WORSHIP

"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will MAGNIFY Him with THANKSGIVING.This also shall please the Lord" Psalms 69:30-31. Did you know out of the Bibles' 66 books, 44 contain reference to music and more than 600 references to people singing praises. We say much about ourselves by our singing. I would say "music is the barometer of the church's spiritual life. When Israel abandoned God, their songs became sad. When they remained faithful to Him their worship was full of joy. Worship is vibrant in our life and in our churches when the joy of the Lord inhabits our hearts. Music reflects our walk with the Lord. Let's worship our Lord and Savior this morning. He is worthy to be praised!! Yes He is...

MATURITY

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I UNDERSTOOD as a child, I THOUGHT as a child: but when I became a man, I put away CHILDISH things". 1 Corinthians 13:11. If public prayer, Bible reading, few dollars in the offering plates, committee membership or any elected positions are the marks of maturity in the lives of believers, what are the characteristics of immaturity? Well, let me see: A mature person stays with a task until it's finished- a child who is immature doesn't, a mature person doesn't enjoy feeling that he or she has been mistreated- a child does, a mature person doesn't have to have his or her way about everything- if a child doesn't have his or her way, he or she will pick up their toys and goes to their corner or home, a mature person doesn't have to head the list and be first in everything including programs and flyers- but a child that doesn't get to be first will often pout and complain. Now, are you a mature or immature believer? Well, are you??? It's time to truthfully answer my friend!!

MARRIAGE

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be UNITED to his wife, and THEY WILL BECOME one flesh". Genesis 2:24. After celebrating 38 years of married life to my wife (Cupcake) I have something to share with you my friend as you are getting married. A lasting and joyous marriage relationship doesn't just happen; you create and sustain it with continuous effort. Love fades in the environment of neglect, hostility, and resentment. Wouldn't it be nice if love were like a cafeteria line? What if you could look at the person with whom you live and select what you want and pass on what you don't? How about a bowl of good health and good moods. But job transfers, in-laws, sickness,laundry, dirty socks, smelly sweat, lay offs, teenage rebellious kids are not on my diet. It would be neater, painless, and peaceful: RIGHT? But you know what? It wouldn't be love, then. Love doesn't just accept few things but love will accept all things! Now, remember: Marriage is made in heaven, but so are thunder and lightning!!

GRASP THE VISION!

"Where there is no vision, the people perish" Proverbs 29:18. I think "Vision is a mental picture of a future what God has for you". Where you are now is not all there is , and what you are now is not all God created you to be! Living supernaturally above and beyond the ordinary is knowing what you want, what you are willing to reach for, what price you are willing to pay to push yourself out of your existing comfort zone. It is about finding solutions to get you out of your rut. It is about progress, which cannot occur without change, because change is the price you must pay for progress. My friend, it is about grasping hold of the vision that is the treasure of your heart and running with it until it becomes reality. Hey, do you want to make a difference in your world and the world around you, GRASP THE VISION AND RUN WITH IT. Y'ALL HEAR ME??

WORSHIP HIM!!!

"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh CRY OUT FOR THE LIVING GOD". Psalm 84:1-2. My friend, this is my favorite verse I quote soon after I get up every morning. Don't be shocked when I tell you that I don't go to church primarily to hear a sermon or have fellowship with God's people, although I enjoy both. As a pastor of a church, I fed the sheep with the Word and encouraged to have fellowship with other believers. But I want everyone to come to church on the Lord's day to bear witness that Jesus Christ is ALIVE and to WORSHIP HIM. In fact, I start each day, early in the morning, by WORSHIPING Him. If He has my heart, He can trust me with everything else He wants to give me. Brother, we are in love with ourselves, in love with our particular crowd, we are in love with our building, our protocol, programs, choir, worship team ,pastor, leadership, may be, but NOT IN LOVE WITH HIM. MY GOD, CHANGE US LORD!!!!

ZIP ZIP ZIP YOUR MOUTH!

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of Gold in pictures of silver" Proverbs 25:11. When God created us he gave us two ears and one mouth. That means we don't have to respond to half of what we hear. Hey, hey-: Never talk: If you have nothing to say, if your words come out heated, if it hurts another, if your words kindle strife, if it's a rumor, if it's untrue, if it does no good, and if you don't know what you're talking about. My friend, sometimes it shows more knowledge to say nothing. There is no wisdom like it. Even silence can have an eloquent tongue. Zip..zip..zip. ZIP your mouth. Yeah ..that's good.

MATURITY IS NOT DETERMINED BY EDUCATION!

"I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes". Psalm 119:99. Ouch! Is that true? Yes, YES! Can a believer with a sixth-grade education be more mature than a "PhD or a Bible college graduate?". Yes, by understanding the principles of the Word of God and APPLYING them to life. Many believers mistakenly assume that knowledge of the Scriptures, theology, eschatology, or Biblical history produces maturity. Being able to list the fruit of the Spirit and Ten Commandments is commendable; however information without application yields no fruit and does not ensure living by them. My friend, listen to me: Maturity occurs where INFORMATION and APPLICATION meet. I am all for education and degrees and I am proud of you. But a piece of paper doesn't cut it. Brother, come down to the ground level and LIVE. Excuse me..Excuse me.. I am sorry..

Make hay while the sun shines!

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" Ecclesiastes 3:12. When I was growing up my father told me: "Son make hay while the Sun shines". In every success story, timing has had a vital part. There is a time to act; to delay means failure. People who get ahead are always on top of things at the right time. By procrastinating, one can lose the opportunity. Some people are too slow. Recently I told my son in the Lord " It takes you two and a half hours just to watch "60 minutes". Your hay will rot in the field. God's best gift to us is not things but opportunities and the time to seize them. My friend, let's make hay while the sun shines- OK. Delete that PROCRASTINATION file from your habit.

BE RELEVANT!

My friend, if you want to remain relevant, viable and effective to the 21st century challenges in the Kingdom work, may I suggest some keys to consider in your leadership role. 1) Scan the environment and your target. The essence of remaining RELEVANT is having a strategy that is effective and defining the implications of current trends. Those you LEAD LIVE in the real world. How does your leadership strategy HELP or HINDER them with their modern world challenges? Hey, hey, change your old mindset. Are you driving a car to get to places instead of camels or horse wagons? Are you using mobile phones to send Text messages? Adapt man adapt! Stop saying that I will do only things what is in the Bible. Make changes in the methods without changing principles in the Bible. Did you hear me? GOOD!

EVALUATE AND ELIMINATE!

"By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through IDLENESS of the hands the house droppeth through". Ecclesiastes 10:18. I told my children years ago this: "The train of failure usually runs on the track of LAZINESS. My friend, take time to sit down and examine your priorities and how you are spending your time. Your priorities should be directly linked to your vision and goals. The reason most major goals are not achieved is that we are lazy or spending too much of our time doing second things first. Let me help you with this. TAKE ACTION TODAY. 1) How do you fill up the 24 treasure chests (hours) of your day? 2) What values dominate your life? 3) What do you need to eliminate? 4) What daily habits you need to discipline? 5) How do you link your priorities with your goals? 6) What relationships do you need to eliminate or change and how will you accomplish this? Years ago my Theology professor gave a note together with the semester assignments and it read like this "IF A TASK IS ONCE BEGUN, NEVER LEAVE IT TILL IT IS DONE, BE THE LABOR GREAT OR SMALL, DO IT WELL OR NOT AT ALL". Man of God, does this help you??

YES, I CAN!!

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". Philippians 4:13. How can we experience a greater level of freedom and success in our daily walk with Him? Using our time wisely, eliminating habits and relationships that hinder our growth and progress, and focusing our priorities are major steps in fulfilling our destiny and living our life on purpose. It takes courage to face such changes. Quoting scriptures are not enough. Hey, you cannot drive a parked car. Remember- success comes in CANS; failure comes in CAN'TS. Now, tell me what is your plan and action?? Come on!!!

YOU ARE ON THE WAY TO THE PALACE

"And when they saw him far off, even before he came near to them, they CONSPIRED to kill him...here comes the dreamer.. so come on now, let us kill him..." Genesis 37:18-20. Can you see here? See Joseph had the support of His father, but the brothers hated him. Hey hey, sometimes you have a high calling in your life- conscientiously you did not do any thing wrong- still people hate you. One time I prayed, let somebody hate me who knows me. See- people make all kinds of assessment, judgments, pass remarks and those people never know you. SOMETIMES PEOPLE HATE YOU OVER YOUR POTENTIAL. YOU ARE NOT THERE YET- NOT STEPPED - STILL THEY HATE YOU OVER YOUR UNREALIZED POTENTIAL. My friend- GO THROUGH IT, YOU ARE ON THE WAY TO THE PALACE. OMG.. I am preaching.. Thank you Jesus.

LEAD NOT FOLLOW

In some ethnic churches almost every issue is put to a vote by the congregation, and the elected leaders merely carry out the will of the sheep. In some cases even though the leader may significantly disagree, he is bound to carry out the decisions of the congregation. That is following, not leading. That is sheep leading shepherd. No wonder why churches are stagnant and members are not growing spiritually. If that had occurred during Moses' day, the Israelites would still be in Egypt, under bondage, eating garlic, leeks, and onions. LORD, HELP US TO CHANGE THE MINDSET.

ARE YOU WORSHIPING?

Today is Sunday "the day of WORSHIP". But worship is the missing jewel of the modern church. Thank God I am part of a congregation which gives emphasis for passionate worship of GOD. We have churches gives emphasis on performance, churches that highlights body fellowships, testimonies and ritualistic routines. But we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and we develop our love for Him in WORSHIP. Hey, worship is the PATTERN of the Old Testament- everywhere you look people are worshiping. Worship was the PRACTICE of the New Testament. The lives and letters of the first Christians are filled with principles of worshiping God. Are you worshiping, doing programs, and finishing the routines? Stop it. It's time to worship!!!!

DID YOU PRAY TODAY?

Frequently I remind Pastors and Leaders -"He that is more frequent in his pulpit to his people than he is in his prayer closet for his people is but a SORRY WATCHMAN". In our public life we are men and women of prayer, but..BUT what about our private life? You know why our prayer meetings are dead or dying? With our prayerlessness we are telling God that what was begun in the SPIRIT we can finish in the FLESH. My friend, can I talk to you! Prayer is acknowledging the authority of Christ, submitting to the will of God, taking dominion over matters in the realm of the Spirit, exercising faith in the Word of God and receiving counsel from God, subjugating the FLESH, subduing Satan, and causing the Kingdom of God to be established on the earth as it is Heaven. Hey, HEY, people and things will let you down, but our God never will. JUST DO IT MAN, JUST DO IT!

GO FOR IT!!

Hey, hey, listen to me my friend! Insulate yourself from negative people. Stay clear from average negative- thinking believers (experts) who say things like, "I know someone who tried that and failed". Or, "You can't do that. It's never been done before". Share your vision with people of "like" faith who can pray in covenant agreement and nurture it in a positive way. It is absolutely important to discuss your vision with your spouse and come into agreement in prayer. "Bible says "Two can accomplish more than TWICE as much as one, for the results can be much better. ...but two can stand back to back and conquer:three is even better, for a triple- braided cord is not easily broken". Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12. Remember " Vision from God is people oriented and focuses on "what can I give not what can I get". GO FOR IT!!!

SHARPEN YOU AXE

"Whoever splits logs may be endangered by them. If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success." Ecclesiastes 10:9,10. Apparently King Solomon was watching a Lumber Jack working and splitting wood. How many times do we waste time and energy because we don't use a tool in a proper way without taking care of it and using it effectively. My friend God gives each one of us an "AX" - A GIFT - calling or ability- to fulfill a purpose that serves Him, mankind, and us as an individuals. Are you sharpening your ax? Listening to the Holy Spirit? Praying and believing to accomplish what God desires to be done even if it means moving in a different direction than we planned? Hey, move away from the old dull old tradition. You cannot use Samson's Jaw bone of the donkey to confront 21st century enemies with tanks, rifles, missiles and bombs - can you???