4/8/08
Has anyone ever taken the time to really understand these words?
Patience
Some of us think it is the ability to put up with something. IN fact it is a lot more than this. Patience as they say IS a VIRTUE, b/c it is so precious to have and aquire. It is so much of a virtue b/c it dictates so much within our lives and our perception of things. It is crucial to understand that HOW WE SEE SITUATIONS/ CIRCUMSTANCES/ even PEOPLE can determine our future. The outcome of our life/ relationships (work or personal) is all based on how well we can SEE or preceive things. It is very hard to SEE when we constantly close our eyes to the possibilities- which is what we do when we lack patience.
Webster says: Patience is to imply qualities of calmness, stability, and persistent courage in trying circumstances.
AND
Perception is a single unified awareness derived from sensory processes while a stimulus is present.
Now- lets break it down...now that we have a broad definition of the 2 terms.. we can make some very clear points regarding each.
Patience in summary is stablity in trying circumstances- being deeply rooted. Being stable means u have a solid foundation. Foundations are very hard to move - even in trying times. Find some objects of stability around you. What is common in these symbols? Most of them are pretty strong aren't they? (Mountains/ Trees/ Brick /Boulders). With that being said, a quality of being patience ALSO involves its cousin which is STRENGTH.
Strength is not to be confused with POWER. A person can be pwoerful but still not be STRONG. Look at airplanes- they are very POWERFUL/SWIFT machines, but when they are in the air and subjected to extremely high winds and turbulence (trying times)- they stay on the ground where it is safe and stable. However, a mountain never moves- a tree with strong roots never moves. Strength resides in the foundation of the subject, which is why GOD's word is definitely a stable foundation to build upon in order to obtain strength.
Patience [in my opinion] now becomes a matter of Strength with the enate persistence/ courage during trying circumstances. Well- whats the difference between this and WILLPOWER. One requires an external spiritual foundation- the other relies on your own body (will) as the foundation which (by itself) is not stable at all.
Perception
Lets move on to Perception which involves our flesh/body. I want to make it clear that perception is not just how we SEE with our eyes. It is also about comprehension of what the senses are exposed to. Perception is the key to our understanding. For instances, a person could be subject to a perception of someone just by "HEARING" good or bad things about that person (praise/gossip). A person could have a perception of someone based on how the other person SMELLS (stinky or fresh). A person can even develop a perception of a certain kind of food based on how it tastes. All in all our senses are the key to PERCEPTION and what we think.
It is therefore very important to guard what u SEE/ HEAR/ and TOUCH- and sometimes TASTE -depending on the situation and the influence it may have on you.
So- how does Patience effect our lives? To dig deeper lets look at any situation that you may have had- lets try ummm dieting/ weight loss. Its very hard to loose weight without patience. When there is a goal set to loose x pounds in x amount of weeks it takes not just WILLPOWER- it takes patience and strength to committ to your goal. Many people dismiss the fact that they just got "weak" or "d o not have the willpower"- it is more than that. Its the lack of strength in being patient and lack of vision to the perception of being thin. Why?
Week 1 goes by no change.. week 2 goes by.. no change. Now there is a negative perception issue b/c the scale is telling our senses- WE STILL HOLDING ONTO THOSE POUNDS. This eats away at a weak foundation of patience.Remeber Patience is a matter of STRENGTH to weather the whatever storm you may have.
Consequently- most individuals do not even set goals- whcih is another blog all in itself lol... Moving on.
Understanding Perception/ Patience
Lets understand how both of these subjects pertain to our spirit walk and even everyday walk. Please know that
Satan's number one weapon against anyone is to make you believe that the grass is not greener on the other side (Bishop Walker). This is nothing more than an attack on your PERCEPTION (your senses). This is SATAN's number one weapon- key weapon at that. If you can understand this you will win MANY a battle with SATAN.
However, Satan will be in your ear saying:
you're never going to get that job
you're never going to own a house
you're never going to get a promotion
you're never going to graduate from school
you're never going to be able to take care of your kids
you're never going to be successful
you're never going to get off drugs
you're never going to stop drinking
you're never going to be loved
you're never going to have friends
you're never going to stop smoking
you're never going to be significant
Or
you dont need to follow authority
you dont need to follow process
you dont need them
you dont need to stop drugs
you dont need to WAIT
you dont need to listen
you dont need to follow
you dont need to stop drinking
you dont need to trust them
you dont need no one
you dont need to be responsible
you dont need to graduate
But if we BELIEVE the LIES- then he has WON.
If you pay close attention, "this inner voice/feeling" can be heard/felt and if u do nothing to combat it- you are subjecting yourself to a personal perception of lies and bondage! If you believe this and allow it to fester, Satan will have succeeded in his mission to attack your senses and your Perception of victory with GOD. To take away your perception of what GOD has promised. Satan will feed you lies and you will have digested them if you allow this to occur. Sooo many people have allowed this to happen-- and sadly enough without even realizing it! This is exactly how Satan got Eve to take of the forbidden fruit. Satan gave her the perception she could be GOD like if she did! Grass being greener (A LIE in the end).... so sneaky. What I am tripped out about is how come Adam ate of the fruit after seeing Eve was not GOD LIKE. .. (different blog lol).
I have understood patience as being not just an ability to wait- but the STRENTGH to endure during hard times. ENDURE b/c SATAN is always at work- ESPECIALLY in hard times!! All the more reason to learn and practice patience- however I can hear people say now- "it is very hard to partice being patient" and It is very difficult. However, we have all been in hard times. We have all been exposed to SATAN, but not all of US have witnessed GOD in our lives and his ability to take control of things.
Next time you have a heavy burden- give it to GOD and let him operate on his time!This is a true test of patience! Let GO and LET GOD.. and I guarantee you will find out what patience is when you can experience this- your perception of patience will change 10 times over!
Next time your patience starts to run out- remember these words that my grandmother would tell me-
"GOD never puts more on us than what we can bear".
It will definitely put things into perspective when it comes to developing patience! :)
Peace
In addition to the BLOG- the scriptures that I (ironically) got at Bible study the next day are:
Romans 5:3-5
Psalm 119:67
Acts 14:22
2 Corinthians 4:17
*Context of the scriptures*
The storms of life help keep us on track with GOD.
Sometimes God can send storms- (not just SATAN)
It takes Hardship for GOD's Kingdom to FULLY emerge in our lives
Struggles and Hardships sift out the impurities in our life
You must have a vision greater than your struggle
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Analogy of Prayer
This blog is not indented to assume that one form of praying is better than another, but it is intended to provided an analogy on how prayer is the gateway or "magnifying glass" to receive change and the intensity of that prayer in the midst of the storm! There are certainly different kinds of prayers and all.. but I am merely providing a perspective- Enjoy!
-----------------------------------------------
Repositioning/ Refocusing- Individual Prayer
Have you ever used a magnifying glass? I know I used to when I was a kid lol. My mom (an elementary school teacher) had one that I would use. My friends and I would try to zap the ants on the concrete- lol. It was fun, but took a great deal of concentration/time to get that magnifying glass to focus a large amount of light down to a tiny beam of powerful light. It was difficult to get consistent results on cloudy days AND impossible when it was raining/storming.
My point being- in analogous terms :)
Prayer is LIKE a magnifying glass. Notice how on the sunniest day- we can get some good results without a lot of effort. On cloudy days it takes some skill and dexterity to reposition and refocus the magnifying glass when the sun is obscured. On rainy days- it's very hard to get anything to happen. On that cloudy day- keeping the magnifying glass steady we are ok- but when a cloud obscures the light- the intensity is lost. The same is true when it comes to our prayer life. When things are going well we tend to slack or put in any effort to praying. When things are "so-so" we may give GOD a shout out every now and then when it is convenient. When it is storming- we want to break down and shout to the high heavens to be heard! lol it is often in times of storm that we want immediate results as well, but without a focused prayer life it may seem (in times of storm) that our prayers fall on deaf ears. No results to be seen.
Someone once said that- the definition of insanity is doing the same thing but expecting different results. It is true with the magnifying glass. Same is true with our prayer life. As individuals, we can decide to keep the magnifying glass steady or move it around to another area where there is more light and refocus again to get the same intensity we once had. This is how some of us tend to pray. We pray for 1 thing and when we do not see immediate results or the situation gets worse we stop- thinking GOD is not listening. But also, sometimes we fail in our ability to REGROUP and REFOCUS our prayer when we do not see results. God is always listening- he never changes...
(Malachi 3:6)
"For I am the LORD, I change not..."
(Hebrews 13:8)
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Knowing that GOD does not change is GREAT news. We can now understand that GOD is always listening and always present and he stays this way. We should also know that storms will come and go in our life. Some storms stay for a season- some stay for several seasons. Storms/ clouds will fog our way- and vision will be obstructed, but where do we remain in our prayer/faith life? The one thing we can control in ANY storm we encounter is our ability to remain focused on GOD and praying. Do we stay focused? Do we reposition our prayer to receive ??
What is more important for anyone who reads this is- the rules of Prayer (magnifying glass) did not change- GOD did not change. The only variable that changed was the conditions surrounding/ impacting us. Basically- the conditions for receiving the light. Storms have a tendency to immobilize us- keep us stagnant. In the midst of storms it visually seems we have no LIGHT- but the same light is there. Clouds are only obscuring it for a moment. Our job is to see with better eyes and understand with a better mind.
Sometimes, storms/clouds can also block the intensity of our prayer without the proper REGROUPING and REFOCUSING on our part. SATAN is always looking to steal your LIGHT. Storms can change our perspectives- our overall vision of what is going on around us. Keep your prayers focused- either by repositioning your prayer or refocusing, b/c the clouds will be clearing in due time! The clouds have no choice but to move, and when they do you want your magnifying glass ready. You want to ensure your prayer is going to be in the right position at the right time to get the full magnification of God's blessing.
This takes WORK- TIME- PATIENCE- and a CONSIST Prayer life!
Just remember to keep prayer in you daily lifestyle- and understand that if you do not see any results- RETGROUP and REFOCUS on the root of the situation. If you do not know what the situation is - ask GOD to search you and your situation. If you don't know what to ask for- write down what you wish to receive from GOD! That's right, just sit down in a quiet space and write down the things you want God to deliver you out of or put into you life. Pray on it. I guarantee he will reveal the reasons for your season!
*God may not come when you want him to- but he is ALWAYS on TIME!
AND
*IF GOD doesn't do ANYTHING- he has already done enough!!
Believe that!
Peace
(People don't understand your GLORY until they know- YOUR STORY)
-----------------------------------------------
Repositioning/ Refocusing- Individual Prayer
Have you ever used a magnifying glass? I know I used to when I was a kid lol. My mom (an elementary school teacher) had one that I would use. My friends and I would try to zap the ants on the concrete- lol. It was fun, but took a great deal of concentration/time to get that magnifying glass to focus a large amount of light down to a tiny beam of powerful light. It was difficult to get consistent results on cloudy days AND impossible when it was raining/storming.
My point being- in analogous terms :)
Prayer is LIKE a magnifying glass. Notice how on the sunniest day- we can get some good results without a lot of effort. On cloudy days it takes some skill and dexterity to reposition and refocus the magnifying glass when the sun is obscured. On rainy days- it's very hard to get anything to happen. On that cloudy day- keeping the magnifying glass steady we are ok- but when a cloud obscures the light- the intensity is lost. The same is true when it comes to our prayer life. When things are going well we tend to slack or put in any effort to praying. When things are "so-so" we may give GOD a shout out every now and then when it is convenient. When it is storming- we want to break down and shout to the high heavens to be heard! lol it is often in times of storm that we want immediate results as well, but without a focused prayer life it may seem (in times of storm) that our prayers fall on deaf ears. No results to be seen.
Someone once said that- the definition of insanity is doing the same thing but expecting different results. It is true with the magnifying glass. Same is true with our prayer life. As individuals, we can decide to keep the magnifying glass steady or move it around to another area where there is more light and refocus again to get the same intensity we once had. This is how some of us tend to pray. We pray for 1 thing and when we do not see immediate results or the situation gets worse we stop- thinking GOD is not listening. But also, sometimes we fail in our ability to REGROUP and REFOCUS our prayer when we do not see results. God is always listening- he never changes...
(Malachi 3:6)
"For I am the LORD, I change not..."
(Hebrews 13:8)
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Knowing that GOD does not change is GREAT news. We can now understand that GOD is always listening and always present and he stays this way. We should also know that storms will come and go in our life. Some storms stay for a season- some stay for several seasons. Storms/ clouds will fog our way- and vision will be obstructed, but where do we remain in our prayer/faith life? The one thing we can control in ANY storm we encounter is our ability to remain focused on GOD and praying. Do we stay focused? Do we reposition our prayer to receive ??
What is more important for anyone who reads this is- the rules of Prayer (magnifying glass) did not change- GOD did not change. The only variable that changed was the conditions surrounding/ impacting us. Basically- the conditions for receiving the light. Storms have a tendency to immobilize us- keep us stagnant. In the midst of storms it visually seems we have no LIGHT- but the same light is there. Clouds are only obscuring it for a moment. Our job is to see with better eyes and understand with a better mind.
Sometimes, storms/clouds can also block the intensity of our prayer without the proper REGROUPING and REFOCUSING on our part. SATAN is always looking to steal your LIGHT. Storms can change our perspectives- our overall vision of what is going on around us. Keep your prayers focused- either by repositioning your prayer or refocusing, b/c the clouds will be clearing in due time! The clouds have no choice but to move, and when they do you want your magnifying glass ready. You want to ensure your prayer is going to be in the right position at the right time to get the full magnification of God's blessing.
This takes WORK- TIME- PATIENCE- and a CONSIST Prayer life!
Just remember to keep prayer in you daily lifestyle- and understand that if you do not see any results- RETGROUP and REFOCUS on the root of the situation. If you do not know what the situation is - ask GOD to search you and your situation. If you don't know what to ask for- write down what you wish to receive from GOD! That's right, just sit down in a quiet space and write down the things you want God to deliver you out of or put into you life. Pray on it. I guarantee he will reveal the reasons for your season!
*God may not come when you want him to- but he is ALWAYS on TIME!
AND
*IF GOD doesn't do ANYTHING- he has already done enough!!
Believe that!
Peace
(People don't understand your GLORY until they know- YOUR STORY)
Tools/Talents
2/3/07
One day while working out (jogging) down the street I had a very deep, but basic thought. I was wondering why some people are gifted. I mean look at these gifted individuals:
Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Prince, Janet Jackson, the white guy with the Afro Bob Ross that paints masterpeice wilderness paintings on PBS, Albert Einstein, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jennifer Lopez, Bruce Lee, Stevie Wonder.....
....and the list goes on and on. However, all of these individuals were/are SUPERB talented ppl. They possess(ed) talent that led them to the top. The wealth they have gathered from their talents is by far more money than I have ever seen. However, what makes these people any different than you or me? The answer: Nothing!
The thought I had while jogging was that I possess talents as well. However, I am not a millionaire. I am not on prime time television in front of millions of viewers. I do not have thousands of fans screamin my name. Albeit I do not have these things- I still possess talents.
I think everyone has talents, but it is up to use to determine what these talents are. Our gifts are predetermined- we cannot force them into being. It takes a patience and knowledge of one's self to know what your talents are. The taletn is the tool of life. It is the tool that will shape not only our life, but others as well. A tool can only be beneficial with work. It has no use without working/ action being put into place. With action the tool is useful- however with passion the tool becomes a talent. It is the passion which allows people to unite with this talent.
I know we have all seen/been around people that sit around all day doing nothing- not doing any work or exercising any passion. These individuals do not even attempt to explore their talents. Then there are others that go to college to better themselves and learn a craft in which they can build a future on. Sometimes this education is beneficial- sometimes it is not. Not everyone that goes to college is successful after graduation- why? Perhaps they have not discovered (for themselves) their tools of life to make them successful or maybe they possess a tool that is lacking the passion to create a talent.
Anything can be built with the right tool. A successful life can be made with the knowledge of the tools we can use to our benefit. Not everyone has the tools/ talents of a Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan- but we do have a TOOL. We ALL have the basics to build something successful in our life. We may not be living a lavish lifestyle, but GOD has given us all the ability to perform and share a gift with others. One persons tool could be in producing music- but without the talent of a singer they have no way to share the talent of production. A person can possess all the colors of a paint pallette, but with the wrong paint brush fail to make a successful painting. With the right tools and passion we get the Mona Lisa.
What is your gift/tool of Life?
Not all gifts are visibleat first glance- not all gifts are easy to find, but they are out there and are given to us by GOD. How else do you explain:
A blind man playing the piano- a child from the ghetto becoming a full circuit judge- an illiterate high school drop out becoming a mega music star- an immigrant from japan becoming a national icon in the field of martial arts
All of the above had obstacles and yet managed to find their talents and use these tools to leap forward to new dimensions. I am not saying we all have the ability to have a talent to make us millionaires, but we do all have the ability to become more than what we sometimes imagine. Some tools are not in the public eye, but may boost others to new levels. The social workers, teachers, and mentors are examples. We may not see the positive results of these individual passions, but the talents and tools they possess can definitely have positive effects on others and they talents.
Keep thinking in a positive manner and success/happiness is bound to happen. Never allow others to decide what your talents are or lacking. Find yourself , create a passion, and believe that what you have set into motion is what is destiny in the making.
Without passion there is no hope.
I could continue going on and on..but I hope the readers of this have heard what I am saying and get the gist of never letting yourself fall prey to failure and negativity.
*The less we talk- the more we hear! Peace
One day while working out (jogging) down the street I had a very deep, but basic thought. I was wondering why some people are gifted. I mean look at these gifted individuals:
Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Prince, Janet Jackson, the white guy with the Afro Bob Ross that paints masterpeice wilderness paintings on PBS, Albert Einstein, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jennifer Lopez, Bruce Lee, Stevie Wonder.....
....and the list goes on and on. However, all of these individuals were/are SUPERB talented ppl. They possess(ed) talent that led them to the top. The wealth they have gathered from their talents is by far more money than I have ever seen. However, what makes these people any different than you or me? The answer: Nothing!
The thought I had while jogging was that I possess talents as well. However, I am not a millionaire. I am not on prime time television in front of millions of viewers. I do not have thousands of fans screamin my name. Albeit I do not have these things- I still possess talents.
I think everyone has talents, but it is up to use to determine what these talents are. Our gifts are predetermined- we cannot force them into being. It takes a patience and knowledge of one's self to know what your talents are. The taletn is the tool of life. It is the tool that will shape not only our life, but others as well. A tool can only be beneficial with work. It has no use without working/ action being put into place. With action the tool is useful- however with passion the tool becomes a talent. It is the passion which allows people to unite with this talent.
I know we have all seen/been around people that sit around all day doing nothing- not doing any work or exercising any passion. These individuals do not even attempt to explore their talents. Then there are others that go to college to better themselves and learn a craft in which they can build a future on. Sometimes this education is beneficial- sometimes it is not. Not everyone that goes to college is successful after graduation- why? Perhaps they have not discovered (for themselves) their tools of life to make them successful or maybe they possess a tool that is lacking the passion to create a talent.
Anything can be built with the right tool. A successful life can be made with the knowledge of the tools we can use to our benefit. Not everyone has the tools/ talents of a Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan- but we do have a TOOL. We ALL have the basics to build something successful in our life. We may not be living a lavish lifestyle, but GOD has given us all the ability to perform and share a gift with others. One persons tool could be in producing music- but without the talent of a singer they have no way to share the talent of production. A person can possess all the colors of a paint pallette, but with the wrong paint brush fail to make a successful painting. With the right tools and passion we get the Mona Lisa.
What is your gift/tool of Life?
Not all gifts are visibleat first glance- not all gifts are easy to find, but they are out there and are given to us by GOD. How else do you explain:
A blind man playing the piano- a child from the ghetto becoming a full circuit judge- an illiterate high school drop out becoming a mega music star- an immigrant from japan becoming a national icon in the field of martial arts
All of the above had obstacles and yet managed to find their talents and use these tools to leap forward to new dimensions. I am not saying we all have the ability to have a talent to make us millionaires, but we do all have the ability to become more than what we sometimes imagine. Some tools are not in the public eye, but may boost others to new levels. The social workers, teachers, and mentors are examples. We may not see the positive results of these individual passions, but the talents and tools they possess can definitely have positive effects on others and they talents.
Keep thinking in a positive manner and success/happiness is bound to happen. Never allow others to decide what your talents are or lacking. Find yourself , create a passion, and believe that what you have set into motion is what is destiny in the making.
Without passion there is no hope.
I could continue going on and on..but I hope the readers of this have heard what I am saying and get the gist of never letting yourself fall prey to failure and negativity.
*The less we talk- the more we hear! Peace
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