“This is my story; this is my song”

So this month marks a year since I left Institutional Church.

I don’t know where it all began, but I had questions about the “church experience” and how it never really lived up to what I read in the word.
Now I know no “church” is perfect but I believe God is and what He creates i.e The Body of Christ (whether you believe perfection is to come or is, right now; we’re talking about how God sees us.)

I really got tired of the rat race, the politics and hierarchy. The fact that you could be a member of a church for years and never feel like you were part of the fabric, never feel like you were home or belonged and especially among people with whom you share divine DNA.
I got tired of being a mere pew warmer on a Sunday and when I saw that actually God’s heart is for mutual participation, where everyone plays a part and not merely in “serving” in the traditional sense.
I know you may not agree with me, but this has been my personal walk and I am trusting where He is ever-leading.

I see a different way of gathering to be honest: where there are no walls, where Christ is truly Head, where the Holy Spirit is in control and not our man-made traditions or a programme.
While I believe in structure, leadership, authority and all those good things, the way that I have experienced so-called “authority” and “submission” so far in my life has been more of control, power and management in the hands of a select few. I believe that godly submission flows naturally out of a relationship, founded upon Love, respect, mutual edification etc, not where “because I am your pastor, you must obey me.” And believe it or not, that is a doctrine you will not find in the Word of God.

Finally, my “institutional” church experience hasn’t been all bad, I have made lifelong friends, learnt so much about myself, the God Who Loves me and I wouldn’t be here writing this if it weren’t for my past experiences.

There’s so much more to say and I hope I’ll be able to open up more because my experiences in the last year have been difficult especially relating to church, but, God is working and has worked all things out for my good and for this I am thankful.

The winds of change are a’ blowin’

So, I’m starting a new job soon.

I actually don’t know what to say, but wow, it’s been a long time coming. I am so thankful to God, (this almost feels like an Oscar speech or something lol). Anyway, for a while there during my hunt for a job after graduating from university, I really lost hope and wondered whether God was trying to tell me something, perhaps that I needed to change careers or maybe go back to school and get my masters or even my doctorate. The struggle is real, especially in an environment where youth unemployment is high.

Wow, I still can’t believe it. He really is faithful, to the end and I’ve really learnt to trust in Him, “in quietness and hope” knowing that without Him, there is no way. Feels like Christmas has come early lol, but hey, this is the goodness of God and He’s worthy of all praise!!

Moving on

Not the easiest thing to do, moving on, but so imperative because you know it feels like sometimes life moves on without you and so do people. Tough lesson to learn but once learnt, I think you’re definitely stronger for it. It feels good when you wake up one morning and that hurt that used to sit on your chest like a heavy stone has lifted and you can breathe again, the sky looks bluer than ever and you feel like yes, life goes on and you’re not getting left behind.
I think these are the times when I appreciate the people in my life, you know the people who will always be there to remind you that: you’re alive, there’s a reason, don’t give up now when you’ve come so far. I thank God for such people, they make moving on so much easier. ❤

Tragedy by another name

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33

I haven’t read this verse in a while, but today of all days these words of comfort mean so much to me. There is just so much going on for me personally and in the world at large. The recent shooting down of flight MH17 comes to mind as well as the renewed conflict in Gaza, I mean you know we’re just half way through the year and yet so much has happened already. 

My heart breaks for this world and at the same time, I give thanks that there is a God and that we have not been left to our own devices as some think. With that being said my heart cries out to Him, to intervene before we all kill each other in the name of whatever we deem important i.e. land, religion, rights etc.
Things are crazy right now, I feel like injustice is rife and men are getting away with such untold atrocities and some of us can only stand by and debate who is wrong and who is right, but beyond that we have no real power to make a change. 

For all of us going through our personal tragedy, in whatever form in may be; take heart, reach out for the comfort and peace that is yours in Christ Jesus, with pain and loss that makes no sense, His kind of peace and comfort surpasses understanding. “He’ll hold you till it’s light”

 

Trapped in offense

This post I “picked up” from fb really spoke to me, especially because I’ve been dealing with loving and seeing people the way the Father sees and Loves regardless of how people they treat you. It hasn’t been easy but I have felt Holy Spirit‘s help, under-carriage and His Life breathing in and through me. I always feel like making a banner when there is something I think everyone should read, I guess, this is one of those banners:)

1. Being offended traps YOU. “Skandalon” (offense) is the trigger of the trap where the bait is placed. When the animal touches the trigger, he is caught. When you are offended, you are the one caught in the trap. By thinking & knowing this, you will stay out of the traps.

2. Being offended comes from self-righteousness. We think & feel: “How could they do that to me? I would never have done that!” We have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Embrace humility and be circumspect, knowing you have failed too.

3. You can’t afford to PAY ATTENTION!
1 Corinthians 13:5 (AMP) says “Love (God‘s love in us) is not touchy or fretful or resentful.” WHY? “Because it PAYS NO ATTENTION to a suffered wrong.” We get offended when we pay attention to the wrong we have suffered. Stop paying attention.

4. Take back control. We let others control us, when we PAY ATTENTION to what they did to us.

5. Express UP not OUT. Express your anger and hurt FULLY to God out loud. Tell Him how much it hurt. Forgive the offender (out loud to God) & ask Him to heal you.

6. NOTHING CAN OFFEND YOU! How? LOVE the Word. Psalm 119:165 says those who love the Word have great peace, and NOTHING offends them. Love = attachment. Attach yourself to what God says, and you’ll detach from the feelings and power of what others have done or said.

Think It & Say It:
I am free from being offended. I am free from the emotions of offense, bitterness and the right to feel mad. I will not be trapped by those feelings. I love God’s Word. I attach myself to what He said and did. I refuse to pay attention to the wrong done to me. I forgive and release them. I express my feelings to God and I am healed, in Jesus’ Name!

In His Great Love,

Gregory Dickow

Related articles

• How to Overcome Being Easily Offended (whatshotn.wordpress.com)
• Turn the Other Cheek (ronniedauber.wordpress.com)

“Heart knowledge”

In my desire for community, I find that I have this curiosity about the kind of lives people live. I want to know, what it’s like being them. Like when we separate, where are they going? What are they going to do? What are they thinking immediately then, as our lives are crossing paths?
There’s only one human race, pretty cool right? This means that however different we may be, we are all pretty much the same. This is so intriguing because, even though we are the same, we are different and in those two things, being the same and different, friendship can still grow and so much more beyond the initial walk of friendship.
There is something intriguing about people; I think God is intrigued by us, even though He is God: all-knowing, omnipotent and omniscient, He still finds us wholly captivating. I marvel at His desire to know us intimately and that will He works in us, to, by exchange know Him too, even though He, is, God. He gave us this curiosity to want know others in this life.
A deep knowing, an all encompassing knowing of the heart, so that when we know someone, we know their heart and like the Lord Jesus said, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
We all know that actions, heart and mouth are all inter-connected.
By knowing someone’s heart, I have found that you save a whole lot of heartache, because you’re not left in limbo wondering as to what is going on inside of a person, you know their heart and this brings great joy in relationship, something we as the human race cannot live without.

**Soul Harmony**

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on, your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.” ~Prov 3:5-6

“And let the peace, (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as an umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state) to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” 

Peace or soul harmony if you like, is so vital in this day and age and sometimes, I forget that I have access to this peace that passes all understanding.
It’s crazy, but I think human too.
We forget Who we belong to, that we’re not our own, that we have help when, if and every time we need it.
Life can be so conducive to busy-ness and stress and endless to-do lists that we often delude ourselves into thinking that we can handle it all, we run around until we burn out and then realise that we aren’t quite able to manage it all on our own.
I love what the writer of Hebrews says and how the Message bible puts it:

“Now that we know what we have—JESUS, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.”

It’s definitely easier said than done, yes, but, part of renewing our mind is applying the Word of God to our lives and allowing the Holy Spirit to breathe His Life in, through and on us. With His enabling power all things are possible.
Something Major Ian Thomas said that caught me was that, Christ in us is the new way to be human, the way that God intended humanity to be, realising this, I see that every day is a lesson in learning to rest, trust and be renewed in Him. Jesus had bequeathed His peace to us, it’s ours to have, own and experience, let’s not  miss out on it, but take it from Him, with both hands.

Grace and Peace, in Christ

“Facebook is the Devil”

The sense of social media overload sometimes overtakes me and I find myself backing away from all forms of social media for some time, just to breathe really. I sense that I need to keep my distance “for a time and a time and a half” but the things is that social media has become such a part of my life that logging onto Facebook, Twitter and what have you, has become something I do without even thinking. So every time I want a break from it all, I need to apply some serious self-control and consciously make the decision to not even think about finding out what my “friends” are up to and what my “followers” and “followees” are tweeting because even just thinking about it, aids the temptation of “just taking a peek.”

One of my cousins once called Facebook the devil and I think we all understand to some extent what one means when they make a statement like that. You never intend to stay as long as you do and sometimes you stay longer than you should.  The evolution of our access to the world of all things social media amuses me, because of our mobile phones, other digital devices and the advanced technology we have today, we take the world with us wherever we go. These days logging in, is a thing of the past when you have a specific application running on your phone.
Social media while being highly convenient, the truth is that it is also highly addictive. I think we can all agree on that point and with that said, I reckon a break once in a while from the “Twitter-verse” or whatever your “drug” of choice may be will do all of us a whole lot of good. I’ve found sometimes that the world of social media is like a soap opera e.g. Days of our Lives, you leave it for a few weeks, when you return you find that it has only advanced three days since your last viewing and John and Marlena are still fighting for their love, against the likes of their mortal enemy Stefano Dimera:)
Anyway, your real friends have your phone number if they really, want to get hold of you, don’t they?

I see Heaven

Heaven to earth album, by Bryan and Katie Torwalt, one of the most Spirit-filled albums I have ever listened to. This couple is a blessing to the body

The Greatness of our God

Awesome video with lyrics from Hillsong’s album: The Beautiful exchange. The words are the truth from the heart.