The butterfly effect is a the theory that small variations of the initial condition of a system may produce large variations in the long term behavior of that system. For example, a ball placed at the crest of a hill might roll into any of several valleys depending on slight differences in initial position.
The term "butterfly effect" was coined by Edward Lorenz who refferred to the idea that a butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that may ultimately alter the path of a tornado or delay, accelerate or even prevent the occurrence of a tornado in a certain location. The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale alterations of events. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.
In arguably the earliest illustration of the butterfly effect in a story on film, an angel in 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946) shows George Bailey how rewriting history so that George was never born would detrimentally affect the lives of everyone in his hometown. In a subtle butterfly effect, snow is falling in one version of reality but not the other.
The 1998 British movie 'Sliding Doors' runs two parallel stories of the same woman, Helen (Gwyneth Paltrow). In one universe, Helen manages to catch a London Underground train home on time, and in the other she misses it. This small event influenced her life dramatically. In many cases, minor and seemingly inconsequential actions in the past are extrapolated over time and can have radical effects on the present time of the main characters.
The second episode in the "Back to the Future" trilogy also vividly illustrates the cascading and broad effects of what seemed a minor change in the course of events: because the loathsome Biff Tannen accidentally gets his hands on a record book from 2015, he is able to grow rich and corrupt Marty Mcfly's home town. When McFly returns to 1985, he finds it utterly degraded from what had used to be.
The lesson for us from the butterfly effect is that small events can trigger significant consequences. A small act can disturb the status quo and bring significant change.
If we make minor adjustments to our everday living, there can be signifcant effects further down the track. What can you do today to that could have a major effect later on?
It's our daily decisions that determines our destiny, and potentially the destiny of others as well.
Posted by Braden Matson
About Me
- New Generation
- New Zealand
- New Generation is the youth ministry of the Assemblies Of God in New Zealand. Braden and Andrea Matson are the facilitators and are working with Youth Pastors around the country to equip young people to reach a nation.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Trust, Hope, Love
1 Corinthians 13:13 (The Message)
Trust steadily in God,
Hope unswervingly,
Love extravagantly.
Trust steadily in God,
Hope unswervingly,
Love extravagantly.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Backbiting
From Mark Batterson
Way too much sideways energy in the kingdom!
I think there are basically two kinds of people. People who are doing things and people who aren't doing things but they need something to do so they take potshots at people who are doing things.
There. I said it.
Come on, folks. Let's be about the Father's business.
In the words of Michelangelo: criticize by creating!
Can I be brutally honest?
The psychological tendency to try to feel better about ourselves by pointing out what's wrong with someone else is immaturity at its worst. And no where is it more prevalent than the church.
Posted by Braden Matson
Way too much sideways energy in the kingdom!
I think there are basically two kinds of people. People who are doing things and people who aren't doing things but they need something to do so they take potshots at people who are doing things.
There. I said it.
Come on, folks. Let's be about the Father's business.
In the words of Michelangelo: criticize by creating!
Can I be brutally honest?
The psychological tendency to try to feel better about ourselves by pointing out what's wrong with someone else is immaturity at its worst. And no where is it more prevalent than the church.
Posted by Braden Matson
Friday, June 13, 2008
Self-Control Part 4
How to exercise Self Control:
1. Have an open life.Sin, like bacteria, multiplies in dark places.
It is good to be accountable to trustworthy people for those areas of your life where you tend to stray. Be accountable.
2. Flee from temptation. God’s word is plain about this.
1 Corinthians 6:18
"Flee from sexual immorality. Run for your life!”
Yes, sometimes self-control requires physically leaving the scene of temptation, or avoiding such spots to begin with.
Our moral freedom, like other mental powers, is strengthened by exercise. The practice of yielding to impulse results in enfeebling self-control.
3. Flee angerSometimes self control requires shutting a heated moment down, in order to return to the topic later with a plan. We need to treat other people as something of value. Such self-control helps find resolution without harming the other person, whom God loves.
4. Build up your own spirit.If your Bible is only for Sundays or for a quick rushed “have to do this” kind of look into the Book; then you are starving yourself spiritually. Malnourished people can never be strong and resilient and exercise self-control.
Psalm 119:11 “I have treasured your word in my Heart, so that I may not sin against you.”
If the Bible is not powerfully in your life, don’t expect the fruit of the Spirit to thrive in you.We also build our spirit and strengthen our self-control by speaking in tongues.
5. Serve
As we surrender our will and serve we start to practice self-control.
The Bible says that self control is a “fruit of the Spirit,” that is, a result of surrendering our character and behaviour to God’s Spirit to influence us. As we submit to Holy Spirit He empowers us to exercise self-control.
1. Have an open life.Sin, like bacteria, multiplies in dark places.
It is good to be accountable to trustworthy people for those areas of your life where you tend to stray. Be accountable.
2. Flee from temptation. God’s word is plain about this.
1 Corinthians 6:18
"Flee from sexual immorality. Run for your life!”
Yes, sometimes self-control requires physically leaving the scene of temptation, or avoiding such spots to begin with.
Our moral freedom, like other mental powers, is strengthened by exercise. The practice of yielding to impulse results in enfeebling self-control.
3. Flee angerSometimes self control requires shutting a heated moment down, in order to return to the topic later with a plan. We need to treat other people as something of value. Such self-control helps find resolution without harming the other person, whom God loves.
4. Build up your own spirit.If your Bible is only for Sundays or for a quick rushed “have to do this” kind of look into the Book; then you are starving yourself spiritually. Malnourished people can never be strong and resilient and exercise self-control.
Psalm 119:11 “I have treasured your word in my Heart, so that I may not sin against you.”
If the Bible is not powerfully in your life, don’t expect the fruit of the Spirit to thrive in you.We also build our spirit and strengthen our self-control by speaking in tongues.
5. Serve
As we surrender our will and serve we start to practice self-control.
The Bible says that self control is a “fruit of the Spirit,” that is, a result of surrendering our character and behaviour to God’s Spirit to influence us. As we submit to Holy Spirit He empowers us to exercise self-control.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Self-Control Part 3
Let’s look at some scenarios and questions concerning the presence of self-control in your life.
1.How are you as a finisher of responsible actions? When it is your turn to do the dishes for instance, and you look over at the overflowing countertop, do you go to it and complete the task in a reliable manner, or are you more likely to end up being a slothful couch potato for the evening, or to go do something fun, and simply fail to do your fair part?
2. Do you control your temper?
Proverbs 14:17
A quick-tempered man does foolish things”
3. When pornography pops up on the computer screen do you delete it every time, or do you tend to get drawn away by the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh?
4. Are you careful to not say negative things about people with whom you are upset, to third parties who are not involved in the situation?
5. When it is getting late, and you know that you need to be at your best at school or work early the next morning, do you shut off the TV, or put away the hobby and get the sleep God designed you to need, in order to be sharp.
6. When you need to finish your homework and also study for the quiz that’s coming at school tomorrow, do you shut of the video game and just do it, even though its no fun?
7. When you walk into the mall, and you have a pocket full of credit cards, what is likely to happen? Is your spending in control?
8. Is your eating in control? Do you take that extra biscuit?
There could be hundreds of scenarios suggested, and some of them are more drastic than these, but all self-control questions are important.
1.How are you as a finisher of responsible actions? When it is your turn to do the dishes for instance, and you look over at the overflowing countertop, do you go to it and complete the task in a reliable manner, or are you more likely to end up being a slothful couch potato for the evening, or to go do something fun, and simply fail to do your fair part?
2. Do you control your temper?
Proverbs 14:17
A quick-tempered man does foolish things”
3. When pornography pops up on the computer screen do you delete it every time, or do you tend to get drawn away by the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh?
4. Are you careful to not say negative things about people with whom you are upset, to third parties who are not involved in the situation?
5. When it is getting late, and you know that you need to be at your best at school or work early the next morning, do you shut off the TV, or put away the hobby and get the sleep God designed you to need, in order to be sharp.
6. When you need to finish your homework and also study for the quiz that’s coming at school tomorrow, do you shut of the video game and just do it, even though its no fun?
7. When you walk into the mall, and you have a pocket full of credit cards, what is likely to happen? Is your spending in control?
8. Is your eating in control? Do you take that extra biscuit?
There could be hundreds of scenarios suggested, and some of them are more drastic than these, but all self-control questions are important.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Self-Control Part 2
2 Timothy 3:2-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Why is self-control so important?
1 Cor 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training (self-control). They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.A self-controlled life demands focus. They have a heavenly prize.
There must be purpose in every step. No distraction… No detours.
Self-control is using our freedom for Gods purposes. Using our freedom to bring blessing and impact others.
In proportion as a man habitually yields to intemperance or some other vice, his freedom diminishes and he does in a true sense sink into slavery.
Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control
“I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself.”
Pietro Aretino
“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.”
Seneca
“The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Why is self-control so important?
1 Cor 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training (self-control). They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.A self-controlled life demands focus. They have a heavenly prize.
There must be purpose in every step. No distraction… No detours.
Self-control is using our freedom for Gods purposes. Using our freedom to bring blessing and impact others.
In proportion as a man habitually yields to intemperance or some other vice, his freedom diminishes and he does in a true sense sink into slavery.
Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control
“I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself.”
Pietro Aretino
“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.”
Seneca
“The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Becoming 100% YOU - Part 5
4. To busy to fit ‘you’ in
Sometimes life can get so busy that we are rushing through days and weeks trying to get through a list of tasks without stopping to re-evaluate our lives. It is important to stop sometimes and think about why you are doing what you do. You may be doing some great things with your time but are they stretching you growing your life and taking you closer to being 100% you and accomplishing what you were put on this planet to do.
Everything we do should be leading us closer to who we are and if it doesn’t then we need to re-evaluate our lives. Don’t let yourself get so stuck in a routine of life that you don’t hear God whispering to your heart and nudging you in a particular direction in life. There are many things you can be too busy for but the Holy Spirit should never be one of them.
5. Can’t get up
One of the devils ways of hijacking your journey is comfort. He wants you to be so comfortable that you curl up in the armchair of life with a big duvet in front of the fire and refuse to move. An armchair is one of the hardest places to move from, especially if it’s raining and miserable outside. We can be like this in our spiritual life but being in a comfortable place is not good for us.
It can lead to spiritual laziness and it will take a hold of your life. You will lose interest in going any further on your journey. An armchair lifestyle will prevent you from discovering anything more about yourself. Often we can get so comfortable in our roles as a leader, mother employer, that we have no desire to go any further. Leaving your comfort zone will help you grow and stretch you and help you discover so much more about what God has put in your life.
In 2005 I went to Europe with Braden and at the end of the trip we went with a team to Thailand. I was looking forward to it all but Thailand. But I am blessed to have a husband who doesn’t let me sit long in my comfy chair and he really encouraged me that it would be ok. Once I was there I was so touched by the people and I had to trust God that he would come through so much. It really got me out of my comfort zone. And whenever I am in my comfy chair I am often reminded of my time in Thailand.
Are you sitting in your armchair or in the safety of your comfort zone? Maybe you were once on this journey but when it became painful and uncomfortable and you grazed your knee did you retreated back into the comfort of the chair. Please make a stand today to not do it again to get out of the chair as your armchair will become your prison and stop from becoming all you are called to be.
2 Timothy 1:6 ‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.'
The responsibility for kick-starting and maintaining your spiritual momentum lies with you, you need to chose to live differently to start listening to the holy spirit. You may feel like you have two left feet you may think you are out of practice and that you will never be able to keep in step with him again. Remove the excuses get up and live your life not someone else’s.
What’s stopping you? Identify it, address it and if necessary separate from it.
Do whatever it takes to become the real you. Once we truly understand just who we are, our job is to influence our world with it.
You have a responsibility to be the most amazing 100% YOU that only you can be.
Posted by: Andrea
Sometimes life can get so busy that we are rushing through days and weeks trying to get through a list of tasks without stopping to re-evaluate our lives. It is important to stop sometimes and think about why you are doing what you do. You may be doing some great things with your time but are they stretching you growing your life and taking you closer to being 100% you and accomplishing what you were put on this planet to do.
Everything we do should be leading us closer to who we are and if it doesn’t then we need to re-evaluate our lives. Don’t let yourself get so stuck in a routine of life that you don’t hear God whispering to your heart and nudging you in a particular direction in life. There are many things you can be too busy for but the Holy Spirit should never be one of them.
5. Can’t get up
One of the devils ways of hijacking your journey is comfort. He wants you to be so comfortable that you curl up in the armchair of life with a big duvet in front of the fire and refuse to move. An armchair is one of the hardest places to move from, especially if it’s raining and miserable outside. We can be like this in our spiritual life but being in a comfortable place is not good for us.
It can lead to spiritual laziness and it will take a hold of your life. You will lose interest in going any further on your journey. An armchair lifestyle will prevent you from discovering anything more about yourself. Often we can get so comfortable in our roles as a leader, mother employer, that we have no desire to go any further. Leaving your comfort zone will help you grow and stretch you and help you discover so much more about what God has put in your life.
In 2005 I went to Europe with Braden and at the end of the trip we went with a team to Thailand. I was looking forward to it all but Thailand. But I am blessed to have a husband who doesn’t let me sit long in my comfy chair and he really encouraged me that it would be ok. Once I was there I was so touched by the people and I had to trust God that he would come through so much. It really got me out of my comfort zone. And whenever I am in my comfy chair I am often reminded of my time in Thailand.
Are you sitting in your armchair or in the safety of your comfort zone? Maybe you were once on this journey but when it became painful and uncomfortable and you grazed your knee did you retreated back into the comfort of the chair. Please make a stand today to not do it again to get out of the chair as your armchair will become your prison and stop from becoming all you are called to be.
2 Timothy 1:6 ‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.'
The responsibility for kick-starting and maintaining your spiritual momentum lies with you, you need to chose to live differently to start listening to the holy spirit. You may feel like you have two left feet you may think you are out of practice and that you will never be able to keep in step with him again. Remove the excuses get up and live your life not someone else’s.
What’s stopping you? Identify it, address it and if necessary separate from it.
Do whatever it takes to become the real you. Once we truly understand just who we are, our job is to influence our world with it.
You have a responsibility to be the most amazing 100% YOU that only you can be.
Posted by: Andrea
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