Don't be defeated!

In 1597 Sir Francis Bacon stated that knowledge is power. Yet many people believe that when Thomas Hobbes wrote scientia est potentia in his work De Homine in 1658 that it laid the foundation for our tendency and belief that "knowledge is power"!

I agree that there is a measure of truth to this, but in it's individual capacity it has no power and at times does more harm than good.

Knowledge on it's own has no power, yet when someone takes action on good knowledge it becomes powerful. This applies to anything in life.

Having all the knowledge of medicine is no good, but when someone applies this knowledge people get healed. Knowing that you love someone makes no difference, but when you share it with that person life changes. Knowing of a problem someone faces leaves them stuck, but when you talk to them about it their situation can change. Having all the knowledge of aviation means nothing, but when someone applied it it allowed me to visit friends in the UK within 12 hours. Having all the knowledge of God and the Bible does not save your life or make you a good person, but acting on the Word inspires love.

So many of us in so many areas of our life got stuck on gaining knowledge. We read books, attend seminars and study various courses just to gain more knowledge. It creates a false sense of 'growth' or development in our lives, that we are doing something to change. It gives us a great excuse for staying who and where we are. It makes us feel better! So when we talk to someone we can talk with great knowledge and sound clever, even throw a awesome quote or two into the conversation or post it on our emails or Facebook.

Yet the questions is: Are you actually willing to take action on the knowledge you gain?

If not, you will simply remain a defeated genius in that area of your life. Knowledge without action is a passive state of living.....and the years just roll by. It eats away at your soul and you end up alone. With many people who care for you, but alone in life when the light go off at night.

Whatever is keeping you from taking action is a lie and not worth pondering a thought on. Take action today and if you are scared, it is okay! Find someone you trust to support and encourage you. We all need someone we can trust. You, your life and your future and happiness is worth it! We all deserve it, so go for it!

Like the bumble bee who scientifically cannot fly. The bee did not read that article and chooses to fly anyway, giving himself a chance at life.....so he takes action every day, flaps his wings and flies.

Root(s) to success

Over the years I have supported and guided many people in their life journey. Be it in business, relationships or hobbies the core or root of their success is all the same.

Clarity, Honesty, Being Upright.

These are the three things that we struggle with most in life and end up getting exactly or causing exactly the opposite of what we intended or wanted.

What motivates us not to live by these three roots is fear.

We are scared that if we are honest we will hurt someone or lose them. That we will not get the contract or the client will not like you.
We are scared that if we are going to be upright about our motives that the other person will not want to spend time with us or think less of us. That we will realise that what truly motivates us is not good or even a lie and that it will hurt us.
We are scared that if we create clarity on our circumstances it will push others away or even leave us to face the reality that our circumstances are not what we dreamed of.

When in actual fact the opposite is true. That by being honest, upright and clear about your life and feelings and actions you are inspiring trust and respect! You are giving the people around you the opportunity to know where they stand and make sound decisions. You are giving yourself the opportunity to live life successfully with no regrets, guilt or sorrow and misguided beliefs.

I wish you all the courage to live life successfully, to be honest, upright and clear! ALWAYS!!

"Blessed are the pure and truthful in heart for they shall see God." Matt 5:8
"He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart will dwell in My holiness." Ps 15: 1,2

Taking control....

I was talking to a friend today and sharing an experience that I was and am busy working through in my life at the moment. He asked me where I am concerning this and my words to him was that "I have given it back to the Lord, I gave all control over it back to God."

Just to realise in that moment that it seems silly actually. How can I give control back to God over something or someone that I never even had control over! It was just an illusion to think or unconsciously feel that you own someone in a relationship or have control......cause you don't! I just sat there and started laughing at myself and my friend had a good laugh too.

Yes when you are in a relationship you have responsibilities and need to have compassion and share your life and space......give love and receive love.....open your heart for understanding and support.....inspire trust through your actions.....support each other to grow and forgive.

But you never have ownership or control......because that is not love......it is fear driven. Fear of getting hurt or loosing what you think you have.

Love is freedom!! The freedom to be who you are and to be accepted for it. The freedom to grow towards being a better person at your own pace and to be supported.

So what did I then truly do with my situation? I did not give it back to God......no, I just trusted God that He has a great plan for me and that He wishes all things to work for my good. And I just came to trust it...that is what happened.

Who knows what the future will look like? I might find myself in that same relationship....this time only so much better and wiser and healthier and stronger. I might find a different relationship that is greater than what I imagined. Who knows! But what I do know is that I now trust God that it is going to be good!! And I am excited!!!!

Moral of the story......make an effort to get to the place where you are truly open to grow in who you are and truly trust God that He wants the best for you!!!!

Creating the future you want

Have you realised how when you speak to people about what they want in life....they almost start to talk as if they fantasize about what they are talking about. Like it is never going to happen. Or most people when you ask them what they want.....they can't even give you an answer!

Yet when you start talking about the things you do not want....oh boy do we get assertive! I tell you then people talk with certainty and tell you exactly what they do not want and give you examples of when it happened and how they will react when this might happen in the near future with a specific situation....almost as if they expect it to happen again.

Why is this so? Why is it easier for us to believe in the negative to happen rather than the possitive? And why has it become more comfortable to talk about the negative.....more accepted even!!

Is it possible that things are more negative because we speak more negative?

What would happen if we start talking more positive and hold onto these positive thoughts and beliefs? Most of us will not know cause we try it for a little while but are not able to endure. The minute or moment we see something that resembles the negative we would say that we knew it was not possible and we give up.

My invitation to all of you this month is to refrain from negative speaking. Start to speak life into every situation you come across and every healthy relationship you are in. Speak it and endure for this month and lets see what happends. Don't grab onto the shadows which will come and try to make you stumble. Stand on the good and positive thoughts and words.....and keep standing!

You are worth it!!!!
   

Just take a moment....

I almost get tired sometimes when I just listen to people telling me about their day. It is simply exhausting. I feel like I need a coffee or Red Bull when they are done.

Just to sit there with one question in my mind: "When do you ever stop to look at your life, at what is important to and live for that?!"

When do you stop to look at your life? At what you truly want.....those things that are important to you (wife, husband, marriage, kids, friends, family) and to look at yourself! To look at yourself and to see what impact you are having on those important things. What quality time you are spending with them. What experience you are creating for them!!

Or are you just so caught up in all the excess that you need to feel important.....to look good....to hide from your guilt....to hide from inabilities and fears?

No one is perfect and your partner or spouse did not choose you because they think you are perfect. No one is the best husband or the best wife or the best parent!! We need each other...you need each other!

And you need each other to be open, upright and honest so that you can move forward with respect and love, not giving resentment and shame and guilt a chance to step in!

So where in your life do you need to share something in order to get clean.....to give life a chance? But before you share.....just sit down and decide how important it is to you. How important is your wife to you? How important is it for you wanting to be married to her? How much do you truly want this? And then ask her if she wants the same!!

Then you will realise one thing.....that both of you have the same goal and that has never changed! It is lies and deceit that walked through the door and made you see each other and experience each other differently. It is like you are wearing camouflage clothing and you can't see each other anymore....you can't see yourself anymore. It is time to get clean.

If both of you wish to share love....take the time to get clean and give each other the time and grace and forgiveness. We all make mistakes.....we all get disheartened, and we all deserve the opportunity to share our heart and be listened to.

Take the time.....cause tomorrow might not be there.

So if you are married or love someone.....life is so short and this is not a cliche, cause you do not know about tomorrow, only this moment now.....take the time to sit down and share your heart, admit your actions and do not point a finger at all. Jislaaik man, your heart is worth it!!!!

And if you need advice or support.....do not hesitate to contact me, please!!

Summary

Wow, thank you for all the feedback in such short time.

Needless to say it is sad to hear and experience just how many people out there are unhappy, how many relationships and marriages are struggling and being destroyed.

I wish to point out at this stage that your focus should not be the other person. When you do this you will forever be in a negative cycle of judgment and destructive behaviour. The devil needs you to open just one door, be it a door you openened through lying, adultery, deceit, anger, stubbornness, etc and from there he has so cleverly designed the rest of the destructive behaviour to follow suit.

How from a lie will flow distrust and there will come jealousy, then sarcasm, then anger, then the temptation for adultery, etc.

And this is not who you are.....that is not who God created you to be!!! You just made the mistake to open the door. Your choices that follow after you openend the door will determine just how big the consequences will be.

What drives you to keep functioning in the unrighteous and untruthfull behaviour?
 - the fear of not being good enough?
 - the fear of being rejected?
 - the fear that the other person might not thing you are perfect anymore?
 - that you are scared of becoming vulnerable?

At some point you are going to have to open your heart with wisdom towards someone who is committed to a life with God.
At some point you are going to have to trust in the goodness of God towards you.
At some point you are going to have to take responsibility for your committed behavior and choices to grow in God.

Christianity is not passive!!!! It is a daily walk of good will in all honesty and being upright, being willing to change and to grow. To take action in line with that which is good and honest and to then trust and allow God to do the rest, for the outcome. Other than this it is simply fake good intentions.

Or as Jesus said so clearly in Luke 12:1 & Matt 23 that people who pray and read the Bible and talk about God but are not willing to grow and take action are simply HYPOCRITES.

I know it is not easy......therefore you cannot walk this journey alone!!!! I have tried and failed like so many others! Even Jesus had people whom He trusted and shared with.....so how much more don't we need to?!!!! Just choose that person or those people with wisdom.

Part 2 - Righteousness

You will notice that each 'tool' that I share with you is not just a good intention, but a daily action. It is part of your daily living. It is not just something you pray about.....or ask God for....or a right standing with God. No, it is a way of daily living....daily actions.

In every choice or action you make you consciously or unconsciously either choose to resist the devil or you choose to resist the Holy Spirit. You open the door for one to use you as a instrument to achieve their goals. To create life in abundance with love or to destroy, kill or steal life and relationships.

So what is righteousness? 

• to do what is ethically right
• to do what is morally right
• to practice Good Will (always)

The opposite would be to:

• to be unfair
• to ignore someone
• silent treatment
• sarcasm
• immoral
• sin (destructive behaviour)

When you practice any form of destructive behaviour you are opening the door for the devil to use you as a instrument for his works. You might be born again, a child of God.....but that does not prevent you from being a instrument for the devil through poor choices, unrighteous behaviour (consciously of unconsciously).

Psalm 15:1,2 "Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your hily hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart."
Psalm 34:15 "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil...."

Where in your life are you practicing in behaviour that is not good? In behaviour that is destructive to yourself and relationships?

You know these things and areas! Yet we are so quick to be a child of God where and when it suits us. And then we expect God to answer our prayers? You are either committed or you are not.

How often do we use the excuse, "Well this is who I am" or "I did not have a choice" or "She made me do it!".......and inside you know that the behaviour is destructive to your relationship. You are opening a door for the devil to destroy what is and can be beautiful. How sincere is your relationship with God then....if you are not willing to change, to grow closer to God and be more like Jesus?

Lets look at some destuctive bevahiour from scriptures:
 - murder                             - theft                                 - sexual abuse
 - unfairness                         - substance abuse               - slander
 - false testimonies                - bribing                             - manipulation
 - verbal abuse                      - obesity                            - recklessness
 - pornography                      - anger outburst                 - jealousy
 - stubbornness                     - greed                               - drunkenness

So if you want your marriage to work or to be healed then you need to start walking in righteousness. If you want to let God's will be done in your life......you have to walk in righteousness. Then you need to abstain from these destructive behaviours. Choose!!!!

If you want to pray with confidence.....if you want to hear from God.....you need to choose to practice in good will. So are you willing to change? Or do you choose to stay who you are.........

Insanity is hoping for a different outcome but still doing the same thing!!!!

Part 1 - The TRUTH

The two most important questions:
Do you believe God exists?
Do you believe the devil exists?

If you answered "yes" to both these questions, and you truly believe it with your whole heart, then get this scripture in your heart. John 10:10 "The devil have come to kill, steal and to destroy. Yet I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly."

We are all part of a greater story. We are all being faught over, we are wanted! It is like a game of chess. There are rules in places that cannot be broken, rules that determine the reality and consequences. And once you have made your choice....your move, then there will be consequences. You are not in control of your opponents (the devil) moves, but if you grow in strength you will be able to make better moves (choices), win more battles and be victorious. How do I grow in strength? By getting to know the rules of the game better and better and better......to become wiser.

The devil will make a move to tempt you.......and if you are not wise enough, if you don't know the rules that well, you will fall for the temptation and become vulnerable.

One of the rules that you can use to protect yourself is TRUTH.

Why is this so important? God clearly stated that He can only operate in the truth. The areas in our lives where we do not walk truthfully, we are on our own. We resist God's help in those areas cause He cannot function there and worst of all, we then open the door for the devil to operate.
Psalm 145:18 "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."
John 8:44
Matt 5:8 "Blessed are they who walk in the truth, for they shall hear from God."
Matt 5:37
1 Pet 3:10 "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit."

So what is TRUTH?

• being honest
• having good intentions
• being sincere
• being upright (not telling halve a truth)
• pure of heart

When you lied and keep it from someone you open the door for distrust to enter. The devil then uses this broken trust to seperate a relationship. If you made a commitment (you said yes) and you then try to avoid that person because you feel bad you are not being upright. You then open the door for distrust and jealousy which the devil will use to destroy that relationship.
There is no point asking God for help as long as you are still operating in this area of untruthfulness. You need to ask God for forgiveness, and then repent by being truthful to the other person and then you can ask and trust God to help. By doing this you resist the devil cause he can't operate in the truth.

Yes there will be consequences, but at least you can then be on your knees in prayer before God with confidence knowing that He can and will help you.
James 5:16 "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed."

Therefore:
If you want to be trusted.
If you want God to hear and answer your prayers.
If you want to be able to hear from God.
If you want a happy relationship/marriage.
If you want to experience the fullness of joy and happiness.

.............then you have to walk in the truth always. Is this important enough for you?

Have a look, are you truthful in these areas of your life:
 - Career/Work
 - Marriage/ Relationship
 - Parenting
 - Financial Management
 - Friendships

Did you ever wonder why....and how?

Why did this happen to me? How was it possible and even more important....How do I get back to where I want to be?

How many times did you ask these questions in your life? You might find yourself in a situation right now where you wonder why and how?

Well, so have I......and so have all of us. Just recently I have received some insights that openend my eyes. I am going to share these with you over a period of time, a series of posts, and hope that you will join me. May you find something in some of them if not all of them and may you have the courage to apply these in your life in order to give them a chance.....to give yourself a chance!!

I am going to share these insights from a Believer in Christ Jesus approach. If this is not where you are in your life, I invite you to look at these insights from the truth they carry and for what they are in reality as well in your life.

The scary part is that Christians are the ones who struggle most with what I am about to share. I know, because I see it every day in my work and I was there myself.....so I cannot point the finger.....no one can!

Before we move on to Part 1 of the series, just a couple of questions. My invitation to you as you read this series is to be honest with yourself and to take your time. Read and make sure you grasped what you just read....that you took it in. Because we have this habbit to just glance over the questions and information that we do not like, that makes us uncomfortable and that makes us aware of areas in our life that need attention. We humans do not like to change!!!!! Much easier to point the finger or find excuses.....and believe me as you read through this series you will fill a bucket with all the excuses you come up with!

Q1: Are you truly happy.....or just okay?

Q2: Are you experiencing a part of your life that carries worries....uncertainty that troubles you?

Q3: Do you believe that God exists?

Q4: Do you pray and hope that He will help you?

Q5: Do you believe that the devil exists?

If you answered YES to Q2-5.....then read Part 1 and please feel free to contact me.


YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!