TBF 124 The Furnace on African child rearing strategies

Almost every person I know of African descent has the stories of getting disciplined in the most creative and largely painful ways, and today we discuss whether the beds truly justify the means when it comes to disciplining and punishing your children.

We are Poems

This is not a drill!

Entirely random thought, but I just realised I’ve never had to use that phrase before in real life!!

Anyway, I’ve got a companion post for The Big X photo gallery I recently posted in the works but whilst that’s on the conveyor belt I wanted to share a video with you from an event  I literally just got back from.

I had the pleasure of ministering at The Grace Convention which was organised by Emmanuel Danso Ministries, it was a great event and Emmanuel really shared some powerful thoughts on the Bible, and religion, and the true meaning of Grace, and I’m sure everyone in attendance was blessed. I know I was!!

Thank You lists

Much like Troy
His fall began with a woman wronged
And Peter took a stand like the hook of a romantic song,
Not many would risk losing their home
To defend a woman’s honour

not many would risk biting the hand that feeds,
because a racist pig’s that hand’s owner.But like any good television drama
Everything that could go wrong does so at the same time

What’s in a name?

Another piece from the devotional I wrote back in University. Hope you find it at least, interesting.

Jeremiah 1:5a “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you”

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing on a very personal level two couples that have had children in the past couple of years. If you’ve ever known any expecting parents you can testify to the amount of preparation they make for the new addition to their family. They start buying clothes, toys, baby cots etc, they start taking lessons on how to take care of the new baby, and even how the man can best support the lady during labour. I, in making preparations of my own, start increasing the number of arm exercises I do so I can carry the baby for longer when it comes.

We make all this preparation because of love and God didn’t do much different.

God knew each and every single one of us long before we were even conceived. He also knew of the lineage of sin we’d suffer from and how we would all and each be sinners ourselves. He planned and prepared for that very situation from the very foundations of the earth.

Being as amazing as He is, He’s illustrated this in some amazing ways throughout the ages and I just want to share one small way He did here.

In Genesis 5, the bible documents the ancestry of Noah using the names of all the relevant males in his genealogy. In and of itself it is a relatively boring chapter (yeah I said it!) but the Bible is always amazing, even when it’s boring.

Skilfully hidden in the arrangement of the names, which were written chronologically, is a description of something that wasn’t going to happen till thousands of years later. An illustration of a Father making preparations for His children long before they had even been born.

Here’s what I’m talking about

Hebrew	English
Adam	Man
Seth	Appointed
Enosh	Mortal
Kenan	Sorrow;
Mahalalel	The Blessed God
Jared	Shall come down
Enoch	Teaching
Methuselah	His death shall bring
Lamech	The Despairing
Noah	Rest or comfort.

In a sentence this would sound a little like this:

Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest.

Sound familiar?

Just as parents go out making preparations for their unborn child God made preparations for our salvation though the Blessed God (Jesus Christ) long before we were even born, long before our parents were born, from Genesis 5, long before the entire bible was even completed.

Be reminded of the fact that God’s love for YOU, His desire to save you, started long before you even existed. If love grew with time God’s had an eternity plus two thousand and fourteen years to amass love for you, and just in case you didn’t notice, that is a whole lot of love.

Be blessed

Zebra Crossings

His presence, is a present for the present,
presented in the indescribable present that is Jesus Christ.
Just as relevant in the present, as when He was physically present,
and will when the future becomes the present, and we are eternally present in His presence
We should make Him President for though He is resident in many,
In many hearts, He’s allowed to pitch up a tent, and present,
set amount of blessings per tithe payment as rent.
We’re only willing to sacrifice at lent.
Expectant of His intervention at set points in time
as though it weren’t a free gift, but God repaying what was lent 
to Him in the offering bowl.
The most vivid display of the spirit of entitlement 
can be seen at a zebra crossing.
Where though pedestrians are entitled it,
They do so with majestic strolling,
as though the black and white stripes transform into a royal carpet,
and having stepped into the territory of the metallic chariots,
they have transcended mere human status and are now capable of 
bidding these steel beasts, cease.
Yet should my brakes fail me, they die.
and similar is the consequence of our response to Christ.
It is as though, having given our offerings we are purchasing His provision,
and His intervention we require regardless of our submission, 
We forget, that though HIs Spirit submits to us,
His Spirit, with He created us.
and in an instant, could render us, ceased.
Humility and obedience are keys to any Father’s heart
and for one who’s strength is made perfect in our weakness,
it’s perfect to see God’s will sparked in us,
It’s not so important to chase the blessings instead it is He we should chase.
For Goodness and Mercy shall chase me when I’m staying at His place.    

15 Years

Innocence in ignorance, blissfully missing the point,
If they felt the love today, and were swept away, why should they wait, to be joined.
We so quickly forget, our feelings, once so quickly met, so quickly fade, like snow at spring’s beckon call.
Our feelings, are fleeting, like our great British seasons,
we do as we please in summer then it’s fall,
indeed, we do as we please in summer then we fall.

They found acceptance in each others eyes
and they clung to their treasure chest, like a treasure hunt prize.
Her prize was in his lips, his were on her chest,
yet they both found the one thing they had wanted best,
this was healthy, symbiotic.
But ain’t the devils lies, so nicely presented.

When His hands searched for hers,
he found them,
then his lips introduced sweet words to her ears,
sweet words she wanted to hear.
when her hands searched for his,
she found them,
then she introduced them to what he wanted to feel,
in appreciation for what his lips had made so real.

“Our glory days, what glorious daze,
we’ve drank ourselves into a stupor,
and were lacking in change, the machine’s such a pain,
it refuses to be a good vendor,
of what will prevent us sharing diseases with each other.
But hey, everyone is doing it,
we know because the word is; Everyone is doing it,
we know because we literally heard statements worded ‘Everyone is doing it!’
Everyone knows cos Nobody witnessed it.
And society calls us rebels
so we rebel against our common sense
and who better to mentor and advise us
than Drake, multimillionaire, YOLO, he chastises.”

So they live,
for every song talks of the night,
and every movie, picture perfects it just right
and seldom do you see that that night might not be quite right
and could just go wrong.
there are only happily every afters in our songs,
and the two hour moving pictures never move long enough to show three weeks after,
when the phone calls seem void of all laughter,
when he tells her, he ain’t ready to be called a father,
when she tells him, it’s not her fault the pill didn’t work the morning after.
It’s sad cos suddenly when she’s always sick in the morning,
and he’s always sick of hearing her moaning
they’re done living 
and after life there is only dying

They no longer found acceptance in each others eyes
his precious lips rained down acid, and melted away all the tries,
to satisfy his hands , which would not touch for fear of what lies, 
inside her
they had both found what they wanted the least
this wasn’t healthy, it was chaotic
But ain’t the devils lies, so nicely presented.

But that’s not the end,
for that inside of you too will only live once,
allow for it to grow and allow for it to dance
and allow for that moment when you get to glance 
and see your baby stood right before you
then grow into a man or woman and stand taller than you
and though it can end well, before it begins
consider this dears,
would you want for your child to be older than it’s child 
by just 15 years

Come As You are

Silently Stuck solidly, scared stiff, stood still.
Till stones fly rapidly, and I’m killed.
still sulking, softly, still sinning, still caught
They brought me to hear this rabbi’s will what judgement shall pass in this treasury court?
The sun bears witness, I need not hear this,
I was brought here by force, not out of repentance,
The crowd stands ready, the silence deafens me,
Eyes wide shut as I await patiently,
the first rock of penance to come and save me.

"Master" they claimed though they neither knew nor served Him,
"here stands one soaked fully in sin,
here stands one the law commands we should kill,
but we thought we should come here to hear your superior will,
let’s see how you dispute this, how should she pay the bill?"

As I stand scared,
As they await to hear,
His very first words inspire the greatest of fear.
"Indeed, the law says to stone one such as this, hence,
You without sin, do quickly commence."

I tense. Judgement is passed.
Anticipating the first stone, get on with it fast,
Till at last, after the longest, short period of time,
I realise, I’m actually still fine,
Sheepishly , I open my eyes,
for He asked me,

"Where are those who accuse thee?"

I observe and this treasury courtroom is empty
was it so bad he wished to personally stone me,
"No" He replies, read my mind? This guy’s scary,
but I’m confused, what’s my plight, what now, will my end be?

"Go and sin no more." 

Hold on, is that all?
Here I stood, before the one man that accepted me just as I came,
caught in adultery, the law said they should stone me, pain should abound in me, just like my shame
Yet He loved me so much without even knowing my name.
And He loved me so much I didn’t leave that treasury the same.

Content

Let minds flutter like butterflies,
let time pass like bullets fly,
let hands rest, and feet stay,
let words stay still on your tongue.
let your eyes rest upon me, 
let mine feast on your beauty,
my eyes grow fat from your excess,
yet your frame fits fragility with finesse,
let my heart be steady,
there’s no need for my blood to rush,
yet contemplation of you, leaves me giddy,
like I just suffered a blood rush.
Lord, Let your banner over us be love.
envelop us like a bad red rash,
If you’re a disease I’ve contracted you,
but like a good contract’s due,
I’m fully content and readily renew,
simply continue, no upgrade betters you,
so I blissfully remain on the same tariff,
baby, you made my pain perish,
and for that I love you.
God Bless You.

Sin’s Overcome

Turbulent like a plane in a storm,
torn like a shirt that’s been worn,
out like behind on my rent,
pent house suites rise like pent up anger,
I’m in danger, where’s my manger?
Where’s my saviour?
Where’s my hero?
Zero, like Pepsi,
feels like He left me,
I would were I He,
staying seems crazy,
A sinner just like me,
claims to be Holy,
Holes though can be seen,
Donut cuisine I’m Swiss cheese,
Cheesy excuses,
logic colluded,
death waits politely,
Month’s end Pay, check me,
I deserve this you see,
Devil comes collecting,
Heaven will reject men,
I ask myself; Am I forgiven?
for all of my sin,
after I accepted Him.
after I got accepted in,
I still fell sometimes in sin,
off His path, bad diversion
so I’m lost like Matt Fox,
like I’m easyjet’s misplaced baggage.
but did I just miss the message
Voicemail, let me go check it,
I’m righteous by faith, the word on my phone says,
Bible applications provide a free service,
Abraham sinned, as did Noah and Moses,
Yet all considered faithful and righteous
Condemnation prevents My acceptance,
conviction brings me to repentance,
Once more I feel it,
Inside arises warmth from the Light of His Spirit
Christ is in me I know this
Sin’s been punished in Jesus
I’m made new though I sinned, I am sinless.
for God imputes on me righteousness
loves me and knows me by name
but far too much to leave me the same
so He transforms me into his likeness
i truly have changed though it is a process,
I’ll strive to live a life worthy of the call of His graces,
I’ll overcome,
with sin I’m done
Though I may fall I will rise again,
looking only to the son,
I’ll rise just like the morning sun
By faith I know God calls me friend
And I avail  to His transforming
till the sinning ends.

The Ties that bind

The lies that tie
The ties that bind
I’m bound to die
Then live or remain forever
Living dead and hungry
Hunger games play fully
Playing poker with eternity
Bluffing to fold
Fold up bed sheets and duvets
Which provide shelter from sun rays
The shade and shadow his stage names
The devil’s play, acting games
his darkness prevents me from seeing
Hide and seek but I ain’t searching
God calls out from where He’s hiding 
Yet remains hidden in plain sight
And my sight remains failing to see
See love that is embodied in He
See Christ who is inviting me
To paradise here on earth and after
To life where He shares my tears and laughter
Where He’s the judge and the joker
The king and the jester
Where He washes me clean by blood and by water
Water that quenches my thirst and never stops filling there after
Thirst now gone forever I am delivered 
FedExpressed from the gates of hell
Hell will never catch me now even though since then I fell
Many times, many times I rose
Rose like the sun only morning knows
Know ye that I am now righteous only by faith
Faith that helps me stand before his face
Facing me I see a smile
He smiling makes me cry a while
For I easily forget how much He loves me
How He’s made me holy
Now Christ is within me
Those ties fall off loosely
And I am free

4 I’s

Inconsistency Inevitably Invalidates Intensity

5 P’s

“Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”

The Predator,

Kai Greene