If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:15)
The picture you see above is me and my wife. We have been together for a 44 years, but from time to time, we have to deal with issues in our lives. One such issue is being in harmony with one another. Living in harmony can be a challenge. First, let’s define harmony.
Harmony is defined as being in a peaceful agreement with one another. A sense of peacefulness and tranquility. Whether it’s in a job working with co-workers or with the family, tension in the atmosphere is not a positive thing to have in your life. We have to learn how to nip it at the bud. Identifying the root cause is important.
Failure at not identifying the root cause can have serious consequences. Staying in a state of strife and contention is deadly and can cause health effects. My wife and I have agreed to cut off strife whenever it sticks it’s ugly head in our relationship. One thing is not having the last word. I have been fallen short in that area many times.
Our pride can get us into trouble. If strife and contention is a frequent problem, talking it over with one another is a good thing. Wait until you and your wife cool off. Then after that period, take a deep breath and talk with one another over a cup of coffee. Be open to some solutions.
Getting counseling is another alternative. Me and my wife have gotten some good counseling from our church ministers. It helped saved our marriage. So, if you are having trouble living in harmony, especially in the home, there is hope. Pray and ask God for wisdom. He will never let you down.
When I feel like listening to music, I prefer to listen to either Gospel or Classical. Let me start with Gospel Music. I like to hear Gospel Music with an uplifting message. One of my favorite songs is entitled–So you want to go back to Egypt? The vocals on this song is by Brother Keith Green. It is a mixture of funny humor along with a strong message.
Egypt represents the world, sin and the former life. In this song, Keith Green talks about the Jews who got delivered from slavery. God had a plan to get them into the land of Milk and Honey. Unfortunately, they complained and, hard to believe, missed their former life in Egypt. Keith Green takes all these circumstances and mixes it up with some funny situations that would be applicable to us. You can hear his song on the link provided below.
As for Classical Music, I like to hear some songs that are calm but then come alive such as the Overture of 1812. Written by Tchaikovsky, it start with a mellow sound and then builds up. My favorite part is when you hear the cannons fire away adding to the excitement. Another of my favorites is Haydn and Mendelssohn.
Their music is unique and uplifting. Haydn’s song Surprise is lively and interesting. My favorite part is when the music lowers and then builds up suddenly. As far as Mendelssohn is concerned, his music does the same building up a crescendo from time to time. His music features the violin in many of his songs.
Classical music has had an influence in our everyday lives. You can hear parts of it in the old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Also, in the popular serials of the 40’s, especially with Flash Gordon. (*) Another final note to this is to keep your eyes on AI and the effects that they are having on the music industry.
If you are a Beatles fan, you can get the latest AI sounds on their music. I ran across a Instagram page that has the latest Beatles AI music. Can you imagine what AI can do with Gospel and Classical? It would be interesting to see. I have enclosed a few links below in case you want to listen to my kind of music. Have a blessed weekend and feel free to share your thoughts.
My most memorable vacation was back in 1989 on an all paid expense trip to Disney World. During the decade of the 80’s, I was working two jobs and experiencing the cost of high hospital bills. I thank God that my jobs provided for my family, but I had no medical insurance. It was during that time that Asthma made my life difficult. I was in and out of the hospital and my costs was going up.
I thank God that my faith in Christ got me through life. As if that wasn’t enough, I got shot while driving a cab at night. Due to that incident, I stopped driving a cab and it took a bite out of my income. I have, always, prayed and believed for the best. On one faithful day, an offer to work a taxi route with Verizon came my way. As a result, I made more money but that wasn’t all.
I winded up getting hired by Verizon. Now, I had health insurance and better pay. It was during that time, that God touched my parent’s heart to give us an all paid expense trip to Disney World. It was a unforgettable time seeing the happy expressions on my children’s faces when we came to Disney World.
My Parents relaxing at home. Thank God, they made our trip possible
I spent some valuable time with my parents and we had fun. Thank God for his mercy and grace. As the years passed, God has continued to bless us time after time.
According as his divine power hath given unto us allthingsthat pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: ( I Peter 1:3)
I like to think that a happy ending was provided at the end of the 80’s for us. Disney World was a great vacation to remember and I will forever be grateful to God and my parents for making it possible. If you are going thru a dark time in your life, remember it is always darkest before dawn. Don’t lose hope, help is on the way. Don’t stop praying and put your trust in Jesus. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Now, let’s hear from you. What is your most memorable vacation?
I am not much of a cook, but I can say that I can cook a mean plate of spaghetti. For years, my wife had been complaining about cooking. Two years ago, she backed away from cooking and said–It’s your turn! Now, for me, this was a shock. I was old school for years and I had enjoyed the comforts of my wife cooking for me and my family. Now, the ball was on my court.
I learned, ever since then about the fine arts of culinary cooking. Among my challenges, I learned to cook Beef Stew and Roast Beef, as well as heating, some canned soups, but I excelled at cooking Spaghetti and Eggs. I do Eggs in the morning and prefer them scrambled with some onions, garlic, and cheese. As for dinner, I buy good spaghetti sauce with garlic. Then, I add on the onions and heat my spaghetti and I am good to go.
I really enjoy cooking those two items. It’s nice to see your masterpiece on your plate and feeling great when it hits the spot. How about you? What are your areas of expertise?
Where there is no vision, thepeopleperish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18)
In my last blog, I paused my series of prison escapes. The Lord changed my message and had me to share on the subject: “To Serve Man”. In my analysis of this subject, I shared from an episode of The Twilight Zone how important words are, and how to walk in understanding. If you missed it, please check it out; it will help you in your walk with God.
In this blog, we will explore a very popular movie called: “The Great Escape”. This has been one of my favorites and I want to share some Biblical insights on this matter. “The Great Escape” was a movie that was released in 1963. It was a tribute to the fifty prisoners who were shot in cold blood after they were captured by the German Army. It is my prayer that these biblical teachings on this movie, will inspire many to press through obstacles and setbacks. To not give up in your prison of despair, and be able to live for the Lord in victory.
Give Up All Hope.
I compare the Great Escape as a prison of despair. When the Allies were captured, they were told that the war was over and to give up. Unfortunately, many within the camp did not obey that command and tried to escape. My favorite character was Captain Hilts (Steve McQueen). No matter how hard the Germans would try to break him, he never lost his hope to see himself riding into victory in Berlin. When he was sent to the Cooler, he would have his trademark baseball glove. He threw his baseball against the wall, and irritated the Germans.
How about you, Friend, when your back is against the wall? When you feel that you are in a prison of despair, will you lose hope, or will you encourage yourself like Capt. Hiltz? Let’s explore other aspects of this amazing film.
Vision And Divine Connections.
Capt. Hilts never lost hope. In one scene, he and his companions dug a hole underneath the prison to escape. Unfortunately, they got caught and they were put back in the cooler. It seems that the odds were against Hilts until he made a connection with two British Officers. It was at that encounter, that they shared some ideas and made a clever and elaborate plan to escape.
Beloved, God is a God of New Beginnings and Big Visions. While Capt. Hilts was sharing about his plan to escape, the British Officers (who were his fellow prisoners) had a better one in which 250 prisoners would be free. Capt. Hilts thought that it was impossible, but the officers assured him that it could be done. Beloved, your vision may look impossible, but trust in the Holy Spirit, he can make it possible.
Captain Hilts and his fellow prisoners took to planning the escape. They had dug a couple of tunnels around the camp and had code names for them. They were patient and came up with a unique idea on surviving underground by creating a breathing air machine. Brethren, when you have a vision, it is important to consult with God as to the proper timing and plans. It’s also important to hear from God concerning divine connections. God will put in your path people who will make your vision possible. Pat Robertson was sent to Virginia with just $70 dollars by God’s direction. He had a vision. As he stepped forward by faith, he got connected with key people who helped him. In time, he built up a successful Christian ministry which is still active to this day called the 700 club.
Whether it is for Ministry, Personal or Business, God wants to give you a vision. A vision will precede your calling in life. Tyler Perry is another example: He was homeless and probably in despair until he found out that his gift was writing. After stepping out and exercising his gift, he went on to be a success.
There is a saying: “When life gives you a lemon, you start making lemonade”. Don’t let life’s setbacks get you into a prison of despair; step out in faith. You have a valuable gift inside that is waiting to be uncovered. Nurture the vision that God has created in you. Please click on my video link for more on Your Great Escape.
Who remembers Forrest Gump and his definition of stupid is as stupid does? Well, let me replace the words stupid with romantic to start my analysis. The word romantic is defined as an expression of love. Being in love is a good feeling but it goes beyond that.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for Godislove. (I John 4:8)
As a Christian, I go by the Bible to get a real definition of love. God is the greatest lover around, but having said this, let me share some insights. When I met my wife and took her on our first date, I was impressed with her. As I took her home, I actually purposed to her. Yes, she turned me down, but I did not give up. We kept on seeing each other.
A year had passed and we eventually got married. It was not easy, but we have been together for 44 years. Our union has birthed three wonderful boys and four precious grandchildren. I look forward to spending my time with my wife every day.
Being together for 44 years is a long time, but I am still in love with the same woman. It is putting up with each other. Forgiving one another and making the most of every day together. These factors sums up my views of being romantic. What’s yours? Looking forward to hearing other examples of being romantic. God bless and have a great day.
As a Christian, I give thanks to God for giving me another day on earth. I, also, appreciate people’s kindness for one another. Whenever we see a need, we try to help. There are times that our ministry has helped fund the food for the needy and to give a helping hand to the homeless. Helping your fellow man has its rewards.
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. (I Cor 14:2)
What comes to mind when you hear the three words–To Serve Man? Words matter, but they can be easily misunderstood by people. The Bible speaks of understanding; if all of us had understanding added to our lives things would be better. The misunderstanding has created tensions, broken relationships, and even caused wars. In this lesson we will look at the importance of understanding.
Three Major Examples.
I am a Three Stooges fan; some people don’t like the Stooges but I do. When I want a good laugh, I would tune in to those old episodes and have a good time. I saw an episode where the boys were looking for a place to camp. They wanted to hunt game, so Larry (one of the Stooges) shared with Curly that the land was ideal because the sign said: “Fine for Hunting.” (1)
Little did he know that it was on the contrary; they would be penalized (If they got caught) with a heavy fine to pay. One had a certain understanding of hunting while the sign implied something else; I thought that was funny. Another funny incident was on an episode of the Honeymooners: Ralph Kamden was told that he needed to be at the reading of the will of a friend that had passed away; this friend had an inheritance of 40 million dollars.
Can you imagine 40 million dollars? What would you do with 40 million dollars? As usual Ralph had his hopes up and was making plans. Upon the reading of the will, the word my Fortune was mentioned. To Ralph’s surprise, it was a parrot by the name of Fortune–A rude awakening if I may add. (2)
The last example is on my favorite Twilight Zone Episode: “To Serve Man”. It talks about an alien race of Giants that is advanced, comes to Earth, and shares its discoveries with the Earthlings. In the process they give them a book written in a strange language. While the people are busy with their new found “blessings”, one lady is determined to decipher the book’s contents. Again words are important.
Interpretating The Mysteries
Let me caution you in advance, this blog has a spoiler to this episode. If you want to see it in its entirely, click on the link below. (3) The aliens invite the Earthlings to their planet and it is during this time that the lady comes upon a remarkable discovery. She rushes over the crowd and warns them that it is a cookbook. The Giant Aliens was having Earthlings as their dinner. A rude awakening!
Friends I want to encourage you to use your prayer language. As you pray, think about the example of the lady with the Alien book. She was diligent to decipher the mysteries of that book of Alien writings. So, have that in mind and practice the gift that God has given you. Use your prayer language and practice hearing from God. He wants to show you things to come and life’s mysteries. If you don’t know about praying in the Spirit and using your prayer language, click on the link below (4)
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph 6:12)
In our last post, we explored three best-selling movies such as—
1- The Shawshank Redemption
2-Escape from Sobibor
3- The Great Escape.
We started with The Shawshank Redemption, and we saw how a man who was falsely accused finally saw justice. We have all been there; people have lied and falsely accused us. As Christians we have seen it in the form of persecution and harassment. The central character Andy Dufresne suffered untold torment and harassment.
A ray of light came into his life; his talent as an accountant paid off in jail. As a result of his services he enjoyed special protection, and benefits, but a crooked jail warden used him to make him rich in his corrupt dealings. To make a long story short, Andy escaped from jail and his life was changed.
In this post we are going to look at the movie Escape from Sobibor; based on a true story. Escape from Sobibor was a concentration camp where the Nazis performed the final solution. The Nazis deceived the Jews by telling them that it was a work camp. Meanwhile with each new arrival, they separated them seeking the talents that they can use in the camp. The sick and elderly were separated, as well as some women and children to take a “shower” and get them on their new duties.
The Truth.
As time passed by, the Jews who were separated from their families inquired about them. The Nazis promised them that they would reunite with them soon. Soon the truth comes out; their families were separated to be gassed and cremated. A furnace would be running 24/7 burning the corpses. Anger and vengeance rose up within the camp, but they were helpless until one faithful day some Russian soldiers arrived at the camp. One of the high officials was a seasoned veteran and he was skilled in the art of war.
He gathered the Jews together and told them that in order to win they must be willing to use weapons. Observing the post, he noticed that they had just a few Germans in charge; the rest was run by Ukrainian soldiers. He explained further that to win, and have a successful escape, they had to incapacitate the high leadership in which could send them into a state of confusion.
Seasoned Warriors.
Again I call your attention to Ephesians 6:12, it talks about spiritual warfare in high places. In our lives we are going to go through difficult seasons in our walk with the Lord. Circumstances such as difficulties on the job, sickness, diseases, and financial lack among other items will get us into a state of discouragement. At times it may seem like it gets worse; such as when they found out what really happened to their loved ones who got separated from them during their stay at Sobibor.
There are some battles in which we cannot do alone; we need help. Just as the Russian soldiers came onto the scene and helped the Jews break out of their prison; God will use divine connections. He will connect you to those seasoned prayer warriors who know who to pray to and break you out of your prison.
Brethren, praying in the Spirit is very important because just as the Russian officer made a plan, God has a way to plan your escape. Spending time praying in tongues will reveal God’s mysteries to you, and connect you to the right people who know how to pray. There are some battles that can only be won through the prayer of agreement.
Conclusion.
Summing it up, their escape was a bittersweet victory. I don’t want to include a spoiler because I want you to see the movie in the link enclosed. It is free, and a decent tear jerker in the end. Many victories will be won in the prayer of agreement, but it will not be an easy victory. The secret to winning is to not lose your focus and see yourself victorious. Feel free to click on the link below for the free movie.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son (Col 1:13)
We are going to do an interesting study. I enjoy watching action movies, especially with those that deal with escaping prisons, and concentration camps. There are three of my favorite movies that in which I have found some interesting Biblical analogies—
The Shawshank Redemption
Escape from Sobibor.
The Great Escape
Let’s start with the Shawshank Redemption narrated by Morgan Freeman. We see the central character Andy Dufresne, who was a banker that was falsely accused of his wife’s murder. While in jail, he experienced many abuses, was assaulted sexually while serving his time, but then a ray of light. He overheard the captain of the guard talking about an inheritance that he had, but was worried about the taxes.
Sensing an opportunity, he managed to talk to the captain about getting his inheritance tax-free. Since Andy was an accountant, he soon found favor with the guards and would do all their tax returns. He also enjoyed protection from the guards in return for his services. How does that apply to us in a Biblical sense?
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Prov 16:7)
You may be in a prison of persecution, or maybe you are being persecuted on the job, or by a loved one? Perhaps you have been tormented by this constant onslaught of harassment? If you are experiencing any of these things, you are not alone. Just as Andy Dufresne saw an opening to win favor with the prison guards, God can do the same for you.
While I was working at Verizon, I had a co-worker who hated my guts. He gave me a lot of grief and problems. It got so bad that I was thinking of quitting my job, but thank God for my wife. God gave her wisdom, used her, and encouraged me to stay the course.
I wanted to escape my prison, but God had me to stay. So, I prayed for my enemy every day using scriptures of love. Soon, God started to turn his heart, and the persecution as well as the torment stopped. During those times of peace, my enemy confided in me that he wanted a position that paid well in the company. He encouraged me to pray, and he said that if he got that position, he would buy me a sandwich.
Time passed, God softened my enemy’s heart, and he helped me on my job. Afterwards, after praying blessings for him, he got promoted. He was out of my department, and soon God brought a spirit-filled brother to work with me. As for the sandwich, the day he got promoted, he was looking for me to make good on his promise. Unfortunately, I had taken the day off and missed my blessing. (Smile)
Your prison of persecution can be a source of learning and blessings. The word says to rejoice when you are being persecuted, for great is your reward in heaven. You can get the blessings of heaven just by praising God during your ordeal. I can testify to it; God can even open the prison door into freedom and deliverance adding to your testimony.
Redemption
There are other Biblical comparisons to this movie: Andy Dufresne was taken advantage of by a cruel jail warden. He made him fix the books on his crooked political and financial dealings, but Andy did not lose sight of his freedom. His vision was to escape and move to Mexico; years have passed and he had a plan.
By using a small hammer, he made a big hole during his confinement years. Covering it with a Raquel Welch poster, he covered the big hole. It was during that time that he took the warden’s financial records, as well as his shoes in a bag, and made good his escape. He made his way through the dirty sewers and swam his way to freedom.
Since the warden used a fictious character to cover for his perverted deeds, Andy adopted his identity and made off with about $300,000 of the warden’s money. He also sent the warden’s crooked records to a newspaper. To sum it up, the authorities went after the warden and he winded up committing suicide.
Notice that Andy assumed the identity of a fictious person. As we analyze this on a Biblical principal we were in prison, but when we got born-again, a chain of events happened–
We escaped from our prison of sin and death.
We assumed the identity of a real person—Jesus Christ.
We got back everything that the enemy stole from us and experienced His blessings.
Our enemy fell into his own snare and lost souls that escaped from his prison
Conclusion
Perhaps you have been in a prison; a prison of false accusations, a place where there is no hope. I am here to tell you that Jesus paid for it all. He opened the prison door, gave you an identity, and has a place of milk and honey waiting for you. So, my question is—What are you waiting for? Go and possess the land.
Would you like to find out more on how to escape from your prison? The first step is to accept God’s gift of eternal life. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Click on this link and repeat the prayer enclosed for an exciting adventure in Christ…..
The Christian Corner Ministries 