SippingFromWithin

I recently used the word ‘common’ when addressing an issue and after settling it, I began to relate it to how society uses this term in one its synonym which is ‘usual.’ From a moral perspective, some things which are wrong in today’s society are given a pass and now termed ‘usual.’ Hard drugs, alcohol, premarital sex, and other disturbing acts are unfortunately given support by instituted authority.

As a young teen growing up, I heard the words "none is righteous," and trust me when I say that those words haunted me for long. This thought prevailed because the scriptures used by the ministers I had the opportunity to hear at the time achored this thought on what they knew in part. I ThankGod for these ministers where I worshipped, and I cannot blame anyone of them, for what they shared was what they in turn were taught. But, it is intriguing, because even though preceding and later verses came with clarity; whenever I began to read a chapter I knew had such verse(s), I was blinded to its truths.

Lots of Christians find themselves at a crossroad when they deeds of their past cuts across their minds. Most of those who are trapped by this are unaware of Christ's finished works on the cross. I like the way Steve Farrar in his book Finishing Strong puts it, he said, “Tell me: when Jesus died on the cross, how many of your sins were future? The obvious answer is all of them. Because when Jesus died on the cross, you were future – and so was I.”

In today’s modern society were science and technology and rationality in general is common, miracles have been termed by many as fictitious. This rationality from my view is unjustified. For people with such a thought process judge its interpretation only within the domain of rationality. My profession is within the domain of critical thinking, so I cannot debunk this school of thought. But, the facet which people should also appreciate should cover the things many tag as “trivial”. Things that happen in the strangest of ways, like people who are passing by meeting our needs, dear friends who are there for us at the strangest of times, and total strangers who ride the tough tides with us for our benefit. These situations may be tagged as kindness, compassion or the use of some other synonym, but in most cases, the desire to intervene even when it is not to the benefit of the one intervening should be something to reflect on. For humans are selfish by nature. A non-natural phen...

As we set sail to a New Year, we lengthen our cords and strengthen our stakes; we chart the waters with the guides of our past and a hope for great feats to our name. There may or would be turmoil waves and our course might change, but the destination we must stay true to. On the path which Joseph was destined to tread for him to be who his dreams had revealed, he was stripped of his coat twice. The first was when his brothers stripped the lovely coat his father had given him, shredded it, and dipped it in blood (Genesis 37: 19 – 35). The second was when Potiphar’s wife held his cloak, to make him sin but He let go and fled (Genesis 39: 7 – 21). If He had a choice, He would have never bargained for both situations. I believe when He was stripped of his coat the first and the second time, He must have been hurt. For no one would find such a situation pleasant. The people who he should have found comfort being around betrayed him and when He was beginning to find his footing in a str...