Balance

I decided today, to take some time out and just share some things on my heart, as I reflected on the recent news of two major tv evangelist encountering moral and marriage failure. I took time out to think, being the intravert that I am, as I wanted to learn from another man's experience. Many of us may be involved in ministry and we make extensive commitments to doing alot of ministry activities that are imperative to our spiritual growth. But sometimes we do these things at the expense of some of the most valuable and precious assets we possess. FAMILY......yip Family is the first constitution God established. I want to boldly say that our families should always take first place, even before ministry. The bible shows the principle of not attempting to take care of God's house if your own house isn't taken cared of. Sadly though, many of us have very unstable and unfulfilled family life experiences and so we hide and bury ourselves in ministry activities, that seems to be an antidote for the problem. I thank God for my family and His wonderful blessings bestowed on us.
We expend our efforts to preach, dance, act, play, sing and suddenly we make one slip in our walk and the same people that were our biggest supporters turn their backs and look for the next minister to follow and idolize. And who do we have now?..... Our families. Be encouraged this week to intentionally invest into your family life. Bless up and stay tuned.

True Friends

I reflected weeks ago as I was in worship singing Israel's song "I am a friend of God" and I questioned myself. I said "self, are you a friend of God? This provoked my thoughts to think about who God considers His friends and what could I learn in relation to my friends?
Forgive me but I must build my exhortation on the word of God.

1. YOUR TRUE FRIENDS BELIEVE IN YOU.
Firstly in James 2:23 The word of God says Abraham believed in God and this was accounted unto him as righteousness, and he was called God's friend.

2.TRUE FRIENDS SPEAK FACE TO FACE
Secondly in Exodous 33:11 it says "and the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" True friends are transparent and can speak face to face, revealing their eyes in conversation. Your true friend is the one you trust with your mess up stories and you don't worry about their commitment having heard what you did. uhmmm you all know what I mean. It doesn't mean you don't get rebuked but they're safe to let down your guard and be vulnerable.


3. FRIENDS LOVE AT ALL TIMES
4. FRIENDS FORGIVE OFFENSES IN THE NAME OF LOVE

"Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother, for adversity.
This clearly shows that a friend has unconditional love that can stand through all seasons. In good time and in bad. But lets be real, what about when we get offended, do we still love God? What about when trust is broken and we feel rejected and deserted, are we still suppose to love. I had to think about this and this has to go along with the supporting scripture that 1. If a brother offends you 7 times forgive even 70 times 7, we must forgive, even as we have received forgiveness for our many failures. Prov 27:6 says Faithful are the wounds of a friend but Prov 17:9 says He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends. So good friendships are tested with offenses and wounds but are strengthened through forgiveness and unfailing love.

" A friendship is not a friendship unless it is tested"

5. TRUE FRIENDS BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend . The next principle concerning friendship is that true friends bring out the best in you and challenges you to grow and become sharper for purpose. They don't allow you to continue doing something that is offensive, sinful or detrimental because they are afraid to offend you. No they rebuke and set you straight so that you could align yourself for greatness.

6.TRUE FRIENDSHIP CALLS FOR TIMES OF GREAT SACRIFICE.
Jesus chose to give an analogy of the greatness of His love by showing His sacrifice through death for the salvation of His friends.
John 15:13
No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.

7. TRUE FRIENDSHIP SUBTENDS ON A HIGH DEGREE OF LOYALTY
John 15:14
You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do.
Jesus is showing here that His true friends are those who practice obedience to His words. The principle underlying is "there must be loyalty for friendship to exist. A famous quote states that 'A dog is a man's best friend' This was derived solely on the fact that a good dog had the dominant characteristic of loyalty to their owner. Its not that they do everything you say but that they are loyal to you. In the case with Jesus He was saying that your loyalty to me is practically demonstrated by your obedience to my words.

I pray that some how this helps, because I see that as the moral fabric of our society is stripped away, we tend to drift from what is pure and true, and true friendship has been defined by the world and not the word. "No man is an island unto himself" ,"Two is better than one, woe to him who falls and has no one to pick him up". Many are falling by the wayside in the faith for the lack of good friends and we must stop the bleeding now by returning to doing things God's way and stop compromising the power of the word with our practising of worldly wisdom. Be blessed and be faithful. Lastly Pray NOW, Pray Now, its a season of sifting, but let us pray that our faith faileth not and we stand the test of this season.

One of my songs in the making

Hey guys, just wanted to share some music in the making from a future first album of mine. Hope you like it. This song was written for Sean Luke. Its a rough draft, music and production by Isaac Blackman. (http://www.myspace.com/isaacblackmanmusic)
Sean Luke's Story: http://guardian.co.tt/news/crime/2008/12/13/memory-sean-luke

Maintaining a positive attitude

Today in my reflections, I thought about the many obstacles and hindrances that come our way, attempting to move us from a positive mindset to thinking negative thoughts that are unproductive to our progress. I'll tell you the number one opposition to your positive attitude. ARE YOU READY FOR THIS ???? "PEOPLE". Yup, I know you agree that yeah we all hate bad situations but its when we encounter rude, disrespectful, unkind, unprincipled, obnoxious, negative, deceitful and dishonest people, we struggle the most to keep a positive attitude. I am sure I left out many other adjectives that could have fit in my curtailed description but I am sure you get the drift. How do we maintain or dodge the negative influences of their behavior and protect what we have worked so hard to develop. Here is what I think even intensifies the blow. Its when the people are within our inner circles like family, friends, parents, siblings, co-workers or team members. When you are blind sided from an unexpected source of negativity. What do we do and how do we respond rather than react without thinking?
Ok, here is a bit of advice amongst the many other wise thoughts that may be offered.

1. Sometimes we think that we need to react by telling someone off or teaching them a lesson, when they have wronged us. The truth is that sometimes its more profitable to put your energy into protecting your peace than in causing another's unrest. Its not worth our time or energy. Character here is proven in what you refuse to say rather than what you actually do say. Don't get this confused with being weak and non-confrontational because every situation is different. Regardless of the situation, in the end you have the power to control your behavior not theirs, so do yourself a favor and do what's best for you.

2. I like the Apostle Paul in Phil 3:13 , he uses this life principle. "Forgetting those things that lie behind and pressing forward towards things that are before". I like that... We sometimes just need to put some things behind us and press forward to the future where the best opportunities are yet to come. You see many of us, if caught without something to press forward to would have no urgent reason to leave issues behind. Some things are just not worth your time, stressing yourself out with people who refuse to change. Know when its time to say, "I got to press on, my future needs me!"

3. Paul gives another powerful life principle when in chapter four of Philippians verses 11-13, He shows that in life we must show contentment in what ever situation we face because we have the strength to do it through Christ's strength that worketh in us. This really shows our maturity in life when we can smile in the face of an insult or give when we're being stolen from. This isn't good just in theory but its practical and it works. Let them talk and wish you bad, whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. You just don't allow them to make you sow seeds you don't want to harvest. Keep your fields with good seed no thorns.

A positive attitude is more than a good feeling, it is a positive conviction that subtends on an unmovable truth. Stay positive, and take the high road.

What is TEAR all about???

I have always wanted to have a medium, to share inspiration with others, outside of the typical formal setting where I love to share as well. My whole purpose is to get down to the truth of certain life issues and shed light on them, hoping to help others in their journey of life. The idea behind TEAR is that Truth has the ability to expose because it is like light, it dispels darkness, removing all doubt and ignorance. Once there is exposition, now truth must come in the form of revelation which heals or brings resolution to that which has been exposed. I believe that "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free". Lets learn from each other as we remain students of life.