THE PERFECT MOMENT prt 1

Have you ever found yourself putting things off and waiting for that perfect moment?

To afraid to start something because you might mess it up or putting off buying something you need because the conditions are not right or the elasticity of your budget stretch is sensitive with the stretch of having to buy things of necessity rather than meeting a once off blessing that you truly deserve.

Well, you are not alone in that because we all go through some kind of mental shifting to come up with the perfect excuse of why we should have it and then last minute changes our minds leaving us back at the starting point.

The weather outside is overcast with a constant drizzle that leaves you wishing a warm bath, a good meal and a curl up on the lounge chair with a good movie.

Its been raining since yesterday and I have been praying every time I look out my window that God would allow it to rain longer and harder to fill up our dams. We are currently facing a water shortage in KZN and the local newspaper just announced water cut due for next week.

 

I don’t think that any of us are looking forward to it.  The rain does more for me than that concerned thought I just typed into these pages. It’s the fact that I have always loved the rain. It’s fresh and leaves a distinct smell of nature that is caressing to my senses.

Outside the place from where I am writing this chapter is the perfect view for me as a writer. The forestry hill has a thin transparent blanket of mist resting on the trees. In this part of the region in Pietermaritzburg and up into the Hilton area you will always find a blanket of mist over the trees. The air is fresh, highly recommended for people who cannot live in the CBD because of air pollution from some of the factories and of course vehicle emissions. Outside is my perfect view for writing. The area just needs a massive excavation of the building below and a slight elevation of eight feet with an enclosed veranda that has a white rug with fur that is soft to your barefoot and my writing table set before the veranda view with the right temperature because of the fireplace. This is my perfect setting with the basics of the right wall color and fire place in the far end of the room to my right giving a silent noise as each log burns with a click and a crack as oxygen escapes the wood.

This is my moment. I could put off writing until I get it or I could continue writing regardless until that perfect does come without me having to look for it. Over the years I have had to continue on despite the perfect conditions simply because I have learnt by observing people and putting off things in my own life that nothing really happens. We are all left with a desire but nothing to show for it.

My life has taken a different turn for most people, but I, just cannot afford to sit around for perfect conditions. I have seen too many delays and setbacks and have learnt earlier on in my life that they were really my fault. Living cautiously does not guarantee you an adventure or achievement. I have read and seen the great who have put their time in and today live the life and the conditions that they hoped one day that they would achieve. If your life is worth living it is worth taking a risk now and again for the things you believe are right for you.

IT'S TIME TO CHANGE!

It is GOOD for me that I have been AFLICTED.

It is Good for me that I have been Afflicted.

Psalms 119:71 NKJV

It  is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

Psalms 119:71 NLT

My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.

We are living in a day when so much of what we believe in has been influenced by Westernization. Humanism and all kinds of outlandish beliefs.

People tend to use more quotes and cliches rather than inspirations, they receive from their quiet or devotional  times with God. We tend to pick up alot on what others say.

We pick up on what men and women of God say from their quiet times with God rather than what you say?

 

My question today is, what is God saying to you?

What has He spoken to you in the last two days?

Now, I am not talking about impressions on good feelings that you have on some occasions often endorsed and inspired by money or a loan that you just required that altered your perception and feeling about life.

I am talking about a devotional life.

Because if we lack that, then we lack to know His ways and what He is thinking.

My topic is, "It is Good for me that I have been Afflicted."

This is not your popular topic as we always wish to know what is good.

But this topic has Gods Goodness for us.

Psalms 119:71 NKJV

It  is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

 

Psalms 119:71 NLT

My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.

 

Psalms 119:49 NKJV

Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope.

 

The Psalmist David says. Remember your word.

Like us, we need to evaluate our status and the reasons why we have been called into His kingdom. This is the foundation on which we all as Christians have come to believe.

Remember when you first got saved?

Have you still got that word that God called you out in?

Remember that turn in your road that came with a promise.

 

David cries out, "Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope."

This is the word that has kept me sane and kept me believing and given me hope. This faith justifies me in the face of whatever comes my way.

David cries out, "Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope."

This is the word that has kept me sane and kept me believing and given me hope. This faith justifies me in the face of whatever comes my way.

 

Romans 5:1-5 NKJV

Therefore, having been justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 It equits me. Have you ever been acquitted of something? (my story)

God word sets me free from the beliefs of the world.

Troubles will always be there for some reason or the other and we cannot escape it.

But I know that nothing, no -thing separates me or has the power to separate me unless I allow it.

 

Romans 8:31-39 NKJV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can  be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It  is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It  is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are Children of God and we have a place and we belong.

 Hebrews 11:13-16 AMP

These people all died controlled and sustained by their faith, but not having received the tangible fulfillment of [God's] promises, only having seen it and greeted it from a great distance by faith, and all the while acknowledging and confessing that they were strangers and temporary residents and exiles upon the earth. [Gen. 23:4; Ps. 39:12.] Now those people who talk as they did show plainly that they are in search of a fatherland (their own country). If they had been thinking with [homesick] remembrance of that country from which they were emigrants, they would have found constant opportunity to return to it. But the truth is that they were yearning for and aspiring to a better and more desirable country, that is, a heavenly [one]. For that reason God is not ashamed to be called their God [even to be surnamed their God–the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob], for He has prepared a city for them. [Exod. 3:6, 15; 4:5.]

 

David and I say to God.

"it was good that I had been afflicted or else I would have never known your statues and your ways.

I would have never known that suffering is a part of this life.

I would have never known that my faith needs a trial.

That it needs to stand against the enemies of God and spiritual hosts.

That the enemies of God would recognised a tried and tested child of God who carries the authority of God. So that when we speak, people would be set free and miracles will take place and figure of God would have arrived.

 

Hebrews 11:13-16 AMP

These people all died controlled and sustained by their faith, but not having received the tangible fulfillment of [God's] promises, only having seen it and greeted it from a great distance by faith, and all the while acknowledging and confessing that they were strangers and temporary residents and exiles upon the earth. [Gen. 23:4; Ps. 39:12.] Now those people who talk as they did show plainly that they are in search of a fatherland (their own country). If they had been thinking with [homesick] remembrance of that country from which they were emigrants, they would have found constant opportunity to return to it. But the truth is that they were yearning for and aspiring to a better and more desirable country, that is, a heavenly [one]. For that reason God is not ashamed to be called their God [even to be surnamed their God–the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob], for He has prepared a city for them. [Exod. 3:6, 15; 4:5.]

 Acts 19:15 AMP

[one] evil spirit retorted, Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?

The bible says that Jesus learnt obedience from the things He suffered.

 

Hebrews 5:8-9 NLT

Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.

 It is through suffering that we turn to God.

Merriam Dictionary describes:

Definition of suffering: noun

Suffering : pain that is caused by injury, illness, loss, etc. : physical, mental, or emotional pain

Synonym Discussion of suffering

distress, suffering, misery, agony mean the state of being in great trouble. distressimplies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress <the hurricane put everyone in great distress>. sufferingimplies conscious endurance of pain or distress <the suffering of famine victims>. misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss <the homeless live with misery every day>. agony suggests pain too intense to be borne <in agony over the death of their child>.

 

II Corinthians 4:7-18 NKJV

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

We  are  hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we  are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

 

Psalms 119:71 NLT

My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.

2 Corinthians 4:13-18 MSG

We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life.

Just like the psalmist who wrote, “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So we’re not giving up. How could we!

Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

 

It is Good for me that I have been Afflicted.

Pushing Through Difficulties

https://youtu.be/yAUjDcYGZg0

I Am My Rescue

Enjoy my new motivational book
http://a.co/gR6cWCB

Leave the Past Behind

https://youtu.be/9Jivwu5jVFo

The School of Life

https://youtu.be/_DVIAHU2PMU

BULLETPROOF YOURSELF!

IS YOUR PLAN BULLETPROOFED

Bulletproof Yourself! 

It's funny how we live our lives each day and how we live through experiences and thoughts that are defeating.  

The negatives.  The low feelings of worthlessness and defeat. Almost on a constant basis there is a battle going on inside of us of what we must be and who we must become. A constant battle of who to believe and what to believe.  

You see, our lives have been bruised by our past and carry scars that still need healing. We carry words spoken over us and enforced teachings that were somehow warped and influenced by the character of the parent, teacher and leaders.

And so, we have this framework of reference over the years that seem to dictate to us and have the upper hand over our waking up, walking each day and going to sleep times. 

A hail of negative references that seem to challenge a life that has decided to change and be better. And we lose sometimes.  
For some who are too weak in character or have this idea that, this is my life and my lot. They seem to never make progress. They carry the idea in themselves that a better life is not for them or that only gifted people can improve and become better.

 
~My question to them would be, who told you this?

Who told you that you were not good enough?

 
These questions are important because we live consistent with who we are and who we believe we are.  

So, if your upbringing was always filled with poverty and defeat you tend to believe this about yourself more than anything. 

If your life experience has been rape or physical or verbal abuse you tend to believe the trauma and the experience more than anything else and no matter what class or group, you attend for healing you still battle with this self-image. 

This self-image comprises of what you say to yourself under your breath when you alone or in public. These feelings of worthlessness that you decided on when you first experienced your negativity or trauma in your life. You blamed yourself for what others said and deemed it as true.  You further reinforced it over the years by consistently acting that way and believing those words and situations as true.

You kept feeling worthless when it came to times of improving yourself. Words like, " I'm not good enough. I'm worthless. Nothing good ever comes out of improving your life."  

You have a greater tendency to believing that than anything. You have this statement, "My life is FINE!"  

Fine! Compared to what?

What are you comparing yourself with at that moment?

Are you comparing yourself based on how you feel? 

Because I can tell you after years of working with people that people will not change unless they are prepared to change their believes about themselves. Even that becomes too difficult because your basic response to life since your trauma and since that negative talk from your parent, teacher and religious leader has been to give up. That it is not worth the fight anymore. You have given up on yourself. You have excepted defeat in your life and excepted this as your lot.  

But let me remind you. This is the problem. This is the reason why you are struggling to become. Why you are struggling to except the person you know you should become. The problem is your habit. Your habit or routine of thinking of yourself in a certain way.  

Remember people follow through on WHO they consistently believe they are. So, if you think low and traumatic you will consistently act and say things with that outcome, BUT if you change your outlook and believe that you are better. It's going to take a whole lot of effort to changing how you look at yourself and what you Say to yourself.  

Your beliefs shape you.

You follow through on who you believe you are. So, remember that, when you attend a group or healing session.  Remember that when you attend a workshop or motivational conference. 

 
You need BULLETPROOF. Not a bulletproof vest but yes, so to speak.

You need to Bulletproof yourself against your thoughts. The traumas. You need to change the battle game. You need to realize when those negative darts of the past come your way at night or in the day that you have your armour on. 

 
You might be asking how long should I do this? 

You should do it consistently as a lifestyle.

You need to change your mind on some things. Change your mind until it becomes second nature. This might sound like work but it is necessary for change.  

Remember, your framework of reference came to you when your mind was soft and pliable.   
 It came at a time when you were young and vulnerable and just learning about the world and you automatically continued in it like it was normal.

You started to form habits around those experiences and you repeated under your breath in frustration or when things did not work out for you while growing up. They became habits and routines. Whenever something didn't work out you reinforced the belief by saying to yourself that this is true what they said or that experience. "nothing good will ever come out of my life." and so you have repeated this and repeated this over the years in the classroom, on the playing fields, at home and amongst friends. You have reinforced these beliefs in every situation.  

But! It's time to BULLETPROOF. 

Why? 

Because you need armour against your worst enemy. YOURSELF!

You keep bringing up the past and living in your head. 

It's time to BULLETPROOF. To start designing your life and living in the present. 

How? 

Change your mind.

Rewrite your life's vision.

Attend a vision board seminar.

Change your associations. 

And lastly, you have this assurance that when you met God. He made you BULLETPROOF.

He changed the game and He gave you a game book, the Bible.

Align your negatives and trauma with the word.

Belief more in who He says you are than in any other person. 

BULLETPROOF yourself by believing in Him.     

 Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Looking forward to your comments and interaction. 

Don't forget to subscribe and share with a friend or colleague who needs to hear or read this now. 

Write to me if you would like more of this topic or any other. 

Shalom  ©2017 Author: Denzil Pailman

I Don't Feel Like It

I did not feel like it.

Really, that was how I felt getting up this morning.

I don't feel like it this morning

I have these rituals that I have been doing for x amount of years and it still gets to me. I had a great evening and my body didn’t feel all achy, just 100% but my mind has this pattern that I have been trying to break all my life, but for the few minutes of each day I have got to decide.

Kick mind games out the door and decide. This is how it’s going to be and this what I’m doing. I’m going to do my ritual of exercise this morning whether I feel like it or not. I’m going to do that press-ups and cardio’s whether my mind is up to it or not. I’m doing this. 1234 and on.

1234 and on

I was driving through morning traffic and thinking of all the daily motivation one needs to get by. All the synching to be in peak state to go out and get the prize each day.

I couldn’t help but think about the different motorist who were traveling along this route convoy as though some subconscious program gave the order automatically in all of us.

I wondered how many have rituals that steer them towards a positive outcome each day or are they just on automatic. Rituals are daily little positives or negatives that get us towards a state.

I don’t feel like it could be the mantra that they are repeating under their breath. I don’t feel like going to work. I don’t like that guy’s hairstyle in that car. Not that I thought that. I just don’t feel like it.

What if we continue in this state for the next say? Week or two
What would be our outcome?
You guessed it or did you guess right or did you guess wrong?

Whatever, the outcome. It’s going to be an outcome. It’s going to be everything that they feel at that moment of thinking like that but! Wait for it, 100 times worse or good depending on their reaction to that statement.

I don’t feel like it.
Well, life certainly has a way of painting us a picture each day. some days we get up feeling like we are going to take on the world and others, like my morning. 
Do I? Do I really have to do this but then I think of my body, my age and the changes I’m going through and the task I must commit to everyday and of course to where I’m going in life and then I remember.

Not at this moment or that moment. I remember sitting on a plane for almost 9hours between stop overs. I remember the 21hour bus rides into an African country and I remember the speaking engagements and the work I do almost back to back and then I remember. I need to get rid of this midsection that keeps pushing up against my ribs while sitting for long hours on journeys.

I remember how uncomfortable I was and the promise I made to live up to my craft and its expectations of me.
Now, yours would not be so dramatic, but can be less strenuous. 
Is it right to use the word strenuous to describe your work or craft? 
I don’t know but it sounds good while typing, at least in my mind. 

I think, no matter the craft or the job we all have these bodies that are ageing without our consent and if they doing that without our consent then we need to do something with consent.

I consent to doing it anyway whether I feel like it or not.

I don’t feel like it! I consent to doing it and getting the feelings later.

Do it. Yep, just do it.
I don’t feel like it makes me do it.

Be blessed and don’t forget to share. 
Author: Denzil Pailman