January 2017 – ALookintoT

3rd Law

I recently invested about 6 hours in an online Defensive Driving course sponsored by my car insurance company. It cost me time and money in return for a discount on my insurance premium. Good trade off! Now that I have finished the course, I strongly recommend taking the time to learn more about aggression, etc. Here are just a couple of things I learned I would like to share. When a person gets behind the wheel of a vehicle, the danger of one person’s action creating another person’s reaction is heighten by our state of mine. Anger is usually the result of disappointment, suspicion or pride. Actions by others can quickly turn into loss of personal control leading to an aggressive driving reaction. Classic example of this is one driver’s proper action traveling the speed limit being threatened by a second aggressive driver’s reaction. He has to slow down so tries to pass over the speed limit which could cause more evasive reactions by oncoming vehicles. Second driver’s loss of personal control of the situation became aggressive perhaps causing an accident. Please take the whole course to learn more but proves my purpose of this message. We all want control and when we have someone who acts beyond our control we can easily get angry which then can turn into a battle. The 3rd law of physics stated below applies not only to physics but to all aspects of life.

Newton’s third law of Physics states that “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”.

Life is full of challenges that we can not control ourselves. we recently made a trip to Australia and visited relatives that have been full of challenges. Years earlier the family came together to search for a lost relative. The whole country reacted with compassion and an urgency to find the lost boy before it was too late. Sadly, the boy was found too late. I truly believe his Spirit lives on to continue strengthening the hurting family. Now, after our wonderful visit with our relatives, tragedy struck again this time with a disease that took the life of a dear man who I had come to love as if he were my brother. In fact, he is my brother in Christ. I know though his family is in deep grief now, they too know that he has now exchanged his earthy body with a Spiritual body. He will continue along with his father and his dear lost nephew to guide and strength those left behind to reach their ultimate purpose. In 1 Cor. 10:10, Paul encourages brothers and sisters to agree with each other and not be divided into rival groups but be of the same mind and same purpose.

For each action, there is a reaction. If the action of others are aggressive then we are in danger of retaliation. However, if the action is calming, then we have a better chance to react in a calm manner. All of us have control issues and none of us like change but change is inevitable in life. How we react to change makes all the difference to our own state of being and those of others.

When we look up into the clouds, do we see dark clouds with no shape or silver lining of God’s love?

Gifts

I am listening to an audio book on lessons for living. Do we listen to others with the intent to respond on what we want to say or do we listen to others to understand them first before responding? Without giving too much details or if you want to know the name and author of the book, send me a private note and I will be more than happy to share. In the book, the author is learning that she had hidden talents to literally listen with a purpose and look into the soul of another to see things they were not able to see or hear. I may have a few sceptics reading this and perhaps turned off by it but I too believe in the spiritual realm. However, the only reason I mention this book is because it illustrates the God given talents and spiritual gifts we possess. Do we know our gifts? Perhaps not. There is an imaginary window called the “Joe Harry” window that describes four panes of glass. One pane are gifts that we all know about ourselves which are private. One pane are gifts only what other people know about you. Another pane are gifts that both you and the public know about you. The final pane is perhaps the most important and that is what God only knows about you. In 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Paul is encouraging the people to recognize their Spiritual Gifts. He says in verse 7, “the result is that you aren’t missing any spiritual gifts……”. Are we missing any gifts that will encourage goodness in this world or are we hiding our gifts under a bushel basket for fear of retaliation, real or imagined? Maybe we do not know we even have a gift and that is a shame. I believe the grave yard is full of unsung songs, talents and gifts. How do we nurture how own gifts and how to we recognize gifts in others? I believe it is hard to recognize gifts if we are so busy doing what we think we should do instead of doing what we are called to do. How do we determine what we are called to do? I believe we need to open up our hearts, minds and souls to the endless possibilities when we listen with intent to understand.

As we welcome a new President into the White House in a few days, may we ask for God’s guidance upon him and may he accept the Grace to be led by the Holy Spirit to open the endless possibilities for success according to the will of God.

Partiality

“Without any partiality. Is that possible?”

Does anyone listen to my audio version I post each week? I finally got it inserted above. How do you communicate? Is it through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Email, Snail Mail or just plain ole telephone? How about face to face? Wow, now that is novel idea. In Acts 10:34-43, Peter learns the Devine Guidance has no boarders. In other words, God does not show partiality to one group of people for another. Is that possible in today’s world? Perhaps, the reason why we seem to struggle with communication overload is our avoidance to actually speak to someone for fear of judging or being judged. I believe we are living in a world full of tools to communicate yet we tend to fail to actually listen with the intent to understand one another. Perhaps, it is resistance to change. During Jesus’ time, he came to show us a better way without any partiality. Yet they still hung him on a cross because they could not accept his way. In today’s world we have similar challenges accepting change. We have so much hatred for one another, we can not seem to get past our beliefs to accept another’s point of view or belief. Perhaps, we should take a hard look at ourselves and ask ourselves could we take on the examples of Christ and be more open to acceptance without partialities? There was hatred back then and there is hatred today. No one is exempt no matter what you believe. There is someone who will refuse to believe what you believe. Should we judge them or should we strive to understand them without partiality. Is that possible with our modern dog eat dog world? I think it is possible. No one has a monopoly on hatred. It is present in all shapes, sizes and colors. I suggest we begin this new year with a change of heart to practice listening to one another not to prove a point but to understand their point. Not to battle with one another but to accept one another. Yes, I believe we can live without partiality. I believe we can retrain our brains to accept everyone as a child of God to respect everyone regardless of their opinions or beliefs. Everyone is entitled to believe in what they believe without prejudice as long as it does not hurt another or violate another’s liberties. We are not entitled to judge anyone but we are obligated to share the good news as long as we have a breath in our bodies. Those that will not listen to our beliefs should not have rocks thrown at them or called racist or whatever derogatory remarks spoken in rage regardless of the color of their skin or what they believe. Let us live our life in peace with one another. Yes, it is possible.

The Secret

As the sun set on 2016, may we all remember the good times and look forward with freshness to a new year. Keep the Faith!

Have you ever been told a secret? How hard is it to keep the secret when told? A secret will burn in our brain waiting to be released by our tongue into the world. After all, what good is a secret if we can not tell it? Caution though as once told, it is no longer a secret but a message of good or bad news depending on the audience. Perhaps, we all need to train our tongues and minds to act with wisdom.

Matthew 2:12 says, “Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route.” Who are they? Magi or wise men from the East. Perhaps, that is why they were called wise as they were not influenced by an earthy authority with one objective to destroy anyone that upset his authority. Caution to us all not to accept guidance from the misguided. Herod was an evil ruler that intimated his people but thank God the Magi was not tricked. Ephesians 3:10 tells of God’s purpose through his wisdom of many ways to reveal his church.

God showed his servant Paul a secret plan in a revelation. Earlier generations may have heard the plan through the prophets but did they understand that the plan was to also be coheirs and part of the same body Jew or Gentile? Paul saw the secret revealed through Christ and His purpose is to show the rulers and earthly authorities true power. The secret has been consistent from the beginning of time and now we all have access to His authority through our faith in Him. As we remember his infant entry into this world and his suffering as a human servant, may we celebrate his return. As we prepare for a new year, may we also feel empowered by the secret. Christ gave us access through our faith in him. Access to who’s authority? God’s authority not an earthly authority. Let us pray that those who have authority on this earth recognize as Paul and the Magi did that victory is indeed found in Jesus.

Reveal the secret to all who will hear and see with wisdom according to His purpose not ours.