With the crisis in Egypt we should all keep a close eye on oil prices this week. Oil prices are leaking towards $90 and may reach a high of $93 this week. For those who drive motor vehicles, expect gas prices to rise over the next two weeks. If the crisis is not handled in the next two to three weeks then the prognosis maybe worse. Bear in mind that with the increase in oil prices, expect food prices to also move. Everyone should keep an eye on this development in Egypt.
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IF YOU COULD CHOOSE PEACE TODAY,
WOULD YOU?
OR WOULD THE DEVIL CHANGE YOUR MIND?
IF LOVE COULD FLOW IN YOUR VEINS TODAY,
WOULD YOU CHOOSE MANMADE DRUGS INSTEAD?
WOULD THAT HIGH MAKE YOU TOUCH THE SKIES?
IF YOU COULD HELP SOMEONE TODAY?
WOULD YOU IGNORE THEIR NEEDS?
OR WOULD A HAND OR SHOULDER BE YOUR FIRST GESTURE?
IF A SMILE COULD HEAL A SOUL,
WOULD HATE WRINGLE YOUR FACE?
WOULD HARSH WORDS GRIP YOUR TONGUE?
IF GOD WAS YOUR WORLD,
WOULD YOU STUMP ON OTHERS?
WOULD YOU PRETEND TO CARE?
WOULD YOU ALLOW THE WORLD TO SEDUCE YOU?
IF JESUS SACRIFICE WAS WORTH YOUR SOUL,
WOULD YOU BETRAY HIM DAILY WITH SIN?
WOULD YOU NOT HONOR HIM EACH DAY IN PRAYER?
WOULD YOU NOT TEACH OTHERS OF HIS LOVE?
Dayne-Christopher
A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:8
From Cain and Abel to now, wars have been the foundation of mankind. Ever since the emergence of sin, hate has been a part of the human psychic. It does not matter how much man has progressed, the need to fight against one another has become the norm.
The oppression of humans whether it is due to race, religion or wealth has been the catalyst causing many wars. We have seen the war between Israel and Palestine over land, which has been raging for many years. We have seen World War 1 and 2 for world domination. There have been so many other wars which continue to rage in our backyards.
The lessons I have learnt from war is that there is never a winner. Though many freedoms have been gained by war, so many lives have been lost in this fight. Martin Luther King Jr. proved that the non-violent approach to oppression can have the same effect as the violent approach.
Throughout the New Testament the bible preaches love and peace. If you love someone how does the thought of war exist? If we practice love in our daily lives towards each other, then there is no room for war.
Ecclesiastes 9:18 teaches us that “wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.” Sin and disobedience to God have been the main ingredients for war amongst humans. The devil drives a wedge between the righteous and unrighteous. Many so called Christians have waged wars against others under the banner of God. The net result is that those who would ever have an inclination towards righteousness are turned off. These so called Christians who are under the spell of the devil insist that they are of God when their actions tell the full story of hate towards others.
Many empires have come and gone trying to wield their powerful armies in battles with other nations under the guise of freedom. Other nations have now emerged claiming the same hypocrisy.
You see world peace will never be accomplished by man. It is only when man recognizes God that peace will emerge. James 3:18 tells us, “and the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. “ Now many doubters will say that God destroyed many nations by war. But let us be clear, God destroyed nations which were against God and righteousness. One such notable nation was Sodom and Gomorrah. God allowed the righteous in that city, Lot and his family to leave. There is some misconception about that story that should be cleared up. Many people believe that it was only homosexuals who were punished by God; however, there were many other persons in that City that were unrighteous in God’s eyes.
The New Testament speaks of grace, peace and mercy throughout. Jesus Christ came in peace. Even when persecuted he continued to do God’s work in peace. Peace was in all his sermons to the people.
If we could be like Jesus today, peace could be restored to this world. If we start within our homes and communities we can make a change. If we teach our children to love others and to show peace when war is imminent. Let God lead you towards peace today and leave war in the trenches.
Chaos in Egypt
As calls continue for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak continue, Egypt remains in a state of chaos. President Mubarak has called out the 450,000 strong military hoping to quell the mayhem in the country. Over 30 people have died, with more casualties expected in the coming days.
Egypt is critical to US interests, being the largest Arab country in the Middle East and influential in peace treaties throughout the region. With the peace treaty with Israel brokered by the Carter Administration in 1979 being one of the hallmarks.
Egypt has the 10th largest army in the world and no doubt if stability takes place within the army then problems will erupt in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and other oil rich countries would be in danger. We have already seen a rise in oil prices, and a further surge expected this week.
With the recession still at the doorstep of many lives, one only hopes that the turmoil will soon be over.
9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth? 10I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.11He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:9-11
King Solomon was considered by God as one of the richest and wisest men ever. Not even the wealth of Bill Gates or any other billionaire in history could compare with King Solomon. And yet, Jesus Christ proclaimed in Luke 12:27, "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these." You see Solomon with all his possession was never a happy man.
Look at what he says in Ecclesiastes 6:2, "a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction."
Currently I am working two jobs and if words could describe how hard it has been I would tell you. I have fallen into the ditch with Solomon, toiling away and moving farther away from God's will for my life. Ecclesiastes 2:22-23, totally describes my state,"For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity." God's word is so powerful if we only listened more. I have found my nights to be like that, I often toss and turn as my mind is never at rest.
I remember when I was growing up in the country I used to watch farmers on their way to work. They would toil for the day and then in the evenings they would sit with friends laughing and having fun. They did not have a mansion or even a concrete house, they did not have internet or TV, but their happiness was real. They lived the simple life, not worrying about tomorrow, just living off what God had provided for them. Life was simple then, no one was running down a dollar, people were satisfied with being able to have food, clothing and shelter.
You see I have noticed that as man makes one step forward, he continues to make twenty steps back. In our race to keep up with the 'Jones', we have forgotten about God. Like Solomon we eventually find out that all this is just vanity. We wake up one day and our life has been centered around things and not around God. Since this year I am realizing how in love I am with God. I am truly in love with him. When I look at the struggles I have been through over the years and how God has never left me, I realize that I have to change my life towards serving him.
Solomon has taught me that God must be the center of my life. I understand now that I really don't care what people think about me. Frankly speaking, when I die I really don't care what is written on my tombstone or what words will be mentioned about me. What I care about is what words will be in the book of my life that God has for me. My God will provide all the things I need. If I am to be wealthy one day, that is his will. My first duty is to serve him without limit and to plant love in every life that I can. For 2011 I want to show love more to others, I want to give of myself and my time to the service of God. If I can achieve this, then my life would have been worth every breath that I take...
Its been a while since I wrote anything on the markets. 2011 promises to be a great year for stock buys and sells. So far the markets have been riding high. The DOW Jones Industrial Average has raised higher more than 1124 points since August 2010. The TSX Composite has also soared over the last 6 months. Added to this is the fact that employment figures have also been rising. Canada for example has been having record employment levels even with the recession still hovering. This is just one indicators of a country's economic growth, but is considered a major indicator of growth and prosperity.
With the demand for food worldwide, investors should also be focusing on stocks which are fertilized based. Meaning Companies that manufacture and process fertilizers. One stock which I am currently observing is AAA Potash, which is one of the major suppliers of fertilizers. I would recommend a buy to all my friends. This is a penny stock with a huge potential.
Another great buy is CUU, which as you know is one of the stocks in my portfolio, and yes its still a buy. It was been floating around $0.89- $1.09 lately, but offers good buys and sells. Citibank has been on my checklist for a while as well, and has been rising consistently over the last 2 years. Its no longer a penny stock, but the price is still low, around $4.98, with the potential for enormous growth.
In the coming weeks I will look at some other stocks, but for now these are my best picks. As you know, I like to keep my portfolio small, because if you buy/sells too many stocks, you can suffer tremendous loss, especially if you are not monitoring your stocks daily.
My disclaimer: I am not a licensed advisor, and comments above are just based on my opinion and experience in the markets.
I woke up trembling,
my heart throbbing,
wondering if death was calling,
thinking about my life,
replaying the happy times,
times when joy flowed into my soul,
I was alone,
even though I had friends all around,
I was sad,
even though laughter rung out,
I was angry,
even though there was no sorrow,
I lied awake,
thinking,
looking at the sky,
even though the walls closed in,
wondering why life moved so slow,
trying to play God,
ignoring his words,
becoming the very creature I avoided for years....
Dayne-Christopher
"The biggest decision in life is how to tell someone words of sorrow."
DCA
DCA
"The rich man worries about his money while death is at his doorstep."
DCA
The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave. Proverbs 22:7
I was inspired to write this article after I asked for a line of credit from my bank and I was denied. I was denied because years ago I had a credit card from a Department store that went into arrears, resulting in me having a debt.
The verse above describes the state of many of us in this life. We are in some way or the other a lender's slave. When we are in debt we are under the spell of the lender and captive to whatever they decree.
There was one though who was willing to free us of our spiritual debts, and that was Jesus Christ. The bibles says in Colossians 2:13-15, "When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." Jesus Christ was willing to die so that our spiritual debts could be cancelled. What a wonderful sacrifice he made for us. Wouldn't it be nice if our creditors could do the same?
The bible encourages us in Romans 13:8 that we should, "owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." Nowadays it is not so easy to get by without borrowing something from someone. Times are hard, but we have to learn from our experiences. The first step is to pay off our debts and start afresh. I still have some debts to repay and I am working hard to be debt free.
Every Christian is blessed though by the sacrifice of our Saviour Jesus Christ who paid off our spiritual debts on the cross. This world is fading fast, but the spiritual realm is eternal. God has prepared a place for all of us where there is no more debt. We have received an eternal debt relief that we should be thankful for every minute of this life.
"Even when the sunshine hides behind the clouds, God still makes the rays shine."
DCA
"If you are objective with the one's you love, they will love you even more."
DCA
Jamaica a leader in cellphone service versus Canada...
Recently when I visited Jamaica I realized how advanced they were in terms of cellphone service. When I compared the price of cellphone service in Canada with Jamaica I was stunned. In Canada for example you have to pay for incoming and outgoing calls. Years ago in Jamaica there was a Company called Cable & Wireless (now Lime) that had the same policy of charging customers for incoming and outgoing calls. At the time this was considered backwardness, this was quickly eliminated over 10 years ago.
Jamaica has taken cellphone service to another level. A typical Blackberry service in Jamaica will cost you approximately CAN$47/month, which includes unlimited internet, calls to US and Canada free and in some instances free text. In Canada you would have to pay around CAN$80 with limited internet [or what they called restricted bandwidth], no free calls outside of Canada and maybe free text dependent on the provider.
Jamaica had 4G service long before Canada even introduced this high end innovation. The speed in most provinces are well below world standards. When you consider the fact that Blackberry is a brainchild of a Canadian Company [RIM], you have to wonder why Canada is still behind in service.
The fact of the matter is that Canada has adopted the Cable & Wireless of old policy of trying to squeeze the last drop out of its customers. No one is really making a 'big stink' so why change. That was the attitude of Cable & Wireless, which milked the third world countries. In fact, Cable & Wireless UK was bankrupt and if it was not for country's like Jamaica they would be a forgotten memory.
In the end when you compare the cellphone service of Jamaica and Canada you have to shake your head. There is no comparison. If you even look at the type of phones in Jamaica, you don't even see some of the brands in Canada. Jamaica has every brand that is made on the planet. Canada still has brands that are obsolete.
The unfortunate reality is that in Canada you are held by a backward policy which traps you into paying out large phone bills every month and of course a three year contract, to add insult to injury.
It has often been said that Jamaica is third world, but when it comes on to cellphone service, Jamaica is a first world country, possibly in the top 5 on the planet.
I shall not..
When the dark clouds form,
and the storm peeps through the raindrops,
I shall not be moved,
In the darkest alley,
with shadows all around,
I shall not be afraid,
When words disappear,
and only actions remain,
I shall not surrender to pain,
When the devil appears,
and promises the world,
I shall not be tempted by his illusion,
When I fall on my knees,
lifting the name of God on high,
I shall not be worried about what others do,
When my last breath leaves,
and my eyes are to the sky,
I shall not worry,
because God has been with me from the beginning...
Dayne-Christopher
It’s been seventeen years since I learnt a life lesson that has shaped me and made me who I am. It was in the summer of 1994 that I went through one of the toughest times in my life, and arguably the toughest time I have ever been through. Though I have never mentioned it to anyone before in the detail I will share, I feel compelled to talk about it.
The year was 1994 and all was great at the beginning of the year. My cousin/best friend at the time and I would jog 1-2 miles a day around Mona Dam. I was in great shape, hoping to one day become a long distance runner. I had stamina, speed and youth to my advantage. I was focused and contented. I had completed my undergrad years at college and was moving on to higher level studies.
It was in the third month of the year that I discovered a growth in my groin. At that time I was considered hypochondria, because I would get sick by even thinking about it. So after the discovery of this growth I told my loving Mom that I had to see the doctor. I went to my family doctor who confirmed there was a mass in my groin and that I needed to see an Urologist. This is when the fretting started. Two weeks later I was in the office of the Urologist being examined. The prognosis was that I would have to remove the growth and have it tested to see if it was cancerous.
There begun my journey into sorrow. For the next month I had to endure a barrage of test before I could even book a date for surgery. I had to do an IVP, ultrasound, barium meal test, urine and blood tests, blood pressure tests, prostate tests and some other stuff I can’t even remember. In the end I was passed fit and ready for surgery.
It was not only a rough time for me but also for my parents. They had to find hundreds of thousands of dollars for me to have this delicate surgery. My Urologist explained how the surgery would go. First they would have to make an incision in my abdomen and then locate the growth in my groin and have it removed. The incision would be about 3-4 inches and the surgery should last 45 minutes.
The month was June 1994 and I was now set and ready for surgery. Two weeks before surgery my mind shifted from everything and I realized that I had started writing many poems about God and about leaving this life. It was as if my mind had been transformed and I was ready to die.
On the eve of my surgery the usual things were done. I was required to take a bottle of Castor Oil the night before. If you have taken Castor Oil then you know how disgusting it is and it always makes your belly ache. When I arrived at the hospital I was then given an enema. After that you are shaved and prepped for surgery. Then the nurse gives you anesthetic and tells you to count backwards from 20. Darkness is all you can remember after that.
I can recall waking up in recovery room [ICU] gasping for air. The first thing I wanted was a drink of water, my throat was so dry. The doctor then visited me and told me that I had to stay in the hospital for two more days. If you have ever been in a hospital, and trust me I have been in many, then you probably would not want to spend more than a day. I begged my parents to go home, as I was could not sleep in the hospital. Fortunately for me, the doctor said I could go home the next day as all seemed well.
I remember while in the hospital that I only had two visitors besides my family, my cousin and my aunt.
When I arrived home the true challenge begun. Because of the type of surgery I was not able to walk as I used to. I had to use a stick. I could not bathe myself, so my Mom had to do so. I had to be in bed. Fortunately for me, the World Cup was going on that year. Also, my late grandmother was living with us at the time and she would keep my company in the days before my siblings and parents got home. For the two months I was home I never saw any of my friends, not even one of them visited me. It was then I realized that when you are down and out, the true test of friendship is revealed.
It took me two months to be 75% recovered, but the good news was that the growth was not cancerous. I was able to start a new job on September 1, 1994. After two months of working, my Urologist told me I had to do surgery again. When I was shaved I developed a cyst which had to be removed. So I was required to have surgery under local anesthetic. The surgery was a success and the cyst was not cancerous.
The moral of my story though is that through this experience I found God. I was not a Christian, but a seed had been planted, I was now trying to know God. For years I had gone to church, but God was not in me. This experience showed me that my life could be changed in an instant. It also showed me that my true friends are my family. All those people I held dear were never there for me, but my family never turned their back on me through that time. It should also be noted that I suffered depression, and though given medication I never took them. I am stronger now as these lessons have molded who I am. I don’t seek love from others, but I seek love from God first, from whence cometh my strength. Thank you Lord you have been so good to me.
My eyes are weary,
Limbs are weak,
But I cannot sleep,
I have to work or else I shall not eat,
Though years have passed,
I toil along hoping for relief,
I know that God sees my worth,
Even when others have their doubts,
I shall not fail,
I shall not beg,
Because he carries me on,
And when the sorrows grow within,
I fall unto my knees,
One day I know that he will take me home,
To a place where I will mourn no more,
Each day I journey on,
Looking to the heavens,
Though friends and family care for me,
At times I burrow in,
Within my mind where happiness shines,
It’s in that place I rest my fears,
Where no one can cause strain,
I’ve learnt a long time ago,
To tread carefully in this life,
Through years of regret I build my path,
Taking gentle steps each day,
And when my time is over,
I hope that my memories won’t be forgotten,
So I work my body to the last,
To serve my purpose before God,
A man committed to serving others,
A man who lives only for God….
Dayne-Christopher
If you could...
If you could change one thing today,
what would it be?
would you strive for world peace?
would you want money?
would you want a body free of disease?
If you could ask God for anything,
what would it be?
would you pray for happiness?
would you ask him to bring back a loved one?
would you ask him to save someone who is lost?
what would you really do?
If you could change who you are,
who would you become?
would you continue as you are?
or would you care more about others?
would you take the time to hug your enemies?
or would you continue to show hate?
what would you really do?
If your life was required of you tonight,
what would be your next move?
would you surrender to God completely?
falling on your knees in prayer,
asking him to forgive you of your every sin,
or would you want to do something you have never done?
what would you do?
the hour is at hand....
Dayne-Christopher
"When you give up on hope you become a slave to sorrow."
DCA
DCA
Liberated slave,
trapped by mind games,
brain under chains,
oh what a shame,
centuries gone by,
still a slave,
life is the same,
making some waves,
but things never change,
where will it end?
Liberated slave,
fighting the struggle,
raising flags of red,
blood filled eyes,
crying for years,
praying for hope,
creeping along,
bowing to man,
Liberated slave,
Marcus Garvey wrote,
Bob Marley sung,
mentally slaved,
still looking down,
ambition in the drain,
many have died,
many have rose,
still fighting each other,
pretending to change,
when will this end?
Dayne-Christopher
It was nine years ago that my life changed. It was a feeling I can't really comprehend, a moment that I could never predict. The morning of my change seemed just as any other, but suddenly I realized the path I should take. No longer would I conform to the norms of the world. No longer would I be the slave of another.
It was not easy to reach that point. From the time I decided to walk that road towards change, I had to become someone different. I had to give up the things that once seemed pleasurable. I had to give up the beliefs of others and chart a course towards being me.
The day that my heart was pricked to change direction was not easy. There were many questions, many doubts that knocked on my door. At nights I would tremble in bed, wondering how this had happened. I would wake in the morning looking for a sign. During the days I would be distracted by my new path, spending hours reading.
In the evenings my time would be spent in study, trying to learn more, appreciating how much I had missed by years in darkness. It still wasn't easy letting go of the past, denying the things I had been taught or heard about. As the months rolled on I could feel a change, a shift in my thoughts. I was feeling alive, not dead as before.
I reflected at the times when my life did not seem worthy, when dark thoughts would form. When I considered everything, I knew that the life that I had lived was empty and worthless. I spent many times thinking about death, wondering where I would be at that time.
As I woke that faithful day and dragged my clothes on, I realized that I could not waste anymore time. I realized that today I would have to surrender all to God. That was the day that I accepted God in my life. That was the day when I acknowledged Jesus Christ as the Son of God. That was the day that I repented. That was the day that I entered the watery grave, baptized and raised anew. That was truly the day that my life changed. That was my morning of change.
Now everyday that God wakes me I reflect on that day. That day will go down as the best day ever in my life, nothing will ever compare to that day for me. Each day I renew my love for God, I love God without thinking, I love God because no matter what he first loved me.
"If we learn to master compassion, then we learn to love more."
DCA
Smile,
when the phone was hung up,
replaying the conversation in his head,
he was at ease,
knowing that love was growing,
he felt the rush of joy,
encapsulated by its scent,
Smile,
that's all he could do,
when he reflected on the moment,
lost in time,
watching the clock disappear,
Smile,
wondering if she felt the same,
thinking of her voice,
he drifted like a swan on the lake,
racing towards the bank,
he knew safety was there,
Smile,
that's all he can do,
as he lies asleep,
pondering,
praying,
that tomorrow his phone will ring...
Dayne-Christopher
"God's love for us cannot be measured by earthly minds."
DCA
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:11-12
One of my all time favorite songs is "Jesus Paid It All". You see when I consider the sacrifice of my savior Jesus Christ, I am consumed by emotion. A couple years ago I wrote an article about his love for me when he died on the cross, and I feel inspired to write again.
Years ago when I watched the Passion of the Christ, tears formed and I was overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. For so long I took for granted the sacrifice of Christ. The fact is that I never really appreciated what Christ endured on the cross until I saw that movie. Yes I understood that he was tortured and then had to carry his own cross and then be nailed to it. But when use see the whips that were used, and how his skin was literally pulled from his body, you truly understand the magnitude of what Jesus went through. When you consider the size and weight of the cross he had to carry, and then the distance he had to walk, you tremble with pain. And at the cross, when you look at the nail used, their length and shape, and how they had to pierce through his flesh and out the wood, it makes you cringe.
When we consider the sacrifice of Christ, it should cause us to introspect on our own life's. Have we honored the sacrifice that Jesus made for us? Are we worthy of his sacrifice? Are we sacrificing of ourselves for righteousness?
The bible teaches us this in Hebrews 13:15, "through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." We should be continually be praising God for his sacrifice for our sins. Consider what the bible teaches in Ephesians 2:12-16 ",remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity." This passage more than anyone describes the state that we were in before Christ. We were separated from God, without hope. But the blood of Christ shed on the cross rescued us. That is something we should think on daily as we go through this life. The trials on this life can never compare to the sacrifice of Christ. We should stop crying about our problems and go to God in praying understanding that we are in a better position because of him.
Nowadays people have watered down the sacrifice of Christ, and even the celebration of his Lord's Supper has become ritualistic. My belief is that the Lord's Supper should be the central point of worship to God. As Christians we should be teaching more about the sacrifice of Jesus. I am saddened by those who continue to deny Christ. This passage describes their state, "For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things." This is not just applicable to non-Christians but to Christians as well. Christians are also guilty of this charge, for we often have our minds on the world forgetting the sacrifice of God. It is only on a Sunday morning that we remember the sacrifice of God.
With humbleness we should approach God each day on our knees really lifting his name on high in praise of his love for us. Our eyes should be filled with sorrow as we reflect on his death, burial and resurrection. Let us carry our own cross daily in honor of Christ. Now that does not mean a pendant, I am referring to the knowledge and acceptance of his sacrifice. God has been so good to us, he really paid it all for us..
The silence rings out when you sleep,
I'm found replaying your voice,
wondering if you dream of me,
praying that God will be with you,
It's hard when we are apart,
when words can't fill our hearts,
when gentleness can't grip our thoughts,
we crave for each moment,
we dread the silence,
We don't know when our eyes will meet,
but we stare at photos,
we gather our most fond memories,
hoping to replace the images,
The silence without you is frightening,
but I know you have to sleep,
you're tired and weak,
and I care too much to see you weary,
its for your own good,
you'll soon be awake...
Dayne-Christopher
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrew 6:12
In Jamaica there is a saying, 'patient man ride donkey'. That saying sums up in a nutshell what my whole life should be centered around. You see I am not a patient man at times, and then at other times I am too patient.
Throughout the new testament, patience is listed as one of the attributes a Christian should have and I believe that it is significant towards our righteousness. Let's look at some passages.
Let's look at Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," Here we see the fruit of the Spirit includes patience. Patience is added to love, kindness, goodness and faithful and other things. Are we patient in our life's? Or have we decided to submit to what the world teaches us? Do we find that at times that we want God to do things for us instantly?
Even in teaching others we need to have patience. 2 Timothy 4:2, "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction". Before I became a Christian I was studied with for 6 months. Yes you may argue that I could have died in sin before I was baptized, but the patience executed by my teacher made me well grounded in faith. You see I am convinced that Jesus Christ died for my sins and that I am never going to walk the road that I was on before. It takes patience when one is teaching someone. One of my friends who became a Christian took much more time. It took her about 2 years to be convinced that she needed God in her life. But you know what, she is still a Christian, she has her bad days like all of us, but he is convicted and committed to serve Almighty God. Her patience to know the truth has paid off.
We are told in Colossians 3:12 that one of the things we should clothe ourselves in is patience. Consider the filthy clothing that we wore when we were in sin. Now we are called to have patience, love, kindness, humility, gentleness and compassion. Are we working on these things? You see we have many things that we are yet to accomplish. There is much work to do, and we will have to be patient.
God has been so patient with us, we continue to sin in full view. Imagine if God was not patient with us, would we be standing today. However we cannot take this for granted, we have to ensure that we are doing what God expects us to do. It is easy to want to seek our own happiness instead of considering what God wants for our lives. We are told in Roman 15:5 and I quote, "now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus." You see God gives us patience, so he is not only patient with us, but he gives us that gift.
If we had the patience of Job we could move many mountains. Let's start a new journey today, one that is founded on patience..
The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8