Can You Drink The Cup?

I was a bit reluctant to post this note, because it's quite personal, but I really wanted to share it. I hope you can find a blessing in this!

Mat 20:21-22 (GNB) "What do you want?" Jesus asked her. She answered, "Promise me that these two sons of mine will sit at your right and your left when you are King." "You don't know what you are asking for," Jesus answered the sons. "Can you drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink?" "We can," they answered.

We are so arrogant sometimes, I know I am. Many years ago I came to God telling Him that I wanted to follow Him and work for Him and now, looking back, I can almost see Him saying, “Please! This isn't a game! You don't have a friggen clue what you're asking!”

What comes to mind when you think about walking with God? Do you think about all those sermons you've heard from preachers in shiny suits telling you that the heavens will open and Gods blessing will rain down upon you? Well, let me tell you something, there's nothing glamorous about faith! Faith takes work, it takes sacrifice, it is often a life of pain and disappointment! Is it worth it in the end? Well, I don't know, because I'm still waiting to see, but I'm being humbled very quickly and learning that God isn't there for our own power trip!

Excuse me if I seem cynical, but let me explain: Within a year I have lost so much. Firstly my best friend and mentor, Adrian died in a motorcycle accident and then a few months later my wife left me and now it's like God is saying, “Ja, and now? Do you still want to walk with me?” So, don't come and tell me that all you have to do is pray and have faith and then everything will happen exactly as you want it to, because don't you think that I was on my knees many nights, scraping every bit of faith I had together, crying and begging God to bring her back to me? Well, I was and I quickly learned that God isn't a genie in a lamp waiting to grant our every wish! This is God's game and if you wanna play it, then you play it His way! If you really want the glory of God in your life then you better be ready to make some serious sacrifices my friend! It's like Jesus said: “If any of you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me.” (Matt 16:24 GNB)

The other day I got a new tattoo. It's an eagle and it has a lot of meaning for me. I remember Adrian talking about eagles a lot, especially on one of our annual camps aptly named Eagles Wings and I was always fascinated by eagles. When an eagle gets to about 40 years old, it's talons can no longer grab prey, it's beak becomes bent and it's wings becomes too heavy because of the old and damaged feathers. So, the eagle will go to a mountain top and start banging it's beak against a rock until it plucks it out. Then it will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out it's talons. Then after the talons grow back it will start plucking out it's feathers and then the eagle will lie there naked and vulnerable until the feathers grow back. This whole process takes about 150 days, but when it is over the eagle will rise and take flight as a brand new eagle and then it will live for 30 more years! It is this process that inspires the famous verse in Isaiah: “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isa 40:31 NKJV)

So, of course, in my ignorance I've always thought, that's so cool and one day I'm going to get a tattoo of an eagle! But now when I think about it, there's nothing cool about it! It's not glamorous! The poor eagle!! You see, we are so quick to arrogantly say, “oh, those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength and rise with wings like eagles” and then we sing that song, but do we have any idea what it takes to rise on wings as eagles!? Only now am I starting to realise what it means to really wait on the Lord while he plucks out your old feathers and leaves you naked and alone! Only now do I realise that God isn't there for my comfort, He has a cup that I must drink and if I'm serious about following Him then I better drink it!

I'm not trying to puff myself up, like I'm this brave and strong person, because I'm not! Most of the time I don't feel like this, most of the time there's anger, frustration, guilt, regret, doubt, fear etc. but then other times at least I get one thing right, I draw near to God in my desperation and this is the stuff He reveals to me. He teaches me what it means to follow Him. Yes, He is absolutely the God who gives, but He is also the God who takes away! And we have to love Him as both. Me and my ex-wife's relationship is too complex to explain, but I know now that neither of us could become the people that God wanted us to be if we had stayed together and that's a hard pill for me to swallow or should I say, a hard cup for me to drink.

I believe that the number one reason why people fail in their spiritual walk is because they don't allow God to change their hearts. Change is too painful, so people rather just stay as they are. God is the potter and we are the clay, in order for the Potter to make something beautiful out of the clay, He has to knead it, form it and then bake it in a hot oven and most people are just too quick to chicken out the moment things get a bit hot and uncomfortable! So, when God leads us to a mountain top to go through a painful process of renewal, then we might think twice about going through with it, but don't worry even Jesus did! Just before they came to arrest Him He prayed: “My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering from me!”(Mat 26:39 GNB), but then He still had the courage to say: “Yet not what I want, but what you want.”

~ Written by Anonymous

The Touch

Unexplainable eruption of emotions, happiness, sadness colliding.

Confusing, intriguing, adventurous thoughts gliding.
Fires, waters, growing – falling... inside they're forming.
Loving kindness, joyous peace, feelings are storming.
Soft and sweet, unexpected, spontaneous, this is crazy.
Dreams come true, sometimes some do, I'm fazing.
Weak inside, walls they fall, connection of my soul.
Fight back, it's too late, already I've lost, story told.
Experience, off the chart, out of this world, TOO MUCH...
All because of...
... ONE SIMPLE TOUCH.

~ Written by Anastasios Konstantinopoulos

The High Chair

So often I fall into the clutches of self-righteousness. Where I elevate myself above my fellow brother and sister. I look at their sin with condemnation, with a feeling of pity and with no understanding. What I see is only on the surface, yet i comment as if I know there thoughts and motives. I seem to be very quick to forget, that it was not long ago that I was living in sin, doing one bad thing after the other. Leaving a massive trail of destruction behind me. How did I feel, when those around me would catapult their hurtful opinions towards me?

Was I not shown grace and mercy by God? Am I not still alive today through divine intervention? When God stepped in and broke the plans that the enemy had for me, plans of pain and hurt. It was by the Lords hand alone that I am able to testify today, to stand and continue to walk and overcome the trials placed in front of me.

'If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.'

                                                                                            Galatians 6:3

There's always so much more that meets the eye, so much that we cannot see or understand. Why am I so eager to look at my neighbours faults, and maybe only touch lightly on my own. There were moments in my yesterday, where I saw little to no hope. All I could see was the right here and now. There even came times where I wanted to take my own life, because I couldn't imagine anything better. Now here I am, wanting to sit on my high chair and look down on others! Who am I to pass judgement. Who am I to cast stones at others! Is my past clean? Is it perfect?

I didn't think so!

~ Written by Anastasios Konstantinopoulos

My Inspiration

My inspiration to write is a product of your presence,

Exchanging conversations, learning life lessons.

The calm hypnotic way, in which you get under my skin,

footprints over my heart, the places where you've been.
The colour of your grace flows through my entire,

Lighter shade of life, this is my soul on fire.

Truth be spoken,

words be broken,

my heart has awoken!

Come loose from the chains that once held strong,

Create in me a new life, causing my life to sing a new song.

Imagination of a place, the perfect strokes from a painters brush,

It's a symphony, chords meet notes, no phrase as too much.

Your touch, it drips over me.

Your voice, it dissolves me.

And after it all, what is left behind,

is my heart.. which beats for you...

~ Written by Anastasios Konstantinopoulos

Be still

Be still... And know... That He is God.

Things which come easily, are seldom appreciated... Or not.

Dignity that comes from accomplishment... Our State.

Protector of the sacred, our fundamentals of faith.

His positive influence, securing our salvation.

Touching human emotion, enduring our elevation.

Never become discouraged, 

should the Lord choose to scold you.

Whether through discipline or grace, 

allow Him to mould you.

I pray that God shall relieve, 

your pressures and your pain.

Building in you authentic character, 

your measures and your gain.

In the world, you shall have tribulation.

But take heart... He has overcome the world.

Says the author of our creation.

~ Written by Anastasios Konstantinopoulos

A Slice Of Encouragement Pizza

- The battle for good to win is never easy -

I was going through an old journal when I came across those words. Which, asper usual, got me to thinking. I can only ever write from personal experienceand as of late I've become aware of just how much I don't know about manythings; most of all being a Christian. In fact, I would consider myself quite a failat being an ambassador for Christ. Praise God for his abundant grace.

So in my knowing what I don't know, I am lucky to be privy to learning amultitude of things. And one of the things that I had a mini-epiphany aboutlately was that conflict and struggle in our lives is the medium through whichwe grow and mature as people and as spiritual beings. For a very long time, I'dalways tried my best to avoid uncomfortable situations and escape fromconflict, unknowingly keeping myself in the same place instead ofprogressing. I've found it everywhere in my life – I generally prefer to backdown for the sake of keeping the so-called peace. Now, I'm not saying thatbeing peaceful and all is bad, but when you're faced with an unavoidableconflict in life, I say RISE to the occasion and stick it to the man, because you'llprobably come out a better person on the other side. Easier said than done, Iknow, but a reminder that the battle for good, for progress, for growth to winis never easy. Just a short word of encouragement for today :)

Hugs people

“Moreover [let us also be full of joy now] let us exult andtriumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings,knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship producepatient and unswerving endurance” - Romans 5:3(Amplified)

~ Written By Veronica Christou

Ask For Guidance

This therapeutic situation seems emotionally engaged,

like a heartfelt dramatization, reminiscent of our own rage.

The right vocabulary, with a dream like condition

disrupting conscious choices, a hidden contradiction.

Crippled boundaries, artificial confidence, it's useless,

conceptualization disrupted, thoughts become clueless.

Challenges, underground eruptions causing blackness,

unwanted solutions being concluded, this is madness.

The need to equip my mind, knowledge is my army,

trials that i face, possibilities taken from me.

I've got a war to fight, causing me anxiety,

though i look to others for answers, they all lie inside of me.

With distorted vision, i never seem to notice,

solutions written clearly, figuring out who wrote this.

Ask for guidance from the mighty Lord on high,

the answers to my questions, I know he won't deny.

~ Written By Anastasios Konstantinopoulos

Lighting The Fire

One recent Friday night, I went out with a group of friends for a "ladies night out".Those who know me well will know that I'm not a late-night party girl. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been clubbing, and for the most part, I'd rather be at home, curled up next to my husband reading a book or writing a blog. Nevertheless, ladies night was most enjoyable, and we had fun. 

On the Saturday morning after Ladies Night, having downed a strong cup of coffee, I had the pleasure of meeting up with someone to discuss a combination of future plans: a concoction of entrepreneurship, ministry, charities, initiatives, business... We talked for hours about what seemed like endless opportunities to reach the world, and I was astounded by the ideas and inspirations that was just pouring out of this person. I couldn’t help but walk away from this meeting with my head swimming in renewed passion for the dreams that God places in His childrens’ hearts, and had to spend that Sunday recovering from it all. And so it was, that I was struck by the enormous contrast between that Friday night and that Saturday.

Friday night was a night of self-indulgence, self-satisfaction, making ourselves feel happy with dancing and laughter. This self-indulgence was... well, just fun. But it left no lasting impression on my soul, no desire to change the world, and it rendered me more than a little bit tired the next day.

Now, I’m not saying that there's no time in life for fun – there definitely should be. But Saturday… Wow, Saturday lit a fire in my soul. I felt so uplifted, inspired, and hungry for more of that. Hungry to spend more time in the presence of people who share this love, this passion, this desperate desire to seek God and His Kingdom.  I felt as though I had been to the most anointed fellowship service, the kind that leaves a permanent mark on your heart. It made me feel alive.

What is this blaze inside me, that when it’s fueled, it threatens to all but consume me?

A fire for the lost.

For the broken and desperate.

For the sick.

And a fire for even those who seem to have it all together, yet deep down, they too wrestle with their own inner demons of discouragement and weariness.

How can I possibly live my life and ignore this burning?

  

Jeremiah 20:9 

But if I say, “I will not mention his word, or speak anymore in his name,” His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.

My pastor recently shared the parable that Jesus tells of 10 virgins with oil lamps. (Matthew 25). In those days, the virgins were like the "bridesmaids". They were to help the bride prepare herself for marriage, and would also watch for the Groom's arrival. In this parable, it is said that the Groom was "a long time in coming" - he was delayed. And so the virgins lit their lamps, and waited for him. 

Inevitably, they fell asleep, and in verse 7, when a cry rang out that the Groom was nearby, we are told that "all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps." 

There is so much more that can be said from this parable, but in essence, I feel like I am waking up from a deep slumber. I'm a bit dazed and confused. I don't really know where the Groom is coming from, or where He wants me to be. I only know that He is coming for His Bride - and He wants me to help prepare Her for Him. What a humbling realization. In my heart, I am searching for kindred spirits who are also awakening to the Groom's call on their lives, people like me who long to serve Him. 

That Saturday that I spent in the presence of a fellow visionary, was like a voice ringing in my soul: He is coming! I must rub the sleep from my eyes, and light my lamp. Look for Him, seek His face, and receive His guidance. I don't know where we are going, and if I must be honest, that's an intimidating thought. 

But I have decided to go with Him. 

Will you? Will you allow the flame of God's love for His bride to ignite your insides, and burn so bright and so hot that you can't sleep anymore? 

I thought it fit to share this rocking-awesome track that kinda hit me between the eyes the other day. The words are so fitting, from start to finish, but one part really stands out: 

Come, spark the parts in me that all but died,

Jumpstart my heart, and wake the sleeper inside.

And here is the song for all you rockers out there, hope it inspires you. 

Ignition - by tobyMac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQU1K6j7lDE&feature=watch_response

-Kirsty Coetzee

The Residue Of Truth

Life. A combination of calamities,

so beautifully complex, in it's ideals just for you.

Entertaining tragedy, as we strive to stay true.

We face such grace in the simplicity of our question,

to honour our point of view, a godly dimension.

Serenity of mind brings out the deepest roots,

snatching at the grave, my personal search for truth,

Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.

Psalm forty three verse one, following in Jesus footsteps, receiving his salvation.

My ability to write, is a gift from the above,

a riot of words... All covered up in love.

It's not who I am, it's what He does through me,

the resource of expression, the rush of life to me.

The residue of truth, my serenity of mind,

who am I to argue, the creation of his kind.

It's in my hands to choose, what I'm going to become,

a creature of circumstance, or a declaration to his son.

~ Written By Anastasios Konstantinopoulos