'Your Confident Weight Loss Pathway'

When you have decided finally in your own mind to lose weight, you are better off arriving at that commitment in a positive state of mind. I fully acknowledge that slimming down can be somewhat challenging. As a matter of fact, for many people, it can be plain out-and-out tough. It takes time, effort and encouragement to alter lifetime behavioural habits. But here is an approach worth your learning and assimilating, in order to succeed. You alone are the one and only one, who can decide that you have the ability to drop off those unwanted pounds.

Intend it, like a winner not a failure - - remember that emotions are similar to muscles and the ones you exercise most, develop as the firmest. If you forever consider the negative aspects of matters, you'll become a downbeat, pessimistic individual, where even slightly negative thoughts, have a bigger affect on you, and last longer than powerful positive thoughts. That is not what we are aiming for today. We are looking to your success in this endeavour.

Negative thinking does not do you any benefit, it just halts you from achieving the things you desire to do. Whenever a negative thought sneaks into your mind, substitute it immediately with a more positive one; reminding yourself that you are somebody, you have self-worth and you own unparalleled strengths and talents.

Ponder all that lies before you. Reducing weight isn't simply about diets. It's about a completely new you and the potential of making a fresh life for yourself. Look into the weight loss programs that appeal to you and that you sense will teach you the behavioral acquisitions you require to follow through with the weight-loss process.

First you had better search support amidst family and friends. It can be a tremendous help to talk over obstacles and share skills and manoeuvres with other people on the like path. You might seek this support from other people you know who are in weight loss systems and you can search direction from someone you know who has lost weight and kept it off.

There are success stories nationwide today. On TV and in newsprints, magazines and tabloids about people who have miraculously lost untold pounds and kept it off. In all cases they say their mental attitude as well as their mind-set on life has completely transformed.

Diets and weight loss curricula are more conciliatory today than they formerly were and there are numerous prepared meals already apportioned. They are created attractive and can be cooked in a matter of minutes. Low-fat and low-calorie nutrients are on shelves all over.

You will likely need to study new, wiser eating skills. You will wish a weight loss regimen that grants you some control, instead of imposing one inflexible system. Seek one that provides an assortment of different eating plans, so you are able to select the one that's most suitable for you.

Bear in mind, too, that your weight loss program will most probably include some physical workouts. Consider the exercising aspect of your program as play and refreshment and not as a form of laborious and perspiring work. The reality is that physical fitness is connected to all personal effectiveness in every area. Anybody amenable to taking the few elementary steps that dwell between them and good shape will shortly start to feel better, and the improvement will reflect itself in every facet of their being.

Doctors today announce that walking is among the most beneficial exercises. It facilitates the entire circulation of blood throughout the body, and therefore bears a direct consequence on your overall experiencing of wellness. There are things such as aerobics, jogging, swimming and many additional exercises which will benefit a weight loss program. Talk over the alternatives with your Medical Adviser and take his counsel into planning your exercise and weight loss program.

I wish you a very beautiful, vital and healthy body with the most optimum weight for you. Send me your success news and testimonies. If you have any further enquiries you can contact me here: Rev.Bola's Universe

By Rev.Bola A.
(31.0.09)

'Your 12 Basic Human Rights'

Being human,
means that there will be times when we feel like our boundaries are being violated. I know, because I have experienced this. Times when it feels like I've reached my limit, but I am being pushed beyond what I can easily manage, and yet feel powerless to do anything about the pressure. Often at such times, there appears to be a huge demand on one's time and resources by all sorts of agents, and you feel like you can't cope, and you just want everybody to go away and leave you alone in peace. You wish that they would just stop all the onslaught of demands and expectations to fulfill various needs from every quarter.

Sometimes these needs are actually very legitimate, and other times they are just the excessive egotistical demands for attention. Yet just sorting one out from the other, can seem like a lot of tedious work and pressure when you are not feeling up to the task. Naturally, if you are a compassionate person, like myself, you don't want to let people down.

I usually want to be of assistance to others in their time of need, as I know how it feels to be let down by people when you need their help. Yet when my body, and mind are telling me enough is enough, how do I set limits without offending myself and others? This is the question that led me to do the research for the information contained in this article.

As Humans, we do have some basic rights which need to be respected. When these rights are violated, your body notifies you, and your mind too, by refusing to function at peak, or even going on strike. Your feelings begin to tell you enough is enough. Its important to know what your rights are, and to respect the rights of others. That includes knowing and honoring our natural limits and boundaries.


These Are The 12 Basic Human Rights:

1. Your Body Is Holy Ground

Your body is the temple of your spirit and as such is holy ground. Given that your body is holy, no one has the right to violate it. Violations include harming it in any way. Active harm includes such "crimes against the body" as beatings, stabbings, strangulation, poisoning, violent interrogation, and other acts carrying criminal penalties. It also includes "invasive procedures" and/or "cutting edge cures" which claim to cure the body by harming it (different from the temporary inconvenience, permanent gain involved in healing). Passive harm includes acts resulting in depriving a body of sleep, food, drink, love, air, protection from nature, etc. You should completely resist anyone who harms your body actively or passively.

2. Your Mind Is Holy Ground.

Your mind is the guardian of your spirit and as such is holy ground. Given that your mind is holy, no one has the right to violate it. Violations include harming it in any way. Active harm includes feeding it mind altering drugs, forcibly reprogramming it, exposing it to unwanted subliminal messages, using domination type interrogation techniques, and other acts carrying criminal penalties. Passive harm includes subtle manipulation used to detach someone from core beliefs, thoughts, and attitudes, constantly subjecting them to barrages of negative statements, convincing them that they are worthless or anything less than a Divine Spark of God. You should completely resist anyone who harms your mind actively or passively.

3. Your Emotions Are Sacred

Your emotions are sent from God to propel you along your life's path and as such are sacred. Emotions should always be honored but not always acted upon. Emotions act like pain in your body and suspicion in your mind as a signal for you to take action that is in your own best interests. When another suggests, asks, insists, or forces you to act against your emotions, they are invading your sacred space. You have an inalienable right to your emotions and to feel the way that you do. Often if you just listen to your heart and what it feels, you will be led to the right path. You should completely resist anyone who tries to get you to deny, repress, minimize, convert, project, or dissociate from your emotions.

4. Your Spirit Is Sacred.

Your spirit is the most sacred and holy part of you. Bodies can be killed. Minds can be shattered. Emotions can lead to the path of tangled karma. Yet in your Soul, you are always free, always safe, always loved. It is your Divine Core Essence: it is eternal and indestructible. As you unfold into greater awareness of your Soul, you will explore many paths of religion, philosophy, and spirituality. Each of these paths will enrich your total life experience and so you should be left to explore them in peace at your own pace according to Divine season and timing. You should not allow anyone to convince or convert you under force, coercion, duress or pressure, to their way of thinking, believing, and being. What you think, believe, and have chosen, is perfect for you right now… honor that and keep your Soul sacred.

5. YOUR BASIC RIGHT: YOUR LIFE

Once you are born into this Earth plane, you have a right to be here for as long as your body-mind can sustain your life. This is true provided that you do not deprive another of their rights while you are here. An integral part of the dynamic of abuse and torture is a belief on the part of a torturer that you do not have the God given right to the life. This belief comes from the mistaken idea that the tortured are somehow inferior to the torturer. And so because the tortured are "children of a lesser God" they do not deserve to enjoy the same right to life as their "superiors".

Take the case of the Nazi Holocaust. The beliefs which "justified" the wholesale slaughter of Jews, gypsies, and others not "racially pure" were these. That they were from a "lesser race" or were "not quite human" or were "much less evolved" than their persecutors. The Nazi propaganda machine was quite effective in convincing a nation that they were participating in a "noble cause to rid the world of the plague of Zionists" transforming normal, ordinary people into "Hitler's willing executioners". The same can also be said of the slave trading of millions of African lives. The truth is that God is the only one who gives life… and those He gives it to have a Divine Right to preserve it at all costs.

6 YOUR BASIC RIGHT: YOUR LIBERTY

Those who live in "unfree" areas of the world can attest that freedom is an essential component of happiness. In "free" societies, an individual's liberty is only restricted by their inability to interfere with the rights of others. In "unfree" societies, the individual spends a majority of their time laboring against restrictions that are imposed by the society, religion, or culture they have incarnated into.

Take the case of the American South. Not long ago, African Americans were killed for exercising their right to vote or died because they could not be admitted into the "right" hospitals or were beaten for sitting in the "wrong" part of a bus or drinking from the "wrong" water fountain. More insidious were the daily restrictions on individual freedom that came from constant barrages of insults, criticism, and abuse. It is those small wounds that fester in the mind and wear down body and spirit a little more each day. The freedom to live your life as you chose is one of the most precious gifts you can receive: cherish and defend it no matter what.

7. YOUR BASIC RIGHT: YOUR HAPPINESS

What lies at the end of the trail of soul purpose and destiny is happiness. As ye sow, shall ye reap. For, a soul's purpose and destiny, leads one to their true freedom of living in a continual state of joy, love, and awareness (the primary attributes of God). Historically speaking, the "pursuit of happiness" is a new goal. For most of human history, existence on Earth has been a grim and desperate struggle for survival… and in many areas on Earth, this - unfortunately - is still true.

When he wrote the "Declaration of Independence", some laughed at Thomas Jefferson for including the "pursuit of happiness" along with the "more important goals" of securing life and liberty. And yet, today, the pursuit of happiness has created more wealth and commerce than those only devoted to the preservation of life and liberty. It has also opened up the mass consciousness to greater levels of receiving and giving love. In turn, this has helped many rapidly accelerate their spiritual learning. There is as much challenge in joy as in sorrow. Allow your life to flow in bliss and abundance by letting go of those interfering with your joy!

8. YOUR BASIC RIGHT: YOUR EQUALITY

All Souls are created equally and are equally loved by God. God does not value Mother Theresa more and Adolf Hitler less. Both are Divine creations and as such are equal in God's eyes. It is a truly loving God who creates a universe vast enough to give everyone infinite chances to spin through cycles of soul learning, being born again, and re-experiencing life from every viewpoint until they become love, joy, and awareness.

It is only the torturer who sees inequality. For it is their belief in inequality which allows them to view others of God's creation as undeserving of the same rights they enjoy. Take the case of American slavery. Slaves were considered property of their masters who were free to abuse them to death. This freedom came from human laws which empowered masters to abuse slaves. Soul lessons work to reverse the fortunes of master and slave until those participating in the dynamic of slavery are brought to value the sacredness of all life equally. Anyone who tells you that you are "not equal" to another of God's creatures should be resisted.

9 YOUR BASIC RIGHT: YOUR CONNECTEDNESS

Our journey through the cycles of life and soul lessons, is propelled by our need to take responsibility for our actions (personal soul lessons) and our duty to all life (community spirit lessons). Since we are individual sparks of God, we each must learn in our own way (better known as individuation). Yet since we are all part of the "one song" of the uni-verse, we learn from our connection to others (better known as divination in sense that we are all CoWorkers with God). We are like stalactites in a cave. We are all joined together at the roof of the cave (our divination) but we hang down from the roof all in unique formations like the stalactites (our individuals).

When forces outside ourselves (government, society, culture) tries to deny this connection, they do so because their purpose is to gain complete control over us. Take the case of the Russian and Chinese cultural revolutions. The practice of religion was forcibly stripped from the long oppressed peoples of those countries as their governments sought total domination of body, mind, and spirit. "Worship the government or die" was the choice. So to live, many did so, feeling "they stole our souls". Let no one steal your Soul for only in your Soul are you free.

10. YOUR BASIC RIGHT: YOUR WORTHINESS

Saint and sinner are value judgments placed on the "worthiness" of an individual life by humans and their institutions. As such, these value judgments have no bearing on the unfoldment of these individuals' soul lessons. Saints have no more a free ticket to eternal bliss than sinners do to endless damnation. The philosopher Epictetus said it best: "After a theatrical performance nobody says: this actor played the king, what a good actor, this one played the beggar so I don't applaud him."

After your death the Godhead will say: "you played your part well or badly". Then you will be told to "do better next time". For those in heaven know that God does not create junk… only masterpieces. In God's eyes, the bank president and the minister are as equally worthy of His Love as are the terrorist and the crack whore. You are worthy because God made you so, if you do not feel worthy, it is because others have made you feel that way, and you have agreed with that. Anyone who tries to convince you that you are "not worthy" in yourself or of anything you desire should be avoided.

11. YOUR BASIC RIGHT: YOUR BELIEFS

It is a maxim of life that every belief that you have comes from somewhere in your experience. And, at one time, every thought, belief, attitude, and behavior you have, made perfect sense to you at the time… even if they do not make perfect sense to you now. Only in the context of life in the past, can the truth of this maxim be seen.

For example, those compelled to hoard money in their life today invariably had a some sort of trauma in the trail of their past existence caused by lack of money. Or those who just cannot take off the weight are usually carrying traumatic memories from the past of death by starvation. Or those who just cannot put on weight many times had lives where it was considered holy to starve the body into being ultra thin. No matter what trouble those beliefs are causing in your life now, you are clinging to them unconsciously because they have somehow served you in the past. Only you can decide what beliefs do not serve you - otherwise those seeking to detach you from your beliefs are your torturers.

12. YOUR BASIC RIGHT: YOUR EXPERIENCES

The Earth is a big schoolhouse where we come to learn and grow in love, joy, and awareness. When our learning does not go the way we expect, we count it as a mistake. Yet, "making mistakes" is value judgment that we place on the process of unfolding into Soul awareness. As we "correct mistakes", we learn ways of thinking, doing, and being that are more in harmony with how the universe works.

Experience becomes our greatest, truest, and best teacher about the laws of life. For experience "shows" us how things work in ways that books cannot tell us, that others cannot explain to us, and that we sometimes cannot "figure out" in the silence of our minds. That is why Native Americans say "do not judge another person until you have walked a mile in their moccasins". That is why it is impossible for you to "tell" your children anything and why you have to stand back and let them discover life through experiences for themselves. That is what God does for all of us: allowing another to have their own experience is the greatest gift of all.

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A successful Life, requires that we honor these basic rights for ourselves and for others in all of our dealings on a daily basis; and to check ourselves out at the end of each day, to see whether we have done otherwise and to put it right.

As the bible teaches to... 'remove the log in our own eyes first, that we may see clearly to remove the speck in our brother or sister's eye' also.

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Special Note:
If you have ever experienced trauma from a violation of any of your above 12 rights, and would like help and support in resolving this do please make your request to me via the contact page on my website. Just click on highlighted links below for details
Rev.Dr. Bola
Founder and Director
Holy Spirit Services -International
and
Angels Anonymous Network - Worldwide

'Loving Christian Relationships'

By Rev.Bola

Loving relationships are the heart of a healthy, growing church.
Jesus said people will know we are his disciples by our love. Practical demonstration of love builds authentic Christian community and brings others into God's kingdom.

Research indicates that there is a highly significant relationship between the ability of a church to demonstrate love and its long-term growth potential. Growing churches possess on the average a measurably higher "love quotient" than stagnant or declining churches. (note: the most frequent surveys of churches with more than 1000 in attendance, indicate that is the quality characteristic of "loving relationships that is the predominant factor of growth. Wherever there is a lack of love, further church development is severely hampered.

It can be shown that there is a significant connection between "laughter in the church" and that church's qualitative and numerical growth. Unfeigned, practical love has a divinely generated magnetic power far more effective than evangelistic programs which depend almost entirely on verbal communication. People do not want to hear us talk about love, they want to experience how Christian love really works.

Loving relationships are susceptible to injury from hurts and abuses. So overcome the temptation to retaliate against wrongs, by instead expressing love. And remember, those closest to you should really be your best friends.Practical demonstration of genuine love builds authentic Christian community and encourages others into god's kingdom.

In concrete terms, this also means that a Christian polity should signal a preference for marriage over other forms of sexual partnership; protect children from a rapacious consumer culture; limit the availability of drink, drugs, credit, and opportunities to gamble; and restrict our socially and environmentally destructive habits" of hyper-mobility. In other words, it means limiting liberty; prioritizing the right over the good; and surrendering liberty for the sake of freedom.

We note that Jesus' own ministry was centered on the mentoring of the twelve, and especially the three. This focus on the intensive formation of a “school of thought and practice” accounts in large part for the durable power of Jesus' influence.

Finally, we are reminded of Jesus' summary of God's commandments. Unconditional love to God and love to neighbor of the sort we show to ourselves are the hallmarks of discipleship in the kingdom of God. Relationships are central to everything we do and everything we believe. If God's greatest commandments are as inclusive as I believe they are, when life is over and we receive our report card, it will only have one category—relationships.

Loving relationships are mentally healthy, yet this statement is so elastic it could be stretched to include same sex  marriage and to justify polygamy, marriage to your own mother, or even your lovable pet dog. Yet parallel arguments are now being advanced in the name of biblical justice. Some of us seem to have lost sight of the fact that certain sexual practices are wrong in that they are representing a fundamental violation of God's order, while others of us appear to have forgotten that God's ways (which, from creation, have emphasized male-female unions in holy matrimony) are always best.

Yes, true justice requires us to recognize that He knows what is best for the family and for society and that his standards are ultimately in everyone's best interest - be they heterosexual, homosexual, or other. In fact, agreeing with his standards is the path to liberation, even for those involved in same-sex relationships. What about the fact that Jesus reached out to the disenfranchised and marginalized? to be sure, in doing so, he rebukes a lot of our stiff religiosity, a religiosity that is afraid to get its hands dirty.

Unfeigned, practical love endows a church with a much greater magnetic power than all the marketing efforts of this world. Growing churches manifest a measurably higher love quotient than stagnant or declining ones.

Christian dating is a wondrous and marvelous thing to behold, especially when Church fellowship and community has inspired many marriages, with hundreds of thousands of singles finding love through fellowship and guidance in their Churches.

Our walk with Christ requires that we create and maintain an atmosphere of continual spiritual growth. That we help our fellows recognize, appreciate and utilize their God-given gifts. Worship the Lord in a manner that draws seekers and believers into a closer encounter with God.

Scripture plainly teaches that the witness of the church is only credible by the quality of love expressed among its members. Full devotion to Christ and his cause is normal for every believer.
Loving relationships are the key to a successful congregation. The opportunity to form loving relationships are the key to a powerful outreach. When we let God show us how to love, we take the chains off of God.

Loving relationships are characterized by how we treat one another, by how we prefer and honor one another. It is also demonstrated in how we care and minister to one another privately and corporately. Do we treat each other as Christ would treat us? are we gracious, kind, loving, long-suffering, patient, and faithful? Apostolic churches encourage community with one another and greater intimacy. They encourage life to the fullest, and encourage participation in the lives of others, in sorrow, trial, triumph and joy.

Loving relationships grow as Christ grows in each person and as the Holy Spirit brings healing and restoration. A Church where practical love is lived out endows the church with much greater magnetic power than all marketing efforts this world could muster. Jesus himself said the world would know us by the love we have for one another. Our churches can walk in that love knowing it has the power to turn the world right side up. These characteristics are the signs of a healthy church, and can be found in churches that have fully embraced loving relationships as revealed in the gospels, the book of acts.

Scripture plainly teaches that the witness of the church is only credible by the quality of love expressed among its members. Excellence in all things honors God and inspires people.

Loving relationships are intentional actions, time, and shared experiences. Paid and volunteer leaders should be encouraged to initiate a 1-1 time invitation with a teen at every group meeting.   Inviting students to check out a small group is another significant way to go deeper with teens. Statistics prove that any participation in a trip / camp / retreat, dramatically improves the acceptance of the truth of God by a Non-Christian young person.

When a young person is known by name, face, and heart (where they are spiritually with Jesus) by a paid or volunteer leader, this kind of connectedness can only happen as we “consistently pursue lost kids and engage them in lifelong relationships with Jesus.

Loving relationships are what we as Christians should be about. We are made to be in relationship with God and with one another. And it turns out that science is revealing what scripture has told us all along – it is relationships that make us truly happy. There was interview in the new York times with a Harvard social psychologist named Daniel gilbert, who wrote a book called stumbling on happiness. “we know the best predictor of human happiness is human relationships and the amount of time that people spend with family and friends. We know that it's significantly more important than money and somewhat more important than health. The interesting thing is that people will sacrifice social relationships to get other things that won't make them happy – money. That's what I mean when I say people should do “wise shopping” for happiness.

We would be blessed if you would come and share this life of heaven with us in Church communion. You also, will be blessed as you come and experience the divine power, love & joy of our great God. He knows you and desires to take you from where you are at in your life and transform you to live a life that you've always dreamed of. As God says to us through his word, taste and see that the lord is good.

Loving relationships are displayed by how we treat one another, even when we disagree. Some questions to ask about the relationships in your church are: How are joy and trust experienced, expressed and encouraged in your church life?. How do people support one another and develop new friendships in your church?. How does your congregation intentionally celebrate and build relationships?. How well do people know and understand their leadership styles and use that knowledge to keep disagreement from becoming conflict?.

Loving relationships are positive things which should be encouraged and promoted.
While it has been acknowledged that it has an important part to play in the development of man, several of todays most brilliant minds seem incapable of recognizing its increasing relevance to understanding future generations. It is an unfortunate consequence of our civilizations history that Loving Relationships is rarely given rational consideration by those most reliant on technology.
" practical demonstration of love builds authentic Christian community and brings others" into god's kingdom. Need-orientated evangelism intentionally cultivated relationships with pre-christian people so they can become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ who are actively participating within the life of the church and community.

Loving relationships are the best context for learning, especially for learning hard lessons via discipline and correction. There will be times when we must learn to let our children fail and suffer the consequences of their actions because these can be the very best lessons, but to do this within a safe environment where the consequences will not be too hard. When it comes to family devotions, have realistic expectations and keep the program simple. Better ten minutes a few days per week than ambitious plans for daily hour long bible studies that never happen.
Pursue friendships with international students and help prepare those who are interested in overseas missions. Develop leaders among students, staff, deacons and elders to effectively equip the church, and effectively multiply their leadership.

Loving relationships are at the core of whole and holy living. His two greatest commands are to love god with all of our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves. In grace, scripture also gives us specific rules to guide us in living. Jesus taught that keeping these rules is an expression of love for god. It emphasizes loving relationships and pure motives in living out these rules. Such passages are found throughout the old and new testaments.


The bible describes character qualities and actions that should be present in the lives of humans. These include prayer, kindness, humility, compassion, forgiveness, hospitality, personal integrity, generosity to the poor, care for the oppressed, study of God's word, accountability to one another, sharing our faith with others, recognition of the rights of others, commitment to justice, regular gathering for worship, and living in harmony. The bible also identifies character qualities and actions that should not be present in the lives of believers. For example: destructive anger, malice, rage, sexual immorality, impurity, adultery, evil desires, greed, idolatry, slander, profanity, lying, homosexual behavior, drunkenness, thievery, and dishonesty.

To have a healthy family, we need a relationship with God first (the vertical dimension), and then relationships with each other (the horizontal dimension). The power of the cross is revealed when both dimensions come together (1 john 2:9-11). The relationships we build in small groups are the most vital, so we make them a special priority in our ministry. We prioritize training children, young people and adults to be successful in every aspect of life. Our objective is to get believers established in both their spiritual calling and natural responsibilities. This includes those who have a calling to vocational as well as marketplace ministry. We aim to send those we train to the places God calls them (pr. 24:27, acts 13:1-3) and to continually encourage them as they fulfill this calling.

Loving relationships are built and developing milestones are achieved that will shape and mold the person in which they will aspire to be. To nurture this process, we create an environment of trust and joy that embraces their young minds and their tender hearts to their fullest potential. As we teach to their understanding, we build upon their gifts and talents and give them tools to expand upon their growing knowledge. And through the love and grace of God we lead and guide children in planting seeds of faith and hope for tomorrow.

Loving relationships are most important between husband and wife and kids, husbands and wives “must learn” communication skills. You must learn to talk to one another in order to enjoy a healthy relationship. Pastors must learn these skills and then teach them to their congregations. Nearly as important as communication skills are conflict resolution skills -- that is, how to process anger,  we advise using a group setting, such as a weekend marriage retreat, as a way of acquiring skills in a way that wouldn't put either party on the defensive.

Practical demonstration of love builds authentic Christian community and brings others into God's kingdom. Society is powered by peer pressure, one of the most powerful forces in the world. As long as peer pressure uses its power for good, Love will have its place in society.

Loving relationships are beneficial to the individuals involved and to any children they might have, we want to see couples flourish. We also believe that society, by supporting marriage, benefits as well.

Loving relationships are built among a small group of people who care for each other, share with each other and pray for each other. It's where we seek to "hear" the teachings of Jesus and "put them into practice. This is the way Jesus taught, in a small group of people who did life together. These were his disciples - his students, and we seek to learn from Jesus the same way.

Loving relationships are the first key to a real and healthy Christian life. This article focuses on 2 primary relationships we all need in order to be healthy; our relationship with Christ, and our relationship with Christ's church. Your relationship with Christ begins when you are born again. " now that we belong to Christ, he wants us to be involved in loving relationship with a local group of believers which Jesus calls “my church”. After one is introduced to Christ, it's only natural to want to learn more and explore your faith, which is why we've been offered the alpha course. alpha is a small group study that helps to address Christianity from the perspective of someone who's new. however, it can also be extremely beneficial to those who have been saved for some time.

Loving relationships are totally illogical and incoherent??? I think not. And this seems to be the best way to give a coherent account of the mystery of the trinity and its plural oneness. Erickson wisely points the way to a credible response: “we therefore propose thinking of the trinity as a society of persons, who, however, are one being. While this society of persons has dimensions to its inter-relationships that we do not find among humans, there are some illuminating parallels. Love is the binding relationship within the godhead that unites each of the persons with each of the others. Not surprisingly, Erickson then appeals directly to 1 john 4:8, 16: “God is love. ” do we truly comprehend the depths of this inspired statement that is so disarming in its seeming simplicity?

I would suggest that these three words have a profound contribution to make to our understanding of a God who has eternally preexisted in a state of trinitarian “oneness. ” “the statement... the key question about god has ultimate reference to the issue of his love. And if God is not “love” in the very core of his being, then any questions about his nature quickly descend to a state of biblical irrelevance. We, however, sense that love is the most basic characterization of God. If God is truly—in his very essence—the God of “love” (john 3:16 and 1 john 4:8), then we need to consider the following implications- communicating the good news of God's kingdom with relevance and creativity. - unleashing the uniqueness and creativity inside every individual.

Help students recognize, appreciate and utilize their God given gifts. Prepare students to continue to pursue and serve the lord after graduation. Develop leaders among students, staff, deacons and elders to effectively equip the church effectively multiply their leadership. In pursuit of this vision, we each as believers, can be committed to working as integral parts of the various Christian churches and organizations focused on Loving relationships.

Loving relationships are taking specific actions that people in unsuccessful relationships are not taking. Are you focused on what you don't like in yourself or your partner? do you spend much of your thinking time judging yourself or your partner? or, do you make the spiritual attribute of kindness to yourself and others, including your partner, your highest priority?. People in successful relationships treat themselves and their partner with kindness – kind words, kind actions, kind looks, kind listening, and kind thoughts.

It is far more important to them to be kind than to try to control their partner with. Anger, judgment, criticism, irritation, blame, resistance or withdrawal. People in loving relationships do not make their partner responsible for their feelings. When they feel angry, hurt, anxious, depressed, resentful, irritated, guilty, or shamed, they look within at their own thoughts and behavior that may be causing their painful feelings. They do not see themselves as victims of their partner's choices. Rather, they learn how to manage their own feelings without dumping their upset on their partner.

There are the internal dynamic of day-to-day relationships: if a staff member is having health issues, or a board member marriage problems, will they find support, or condemnation, or indifference in their church? or does anyone even know? if a member of the church is overstepping boundaries and creating conflict, will someone speak with them lovingly and firmly, or will the church wring their hands helplessly and buzz behind their backs? is laughter heard often, and genuine appreciation expressed frequently? these are the dynamics of healthy family life.

Some congregations will also express their love through programs:
Denbok On conflict resolution says, "we might think of a household where one family member is chewing with their mouth open at supper, with their feet on the table. A healthy family dynamic will not plot how to get rid of their eight-year-old. Nor will they beat him into submission, call the police, or ignore the issue while everyone at the table becomes nauseous. A healthy family will address the issue, love the member and insist on good manners at the common table. Addressing conflict is painful in the short run, but actually fosters joy and trust in the end.

Loving relationships are also critical whether it is with family and friends, teammates"or within the church of Christ.In a world full of abandonment and isolation, we do our best to keep our circles open, making sure there is always room for one more.Loving relationships are essential in this regard, and that functional structures for ministry can enhance these objectives, including holistic small groups, empowering leadership and a commitment to training.

We attempt to express these pursuits through fellowship and hospitality, times at the church; deacon ministries; various group activities; care (small) groups; membership classes and the involvement of all willing participants in training, development and implementation of ministries; including leadership training and development, mentoring opportunities and vibrant bible study programs that are inclusive of partnership with one another.

If persons are antagonistic toward one another and gossiping about each other, the church will not move forward in growth and joy, and guests to the church will encounter a place in trouble. Loving relationships are hard, and one must work on them consistently and happily. They are God's plan and I believe they are what he uses to bless and protect us. I feel like a verizon commercial with one huge heavenly component: through Jesus Christ all of heaven is backing up this miracle. I'm just the backup singer to the main ones calling up to God and thanking him for what he has already done. Wholeness, healing, and manifestation of his glory is going on in this hurting world.

Loving relationships are valid and worthy of our respect. Simply put, there is no longer a need to argue their importance; it is clear to see that the results speak for themselves. In my opinion Loving Relationships are, to use the language of the streets 'Super Cool.' and also: 'You win some, you loose some, but Love wins most often.'

I now believe our loving relationships are God's gift to us, evidence of God's presence in our lives. We are coming to Christ to prevent us from acts of spiritual violence that demeans, dishonors and discounts our love for each other. In blessing our relationships, We pray daily that one day all people will add blessing to what god has already done. Until then, we come to Christ asking to stop all acts of spiritual violence against life. Love is taking us forward into God's heavenly Kingdom.


Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the gift of wisdom and inspiration and our ability to share it with each other. I thank you for the joy experienced from putting into practice in everyday life, all that you reveal to us, in Christ Jesus mighty name. Amen.

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Rev.Dr.Bola Animashaun (Copyright: 09/10/2009 -ARR)

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'Beyond Dualistic Polarization'

In my personal estimation, the philosophy of non-dualism has been a much overlooked and underrated one. This article will attempt to discuss its relevance and significance in our current and future times.

Despite the way things may appear in our rather competitive and territorial world, non-duality as a philosophy has existed, albeit quietly, across many indigenous cultures around the planet, and beyond. Non-duality has been at its very essence, a part of the cosmos, since the beginning of time, so therefore has an important place in our daily existence. It would be safe to assume that non-dualistic thinking will continue to be around for a long time to come, and continue to have a powerful, even if gentle and unassuming impact on the lives of many people.

There are several reasons why non-duality as a philosophy is important and relevant to our times. One of the reasons given by proponents, is that non-dualism itself is not just a mental theory, but a fundamental truth to the very core of existence itself. It has been suggested that the logic of the 2 sided, dualistic, polarized approach to existence is 'flawed', in that a game based on such two sidedness of equal and opposing forces would be impossible to result in a winner, as each side crosses the other one out. This is so, largely because one polarity is very much dependent on the existence of the other polarity, and one cannot exist without the other.

Is it for instance possible to have 'good' without 'evil' or 'wealth' without 'poverty'?

It has been postulated by scientific minds, that this mechanical realm, is an atomistic 'either/or' existence. 'Either/or' supposition renders the illusion of control (and a fake experience of assurance and stability). It permits superficial and oversimplified selections, between two non-variable options. Such dualistic persuasion is reactive, produces opposition, and consequently enemies, and over-simplifies human relationships unrealistically. Dualistic systems of thinking and being perpetuate the construction of limits, boarders and boundaries around things that must be protected. Innumerable opportunities are missed, when people are limited to choosing one side of a dichotomy blindly, over the other .

We find often in life, for instance that as one longstanding ideology switches and changes, there is an inclination to cast aside the amassed wisdom of the "previous past" in the gusto to adopt the ''recent new''. The peril of this reactionary style, is that a great deal of treasured and precious material, is overlooked and forsaken.

Generally, innate wisdom en-grafted in the previous past, is to be called up and integrated with the recent ensuing in the departure of the foregone conclusion that dualities proffer. We require a more amalgamating concept--a 'both/and' orientation--to carry us beyond the limitations of this mechanistic, 'either/or' premise of existence.

We are told, that the physicist Niels Bohr, formulated the construct of a complementarity, to identify the wave/particle duality of light (A light particle, is an entity confined to a small concentrated volume. A light wave on the other hand, is spread over a much larger area). Let's suppose that we have a person of science, who wishes to study these dimensions of light. If the scientist selects one experiment, the wave aspect, of light is witnessed. If the scientist selects the other experiment, the particle aspect, of light is envisioned. Light cannot display wave/particle aspects at concurrent times, yet we know that both are essential, to understand light. The interaction between the scientist, the experiment, and the light, is what shapes the conduct of the (wave or particle) that is conveyed . This paradox can only be known when in awareness and cognizance, of a much wider and larger unifying construct, "both/and" rather than "either/or."

The wave/particle duality of light, in quantum physics, is the commencing of the conclusion of Manichean oppositional thought. Either/or thinking makes no sense in the world of quantum physics, and of sustainable living systems. We can never realize for certain, what the "correct" course of action represents. The "correct" cause of action will vary from instant to instant, contingent on our suppositions and on the circumstances we are in. At a human level, we do know by our own experience, that very little indeed of importance in living, is either "this or that."

'Both/and' thinking rather than 'either/or', follows the character of a majority of matters in life. For example, folks are not either good or evil, cooperative or competitive, friendly or antagonistic, a team player or an individualist. Folks are both good and evil, both charitable and selfish, kind and cruel, a team participant and individualist. Establishments can be both honorable and successful, emotional and intellectual, and regulated and creative. We decide the expressions of our humanness that we will reveal, based on the interconnections we have with other people, and with our surroundings. People are "both/and" rather than "either/or."

The recognition that no concrete reality exists, seperate of the perceiver; and that the perceiver engenders what is observed, by the nature of the interconnection with reality, has major ramifications for managerial thinking.


Let me illustrate the point with this example. A manager of an organisation, once entered into a higher management staff meeting visibly vexed. He had just completed a staff meeting and was acutely distressed to find that the members of his own staff had not taken any part. "I do not understand why these fools simply sit there and steer at me," he remarked. Some weeks later, I studied one of his meetings. He did all the speaking, spoke in absolutes, threatened and bullied, and provided no space for participant involvement. He frightened people, and did this with no awareness of how he affected other people. Subsequently, he then got furious at others, for not taking part desiring to modify and alter others to be the way he required them to be. Naturally they could not alter their natural and genuine responses, and they dreaded being authentic with the manager about the way they really felt. So they were fake with him, and baulked at him in passive ways.

The manager wasn't cognizant of his effect on his employees, nor of his inherent belief that their responses were in some way independent of his conduct. A Newtonian mind, like a lot of managers, he was disjointed emotionally from himself and his staff. The complementarity precept teaches that this manager engendered the response he received in his staff by the nature of his interaction with them. If he wishes to alter their response, he must modify his reasoning and his conduct rather than attempting to "fix" others mechanically.

If we viewed a man of science "thrashing the wave aspect of light because he desired to observe the particle aspect of light we might think he was inexperienced at best or demented at worst. We would ask, "Why don't you switch the experimentation so you get what you desire?" Yet this conduct, like the manager's, goes on day in and day out in mechanistic establishments.

Supervisors and managers don't acquire the outcomes they desire so they blame, demonize, and scapegoat other people (typically those lower on the organizational chain of command or the labor union). They work laboriously to cause other people to alter and complain of resistive employees. Then they regroup to produce the deception of advancement. This conduct is insane. I tell administrators, "you receive what you direct." If you are not pleased with what you discover in the organization, give up finding fault with the employees, look in the mirror, and consider your own thoughts.

This ownership and accountability for congruence in the organization is a more truthful and fearless way of living and leadership than is finding fault, demonizing, and scapegoating those less powerful.
'Both/and' reasoning challenges our creative powers and our relational abilities. We are motivated to formulate fresh possibilities when we clamber to breakthrough common ground and to meet the needs of all elements and stakeholders.

'Both/and' thinking does not attempt to balance dualities evenly nor does integrative thinking try to maximize each of the polarities at concurrently (and all of the variables within each mutual opposition).


Both/and thinking acquires what is required at the time from each mutual opposition and produces a fresh, inclusive reality that seeks to optimize the whole. These ramifications guide to the significant recognition that overseeing a societal system--a company, a metropolis, or an economy--means discovering the optimal aggregates for the system's variables. If someone attempts to maximize any one variable instead of optimizing the conglomeration this will invariably contribute to the death of the system at large.

A simple method can assist us to run through mutual opposition*. Pick out a polarity--for illustration, group or individual. Number the positives of groups and individuals. Then number the negatives of for each one. Then precipitate a fresh authentication that augments the assets and downplays the minuses of each. When conditions change, do the practice once more for the context of use is progressive.
The Chicago Bulls professional basketball team is an example of this amalgamation of dualities. They are a distinguished team with a eminent star in Michael Jordan. Occasionally the team dominates, once in a while Michael Jordan dominates. We require great squads, and we need great individuals. Teamwork can only take us thus far and then we require individual greatness. Individual greatness can but take us thus far and then we need group greatness. 'Group' and 'individual' are not distinct and clear-cut constructs. They are in energetic relationship; integrated organically into one unit.

An example given, is that the Chicago Bulls, as their success shows, maximize the interlacing durabilities of teamwork and individual stardom and downplay the shortcomings of reliance entirely on group or individual performance. The coach (leader) is aware and augments the "totality" by shaping it constantly. Optimization isn't trouncing the "border of chaos" all of the time. In-between games optimization is relaxation and replenishment.

Some managers believe their administrations require an opponent to contend against and to use so as to motivate employees. Not so. This is a reactive answer that restricts potential. Most establishments are second-rate, most occupations are too lowly for the people who do them, and most people do far beneath their ability. If people vie against these "foes" they could wind up slightly better than second-rate. This isn't adequate for great people and great organizations who compete against their own standards and touchstones. 'Both/and' reasoning yields a huge promise of creativity in people and organizations.

In conclusion, I would advocate that both the dualistic mechanistic approach and the non-dualistic approach, should be practiced side by side in our organizations, and the results compared and contrasted. This would give people a broader view of how the universe works. Allowing people to draw their own conclusions would cause creative debates and advanced thinking. Also allowing both would alleviate the religious dilemma's that certain people still have. People have the right to know the facts and believe them as they see fit. This is important in all forms of spiritual awareness and social development.

by Rev.Bola A
(copyright 7.10.09 - ARR)

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