Friday, October 31, 2008

How conditional is your Love?

Recently I heard Him ask, Is His Love not enough? Is His glory that acts as a shroud over me not enough (John 17:22)? Is His death on the cross not enough (Mark 8:31; Philipians 2:8)?

As I stood there drenched in tears, just for one moment, I wondered if it really was. For that one moment I couldn’t help but wonder, after everything I have seen Him do in my life, that even I, could be counted among those whose love for God could be classed as conditional. That I would deny Him, just because I had chosen to walk by sight and not by faith. Because if my love was unconditional I wouldn’t have to throw tantrums or disbelief just because everything is not what it appears. Because if my love was unconditional, I would not have been so quick to look for an alternative instead of sticking with God, all the way.

Time and Time again He has asked, keeps asking, and is asking still, is His payment on the cross not enough?

Lord your payment was far too much for an unworthy, pitiful, not fit for any good like me, but thank you Lord for qualifying me (Romans 8:33), and counting me as one of yours, even though by all counts, it makes bad business sense to stick with me. Lord help me to be counted when it matters. Help me Lord to be among those whose love for you is unconditional, no matter what the cost.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Which Hijacker?

I just came back from a workshop meeting solely dedicated to my subject of expertise, and the question I had tried to answer in my seminar and which I had posed to the audience was “how can changes in the concentration of a single protein in the nucleus be involved in the increase of cells (in cancer) and yet at the same time cause immediate cell death” – two characteristics pretty opposite in character.

As I tried to make sense of it all, I came to a realization that we as people created of God face this same dilemma in our day to day life. How can a single decision either lead to a relationship with God or cause one to wonder away from His saving grace.

Just as the protein receives a signal that hijacks its highway of decision to either cause cells to proliferate or cease to live depending on its signal input, we too are capable of receiving a signal that hijacks our highway of decision making fate that inevitable will cause us to act in such a way that the phenotype is a decision to follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and to life, or to abandon His teachings and Laws for the way of the world.

It’s funny how I’ve spent most my post doc years trying to decipher this specific question, to find out “what that decision making mechanism is”. As complex as it in the biological sense, it is not at all the case in our lives as that mechanism simply is our mindset and the signal what we feed to it. In Prov. 4:4 - His word reminds us to Lay Hold of God’s words with all your heart and not to forget God’s words or swerve from them (Prov.4:5). For His word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105); and life to those that finds it and health to a man’s whole being (Prov.4:20-23). If His Word is the dominating signal that is transmitted to the decision mechanism, then a healthy life can only be the resulting factor.

The problem in lie that if we are not laying hold of God’s words, then the reverse can only be the prevailing factor. A highway unused by God and solely used for the transfer of worthless and hollow messages can only lead to a decision that leads one away from life everlasting surely.

Surely this can only result in a lifeless, thirsty, empty and dry existence. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that if one had to choose between Life and Death, I wouldn’t mind having to pay for the former, just so that I made it onto the VIP list. But unlike many things in this world, to get onto this VIP list is so free (Ephesians 5:1-7). For the Lord Jesus Christ already paid the price (Matthew 20:28; 1John 2:2), just so that we can be set free. And through this we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that He may help us to understand the things that have been freely given to us by God (1Corinth. 2:12).

Choose life, choose His word, and choose God. Let Him awaken, revive, fill and activate you. Let Him lead you to Life everlasting. Why don’t you allow God to hijack your decision making fate, and lead you to a Life filled with His wonders, favours and overwhelming love. Trust me, I know Him to be a great commander, the Lord of Host, the King of Glory, God Almighty; and He is more than able to bring you through to a restful end.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Walking with Limitations

Look around you he said, what do you see? Really, take your time in replying:

Today was no different to the others, I had woken up excited, looking forward to hearing that beautiful sound made by birds I think, not that I’ve seen one around here, but I suppose could be coming maybe from a nearby forest; what lovely sounds, like music to my ears. My! I would exclaim, what a place, such dry beautiful surrounding, as I tried to grasp the beauty of it all. I thought I heard the guard whisper, he’s always mumbling something or the other but today I think I heard him. Yes I heard Him clearly. Slightly rotating towards his direction, I asked him saying, did you say something? Did you try to talk to me? He smiled. Technically today was the first time I heard him speak, audibly and coherently that is. Look around you he said, what do you see? Really take your time in replying:

As if in a trance, could it be a vision, whatever this state of memory intervention could be called – I saw it all, I think.

My life couldn’t get any better than it is right now. I saw myself, just the way I had always wanted my life to be. Free to go where ever I please, ate a variety of meals (mind you, I’m quite fussy, so the variety was only limited to a few dishes). Wore the latest garments, come to think of it, trends were determined by what others around were wearing, so even though garment diversity may not have changed so much among the people around me, I still wore the latest. Different shades of grey I think, and because I was so comfortable where I was I was just simply satisfied. Then I saw him, yes him the guard, always following me, what I would do just to be rid of him; always causing me to experience a feeling totally unfamiliar to me. …….. reluctantly I said to him, you are always there, ever present around me. Are you supposed to guard me or something? Are you some sort of a body guard, watching my every move? Then a thought came to my mind, I’ve never once asked him, like really asked him what he was doing, steadfast, watching and at such a close distance. As I looked at him intently, I could see him smiling to himself. As if I was standing before a judge, I continued saying, I knew the times when I had to wake up and go to sleep, lights out and all, always knew the hot spots to go and show off my skills, this had subconsciously been planted into my mind, but for some reason or the other, I’ve been unable to place my finger on how it came about.

He smiled again, and said a second time, what is it you see before you? This time using your sight not just for seeing but for understanding (Hosea 4:14b). I see steel bars I exclaimed, a walled gate as high as my eyes can see. It follows in a circular motion, all around me. The people around me are just like me, Inmates. The garments are prison wears, and the food, only fit for beggars. The hotspots, places where I had previously thought I could show off what I’m made of, my breakthroughs and successes, my favours that comes from being loved by others, were merely random exercise breaks to stretch out my legs from constantly being restricted in a single place. You mean it has always been like this, you mean I’ve been living the life of a prisoner, a life filled with limitations, restriction; and here I was bolding stepping as one who had it all. Why didn’t you tell me all this, why have you allowed me to live a life of ignorance (Hosea 4:6), and for so long.

Lovingly He replied saying, because you had freely entered into this place, I had to wait until the time when you freely chose to leave. Look again he said: Your gates have always stood open (Isaiah 60:11), I had already gone ahead of you to break down and cut through the barricades (Isaiah 45:2-3) that is why your gates have never been shut. From the day you walked in to this place, I had already posted watchmen on the wall (Isaiah 62:6), that is why up until now you have come to no harm. I had believed today will come, a day when you will finally hear my voice, steadfastly waiting, unwavering, because I knew one day will be today. I was eagerly awaiting the day when you will know the truth, and be set free (John 8:32).

Come He said, I will show you (Jeremiah 33:3) all the wonderful things I have been storing up for you, you see all this years away has resulted in your inheritance, your property to be gathering dust. And because your lot has been made secure for you (Psalm 16:5), no one else could inherit your property.

As He stretched out His hands towards me, beaming with a smile, He asked me saying, Are you ready to leave now?

I don’t know about you fellow inmates, but I sure am ready to leave this horrible gates of bronze and rusty bars of iron, for the untold riches uniquely stored in hidden places for me, for He has always guarded me, and has refused to watch me continue to live this world wonder called limitation.

Lord I thank you for refusing to give up on me. And even though many times I had purposely ignored you, thank you Lord for not allowing my failings to come between me and YOUR love for me.

I love YOU my wonderful guard. You can guard me any time.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Are you an Analogue or a Digital Oscillator?

"An oscillator is a “device” that works on the principles of oscillation: a periodic fluctuation between two things based on changes in energy. Metal detectors are among the many devices that use oscillators, and the most accurate timepiece in the world, the atomic clock, keeps time according to the oscillation within atoms".

All oscillators operate according to the same basic principle - an oscillator (which invariably generates signals) always employs a sensitive amplifier whose output is fed back to the input in phase. Thus, the signal regenerates and sustains itself. The frequency at which an oscillator works is usually determined by a quartz crystal. When a direct current is applied to such a crystal, it vibrates at a frequency that depends on its thickness, and on the manner in which it is cut from the original mineral rock. And even though some oscillators have been known to employ combination of inductors, resistors, and/or capacitors to determine the frequency, the best is obtained in oscillators that use quartz crystals”. The output response can either be an analogue response - where the properties of the signal is manifested in the form of the amplitudes or the phases; or a digital response - when the stored physical property is able to be played back, and in so doing transforms the analogue stored property to a digital one.

Now, this is not a Science or Nature paper but in a way applies to our lives as men and women created of God. The way we respond as oscillators transmits a series of events which can either be an analogue response or a digital one. As human oscillators we fluctuate between completely different phases in our lives especially when it comes to our mindset - where we oscillate back and forth from one state to another. And because as oscillators we need amplifiers to amplify our response to the “external signal”, depending on what our response is, that output tends generally to be increased. Therefore, if our response is positive, then a positive signal is amplified and is fed back to our mind, creating a positive feedback loop. However if a negative response is activated, a negative feedback loop is created, which invariably modulates our perception, and thus leaves one feeling either like a conqueror or defeated.

We can’t always respond positively to a situation, and even though as oscillators we may contribute to the amplification of the response to the problem (i.e. the external signal), the frequency of our amplified response is still dependent on a rock, the quality and tensile strength of the rock within, which acts as a checkpoint control – (Tensile strength is defined as the stress at which a material breaks or permanently deforms. Tensile strength is an intensive property and, consequently, does not depend on the size of the test specimen. However, it is dependent on the preparation of the specimen and the temperature of the test environment and material).

Therefore the thicker and stronger the rock, the stronger the response with which we respond to the situation. And so if our rock is the Rock of Ages (our GREAT and awesome God), who turns every “external signal” input for our good, then the amplified response can only be positively reinforced amplitudes. However, if your rock was to be substituted, the generated output frequency displays a damped oscillation, because the checkpoint control is of a poor quality.

So I ask you this question, what stuff are you made of? What rock are you standing on? Is your REINFORCER, your check point control the Rock of Ages, our Strong and Mighty God, that cannot break, that is a consuming fire, and reigns from Ages to ages. Whom In Gen. 49:24, is known as the Rock of Israel; in Deut. 34:4, is known as simply the ROCK; in Deut. 32:15, is known as the Rock our Saviour. Of whom the people of Israel boasted of in Deut. 32:31, saying there was no rock like their Rock, for the Lord God is indeed a Rock that can never be moved.

So even though in the past my behaviour could be interpreted as an oscillatory dynamics with respect to the yo-yoing effect of my attitude when it comes to how I respond to any situation I encounter in life, whether it be biphasic, or increased amplitude with regards to the amplified negative feedback loop, I have asked the Lord to forgive me. And to teach me how to become a “digital Christian” so that every knowledge of Him that is already stored up in me that will increase my understanding of Him be transformed; Not to just remain as an analogue Christian where the confused state seem to be the observed behaviour, but rather to have the transformation and renewing of my mind that terms a digital Christian.

I may oscillate, in response to a signal transmitted by a difficulty, but because I have the Rock of Ages as my rock that can never be moved, my sensor that is quick to amplify my response signal will only pass through the check point that is my God, so that the observed physical analogue response can be converted to a digital response that has an increased positive frequency to keep my mind firmly as that of a conqueror.

What story will your signal response tell?

Monday, October 06, 2008

One Thing I ask

I wondered,
Started to ponder
I digress
But
Did YOU make any promises to me

I know the Promises of Abraham's decendants are mine
Through the reason of the new convenant
Through the blood of Jesus
So I figured
Since God's spirit testifies with mine
That I'm His child
Then all His promises in the bible are mine

But I figured
Surely not all of them
Surely some are blessed more than others
Surely some are destined for greatness
And others
well, go figure
But I'm reminded today

Whose report will I believe
Will I follow the multitude and conclude I am less
That good things only happen to others
That good things are what you hear for others
That the Lord has brought you into this world
To complain and know pain
Or will you be among the few
The Joshua's and Caleb

You are a child of destiny Im told
A light to the world
And the salt of the earth
You have been purposely
And Uniquely placed
And the Lord has always been with you
You must be made uncomfortable
That is why your testimony
And landmarks of progress cannnot be equivalent to others

You will see what your Life will be used for
And eyes have yet to see what I have instore for you
The enemy may be battling against your destiny
But its a battle destined for failure
Because I already know the end from the begining
I will not appologise for the struggles
Because you can only learn from sink swim situation

Though you didn't listen when I spoke to you
Have wondered constantly in Disobedience
Had no interest in the things that pleases me
Even then I refused to love you any less
And now still
The promises are there for you for the taking
But you must want it enough
Not to give up at every chance of struggle

You are already Victorious

But know this
Be aware
Be on alert
Always be on your guard
Lest the enemy might come and steal your joy
And convince you it is I who have refused to bless you

Friday, October 03, 2008

The Track of no Return.......

This week work wise has been quite challenging as well as demanding and for the first time in years I can safely say I have been very busy, and most definitely back on track, the track that can only lead me all the way to a successful finish.

Some years back, after the end of my studies, a plan was drafted, the directions that would lead into my future was visible, and all the roads that led to it was clearly mapped out, with all the refresher points all clearly highlighted. Not too long after submitting my thesis, I was given an alternative route, a road completely unknown to me, a route that had nothing to do with what I had spent the last three years studying, a challenge, my highest achievement and at the time was a boast to my ego. No sooner had I embarked on the journey did I realize that the road had deviated exceeding from the original plan, at which point it had become impossible for me to see what was now ahead of me, a future which had all but erased, where I was headed unknown.

After a while in the unknown, I had started to feel the way Peter felt during Jesus’ transfiguration – Matt. 17:4 - Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." - and started to believe the deviation was a good idea, and it was best I started making plans for settling. As if to say it was pointless trying to find my way back to the original plan, I might as well start getting used to the idea that there were indeed no roads that could ever lead me back.

Many times I couldn’t help but wonder how it is that such a Blessing could lead me away from my well drafted plans. I found that with each passing moment, that the motivation to keep going was ebbing away, and I was slowing giving up on my dreams. Interestingly enough, looking back now, even from the onset of the journey the road that would lead me back to the dream, was always available to me, but for some reason it was a road, I would never have considered. Finally after getting to the end of the diversion, I found that the deviation led onto the path that I had previously (on many occasions) refused to consider, and if I had known would have alighted on it, miles and miles ahead. As I continued into this new road, the road I never once considered, I found it was indeed the right path back to the original plan, but this revelation wasn’t immediate.

I have since spent some time wondering why I took a longer route in trying to get to the end goal, even though the path was never supposed to be a complicated one. Why it took so long for me to realize that the “weird” road that continued on from the detour was indeed the right road; the road that follows onto the main road, the highway that was originally laid out. I have since learned the many lessons and have come to the realization that the alternative route was just as important to the highway. I am now back on track, back to my original field of study, back to where I belong.

Is there anyone who knows that they are in someplace they ought not to be, find out what the Lord wants to teach you through it; because only He knows everything about us, and has ordained every single day of our lives. Only He knows what will happen second by second, minute by minute. Suffice to say He has already ordained your path, and the place you should be, he already knows – Psalm 139:16 - your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. So wherever you are, is not a mistake, the Lord has an important lesson that He wants you to learn from it all.

Not to become complacent and prefer the alternative to the original - like I almost did. The original is by far the best, but through the alternative, the lesson learned will be important for your survival in the original plan.

Even though I had somewhat lost my momentum during the break from the plan, the break was most needed if I was ever to get to the end. Thank God for bringing me back, thank God that even though I had hesitated on countless occasions to get back on track, He still made a way that was impossible for me to stay away. He still made me an offer I could never have refused.