Become an iron man

Jeremiah 18:6 "...Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand...."
Two days ago i was watching the movie Iron Man and there is a scene in which the character Tony Stark is in his laboratory designing and perfecting the iron man. He takes certain parts of the suits and places them in the bin then he goes to rearrange the whole suit all by the use of one finger. At that moment it dawned on how as humans we are like this iron man and God is the genius behind its creation. As the cretor of the iron man, Tony Stark knew exactly which parts to take out because they no longer had any use. In the same way, God removes certain things, friendships, relationships, jobs...etc from our lives that are no longer functioning, things that if we hold onto will in turn destroy is because they will just be a weight we are carrying on our shoulders, excess baggage we are carrying around. The second thing Tony Stark did was rearrange the iron man. In the same way after God has removed those things from our lives, He rearranges everything in such a way that we are able to function without those things. So don't ever cry over things that God has removed or is removing from your life because its time in your life has come to an end. The other thing that stood out to me in this scene is how Tony Stark simply used his finger to do everything which illustrated how because as the cretor of the iron man, he knew its purpose and what was best for it. In the same way, God as our cretor knows our purpose and what is best for us, that is He does what what is best for us by building and molding us into iron men. This is evident in what James 1:2-4 states "Consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete lacking anything." When the Lord is done removing and rearranging things in our lives through trials and tribulations, the end result is that we become iron men that is we have perseverance to undergo anything that comes our way.

The power of association-the story of Joseph

Think big, dream big, talk big. Joseph's brothers hated on his dreams because they could not understand his language. Haters are simply people who do not speak the same language as you reason why they will try to bring you down, therefore surround yourself with people who understand and speak your language. In other words surround yourself with dreamers because they will help you get to your next level of promotion. When you read in Genesis 40, Joseph did just this, that is he surrounded himself with dreamers. When the baker and the cup bearer had dreamed, they went to Joseph for the interpretation of their dreams. This indicates that Joseph must have shared some of his dreams with them because why else would they have shared their dreams with him. In others words, when the baker and the cupbearer had dreams, they turned to a fellow dreamer, someone who they knew spoke and understood their language, someone who they knew had the capacity to understand their dreams; and through the interpretation of these dreams brought about the next level of promotion for the the cup bearer. Surrounding yourself wth other dreamers enables you to get to your next level of promotion.

Reason, season or a lifetime

i got this little extract in an email years ago and i loved how appropriate it was to me back then and how appropriate it still is.

"Pay attention to what you read. People come into your life for a reason,a season or a lifetime. When i figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need that you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What you must realise is that, your need has been met, your desire has been fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Then people come into your life for a SEASON. Because your turn has come to share, grow and learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach me lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life."

After having read that, my question then becomes is there even any point in investing in friendships that are for a reason or even in the seasonal ones? i mean if those people are only going to be there for a season then once that season is over they are gone, what then is the point of the friendship? All you are left with is the memories of the good times you shared and you longing that you could still share some more memories with the. Rather isn't it just better to invest all your time and energy in lifetime friendships, friends that you know will always be there for you no matter what, unlike those that are present for a reason or during a season. That way you're guaranteed that the good times will always be there and in fact you're getting reward for the investment you are making in the friendships rather than in investing in something that's seasonal.

Destiny

Destiny as defined by the collins dictionary is the predetermined course of events. Everything that takes place has already been pre-orodered by God. God has clearly made this known to us in His word in Jeremiah29:11 when He says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV). It does not matter where you find yourself in life, what you've been through or what you've done, you have a destiny. God has already set in motion the events that will take place in your life so nothing ever happens by chance or luck, it's destiny. You did not merely just come into this world to increase the population but instead you came into this world to fulfill a specific calling and purpose set for your life by God. Never allow anyone to rob you of your destiny, you have been set apart for a divine purpose and assignment so live your life each day with this in mind that you're unique, relevant and valuable and that you have a destiny.

Time for everything

Ecclesiastes 3
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven
a time to be born and a time to die
a time to plant and a time to uproot
a time to kill and a time to heal
a time to tear down and a time to build
a time to weep and a time to laugh
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them
a time to embrace and a time to refrain
a time to search and a time to give up
a time to keep and a time to throw away
a time to tear and a time to mend
a time to be silent and a time to speak
a time to love and a time to hate
a time for war and a time for peace.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

A few months ago i was reminded of the above scripture, that there is a time for everything. i particularly love verse 11 that states that God has made everything beautiful in its time. It doesn't say He will make or He shall make or He could make, but it states He has made everything beautiful meaning it is already done. The moment you began praying and believing God for your miracle, for your breakthrough, it is already done. You see one day unto the Lord is like a thousand years so when it seems like nothing is happening, something is actually happening, because as you live each day you're getting closer to that day where He made everything beautiful. So now discerning what time it is becomes very important because you could be reaping yet God is saying it is a season of sowing. Hosea2:4 points out that "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Knowing what season you're in is critical because the enemy will deceive you and blind you and cause you to miss your real season, the real season in which God wants you to be in by lying to you that you're actually in another season. If you want to know what season you're in just ask Him, Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Once you know what season you're in, doing the correct thing becomes the next step. James 2:26 states “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.Look at the woman with the issue of blood, not only did she understand that her season of healing had arrived, but she knew she had to exercise her faith. You could be in a season of planting where God wants you to plant something and you say God i have nothing to plant, that's when faith comes into play. When God told Abraham that this time next year, your wife Sarah will have a son, Abraham at that moment stepped into a birthing season. God then go further to state is there anything too hard for the Lord. You see everyday Abraham must have wondered is today the day Sarah my wife conceives a child and the next day, and the day after wondered the same thing but until that day had come, until that beautiful day had come, he had to exercise his faith so know your season and exercise faith in that season so that you don't miss what God is downloading to you.

Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Not long ago, i was reading and meditating on the verse in Galatians that talks about the fruit of the Spirit. I've come to realise that so much emphasis has been placed on things like speaking in tongues, don't get me wrong there's absolutely nothing wrong with speaking in tongues but i believe there's a major component that has been neglected and that's the fruit of the Spirit

I have read the above verses so many times in my walk with God but never quite understood what they meant, it's not until i stopped reading between the lines and begun hearing what God was saying, is the moment i understood what Paul was saying. For starters what i now understand is that it is the fruit of the Spirit not the fruits of the Spirit. What this means is that the all nine fruits are connected to each other, that is love is connected to self-control, gentleness is connected to peace, joy is connected to kindness....etc They are all components of the Holy Spirit so i cannot claim to love when i do not have self-control because they all work together. That revelation that it's the "fruit" not the "fruits" of the Spirit just opened my eyes to see a whole new world that i had never seen before because i've also placed emphasis on other things concerning the Spirit of God and neglected its fruits. So the evidence of the Spirit is my life is the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

It's in the valleys we grow

Sometimes life seems hard to bear
It's then i have to remember
That it's in the valleys i grow.

If i always stayed on the mountain tops
And never experienced pain
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow
Sometimes i need the mountain tops
But it's in the valleys i grow.

I don't always understand
Why things happen as they do
i am very sure of one thing
My Lord will see me through.

My lilttle valleys are nothing
When i picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death
His victory was the devil's loss.

Forgive me Lord for complaining
When im felling very low
Just give me a reminder
That it's in the valleys i grow.

Continue to strengthen me Lord
And use my life each other
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank You for the valleys Lord
For this one thing i know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it's in the valleys i grow.

In life, challenges will always arise but it is in those seasons of trials that we grow the most. When you're in your valley always rejoice as James 1:2-4 instructs" Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." When you rejoice during your pain, it takes the focus off the situation and magnifies God because nothing that you face can never be bigger than God.