I Have The Power and Authority, Dad!

I love it when I catch my little girls "red handed" متلبسين as it gives me the chance to share with them another learning or lesson that, I hope, would last them for life.
I specially remember when I first caught them trying to read in bed after already being put to sleep. I came in, to suddenly hear this chaotic silent noise, the bed cover still moving, a pretention of a sleep..and a torch light forgotten On :-) Despite "fearing" punishment, they obviously could not deny their action. I then went on talking them through the importance of a good sleep on healthy growth, eye fatigue of reading in dark and some more of that "Daddy bla bla bla".

Next day, happened the unexpected! After hearing some noise from their room, I went in to find them simply keeping a small light on, sitting and reading as if Last night's lesson was just out of the window. They looked at me with an innocent smile seeing the anger on my face, and purely explained "don't worry Papi, Mami said we can spend some time reading today as tomorrow is holiday! Bonne nuit Papi!" 
then went back to their fairy tales. In total silence, I left the room wishing them a good read and sweet dreams! Boom..it was me who got a lesson that night, their contrasting "BOLD" action of reading in bed and not fearing it only came through the "POWER and AUTHORITY" given to them by Aline!

This brings me back to more than 2000 years ago, to a group of Jesus followers that went from hiding behind closed doors out of FEAR (John 20:19), to BOLDLY speaking out loud to the multitudes about our Lord Jesus Christ. On His first public sermon Peter did not hide or deny but Spoke in all "Power and Authority". On that day about 3000 people were added to the group of believers. (Acts 2:41). The contrasting "BOLD" actions are telling us the message...They Received as well received "The POWER and Authority"a totally different one as Jesus Promised:

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be 
My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. (Acts 1:8 AMP)
لكنكُمْ ستَنالونَ قوَّةً مَتَى حَلَّ الرّوحُ القُدُسُ علَيكُمْ، وتَكونونَ لي شُهودًا في أورُشَليمَ وفي كُلِّ اليَهوديَّةِ والسّامِرَةِ وإلَى أقصَى الأرضِ». (أعمالُ الرُّسُلِ ٨:١)

That power of the Holy Spirit in those few men changed the face of the earth for ever. Do you know that you have the same power in you? Do you use it for its purpose? On that special day of Pentecost (العنصرة), I urge you to Pray for that same unchangeable Holy Spirit in you, seeking "The power and authority" to be the witness of faith, hope and love you were ASKED to be.

Be Bold my Friends...you have THE Power!

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

I injured my knee couple of month ago, and yes it had(s) its impact on me. Last February, I went out for my regular run, and just 10 minutes later, i felt a strange pinch inside my knee..i kept going thinking it would click back normally, but no it didn't. In short, after some checkups/MRIs, found out I developed what's called the "illioTibial Band Syndrome". With such an inflammation in my knee tissues, I had to quit running for a while to allow its good healing. Guess what, this was just the igniting flame to start the engine of "Laziness" and "Self Pity"! Yes I admit, My "Lazy Me" was just making sure that I keep focusing on my injury, envying runners i saw on the streets, and most of all, blinding me of all other activities I still could do without relying on the knee (I could hear the laughs and whispers of that Lazy Me!). Something inside me, mentally, got turned off and this "letting go" mode took over all the Health awareness rituals I have built throughout the past year. I allowed it to grow more and more, till I decided to step up again, dust off and hit it back to the gym (without knee exercises). WOW...How did I allow my self in that downward spiral..Felt so good, so energizing..and determined to bring back what I lost.

I have lived exactly the same on my Spiritual level (I guess I am not alone). I remember times when I felt my soul souring up to the skies, and my faith unshaken..then comes Sin conquering me in moments of weakness, afflicting that same "Knee Injury" on a spiritual level. Yes, the same "Letting Go" mode finds its way back creating "self pity" times. At such times, I do feel weak, desperate and surely living a lie (literally listening to the laughs of THE Enemy growing deep in me). The Prophet Micah ميخا wrote with the Spirit a verse I keep dear to myself and in front of my eyes:

Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me. (Michah 7:8 NASB)

لا تشمَتي بي يا عَدوَّتي، إذا سقَطتُ أقومُ. إذا جَلَستُ في الظُّلمَةِ فالرَّبُّ نورٌ لي. (ميخا  ٨:٧

I just love the determination and persistence in that verse, Though I fall I WILL Rise..for the power of the resurrection is in us, lives in you and me, the Holy Spirit is our comforter and counselor to know that Falling is just temporary while our victory is everlasting. If I Stumble, I WILL RISE!

Dear God, I pray today that I along all the ones reading these words, can say out loud 'I will dust off and Rise again in the Light of your love..for I know Lord that You again have compassion on us; tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. (Michah 7:19 NASB).

Dust off, and Rise Now..in His Light once again!

Hotel Bedrooms..and beds!

Hotel bedrooms...and most of all the "all-over the bed" fluffy cushions that just seem to hug you once you lay down your head..who cant resist that? Include my family in! We have been travelling lately across different places and spent some nights in hotels. As you know, during holidays, your days are packed, literally you stuff each and every minute with action and don't want to miss a thing..and the kids walk along through your plan..enjoying but at the end of a long day, probably later than their sleeping time, they do long for a good deep sleep. What a nice site seeing them in bed...yet Obviously the challenge is waking them up again quite early to catch a bus or start a tour. I have been trying different techniques and none worked, tickling, shaking, uncovering, pushing, lifting, you name it..nothing effective, except one...I turn on the TV on a cartoon channel...and boom..all alone, without a word from me, they open their eyes, lift their heads and come out of bed to watch what they love properly (an option only allowed in holidays hotel mode)!!! Wow!

Just wondered what puts you out of bed? Waking up for something you love, for a purpose? That igniting start of the day needs a call..some just do it because they have to..otherwise, you miss your school, work, classes, forced to wake up, while others do it with a loving longing heart for a purpose. Jesus showed us what kicked off His days on earth, the day as it should start:

And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35 AMP)

وفي الصُّبحِ باكِرًا جِدًّا قامَ وخرجَ ومَضَى إلَى مَوْضِعٍ خَلاءٍ، وكانَ يُصَلّي هناكَ، (مَرقُسَ 1:3 )

Just realizing what you can get out of these moments..the blessings, peace, comfort, guidance, and wisdom. These are some of the fruits you will have for breakfast! Yes, I deeply desire that wake up mode..like my kids, open my eyes, lift my head and come out of bed to receive His Love!

Don't know what wakes you up? Remember the cartoon channel trick!

Elevator Speech

"Elevator Speech" a term I got introduced to during my days in Amsterdam. Working in the head office, you could, by chance, have an elevator ride with one of the "BIG bosses" of this big multinational. Basically, In few words, you need to explain to these super busy directors who you are, what you do and what value you are bringing to this place. It should be done in a simple clear and brief way taking no longer than an elevator ride from ground floor to the 5th floor (it would be your lucky day if they go with you to 7th floor-you ll have few words more). Since you might not meet them often, you'd better impress and get your point through in these few seconds rather than talk about the rainy bla bla weather (which was always a topic that pops up as a default!). Believe me, it helps a lot...work on it I propose, it can be your work, your passion, your faith..whatever it is, you should be ready to passionately share your elevator speech to any one at any time!

Seems that John the Evangelist knew exactly, through the Holy Spirit, what an elevator speech should look like. He did summarize it all in one verse, exactly the size of a tweet تويتة, just 140 characters. It is one of the most famous verses that I would like to share again with you dear friends in these Easter times:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

لأنَّهُ هكذا أحَبَّ اللهُ العالَمَ حتَّى بَذَلَ ابنَهُ الوَحيدَ، لكَيْ لا يَهلِكَ كُلُّ مَنْ يؤمِنُ بهِ، بل تكونُ لهُ الحياةُ الأبديَّةُ. (يوحَنا 3:16 AVDDV)

No better Elevator speech can summarize the Love of God to the WHOLE world, a love given for free to you and me as a gift on the cross...a mission statement of a love that broke the chains of sin and gave a totally new meaning to death, a Passover from temporary life to Eternal Life through the Power and Glory of the Resurrection of His only Son.

Christ is Risen..Indeed He is Risen.

المسيح قام....حقاً قام.