Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
THE AD
So you are watching your TV, it JPS time and the ad starts. In bold letters, it can seen these words “DID YOU PAID PAID YOUR LIGHT BILL?” Soon after the lights start to flicker, associated with a distorted connection sound to give the the best effect as possible. Following that the screen goes blank. However the ad does not end (Randell made sure he pointed this out as many times as possible). The screen stays blank for a while then its back to normal television again.
Seeing this everyday on television can make such an ad a routine one. Soon after the ad losses its potency and a new one will have to be made to relay the same message. Let me however steer your mind to what he was saying, one that is of a spiritual context.
BREAKING IT DOWN
STAGE 1: CONSTANT CONNECTION
Bold lights with with a steady connection. This is a symbol of ones connection strength with the Almighty God. This strength as most may know, is acquired with earnest prayer and a dedicated life to God. So how do you know your connection strength? The preacher did not leave us in the dark (pun intended) on this. Matt 7:20 helps. It is a simple text with a profound meaning. We are rational humans (well most of the times), we know what good fruits are and what bad ones are. The good connection however must NEVER be said to be their own.
STAGE 2: RESISTANCE PRESENT
For those who know the game of IN THE RIVER ON THE BANK, you would know that you can’t be in the river or on the bank at the same time. The flickering lights signify a connection that is on a demising path. Think about it. When a room light starts to flicker, what is the first thing that comes to mind? It has to be a solution to fix it. It’s the same with our spiritual light. There is a problem however if left unattended. That is the first step to ignoring the Spirit. This neglect is seen by family, friends and others.
What will happen? Matt 7:17 states clearly what is the result of this neglect to heed the spirit. Since it is a process we will bare both fruits (good and bad) and people will start to wonder, until eventually all the fruits follow the vines nutrients of bad. This stage is reached through indulging in sin, exposing one’s self to anything that forms a resistance to God’s connection (pun intended again). At this time the conscience is in overdrive, the Holy Spirit tries His very best to get us back on track. But He helps those that help themselves. Left unfixed, one enters STAGE THREE.
STAGE 3: BLACKOUT
Matt 7:18 and 1John 1:6 helps us understand this stage. The presenter often says, “There is a difference in sinning and living a life of sin”. Confused? don't be. He is essentially stating that no one is perfect, but we strive for such a state. On our journey however, we may err but go straight to Jesus as we realize our wrong. We get up and start the race again, taking 1 John 1:9 as promise to heart.
Living a life of sin however is a different story. People reach here based on many factors. So engulfed would the person be by sin, that it becomes a way of life. His/Her ability to hear the Spirit is little to none, leaving them in a blackout.
This stage is the final one. It is a sign that connection is GONE, all gone. One’s fruits will be a sign to the others. Remember your fruits involve your deeds (dress, talk, walk, entertainment choices ect.)
GONE FOREVER?
About the connection being gone. There is hope. It is no man’s obligation to determine and condemn another’s life (even if the fruits seen are bad). Again the presenter left us with hope, letting us know that God can reverse this process. From Blackout to Flicker to Constant connection.
It is a message of self inspection. A time of meditation, a time to evaluate one connection, a time to see if we are influencing another’s life for good or bad, a time to see if our life’s are sustained by the Sovereign God or if we are just another pawn on the Devil’s chess board.
So, DID YOU PAY YOUR LIGHT BILL?
Friday, December 11, 2009
One day Fly was curious, curious. He noticed to the top of the roof there seemed to be a group of flies. Oh he wished he could join this HAPPY group. Why would he want to join? From his view he saw that they seemed to be having a good time. His friends were up there, and he had not seen them since they left. He believed that the place must be so much fun that they did not want to return.
For days he watched as the party got bigger and bigger. Flies were flogging from far and near. The party seemed to swing from left and right. He though, “That must be real fun, for so many to flock to one place and do not want to even leave”. He thought about it, and he made his decision, he was going to join in the fun. He could not afford to be left out.
On his way to the party, he met up on Mr. Spider.
Mr. Spider: “Where are you going fly?”
Fly: “I am going to the party”
Mr. Spider: “What party?”
Fly: “The one hanging from the roof, how can you miss that”
Mr. Spider: (Laughing) “Oohhh, that party”
Fly: “Yes”
Mr. Spider: “Well, I would not really want to go to that party at all”
Fly: “Why is that?”
Mr. Spider: “Well…”
Fly: “Hold on, you are just boring”
Mr. Spider: “Calm down and listen carefully”
Fly listens as best he can
Mr. Spider: “You hear that?”
Fly: “No”
Spider draws Fly closer to the “party”
Mr Spider: “Listen again”
Spider, come you wasting my time
Fly speeds off in anger and adrenalin. He heeds not the warning and heads to joins the party.
Upon reaching he landed in a group of strangers. He saw his friends over the other side. He decided he would go look give them a chat. So he flapped his wings to leave, but he could not leave. He was stuck, stuck to a a fly trap.
Spider told him to listen. But he did realize that he was telling him to listen to silence, a silence that indeed tells that is was not really what it looked like. There was no music. Many a times, we see the world from a far and see people having fun. They are for now, but one day they are going to want to leave the world of SIN and they are going to realize that it is going to be really hard to leave. The Lord forbid, that they are so caught up that God comes, and they would really be stuck. DO NOT LET THIS BE YOU.
As Christians we are suppose to be different from the world. She recalled (from her reading), that where ever you see a Buddhist Temple, Hindu Temple, Jewish Sanctuary or Catholic Church, it can be noted that their form of worship has has not evolved and it is the same all around the world. In essence,is not influenced by the world. People HAVE TO CONFORM to their form of worship, it is what makes them what they are. If these places of worship are placed in a secular area, it is more likely that they (the church) will influence. They make it a GREAT point of duty to pass down their ethics, such as to sustain their identity.
On the contrary, if a Christian church is placed in certain areas, most often our not the surrounding culture (minor or major) will influence so much that the style of worship is changed. Therefore a certain denomination in Africa will worship a certain way, but the same denomination in Ireland worships a different way. If one member on each country were to visit another, it would seem ALMOST like a total different worship experience in worship practices. Each would be saying, “In my country we don't do this or that.” Hence there is confusion among and sometimes conflict. Also, the un-looking world starts to scratch their heads as well, “Where is the unity” they say. Music is one known fact that has drastically been changing over the years. As the years roll on, more and more tinges and pinches of the world’s IDEA/CONCEPT of worship creep in. So I ask this question specifically about drums; Do You Think The Trap Set In Church Is Conforming To The World?
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