Doors, narrow and the wide path

This morning I stumbled upon the following post from a website called Bored Panda -  I visit this site many a times, well, when I am bored :-) It has a number of interesting articles, but mostly it has the most beautiful pictures. The post that I read was about a town in Northern Morocco called Chefchaouen, which is painted blue. I don't know if it was the blue walls (as blue is one of my favourite colours) or the mysterious doors that cough my attention, but here some of those photos:

 

The one thing that strike me about this photo is that your attention is dragged from the right hand corner, all the way down toward the door. Isn't this how our Christian life should be, focused on God, and Him alone? There should be nothing that distracts us along the way. There isn't anywhere else to go in this passage, only toward the door. Revelation 3:20 says: Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me." We should keep our attention focused only on His voice.

One of the pictures on this website shows the door at the end of the passage, with other doors along the sides. Sometimes it is so easy to take another door along the way, things that distracts us from Him. Matthew 7:13 - 14 says "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it"  Some of these doors may look attractive, but they often lead to destruction. The enemy will do anything in his power to throw us off the narrow path and destroy the route that God has planned for you. As Psalm 139 says, He knitted you together in your mothers womb, He knew you before you were born. Verse 16 says "You (GOD) saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed"


I was watching a movie called Faith Happens this morning. The people portrayed in this film were all members of the same church. It was based on everyones' individual life stories and at the end all came together as one story. What stood out most, was how people put up a brave face in front of other people, especially in church. We never really know what is going on in people's personal lives. They might tell you that they are doing well, but underneath their smiles they hide a different story. Among these people portrayed in this film, was a pastors son who was addicted to drugs. He left home and followed a destructive path of drugs and crime. His parents was not aware where he was or what he was doing with his life. Meanwhile at home, his mother was dying of cancer and he did not even know about this. Throughout his story God was always with him. He was a artist and the reason he did drugs was to get inspiration for his artwork. When the drugs couldn't "inspire" him anymore, he decided to end his life by jumping off a bridge. Little did he know, that there was a man on a boat right beneath him, fishing.

As this young man fell into the water, the man quickly pulled him out. The man then said to him, "someone is looking out for you son" Which is true, God is looking out for us, He knows what is best for us. God is not a angry man sitting in heaven waiting for us to do something wrong, just to punish us. I think this is a huge misconception among people today. He loves us abundantly and unconditionally. He only wants the best for us, and He keeps to His promises. The young man then realised the road that he was on is wide, not narrow, and like the Prodigal Son he returned home, with his father waiting with open arm to welcome him home. Which reminds us, we sometimes stroll off the narrow path, but He is always waiting to welcome us back onto the narrow path. What was sad however, was when the man returned home, his mother had already died, and he did not have the opportunity to spend the final days that she had left, with her. In this way, by taking the wide path, he missed out on this and he will never have that chance again. If he stayed on the narrow path, he could have had the chance to spend these days with her. God knew what was best for him, and, like to us, He only wants the best for His children

In closing, like the old hymn goes, turn your eyes upon Jesus, I would say, keep them on Him, also, keep on the narrow path, and don't ignore when He knocks on your door. The picture below shows all kinds of doors, different colours and interesting patterns, but we must always remember that there only one Door that we should keep our eyes fixed on

You are welcome to view this post on the Bored Panda website:

http://www.boredpanda.com/morocco-blue-walls-town-chefchaouen/

 

of stars and dreams (continued)

Last week I asked a fellow believer what he thought about the dream that I had about the stars falling from the sky. This how he interpreted  it:

 "I had a dream similar to what you're sharing on Monday. Mine was a huge mass of rock (meteorite) its more than the size of a two football fields put together. It fell on the earth close to where I was standing. But what I'm sensing, its like a sign of the coming of the Lord. Jesus is described as the bright and the morning star. Three (3) is symbolic of trinity - The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. They're are one! During this time there will be panic and fear for the unsaved! The soldiers probably would represents the new body of government that would come on the earth just to control them. You don't intend to stay with such that's why you are running away and you're thinking of the next world (heaven) together with your love ones. The man helping you is an angel of the Lord, he is guiding you into the right path so that won't be under their influence. That's, what I receive?"

Acts 2:17 says

"In the last days,’ God says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams"

 

 

of Light

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seasons

With it now being full on winter here in Cape Town, it reminded me of the following verses

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT)

 

For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
² A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
³ A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
⁴ A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
⁵ A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
⁶ A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
⁷ A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
⁸ A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace



The power of Forgiveness

The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest… the first to forget is the happiest

Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT states the following:
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” 

Why is it so hard for us to forgive someone who has hurt or betrayed us? Why do you need to forgive others when they have wronged us? Why do we need to ask for forgiveness when we have wronged others?
About a month ago I read the awful story of Elliot Rodger from the USA, who stabbed his 2 roommates and another student to death, before fatally shooting 2 girls and one other male student. Before this, he had penned a 141-page manifesto, and also posted a video online saying he would annihilate all women. His hatred for women had gone to such extremes that it went over to this action. He did all these things, because a female childhood friend teased and bullied him. This affected him deeply, as this was the first female he ever had feelings for. Because of this, he developed a strong hatred for all women. In a recent interview however, this female childhood friend could not even remember him. This is very sad and ironic…

This could also be applicable to us. Sometimes we have unforgiving tendencies towards others, but they or the other person, are unaware that you feel this way. Forgiveness creates freedom, in other words, it sets you and the other person free. If you forgive someone, you are able to move forward. Not forgiving someone also steals your happiness.  Forgiving someone is a big step to take. I think in many instances people are too prideful to forgive or to ask for forgiveness. If you are full of pride, God cannot use you. C.S Lewis wrote the following : “Pride is spiritual cancer; it eats up the every possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense” He forgives our sins, and I think He expects us to also forgive others.

The following videos are really touching, it is very good examples of forgiveness:

"Youth Pastor Does the Impossible After His Wife and Unborn Son Die in Car Accident - This Will Amaze You"

http://www.christianpost.com/buzzvine/youth-pastor-does-the-impossible-after-his-wife-and-unborn-son-die-in-car-accident-this-will-amaze-you-video-113121//

C.S Lewis also said the following: “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

Your decision to forgive someone, might just be a testimony for others and will inspire them to forgive someone else