YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE!!!

"Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome". Genesis 32:28. Humm. Identity Crisis! "My friend, "YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE"! The literal meaning of the name Jacob is: Supplanter, trickster, "con man" etc. Jacob was mother's darling, "a momma's boy" probably baked cookies, tried new recipes, took out the trash, yes- even dried out dishes and put it away. But he grew up to be cunning, dangerous, manipulative, and tricky. But the story tells us that his trickery brought him to a dead end and began to struggle with God for an answer when he was left alone with God. There , in the isolation of his internal strife, God began the process of transforming disgrace into grace. During the encounter with God, he could not "outslick" Him, that caused him to have a limp on his leg and his fist of trickery to a hand clasped in prayer. Jacob cried "I won't let you go till you bless me". Then God told him what he really needed to know "you are not what you think you are". Jacob "You are not a Supplanter, a trickster, a con-man, but your name is Israel- a PRINCE. My friend, you are not a looser, a failure, not an "accident", incompetent, burden for your parents- society- good for nothing, can't keep a job kind. Satan will whisper in your ears "Let's blow it on drug and alcohol. Let's finish it! Brother, when we, like Jacob, seek to know God, He will inevitably show us our real identity, He will tell our name - YOU ARE A PRINCE! Hey, God has a plan and blue print of your life with him. He never makes a junk. He will take you from this pit you are in to your destiny- THE PALACE. Rise up, shrug your shoulders, walk like a prince- you are a child of a KING OF KINGS!

FIGHT MAN FIGHT!!

"Satan walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour". 1 Peter 5:7-8. My friend, Satan has found that discouragements is the most effective of all tools he employs against God's people. No saints in the Old Testament or in the New Testament could escape this. Prophet Elijah a champion on Mount Carmel becoming a coward of the worst sort next day under a Juniper tree. Apostle Paul enjoyed abundance of divine revelations. But he was bothered by a thorn in the body. He calls it "a messenger of Satan". He pleaded with God that this pricking arrow of Satan would be removed from him. But God strengthened him to live with it. Diseases unknown to our forefathers have become common today. Satan uses all these to discourage God's people and depress them. But through it all we know that "HE cares for us". You know what I found? Satan is not only busy discouraging us , but he also works against all our encouragers. Apostle Paul highlights this strategy of Satan in his letter to the saints in Thessalonica while they were going through trials and tribulations. He wrote "We wanted to come to you- even I, Paul, time and again- But Satan hindered us.. Brother, don't be a lukewarm Christian. Understand that there is a strategy employed by Satan to discourage us. Our warfare is not carnal, but against principalities and powers fighting against us. You are on his "HIT LIST" you like it or not. We must depend on God and the Holy Spirit to defeat this enemy. The OMNISCIENT GOD, being wiser than Satan, has supplied us suitable weapons to counter- attack him. When he challenges you, when he accuses you, when he discourages you, USE THOSE WEAPONS. Bible says "SUBMIT TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL, HE WILL FLEE AWAY FROM YOU". Did you hear buddy? yeah yeah. fight man fight.

LET'S WORSHIP THE LOVING GOD TODAY!

"For God so loved the world , that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". John 3:16. This morning we are going to church to worship a LOVING God. Many of us know ABOUT God, but how many of us really know God as a Person. How many of us expect to carry on meaningful relationship with God we don't know? Once you know Him , you will realize how worthy the Lord is of our worship. My friend, If you have not experienced the love of God, you are living at a level of life far beneath what God wants you to know. GOD LOVES YOU. God is love and He has loved you with an everlasting love. He came in person of His Son to prove once and for all that He loves you. How much does Jesus love you? He said, "THIS MUCH" and He stretched out His arms and He died for you. If we realize that how much He loves us in spite of our sinful and horrible past, we should also love each other. Don't you ache for the change we'd see in the world. Like less honking, more hugging, passing fewer judgments, more compliments, and forgiveness will skyrocket, right? Bible says " Those who live in love live in God" 1 John 4:16. LET'S WORSHIP THE LOVING GOD TODAY AND LOVE OTHERS TOO. YEAH YEAH GOOD!!

BE A LEADER!

"How long are you going to waver between two opinions?" 1King 18:21(NLT). Here Elijah is frustrated about the double mindedness of people of Israel. Sound like modern churches and committees. My friend, are you a leader? This what happens when you try to hold two conflicting ideas in your mind at the same time. This is the litmus test to your leadership. Make a choice or be frustrated with indecision. Strong leaders will resolve the conflict but poor leaders will continually be frustrated with mental picture of how things are and how they should be. Hey, hey, "A leader goes through a problem; a follower goes around it and never gets past it". "A leader says, There ought to be a better way to do this, a follower says "That's the way it's always been done here". Bro: As you become dissatisfied with the old, you will be energized and motivated to move beyond the old and resolve this conflict by bringing in the new. The Rhinos of tradition like pharisees will object it. In leadership this cycle becomes a way of life. Be a leader man, did God called you? Well, JUST DO IT!!!

REMEMBER WHAT GOD CALLS YOU!!

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said...Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace...But if not, O King, we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image..Daniel: 3:16-18. My friend, have you ever had to really stand up for what you believe at great personal cost? Nebuchadnezar gave them these name which expressed worship heathen gods. The real names, however, were Hananiah (Jehovah is gracious), Mishael (who is like God), and Azariah (Jehovah has helped). When pagan king threw them into fiery furnace, the names God called them prevailed, isn't it? Nebuchadnezar tried to change the name on the package, but he could not change the contents of their heart. I would imagine those boys were having a praise and worship jumping up and down and shouting "who is like our God (clap clap)- Jehovah is gracious (clap clap)- smelling each others hair and cloths - Jehovah helped (clap clap). This tells me "when you are going through trials, agonizing, the answer doesn't line up with your circumstances, your body is affected by pain and terrible diseases, accidents, rebellious children, mistreated, talked about, insulted, ignored, family crisis, cursed, abused, and said "good for nothing",persecuted etc. then, CALL IT WHAT CALLS IT. Hey hey, the Word of the Lord stands alone with merit, doesn't need mediator, advocate, or witnesses- HE WILL DO IT AGAIN. Look the enemy in the eye and say " I am anointed, I am covered in His blood, comforted by His presence, kept in His marvelous grace, fearless: Satan you the father of lies- I hear you knocking but no chance- I know my identity in Christ- get your weapons and flee in the name of Jesus.. My Jesus calls me blessed and His beloved. OK OK . Thank you Jesus... Hallelujah /////. Am I preaching today or what!

ARE YOU BLESSED?

"BLESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly". Psalms 1:1. Recently I saw an young man wearing a TShirt and on it's front says "Blessed" and on it's back says Psalm 1:1. My friend do you know the whole Psalm offers itself to be drawn into these two opposite propositions: a Godly man is blessed, and a wicked man is miserable. But where the Word "blessed" is printed out on a TShirt and you are wearing it, make sure that people will find a Godly man inside. Blessed man doesn't just grow, he is also planted. It's not "just happen". He is not a weed. He is planted at a specific time in a specific place to accomplish a divine purpose. If you are moving from place to place you will not grow very well. If you are planted, you grow down before you grow up. In another words God isn't concerned about how high your trunks grows but how deep your roots go. He wants you to produce quality not quantity. Brother, God has taken every struggle and test, every disappointment and neglect to cultivate in you the soil needed to make you productive and reproductive. Contrary winds were sent to blow away the cliques, the nay-sayings, wrong friendships and relationships, the job-loss and layoffs, and trials etc. If you are BLESSED, you will realize that Christianity is Christ. Not money in the bank, luxury car in the garage, healthy body like Mr. Universe, famous with millions of fans, BUT, fellowship with Him, walking with Him, pondering Him, exploring Him. Understanding and realizing that in Him you are part of something ancient, endless, unstoppable and unfathomable. Buddy, if you know CHRIST and you are WALKING with HIM, YOU ARE BLESSED...BLESSED...BLESSED.. Are you? You? you?

YOUR HAIRS ARE NUMBERED!!

"But the very hairs of your head are all NUMBERED". Matthew 10:30. My friend, God is concerned about all the details of our lives and even to the individual hairs of us. Have you noticed that God's records about you are so complete that the hairs on your head are NUMBERED not COUNTED. Counted would mean He simply knows how many. No, they are NUMBERED, meaning he knows which hair is in your comb! He knows the chronological records of your hair strands. God knows what you have in your barn. God told Gideon,"Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old and throw down the altar of Baal"..Judges 6:25. See, God knows how many bullocks his father had in his barn. Second one, seven years old etc..Then you should know He has your family, the age, your health, how much wealth you have, your annual earnings, your sickness, your debt, your faithfulness, your priorities, even how much you tithe and give to His kingdom. Even in those moments of absolute stagnation, desperation, disappointments, "don't know what to do" moments of your life, He is working an expected end for your good. Brother, God wants you to fly free from yesterday's guilt, today's fear, and even fear of death. He already moved those mountains. He is the prayer answering God. He longs to give you the fruit you are expecting from Him. Hey, hey, You have been cleared for landing!!!"For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end". Jeremiah: 29:11

ENERGIZER MARRIAGE?

"Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to KNOWLEDGE"..1 Peter 3:7. Hum..live with them according to knowledge! My friend, thank you for inviting me to your wedding to share the message. The first and fundamental key is the art of KNOWING your spouse. Don't put them in a box, and label them for the rest of your life. Knowing one is a progressive art, not a science with immutable data. Hey, allow room for both you to EVOLVE, REVOLVE, AND RESOLVE. Don't look for MARITAL PERFECTION EITHER. Marriage is a human institution and it is temporal. It is not perfect. It is not even an eternal relationship. You may think marriages are made in heaven, but according to the Bible, they don't end up in heaven. Well, that may hurt some of you. Some may take great hope in that also. Buddy, growth in the marriage doesn't happen unless you work at it. That's why all the Bible passages about marriage are not encouragements, they are commands. They are not optional, they are not suggestions. You want a "ENERGIZER" marriage... keep going..going.. going.. Remember What I said at your wedding!! Brother, I want you to hear my heart because I care about you and our Christian Families. God bless!!!

IMPULSIVE SPENDING? STOP IT!

"If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches" Luke 16:11. KJV. "So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches" NIV. Recently I was in a counseling session with a young couple (whom I love dearly) who was in big trouble with finances. They accumulated a huge debt in six months in to their married life. They want to keep up with the standard of living just like their parents forgetting parents worked thirty years more than them and were holding well paid jobs. They absolutely forgot my premarital counseling with them titled "Sky high expectation and Ground level reality". My friends, that is the result of impulsive and compulsive spending. Are you one of them? Impulsive buyers buy on a whim, make unplanned purchases, usually lack self- control in buying situations, and lack clear priorities in spending, which results in overspending, unnecessary additional debt, unused articles, luxury cars, boat, which results in family arguments and peace-less life. Hey, you are not federal government to run your life in deficit. YOU CAN'T PRINT MONEY EITHER! TADA! Every thirty days you have to pay your bills buddy. Your problem is you have "I WANT IT NOW SYNDROME". Spending beyond your means will lead to persistent fear, unremitting debt and depression and feeds into a downward cycle of worry and low esteem... the instant gratification of impulsive spending...deepening debts.. more worry..more spending.... And you will get your credit card bills saying " Pay the Minimum payment" $ 29.00. Looks like they are your great uncle. But they are charging you outrageous interest rate for the principle balance buddy. My friend, you must learn to handle the smallest things God has placed under your authority- your money- before He can trust you with anything great in your life. Solution "DO A PLASTIC SURGERY". CUT THE CREDIT CARDS.. Pay off your debts man, live on tuna sandwich for a while man. Be serious man. I love you guys. Take it or leave it.

COUNTING THE COST!

"No man builds without counting the cost". Luke 14:30. Counting the cost! My friend, can you stand to be blessed in all aspects of your life? In this passage believers are represented by a man building a tower or even better, Jesus is the builder and He is the who must "count the cost" to see whether we are the kind of material He can use to build the church and battle the enemy. TADA! The more you have or own, the more you are responsible for, right? If you have no car you don't have to buy gas. Everyone wants all kinds of blessings! How many times have you prayed for it? Everything and every position God gives you required maintenance. God gave man the Garden, guess what? The man has to work in it and dress it. There are pastors who spends INSUFFICIENT time in his study, yet try to fill the pulpit. They are unprepared to bring out the fulness of the Word of God in a practical manner. That's why people are not maturing spiritually. Don't be surprised if they are sleeping and yawning! An ignorant minister is none of God's making, for God gives gifts where he gives a calling. There is a cost man! There are women who say they want a husband and children but don't want to cook, care or clean. There are men who say want a wife but don't want to love, provide, nourish, and lead. People wants the image of success but they haven't contemplated the COST of possessing a blessing and success. You know why God is not giving everything we ask? We are not ready for those things and it would probably kill us to receive what we are not prepared to maintain.Looking good on someone else's life is not to be coveted for, because they are paying the price for it. Well, the preacher came out this morning! Sorry!

BEAT THE ODDS!

"But Lord, Gideon asked, how can I save Israel? My clan is weakest in Manaseh, and I am the least in the family". Judges 6:15. My friend, don't go through your life believing what Satan inscribed in your mind, the words like: humiliation, failure, rejection,stupid, ugly, clumsy, unworthy, inadequate, unlovable, good for nothing etc. In Texas we say "GOD DON'T MAKE NO JUNK"! Hey, Joseph was bound by his circumstances but he overcame them by using his gifts. He transcended from the mundane to the miraculous. Brother, do not be engrossed in one circumstance and lose sight of the limitless power that lies with in you. It is through understanding the power of your gifts that you can escape the prison of despair. That will take you from pit to palace. Mr.Penney was an orphan and he did not sit around and say: I have no body, everybody treat me bad, no one cares for me, and I guess I ought to go on drugs and just blow it. While he was packing bags at his first job he dreamed "one of these days they are going to pack these for me". Penney believed that he had the ability to make something in his life. And now what we do: we go and spend our credit card money at his J.C Penney Stores, right? Be a Gideon, be a Penney man! Miracles happens when we give our potential responsibility. God has given you a skill or ability the world needs. BEAT THE ODDS MAN...BEAT IT! Y'all hear me!

GOD'S LOVE!

"Then God said, "Let US make man in our image, in Our likeness..So He created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them (Genesis 1:26-27). Hey, thank you for the wonderful time of discussion with you college students. Hey my friends, never use the creation to find who you are and your purpose in this world, because only the creator knows it. That's why God hates idol worship. How can you identify your ability by worshiping a snake or how much you worth by believing that you will come back as a rat or a roach? Or your purpose of existence can be discovered in a relationship with a wooden or stone or metal statue? The key to understanding life is in the source of life, YOUR CREATOR, not in the life itself. Islam sees God who sends others, like angels, prophets, books, but God is too holy to come to us himself. For God to touch earth is "shirk" for God's holiness. Christianity celebrates God's coming to earth because of His love for us. His nature or holiness does not trap or deter him in heaven but leads Him to earth as Emmanuel for us. He loves us so much "He gave His only begotten Son, whomsoever believes in Him shall have not perish but to have eternal life". John 3:16. The good news my friends, he not only sends, he becomes; he not only looks down, he lives among; he not only talks to us, he lives with us as one of us. Jesus said " I came to give life, life in all its fullness. John 10:10. I am praying for you guys. God bless!!

FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS!

"By no means do I count myself an expert in all this. But I HAVE GOT MY EYE ON THE GOAL, where God is beckoning us onward- to Jesus. I am off and running and I am not turning back. SO LET'S KEEP FOCUSED ON THAT GOAL, those of us who want everything God has for us". Philippians 3:12-19 Paraphrased. How you think determines what you become! Successful people have dedication and love for their work, they discipline their time, energy and go to any length to complete their assignment until they reach their goal. But unsuccessful people regard their work as lengthy, grueling,monotonous and work is done only to get by. Lou Holtz said "ABILITY is what you are capable of doing, MOTIVATION determines what you do, ATTITUDE determines how well you do it". In a grave yard, a tomb stone read like this, Johnny died at 21, buried at 65". In other words he stopped dreaming, focusing, accomplishing anything in his life at the age of 21, but he lived till the age of 65. But He accepted the mediocrity, status-coe life, lived to pay bills, struggled to raise a family, never even took time to express his love to his wife and children. WHAT A SAD STORY! My brother, regardless of where you are now- at the top of the mountain of success or at the bottom of the deepest valley of despair, YOUR BEST IS YET TO COME. BROTHER, NEVER GIVE UP. FOCUS, FOCUS, and FOCUS. Develop an attitude "IF HE OR SHE CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT". Hey, hey, ONLY IN THE DICTIONARY WE SEE SUCCESS BEFORE WORK BUDDY! JUST DO IT..OKAY!

GO GO GO!!!

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations...". Matthew 28:18. Jesus said "GO". My friend, but what we do? We, Christians must take serious issues seriously. Enjoying the blissful experience of God's presence in worship services inside air-conditioned and comfortable seats is certainly covetous for a believer, but if he or she would linger around the compassionate Christ, the Commander-in-Chief who ordered the Great Commission to the church would certainly REBUKE, saying "GO, GO, GO". Mary Magdalene who was a devoted follower of Jesus and was immersed in the excitement of meeting her risen Master by the tomb and certainly wants to linger in his presence forgetting her primary responsibility, What did Jesus say? "GO AND TELL OTHERS THAT SHE SAW THE RISEN SAVIOR"! In the Old Testament Lot delayed to escape God's impending judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, because he liked position, property, and pleasure, oh yes- fun and parties, while the lepers who plundered goods of Aramean camp took a wise and unselfish decision not to wait until daylight to share the good news of the plunder with their fellow brothers. Which group are you my brother? The kingdom of God is plagued with labor trouble. Unless the Christians and churches are fulfilling these purposes, we have no claim for existence, no matter how lovely our buildings, how busy the schedule, or how smooth the organization, how beautifully we dress, and how wonderful our worship team may be. OUCH! Well, my missionary mind woke up this morning! We are gratefully redeemed but are commanded to obey His Commission! GO GO GO GO...GIVE GIVE GIVE. Y'ALL HEAR ME?

The 'if" test

"If you are the Son of God, come down from the Cross". Matthew 27:40. Humm, "THE IF TEST"! My friend, you are confronting the "If test" of Satan in your life. Satan spares no Christian of this temptation. He challenges every child of God about God's fatherhood towards him and his sonship. I know Satan is using this weapon against you. This temptation will be intense during your days of spiritual infancy as well as times of infirmity due to adversities. He will whisper "how can a sinner like you suddenly become a child of God?" Can this happen to you if you are a child of God? Such questions will bombard you day and night to discredit your position and identity in Christ Jesus. You see, even he tried this temptation on Jesus. The first two of the three typical temptations Jesus faced in the desert were a challenge on His Sonship. The tempter came to Him and said, "IF" You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread..."IF" you are the Son of God, Jump down..(Matthew 4:3,6). It was not only a challenge to Jesus but also on what God the father had said just before Jesus went into the desert: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased". Matthew 3:17. Even when Jesus was on the Cross, Satan put the same words to challenge the Sonship of Jesus. To over power Satan against this challenges, we have to have the same assurance like Jesus. "It is written..It is written.. It is written. As we read that Jesus was led into the desert "by the Holy Spirit" and returned "in the power of the Holy Spirit", realize that we have the companionship of God's Spirit in our Spiritual Journey too. So, It's not "IF" Satan- YES, I AM SON AND DAUGHTER OF ALMIGHTY! Satan, GET YOUR WEAPON AND FLEE!!! Did you get it? "Beloved, NOW are we sons of God, and it doth not yet appear that we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as He is." 1 John 3:2.

THIS TOO WILL PASS!

"Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not Thou made an hedge about him....thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But now put forth Thine hands now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face". Job 1:9-11. My friend, now a days you are going through this claim by Satan- The question is "You like His PRESENCE more than His PRESENTS'? Satan cannot dispute our serving God, but he challenges our reason for serving Him. Satan says, it is for the prominence and protection God provides and if everything goes well we will praise Him. Our pride, self esteem, and self-confidence will deplete, and longevity of the trials will create fear in us whether it is going to end. But brother, there is a glory in the agonizing times like this which people didn't have to struggle seems not to possess. There is a strange sense of competence that comes from being born in the flames of struggle. Like the exuberance of a child who takes first steps who earlier was mobile only through crawling on his or her hands and knees. Last Sunday during praise and worship, we were singing "THROUGH THE STORMS" He is LORD! My friend, "Immanuel" is with us. Immanu means "with us". El refers to "Elohim or God". Remember, not an "above us God" or a "somewhere in the neighborhood" God. He came as the "with us God". Not God with the "RICH or RELIGIOUS" or "Americans" or "Indians" or "Europians" or "Africans" or "Russians" or "White" or "Black" or "Brown" or "yellow" or any career- but GOD WITH US..US..US..US, that means YOU AND I. So, cheer up my friend, THIS TOO WILL PASS. Hallelujah/////.

OUR MONEY AND OUR MOTIVE!

"But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly". Matthew 6:1-4. NKJV- Read). My friend, why you asked me "in Greek what that verse says about tithing". Don't bother learning Greek brother to tithe and giving to the Lord! If you don't want to do it, don't do it. You will loose out the blessings, that's all. It was Martin Luther who said, "There are three conversion a person needs to experience. The conversion of the head, the conversion of the heart, and conversion of the pocket book". Sounds like you were holding your purse out of water when you were baptized, did you? Do you know the main subject of nearly half of the parables Jesus told were dealing with money? More than 2000 verses are talking and dealing with money and only 500 verses each about prayer and faith? In fact 15% of everything Jesus ever taught was on money and possessions even more than heaven and hell. There is a fundamental connection between our spiritual life and how we think about and handle money. You can practically tell the relationship you have with your God by looking at your debit references from your bank account. Over and over again, our Lord comes back to our motive, and he addresses when ever He speaks of giving. Every believer should give a portion of the finances to the Lord regularly. Brother, don't do it in an ostentatious way to draw attention, if you do so that is hypocrisy. God is looking at our hearts, motive is everything. Now let me put it this way: IF WE REMEMBER, GOD WILL FORGET. IF WE FORGET, GOD WILL REMEMBER. HEY, HEY, LEAVE THE BOOKKEEPING TO GOD". DID YOU HEAR BUDDY?