2nd June 2011 CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT CHRIST?

For a long time, this topic has been moving in my spirit. A few observations and a recent conversation with an elderly Christian widow who has left her church in pain has only confirmed what I have been struggling to place my finger on. I’ve finally decided to put my thoughts on paper. You may call it controversial, the truth may hurt a little but it must be told in order to expose the lie.

THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL FOR THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST

Straight Talk on Being Authentic Christians

Today the world is so tired of Pseudo Christianity. Many of them actually consider Christians and hypocrites as synonyms! Acc to a LIFEWAY research study: About 72% of the people interviewed said that they thought that the church was full of hypocrites."*, isn’t that a crying shame to us,the followers of Christ? “Well, that’s only one segment of the population” I hear you say. In that case, now let us take a look at the youth statistics. Acc to the same study, “about 70% of young adults stop attending church between 18 & 22."*

HOW I BECAME A CHRISTIAN & WHY I JOINED CHURCH:

The youth of today are not a bunch of rebellious, disobedient GOD HATERS as many like to think. In fact, they are without doubt, EVANGELISTIC RDX (if there was ever any such explosive).Today’s youth have a mind of their own and are not only intelligent & creative but also authentic. Children and youth hate anything that is artificial and false; often they see through it and expose it. That’s why they are a threat to the forces of darkness. Satan is not afraid of any number of Revival meetings of a bunch of Christians who are not REAL. But he is terrified when true Christians live an authentic Christian life totally depending on Jesus and in truth. We can easily attract more souls to Christ by living our testimony than by holding Crusades. With what authority do I tell you this? Well, with the authority of personal experience. I was a person not in search of any truth and definitely not in search of Christianity. However when I accidentally came across a group of youngsters totally dedicated to Christ; living a life of maturity and authenticity, I was curious.This curiosity got the better of me so that I learnt more about why they were like that and that lead me to accept Christ right in my youth. It was not CHURCH I wanted.I grew up a Christian seeing a lot of hypocrisy and fights in churches.I would never want to be one of them in a million years however this chance encounter with these group of youngsters changed my life forever.I wanted  the Christ in those Christians and was ready to do what it took for that,and that’s why I joined Church.

 The youth of today are the hope of tomorrow. What they require is not "perfect Churches"(for that is a myth)but genuine and authentic role models and shepherds(Pastors & Church leaders)who can not only provide convincing answers to their challenging questions but also who are approachable whenever they need guidance.We are talking about Personal Evangelisation within the Church.Once they have made their decision, there is seldom a turning back coz that’s their specialty; youngsters don’t do anything superficially,they do it only if convinced and once they are, they remain loyal to that cause. And we talk about no end of Camps and Conferences and Outreach Ministries to SAVE the unsaved youth when what the youth really need are authentic Church Leaders who portray the transparency and availability of our Lord Jesus to them.

We cross seas “in the name of evangelization” while we forget the needy souls in our homes (our families, loved ones, children), disregard the confused youngster who comes to us for help / guidance and ignore the unsaved neighbor just around the corner. (Acc to the same research about 89% of the un- churched had Christian neighbors.)*

*Research Statistics Source link: http://backtochurch.com/participate/resources/statistics/

And here we are, charting out, planning and researching better programs for evangelisation.Let us ask ourselves aren’t we actually caught up in yet another trap of Satan; of being BUSY (Acronym for BEING UNDER SATAN’S YOKE)so that we don’t actually have the time to observe the myriad of opportunities for testimony and the souls for salvation right under our nose?

Saturated with our Ministry Call for reaching out to the unknown, we have become so short-sighted that it is the “altar-call statistics” that we focus on while we neglect the church “dropout statistics.” I recently heard in a Sermon on Evangelization that if we could just concentrate on handholding the new believers in our care by sharing with them our struggles and victories in Christ and teaching them how to mature into living a life of total dependence on God in humility and love, we could save more souls from the fire of hell than any number of missionary trips could.

Don’t get me wrong, it is our Lord Himself who has asked us to go out into the world and make disciples (Mathew 28:19).But what use will even a 100% altar call success rate be if 50% of our new believers fall back into their old ways disgruntled and fed up of the uncaring “so called Perfect leaders and Super spiritual Pastor” who never inspires his flock by sharing his struggles and victories in his Christian life or being available for them when they are in need?

Many times the church appears to be a group of faultless people with a “halo” around their heads and who always seem to have their act together. They group together often looking down on the more honest Christian who admits to struggles in his spiritual walk. I speak as one who has truly felt like an outsider in some of the best of churches. I am not a religious person, never have been and never will be. In fact, my spiritual journey (like I mentioned above) was never a search or an obligation; it was more a love-decision than a religious one. I loved Jesus with all of my being because of who He was and who I was not. My Christian walk started in the pursuit of learning how to become more and more like HIM on a daily basis and it still continues….

Church; let us ask ourselves, are we becoming more and more like Christ in our daily walk with Him? I am talking about the  Jesus who was:

1) Open yet discrete- How many of us are truly open about our life’s struggles and victories for encouraging others? Yet also live set apart and distinct from the world.

2) Honest yet tactful- Are we striving to be truthful in every aspect of our life? Yet, are we careful not to be brutally frank so as to tear someone down with our TRUTH?

3) Knowledgeable and yet not loud-Jesus knew and understood all mysteries and even the thoughts of men but he was quiet and meek.

4) Approachable yet authentic-Are we approachable to those in need and when we are: Is it really us or a mask that we put on?

5) Kind yet firm-Are we gentle and good hearted to those around and yet firm when it comes to correction?

6) Just and yet loving- Jesus took our sins upon Himself and died for us (JUSTICE).He did this because He loved us.

7) Transparent yet perfect-Do we speak clearly and in a straightforward manner, without any ambiguity and yet are we striving for perfection and excellence?

8) Wise yet generous- There are many who are so wise even in the things of God and yet they never share what they learn with the body of Christ. Do we have the burden to help a fellow traveler struggling in his journey of life by sharing some of the revelations God has freely given us?

9) Righteous yet never condescending - Sometimes we are looked down on by “the more spiritual”/ “elderly”/ “those in the Ministry” when we voice our issues or ask questions for help. A truly righteous person can never forget the many times in his spiritual growth that others have helped him to grow to the position that he has reached today. God never looks down at us or frowns at us for our difficult questions or wacky ideas.

10) All powerful & yet humble- From a worldly point of view, people in power are seldom humble. After all, they have control and so may misuse it. Jesus looks at Leadership as a Shepherd’s love and concern for His sheep.

11) Holy yet merciful-Usually when people are holy, they tend to find fault/criticize or look down/ slander others. Let us learn from our Holy Father who hates sin but loves the sinner.

12) Divine and yet human -This is the quality that I like best about Jesus. The fact that He was GOD and yet so human-compassionate and sensitive. Many of our wonderful leaders are so super spiritual that they lack this endearing quality that is mistaken often by many for weakness but is actually the ultimate sign of maturity. The extreme goodness of a heart so finely- tuned in with the Father’s heart that He is moved to tears when he sees the pain of others (John 11:35). Sadly, many of our churches are filled with insensitive, mechanical Christians & leaders who have forgotten “to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep”.

Hope I have not offended anyone by my words. I praise God with all my heart for true Christian leaders and men and women of God who continue to faithfully shepherd the flock entrusted to them. Let us never forget to uphold them in our prayers.

POINT TO PONDER:

 “Do we as Christians portray these Christ like qualities that actually makes Christianity what it really is or are we busy preaching Christianity without Christ?

Have a great week!

Take care, God bless,

Sparky Laurie

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May 31st 2011 BUT I AM A GOOD PERSON,WHY DO I NEED JESUS?

A very good day to you.Just got this beautiful cartoon and thought of sharing it with you.After all, "a picture speaks a 1000 words."
This one is for those of you exceptionally excellent people out there.Many of you who are much,much better than I am and yet the question is : "Is that standard of goodness or holiness acceptable to GOD?Will it secure you Eternal life and a place in Heaven?"

For all you good people who want to know "WHY JESUS"?Do check out this cartoon movie to find out....

Have a great day!
Take care,
God bless,
Sparky Laurie

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29th May 2011 HALT ! DANGER AHEAD....

Psalms 127:2:“It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”

STOP says the Red Light!

I'd like to start this week’s blog post with a few simple questions:

Qsn1)  Why Do We Have Traffic Signals?

Ans1)  To regulate /control the Traffic in order to prevent accidents by ensuring a smooth and faster flow of vehicles at intersections.

Qsn 2) What would happen if there were no traffic lights to guide us?

Ans 2) There would be total confusion resulting in many accidents ,endangering the lives of many.

Thus you can see why it is very important to heed and obey the traffic signals always.

Similarly as we travel along the road of life, sometimes we need to STOP and take a BREAK in order not to break !:)

This week’s blog post HALT! DANGER AHEAD!

WHY TO HALT?

Today, we live in a world full of stressors of every kind which play a crucial role in our every day life. Let me introduce you to an invention of mine. I call it the LAW OF STRESSORS: states that: “other things remaining the same, we react more strongly when under pressure/troubled by Stressors than we would otherwise.”

Let me explain this with an example:

 Consider a day when everything went wrong-you feel worn out & miserable, unable to think clearly to make an important decision. Feeling muddled up,confused and hopeless,you go to bed heavy-hearted still not sure of what to do.Waking up the next morning,you feel different,you are at peace.No longer  disturbed , you know exactly what to do and can hence now effortlessly start your action plan.

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever wondered what caused this overnight change? What actually happened here? This week’s blog post answers these questions

WHAT IS HALT?

I like to use the well known acronym HALT for explaining something that may truly revolutionize your decision making capacity forever.

WHEN TO HALT?

1)HUNGRY-Sometimes we need to stop when we are hungry and get the proper nourishment required. A cup  of warm milk and some cookies or a tumbler of fresh cool lemonade can do wonders! This will help us to clear our fuzzy thinking and avoid hasty decision since a hungry person is seldom a patient one.

2)ANGRY-We  think emotionally rather than rationally when we are angry. Hence we end up saying things we don’t mean and later regret .It’s always best to WAIT till our anger towards the person who has irritated us has cooled down .A bit of advice from past experience: Never make any important decisions /cancel a friendship  in a fit of rage. James 1:19 says : “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

  3)LONELY-When Lonely, we may enter into wrong & harmful friendships / relationships which we would otherwise definitely have avoided.At times we may find ourselves all alone or we may have loving people all around us and still feel “lonely in the crowd”.Let us remember at this time His promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us.(Joshua 1:5)
Psalms 68:6 says: “God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.”

   4)TIRED-When we are either sick /fatigued/not properly rested, our tempers are likely to have a shorter fuse and we are most likely to sin with our TONGUE.When tired, let us bring to mind Isa 40:31 : “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be  faint.”

Solution: It Is Best To Take A Break And Later Come Back And Make The Decision When Our Minds Are Refreshed. Then We Will Be Able To Think Clearly And Make Wiser Solutions.

HOW TO HALT?

A FEW HALTERS TO HELP :

1)Sleep over the issue at hand. You may get up the next day with answer on your fingertips!

2)Pray over it-It is always best to ask God to reveal to us His wisdom before  undertaking anything important.

3)Meditate–Check what the Scriptures have to say about that particular situation and agree with it,claim God’s promises over your life.* Pls refer : Blog post A WORD FOR EVERY SEASON,A LORD FOR EVERY REASON. Link:http://sparkylaurie.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-17-2011-word-for-every-season.html

4)Talk it out with a trustworthy friend /parent/relative who  has sufficient experience &  wisdom in the mater and hence would be definitely able to add value to what we already know.

5)Write out your spontaneous thoughts in a personal diary/ journal.

6)Go  out for a walk-This helps to clear our head and sharpen our thinking.

7)Listen to music-This is one of the best anti- stressors known to man.

8)Do something FUN-Whatever you like to do that rings you joy and will help you forget your problems(dance/draw/go for a drive/window shop/cook a meal)

9)Play with a child-My fav way to de stress is to make my child laugh and to laugh with him.

10)Read a comic book-LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

11)SMILE-  Just smiling can release a lot of pent up energy and free us from being negative/pessimistic. :)

Last but not the least,

12)Take a Deep Breath- As you inhale, imagine goodness/ life/ happiness/ joy/ peace/ success and other positive emotions  entering your nostrils and filling your lungs and as you exhale imagine fatigue/failure/defeat/pain/tiredness/anger/bitterness/jealousy and other negative emotions etc leaving your lungs through your nostrils. Do this exercise repeatedly for some time and you will definitely feel lighter and calmer.

…..I am sure that you can keep adding more to this list of HALTERS!

For a good laugh:Watch  MR BEAN AT THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS  by clicking on the links below :

1)      http://youtu.be/u70Xnq6xFJo

2)      http://youtu.be/zHtCNhABlLw

Have a wonderful week!

Take care,God bless,

Sparky laurie

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24th May 2011 OVERWHELMED IN LIFE? LEARN TO LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME

Isaiah 43:18, 19 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

A NEW DAY HAS COME

What are the first thoughts that cross your mind as you face a New day? Are they the mistakes of your nagging past or the choking anxieties of your future? Often in life we find ourselves either endlessly ruminating over our past failures; full of regret wishing that we had somehow done things differently or we find ourselves at the other extreme; spending sleepless nights dreading our tomorrows, worrying about the future. In reality, both of these activities are thieves that rob us of our TODAYs.

On a more humorous note: “If you have one eye on yesterday and one eye on tomorrow, you're going to be cockeyed today.”  ~Author Unknown

REFLECT AND LEARN FROM THE PAST BUT THEN, MOVE ON:

It is good to reflect and learn from past mistakes but we must not get stuck there. We can learn a valuable lesson from the great inventor Thomas Edison, (the founder of the electric bulb) who when asked about his past 10,000 failures replied that he hadn’t failed even once! He had only found the ways that wouldn’t work and by eliminating those ways he would be able to find the way that did work. What a winner attitude! Let us learn from mistakes and then move on.

LET TOMORROW TAKE CARE OF ITSELF:

The other futile exercise that we often engage in is worrying excessively about the future and its troubles. Jesus has warned us against this in Mathew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” No doubt, planning for the future is good but we must never allow either the failures of our yesterdays or the fears of our tomorrows to rob us of what is rightfully ours - the opportunities of Today.

Some beautiful quotes for emphasis:

“When I am anxious it is because I am living in the future.  When I am depressed it is because I am living in the past.”  ~Author Unknown

I love the quote from the animated movie KUNG FU PANDA: “Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, Today is a Gift and that’s why it’s called Present.”

“We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it.  But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday's burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it.” ~John Newton

Lamentations 3:22-23: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are NEW every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Isa 40:31: “Those who wait on the Lord will find NEW strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Revelation 21:5 “Behold I make all things new.”

ON THE SPIRITUAL FRONT:

Many times in our spiritual walk with the Lord, we find ourselves going two steps forward and then three steps backward. This results in discouragement and temptation to give up and ultimately backslide. I speak confidently about this because I have very well gone through this painful back and forth dance in my Christian life. Paul writes about this POWER struggle in Rom 7:18-25 “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”

Dear Reader, have you ever felt this unending struggle against the flesh in your walk with God? If you have, then this post is just for you. Take heart, there is hope; I will now share with you what the Lord has taught me about how to deal with this.

When Jesus died on the Cross of Calvary, it was a once and for all redemption. This means it was not only for the sins that we did before becoming a Born again but also for ALL the remaining sins that we are going to do in the future. Don’t you see how futile it is …we are actually fighting a battle that has already been won? We need not struggle. Just as we started the spiritual walk by accepting the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, in the same way we finish the walk also by His grace alone.

Let me explain: Suppose you accept the Lord today, you are set free from sin and hence full of joy. But what about the next day and the day after that? How will you safeguard your salvation? By doing good deeds? By never sinning again? In that case let me save you the trouble by telling you that you are never going to succeed with that because we are all sinful by birth.Isa 64:6 says “all our righteous acts are filthy rags before the Holy One.”Nothing we will ever do can make us holy again and as long as we live on this earth; by default we will keep sinning whether we like it or not, whether we want to or not!

THEN WHERE IS THE HOPE?

Acc to Heb 10:10-18 : “We have already been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all so there is no longer any sacrifice for sin required.”

Isa 43:25 says that God blots out our transgressions and for His own sake remembers our sins no more.

We have a Compassionate God who tramples our sins and throws them into the depths of the ocean. He remembers our sins no more. (Micah 7:18-19)

According to Romans 8:1, 33-34 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”No one can bring charges against those whom God has chosen. The only One worthy to do that is Jesus and He is our Advocate seated at the right hand of God interceding for us.”

SO DOES THAT MEAN WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT?

The answer is a Big NO .God is Merciful and full of Love, yet He is also a Just and Holy God who cannot tolerate sin (sin of any color - black /white lie OR size-big/small sin). He hates sin but loves the sinner.  The answer to the above question is given in Rom 6:1, 18: Paul asks whether we should go on sinning so that grace may increase? He adds that though we were once slaves to sin , we have been set free from sin and have now become slaves to righteousness.

OKAY, THEN WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN WE FALL?

The Difference in Approach is that now when we sin, instead of feeling guilty/condemned, we immediately repent by confessing our sins and claiming redemption by the blood of Jesus every single time. Keep short accounts when it comes to confessing your sins to GOD. It is true that Jesus's Death on the Cross was a onetime sacrifice for all our sins but GENUINE REPENTANCE is required each time we sin.

What then is REPENTANCE?

Repentance does not mean only confession and saying that you are sorry. REPENTANCE actually means “To Turn.”This means that not only we ask forgiveness from God, but we take a U-TURN and start afresh & anew in His grace once again.

Repentance is the result of CONVICTION. Many times we may feel guilty or condemned for our past. This is totally different from being convicted of sin.

Now let us see the main Differences between CONVICTION & CONDEMNATION.

1) CONVICTION IS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHILE CONDEMNATION IS BY THE EVIL ONE.

2) CONVICTION REVEALS THE PROBLEM AND SOLUTION WHILE CONDEMNATION BINDS US TO THE PROBLEM; IT NEVER SHOWS US THE WAY OUT.

3) CONVICTION ATTACKS THE SIN WHILE CONDEMNATION ATTACKS THE SINNER

4) CONVICTION LEADS TO REPENTANCE WHILE CONDEMNATION LEADS TO FEELINGS OF WORTHLESSNESS.

5) IN CONVICTION, THERE IS EXPLANATION that is essential FOR CORRECTION AND HENCE IMPROVEMENT WHILE IN CONDEMNATION THERE IS ONLY ACCUSATION WHICH FILLS US WITH DOUBT AND SELF-HATRED.

6 )IN CONVICTION WE FEEL THE DISCIPLINE OF A LOVING FATHER WHILE IN CONDEMNATION WE FEEL ABANDONMENT, JUDGEMENT  AND REJECTION.

7) WHEN CONVICTED WE BECOME BETTER, WHEN CONDEMNED WE BECOME BITTER

8) WHEN CONVICTED WE LEARN AND GROW, WHEN CONDEMNED WE LOSE HOPE AND GIVE UP.

9) AFTER BEING CONVICTED WE GAIN CONFIDENCE, AFTER BEING CONDEMNED WE LOSE CONFIDENCE.

10) WHEN CONVICTED WE CAN GO FORWARD, WHEN CONDEMNED WE MOVE BACKWARD.

11) WITH CONVICTION THERE IS PEACE AND LIGHTNESS OF HEART WHILE WITH CONDEMNATION THERE IS CONFUSION AND HEAVINESS OF HEART.

12) PETER IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PERSON CONVICTED (Mathew 26:75) Peter remembers Jesus prediction of his denial and weeps bitterly. THIS IS GENUINE REPENTANCE.

JUDAS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PERSON CONDEMNED (Mathew 27:3-5) Judas is filled with remorse and so returns the thirty pieces of silver. He even confesses his sin and throws back the money to the Church Elders. He has done everything to show that he regrets what he did however the tragedy is that he feels condemned and hence hangs himself.

POINT TO PONDER: Was Judas sin (covetousness) bigger than Peter’s sin (THREE TIMES Denial of the Lordship of JESUS for fear of humiliation)? WOULD THINGS HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT HAD JUDAS BEEN CONVICTED RATHER THAN CONDEMNED? I truly believe that GOD would definitely have forgiven Judas if there was a genuine repentance of his heart, if Judas was convicted of his sin instead of being condemned.

Lesson TO LEARN: When we feel regret/guilt for past failures we need to ask ourselves:Is this the work of the Holy Spirit trying to teach me something or is this the voice of the Accuser of the Brethren trying to destroy me? The above symptoms will tell you the truth.

The quickest way to fight condemnation is to remember your IDENTITY in CHRIST. Confessing the proper Scriptures (*Chk blogpost THOUGHT CONDITIONERS)will ensure a quicker victory.

How wonderful it is to know for sure that we are already more than conquerors through Him who loved us and that NOTHING can ever separate us from HIS love!(Rom 8:37-39)

“One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering.”

Let me leave you with an inspirational quote from the poem “A Psalm of LIFE” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow(1807-1882)

    Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !
        Let the dead Past bury its dead !
    Act,— act in the living Present !
        Heart within, and God o'erhead !

A real treat for the NEW DAY:

Do click on the link below and listen to one of my fav songs, “A NEW DAY HAS COME”  -Celine Dion

https://youtu.be/H6vr8LoGNDA

Have a wonderful New day!

Always remember, GOD LOVES YOU!

Take care,GOD bless,

Sparky laurie

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16th May 2011 FACE YOUR FEARS, LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

This week’s Blog post is one that I am very much pressed in spirit to write about. I hope and pray that it is a real encouragement to you today!

FAITH VS FEAR: LET GO AND LET GOD

TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED,TOO ANNOINTED TO BE DISAPPOINTED!

  Mathew 8:26: “And Jesus said to them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”

We live in a world that fills even the bravest of us with fear. A glance at the morning paper or listening to the morning news is a sure recipe to be filled with uncertainty, doubt, anxiety, insecurity and fear. Many times in life we come across this powerful negative emotion that sometimes paralyses our thinking capacity and almost always tries to keep us from doing the good that we want to and thus fulfilling our God given destiny. The truth is there is no one who is all the time totally 100% free from this dreadful emotion called FEAR.

Fear is torment. When we are really afraid, we are not able to think clearly or do the things we normally do in an easy manner. Fear almost always either makes us inactive or causes us to postpone action. We wait for the time when we will be better equipped or not fearful or more capable and the truth is that day will never come. As the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 11:4: “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.”

What life teaches us is that Opportunity rarely visits and we should be ready for her when she knocks or else we may not meet her again. To quote Rita Cooledge, “too often opportunity knocks but manytimes by the time we disengage the chain, push back the bolt, unhook the two locks and shut off the buglar alarms,it is too late” If we ask ourselves what the the real reason for the many missed Opportunities in our past life were, most certainly the real villain was “OUR OWN FEAR!”

Fear is what Satan uses to rob us of our God given destiny. I have read that what Faith is to God, Fear is to satan. I’d like to say: If Faith makes the impossible possible, fear makes the possible impossible!

If we could look at the bigger picture and actually realize that valuable time is fleeting by, we would then learn to shirk from our fears and make the most of our days. Often caught up in the frenzy of life to reach our destination, we forget to enjoy the journey! Every day we hear about unpredicted natural disasters, wars, accidents, diseases like cancer and the like that take away the lives of so many around us so suddenly and unexpectedly and yet we take for granted the very breath of life! We forget that LIFE IS A GIFT TO BE TREASURED AND ENJOYED!

Watching movies like THE BUCKET LIST reminds us that it is never too late nor too early to live our dreams. Let this be a wakeup call for us to remind us that ….NOW is the only time we have …. And so we should go ahead and live our dreams while we can do something to make them happen. At least we can start off by listing our dreams, dividing them into immediate/short term /long term and then praying about them, making action plans or brainstorming about how we can make them happen.

 Dear reader, what are the special things you would like to do if you were not afraid?

Or rather just imagine that you had only a month more to live….what would be 15 things you would want to do if you knew that you would never get another chance ever again. Close your eyes for a minute and ask the child in you what he/she wants. Let it be crazy, irrational, childish, extravagant, foolish, funny, adventurous maybe even impossible. Just note it down. Make your very own BUCKET LIST today.

My Bucket list

Don’t give up on any of your dreams just because they seem far- fetched or because at present you may not have the necessary resources required or the full information as to how to accomplish them. Set them down, start praying and do all u can to make it happen and ultimately God will do the rest!

 “Hold fast to dreams for if they die, life is like a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”

We all have dreams and love to dream, then why do we let go of them? One of the main reasons most of us surrender our dreams is FEAR: fear of risk, failure, reproach, embarrassment, being ridiculed, being rejected, being criticized, being hurt, being alone etc. True, there is a risk involved and a 50% chance of failure each time but ultimately if you don’t try u will never know. After all, “A Ship is safe at the shore but that is not what it is built for”-Albert Einstein. So go ahead and take a Risk. As Joyce Meyer says , “DO IT AFRAID.”

Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to face fear and overcome it. Do it in spite of the Fear .The easiest way is to do it in HIS strength without too much reasoning or logic .Would David, the Shepherd Boy (1 Samuel 17) have ever been able to defeat the giant Goliath had he listened to reasoning or logic? Heb 11:1 says: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen!”

What have you been putting back due to fear? What noble deeds have you left undone? Do them while you can! What have you in your hand to share with others? Is it your talents/your time/your contacts/your wealth/your skills/your sense of humor/ a word of encouragement or is it your smile? Look around you and there are a million small opportunities to bless someone today. Go ahead and change a life.
"Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day." – Sally Koch

Have you been postponing something you wanted to do badly for a long time?DO IT NOW,as the Nike slogan goes, JUST DO IT!

• To call your aged parents and tell them you are grateful for the wonderful people they are and that you love them?
• To mail a friend you hold so dear to heart who you know is going through a tough time?
• Is there someone who has hurt you in the past and you are still carrying that pain around? LET IT GO and extend your hand of friendship to them once again.It will free you and make your spirits soar high once again.
• Or have you just been postponing accepting the Lord Jesus as Savior for a later time, ponder over this quote for a minute! : “Don’t expect to repent in the eleventh hour, you may die at ten- thirty!”Yes, life is so uncertain don’t gamble with your soul. Make a decision today and enjoy the benefits forever!

Congratulations if you have made that decision today.

Your life is a gift from God, live it to the fullest! FACE YOUR FEARS, LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

Let me leave you with an Inspirational Poem that I love: It’s called 'GO FOR IT!'

GO FOR IT!

Shake off your doubts and then go for it
Check out your options and act
Find an approach to the future
And turn today’s dreams into fact.

Take a first step to tomorrow
Start on the course of your choice
Look at what life has to offer
Listen to your inner voice.

Don’t live a life of regretting
Stifled by negative force.
Think of what you can accomplish
Steer an affirmative course.

Build on activities positive,

Work with abundance of heart.

By making the best of the present,

Change is the process you start.

Even though problems may surface
Problems don’t have to prevail
As long as you’re one who is trying
And never just waiting to fail.

-Bruce B Wilmer

Have a great week!

Take care, God bless,

Sparky Laurie

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