Last December I posted a blog titled Dancing with the non-stars. It was a poignant reminder of the simple but profound power of music and love. More recently I had a friend e-mail me to enquire about that post and so I had occasion to watch it all over again. I discovered that I was just as moved by it as I was the first few thousand times I watched it. I was motivated to research it some more. While the title “Where in the hell is Matt” does an absolute disservice to the strength of the video, it’s message is just as profound.
During the planning stages of the video, the producers searched high and low for the “right voice” to carry the song (which incidentally happens to be a Bangladesh poem). They auditioned tons of established musicians and even had people submit videos of their music. Nothing seemed to fit until they found seventeen year old Palbasha Siddique. She was perfect for what they intended, and so she became the voice of the song “Praan”, the music behind the youtube video that’s been viewed over seven million times.
Palbasha has a vision to help the poor and less privileged of Bangladesh and she is using the leverage of her new found fame to promote that laudable agenda. In my own small attempt to help spread her message, and as a tribute to my friend who rekindled the memory of the original video, I present Palbasha doing Praan on her eighteenth birthday. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Lately in church, we’ve been talking a lot about Seasons of Silence. Those seasons when God’s voice is undiscernable and the resulting silence is deafening. Yesterday, I stated that while there are definetely seasons of silence in our lives, God is always actively at work to bring about His purpose. You see, He determines when a season begins and when it ends, because He alone is the Chief Architect and the Master Builder (I thought it would be a good idea for me to illustrate that in the message yesterday, complete with blueprints, hard-hat, and all). Read what the Bible has to say about this in Daniel 2: 20 – 22:
…”Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever. He knows all, does all:
He changes the seasonsand guides history. He raises up kings and also brings them down, He provides both intelligence and discernment, He opens up the depths, tells secrets, sees in the dark – light spills out of Him!…” (The Message)
Jesus was patently aware of God’s control over the “times and seasons” of life. In John 2: 4 He declared, “My time has not yet come…” But in John 17: 1 He boldly and confidently prays, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” It is pointless to waste our lives in feckless pursuit of satisfaction, when that satisfaction can only be found in the center of God’s will. It would be like a construction crew trying to construct a building without the blueprints. It would undoubtedly be an exercise in futility. In the silent seasons, God is still actively working out His purpose, and if we have the slightest velleity to give up before the Chief Architect and Master Builder has completed His work in us, then we would be like a partially completed edifice that serves no real useful purpose.
Well Fliday… I mean Friday, sure came around rather quickly this week. It seems like just yesterday that we were ‘hanging out’ in China together. Well we’re back there again this week with some hilarious signs courtesy of Engrish.com. I now proudly present for your viewing pleasure… Flivorous Fliday!!! I certainly don’t mean to offend your delicate sensibilities, but I thought it wise to prepare you for your impending trip to China. I didn’t want you to be blindsided by their ‘in-your-face’ honesty and choice of language. Since the WC is free of washing, you need to be sure and leave off after…
One thing’s for sure, the Chinese will never be accused of caring about political correctness! Hey I guess we should be grateful that they even remembered to give some consideration to the “deformed.” No doubt, Quasimodo would really enjoy a visit to China. There is something else you should know before you purchase your flight ticket to China. While Communism is no longer the order of the day, and we are increasingly influenced by Democracy and the Western lifestyle, we want to make sure that we preserve some of the legacy handed down by ‘Maoism.’ With that in mind, we want to remind you that while in China, “Having fun is prohibited.” Have a frivolously fantastic weekend!
I’ve been so swamped the last couple of days, that I haven’t even been able to update my blog, so I apologize to those of you who ‘religiously’ look for a daily update. Any way, enough of the platitudes and let’s get down to the business at hand. You see, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about a fascinating truth I discovered while listening to a friend. I spoke in church this past Sunday about the fact that God is at His most active in the ‘apparent silent’ moments of our lives. Those moments in time when we think that we need to hear from God the most, and the heavens appear to be ‘brass’ (when our prayers don’t seem to go beyond the ceiling), are often the moments in which He is working His greatest work in us and for us. He’s preparing us for something and preparing something for us.
Consider the time between the Old and the New testaments. The page in the NIV Bible that separates these two time periods, is generally inscribed with the words “400 years of silence.” Amazingly the New Testament opens up with the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the story of His birth. What happened during the 400 silent years? Well, for one thing, Alexander the great conquered the known world (356 BC) and then wept because there were no more worlds to conquer. The Old Testament closes with the knowledge that Persia is the ruling power of the day, while the New Testament clearly shows a shift in the balance of power from the East to the West, as Rome is now the emergent ruling global power. Consider the fact that God always planned that Jesus would die on a Roman cross to pay the penalty for the sin of mankind. Alexander had no idea that he was an unwitting tool in the hand of God to orchestrate that shift in power so that Rome would be the ascendant power in the days when Jesus walked the earth, therebye paving the way for God’s purpose to be accomplished. This plan was not set in motion at the birth of Jesus, but during the 400 silent years when Alexander conquered the reigning global powers.
God does not react to the human condition, so regardless of how dire your straits may seem to be at this point in time, God isn’t about to change His plan in direct reaction to your plight. In much the same way that God was silent in the 400 years between the Old and the New Testaments, yet He was orchestrating a masterplan that would free the world from the bondage of sin, He is still at work in your life and mine (especially in those silent seasons) to ensure that His plans and purposes are accomplished. His plan was always the ultimate and best plan for all of our lives, and “In the fullness of time” (Galatians 4: 4) it will be played out. So even when there are ‘400 seemingly silent years’ in your life, the fact that God is silent, in no way suggests that He’s not actively working to bring about His best for your life and mine. Pause and think about that!
Not long ago my wife, Sola, and I went on a ‘movie-date’ and saw the movie “The International.” It was quite the intriguing movie and it was peppered throughout with aphorisms that seemed to me to be really great life lessons. Here are a couple of them posted below. What do you think? Do you agree with them or not? Why?
Sometimes a man finds his destiny on the road he took to avoid it. – (Clive Owens’s character in The International)
Sometimes the most difficult decision is knowing which bridge to cross and which one to burn. — (Clive Owens’s character in The International)
As you’ll know if you’ve followed my Frivolous Friday posts for any length of time, I enjoy a good laugh at Japan’s expense, as some of the funniest signs come out of there. However, I’ve just discovered the joys of China and so, while I’m sticking with the Far-East theme, I’m crossing borders today, so sit back and enjoy these for your weekend relaxation. When the Chinese say “no louding” they mean it, so I suggest you pay attention, stop louding, and begin ‘quieting.’
This beautiful, sacred, Buddhist temple is expected to stand for the rest of time, so we don’t want you to even go near it. Whatever you thought you could do at this temple, including looking at it, even if it’s not included on the sign as one of the things not to do, don’t do it! Don’t litter up! We’re very particular about that. How else do you think we’ve preserved the pristine beauty of our botanical gardens? However, ‘littering down’ is certainly an option that’s available to you and is entirely your prerogative.
This sign has absolutely ’sod-all’ (that’s a ‘classy’ English expression for ‘nothing’) to do with China and Chinese signs. In fact more than anything it might be Scottish! How so, you ask? Well the only person I know who says “Shcool” is the great Sean Connery, who is himself, a Scotsman. So, this may well be a “shcool” crossing being painted on in his honor (otherwise these sign painters need to go back to “shcool.”) Any way, enough of all that nonshenshe! Now, make sure you have a shplendid day, and a shuper weekend!!!
This week we’ve been talking about ‘rocks’ of dishonor, toxic rocks, and we’ve even taken a toxic test. If you tested ‘positive’ for toxicity, then I need to give you a real incentive to let go of the bitterness and find it in your heart to extend forgiveness to whomever the source of your pain, hurt, anger, bitterness… (I’m sure you get the idea) is aimed at. How do you let go of bitterness? Well, like I mentioned previously, you must take the attention off yourself and place it squarely on Jesus. You must remind yourself that there are other people suffering much worse indignities than you will ever come close to suffering, and Jesus needs you to be Him to them during this season of immeasurable pain and difficulty.
Consider the following story from MSNBC.com. DOSHU, Congo – Zamuda Sikujuwa shuffles to a bench in the sunshine, pushes apart her thighs with a grimace of pain and pumps her fist up and down in a lewd-looking gesture to show how the militiamen shoved an automatic rifle inside her.
The brutish act tore apart her insides after seven of the men had taken turns raping her. She lost consciousness and wishes now that her life also had ended on that day.
The rebels from the Tutsi tribe had come demanding U.S. dollars. But when her husband could not even produce local currency, they put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. When her two children started crying, the rebels killed them too. Then they attacked Sikujuwa and left her for dead.
The 53-year-old still has difficulty walking after two operations. Yet she wants to tell the world her story, even though repeating it brings back the nightmares.
“It’s hard, hard, hard,” she says. “I’m alone in this world. My body is partly mended but I don’t know if my heart will ever heal. …I want this violence to stop. I don’t want other women to have to suffer what I am suffering.”
Wow! I guess it puts a whole new perspective on ‘toxic rocks.’ Zamuda’s got the right idea though. The only way to cope with the pain and release the bitterness is to take the focus and attention off the wrong done to you, and focus on how you can use it as a blessing for someone else. It takes a real understanding of God’s greater purpose to find the place of forgiveness, and I love the way Matthew West says it in his song, The Motions. I don’t wanna go through the motions I don’t wanna go one more day Without your all consuming passion inside of me I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking, “What if I had given everything, instead of going through the motions?”
So, yesterday I spoke about being hit by ‘toxic rocks’ that may well have shaped your outlook and approach to life, and I suggested that you might be interested in taking a toxic test to determine whether or not you actually have toxic residue clinging to you like cologne. I would make the case that many of the negative words that have been spoken over us throughout the course of our lives, have left us extremely vulnerable to a build up of toxicity. While the old school yard taunt implied that sticks and stones (which can break your bones) are more deadly than words (since they can never harm you), I beg to differ. The Scriptures tell us that death and life are in the power of the tongue and so words carry tremendous creative and shaping force. While sticks and stones can break your bones, words can destroy your entire life and purpose.
So how do you know if you’re toxic? Just take the following quick, unscientific survey, and mark a yes or a no for each one of these statements with regard to how accurately they describe you. If you can answer yes to any of them… well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you’re toxic.
Toxic people keep a detailed list of wrongs done to them
Toxic people are extremely mistrusting, and pollute relationships
Toxic people justify their pollution by trying to get others to accept that they have valid reasons for being the way they are
Toxic people have a tendency to be overly critical
Toxic people secretly celebrate the misfortunes of othersToxic people form judgments and opinions about whole groups of people based on their experiences with one person
So how did you do on the test? Yeah I know, and I’m sympathetic ‘cos I discovered the same thing when I took the test. I wanted to give you some real world examples of toxic rocks that are destroying a whole generation of people, as well as whole nations, but that would require an entire post so I guess I’ll just wait until tomorrow. Meanwhile, I’ll give you a few sure-fire ways to get rid of the toxicity in your life.
Keep your eyes fixed squarely in Jesus (Hebrews 12: 1-4)
Stay humble and gentle (Ephesians 4: 2)
Don’t let the sun set on your anger (Ephesians 4: 26)
Get rid of all bitterness by choosing to forgive (Ephesians 4: 31) Remember that forgiveness is not a feeling but a choice.
Well, I’ll let you go so you can begin to work on detoxing. See you tomorrow.
This is a photo of me delivering yesterday’s sermon at The Well! I know, I know, you wish you went to a church like that too, huh? Seriously, this was my sermon illustration and it just so happened to be ‘Mission Sunday’ as well, and so I was dressed in my traditional Nigerian attire in addition to donning the debonaire mask and gloves. Makes for a great picture don’t you think? Enough about the outfit already and tell us what’s up with the mask and gloves, you’re thinking? Well, like I said, they were my illustrated sermon props as we were talking about rocks of dishonor that are hurled at you through pain, abuse, rejection, and all the stuff that life seems to so readily have available to make our journey that much more ‘interesting’ (I had to wear the protective gear so that I could handle the toxic rock which I took out of the box). Our key verses were taken from the story of the woman caught in adultery in John chapter 8, and we talked about the fact that the Pharisees and other leaders of the people were lined up as far as the eye could see, waiting for Jesus to authorize the ‘Moses-sanctioned-stoning-party.’
We explored the very real possibility that if Jesus had not been present she would have met an untimely death at the hands of men who, like her, were sinners (certainly the one with whom she had committed adultery, even though he was conspicously absent from the receiving end of the stoning party), yet felt it their religious duty to ensure that they hurled their rocks of dishonor at an already publicly shamed woman. Then we took it a step further and examined the idea that some rocks of dishonor that are hurled at us have more far reaching consequences than others, because they leave a toxic residue on us that begins to color and destroy our outlook on life and wreak havoc on our testimony as bitterness begins to take root in our hearts. Here’s how the writer of Hebrews expressed the danger of toxic rocks:
Work at getting along with each other…. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. (Hebrews 12: 14-15 – The Message Bible)
Evidently, when toxic rocks are hurled at us, their residue can give root to thistles that can destroy the garden of our lives in no time at all. What a great plan! If the enemy of our souls can get us to develop whole gardens full of “weeds of bitter discontent,” we are much less likely to be a threat to his kingdom objectives since we will be of little consequence to spreading any real, authentic message of love. There are toxic rocks being hurled in every direction and maybe, just maybe you’ve been hit by one at some point in your life. The real question is: did it’s residue stick to you without you even realizing it, so that now you are spreading toxicity like a wildfire and you have no clue as to what, when, or how it happened? Tomorrow we’ll take a toxic test and look at some real world examples of toxic rocks. Stay tuned.
I decided that in view of all the bad news lately, and the various news stories about the Madoff’s of the world who are hell bent on breaking the law, I would make today’s Frivolous Friday a tribute to cops. Hope you enjoy these snapshots of a tedious day in the life of a police officer. I personally think donuts should be banned from the diet of police officers. Having said that, I applaud these safety conscious officers for at least leaving the lights on to ward off troublesome, and inquisitive passers by while they take a nap, just in case someone gets the foolish idea of taking a photograph of them thinking they were sleeping.I’ve read about the budget cuts in many PD’s across the nation but I seriously didn’t realize how bad it had gotten. I think we might have to take up a special collection this Sunday for our local PD to ensre that they aren’t saddled with the difficult and near impossible task of having to chase down criminals on their new ’scooters,’What’s even more amazing about this photo is the fact that the guy was simply trying to follow the traffic cops (officer Hugo) directions . I guess parking can be somewhat hazardous when you’re any where above ground level.This photo has absolutely nothing to do with cops whatsoever, I however thought it was worth showing you as the resemblance is remarkable. I wonder if they’re related?! Have an absolutely frivolous weekend.
I’ve read about the budget cuts in many PD’s across the nation but I seriously didn’t realize how bad it had gotten. I think we might have to take up a special collection this Sunday for our local PD to ensre that they aren’t saddled with the difficult and near impossible task of having to chase down criminals on their new ’scooters,’
What’s even more amazing about this photo is the fact that the guy was simply trying to follow the traffic cops (officer Hugo) directions . I guess parking can be somewhat hazardous when you’re any where above ground level.
This photo has absolutely nothing to do with cops whatsoever, I however thought it was worth showing you as the resemblance is remarkable. I wonder if they’re related?! Have an absolutely frivolous weekend.
