Keep On Keeping On
As I stare at my blank screen, wondering what to write after so many years... so many things, people, thoughts, memories, events, pictures crossed my mind. Just like every other story, there's always a "In the beginning" or "Once upon a time"... Hence, I'll begin with this thought at the beginning of 2017.
Jot down ALL that God has spoken to you throughout the day... be it a thought, song lyrics, a conversation with a friend, an ad, bible reading, or a picture... Keep your mind on Christ throughout your day. (Taken from a sharing by Pastor Bill Johnson)
So that became my aim. And it has been. Since I do not write as much as I used to, nor kept up with journaling...
I've resolved to doing just this:
Simple.Short.Notes.Thoughts.Pictures.Songs.Words.MainPoints.Highlights.ShortPrayers.
This has helped me keep track of my thoughts; as to what I've been feeding my brain and emotions with. When a thought of a friend I haven't seen for some time comes to mind, I'd contact my friend within a day or two. When I feel like my thoughts are everywhere, I tend to space-out and hide in my invisible cave or some sort of an island. Thus, it is important for me to keep writing, keep singing, keep smiling, keep it real, keep thinking, keep living and breathing, till "...I stroll at leisure with God in the sunlit fields of life." (MSG Ps.56:12-13)
POMEGRANATE - was the word that came to mind at the beginning of this year. Here's what I've gathered with a little search:
I am reminded that I am chosen, to be holy and righteous, to be salt and light to the world. Interesting enough, not only does salt function as a preservative or a flavouring agent, it can also kill. Have you tried dropping some salt on a slug? Well, I have. Salt basically kills a slug. In Judges 9:45 "So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt." Wait a minute... sowed it with salt? But why? Apparently, salt was used to signify total irrecoverable destruction. Salt soil is also bad for vegetation which eventually leads to barrenness. Some commentaries commented that it was to show Abimelech's detestation of the city, to express that the city should not be inhabited again and to deter other cities from rebelling against him. Despite Abimelech's act of destroying a city, it also symbolises God's judgement upon the city for making Abimelech King plus they acknowledged his act of tyranny by killing his 70 brothers.
With this, I am not encouraging anyone to kill slugs, destroy a plot of land with salt or throw salt on evil spirits if you encounter one... but rather a reminder that we ARE salt and light to the world. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against ruler, spiritual hosts in the heavenly places (Eph.6:12). We can apply the name and the blood of Jesus. The realities of life are real. Troubles may come our way, but we are to face it and not run away from it. Jesus faced it squarely and He wants us to do the same.
That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus! Rom.15:3-6
And till I blog again dear reader, keep on keepin' on! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! Rom.15:13
Jot down ALL that God has spoken to you throughout the day... be it a thought, song lyrics, a conversation with a friend, an ad, bible reading, or a picture... Keep your mind on Christ throughout your day. (Taken from a sharing by Pastor Bill Johnson)
So that became my aim. And it has been. Since I do not write as much as I used to, nor kept up with journaling...
I've resolved to doing just this:
Simple.Short.Notes.Thoughts.Pictures.Songs.Words.MainPoints.Highlights.ShortPrayers.
This has helped me keep track of my thoughts; as to what I've been feeding my brain and emotions with. When a thought of a friend I haven't seen for some time comes to mind, I'd contact my friend within a day or two. When I feel like my thoughts are everywhere, I tend to space-out and hide in my invisible cave or some sort of an island. Thus, it is important for me to keep writing, keep singing, keep smiling, keep it real, keep thinking, keep living and breathing, till "...I stroll at leisure with God in the sunlit fields of life." (MSG Ps.56:12-13)
POMEGRANATE - was the word that came to mind at the beginning of this year. Here's what I've gathered with a little search:
- some believed it to be the fruit in the garden of Eden
- the fruit is 'holy'
- can be found on the hem of High Priest's garment
- there are a lot of seeds but lesser 'flesh' in the fruit. Our lives are liken to the fruit; to be seeds (salt & light to the world) and to share or plant seeds in the lives of others. Most importantly, giving more of one's self (by sowing seeds) and having less of one's self (flesh).
- the fruit has a grown on it head. Signifies righteousness.
- To sum it up, 1 Pet.2:9 comes to mind: "For you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who brought you out of darkness, into His marvellous light."
I am reminded that I am chosen, to be holy and righteous, to be salt and light to the world. Interesting enough, not only does salt function as a preservative or a flavouring agent, it can also kill. Have you tried dropping some salt on a slug? Well, I have. Salt basically kills a slug. In Judges 9:45 "So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt." Wait a minute... sowed it with salt? But why? Apparently, salt was used to signify total irrecoverable destruction. Salt soil is also bad for vegetation which eventually leads to barrenness. Some commentaries commented that it was to show Abimelech's detestation of the city, to express that the city should not be inhabited again and to deter other cities from rebelling against him. Despite Abimelech's act of destroying a city, it also symbolises God's judgement upon the city for making Abimelech King plus they acknowledged his act of tyranny by killing his 70 brothers.
With this, I am not encouraging anyone to kill slugs, destroy a plot of land with salt or throw salt on evil spirits if you encounter one... but rather a reminder that we ARE salt and light to the world. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against ruler, spiritual hosts in the heavenly places (Eph.6:12). We can apply the name and the blood of Jesus. The realities of life are real. Troubles may come our way, but we are to face it and not run away from it. Jesus faced it squarely and He wants us to do the same.
That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus! Rom.15:3-6
And till I blog again dear reader, keep on keepin' on! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! Rom.15:13
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