Count on your Friend!

To be accountable is to be responsible for the effects of one's actions and to be willing to explain or to be criticized for them.

1 Cor 1:8-9

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be BLAMELESS on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 

To have a friend that we can be GENUINE and can express ourselves is a GIFT from God. God has blessed us with friends that can walk alongside with us so we can be encourage in our walk with Him and help us to be accountable to Him in all we do! 

In any trials and temptation, God has promised that He will keep us STRONG and He is a FAITHFUL GOD.

I thanked God that I always have a friend who I can pour my heart out especially at moments I am all emotionally STRESSED inside. By saying it out, I also get to hear myself and also clear my mind on different issues. That also allow me to see things from a different perspectives. This friend of mine also checked on me from time to time (I thanked God for that) :)

Sometimes we need a friend to count on to journey in this life. :)  

Will you BE ACCOUNTABLE to someone today?

Into the mind of a different INDIVIDUAL

If you ever get your hands on the movie called ‘TEMPLE GRANDIN’, I encourage you to watch it!

The movie is based on the life of a young girl: Temple Grandin. She is diagnosed with autism at the age of four when her mother brought her to the doctor. The doctor even said she may never utter a word for her entire life. However, the MOTHER didn’t give up on her. Her mother taught her to read, manners, and rules and sends her to boarding school and even college. Her mother treats her like her other children. She grew up to be a young lady with a DISTINCT personality: A personality that is often not seen in our community.

It was not easy for her when she was growing up. She had been teased, disturbed and had been called names. People reject her for who she is, just because she is different. People around her laughed at her when she expressed herself.

Take a few seconds to think: Have I teased someone that is of different than the norm? I admit I did. I am such a fool to do so because I don’t take the extra steps and initiative to UNDERSTAND the other person better.

The make-up of her mind is so beautiful. She has a wonderful mind. Temple Grandin has the capacity to see things beyond for what it is. She is wonderful VISUALIZER. She sees and learns things (language, science and etc) through PICTURES!

She is a GREAT SCIENTIST. Her work is just remarkable. When I watched this movie, I am amazed at how she could create a system that benefits both the cattle and the slaughter business. She can walk through a plan in her mind examining every detail to calm the cattle.

In North America, over half the cattle are handled in humane systems she has designed.

In her words, I don’t want my thoughts to die with me. I want to have done something.

Autism there is no cure. But all they need is people to continue to cheer them on to go through the door and to take one step back to understand them for who they are.

She is different but not LESSER! –MRS. Grandin-

If ever your path crossed with this special people, remember to take one step back and understand them for who they are.

How do we deal with REDEMPTION?

Note: Our past may be like a thorn in our hearts or we just want to hit the delete button to wipe it all out. We can never do that; we can go back and erase it all. The past brought us where we are today.

You are precious to ME. You have all kinds of enemies without and within, but I went to the cross in order to redeem you to purchase you back. I hold the deed to your life….and that means you are free.

-The LORD-

The central question I want to ask you again… WHO IS IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE?

God had redeemed you and I from whatever and whomever that keeps us in slavery, controlling us and limiting our freedom. How can we ensure we never fall into the bondage again?

-          Realize you do not have to live under the mastery of sin.

You and I will never be sinless in this life, but don’t let SIN control you!

-         Don’t let any other person be your GOD

A god can be anyone who exercise control, who demands service, who wields great power or who asks for adoration. We’ll throw our dignity away when we allow another person to be the object of our obsession, when we make a human being god in our lives, when we think we will find a place in life if we worship another person.

-   Let go of legalism

The way of the CODE. The law. OUR own standard of righteousness. The do and don’t. We are in control. We set the rules. Legalism is kindergarten spirituality. Legalism kills the spirit and arouses pride in us. Coming up with measurable goals for spiritual growth doesn’t work. We must TRUST the God of redemption to lead us into the full freedom of becoming mature sons and daughters of God.

-         Learn that “You have been bought at a price”

Everything in life changes when we really believes that we are the temples of God’s Spirit.

-         Seek intervention if you are subject of obsession or addiction

We can control ourselves only insofar as God controls us. Getting help to learn how to give God control is an important first step toward freedom.

-         Seek, counsel and correction

A wise person that hears WARNING on numerous occasions and from numerous sources stops in his or her tracks, makes an HONEST self-assessment and asks God for His help to get back under His control, and His control alone.

It’s not a ONE off thing when we ask GOD to redeem us. We are created in such a way we need REMINDERS at all times. When we fall, don’t be shy to confess it to the LORD and ask for forgiveness and redemption. Ask Him to come and take control again in your own life.

Be HONEST with yourself and GOD.

Are you willing to RISK IT and U-TURN?

Have you been practicing Sabbath? That is to realize that God alone is in control in our life. Let me tell you a story:

On 2^nd February 2012, I was involved in an accident. Someone who was driving really fast banged me from behind. I literally flew in front further. I thanked God that He covered me under His protection. I came out of the car with no injuries physically. I was rather shaken by the incident but God sent people my way to comfort me. He is in CONTROL! Though this incident was something that is out of my control but He took control of it and protected me.

Now, let’s move on to REDEMPTION.

You and I know very well that God had sent His son to die on the cross for my sin and yours. *WORD!*

How many of you are like me who goes… OHHHH OKAY! COOL!

Now, after reading the chapter of redemption I realized that our God the Father had sent His PRECIOUS SON to die on the cross for my sin. For that, I am redeemed to have a relationship with my GOD.

Redemption: God’s mighty act of delivering us from anyone or anything that holds us in bondage. It is God’s way of getting our lives back.

All of us have something about our lives that we would like to redeem.

• To get back on our reputation.
• To rebuild something that had been torn down.
• To get out from under the control of our own faults and limitations or the oppression of someone  else.

We can’t change the past, but God redeems our present and our future.

Redemption is like giving people the chance to start all over again. God redeem us for the same reason: to give us the chance to start fresh with Him. 

Will you be willing to reach out to let Him redeem you?

Is FACEBOOK taking your Sabbath time away?

FAD
Have you heard of this? I only read about this in the STAR PAPER last Friday. STAR had a few article regarding this issue. 

Am I an addict? That was my first thought when I read the article. 

So, I decided to research a little on what the world would regard a Facebook addict.

FAD or known as Facebook Addiction Disorder is a condition that is defined by HOURS spent on Facebook. They spent so much time that affect the individual's lifestyle - an American psychologist -

APPROXIMATELY 350 million people SUFFER from this disorder. This can be detected by simple six criteria. The victims usually possessed 2-3 following criteria in a period of 6-8 month. 

1. Tolerance: This term is used to describe the desperate behavior of a Facebook addict. They spend an increasing amount of time on the site, coming to a stage where they need it in order to obtain satisfaction or on the other extreme, it is having a detrimental affect on them as a person and their life. For the family members and friends who think they are dealing with an addict, a sign to look out for are multiple Facebook windows open. Three or more confirms that they are indeed suffering from this condition.

2. Withdrawal symptoms: These become obvious when one is restricted from using Facebook because they have to participate in normal everyday activities. Common signs are anxiety, distress and the need to talk about Facebook and what might have been posted on their wall in their absence.

3. Reduction of normal social/recreational activities: Someone suffering from FAD will reduce the time spent catching up with friends, playing sport or whatever it is they used to enjoy doing, to simply spend time on Facebook. Instead of catching up with a friend for coffee, they will send a Facebook message. A dinner date will be substituted with a messenger chat. In extreme cases, the person will even stop answering their parent’s phone calls, instead insisting that they use Facebook to contact them.

4.Virtual dates: It is obvious that things are extreme when real dates are replaced with virtual dates. Instead of going to the movies or out to dinner, they tell their partner to be online at a certain time.

5.Fake friends: If 8 out of 10 people shown on their Facebook page are complete strangers, it is undeniable: they have a serious case of FAD.

6.Complete addiction: When they meet new people, they say their name, followed by “I’ll talk to you on Facebook”, or for those who are extremely bad, “I’ll see you in Facebook”. Their pets have Facebook pages, and any notifications, wall posts, inboxes or friend requests that they receive give them a high, one which can be compared to that gambling addicts get from the pokies or roulette table.

Many ones are spending TOO MUCH time online. Don't get me wrong. Facebook do have its benefits. But, too much of Facebook may lead to a detrimental effects to the person's life. 

So, CHECK yourself!

The key is to be BALANCE! 

P/s: Facebook won't loose out the minute you don't showed up online.

Take off time from Facebook and spend your time wisely with God, family and friends. 

STOP and change your pattern in your daily activities! 

During the week, I learned to set boundaries for myself to just take time off, stop and reflect on what had been happening throughout the day. Though there are many things to be done, I learned to STOP and thanked God for what He had blessed me throughout the day and prayed that He will continue to give me strength to go on for the rest of the day. A good 30 minutes of STOP and pondering of what had happened throughout the day will give our body rest and feeling refreshed entirely! - this is the Sabbath attitude we ought to achieve.

My Sabbath day is on a Sunday, I set it aside to worship Him in church in the morning and in the evening to spend it with my family: catching up with them of what had happened throughout the week. Also, I try not to log on to the Internet. Just rest and relax!!

God had made this special day for you. Don't waste it by doing things that keep you busy or looking at your Facebook page the whole day browsing onto someone else profiles. There is more to life than just sitting in front of your laptop/computer screen. Do a different thing and keep to it throughout the year.

My advice is to TRY. You won't regret it! :)