REAL 46: Who is the holy one here?

Let me ask you the same question I have asked before? Who is the holy one here? 
😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😳😇😇😇😇😇😇

The holy face is this one 😳

One of the meanings of holy is to be set apart, separated from. The distinguished face among all those faces is 😳 

In our mindsets related to spiritual stuff are pictures, forms, ideas of angels, nice faces, people on their knees, that were impressed on us by religious backgrounds. 

God choose a carpenter to reveal Himself in the world of business. 

I probably would never choose a farmer instead of a preacher behind a pulpit to portrait someone spiritually.

What face would represent Jesus if you were able to see him eating with sinners and tax collectors in the town of Betsaida in the first century? Who can represent God here? 
😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇🙂😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇

We would have used other faces to represent sinners and tax collectors! 👹😡😤😵😲😫😩😖 But never 😇😇

This is just a simple exercise to make you think. From what I know about Jesus and having spent almost 50 years walking with Him I am 100% he would never use those faces to represent sinners and tax collectors and he would not like this one 😇 to illustrate him. I mean he would use this one 😇 to engage with many people. But I am 100% he would like us to use this one 😄 this one 😀 this one 😃or this one 😂 to illustrate Him.

The impression you make of God is how you see Him in your heart!

Be blessed! Oops! Sorry! Be a blessing! 

JSalum

Oops! Jesus interrupted me while I was driving and he said: I like this one, Josimar, better 😜 And he laughed! 😂😂😂😂

REAL 45: What this has to do with REAL?

What this has to do with REAL - Relationship, Empowerment, Advancement and Leadership 

I think that relationship with Jesus is only formal and religious for people who don't know Him well. It seems that we act in a certain way when we are in church and in a different way when we are doing business. 

I don't say this in general terms, but I would like to encourage you to be just YOU when you pray and say whatever you like to say to Jesus. 

I myself say anything I want. Some of my brothers and sisters would be very offended if they hear me talking to Jesus privately. 

One thing I know Jesus likes a lot to hear me saying what I really think and I mean it, because you know I can't hide anything from Him. And my relationship with him must be uniform all day long. I don't change the tone of my voice when I pray! He would think I am crazy! 😀😀 I am just who I am wherever I go. And I don't pretend to be spiritual with him and anybody else, because I am not!

I am really empowered when I am who I am. Because Jesus empowers me and not a performance of me. Life is not a theatrical drama or a comedy I have to pretend as it is real. It is real! Jesus made me to be who I am and he is changing me to be like him until I ultimately be Him with all my brothers and sisters. This is true empowerment!

I can't advance pretending to be somebody-else. I can't progress out of an impersonated person that I am not. Why look so spiritual in church when in a classroom or in my work environment I am another person? 

Jesus is transforming my life and giving me the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit for my daily life. Where I need most the gift of discernment of spirits and revelation is on my job site than in church. I pray more in tongues when I am working than when I am in church. I pray for people to get healed much more in restaurants, hotels, workplaces, schools and in the streets than in churches. I am making more disciples today on whatsapp than in church. Can you believe it?

Leadership has to do to who I am and how I relate to the Lord more than anything else. And how I relate to others is immediately impacted by my relationship with Jesus. More I have fellowship with Him much more people come to me to hear a meaningful message that really reflects Jesus.

I see Jesus and I perceive Him very close to me, always accessible, always ready to talk and listen, alive right here by my side. 

I don't see Jesus seated on the Throne very far in heaven, I mean, he is seated on the Throne, I see, but as I knell down he stretches his left hand and pulls me up for a talk. And I marvel at his feet as I look up to His face and he is always smiling and happy and full of joy for being my King and Friend! 

I pray you get this right!

Josimar Salum

REAL 44 - THE CALL TO CHANGE By Graham Jones

THE CALL TO CHANGE

By Graham Jones 

Visit his website at www.gjm.org

Jesus is all about change! From the very outset Jesus came preaching repentance, which means change. Repentance is to turn from one thing to another, to stop looking at things from a human perspective and begin to look from above, to look from God’s viewpoint. In the sermon on the Mount Jesus said five times:

“You have heard it say this………But I say to you this…..”

Jesus does not call us to reformation, he calls us to transformation. He calls us on a journey to “follow me,” he calls us out of one life into another. We can only communicate God’s transformational power to others when we have experienced it ourselves. We can only communicate God’s transformative power to others to the measure that we have experienced it ourselves.

I believe that the most important key to our experiencing change, is for us to understand that God never changes. In an ever-changing world, it is hard for us to grasp to reality of an eternal God who is constant, consistent and unchanging. The church world has portrayed a God who never seems to be sure what he thinks and feels about us. When we are uncertain of who God is and how he sees us, we quickly reach a ceiling in our capacity to embrace transformation. Religion says that God’s relationship with us depends on our performance. The bible says that God’s relationship with us depends on his faithfulness and his unchanging character.

2 Timothy 2:13

If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

We need to embed this glorious truth in our hearts that God is our rock, he never wavers in his love and commitment to us. Jesus does not love us based on our performance or growth. God loves us based on his character and faithfulness.

THE OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE

There is both an objective and subjective part to our walk with Jesus. To walk by faith is to walk in the objective word of God which never changes. When we walk by faith we walk on something that is more solid than the ground on which we stand;

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

There is also a subjective part to our relationship with God. We do not have a relationship with a God who lives by impersonal principles like the laws of physics. We walk with the bridegroom God who wants to woo and romance us with his passionate love. We have a warm Father who delights to know us and like any good father loves spending time with his children.

GLORIOUS CERTAINTY

The key to walking out these two realities is to recognize that both are true. God is unchanging in his character, his faithfulness, his values and his word; and yet his is capable of applying all of those unchanging realities to each individual person and in each individual circumstance in a way that is personal, precious and unique.

He invites you today to know him, to rest in absolute certainly about who he is and how he feels about you. He invites you to explore his glorious personality, to place a demand on the truth you know and see it blossom into experience. He invites you to climb aboard the glorious rollercoaster ride that is life in the Spirit, to lean not on your own understanding and dance on the water with him.

Respond, enjoy, explore, delight.

REAL 43 - WHAT JESUS LOOKS LIKE?

WHAT JESUS LOOKS LIKE?

Dr John Eckhardt

Hello, REAL participants. Good to finally be with you.

I thought it good to comment on what Jesus 'looks like', as he is the standard to whom we attain, and the image that we are being conformed to by Holy Spirit (according to Romans 8).

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Romans 8:14, 16-17, 29-30 NIV

The Gospels reveal Jesus as a King, Warrior, Sage and Lover. As such, Jesus the Christ is the exact representation of Father, in whose image and likeness Adam/Eve were originally fashioned.

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,” Ephesians 4:11 NIV

The goal of the 5-fold ministry, according to Ephesians chapter 4, is to equip and ready us until we all attain... to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Which means until we ALL look like  God's first born son in His fullness as the Christ. (Incidentally, this is MY definition of Christian. Also note that it is free from any religious connotations).

This is about being 'little christs' in the Kingdom of our Father.

A king exercises dominion by blessing and ordering. As a citizen of God's Kingdom and member of the royal family, this is both my privilege and responsibility.

And so it is with the Sage, Lover and Warrior.... as Christ is all 4 of these, so am I. Not my religious make-up... but my in Him reality!

Luke 2:40 says "the Child continued to grow strong in wisdom, and grace was upon Him..."

It is encouraging that Jesus grew in wisdom, because we too must grow to become the sages we are born again to be.

By the age of 12, adulthood in the Hebrew culture, when young Jesus was considered to be a man, He had reached a stature of wisdom where he surpassed the sages of His day. (The scribes were the sages, expert seasoned lawyers and judges of the day). 

“After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:46-52 NIV

Holy Spirit is fashioning us into the likeness of the fulness of Christ, a Sage, the embodiment of all wisdom and understanding. 

You may not consider yourself very wise today, but that does not change the fact that Holy Spirit is working overtime to make you like Jesus the Christ. Let's be patient and press in all the more for wisdom!

REAL 42 - There will be one Shepherd and One Flock: A long conversation on pastors, churches and flock abuse!

There will be one Shepherd and One Flock: A long conversation on pastors, churches and flock abuse!

MJ =  You are right, there is also a conflict between young leaders and those old Pastors!  Many Pastors when they see a young leader growing they become jealous and they fear that they may replace them. Sometimes they can stop a young leader from going to study theology or leadership in America or Europe thinking that when he comes back he will replace them. And that is a big challenge for the spiritual growth of those young leaders here and you imagine how the church will look like tomorrow.

Paul Taylor = Amen!  Let me say this. We have the same problems in the US. When I was a young man my Pastor tried everything to discourage me from going into the ministry. When God began to bless me he became jealous. 

Pastors say they want unity, but they refuse to unite because of fear of losing their sheep.  The problem is two fold. One they do not believe in the Kingdom of God. Two they are afraid of losing their income and have become hirelings. 

It is very sad, but I have been there. Only revelation will set them free from fear of being replaced.

J Salum = There are no senior pastors in the NT not even many churches in a city much less denominations! To be a pastor "a solely" monarch of a "church" is a sin! The existing situation is not so simple! The church systems of today promote this kind of reality!

Paul Taylor = It is a system that is broken. I have no issue with someone being paid to Pastor or preach. That is not the issue. The apostle Paul taught that a man is worthy of his hire. It is when they control people in fear of losing their income that causes the problem.  If a pastor knows that God is his provider and he works to build the kingdom of God, discipling the people to use their gifts, I have no problem with what he is doing. Where you worship is not important!  May God raise up men and women who are true pastors and care for people.

JSalum = Yes but if a pastor is hired he is a professional of the faith! If you preach the Gospel you can live by the Gospel! Yes, you may have a salary, but in the NT there were not employees of the Church! But the system has individual pastors pastoring specifics churches who are not the CHURCH OF GOD in a city Because there is only one Flock and one SHEPHERD! 

Individual pastors. Who are they today? Pastor Joe is a pastor of the Church  of God! Pastor Brain is a pastor of Fire of God Church and pastor Moses is the pastor of Church of Saint John! These are all sin! And they hate each other and fight each other! 

Let us read some Scriptures:

 “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— TO ALL IN ROME  who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 1:1, 7 NIV

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, TO THE CHURCH of God IN CORINTH , to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:”

1 Corinthians 1:1-2 NIV

“Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers and sisters with me, TO THE CHURCHES  in Galatia:”

Galatians 1:1-2 NIV

GALATIA was a region with many cities!

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, TO THE SAINTS which are IN EPHESUS, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:”

Ephesians 1:1 KJV

“Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto THE CHURCH of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 1:1 KJV

“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;”

Revelation 2:1, 8, 12, 18 KJV

The word Church is Singular, in Ephesus!

“And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders (presbyters, the pastor)  of the church.” Not of the churches of Ephesus

Acts 20:17 KJV

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”

Acts 20:28 NIV

There is just a flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. (With S plural) BE SHEPHERDS  (plural) in one city, together, one Presbytery ONLY ONE of the CHURCH of GOD not churches 

The churches are not part the Body of Christ! The Church is the Body of Christ! 

Mathematically is like this: Ephesus  = 1 = Church = Rome = 1 = Church = 3 gathered in the farm around Rome = 1 = Church = The Church! 

And we went far away from THE CHURCH to become what Christians are today! Fragmented! And if they are not ONE they are not the Church!

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:2-6 NIV

There are many men of God pastoring the flock of God but a large number of them are wolves.

“I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”

Acts 20:29-30 NIV

“In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”

2 Peter 2:3 NIV

There is a version that says "these will make merchandise of you!"

“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

1 Peter 5:1-4 KJV

The flock of God! Pastors have no sheep! We have no disciples! JESUS SAID: FEED MY SHEEP! 

We make disciples for JESUS! 

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

John 21:15-17 KJV

Feed MY sheep! Jesus said three times! FEED THE FLOCK OF GOD!

=============

Let me challenge you all to look at John 10! And you will see how John 10 is related to what we are talking here!

We have learnt that the devil came to kill, steal and destroy! 

But did you notice that in John chapter 10 Jesus does not mention the devil even once? 

Did you notice that according to Jesus who came to kill, to steal and to destroy are the mercenaries that came before HIM? 

““Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 

But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 

Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. (JESUS was talking to the Pharisees indeed!!!)

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 

All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. (THOSE PHARISEES WERE BEING CALLED BY JESUS AS THIEVES AND ROBBERS AND THE SHEEP DID NOT LISTEN TO THEM)  

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “

(The thief - who is the thief? The thief! So obvious the answer!!!)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 

The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. 

(THE HIRED HAND IS NOT THE SHEPHERD) 

So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 

The man (not the devil) runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. 

They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. THERE SHALL BE ONE FLOCK AND ONE SHEPHERD!

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.””

John 10:1-18, 25, 27-30 NIV

I can go on, I humble myself before the Lord, I will tell you that you will not find anyone on the NY That is named a Pastor! You find apostles, prophets, evangelists and teachers but not one pastor! 

And you shall know Jesus (THE TRUTH) and THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE! 

PS: When in the NT the words church, pastors, overseers, bishops, presbyters, elders and others related words were used what the people who received the letters from Paul, John, Peter and others did understand? Not what Calvin, Luther, Strong, Pope Francis and others understood! Here is the key for extending the conversation!

Do you really want to change?

REAL 41 - Are you who you want to be? Dr Paul Taylor

Are you who you want to be?

Dr Paul Taylor

I have sought the Lord since I was asked to speak at this conference.  "God, what do you want me to share?"  I am not into just preaching sermons.  I want you to be a different person.  Totally changed!  

What I want to share you cannot receive with your natural mind.  It can only be spiritually discerned, spirit to spirit!  As Paul wrote to the Romans,

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  Rm. 12:2

If we do not allow God to change our minds, we will continue to do what we have always done and we will continue to get what we always have gotten!  Then we complain to God that nothing ever changes!  Tonight be the change you want to see!  Open your eyes, ears and hearts to understand what the Spirit is saying to you, the Church.

   

"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

      The crawling locust,

      The consuming locust,

      And the chewing locust, ◙

      My great army which I sent among you.

26      You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,

      And praise the name of the Lord your God,

      Who has dealt wondrously with you;

      And My people shall never be put to shame.

27      Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:

      I am the Lord your God

      And there is no other.

      My people shall never be put to shame.

28      "And it shall come to pass afterward

      That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

      Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

      Your old men shall dream dreams,

      Your young men shall see visions.

Joel 2:25-28

This is what the Lord says, "I have restored what was lost, so that now I can pour my spirit out on all flesh and they can be what I created them to be."  The word restored in the Hebrew is Shalam.  It means to be safe (in mind, body or estate), to be complete.  Shalam is the primitive root word of Shalom.  

The familiar Jewish greeting and salutation meaning to be safe, health, prosperity, peace and favor!  God prophesied over His people in captivity, "I will restore, make complete YOU!"  You will never be ashamed again.

To restore something means that you have had to have it at one time!  He didn't say I am going to give to you something new.  He said I am going to restore what has been eaten away by the locust, the devourer, one who consumes and keeps you from increase!  The one who causes you to look at what you have lost, rather than at what you possess!

There are four things that God wants to restore to each of us.

1.  Intimacy 

Or our relationship with God.  

2 Cor. 5:17   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  

The word creation means the original formation, through the idea of the proprietorship of the manufacturer.  Why?  So that we might be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ and we might help others be reconciled.  

Eternal life is not simply being saved.  John 17:3  And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

2.  Identity.  

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 

27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Gal. 3:26-29.  

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? 

Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."

 - Marianne Williamson

When Jesus came up from being baptized God spoke and said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."  He says the same thing to you when you have been restored!  I AM MY FATHER'S SON!

3.  Inheritance.  

And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

16For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.  Hebr. 9:15-17 

Your inheritance is all that your Father has given to you, not what others tell you, you are!

4.  Impossible!  

Nothing is impossible with God!  "With man things are impossible, with God all things are possible!" 

God has restored you, so you can fulfill your created purpose!  He wants to restore your Intimacy, Identity, Inheritance, and Impossibilities!  Through you!

ARE YOU WHO YOU WANT TO BE?

REAL 40 - CHANGE KNOCKED MY DOOR TODAY! AND I LET CHANGE TO COME IN!

We cannot generalize saying that everybody act like everybody else! If there is 10% that is different from 90%, that does not fall into the laziness, poverty mentality and the multitude sameness categories, if there is one (1) that is all God has to change your community He will do with just one! THIS IS THE POWER OF ONE SEED!

We can for the sake of facts investigate to see if those statistics that were shared are accurate! (Please read it below) However we can start by our own place, where we are. You know people around you! You know pretty much in your area if that is the way that your community fellows proceed! But more important is to see if this is your own case! 😳😳😳😀😀😀

Unfortunately when we identify a problem we have a tendency to find someone to blame for it! That is not a behavior of a SouLutionist! 

What can I do to change my own actions? What can I do immediately to change now?

People think that to change a nation they need to change the leaders, the politicians! Is that true? Is that really the only thing you need? In other words they think leaders will solve all their problems! People talk about the corruption of governors while in their daily lives they keep doing transactions with friends, families and anybody else with no honesty! What is different of the people's daily little crooked actions from their leaders big crooked actions? Remember that you will not be faithful in the big picture if you are not faithful in the small one! Who steals an orange is a thief as much as who stills a country!

We have to own our destiny! We have to own our solutions! What I want to do to change my own life and the lives of others around me? We don't just talk! We do! But do we known how to do it indeed?

Believe me, most of the people don't do better because they don't know how to do! My parents didn't teach many things because they didn't know how. They have always desired to do the best, they love me, but how can they instruct me if they don't know! 

Cultural stuff are learnt and repeated over and over and passed from a generation to another until someone says, I will think a different and efficient way to change for good!

I am not going to blame the government, my pastors, my parents, I will be the solution of our problems. I will respect my leaders, I will honor my parents, i will be an agent of transformation by being transformed myself!

One example! I will show an example to encourage you to see yourself in what you did or you did not do with the teaching about seeds!

After you have read the teaching about planting a seed did you eat any fruit after until now? If you did how many seeds have you planted yourself or have you thrown them away? 

What you have learned have you wisely PRACTICED and AFTER YOU HAVE PRACTICED have you SHARES with someone? Have you taken practical steps to change things the way you used to do?

I don't know for sure if what Jeremie shared is a fact that more than 90% of african families live in bad conditions because of reasons. He said because of a study there was a conclusion that 90% of African families live in bad conditions. Of course there are other factors and facts, but here it is what THAT PARTICULAR study says! 

Maybe this is also the reasons in other nations! But he was just mentioning the Africans. If he said Lebanese I would not be offended! Or Americans! Or even Brazilians! Do you know why I would not be offended? Because I am not stupid! I am not afraid of facts, especially if they are true about myself. 

Here is the conclusions of that study:

1.African young people don't work hard in their youth.They spend their time enjoying themselves when they are young.

2.They don't save (invest) in what will help them in the future,

3.They don't think about tomorrow and after tomorrow,

4.They believe that their parents will leave to them what it will help them in the future 

5. At the age of 18 more than 99% africans think in getting married without any conditions.

Instead of thinking of others that I cannot change I would honestly apply this information to see if in my own life this is true and accurate!

In other words, in light of what I read I would ask:

1 - Am I working hard to succeed, do I know where I want to get, do I have a clear goal, do I have a vision, a dream, a personal plan and am I working hard to accomplish my objectives?

2 - Am I investing, saving, or I eat everything that comes to my hands? If I am so poor that I had nothing to get better is this conclusion true or does God give me a seed that instead of planting I am eating it? If I have nothing why I can not invest MY TIME to learn, to excel in my studies at schools? 

Wow! I have a smartphone!!! Wow! I have a tool that I can get many seeds by using to connect with the world and get the best of the knowledge, education through you tube videos, university websites and so on instead of just using my phone for hours to play games! If I play some that is OK! I can have some entertainment but I am to be disciplined, wake up early and prepare a self education program for my life! 

3 - My son is 32 years old. For some time in his life he wanted just to have fun. I would encourage him to get education, to read good books, to save money to invest and he didn't hear me until he got it al the principles, but this way! 

He learned from me and from others, he even saw my example, he watched my mistakes, he knew everything! But only intellectually! Now he practices! He became an entrepreneur and even in his beginnings he is trying hard to practice what he knew but gave him nothing until he acted, did something practical! 

He and I must become who our Father want us to be, because doing all great stuff will not be enough for REAL success  until we reflect who we are in Jesus - being like Him. Knowledge don't change you. It puffs you up! Practicing knowledge will change you, because with practice comes challenges that will humble you! Talk is easy, acting comes with hardness, much effort and real work!

5 - So if you want to marry earlier in life much more you will need to become the owner of your life, act responsibly instead of blaming others for the things only YOU can do for you!

Be REAL! Your Heavenly Father already knows who you are! And he wants to transform you to become like His Son Jesus is. Until then! Let the change come in!

Dr. Josimar Salum

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A CULTURE OF WORK, SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT

THIS IS WHAT WE NOTICED DURING A STUDY OF HOME AND FAMILY! 

More than 90% of african families live in bad conditions because :

1.African young people don't work hard in their youth.They spend their time enjoying themselves when they are young!

2.They don't save (invest) in what will help them in the future,

3.They don't think about tomorrow and after tomorrow,

4.They believe that their parents will leave to them what it will help them in the future 

5. At the age of 18 more than 99% africans think in getting married without any conditions.

This is why many elder africans suffer in their lives. Most africans remember to work hard when they are getting old.

I always see many people who get married and after their marrige they begin to work hard. When remorses come they decide to get separated. 

But more of them get married and their families, mothers don't teach children how to prepare for the future.

Is not that accurate in Africa? Does this happen In US and another nations?

Jeremie Nitirandekura

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Comments by Dr. Paul Taylor

Much of what you have spoken above is a values and worldview problem. This is why Josimar and I have been teaching about values and worldview. The way you think.

Are you listening to what we have been sharing?  

We have been sharing that there is no difference between spiritual and secular. We have been giving u kingdom principles that work in the US or in Burundi. 

We have taught you about changing the way you think!  Look at your problem and say, "This is not a problem, but an opportunity for God and me to be the solution."

When you begin to see as God sees, you will begin to see what you have and ways to use that to be the solution to the problem. 

We have posted business principles that will help you succeed in your business. Innocent has posted a link on the Friends of Burundi site that you can read to help you start a business. 

Dr. Salum has spoken about money management and time management. 

I have spoken to you about worldview and using the abilities that you have to multiple what God has entrusted to you. 

We have confronted false religious teachings to help you break mindsets that have held your parents back from what God has promised. 

What you must do is process what has been shared and begin to implement these teachings in your life. 

We r hoping to create micro financing to assist many of you, but you cannot wait for someone to put the money in your hand. You must use what you have to do what you have dreamed of. Dreams never come to pass if you only dream. You must begin taking steps to reach those dreams. God will help you but he will not do it for you!!!!

We are here to encourage you and help in anyway we can but no one is going to do what you have been given to do. 

Believe!!!

Dr. Taylor