Need a remote?  Do you think by having this devise you’re going to control your life?  It might be natural to think so, for if you could settle your mind, you might be able to solve the problems bothering you.  But is that possible?

Personal Control

When thinking about oneself it’s usually a battle with the mind.  You may try to harness your thoughts by using a TV remote. What do you want to think by monitoring what’s good or bad? But, “Use commonsense” you say, “because I’ll have a perfect plan.”  By encouraging good thoughts – those that enlighten the mind, body, and spirit you’ll solve your problems.  These are the good deeds you must feed and nurture.  By starving negative thoughts you’ll discourage unwanted feelings.  What must you therefore do?  Do some breathing exercises, meditate, and pray to have control.  Do these techniques work?  Yes they will, to some extent.  Some negative thoughts you might be able to capture, and banish from your mind, but some emotional ones would linger.

Controlling the Emotions

Psychologists warn us about the consequences of feeding our minds with negative thoughts.  When these come to your mind do something about them.  You should try distracting yourself by going for a walk, or playing music which is sure to change your thinking.  If negative emotions persist don’t dwell on them, but pray, and let them go. Remember to call on the Lord, and quote Scriptures to find relief. Then watch a change come over you.

 Dream Dreams

A dreamer may dream about the future.  It’s estimated that 20 percent of the population are lucid dreamers.  Another 50 percent occasionally remember some of their dreams.  These are figures about dreaming while we are asleep, but remember we’re all dreamers when we’re active.  Dreaming is like when you click on the remote to be transported to an imaginary place.  The only thing is, this action doesn’t actually give you a movie-like experience.

Rewinding Our Life

Like a movie we can’t rewind our life.  Listen to what Frank Matobo of the Africa University, Zimbabwe said, “Time waits for no man.  A second of doubt means you are a second behind.  So make a choice, use it wisely or lose it forever.  There is simply no rewind.”  This is why believers must have faith in what they do.  They must embrace life, believe in good things, and think positively.  Believers must never doubt, but accept what’s holy, true, and just.  These attributes come with perseverance, and by studying the Word of God.  There’s a Facebook community where people are planning to rewind their lives. They could only speculate about those aspects they wish to change, what they haven’t done, and if they could do it over again, what they are willing to do differently.

Fast-forward

Like the rewind feature people could use their minds to recall past events.  They might linger on their experiences, errors, and faulty thinking, but with a fast-forward button they could only dream.  We are limited for we’re unable to fast-forward our minds through problems.  To do so we’d have to know what the future holds.  With a real-life movie you could speed forward because you know all scenes have already been prerecorded.  You’re able to watch the end, or middle, before the beginning.  In life you could only imagine this feature.

 Pause & Mute

Some critics argue that there’s never pause, and mute buttons by which we have control.  From birth the play button propels us on our trajectory.  It’s therefore for us to steer our ship, and do our best to avoid shipwrecks.  Let us reflect on what author Sonya Parker wrote, “Life doesn’t come with a rewind, FAST -FORWARD or PAUSE BUTTON.  Once it starts it PLAYS until it ends or until you press STOP.”

It would be of interest if we could view the pause and mute buttons when we reflect, and pray.  In a hectic schedule it’s often best to withdraw to a quiet place, close our eyes, and give thanks to Almighty God.  Our prayer might well be on pause when we fail to utter words, and when we become one with creation.  It’s suicide if you hit the stop button.  Let your life end naturally.

 

 

 

 

 

Our earth has certain characteristics:

• It arose some 3.5 billion years ago;
• 7.3 billion people, inhabit it;
• 71 percent of its surface is covered with water;
• Its remaining 29 percent is land with mountains, deserts, plains, and plateaus, and over the year because of its axial tilt there is variation of sunlight reaching every part which causes seasonal changes.

John Lubbock (1834–1913), an English banker and philanthropist wrote, “Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can learn from books.”  People learn that the future of the earth is tied to the sun.  Over billions of years 99 percent of all species that ever lived have become extinct on earth.  And today there exist over 200 sovereign states with which America has diplomatic ties and trade.   American journalists travel to these countries – some torn by political strife, and they report about them to worldwide audiences via the ubiquitous media networks.

Gift of Earth

There are concerns how long the planet earth will continue to sustain life.  Estimates range from 500 million to 2.3 billion years, for earth’s future is closely tied to that of the sun.  Evo Morales (b. 1959), president of Bolivia said, “Sooner or later, we will have to recognise that the Earth has rights, too, to live without pollution.  What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans.”  But entrepreneurs continue to obtain large deposits of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gasses from the earth’s crust.  They are concerned about how long these will last – and while doing so nations’ industries, air-crafts, and other motorized apparatuses are polluting the environment.  Scientists make linkages of environmental pollutants with extreme weather – cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, blizzards, floods, tsunamis, droughts, and wildfires.

Jimmy Dean (1928–2010), a TV host and businessman said, “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”  Are citizens able to adjust their sails to the needs of their 7.3 billion inhabitants increasing geometrically each year?  It’s true that wind is a great blessing beginning with our first breath of life, to early civilizations with wind powered sailing ships, and modern air-crafts, windmills as power supply, for dispersing seeds in farming.

Gift of Water

Through evaporation and transpiration there’s precipitation of our lands.  Although this water is a great gift, some one billion people still lack access to safe drinking water.  More than 2.5 billion people suffer from a lack of adequate sanitation.  Margaret Atwood (b. 1939), a Canadian poet, novelist, and environmental activist wrote, “Water does not resist. Water flows.  When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress.  Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you.  But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it.  Water is patient.  Dripping water wears away stone.  Remember that, my child.  Remember you are half water.  It you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it.  Water does.”  Undoubtedly scientists must continue to build dams, and construct wells, to bring pure drinking water to the drought-stricken villages of Africa, Asia, and Latin America that lack this vital resource.  Many indigenous villagers’ survival depends on such efforts.

Gift of Fire

People must be positive when thinking about fire.  It’s a stimulant of life, is used for cooking, generating heat, as lighting sources, and engines of propulsion generators.  It’s also known as being the foundation of ecological system.  Bruce Lee (b. 1940), a Hong Kong American martial artist said, “Love is like a friendship caught on fire.  In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering.  As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love become as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.”  That’s why people must be fired up about God’s great gifts of wind, water, and fire in their lives.  It takes love to kindle these vital elements for the benefits of mankind.

You’re a leader, and by a special God-given authority you’ve to energize your organization.  This means finding ways to deal with assignments that appear as though they don’t have a chance of succeeding.  It’s for you to diagnose these problems.  Your responsibilities must not be seen as a power play, for you’re working for the welfare of the church.  You aren’t carrying out a private agenda but are doing your job for the goodwill of all concerned.  Vince Lombardi (1913–1970), a football player, best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers wrote, “The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.”  Thus, you have to realize like in football, every church member is gifted, and through their gifts there will be success.

 Maximize Potentialities

People ought to be treated as adults.  Listen carefully to them, and hear what they are saying.  All things don’t necessarily work out as planned, but there’s always another point of view.  It’s for you to motivate your workers to be happy about what they’re doing, and urge them to higher and higher levels of performance.  That’s why it’s essential to keep tabs on the heartbeat of the group.  In this way you’ll know more about each parishioner.  By so doing you’ll be best able to promote the church’s growth, and parishioners’ competence. Take things a step at a time and build on each success.

Margaret Mead (1901–1978), a cultural anthropologist observed, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”  Committed leaders move their followers forward as they work at implementing what’s best for their congregations, and the world at large.

Lack of Control

Leaders must be people-oriented.  In the church there’s no room for tyrants, bullies, or autocrats.  With dictators organizations die.  It’s the kiss of death even with benevolent leaders who lead by whim.  Let leaders move away from being ego-centric, but democratic, and work in the interest of their flocks.  Dr. Seuss (1904–1991), a writer and cartoonist warned, “Only you can control your future.”  Spirit-filled leaders always lead in the best interests of their congregations.

Be Inspirational

Leaders’ role is to help people.  To do so effectively they must take ample note of relationships within their churches.  They should lead by example by changing outmoded methods that no longer works.  They ought to stimulate growth by expressing their sincere beliefs in humanity.  Let parishioners be energized by their apostolic zeal. By the Holy Spirit they would move away from the narrowness of self-absorption.  In so doing, they will motivate others for the general good.

Lee Haney (b. 1959), a former professional bodybuilder said, “Exercise to stimulate, not to annihilate.  The world wasn’t formed in a day, and neither were we.  Set small goals and build upon them.”  Haney’s message is encouraging.  Some may look for giant steps to be successful, but it’s always wise to remember good results may often come in small doses.  Your goals as leaders are to build on little achievements until projects are successful.  Remember, “Strive and persevere when the going is rough, because at the end of every dark cloud there may well be a silver lining.”

 

 

 

Whether black, white, Asian, or Hispanic – people are people, so why not make a difference in their lives?  Many speak the same language, but some say they speak different languages. Be it English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Hindi, or Japanese, but does it really matter which language they speak?  There’s definitely one God regardless how they communicate.  To identify with a particular group, politicians will often say a few words in their language, but do they really understand them?  This happens especially during an election year as candidates make pitches for a specific block of voters.  This would be at synagogue by speaking Hebrew, rubbing shoulders with rabbis, and trying to convince Jews they know about their culture.

But regardless who these people are, it’s good for them to know who they really are.  Steve Jobs (1955–2011), a pioneer of the personal computer revolution said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone’s life.  Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.  Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.  And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”  A measure of what people become is what they keep coming back to, just reminding them to take that next step in pursuing their dreams.

Making a Connection

Some people – young and old alike, make decisions to join the Peace Corps.  While others participate in a Fulbright programs to Asian, African, or South American countries.  They live with the natives, teaching them to plant crops, build wells, and construct homes.  They teach English as a foreign language in their schools.  Missionaries are involved in outreach programs to villages, and working alongside different ethnic groups in remote areas.  By so doing they are fulfilling God’s mission in bringing the teaching of the Bible to the ends of the earth.

Interestingly Maya Angelou (1928–2014), an author, and poet wrote, “The thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.  Somebody who may not look like you.  May not call God the same name you call God – if they call God at all.  I may not dance your dances or speak your language.  But be a blessing to somebody.  That’s what I think.”  Angelou explained in her own way the missionary service believers are taught in serving their Creator.

Non-Verbal Communication

To start understanding people call for more than being able to master the spoken word.  It comes through the Holy Spirit who works in diverse ways.  People also use body language to communicate.  Missionaries can see these in the natives seeking their help.  With good interpersonal skills barriers are broken down.  But people all have one spirit in common.  It doesn’t matter if a person is a Westerner dressed in fashionable clothes, or a beggar in rags.  It’s the Holy Spirit who penetrates our communication barriers.

Barbara Bush (1925–2018), a former first lady of the United States said, “Cherish your human connections – your relationships with friends and family.”  With God each human is a friend and a family member.  It doesn’t matter if they live in a small Guyanese town like Ituni, or a faraway place like Timbuktu.  In building up God’s Kingdom volunteers would know like Albert Einstein (1879–1955), a German-born theoretical physicist “the only source of knowledge is experience.”  Missionaries bring their experiences to the building blocks of life, and knowledge, to make the world a better place to live, paving the way for mankind’s eternal future.