones, the challenging ones…

We need to rely on Him continuously and in this way our scaring and weak moments will reduce. But how can we trust Him? If He gets too busy? If we are not good enough for Him to act?

How 1Corinthians 13v3 and Job 39v11 are connected?

It is about truly loving and relying on God. When we love a human being, we rely on him, we have expectations. Still, many times we do not rely on such a person, probably we try not to give troubles, not to become a burden, it is a thoughtful act out of love. With God is different. He asks us to rely on Him. When we do so, He can see that we trust Him and believe in Him. When we find it difficult to carry our burdens, God is pleased to do it for us.

So, it is about love, a love that it is more important than supporting the poor or go through unspeakable pain in His name. Our love to Him is the most supreme feeling. Many Christians become Christians when they go through difficulties in life. They go to God with expectations. Few out of them remain true believers. The reason? When the problems go or become familiar, God turns out to be irrelevant. Only those who believed in Him out of true love and cause they are convinced that He is real, He is alive, He is present and absolutely existing, only those keep loving Him and keep relying on Him without judging Him, without question Him – but do ask questions – without blaming Him. They are those ones who rely on Him under any circumstances, day and night!

 

 

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Our Dwelling

“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you. Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

                                                                                                                -Psalms 91v9-12

Have you seen the movie directed by Wim Wenders “Wings of Desire”? It is the original on which the unacceptable remake City of Angels was based. Only Wenders could have started with those amazing figures representing angels standing on high buildings looking down, being ready to attend humans. The extraordinary scene in the library where they stand and listen the thoughts and whispers of human beings. They are restless workers. I love this movie, it is a master piece as so many of Wenders.

It is thrilling! Picture it and live it! It is true and only true! There are angels all around. They serve the Lord and you. They guard you, they lift you in their hands as they are commended by the Lord. They stop any plague! I truly believe it and I have experienced it so many times in so many ways.

Yet, there is a CONDITION! “Because you have made the Most High your dwelling…” It is very vividly described. Not only to confess and believe Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, not only to get baptized in water and fire, not only to follow Him, not only to be a vessel for Him, not only to be used according to His plan…BUT Him to be your DWELLING. He is to be your home. Where our heart is, our home is. Where He is, our home is.

Home/house provides protection from the weather and enemies. Home is comfort, the place where we feel relaxed and peace. Home is the place where we eat, sleep, dream, play, dwell. Home is not always the house. Home can be a place, another human. But it is always what our peace, our security, our destiny is. That’s where we keep growing, aging and feel familiar.

It takes some dwelling for enjoying this and next life. Think about it, visualize what it really means “If you make the Most High your dwelling…” and watch His angels to keep working for you, lifting you in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Amen!

 

 

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Our Tutor

 

Kids, youth and sometimes even old lads go through exams at school, College, University and any type of educational system. It is a challenging period and everybody looks forward to its end!

It is the same with the Kingdom of God. Who believes and confesses Jesus Christ as his/her Saviour and Lord, belongs in the Body of Christ. We enter as little babies who drink “milk” and through time we grow, we mature and become adults who eat “meat” (or veggies for some of us!). We know that during our lifetime, we will have troubles, we will have tests, challenges and sometimes tragedies. This is part of our “schooling” in this world. Those tests help us to move to the next level in our faith and into how to serve the Lord.

As we remember when we had exams at school (or still have) and we did our best till we passed to the next year or graduate, similarly happens through the counsel and help of the Holy Spirit. We excel in life and move on to something new that is still creative and productive. We continue to give testimonies regarding God’s glory. We continue witnessing His Majesty.

It is written in Romans 8v22-28:

“We know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.  For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

When troubles come, they will shape us but we will not stay long in the trouble thanks to the Spirit who supports us through our weakness and trial. We are not alone through our “exams”. The Lord fights our battles! When we stand with Him, victory follows!

So, stick with the TUTOR and the TUTORIAL BOOK!

We certainly know that creation and creatures are always in labour to succeed survival and move forward. There are wonderful moments in between but “hard work” is the normal. As we grow and we learn through our Tutor how to increase, progress, move forward to His kingdom, still we need to do it with perseverance and endurance. This is the only way. Anything in this life needs perseverance and endurance.

I love the expression that says: “Good things come to those who wait”. My own understanding out of the” Tutorial Book” is that waiting is not sitting and doing nothing but by doing all needed to remain still and let the Tutor to do His own thing.

It is very reassuring to know that the Tutor checks the hearts. The Counsellor who was left with us – the Spirit – is our great helper during this life of perseverance and endurance. We are not left alone. We have a truly personal assistant who knows who we exactly are, each one individually and what we need. It is a great comfort!

It is even more encouraging that we are guaranteed that the Spirit does intercession for each one of us. What we lack, He adds, bringing in what it is needed.

What a nice way to start this week, remembering and acknowledging all that He has already helped us with, giving a huge thank to Him.

 

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Truth or Deception?

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

-Galatians 6v7-8

What is truth? How could we define truth? How about those “white lies”? Is it the truth when we speak part of the facts, hiding others or just not mention them?

Officially truth is the state or quality of being true to someone or something; true facts, genuine depiction, statements of reality.

I just remembered what a teacher mentioned once: when we want to say something to someone, we priory check if it is beneficial, if it is creative and if it is true. I strongly believe that is the base of any communication, statement and acquaintance.

It is a fact that there are people who love truth and many times they decide to keep silence than give up a truth that might hurt someone, that might create further conflict, to say a truth that will throw “oil on the fire” than little bit of water! It is not only to speak the truth but to be patient and wait till you know when to say the truth and how.

Truth is like beauty. We have the external beauty still the internal beauty exists as well. Which one will we choose, which one our perception will adopt? Truth is connected with perception in so many cases. Better make sure that you know what you are talking about.

Truth, many times, is perceived through assumptions and speculations. Is it a true fact which you describe or it is the way you consider “obvious”? There is “true truth” and there is speculated one. We need to make sure, judge our own selves whether the truth is certain before we act, before we speak.

“The Gift of Silence” is a previous article and speaks about the usefulness of silence. Highly recommended! Sometimes, it is better to keep your silence as it is more creative, compassionate and protective. It takes wisdom to know when and how. That’s why we need God’s wisdom.

God reads our hearts and knows all. Definitely, we cannot mock him. Don’t even try! You are losing your time!

Deception is all around. We live in a deceptive world. We love secrets and hidden places. Many desire the light and sunshine but they are more comfortable in darkness.

The scripture “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction” refers to many aspects of a sinful nature. Many identify the sinful nature regarding deeds and physical acts. I believe that sinful nature is the shape of our thoughts, desires, values, principles and expectations behind the acts. We really need to look at the details of our own motivations before the act. It will save us time and destruction.

Something to reflect on! Amen!

A good friend is gone…D. Bowie 1947-2016

Since a child i slept with your music as the radio was hidden under my pillow, i danced and drunk with friends, i cried when desperate, i laughed and celebrate …always with your music and that amazing voice. I grew up with you, you were my company in trips, in daily life, and comfort so many times. I never had or have idols but always learnt from passion, hard work and dedication. You were not only a genius but also genuine. I hope that you are where you desired to, for sure you are greatly loved.

The song that follows is not written by David Bowie but nobody managed to interpret it and touch the fiber of the music and lyrics as he did.

Dedicated to all genuine people!

Send with Love!