We Must Be Ready. But How?
May 15, 2007
Revelation 19:7 states, "Let us rejoice and give honor unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."
Our salvation is not accomplished by anything we can do, or be. Our redemption is through the blood of the Lamb, shed for our sins. Our only responsibility in regard to our salvation is to admit our own sinfulness, realize our total lack of any ability to change ourselves, and accept His gift of salvation by faith. Jesus Christ procured salvation for us. We cannot earn it. We must repent of sin, and then accept salvation as a gift.
So what does John mean by stating the Lamb’s betrothed wife has "made herself ready"? John is not referring to salvation, which is our justification before God, but rather to the fact that Jesus has sanctified us — set us apart in holiness unto Himself, and that we have a responsibility to daily live in a manner that brings glory to Him. Using another analogy, once a vessel is taken out of the mud and is cleaned up, it must not be placed back into the mud. As vessels made pure by the blood of the Lamb, we therefore do not place ourselves back into the mud of this sinful world. Our role in regard to being set-apart is to keep ourselves from being spotted or tarnished by the world. Once we are made clean, we choose to continue to walk in purity.
Achievement and Happiness the 80/20 Way
May 14, 2007
If there was ever a principle that was responsible for the most happiness and achievement in the world, it would be the 80/20 Principle.
The 80/20 Principle or Pareto Principle was discovered in 1897 by an Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto while he was searching for patterns of wealth and income in England.
What he found was that 80 percent of the wealth was enjoyed by only 20 percent of the population. Additionally, it was consistent in different countries and in different times.
This has been found in present day as well and in almost any activity that we perform, business or otherwise.
In other words, 80 percent of your results in a given activity, are generated by 20 percent of your input or effort. Just the same, 80 percent of revenue or profits are generated by 20 percent of your efforts or sales.
The 80/20 relationship can also easily be documented in personal achievement and happiness.
Most people have never taken the time to count their achievements or much less figure out what makes them happy. If they did, they would have realized that there are very few things that contribute to most of their happiness. They would also have found that there are very few things that they have done that has resulted in most of their achievements.
Harry Potter To Christians: Its Not Good To Hear Voices
May 13, 2007
That is the popular and, thank God (if you’ll pardon the use of the G name) the politically correct feeling among most Christians today. You will recall that in the second book of the Potter series, The Chamber Of Secrets, Harry Potter alone heard the voice of the basilisk. When he confided in his two friends about it, one told him that even in the wizarding world, hearing voices is not a good thing. Like art imitating reality, can’t we say that even in our non-wizarding world, it’s not a good thing to be hearing voices. Whether those voices be God’s or someone else’s voice.
Most of us would agree that hearing voices in your head, voices that aren’t there, this is indeed a bad thing. In fact it used to be a sign of being crazy. But what if the person claims to be hearing God’s voice? How can we know if God is speaking to this guy such that we can’t immediately lock him up in the looney bin?
Tribal Masks
May 12, 2007
Original Tribal masks are often seen by unknowing eyes as art objects in themselves. That is not the case, unless of course they are modern copies. A tribal mask has embued power and is alive during the ceremony for which it is used. An African visitor to a London museum stated, “This mask is dead.” He was seeing the mask out of context, it had lost its power for the people who created it and the the magic had died.
To the collectors eyes the very appearance of the mask and the story behind it leads to the magic. The mysterious art forms drawing on the imagination and a need to interpret. As a piece of art it has the power to involve the observer in fathoming meaning to reach an understanding. This can move the viewer into a different frame of reference. Touching a life style that is at once strange and distance, yet it has the feel of something closer to home. A paradox that seems to arise in studying older tribal ways. In a collection this is magic.
Happiness and the Single Person; Changing Myth Into Reality
May 11, 2007
Does the expression "single and happy" sound like an oxymoron to you? Are you weary of others (especially other singles) reinforcing the belief that singles cannot be happy? Do you find yourself always planning for the future or putting things off until you "are married and settled? Do you often have a sense that the intense feelings of happiness and joy cannot really be experienced unless you "have someone to share it with?" Do you just feel there is not enough time and other necessary resources available to the single person to pursue experiences that can bring true happiness?
If the above resonates in your gut, do not despair. The following tips will offer ways to help you experience your present reality differently through changing behavior that is based on those negative (false) beliefs. Essentially, these tips will offer advice on how to live a joyful, fulfilling and balanced single life, which will also assist you in achieving a healthy, long- term, intimate relationship.
· Seek self-fulfillment as an individual.
Place emphasis on being truly alive and experiencing the things that bring you true pleasure. Do not let the feelings of peace and wonder slip from your life as you wait to share (beautiful sunsets) and other gifts of life with a future partner.
Meaning and Marketing - The Will
May 10, 2007
You are now inside one of the top theological schools in the world and you are sitting in Dr. John Hobbs’ Class on Theology with first year Freshman students. The seminary is reformed, protestant, Christian and is located in the south of the USA.
Do you know where you are now? Do you like being here? If not, you know what to do.
Dr. Hobbs is a phenomenon in himself. You don’t have to know the fear of the Lord in his classroom because you are afraid already.
Dr. Hobbs surveys the back seats in the classroom and makes an announcement. “I notice that some of you were not in class last week. If you don’t think I’ll flunk you, just check the archives of this seminary.”
Dr. Hobbs does not tolerate nonsense in any way and he is unsympathetic when it comes to grades and excuses.
He is in his fifties and has bad arthritis. His skin is very white and pale and you wonder how the man is even living. He speaks with a deep southern accent, but his voice is crystal clear.
Somehow we are on the subject of Creation:
Business Ethics: The Law of Corporate Karma
May 10, 2007
According to the shamanic traditions, the great mystery of being is that all things are alive and have a level of intelligence. This is because all things are a part of the Great Spirit. However, all things also function individually, in thought and action. It is in these individual actions that karma is born. Karmic laws also state that all karma, both good and bad, must also return home…return to sender!
Most of us don’t have a good grasp of group karma. Simply stated, if you agree to be a member of a group situation, you are also agreeing to it’s collective karmic pattern of return. So sooner or later problems at work, in your business or corporate structure will show up at your front door. It’s like you caught the flu from the group…but now your personally ill.
As humanity grows in it’s awareness…it also grows in karmic responsibility. So years ago many industries caused environmental problems, but were not aware of that fact. However, karmic law states all things must return home……….so these industries don’t really exist today…..or operate in a weakened condition [ in the future they will not exist at all].
Your Mission Field At Work
May 9, 2007
One point many Christian Working Moms who have been interviewed have made is that they are a shining light in their work place. Whether or not you can speak openly about your faith at work, your co-workers are watching. Are they seeing Jesus in you? Do they see you handle ethical issues in a different manner than other co-workers? Do they see a peace in you amidst all of the stress of the job? Do they see your priorities are in order? Although, we are to be workers worthy of our hire we are first and foremost followers of Christ. Do your co-workers see you participating in the office gossip or do they see you leaving when those discussions come up? Do your co-workers see you building up or tearing down? Do they see compassion in you that is often woefully missing in this get ahead world we live in?
I know as a Christian Working Mom often it is very difficult to get time alone with God. Are you taking your work struggles to him? Are you asking for his direction in a difficult situation? Are you praying for your co-workers to come to know Him? Are you praying that your co-workers who are Christians to grow in their knowledge of Him?
African Masks
May 8, 2007
The following is a general over view of African Masks.
There are still places in Africa where genuine old masks can be bought, generally through dealers. Also watch out for fakes as they do abound. Remember buy things you like as investment can go up as well as down. If you like that carving or mask then the value is not as important.
The African masks of this area are well documented by Ladislas Segy in Masks of Black Africa. Much of the following section on African Masks is influenced by his work.
The African masking traditions of this part of the World are extremely fertile and varied. The traditions supporting the masks are generally associated with the spirits of ancestors, rites of passage, fertility and initiation ceremonies. Dance is generally involved in the use of the masks. Segy lists the following types of ritual:-
Rituals of cosmology, myth and mythological heroes or animals
Fertility rites
Rituals for increase
Agricultural festivals
Rituals for rites of passage
Ancestor cults
Initiations including secret societies
Related Ceremonies
Getting To The Root Of Unhappiness
May 7, 2007
Many people live in clutter, emotionally eat themselves into overweight, live in debt, hate their jobs and otherwise live unhappy lives, unable and seemingly unwilling to change. Why? What do these have in common? What is the core issue?
Fear, or rather an absence of love.
Fear, and not hate, is the “dark side” or opposite/absence of love, the way darkness is the opposite/absence of light.
Whether your self image is controlled by unhealthy or uncontrolled overweight or fanatic perfection, both stem from fear. In the first, food is used to comfort upset emotions and to retreat into - a true friend that never lets you down. In the latter (and sometimes the former), control over the body supplants a loss of control elsewhere in life, eventually taking over that life.
Clutter is almost always fear-based - fear of not having something and needing it, fear of getting rid of something important, fear of leaving oneself open to new experiences (which can’t come in because your house - and by extension your life - is already full) and fear of being alone with oneself and one’s thoughts (clutter requires so much of our energy to deal with and work around, it can serve as a sort of mental static to keep us too busy to think about important things).
