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Lessons From History! |
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Written by Khimani A. Williams
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Monday, 13 July 2009 |
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When
faced with difficult circumstances many of us tend to ask God why is it
we are in a predicament. Some might view it as a ‘bad situation’ –
though it might be – but fail to see or ask what is the reason for it,
seeking God’s hand and guide. Rather they complain and say that it is
not fair. “Why am I treated this way?!” they ask. But what about the
good things God has done in the past? What about His many blessings and
on time deliverance? And what about His daily mercies, giving each man
unwarranted breath?
Jeremiah the ‘Weeping Prophet’ certainly knew what is was to be caught in dire circumstances, and he poured it out
for all to see: “He
shot His arrows deep into my heart. My own people laugh at me. All day
long they sing their mocking songs. He has filled me with bitterness
and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink. He has made me chew on
gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. Peace has been stripped away, and
I have forgotten what prosperity is. I cry out, ‘My splendor is gone!
Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!’ The thought of my
suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget
this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.” [Lamentations 3:13 – 20].
In verse 20 he
wept ‘I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.'
Jeremiah wasn’t pretending. He wasn’t about to deny that he is
suffering. Have you ever been ‘rolled in the dust’ like Jeremiah? Do
you react or respond to trials?
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Self-denial! |
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Written by Khimani A. Williams
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Monday, 13 July 2009 |
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When
a child disobeys his father’s order and rebel against his rules,
generally he is viewed as an ungrateful and insubordinate child, for he
has disrespected the one who cares for him, providing for his needs and
instructing him. And this is a fact, for a child is supposed to obey
his parents and not walk in his own way. It is obvious that he cannot
guide himself as he is a child and he is only walking away from the
security and wisdom that a father provides.
It is the duty of a father to guide and discipline his children. And it
is the responsibility of children to carefully listen and follow the
instruction of their parents. “My
son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy
mother: for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and
chains about thy neck.” [Proverbs 1: 8 – 9]. The Word of God
promises that a child is beautified when he listen and obey the wisdom
and instruction of his parents. But many children are unruly and there
is a certain ugliness that becomes a part of their character, though
they might be pleasing to look upon.
As a young person and a son I admit that the advice of my parents and
other adults sometimes seem ridiculous and outdated, but...
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The Man, The Music, The Moves - Michael Joseph Jackson 1958-2009 |
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Written by Shane Bennett
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Monday, 29 June 2009 |
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He was a beautifully tortured soul and like most artists of his category, a life of duplicity often follows.
The life of Michael Joseph Jackson, as some put it, was
"cut short" on Thursday June 25, 2009. Though the cause of death is not
yet ascertained, he suffered from a cardiac arrest during a rehearsal
for his upcoming "This is it" World Finale tour slated to begin in July
and extended to February 2010.
As many questions loom, the plot thickens and the stakes get even higher.
For starters, who gets custody of his now three
fatherless children? What will happen to the already greatly publicized
and potentially sold out concert tickets? Also if the world over
recognized his musical and artistic genius through the screams, record
sales and adoring fans, how much more will it raise now in the wake of
such an iconic figure?
One thing is for sure, there will NEVER be another like
him; ironically like several public figure icons he may have even
predicted his very demise.
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Stop Test-Driving Your Girlfriend |
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Written by Michael Lawrence
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Monday, 29 June 2009 |
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"How do I know if she's the one?"
I can't think
of a question I encounter more often among single Christian men. The
point of the question is clear enough. But a rich irony dwells beneath
the question. In a culture that allows us to choose the person we're
going to marry, no one wants to make the wrong choice. Especially if,
as Christians, we understand that the choice we make is a choice for
life.
The question is not merely ironic. If what you're after is
a marriage that will glorify God and produce real joy for you and your
bride, it's also the wrong question. That's because the unstated goal
of the question is "How do I know if she's the one ... for me."
The
question frames the entire decision-making process in fundamentally
self-oriented — if not downright selfish — terms. And it puts the woman
on an extended trial to determine whether or not she meets your needs,
fits with your personality, and satisfies your desires. It places you
at the center of the process, in the role of a window-shopper, or
consumer at a buffet. In this scenario you remain unexamined,
unquestioned, and unassailable — sovereign in your tastes and
preferences and judgments.
The problem of course is that as a single Christian man, not only are you going to marry a sinner, but you are a sinner as well.
From
a consumeristic perspective, no woman on this planet is ever going to
perfectly meet your specifications. What's more, your unexamined
requirements for a spouse are inevitably twisted by your own...
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Itching Ears! |
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Written by Khimani A. Williams
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Friday, 12 June 2009 |
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Ever
played the game Chinese Telephone? If you haven’t, what happens is that
a message established among a few persons is passed along sequentially
by persons lined up side-by-side whispering what they have heard. The
party at the end of the line then tells everyone what he or she has
heard, and more than likely, it will be totally different from the
initial message. The problem this game poses is that if the message is
not passed on correctly, then the recipient passes on a false message
and proves to be a ‘liar’ (remember it’s just a game). At the end of
the game players seek to figure out where the message was changed, as
each person repeats what they heard.
In life, however, some
people don’t have a problem relaying a message; their dilemma is that
they want to hear something that suits them, not necessarily the
established message. The Word of God never changes. It has been passed
down through decades, centuries and millennia instructing man how he
should liv...
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True words! gone a leaaaaaadd! ble...
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Buyaah 