Psalm 37 Humble inheriting the earth

 

“«A Psalm of David.» Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.” (Psalms 37:1 KJ21)

“7  Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.” (Psalms 37:7-8 KJ21)

“But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (Psalms 37:11 KJ21)

“30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” (Psalms 37:30-31 KJ21)

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Today we give the word to a rabbi of a small, vibrant, Conservative, congregation in Grand Rapids, MI., whose blog purpose is to explore what it means to make our lives embody Torah.

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At our previous posting concerning the preparation of 14 Nisan and shedding light on the seven basic qualities we should work on, we may not forget that to reach our goal we also shall need to be patient and when we would light the seventh candle we shall have to think about the humble person who cultivates love and respect.

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Sometimes it may look so difficult to stand strong in this world where there are not many lovers of God. In that world we should always make sure we act like an example worthy of God. Even when others may think we are fools and weak, let us be assured that our faith in build on hope and trust in the Only One Who gives peace and that what we need.

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Preceding

Seven lights or basic emotions

How to Live Beyond the Ordinary

Patience is also a form of action

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Embodied Torah

“The humble shall inherit the earth.” (37:11)

In the short run, the kind of assertiveness that edges towards arrogance gets results, but one can get the same results from being confidently humble. An example: An arrogant person will push his way to the front of a group of people to get what he wants before someone else who has been waiting longer. A confidently humble person will recognize those who have been waiting and let them go first and insert himself into the queue in the proper order. The arrogant person cultivates resentment and fear; the humble person cultivates love and respect.

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How to Live Beyond the Ordinary

On her other blog, today’s guest-writer Nezel Yurong, an aspiring yogi and mother of two boys, wrote already in “Purposive Ninja Virtual Professional” about qualities we can acquire to make our life as enjoyable as possible.

We should know that our mindset is very important for the way how our life is going to develop. We should also know it is essential to have the right attitude to reach our goal in life. As such we should be very well aware that everything starts with a positive mindset.

She reminds her readers to

Believe that you can achieve the goals you set for yourself. Obstacles are inevitable. Whatever they may be, just have the faith and determination that you can overcome them. {Purposive Ninja Virtual Professional}

And repeats the same call we can not warn enough people to be persistent, continuing to try to get to their goal, never to give up.

Though we have to be careful Nezel warns

Do not push too hard on people or on yourself. You may make it slow according to your capacity; just keep moving forward. {Purposive Ninja Virtual Professional}

To do that we often need a lot of patience.

According to Beverly Sills, “there are no shortcuts to places worth going.” Get into the mindset that the wait will be worth it. Always take massive action. And remember that great things take time. {Purposive Ninja Virtual Professional}

Everybody shall encounter enough people who want to stop them dreaming, or even worse stop them reaching their goal. whatever the cause may be, a.o. jealousy, hear what they say and how they say it, but let it not drag you down. Look around in the world and find the interesting people who can inspire you or coach you and help you develop further in an ever changing world where you want to be receptive to and to be willing to make use of the new technologies.

 Adjust your sails to the different weathers of your journey. Keep on learning. And have an open mind to possibilities and opportunities. {Purposive Ninja Virtual Professional}

Our guest-writer recognises the good thing with life is that we are all born ordinary and we all can bring gifts to offer to the world from the day we were born. We may come into this world as a nobody and than have to work ourselves up onto that ladder so many expect so much.

When we grow up we may encounter experiences which might embarrass us much. ({Making Most of the Gap from a Nobody to Somebody}) On our way we can come to sit in an unproductive environment and seeking for something that gives more meaning and purpose to life. It’s possible we come to face weeks of soul searching, discovering we need to let go of some things before we can successfully embark on a new journey, which on many different occasions we shall confronted with.

Often a big problem people then face when they come on such ‘crossroad’ or ‘turning points’ is that they have difficulties with the confrontation and the changes they perhaps have to make.

They need to shake off the dust from their feet. No matter others might have been born with a silver spoon in their mouth, that does not make them extraordinary nor should let us feel sorry for ourselves.

We should remember

Being extraordinary is an inward thing. It is a journey. It is a choice.

Let us never forget our better self, believing in the self, getting to nurture the gifts which are given from birth.

As Richard Dawson said,

“Be nice to each other. You can make a whole day a different day for everybody.”

Nezel adds

If we want to be remembered or leave a lasting legacy, we have to muster all our strength to build up others.

We have to accept whatever the present puts in our table. The present is just the way it is. If there is something we don’t like in the present moment, we have to accept it, then tweak something that would promise us a favorable future.

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Preceding articles

1. If Doubt
2. Fear, struggles, sadness, bad feelings and depression
3. Failures, mistakes and Initiatives for Excellence and success, Working towards turning a Dream of yours into reality
4. Life
5. Life Is A Marathon
6. The world starts with yourself
7. Facing our existence every day
8. Inner Voice
9. The I Am to explore
10. There can only be hope when there is a will to be and say “I am”
11. Confidence…
12. Self Help Guide
13. Believe today and now!
14. Believe in yourself!
15. Wishy-Washy…
16. Watch out
17. Believe in your greatness
18. Be Kinder to Yourself
19. How do Other People Feel About Mental Health?
20. Gender connections

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Additional reading

1. Determine the drive
2. Not holding back and getting out of darkness
3. Only one person who has the power to cast the deciding vote that will kill your dream

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Further reading

1. “How Was Your Day? – “Fine.”
2. Why it is important to love yourself before you love another
3. Is Happiness a Pursuit?
4. Why daily means daily…until it doesn’t
5. If it’s Broken
6. Failure V Feedback
7. SDR 1158: Most People Overestimate What They Can Do In A Year And Underestimate What They Can Do In Ten Years – Tony Robbins
8. Doing This Stuff Is Boring
9. Mindset: How To Get Over Depression (4 Steps) – How To Stop Feeling Depressed and Sad – Feel Happy Again
10. There Is Nothing More Important You Can Do Than Learn To Control Your Thinking!
11. Know-How Not Lotto
12. Finding Your ‘Why’
13. For The Love Of Money Or Happiness?
14. F.E.A.R
15. Fear, our best enemy / La peur, notre meilleur ennemi
16. SDR 1157: Don’t Be Lazy To Learn From Your Experience
17. 5 Characteristics of people who Fail at Failing
18. Growth mindset?
19. Life: Empow(HER)ment
20. Turning Dreams Into Reality
21. Awaken Your Mind, Awaken Your Senses
22. Monday Motivation
23. Motivation Monday 43
24. How to keep that Monday ‘spark’ going all week….
25. Weekend Thought #13 – Determination
26. 5 Tips To Developing a Growth Mindset
27. 5 simple ways to be more successful
28. Week Two: What’s Your ‘WHY’
29. What If It’s Not About Getting It Right?
30. Much to learn you still have…This is just the beginning. A guide to Lifelong Learning.
31. 5 Happiness Blog Posts I’ve Written Recently
32. You Either Win or Learn
33. Exploring Possibilities…
34. Coming to A Head
35. Needs V.S Wants?
36. Good Things Come to Those Who…
37. The Eyes Are The Window To The Soul
38. 10 Lifelessons from Confucius
39. Grattitude changes everything
40. Living a Life Worthy of the Gospel

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Purposive Writer

I read somewhere of someone asking how to make her life extraordinary. Is your life ordinary? Mine too. The good thing with life is we are all born ordinary. Yes, others may have been born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but that does not make them extraordinary. Outwardly, perhaps. They live in huge abode than anybody else, do not need to clean their toilet like anybody else, and even have bodyguards and assistants who are always attentive to their every need.

Still, those things do not make someone extraordinary. Being extraordinary is an inward thing. It is a journey. It is a choice. Media may have its definition about being extraordinary by the way some things or people present themselves. That is why many aspire to be great, famous and wealthy in order to become extraordinary. Worse, they do all means whether acceptable or not just to get…

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Seeds, weeds and kingdoms

Germinating seeds

In the Holy Scriptures we can find many examples where is spoken about seeds and the soil in which seeds have to grow.

Brown Flax Seeds. (Linum usitatissimum). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In this time and age we best think about the parable of the the sower, where the sower sows the seeds into different kinds of ground – three bad and one good. Man himself can find out from Scriptures what is meant by those stories Jesus told. Concerning the seed of the sower Jesus tells us (v18-23) – the seed is the Word of God and the different kinds of ground are different responses to the message of the Kingdom.

In our world we hear less spoken about the Word of God and many churches are running empty. For followers of Christ, the religions getting against each other is just one of the many signs we can see that the preaching of the coming Kingdom is of utmost importance, because when it shall be preached all over the world, then the end shall come.

In this world there are lots of people who think they are doing good and others who are convinced they do not have to take care because they are saved under Christ. they may be very mistaken, hoping to enter the Kingdom of God, by not living according to God‘s Laws, missing the entrance to the small gate. All those parables Jesus told should be a warning that it perhaps might not be so easy to enter the Kingdom after all. Many may be called but few reaching the the end goal of the race.

The second parable we have to take at heart is the one about the weeds, where the enemy sows bad weed seeds amongst the good wheat seeds. Again, we are not left guessing as to the meaning – Jesus tells us (v37-43) – the good seed represents the sons of the Kingdom and the bad seed the sons of the devil, i.e. those opposed to the message of the Kingdom who will be ‘weeded’ out of the Kingdom by God’s angels when the Son of Man (Jesus) comes.

Those two are not the only ones in which Jesus talks about seeds.

Birds in the fields and trees

When we look at the fields where seeds are waiting to grow, we can see many birds picking their bits of grains. Now Jesus comes to look where those birds have their habitat. They coming to live in a tree. In the ancient times the men of God also wrote about the birds living in trees, referring to kingdoms.

“The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it.” (Daniel 4:12 ASV)

“it is thou, O king, [Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon]that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.” (Daniel 4:22 ASV)

“Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a forest-like shade, and of high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs.” (Ezekiel 31:3 ASV)

“All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; and under its branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young; and under its shadow dwelt all great nations.” (Ezekiel 31:6 ASV)

Immature Elm seeds. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

These first two Old Testament references use that specific language that Jesus picks up on – using the description of trees and perching birds to represent empires and subjects dwelling in them. But the obvious thing to notice is that whereas Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of Heaven, these verses most certainly are not! They are talking about the kingdoms of men! The first is talking about the kingdom of Babylon, which only filled the world with godless rule – and even today its pagan beliefs and teaching still permeate like yeast (many non‑Christian and Christian religions can trace their belief system back to ancient Babylon). Assyria was known for its violence and cruelty (see Nahum 3:19) and our days, like the days of Noah, also see a world filled with violence (modern day Assyria / Syria being notable examples).

Kingdoms

It may seem strange to make reference to the kingdoms of men when the parable of the mustard seed is about the Kingdom of Heaven, but then other parables do the same. The parable of the sower begins “the Kingdom of Heaven is like” then talks about the unbelief of people’s hearts and their rejection of the gospel, the parable of the sower begins “the Kingdom of Heaven is like” then talks about the corruption of the gospel finding a temporary place in the harvest field, and the parable of the net begins “the Kingdom of Heaven is like” then describes the existence of the bad fish swimming around in the lake. But then all these parables end with salvation and deliverance, and so also does the last of those three specific Old Testament references.

Ezekiel 17:22-24 “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.’ I the LORD have spoken and I will do it.”

The encouragement that the parable gives us

Imagine if the parable of the sower just told us that a man went to sow seed, and the seed grew and the crop was good. Imagine if the parable of the weeds just told us that a man planted some seed, and the seed was good, and then harvest came, and harvest was good. Imagine if the parable of the ten virgins wasn’t the parable of the ten virgins – it was the parable of the five virgins and it told us that there were five virgins who went to a wedding and the wedding was good – and that’s it!

Our message of salvation is not just that Jesus will return and all is well. The reality of the world we live in is very dark and very far from what God wants it to be. Even more discouraging is the fact that the very gospel that Jesus gave to enlighten is not believed by so many, and falsehood and the kingdoms of men fill the earth, and we – with the precious truth we possess – are so small and ignored.

Jesus encourages us by reminding us, through the parable of the mustard seed and the Old Testament links, that God is fully aware of how man’s ways rule the world – like Assyria and Babylon in the past. Jesus does not try to divert us by pretending that everything is good right now, but reminds us that God’s plan will become a reality – more real than anything fake we see around us now.

God has told us that He himself will plant His Tree / Kingdom, on the mountain heights of Israel and that all the other trees (nations) will know this and so God will be glorified and vindicated in the end amongst all His opponents, as will all those who keep that precious faith and stick with Him. This is our hope. We are tired of the kingdoms of men around us, imitating the shade and shelter that only God can provide through His Son who has the words of eternal life – and when he comes we will truly find rest under the shade of his branches.

From small to big

Mustard seeds are counted by the smallest seeds but they give us some strong big trees which produce a lot of seeds. Listening to the parable we can imagine us people with some faith like a mustard seed would have not much faith or little faith. But even that little faith can do much. Therefore the one who can sow little faith shall be able to give the  pastures many trees which shall in their turn also create little seeds and multiply enormously.

Even when we do feel we have not so much faith, we should believe in ourselves and proclaim the message of salvation which is given to us. We may have doubts but should know that even with our little faith we shall be able to do much.

“And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20 ASV)

Moving a mountain, it looks ridiculous … but with our little faith if we believe in Christ Jesus as our saviour we shall be able to do much, showing others the Way to God, we shall be able to move mountains, doing lots of work for God. But to do that moving work we need to have the right seed. Unpolluted faith. We also need to use the right fertiliser, the pure Word of God, which we can find in the best store of the the world, the most precious library, the Bible. when we water ourselves every day with it, our seed shall be able to grow. Perhaps we ourself can be such a mustard tree.

The world needs many mustard seeds. There are so many nations, so many places where there is need for birds to find a place to sit in and trees for people to find shadow. It is up to the believers to become the sowers and the gardeners.
It is up to the believers to make it that the seed may be planted in good soil. We have to prepare the earth, we have to fertilise the ground and give the plants enough water so that they can survive in the dry surroundings.

Are you willing to be a sower?

Help us to proclaim the Word of God and to bring the message of salvation, the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God.

It may start very small but finish big, so take the opportunity.

 

Preceding

Seeds of promise

Seeds to be planted soon

Christians remaining hidden not sharing the gospel

An uncovering book to explore

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Additional reading

1. I have not hidden …
2. Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 4
3. A Living Faith #1 Substance of things hoped for
4. Salvation, Baptism and Re-baptism
5. When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church
6. a little church
7. Slave for people and God

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Further reading

1. Mustard Seed
2. Mustard Seeds
3. Open the Eyes of my Heart
4. The Gift Of God
5. Genuine message of salvation
6. Mustard Seed Faith
7. A Mustard Seed of Faith
8. Small start, Big Finish
9. Faith of A Mustard Seed
10. Sow and harvests in the garden of your heart
11. 12 Month Faith Challenge (I Conquer Pt 1)
12. Daily Mass: Steady growth that starts small. Catholic Inspiration
13. January 26 – From A Mustard Seed
14. Today’s Scripture – December 28, 2016
15. Daily Gospel Reading – Mark 4:26-34
16. What is the meaning of the Parable of the Mustard Seed?
17. Moving Mountains
18. Fear Feels Bigger
19. As Small as a Mustard Seed
20. Does Your Faith Make You Eager To Forsake Sin?
21. Prayer Changes Me
22. Don’t Say How, Say I Am Yours!
23. Luke 6:17-19
24. Luke 13
25. Measuring Faith
26. Optimism and the Kingdom of God
27. Wise Virgins
28. Conceal, Don’t Feel
29. Warfare Against the Mustard Seed
30. Hang On To Your Faith
31. What You Have is Enough | A Widow’s Mite and Mustard Seed Faith
32. Increase Our Faith
33. Busted Mustard Seed
34. Faith Unwavering
35. How’s your mustard seed?

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• Oozing Grace and other Heretical Hazards
• Distinguishing Between Biblical Vs Man-Made Doctrine
• Sunday reflection: Matthew 4:12 – 23
• The thousand-year reign of Christ
• Reflections
• Jesus the True and Better Prophet, Priest, and King
• Gospel-Centered Reading of Psalms
• The Kingdom of God: Past, Present, and Future
• Which is worse – works without faith, or faith without works?

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Facing our existence every day

Every day we are confronted with ourselves again. Every day again we are again confronted not only with ourselves but also with those around us. Everyday we do meet again new challenges, have to affirm again our values.

Attitude / Golden Gun (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This world which challenges us brings us day in day out some new adventures. We can try to tackle them or try to escape those things which we do not want to see. But covering our eyes is not helping us nor getting such things we do not want to see away. Living in this world we should be aware of what is going on in it. We can not stand at the side, not wanting to be involved or just letting everything happen. Those things which we consider wrong demand an action. And we should take action. Though there are several Christians who think we do not need to do any works, because we are saved, we should not let everything pass along like nothing wrong happens. That what is not according to the Law of God, that what cannot be justified demands reaction. We should open our eyes to what happens in the world and should react appropriate.

Having us to react will demand strength and courage. It shall also demand an attitude to be taken. And that attitude should always be in accordance to the attitude our master teacher Jeshua wants his followers to have.

Attitude (EP) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Every day we do have to face our inner self and find the core of our own business, our own being, our own strive, our own goal. Every day again we do have to face how we are wanting to build up our own life and our own future. It is naturally so that in case we do nothing we cannot do something wrong (we think). Not doing anything, letting it all pass, is witnessing of taking an attitude, which is not the right attitude. Rabbi Jeshua and his disciples taught about the essence of taking action and doing things. The master teacher gave several examples how people lost their opportunity to take part of the celebrations, the wedding or the entrance to the Kingdom.

The grace of salvation has been given to the whole mankind, but each individual has to do something with it. When we are willing to receive that marvellous free Gift, we do have to be thankful for it and do something with it. When we just leave in the cupboard, untouched it shall be of no service for us.

It is an Immeasurable Grace bestowed on humanity but lots of people do not see or appreciate the value of it, or take it for granted that now they have received it they do not have to do anything any more. Oh, how are they mistaken.

Each day we are confronted again with many ideas … our mind wandering about. Even a baptised person can have thoughts which are not in accordance with God His Will. Though they may be convinced that they have done away with the old life, that old life simmers slowly and little tinkly lights may be very attractive. More than once in our life bitterness, wrath, and even anger, does want to come along our path. We also can have moments where clamour and evil speaking may be lurking around our own corner. All those things we are asked to put away from us, with all malice. And that requires an action, which is a work to be done.

There are also days that we wake up and feel as if we have a broken heart. Though we may know that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul. Each time we left our mind wandering in the wrong way we do know we can repent, i.e. take an action, making the effort to see that we were wrong and that we do have to ask for pardon. It demands an action to see what we did wrong (i.e. doing a work) and when we know what we have done wrong we have to repent about it (again doing a work).

Painting “Kampen for tilværelsen” (Struggle for existence”) by Christian Krohg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Often because we ourself do have to endure so much pain we want others also to have pain. Often we also want to have many good things others may have and desires others to have some of our bad things. Such desires are often around us to cause pain. We can have feelings which hurt others or can bring them into distress. Yes, we must be aware that we can get up in the morning with allowing to grow in our mind the

“intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse.”

This makes our own self the sick self. The self what needs healing. the healer is always around, but we have to come to him (which demands an action or work).  Without coming to the Saviour Jesus Christ we shall be nothing and will have it so much more difficult in our life. he is the Way to God and he is the one who can guide us through difficult times, putting our hands in the hands of his heavenly Father.

Every day we wake up we should know that God is willing to be close to us and that He is really concerned with what is going on in our heart and mind. Be aware, He knows much more than we allow others to see, hear or feel, what we think or want to do. Even when we do not carry out malicious acts against someone, but carry such thoughts in our mind, God knows it.

You ought not to secretly wish that something bad would happen to any person. Rejoicing in some misfortune that befalls someone else is also evidence of malice. And that is something God detests.

The dispensationalist Plymouth Brother Harry A. Ironside

The Canadian-American Bible teacher, preacher, theologian, pastor, and author Harry A. Ironside said every Christian has an obligation to put away all malice.

“If you do not live up to that, you are not living a real Christian life. This is Christianity lived in the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Gospel Light Society writes

You might feel like the malice in your heart is justified because of what someone did or said to you. But, you must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and bring your feelings under the authority of Christ. You must choose to put on the new man who will not walk in maliciousness, but in a spirit of love and forgiveness toward all. {How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)}

Every day we have to face the new life lying in front of us. Having done away with the old life, we should try to do our utmost best to live in accordance to God His Wishes, not following man’s doctrines but following Biblical doctrines.

George Cuff wrote:

There are sins from the former life that simply must be denied,
Things the godless revel in, that a believer must sweep aside.
Immorality of every kind, impurity, lust and greed;
You will be bound to idolatry if scripture you fail to heed.

You must also rid yourselves of anger, malice and rage.
Watch your speech carefully. Do not in profanity engage.
You threw off the sinful man who reveled in foul deeds;
The new man is renewed in mind, empowered by Christ indeed. {How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)}

Empowered by Christ Jesus we should find every day the fresh living water, empowering to continue in the right way, trying to finish the race, lying in front of us.

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Preceding articles

Our existence..

You Matter

Running challenge and the City build by the Most High Maker

For mams and dads it is also back to ‘normal’

Benefits of Positive Thinking

What IF you’re only driven by stress?

Failures, mistakes and Initiatives for Excellence and success, Working towards turning a Dream of yours into reality

There can only be hope when there is a will to be and say “I am”

The Goal

Our life depending on faith

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Additional reading

1. Life is like a ten-speed bike.
2. Suffering produces perseverance
3. Your purpose explains what you are doing with your life
4. If we view the whole world through a lens that is bright
5. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands
6. Thought for September 8 Weak but standing strong in the ground swell
7. 30 things to start doing for yourself – #6 is vital.
8. Choices
9. Live …
10. Luck
11. Who are the honest ones?
12. Being prudent – zorgvuldig zijn
13. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
14. Not liking your Christians
15. If there is bitterness in the heart
16. Sow and harvests in the garden of your heart
17. Don’t Envy the World
18. Blindness in the Christian world
19. Blinkered minds
20. Never making mistakes because never doing anything
21. The Immeasurable Grace bestowed on humanity
22. Infinite payment of sin by the son of God
23. As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
24. Only I can change my life
25. The inspiring divine spark
26. If you think you’re too small to be effective
27. If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority
28. Holiness and expression of worship coming from inside
29. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
30. Grow strong in weakness
31. Being aligned with above
32. Points to remember of philosophy versus spirituality and religion
33. It is a free will choice
34. We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace
35. Your life the sum total of all your choices
36. Believe and speak and act in ways which show we have life in Christ’s name
37. Behold, My mother and My brothers!
38. Saved through grace not through keeping rituals
39. Without God no purpose, no goal, no hope
40. God’s will is that all sorts of men should be saved
41. A goal is a dream with a plan
42. Looking for a primary cause and a goal that can not offer philosophers existing beliefs
43. Inculturation today calling for a different attitude
44. Coming to the end of the year
45. Dynamic goals must always rise out of authentic needs
46. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
47. Faith antithesis of rationality
48. Faith, storms and actions to be taken
49. A Living Faith #2 State of your faith
50. A Living Faith #10: Our manner of Life #2
51. A Living Faith #12 The Love for Jesus
52. Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal
53. Try driving forward instead of backwards
54. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
55. Discipleship to look at
56. Don’t be the weakest link
57. The Big conversation – Antagonists
58. Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church
59. Williamsburg Conference 2015 December 27-31 Joy and Gladness
60. We should use the Bible every day
61. Religious people and painful absence of spring of living water

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Further related

1. Grace
2. Salvation – He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it
3. Instantly Healed, Saved and Baptized
4. “Looking For Jesus” – “Dead Works”
5. (Part 2) Can A Christian Lose Their Salvation?
6. A New Life of Righteousness
7. saved to serve
8. Breathe in, out!
9. How Vulnerability Can Bring Us Beyond Ourselves
10. The Power of a Grateful Heart – Weakness Gratitude
11. Afraid Of The Unknown
12. No Retreat, No Surrender!
13. Excerpt from a novel
14. FFfAW: Promises
15. 100 Days of Happiness and 90 Days of Kicking Fear in the Face ….
16. No Complain November
17. The Sandbox Writing Challenge #50 — No fair peeking!
18. Week 6: Opinions-Opinions-…oh No!
19. He Tries
20. If At First You Don’t Succeed
21. What Fills Your Personal Lamp? Personal Gratitude Challenge-day 2
22. “Start the daily practice of not letting the little things bother you! If the little things ruin you, what’s going to happen when the big things come along? Start practicing now for your big challenges in life.”
23. Skirting the hard stuff
24. Message from the Universe: Becoming the person you’ve dreamed about!
25. A Night To Dismember
26. Remembering to Pause
27. First Things First…
28. Easy
29. Quote Notes
30. Are you okay?
31. True Power
32. Bad Reaction
33. Good Grief!
34. Are You Ready?: Part 3
35. When God gives up
36. Daily Verse
37. Sin Makes You Sick
38. A Change In Perspective
39. We Are Dust
40. Daily Bread – Draw Nigh
41. Daily bible passage – 11/3/16
42. A Warning of God Concerning the Ungodly
43. Ezekiel 28-30; John 10
44. My hope is in the Lord
45. Christ’s Blood Shed for All Men
46. I cry for you 
47. For God So Loved The world…
48. Come to Me
49. How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)

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Related articles

• Things Christians Just Don’t Get To Do
• Christians will suffer from this half-baked ‘gay cake’ law
• Anti-Christian LGBT Blitzkrieg Closes Down Sweet Cakes by Melissa
• Iraqi Christians pray once more in charred church near Mosul
• AZ School Sends Girls to Mandatory Christian Abstinence Assembly, Boys to Voluntary Dating Seminar
• Christian Slater and James Franco got ‘competitive’ over gay sex scenes
• Christians having the right heart to call others to go to God
• Jewish and Christian traditions of elders
• The longer you wait

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Failures, mistakes and Initiatives for Excellence and success, Working towards turning a Dream of yours into reality

We all have to have dreams. Without dreams we shall not accomplish much in life.

Dr Austin Ejaife, [an Olorogun, the ‘Ugo’ of Agbon Kingdom] a Professional Tax, Audit, Accounting, Strategy and Global Corporate Governance Consultant, who also wants to be Motivational Speaker, Inspiration mover, Political Critic and Social Crusader with passion for good governance, advocacy and empowerment for Positive Change, reflects how he views and interpret real life issues, current news items from around the world and Nigeria in particular. But he has also some good food for thinking for those in the West as well.

He writes about are do’s and don’ts and knows we all make mistakes and have to live with them, but are better to look forward to the tomorrow which will come–and it is up to us how we choose to face the day ahead of us.

The mistakes of yesterday are in the past, and with the right attitude and some effort, today will find us making fewer. {Leave Yesterday’s Mistakes In The Past… And Bring The Lessons With You So That You Will Not Repeat Them}

Some APEX teen leaders were invited to a breakfast (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In our previous article we looked at some celebrities. Several highly placed people or those who are in the picture for a while may get a certain attitude. It is not weird or strange to find leaders filled with abnormal hubris lacking internal validation. Dr. Austin Ejajaife tells about some wonderful studies, that shows the corroding effects of ego and how leaders are more likely to suffer from disease of fixing fat compensation, acquiring other firms and engaging in other risky strategies to feed their egos. Leaders ought to cultivate humility. {Initiatives For Excellence: Avoiding Arrogance of Power}

Successful people are able to come into the danger zone, becoming a leader, or anyone in a position of power and authority, having to avoid the trap of arrogance of power.

Everything rises and falls on leadership,”

says Dr. John C. Maxwell,

“but knowing how to lead is only half the battle. Understanding leadership and actually leading are two different activities.” {Initiatives For Excellence: 12 Major Signs Of Leadership In Danger (I)}

Dr Austin Ejaife *(Ugo1)* writes

World leaders attending the Progressive Governance Conference 2009 in Chile. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The key to transforming yourself from someone who understands leadership to a person who successfully leads in the real world is character. Your character qualities activate and empower your leadership ability, or they can stand in the way of your success
Dr. Ted Engstrom  says that organisation succeed or fail for many different reasons.

Even the mature organization or nation is not without its hazards. In many ways the dangers that it faces are more subtle. They are often the result of success rather than failure. {Initiatives For Excellence: 12 Major Signs Of Leadership In Danger (I)}

We would say it is not only leadership in danger but also for our own success we have to be careful not to settle for the status quo. We also should know that new ideas shall bring with them a conflict of interest, and conflict of interest brings internal tension. We continuously have to work around those feelings and cope with that internal tension.

Quality is far more important than quantity. Size or quantity must always be secondary to the effectiveness. Discriminating between breadth and depth is not easy. That is why there is a real danger here. Leaders may have a great desire to expand throughout and beyond our community or to the rest of the world, but if the quality of our products or services is not being continually strengthened, then, we may discover that we have over-extended ourselves. {Initiatives For Excellence: 12 Major Signs Of Leadership In Danger (I)}

We always should know ourselves and have to be realistic what we can do and what we can handle, never forgetting to listen to others and to look around us, noticing what is going on and how society reacts to certain things. One of those dangers when looking around is that we view a situation from a limited point of view.

The only failures that really exist are choosing to hold onto limiting thoughts such as, “There is nothing we can do to move beyond this situation.” Life is a series of decisions. If something didn’t work out in the past, accept what happened as being an incident from the past, and be willing to move on. If we are spending time trying to change the past, we have limited ourselves from moving forward. Please remind yourself that we cannot change what has already happened. We can change how we feel about past situations. {Turn Your Failure Into Accomplishment!}

Reality (Dream album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lots of people look up at what they think may be the success or happiness of somebody else. They keep comparing themselves with others and get pulled down or frustrated. By doing so they often are limiting themselves.

Limiting beliefs always create limited outcomes. Limited thinking also keeps us stuck from moving beyond the imaginary walls known as our comfort zones. If we really wish to turn failure, disappointment, or frustration into something positive, we need to be willing to step out of the comfort zone arena. Whenever we approach any situation in a limited manner, it is because we are holding onto excuses and fear. When we feel limited or challenged usually also results in feeling discouraged.

Discouragement translates into more excuses; and eventually because of thinking from a limited point of view causes us to stop working on achieving our goal(s). By understanding that in order to experience disappointment or failure, if we can recognise that we made a decision to stop, quit or give up, is only a decision. This incredible insight suggests that if we were to make better decisions we can turn the whole thing around. {Turn Your Failure Into Accomplishment!}

We should remember

When working on goals, instead of approaching the situation as difficult, vague or impossible, let us begin by changing our point of view. By beginning to use positive intentions helps us to view tasks as being possible and manageable. We are changing what we are holding in mind. Instead of responding with,

“Maybe tomorrow… or giving yourself some other excuse,”

make a decision that focuses on easily completing the task. A better response would be,

“I can easily take care of this,”

and give yourself a reasonable period of time to accomplish the task (i.e. by the end of day, week, or month, etc.). By approaching tasks as easy, and also providing a reasonable timeframe, allows us to take the appropriate actions to accomplish the task without getting discouraged. {Turn Your Failure Into Accomplishment!}

The writer of the blog which we advice you to visit, is convinced that

We are marvellous and unique beings, created by a loving God for a purpose that is quite perfectly our own.

Who is to say that our dreams have to be like theirs, or anyone else’s in this world for that matter? Just because someone else dreams of amassing new things, more power, greater wealth, or more fame, does not mean we, too, share the same passion. Perhaps we just want to travel the world more, or dream of a simpler life with less stress and more peace. {Work Towards Turning A Dream Of Yours Into Reality}

Looking at what Douglas Everett says:

“There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.”

Ejaife thinks there is more than simply realizing that we are in charge of choosing our own dreams in life.

We must also realize that within us, we possess the ability to turn those dreams into our reality, if we but dare to take the necessary steps to make them come true. What did you dream of as a child? Have you realized any of those dreams? What do you dream of today? How do you feel when you are focused on those dreams? As children, we often allowed ourselves to dream with the idea that any one of those dreams could come true. But as we grow older, we often times buy into what other people consider reality, and our dreams get pushed aside, packed away, and perhaps even forgotten. {Work Towards Turning A Dream Of Yours Into Reality}

When looking at the screen of your television and hearing about all those celebrities, remind yourself that all that fame is temporarily and does not always brings that luck hoped for.

Ejaife brings questions to consider. We should think about what we want to do in our life and with our life. We should ask ourself why we are so often afraid to tackle certain issues.

Why do we often put our dreams on hold?

How can we go about turning our dreams into our realities?

What differences do you see between dreams and reality?

For further thought:

“Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.” ~ Anais Nin

> Please do read:Work Towards Turning A Dream Of Yours Into Reality and find more interesting articles by Dr Austin Ejaife

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Preceding articles:

The Goal

Attitude of Unstopable Success

Gender connections

Getting fate in your change to positiveness

Helping to create a Positive Attitude

Material wealth, Submission and Heaven on earth

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Find also to read:

1. Why “Selfishness” Doesn’t Properly Mean Being Shortsighted and Harmful to Others
2. Subcutaneous power for humanity 5 Loneliness, Virtual and real friends
3. Opportunity!
4. At first looking like a loss
5. Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement
6. The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places
7. Fear of failure, and fear of the unknown
8. Some one or something to fear #4 Families and Competition
9. Failing Man to make free choice
10. Let not sin reign in your mortal body

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Related articles

• Developing the leaders around you how to help others reach their full potential
• On Commitment
• Jumpstart Your Leadership
• The 5 Essential Qualities of a Great Leader
• Servant leadership not easy, says Malawi Finance Minister GG
• What are we supposed to think?
• LOVING Like a Leader to be Published June 21
• Want To Improve Your Leadership Skills? These Tips Can Help!
• How Do You Handle “Tough Stuff” Situations?
• You Deserve the Best and Success Quotes Can Help You Get It

There can only be hope when there is a will to be and say “I am”

Hope: expect and desire. Without a ‘Desire of fulfilment’ there is no soil for a seed of hope to grow.

When we do want to build up hope we do have to be willing to be, to stand strong.

Therefore we better considered the power of the statement “I am” which we use so many times a day. When we answer the phone or when we are asked if it our us entering the place or when we give others an idea of who we are or how we feel.

You might be surprised what is hidden in those two little words. They also can say a lot to the others, even making them cross, like it happened some two thousand years ago, when the Pharisees asked Jesus if he was that person been spoken of, and he confirmed that he was that man. (Too many Christians today still do not understand the answer nor the question posed that day, and take it because Jesus said “I am” that he is God.) All the people who continue to say “I am” are not all gods and mostly do not think to be a god nor the God. but they have good reason to keep saying “I Am”. Because without ‘to Be’ there is no being, no existence. Jesus existed and therefore he also could say “I am”. He also could confirm he was the person the Pharisees heard speaking about, the one man preaching fervently about his heavenly Father Who would be not only his god but also The God. That was what made the high priests so mad and shouting it was blasphemous. Jesus never did say to them he was God, nor did he say such a thing to the people. He always said he could not do the things he did without his Father in heaven, the God of Abraham, Whose will he wanted to do and not his own will.

First, we have to be, before we can have any hope. Without being there is no hope at all. Thanks to the Creator we can be. Without Him there is no life possible at all. Without the God of gods there is no being no way of saying “I am”.

To many people do forget how these two simple words will determine what kind of life a person lives.

We when we say ourselves “I am” or when we hear others saying “I am” generate an idea of feeling and being. A Christian should be best in being able to say:

“I am blessed.”

Because we are blessed, by the allowance to be in a living condition and by the Grace of God, having become accepted, washed clean by the ransom offer of Christ Jesus. It is in that Jewish man we have found “hope”. In him we should place our hope. He is the one who has presented the world with the most high hope, the possibility of the best possible life on earth, a never ending life in the Kingdom of God. that should be our real Hope.

Knowing that we can live by the Grace of God we should not fear man, but with the fear of God, should also be happy that Jesus reconciled ourselves by his heavenly Father, the Only One God “The I Am Who Is”. He is the Most High Being, the Supreme Being. It was the son of the Elohim who gave his life to the One and Only Who gives life. He is it who can make us weak or strong, slow or fast, stupid or wise. It is Him Who can make us say:

“I am strong”. “I am healthy.”

Or,

“I am slow”. “I am unattractive”. “I am stupid.”

The “I am’s” that are coming out of our mouth will bring either success or failure. Not enough people are aware how the thinking about themselves shall decide how they themselves shall be or become. Unconsciously and for some consciously, all through the day the power of “I am” is at work in our minds. And there is the problem of denial. The will not to see the “I am” in ourselves. Many people also place the “I am” in the wrong phrases or in the wrong context, making life for themselves more difficult.

Too many people are not aware how they themselves can use the “I am” for them selves but also against themselves. Mostly they have no idea how they use the power of “I am” against themselves and how it is affecting their future.

In the Bible the answers are given. It tells us clearly how we are to be ‘in-breath’ with the “I Am”, the most High God. all being created in the image of God, having received life from God “The I Am”, should be willing to have The Elohim living through their “I am”. According to the Holy Scriptures The “I Am Who Is” (The Elohim Hashem Jehovah) is always there for His Creation. He is always looking for us, and as such our “I am” is also always looking for us.

Each individual has given the breath of God, i.e. life, because otherwise he would not be living. This breath of life, i.e. the soul, is our being our possibility to say “I am”. Without life we shall not be able to say “I am”. When death, you also shall not be able any more to say “I was”. Others shall be able to say that ‘you were’, but once the light of life has gone out, it its finished with the being, the “I am” shall not sound any more.

Therefore, as written in the Holy Scriptures, it is in the “Now,” that we have to make it. It is when we live and can say “I am” that we can be and that we can do things. Jesus gave several parables as examples of what happens when we do not follow the good direction as the “I am” and do not make work of being the right “I am”.

The “I am” expresses a hope, or it should do. When you go through the day saying,

“I am blessed,”

blessings come looking for you. The same way when you say

“you are blessed”

you give the expression of the I am who wants to bring over the other blessings by your loving-kindness for that person.

In case you want to build up hope in your life you first have to believe in yourself and secondly have to believe in the Most High “I Am” to get you there where He wants you to be and to succeed. but you have to be willing to give yourself in the hands of the “I am” to get the feeling of growth in assurance you can do something. as such you, yourself have to believe in yourself and have to dare to say

“I can”

And continuing to think you shall be able to reach your goal and as such to be able to say:

“I am talented.”

Only when you are willing to go for the hope in succeeding you shall be able to succeed and to become talented.

Let blessings and talent come looking for you. Let health come to you and come to say

“I am feeling fine”, “I am healthy,” “I am strong.”

You might be surprised how much the “I am” can do wonders in yourself. How good feelings, good health and strength shall come on your way. Are you willing to surrender to your own self? To surrender to the “I am” in you?

Vicki Flaherty rightly writes:

Not to be ‘be good’ or ‘do better’ but to surrender to the amazing person I am and what I might create with a deep appreciation of all that is abundant in me. {Hope}

Your “I am” has to start tracking you down, by your invitation into your life.

Get up in the morning and invite good things into your life. Declare

“I am blessed. I am strong. I am talented. I am disciplined. I am focused. I am prosperous.”

And always make sure God’s truth follows “I am”!

Are you able to say:

I feel complete with who and where ‘I am’.

What is your answer when asked: Is it you, Pete, John, Mary, Sonia, Vicky, or ‘so and so’? “Are you him or her”?

….

What is your answer when asked: “Are you feeling all right?”

….

Are you believing in the power of perspective and positive outlook?

….

Are you willing to choose to live into today with hope in your heart?

…..

Are you able to honour all aspects of your being and let go of any judgement and attachment that might divide you or leave you feeling broken.

…..

Are you willing to be whole in all your imperfection and brilliance.

…..

What would be you you answer when asked “Are you a Christian”?

…..

Do the give your answer in big capitals, to this question:

Are you a believer in the Son of God, and willing to follow this Jewish man who gave hope for a better future? Are you a follower of Christ Jesus, the son of God, accepting he really did die for the sins of the whole world, and who now has been made higher than the angels, though he was lower before, in the knowledge that God is was and always shall be the Most High?

…..

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* Note: If you could not answer every-time with “I am”, than you have a problem and should reconsider your way of thinking and should go to examine your self and your believes. If you could answer  all questions with “I am” than we want to invite you to continue your way with us, helping others to find their “I am”.

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Find also to read:

1. I am that I am Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh אהיה אשר אהיה
2. Hashem השם, Hebrew for “the Name”
3. Creator and Blogger God 7 A Blog of a Book 1 Believing the Blogger
4. Pluralis Majestatis in the Holy Scriptures
5. Marriage of Jesus 8 Wife of Yahweh
6. Accommodation of the Void
7. Does He exists?
8. Wishing to do the will of God
9. Looking for blessed hope
10. 8 fears caused by the fear of Man
11. Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures

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Additional reading in Dutch:

1. Ik ben die ben Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh אהיה אשר אהיה
2. Heer, Yahuwah, Yeshua of Yahushua

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Find also on other websites:

1. Wholeness
2. Radiate
3. Hope ( by Vicki Flaherty)
4. Focus

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Related articles

• Self-Righteousness and Hypocrisy: Closing the Door to the Kingdom of God (theeyesoffaith.wordpress.com)
  Jesus begins to warn us of being like the scribes and Pharisees, who trusted in their religion instead of having faith in God.
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  The Pharisees, who were the religious leaders of the day, refused to recognize that their thoughts were evil and they were unrighteous.Like the religious folk of every generation, they failed to acknowledge that they were prideful. They failed to acknowledge the fact that they had evil attitudes towards one another and others.
  +Jesus came to establish His righteousness, and then to give us His righteousness in exchange for our sins at Calvary. He came to give us a new spirit, a new heart, a new attitude and will.

  “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:” (Eze. 11:19)

• Today’s Gospel Reading (luke 11:42-46) (prayers4reparation.wordpress.com)
  A lawyer then spoke up. “Master,” he said “when you speak like this you insult us too.” “Alas for you lawyers also,” he replied “because you load on men burdens that are unendurable, burdens that you yourselves do not move a finger to lift.
• Jesus and Christianity (theinternetpost.net)
  Jesus shared meals with outcasts, which annoyed the Pharisees, strong supporters of the laws and traditions of the Jewish people.
  Jesus said: “Be on your guard against the Doctors of the Law, who like to walk about in robes and be saluted in the streets… who devour the livelihood of widows…”
  +

  The Bible is like the curate’s egg – good in parts.

  The Bible, like the Koran, is a very human attempt to describe what life is all about.
• Why You Can’t Read Scripture Alone (christianitytoday.com)
  Some Christians, and not just new believers among them, take this “me and God” approach to reading Scripture. They have learned from Matthew 15 not to be like the Pharisees, whom Jesus said exalted human tradition over God’s Word. They also try to heed Paul’s warning not to succumb to “philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition” (Col. 2:8, ESV used throughout). They have concluded, therefore, that Scripture teaches that church tradition—and all the perspectives and human-derived interpretations that it carries with it—should not color our reading of God’s Word.
• Being brave and smart to tackle danger (Part 2) (disciplesofhope.wordpress.com)
  When in faced with danger, do not cower in fear. Be like Paul, who kept his eyes and mind open to use the situation to his advantage. He didn’t have to lie but took advantage of the truth. He tackled the high priest Ananias who illegally tried to get Paul slapped. Paul didn’t use foul words but used clear logic that the high priest was trying to judge as per the law and yet himself was going against the methods of the law. Only later when Paul was told that Ananias was the high priest that he didn’t go ahead with rebuking him any further.
• how to tell a sheep from a pig (thedaysman.com)
  Jesus himself called some people dogs and pigs, not the kind of judgment normally valued in our tolerant and indulgent age.But I don’t think he was just referring to the Pharisees. Or at least not all of them. In fact, he was not referring to any class of people; black or white, male or female, gay or straight—there is no categorical intention.
• Tuesday, 2 December 2014 : First Week of Advent (Homily and Scripture Reflections) (petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com)
  let us all strengthen our faith, devote ourselves wholly to the cause of God. Let us show love to our brethren in need around us, those who need our help and our love. Let us show our Lord, that we truly believe in Him and have faith in Him, so that when He comes again, we may be counted among those who are saved, and be found worthy to receive the inheritance promised by our God.