ARE YOU DOING YOUR PART?

" Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me". 2 Kings 2:9. Many people pray like Elisha, "Lord, give me a double portion of Your anointing". Especially most of us are praying like this during the New Year's service. But we do not realize the preparation that is involved for such a miraculous thing to occur. Elijah and Elisha traveled together and finally they journeyed to the banks of the RIVER JORDAN WHERE THE LORD TESTED ELISHA'S VISION. Was it of man, or of God? The prophet said to the servant, "..ask what shall I do for thee, before I be taken away from thee". Elisha said, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me". 2 Kings 2:9. Elijah responded, "Thou hast asked me a hard thing: nevertheless, If thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee". 2 Kings 2:10. In other words, If your vision is clear, and your eyes are on things above, you'll receive it". Habakkuk 2:2 declares "..WRITE THE VISION AND MAKE IT PLAIN". My friend, let me explain to you: There are three keys to seeing a vision fulfilled in the year 2016 for you. 1) It must be plain, meaning a vision cannot be cloudy or full of questions or indecisiveness. 2) You must run to receive it, meaning your prayer life must intensify. Walking is prayer... running is intensified prayer. 3) The vision is for "an appointed time". Wait for it. Never give up. YOUR FAITH IS VITAL FOR THE VISION'S FULFILLMENT. Suddenly, the prophet was caught up into the heavens! A chariot of fire appeared- yet Elisha could see clearly enough to pick up the mantle that was left behind. Bro: look at him: He walked to the same river where he had seen the prophet Elijah use the mantle to separate the waters. He said,.."where is the Lord God of Elijah"? - and the waters of Jordan were again miraculously parted. Hey, hey, IF YOU HAVE A VISION FOR 2016, DO YOUR PART FOR IT TO COME TO PASS. I have a news for you "NO MATTER HOW ANOINTED YOU ARE- GOD WILL NOT BRUSH YOUR TEETH! OUCH!

MY GOD REMEMBERS ME!

"But God remembered Noah". Genesis 8:1. Listening to a radio station, I couldn't believe how many people felt that "nobody cared nor remembered" them in this Christmas day. Quickly I remembered this scripture. BUT GOD REMEMBERS YOU! If you add it all up, Noah spent one year and 17 days in the ark. That's a long time in a cramped space with lots of animals. That was no Disney Luxury Cruise Liner with swimming pool, movies, entertainments,and fancy buffets. It was a boat floating aimlessly on surface of the ocean. Hey, let me tell you the truth. I still quote this verse time to time. When I have not enough faith to assume a holding pattern and wait for the fulfillment of the promise, I also felt "Did my God forget me". But the comforting Holy Spirit of God calms my fears EVERY TIME when He reminds me that MY GOD DOESN'T forget me. In Matthew chapter 10, verse 30 Bible says, God's record are so complete that the hairs on my head are numbered. They are not just counted. Counted would mean He simply knows how many. NO!! They are numbered, meaning He knows which hair is in my comb. Tada. In another words, He has chronological records of my hair strands. That means I should know He has my family, my tithes, and my faithfulness in His view all the time. See, Noah has done what God has said. He had preached to the unbelieving world. He had built an enormous ark. He led the animals two by two into the ark. Then he entered with his family. Bro: If you had done what God told you to do and if you are a child of God, who cares people forget you. YOUR GOD WILL REMEMBER YOU AND REWARD YOU!! OK SMILE NOW: YOU HEAR?

ARE YOU FEARFUL?

"When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth:(FOR ALSO THERE IS THAT NEITHER DAY NOR NIGHT SEETH SLEEP WITH HIS EYES". Ec: 8:16. My friend, looks like the enemy playing a game of "fear" with you in this Christmas season. All of us want to be strong and be in control, but unfortunately our enemy will attack us with his weapon of fear. Does this sound familiar to you? You feel overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. Am I going to die with this sickness? Your worries and insecurities prevent you from doing what you really want? Your negative emotions and panic attacks make you feel powerless and stuck? Some of us have postgraduate degree from University of Anxiety and Fear. Sun blasts cancer causing rays, Air vents blow lung-clotting molds, Potato chips have too many carbs, Why do they call airport a terminal? One mother said "My daughter doesn't tell me anything, I am worried". Another said "my daughter tells me everything, I am nervous wreck". Are you feel overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, Your life becoming smaller and smaller? Come on, I have a great news for you. Merry Christmas!! Fear is a powerful enemy, so we need a powerful ally to overcome them. There is some one who can help you to overcome that fear. HIS NAME IS JESUS CHRIST, GOD'S SON! He came into the world to free us from the things that hurt us. He came to deliver us from the prison of fear. He is a friend, he is the guide, He offers us a comforter, the Holy Spirit and He promised us "Lo, I will be with you always, even unto the end of the World". Hey, he is there in that room, sick bed, in your loneliness. Pray to HIM AND HE WILL SHOW UP. HIS NAME IS IMMANUEL MEANING GOD IS WITH US. WITH YOU!!!!!

ARE YOU MAKING A IMPACT IN THE WORLD?

"You are the salt of the earth". "You are the light of the earth". Matthew 5:13&14. My friend, how old are you? Are you making any impact in the world ever since you born? What is the legacy you are going to leave in the world after you leave the world? Will the family, your church, friends, and the world around you has any contribution you made to remember and cherish? Let's understand that we will never be able to make a real and permanent impact on our society through legislation, programs and committees alone. Things done in the flesh in and of itself are doomed to failure- they much be done through Jesus and in power of the Holy Spirit. Are you like Lot in the Old Testament? As Lot, our faith is personal and private- we are not really interested in impacting our society, only serious about our personal peace, affluence, positions, and titles in the world. Are you the salt and the light of the world? After reading many autobiographies of great people influenced their generation and affected the world most dramatically (I realized) were those who, because of circumstance, pressure, or adversity: Challenged tide of convention, Stretched the boundaries of traditions, Violated the expectations of "status quo", Upset the mind of "the average", Shattered the wit of "the norm" and broke through the "accepted" in order to accomplish the unexpected. They all did that little extra that others thought could not be done. During this CHRISTMAS SEASON, let's make a decision to impact our generation in such a dramatic fashion because we have the strength, self- sufficiency, and anointing of the Anointed One, Lord Jesus! ISN'T HE BORN IN THIS WORLD TO SAVE US AND ANOINT US TO TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN?

LORD, MAKE ME!!

"MAKE ME to go in the path of thy commandments, for therein do I delight" Psalms 119:35. As we are approaching the end of the year 2015, my prayer is "MAKE ME LORD A USEFUL VESSEL" for you in the year 2016. How about you? See, when you are full of yourself, God can't fill you. But when you empty yourself, God has a useful vessel. Matthew mentions his own name only twice in the Gospel and in his list of Apostles, he assigns himself the eighth spot. John even doesn't mention his name but call himself "the other disciple or disciple whom Jesus loved". Luke, wrote two of the most important books in the Bible but never once penned his own name. Psalmist above prays "O Lord, make me". My prayers for the year 2016 are: 1) Make me a channel of blessing that flows into the lives of others. 2) Make me a vessel of salvation to those who stand in need of pardon. 3) Make me an ambassador of peace in a world torn by strife, hate, and war. 4) Make me a healing balm for the hearts that mourn and break. 5) Make me an example for those who might not change, if they did not have a pattern to follow. Bro: If we will commit ourselves to doing what we suppose to do, we will discover a joy of service that we never knew existed. We will find that Peace and good feeling we long for, and be a blessing to others. And our Lord will be pleased, you think so? NOW JUST DO IT. JUST JUST DO IT, Y'ALL HEAR ME?

Don't defeat ourselves in the New Year!

"Then said I, here am I, send me" Isaiah 6:8b. A new year is fast approaching all of us. My friend let me ask you a question "Why are you here"? Why are you still on the earth? If God loves you, and He does; and Christ has prepared a place for you, He has; and God is all powerful and can do anything He wants to, anytime He wants to, and He can; then why are you still here? Our God is alive and well in the world today. My friend, you are unique. You are special to God and yet you are still here because God is working here and He wants to use you to turn the world upside down. Bro: we defeat ourselves through lack of vision, lack of prayer and lack of love and obedience. He deposits His desires into our heart. Our vision comes from Him. Believe It will come to pass. As of January 2016, practice envisioning your future. Can I suggest few steps? Can I? 1) Expand your horizons by stretching your imagination. 2) Nurture new Ideas. 3) Go for positive changes with a welcoming attitude. 4) Imagine the impossible. 5) Stay ahead of tomorrow. 6) Invent the future. 7) Operate expectantly. 8) Notice unlimited opportunity available for you. Man, God can use anything and everything and anyone! You have a doubt buddy? Think about the burning bush, Staff into snake, Donkey saving Balaam's life, donkey talking, and A Rooster to reinstate Peter. Hey, God has equipped you with all talents to be useful for the Lord. I don't want to hear anymore testimonies from you during watch night service "I haven't done anything for the Lord yet in my life, Please pray for me so that I can be useful for the Lord this new year". Give me a break..Huhh.

"YES I CAN" ATTITUDE!

"I can do all things through Christ which strengths me". Philippians 4:13. When I was in college our Athletic Coach reminded us "when it comes to winning or losing a race three things determine how you cross the finish line 1st or not. They are your ability, motivation, and attitude. You need "yes I can" attitude to win. In Christian life we have to have this attitude. There are some of us who are quick to bring up, at the earliest opportunity, what friends and family did to hurt us in the past. Hey, why you are keep on living in the past: either in your own past, or reminding others about their past? Why you are cluttering your life with junks you have achieved in the past or your past failures that are taunting you? Don't you know that Christ in you is the hope of Glory: past, present and future! Remember, yesterday is history (you can't change it), today is a present (enjoy it), and tomorrow is a mystery (look forward to it). Bro: why do people approach soothsayers, palm readers and witches? Mainly to learn about the future, not the past, because the future is exciting. God wants us to walk by faith, trust in him and see our future through His eyes, not through the eyes of soothsayers. More of us are persuaded into believing far too LITTLE than believing for TOO much. Vision and "Yes I can" attitude through the help of Christ is very essential. A God-given vision is conceived by faith, sustained by prayer and fueled by God's word is destined to win! Hey hey It's not about what you and I can do, but what God can do with our life when it's fully surrendered to Him. IF GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A VISION- PURSUE IT MAN, AND BELIEVE HIM FOR GREAT THINGS! Y'ALL HEAR ME?? YEAH... GOOD!

HE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN!!

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM" ..Exodus 3:14. When Moses was talking with God, he asked, "What is your name? Who shall I say sent me? God responded, "Tell them, I AM". My friend, as you are going to step in to a New Year 2016, I hear a tone of concern and uncertainties in your voice. I just want you to know that, as a child of God , WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ADD WHATEVER ELSE AFTER THE I AM. HE IS LIGHT, GLORY, REVELATION, BLESSINGS, HEALING, PEACE, ABUNDANCE- ALL THAT WE NEED. He is ever-present, ever-living, no-beginning-with-no-end God. He is the God of the now. Hey, God does not live in eternity- ETERNITY LIVES IN HIM, God does not exist- HE IS EXISTENCE, God does not live- HE IS LIFE. When the angel of God appeared to Mary and said, "Thou shalt call His name Jesus", (Matthew 1:21) the Greek used here implies something most revealing. It implies that He already had a name- JEHOVAH- but that we are to call Him Jesus. Jesus said " ..and lo, I am with you always, EVEN unto the end of the world" Matthew: 28:20. JESUS IS JEHOVAH. Every time you say that name, you are bringing Jehovah on the scene. Every time you say the name of Jesus, you bring the fullness of Jehovah down to earth. EVERY TIME YOU SAY JESUS, YOU MOVE OUT OF TIME INTO ETERNITY. And every time you worship him with "HALLELUJAH", you are singing in Hebrew, "Praise Jehovah". So let us enter into the NEW YEAR with Hallelujah, our God is with us. Bro: let me ask you something? Who took care of the things worried you "a year ago, a month ago, a week ago, and yesterday? HE WILL DO IT AGAIN!!!

PERSEVERE IT!

"The sacrifices of God are broken spirit". Psalm 51:17. My friend, have you ever tried to make sense out of suffering? Why do bad things happen to good people? How my God could possibly let "THIS" happen to us? Why me, why me, my God why me? Every thinking person grapples with these question of life and believers are not exception. Sometimes God allows us to hit the bottom in order to discover that He's the rock at the bottom. God has to break Jacob of self-sufficiency so the "ISRAEL" within him could come out. My friend, sometimes God has to take you down before He can raise you up. Moses was called the meekest man on earth. But it took forty years of living as a shepherd in the wilderness to detox him of his pride and get him submitted to God. Only then he was qualified to stand before Pharoah and perform miracles that demonstrated God's power- and vindicated Moses. No matter what kind of injustice and pain we may face, we need to know: Our Lord Jesus Christ is totally sovereign over the affairs of men. He is never caught be surprise. He is never caught on dilemma. He is in total control of every thing that comes into our lives. He never makes mistake. Whatever He does is right whether we can understand it or not. Brokenness really is the prerequisite to true strength and stature. Psalm 34:18 says "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit". I know it is difficult my friend. Like Joseph "may be you are in a pit but you are on the way to palace. PERSEVERE IT BUDDY!

DELAYED, YET DEFINITE!!

"Then He said, "Don't be frightened, Daniel, for your request has been heard in heaven, and was answered the very first day..." Daniel 10:12. My friend DELAY IS NOT DENIAL!! We live in an "instant Society". We have instant Camera, Instant Potato, Instant Credit, Quick food, Quick Service, Plane hop with brief stop, right? Instead of "Pray and Wait": we "pray and work", "Pray and worry", and "Pray and Whine". Abraham waited until he was 100 years old- God told Abraham that he will have a son by Sarah, a "supernatural son" and it was 25 years later before Isaac was born. Moses waited 40 years for his calling- Moses tried to do what he felt like he should do to free his people- but the method and timing was wrong. He was ran out of town and nothing but silence was from God. David was anointed as king at around 17 years of age yet did not come to throne until 13 years later. He was chased like a dog, was hiding in caves, abandoned by family, friends, and even his boss tried to kill him. But do you know what God was doing in their lives? Abraham, God was developing him into a man of faith-NO MATTER WHAT. Moses, God was preparing him to be a leader OF A NATION. David, God was preparing him to be king that could TRUST HIM. During my study, God showed me: 1) God hears our prayers. 2) God acts upon our prayers. 3) Sometimes answer to our prayers are hindered by the adversary. 4) God has promised ultimate victory to us. 5) Waiting is often in our best interest. Bro: When God delays, He always delays for a greater purpose. It is in these times that He is developing us for our destinies. Don't be walking on nails man, He is developing faith of HEROES with in us - if we don't give up!! Y'ALL HEAR ME!

ENVY!

"Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind...Crave pure milk..1Peter 2:1-3. Listen to me my friend, If you are a Christian, you must strip these five things out of your life: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Do you know when you became a Christian you changed your wardrobe. These five attitudes went out of style when you were born again, do you know that? Envy is jealousy at the success of others or happiness at another's misfortune. It's a poison of soul that turns you into a resentful, angry, grouchy, miserable, critical person. Slander is speaking down about someone. It includes gossip, tale bearing, backbiting, spreading rumors, passing along a bad report, taking cheap shots, using humor to lacerate others, disparaging comments, and unkind words. Slander is the fruit of envy. Man, these rotten attitudes have no place in your Christian life. Envy loves to traffic in gossip, slander, hatred, retaliation, even thievery and murder. Because of Jealousy, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, plotted to kill Naboth to get his vineyard. Haman was envious of Esther's uncle Mordecai and sought to have killed. King Saul envied David and threw spears at him to kill him. Joseph's brothers envied against him and sold him to slavery. In Matthew Chapter 27:18, we read "For he (that's Pilate) knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. Bro: This sin dislocates our soul. We take God out of the throne of our life and put our own wants and desires in that place instead. Hey BRO: IF YOU DON'T WANT THE FRUITS OF SIN, STAY OUT OF THE DEVIL'S ORCHARD!! You know I am talking to you. Are you listening???

BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE!!

"I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." Philippians 4:11. My friend, are you content with what you have? With what the Lord made you? With your look? With being single? With your wife or husband? With your children, or without children? With your Job? With your Church or Pastor? With your house? Well, are you? Do you know "It is better to desire the things WE HAVE, than TO HAVE the things we desire"! King Solomon said " Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was Vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun". Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. Solomon was arguably the richest man that ever lived and he indulged every desire, whim and inclination he had- when all was said and done he was miserable- his life was empty and his spirit was vexed. I have heard a story of a discontent farmer who was griping about the lake on his property always needing to be stocked and managed.. And those fat cows lumbered through his pasture. All the fencing and feeding- WHAT A HEADACHE!. He called a Realtor and made plans to list the farm. A few days later the Realtor called and wanting his approval for the advertisement she intended to put on News Paper. She read the Ad to the farmer "A lovely farm in an ideal location- quiet and peaceful, contoured with rolling hills, carpeted with soft meadows, nourished by a fresh lake, and well-bread livestock". After reading this two times to the farmer, the farmer said "I've changed my mind, I am not going to sell it- I've been looking for a place like that all my life". Did you get it Buddy. It's all your perspective. BE CONTENT, Y'ALL HEAR ME!

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME..

My friend, God is good all the time- ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD. Do you believe it? Sometimes we are so busy adding up our troubles that we forget to count our blessings. Hey, True faith and courage are like a kite- an opposing wind raises it higher and higher. I still remember the opening theme song of Rev: Oral Roberts Television program- "Something good is going to happen to you".. I have a word for you my friend this morning. Through years of tears and adapting to the trials and difficulties of life, you must come to the point where you make up your mind if He does not change the circumstances in your life, you are still going to praise Him. To your surprise what you will find is then He will move in your life because you have matured enough to realize that God is worthy regardless of all the things He does for you. HE LOVES YOU IN ALL YOUR SITUATION AND HAS NEVER FORSAKEN YOU. YOU ARE PRECIOUS TO HIM. The heart stopping realization that in Him you are part of something ancient, endless, unstoppable, unfathomable. Hey, hey, He who can dig the Grand Canyon with His pinkie, pile up the dust to form Himalayas in one stroke with His thumb, thinks you're worth His death on a Roman timber. He loves you man- HE LOVES YOU!!! STOP TELLING NOBODY LOVES ME OR CARES ABOUT YOU!! UHH.

Follow the manual of Life!

On my long flight from India (16 hours non-stop) I was reading a very good Christian book. In that book I read: In one of the better public schools in the nation, a high school teacher gave a quiz from the Bible to the college bound seniors prior to a "Bible as Literature" class. Some of the unusual answers were "Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers, Jezebel was Ahab's donkey, the Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luther, and John, Eve was created from Apple, Jesus was baptized by Moses, and Golgotha was the name of the giant who killed Apostle David. Oh my my my. Well have you quizzed your children from the Bible? Will you get different answers than this? Do you know there are instructions in the Bible how to teach our children about God and His law. " These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. IMPRESS them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and your gates". Deuteronomy 6:6-9. Hey follow the manual for life, THE BIBLE, then we won't regret. This is my take on it.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUR LIFE!

"When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared". Matthew 13:26. When the best moment of our life want to come to fruition, there is a tendency of life that an unexpected thing will emerge: I hear you my friend, this is your situation, right? Unexpected things will step into our way to muddy the situation what God wants to bring into our life. Bro: Let me frank with you- A larger part of what is happening in your life is based upon a Biblical Principle "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows". Galatians 6:7. OUCH!! When you should be really protective and guarding you, you took a wrong decision to sleep and careless- then this is what you get. When your doctor told you to lose weight: eat less and exercise. Speaking in tongues and anointing with oil doesn't cut it man. If you have trouble having friends- I can guaranty you have trouble being friendly. Don't blame Satan for everything-ouch. Blaming others for what's not going right in our lives is often more common than looking in the mirror and taking responsibility for what we have done to contribute or contribute to our current circumstances. If things are not going right for you and you find yourself pointing the finger at others, turn that finger back at yourself, because that's where you need to begin to make changes in your life. Remember, YOU and only YOU have the power to take charge of your circumstances and create the life you want. Hey, You have to decide to assume your right to live the life that God intended for you!! I am talking to you my friend, and YOU KNOW IT!! YOU STILL LIKE ME BUDDY!

"DON'T BE ANXIOUS!

"Do not be anxious about anything". Philippians 4:6. My friend, Life is uncertain but our God is not! We don't know what tomorrow hold, but we know who holds tomorrow. No matter what happens, God has the whole world in His hand. Do you know anxiety starts as a trickle, then creates a channel in our mind through which all our thoughts begins to flow. This is the same way a DAM breaks. Most of our anxieties fall into three categories. 1) ANXIETY about things we all face. Like aging, disability, retirement, loneliness, financial uncertainty, accidents, illness, losing a loved one, and death. 2) ANXIETY about things we all must do. Like making decisions, starting and ending relationships, whom to marry (Is this the right person), losing weight, changing careers, making a mistake. 3) ANXIETY reflecting our inner state of mind: These anxieties reveal how we feel about our ability to handle things; For example, fear of rejection can affect every relationship in our life. In order to avoid being hurt we shut others out, our world grows smaller and our opportunities for growth are inhibited. Our enemy Mr. Confusion himself (devil) will creep in these circumstances and immobilize us and he will steal our joy and make us hopeless, helpless, and depressed. But Bible says "Do not be anxious of anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanks giving, present your request to God". Philippians 4:6-7. Couple of years ago, Captain "Sully" did an amazing job of landing a US Air flight on Hudson River without a loss of life. You think Pilot Sully said, "This is Captain speaking..in preparation for a crash landing into Hudson River, we'd encourage all of you to break into groups of two or three and pray that God will intervene in this Catastrophe? NO! NO ONE TOLD THEM TO PRAY, BUT REPORTS SAID EVERYONE WAS PRAYING BUCKLED DOWN IN THEIR SEAT. What I am saying, in the time of uncertainty we do somethings instinctively. IN OUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND WE KNOW WHAT TO DO, RIGHT? Just a reminder BUDDY, DON'T PANIC. Y'ALL HEAR!

WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH JESUS!

" What should I do with Jesus, the one called Christ". Matthew 27:22. My friend, how long you will be undecided about this great decision about your eternity? I know you are a well educated person with good job. But if you cannot take your next breath, you are gone buddy..eternity is waiting for you. Let me ask you, what do you do with a man who claims to be God, yet hates religion? What do you do with a man who calls himself the Savior, yet condemns system? What do you do with a man who knows the place and time of his death, yet goes there anyway? Just like you, Pilate tried to push off making this decision. He wants someone else make the decision (He sent Jesus to Herod). He wanted the crowd to make the decision and he wanted nothing to do Jesus. Too long buddy you are postponing your decision based upon: 1) The influence surrounding you. 2) The persuasion of your friends or crowd and tending to decide based on the majority. 3) Persuasion of your family members like your wife, parents, siblings and so called friends. Don't allow those closes to us to decide for you. This decision you have to make. Remember, when you die, all your family members, friends and your current social gathering fellows will only come to the grave and say good bye, may be a last kiss on the forehead at the grave site, BUT YOUR ETERNITY BEGINS AT THE TIME OF DEATH. NOBODY WILL ACCOMPANY YOU WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE THE LORD. Hey, What should you do with Jesus, the one called Christ? It's not the decisions like College, Marriage, Company to work for, what car to buy. Even it is not about a church, a religious ceremony, rules and regulations or charity works. Bro: It's time to take a decision. MOST IMPORTANT DECISION IN YOUR LIFE. IT'S NOT A JOKE BROTHER. WE LOVE YOU!!

UNFORGIVENESS!

"Be kind and compassionate to 0ne another, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, just as in Christ God forgave you". Ephesians 4:32 NIV. My friend we cannot take the step into our future because we cannot even get through today. Are you carrying your baggage from the past man? Why are you struggling to forgive? The past is holding as much weight over you today because they have not yet been dealt with. Forgive man forgive, let it go! You cannot change it. But you have a future waiting for you, do you know that? When someone has sinned against you, or you have committed sins that you regret, IT IS LIKE A WOUND OR A CUT THAT HAS BEEN MADE ON YOUR SOUL. If that wound is left untreated, it will fester and bacteria will begin to grow. In order to overcome unforgiveness, you need to treat your wounds, let them heal, and then take your focus off your scars by putting it onto your NEW BEGINNING. Sometimes it is hard. But through Christ Jesus everything is possible. Want to learn to forgive? Then consider how you've been forgiven. Ephesians 5:32 says so. Finding it hard to put others first? Think of the way Christ put you first. "Though He was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God". Philippians 2:6. Having trouble putting up with ungrateful relatives, cranky neighbors and bossy Mother in Law? God put up with you when you act the same. "He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked". Luke 6:35. NIV. Isn't it time for you to set free? Lord, help my friend to forgive and live a life of freedom, IN JESUS NAME!! AMEN!

NUMBER YOUR DAYS!!

"So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom." Psalms 90:12. My friend notice that the verse didn't say count our days but it says NUMBER our days. Well, here is our story of our life: Charming children, Tender Teens, Teachable Twenties. Tireless Thirties, Fiery Forties, Forceful Fifties, Serious Sixties, Sacred Seventies, Aching Eighties, Nappy Nineties.. shortening breath....and bye bye world. My doctor recently told me that "you need regular oil and lube job". I bought a metal wall hanging from a store and it says "Life is not measured by the breath we take, but by the moments that take our breath away". Bro: Life is an opportunity to improve- everyday is another chance to improve. Life lets me think- may my thoughts be constructive, elevating and uplifting. Life lets me talk- may my speech be true, pure and helpful. Life lets me do- may my efforts center on the things that count the most and last longest. My father used to tell me "Don't let your Pastor lie at your funeral service about you". Tada. You get it??

GO AHEAD AND LAUGH!!!

God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me". Genesis 21:6. My friend why are you so uptight? You think it's a sin to laugh? Unholy? Hey, laughter is an amazing thing! It's a tension dissolver. It's an antidote to anxiety. It's just like a tranquilizer, but without any side effect. And "It's free man" free! You don't even need a prescription. Tada. Laughter is life's shock absorber and please learn to laugh at our circumstances. Do you know many of the famous Comedians grew up in poor neighborhoods with lots of problem? They coped with their troubles by learning to laugh. During my recent trip to Israel I saw a poster in a book store and it says "What soap is to body, laughter is to the soul." Bro: "Love may make the world go 'round, but laughter keeps us from getting dizzy". We need LAUGHTER in all our relationships TOO! In our marriages, if we don't laugh together WE're missing out on a TON OF FUN! I LAUGH WITH MY CUPCAKE (wife). I laugh with my children and grandchildren. Pastors, Elders, policemen, judges and everybody can laugh man. Laughing with others is an integral part of healthy friendships. For laughter is one of those blessings, like music and flowers, that God has given to relieve the tensions of life. When we are faced with serious, difficult, and trying situations, we can clear our burdened heads and think better if we can laugh a bit. So, smile, that's it, laugh, laugh, ha ha ha hA hA HA HA HA ...

GOD CANNOT CHANGE, HE LOVES YOU!!

"..Yes, I have loved you with an EVERLASTING LOVE; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you". Jeremiah 31:3. My friend, did you get what the Lord is saying to you? God is the one "with whom there is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency". Your mood may shift, but God doesn't. Your devotion may falter, but God's never does. Our minds may change, but God's doesn't. Even we if we are faithless, he is faithful, for He cannot betray himself. God loves you, and you cannot change that. Every once in a while and being in the ministry of taking care of orphans and destitute children, I will hear a child in a broken home, a child in a divorce situation, an unloved child of a prostitute where she abandoned the child soon after the birth, abandoned children wandering in the street begging and eating from left over food left in the back of restaurants, my heart really breaks and cry. How do you feel when a child or even teenagers say that nobody loves me. Or in America when children say how they wish they could have done the right thing or acted the right way, so that they could get their parents to love them. My friend, I know your childhood's unloving circumstances still bothering you. But I want you to know 1) Nothing you do or happened to you will cause God to love you less. 2) Nothing you do will cause God to love you more. Understand being a child of God "Christianity is all about a relationship NOT RULES. Oh yes, religion is about RULES. NOT CHRIST AND CHRISTIANITY. The disciplines we practice, the disciplines we learn from the word, we practice because we want to become more like our Savior. We practice them as a joy, not as an obligation. YES SING "JESUS LOVE ME YES I KNOW"...GOOD!

ARE YOU IMMATURE?

"He answered, " I MERELY DID TO THEM WHAT THEY DID TO ME'. Judges 15:11. One of the most notable examples of immaturity in the Bible is Samson. Was he gifted? YES. Anointed? YES. We see in him PERILS OF LIVING A LESS-than-COMMITTED lifestyle. In spite of God's power, he lost it all. A life of impulse, immaturity, resentment, and anger. My friend, do you know some of the signs of immaturity? Well, you want me to say it? People leave churches, friendships, and relationships over the smallest thing like "didn't get the position, pastor didn't call me while I was sick, refuse to see or talk to the sibling because they said the wrong thing over the dinner table, she didn't give me a gift for Christmas, they didn't visit me while they were in town, my name is not in the flier etc..."You didn't take me also when you went for the meetings". "SILLY SILLY. And they can memorize 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 too. Like Samson, IMMATURE PEOPLE NURSE THEIR RESENTMENTS UNTIL THEY BECOME GRUDGES. THEY FEED THEIR GRUDGES UNTIL THEY BECOME OFFENSES. THEY CARRY THEIR OFFENSES UNTIL THEY DICTATE BEHAVIOR. THIS PRODUCES UNNECESSARY PAIN AND BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS. SPEAKING OUT WITHOUT THINKING WHAT THEY SAY. DISRESPECT AUTHORITIES. It starts with small steps in that direction. Hey, hey, are you going in that direction? RED FLAG- STOOOPP IT BUDDY.

FEAR AND WORRY!

"Therefore take no thought saying, WHAT SHALL WE EAT? or, WHAT SHALL WE DRINK? or, WHERE WITHAL SHALL WE BE CLOTHED?...Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" Matthew 6:31-32. My friend, Satan has a double barrel weapon which he uses to destroy you. He uses WORRY AND FEAR. We fear rejection, so we follow the crowd, we fear not fitting in so we take drug, we fear of sleeping alone so we sleep with any one, we fear of not being loved so we search for love in all wrong places and on and on- you fill in the blank... Do you know what is Panic attack? The stress of life, the worries and concerns, the things carried around in a person's heart and mind, will reach a point where they actually cause the body to go into physical distresses, the heart rate and body temperature go crazy, even causing heart attack. Brother, I think I diagnosed the problem. Now my suggestions for you to make changes in your life are: 1) Don't add more things when you have full schedule. 2) Don't subtract God's presence from your crisis. 3) Don't multiply your problem by inserting your solutions 4) Don't divide your life into secular and sacred. NOW OUR GOD IS IN CHARGE MAN, YES HE IS. RELAAAAAAAX. HE CARES FOR YOU!!!

BROKENNESS!

"My sacrifice to God is a broken spirit"...Psalms 51:17. My friend, God wants to lift you up and that is His desire about you! He wants to lift you up in your studies, in your job, in your business. You may be saying "I have not found blessings in all that I do, everything that I do get hindered..waiting for profit ends in loss..thought you had a good relationship but cheated, expected great things from your children and they have gone astray.. everything I took ended incomplete? There can be loneliness of the rich as well as poor, to the King and to the peasant- there are days when the singer has no song and the musicians has no music- yes, yes, Occasions arise in our life that sadden the most buoyant and dampen the hope of the most hopeful. But my dear remember the promise from our Lord "I am with you always"..that lifts spirit of the sorrowful and encourages the downhearted. Isn't that right? BUT WORLD THAT CELEBRATES SUCCESS DOESN'T SEE THE VALUE IN BROKEN THINGS! But our God brings beauty out of Brokenness. Let me explain to you, can I? For a plant to rise from the soil the seed must be broken. For a baby chick to experience larger life the shell must be broken. Even a thoroughbred horse must be broken; it must learn to respond to the tug and the sound of his master's voice, right? Are you getting what I am telling you. In another words "Brokenness is the work of God by which He strips us of self-sufficiency and pride so that the character of Christ may shine through us". So my dear, ENDURE IT, GO THROUGH IT, PRAISE GOD THROUGH IT--HE IS TAKING YOU SOMEWHERE IN YOUR LIFE! Y'ALL HEAR ME??

Cpmplaints, Complaints!!

"For I have learned by experience"...Genesis 30:27. Yes, YES, I have learned a lot in my life as a leader and minister for the last 38 years. My friend, you want me to share some of them? Okay! Some people are against everything- This keeps them from having to assume the responsibility of launching out. There are others who are against any improvement unless they get the honor of thinking first. Their pride demands that they be first- or NOT AT ALL. Some have too much pride to ever change. They say two plus two is five, for them it will always be five. Some complaints will come from those who are often unhappy and simply have a complaining spirit. THEY EVEN SAY THERE IS NO SALT IN THIS BANANA WHILE THEY EATING IT. Others will present complaints regarding matters about which they have little or no information. In any case, my brother, NEVER SHOULD THEY LEAVE US DEPRESSED. A church is simply a group of called-out people who feel some form of ownership. Christians are sinners but forgiven, right? A friend of mine who is a Bible College graduate told me "I want to be a pastor of a big church, but I don't like people". Don't quit man, use this occasion as an opportunity to either grow ourselves or to help the complainer grow in Christlikeness. Ohh, by the way, I am not talking about your church or people you know, I am talking about people in Iceland, Ha Ha Ha .

Are you longing for Heaven?

" But the truth is that they were yearning for and aspiring to a better and more desirable country, that is a heavenly [one]. Hebrews 11:16. My friend, are you longing for a heaven? Well are you?- when buddies on the beer commercial saying, 'it doesn't get much better than this?" or "It's a real thing" or "don't leave home without it" as if that company is your great rich uncle. What is your mind set when we are appalled by national news? Two Christian teenagers on their "outreach" round knocked one door to find a frenzied mother of four with a vacuum cleaner in one hand and screaming baby on the other, food burning on the stove and the living room so messy it looked like a tornado zone. "Are you interested in eternal life"?- Boys asked. "Frankly I don't think I could stand it", said the mom. Of course, we want suffering to stop,clean air, honest politician (Ummm), ceaseless beauty, end of loneliness and war. In another words we want heaven, right? It is difficult for many to conceive of anything that is really much better than this life. How upsetting for many that we won't be able to watch American Idol or Foot Ball in heaven! Heaven better have a great golf course in the sky, a friend of mine said. Bro: We must not be mistaken! We will not be prepared for heaven if our preoccupation with the things of this world eclipses our longing for things of the world to come. And it is a terrible mistake to be unprepared for judgment, if we do not take seriously our need to live faithful obedience to the Lord. Death and judgment are inevitable realities. Let us live with confident assurance that heaven will be our home because of God's grace and the Holy Spirit that has given to us! UNCHANGEABLE SUPREME GOD'S LAWS ARE THERE FOR US NOT SUPREME COURT'S.

STORM IS COMING, ARE YOU READY?

"...A wise man who built his house on the rock. THE RAIN CAME DOWN, THE STREAM ROSE, THE WINDS BLEW AND BEAT AGAINST THAT HOUSE, YET IT DID NOT FALL, BECAUSE IT HAD ITS FOUNDATION ON THE ROCK... a foolish man.. sand. The rain..it FELL WITH A GREAT CRASH. Matthew:7:24-29. Well, CAN YOU FACE THE STORM THAT COME AGAINST YOUR HOME? Hey, Jesus here removes the myth of having no storm after you becoming a Christian. Both the wise man and the foolish man faces storm. Both houses look same from outside. Materials and structure is the same. Same rain, same floods, same wind. Let me tell you friend, You can be a college student or a professor, widow or widower, newly wed or celebrating 50 year anniversary, recently came to this country or a born citizen, living in a one room apartment or a mansion, house in a 3 cent land or a 1000 acre estate, riding a bicycle or driving a Bentley, physically small or Mr. Universe, while you dance, Hip-hop, cat walk, wander with friends, partying.. Well, THE STORM IS COMING!! Does not matter WHO built the house and WHERE it is built, YOUR HOUSE WILL FACE STORM. Are you ready? ARE YOU REA...DDY? You see the wise man built his house on a ROCK. Another words, IT'S THE LOCATION. HAVE YOU BUILT YOUR LIFE ON THE ROCK OF SALVATION, JESUS? WELL ARE YOU? IT'S TIME BUDDY. Well, sorry, the preacher came out this morning. Today is Sunday, right?

Somebody encourage me!!

"May the Lord grant His mercy to the family of Onesiphorous, for he often showed me KINDNESS AND MINISTERED TO MY NEEDS COMFORTING AND REVIVING AND BRACING ME LIKE FRESH AIR". 2 Timothy 1:16 Amp. MY FRIEND BE AN ENCOURAGER. Everyone needs encouragement at one time or another. God's Word addresses this universal need for encouragement. In the lives of Paul and Barnabas we see encouragement. From the Book of Job, we see the right ways and the wrong ways to respond to someone in trouble. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus received greatest encouragement from Christ himself. More than ever, our children, our spouses, our friends, and the people around us need consistent and honest encouragement. What can you do to promote peace in the world? Brother, go home and love and encourage your family. Let us take care of the children, for they have a long way to go. Let us take care of the elders, for they have come a long way. Let us take care, encourage, and love those in between, for they are doing the work. God the Father encourages, God the Son encourages, and God the Holy Spirit encourages. Buddy, WE NEED TO BE ENCOURAGERS. RIGHT???

Don't be complacent!

"Submit yourself, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" James 4:7 NIV. You see my friend, accept the fact that the devil is your adversary and he doesn't give up one inch of territory without a fight. You see the principle in the Word? SUBMIT TO GOD, THEN RESIST, THEN HE WILL FLEE. Submission involves: 1) We must implement the armor of God! (Ephesians 6:10-18). 2) We must saturate ourselves with God's Word! (Matthew 4:4). 3) And we must pray! (John:15:7& Ephesians 6:18). Now you are ready for the battle. Brother, you don't have to be a doormat for the devil. The devil was defeated on a hill called Golgotha by our Lord Jesus 2000 years ago. If devil was defeated, why I have to keep fighting him now- you may ask? You know what? When a battle is fought and won, the conquering army doesn't walk away and go home and rest, NO, they must enforce the conditions of the victory to keep enemy from coming back and infiltrating that has been secured. Same with Christian life. Don't be a victim but be a victor! Did you understand that buddy. Now DON'T BE COMPLACENT! It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog that counts! DEVELOP A FIGHTING SPIRIT MAN. you can do it., can't you?

Listen before talk!

"Wherefore, my beloved bretheren, let everyman be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath". James: 1:19. My friend, when God created man He gave two ears and only one mouth. That means you don't have to respond to fifty percent of what you are hearing. Did you get it? A word can cut more than a sword or heal more than an ointment. Words, words, words! Sometimes they come in gallon while the thoughts come by the spoonful, right? Think before you speak; and if you do, sometimes you may not speak at all. And if your mouth misfire, be careful about reloading! Hey hey: never talk if you have nothing to say, your words come heated, it hurts another, if it's a rumor, untrue, and you you don't know what you are talking about. Even silence can have an eloquent tongue, do you know that buddy? TAKE TIME OUT, CALL TIME OUT! STOP, THINK, THINK. Huhh...

Shake it and GO!!

"Behold, God, my salvation! I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and song; yes, He has become my salvation". Isaiah 12:2 AMP. My friend, It is perhaps an understatement to say that families are undergoing major changes and experiencing great stresses during this time of financial, social, and relational uncertainties and crises. My suggestion to you is handle feelings constructively. Family crises often make our feelings seems exaggerated or difficult to handle. Some people find that they become quite anxious and afraid of what is happening. My sister, learning to face our fears and NOT LET THEM become consuming is vital during this time of crises. Others get extremely angry at family members they feel have caused or causing the problem. But, again, anger is a feeling that needs to be channeled constructively so that it does not become harmful to others or to ourselves. Please do not compound the problem by directing the anger towards you or others. Remember, God is our salvation and our strength, trust Him. "When angry, do not sin; do not let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no room or foothold for the devil (give no opportunity to him) Ephesians 4:26-27. It's temporary, a ditch in your journey, a flat tire, OK. Fix the flat and gooOOOOO. You have a lot more living left to hang around this huddle!! Y'ALL HEAR ME!!

Are you Fatherless?

"My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him, for the Lord loveth he chasteneth , and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth". Hebrews 12:5,6. My friend, when Jesus was teaching His disciples, the very first word He uttered is "our Father" who is our provider, protector, guide, girder- OUR FATHER! But How we relate to our Father determines our life and how we relate to His discipline determines our DIRECTION and LIFE. But on this father's day, let me ask you "Do you like His discipline"? A teacher said to a child who has been misbehaving, "Tony, this is the fifth time this week I have had to punish you. What do you have to say?" Tony replied, "I'm glad it's Friday". Ending of the school week would not end the problem- it is deeper than that. A 3 1/2 year old kept standing up in his highchair, although his mother kept reseating him and telling him to stay seated. After the fifth time he stayed down, but he testingly said, "Mommy, I'm still standing up inside". The Hebrew writer explains the role of a father in the house as a disciplinarian. It is not a pleasant role. A chastiser not an abuser. Chastisement is correction for protection. Years ago I told my son Sunil "ride the Bicycle in the driveway- Didn't I tell you not to go out of the Driveway? Do you want me to take the Bicycle away? Stay your hip inside the driveway. Huh, I see your lips stick out. Staying inside the driveway is better than what might happen! Daddy, "Timmy get to ride on the street- was his answer". Timmy doesn't have anybody to correct him, protect him. But YOU have someone who sets boundaries for you. Let me ask you my friend on this Father's day- Do you have a Father? Umm Heavenly Father? How is your relationship with Him? You like His correction and boundaries? If not, you are a Bastard (Fatherless)- I didn't say it King James Version says it! Tada.

SHARE THE GOSPEL!!

" Today the salvation has come to this house..." Luke 19:9. My friend, if you are a Christian, the task of sharing the good news of salvation through JESUS is yours! Hey, Christianity is not a cafeteria where one may pick and choose what he or she wishes and reject the rest. We are not free to choose the blessings and reject the responsibilities, and the responsibility for winning souls is ours, whether we like it or not. We can do this in JESUS' WAY! Zacchaeus was a marked in the minds of his people as a money-mad collaborator with an enemy nation. But the entrance of Jesus into his experience completely transformed his life. Jesus contacted the man and made arrangements for a visit in his home and there the winning of the man was accomplished. Remember, Jesus always had concern and time for one individual, even one whom others might despise and shun. People may call you "friend of publicans and sinners" though. How about you? Oh yes, "Jesus said, follow me, I will make you fishers of men". But we like cleaned fish, they are only welcome, right? We don't have time to share the gospel, right? Too busy? How about Jesus? Limus test! Church is not big building Folks!! Well, preacher came out today!!

FOCUS!!

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed". Proverbs 13:20. Hello graduate and all my friends, I have a word for you this morning. YOUR COMPANIONS ARE LIKE THE BUTTONS ON AN ELEVATOR. THEY WILL EITHER TAKE YOU UP OR THEY WILL TAKE YOU DOWN! To attain the result of great success you have to have TOTAL FOCUS! Tada! You have to disassociate yourselves from people who are not focused, who are not running the same race as you do. If you have friends who are living ungodly, seekers of temporary pleasures, wasting their time, money, and life away and ultimately, they will never reach their full potential in their life- Do you want to be like them? Focus man, focus! Have a goal and target. Your God is with you and He will help you to attain the destiny He has for you! Y'ALL HEAR ME!!

THIS STORM WILL PASS!!

"Be of good cheer: it is I; be not be afraid". Mark 6:50. My friend, have you ever thought that you are so far away from God or has your situation ever been so bad that you felt as if you had outrun Him, and He didn't know where to find you? Are you in a storm today and are afraid that you are going to perish and your God is so busy running the universe and He doesn't care about you- He doesn't have time for you? Well, then read Mark 6:47-51. The Bible says the disciples boat was in the middle of the sea and he saw them straining at rowing and the wind was against them. But on the fourth watch of the night Jesus came walking on the sea and they supposed it was a ghost and cried out. IMMEDIATELY Jesus said unto them "It is I; BE NOT BE AFRAID". As I was meditating this portion, I noticed there are four lessons we learn from this incident. 1) It's when we feel most separated from God, that He is teaching us the most. When we are on the mountaintop experience, we are overwhelmed by His presence and when we are in the wilderness we are overwhelmed bu His absence. Both places our experiences should bring us to our knees. 2) God doesn't show up early. When we feel that we can't take it any more- He always be on TIME. 3) God will take us through different storms and intensities, revealing Himself to us in each occasion HE IS IN CONTROL. 4) God's presence alone should be enough for us in each and any storms. My dear, THIS IS FOR YOU, YOU KNOW I AM TALKING TO YOU. THIS STORM ALSO WILL PASS...

Don't dwell there!!

"My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with Him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land". Numbers 14:24. My friend, don't build monuments of your failed past, you understand? As they prepared to divide up the land, 85-year old Caleb reminded Joshua that God had promised him a portion of land.. He pointed to the mountain rising above Hebron where giants lived. "Give me this mountain", he said, "and with God's help I'll drive out those giants". Joshua 14:12. Joshua granted Caleb's request and Caleb took Hebron and the mountains near it. He stood upon God's promise and claimed his inheritance. He did not let his age, or the size of his enemies, or previous failures of Israelites STOP HIM. Joshua was talking to a nation whose yesterdays were a long list of repeated failures and rebellion against God. They had been convicted, judged, punished and reinstated frequently by the God they'd flagrantly sinned against. Surely they ought to have been cut of and stripped of any future blessing. Bro: Just when the enemy has you convinced that with your past God couldn't possibly have a future for you, He calls you to prepare yourselves for tomorrows blessings! Oh yes, God is fully aware of your yesterdays, but He's much more focused on YOUR TOMORROWS. So what do I do, You may ask? Thanks for asking! Acknowledge, confess and release your yesterdays to the crucified Christ. "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you". DON'T BUILD MONUMENTS OF YOUR FAILED PAST AND DWELL THERE!!!! TADA!!! SHRUG YOUR SHOULDERS, WALK LIKE A GENERAL, GOD HAS A PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR YOU, Y'ALL HEAR ME?

YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT!

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:.." Psalms 139:14. My friend, Oh yes, someone you love or respect slams you to the floor with a slur or slip of the tongue. And there you lie, wounded and bleeding. Lost the self esteem and significance. Perhaps the words and actions intended to hurt you, perhaps not: doesn't matter- there you lay- the wound is deep, the injuries are internal, brokenhearted, wounded pride and bruised feelings, right? Instead of basing our self-worth on God's love and approval, we tend to base it on what others think of us, and how we're accepted by them. Believing that our self-worth is based on what others think of us is a false belief that leads us to become addicted to their approval. Psalm 139 says that I was shaped for a purpose. God created everything in the word for a purpose including you. You are not an accident. You are not taking up space. God made you for a reason. You were designed by God and it was His idea. It's not a mistake. You were planned before birth. God did not simply sit down at a computer and randomly access a bunch of components and throw it all together and out came you. The Bible clearly says that you were purposefully, personally and orderly planned and designed by God. His loving hand made you exactly the way you are. Hey, your uniqueness is what God wants you to offer to the world. Betrayal, trouble, mockery, belittling or such will happen. Don't look for fairness here- look where Jesus looked. When going through hell, Jesus kept His eye on heaven. While surrounded by enemies he kept his mind on His Father. While abandoned on earth, he kept His heart on home. When all of earth turns against you, all of heaven turns toward you, do you know that? To keep your balance in a crooked and unfair world....think home! Tada. That's what Jesus did. "In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the powerful One and coming on clouds in the sky". Matthew 26:64. Now STOP THAT PITY PARTY! RISE UP! WALK LIKE A GENERAL! GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU! Did you hear?

IF EVERYONE IS LIKE YOU?

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in Spirit, in faith, in purity". 1 Timothy 4:12. When I was working as a Chemical Laboratory Manager, one of the employees had a problem of getting along with coworkers. I asked him "If everyone in the world is like you, behaving, talking, reacting, and complaining, will you be living in a perfect world and you will be happy? Go, and think about it for couple of days and come back to me". Well, he never came back. My friend, if everybody did what you do, would the world be better or not as good? Are your standards of conduct so high that you want others to copy them? Suppose everybody talked as you do. Would there be more or less harmony among people? Do you guard your words so carefully that you would be willing to have everyone- young or old- talk as you do? Suppose everybody thought as you do. Would Christianity be a strong force in the world today? Are your thoughts free of envy, hatred, and fear, worthy to serve as models for others? One more thing- Suppose everybody had the faith like you have. Would the kingdom of God nearer, more real, throughout the world? Is your faith strong enough, firm enough, to inspire others to move mountains of doubt? My friend, are you thinking about these lines? Yeah?. Of course, only One is worthy of serving as the perfect example: JESUS CHRIST. Suppose everybody followed His example- WOULDN'T BE A PERFECT WORLD?. Recently a company send me a pamphlet in the mail, containing the phrase: "AN INVESTMENT IN PARADISE'. No place on earth is a "paradise". In reality, we make an investment in the true paradise when we commit our lives to Jesus. Paradise is the place where we will never again feel alone, out of place, discouraged, or sad. 1 Peter 2:11 says "Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul" . Is this help you?

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL NOW!!

"Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions and be satisfied with your present circumstances and with what you have..." Hebrew 13:5. Be content my friend and don't be greedy. Stop "keeping up with Johns buddy". Have you seen the credit card commercials on TV. One card's slogan is "Don't leave home without it". Another one "What's in your wallet". A third one "You can have it all". Not much changed- sounds familiar? Satan said to Adam and Eve, If you want that apple , take it now' Leave the pay day till "someday". "That's right, folks, no interest and no payment for one full year". "Your payment will start only on 2018". Bro: do you want be a statistic of a typical overextended family carrying a per capita credit card debt of $15,000.00. Man, get out of debt. YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT IT! TADA! If you are not careful, you are going to become trapped by your own envious desires as you forsake your morals and conviction in order to achieve your goal of financial gain and false prosperity. Your foolish and harmful desires will plunge you into ruin and destruction- when you love money and not God. Can I suggest you few Biblical principles: a) Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry (Col:3:5). Stop craving things you don't need and try enjoying what you have. b) Tithe now thereby you will be switching from the world's faltering economy to God's fail-safe economy. 3) The earth is the Lord's and everything in it".Ps 24:1. Our God guarantees to "Supply all your needs". Philippians 4:19. 4) Start giving away some of what you have got! What? Yes, you heard me right. King Solomon said in proverb 11:24-25 "It is possible to give away and become richer.. and ..hold on too tightly and lose everything.... Hey hey hey "YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR MONEY WITH YOU, BUT YOU CAN SEND IT ON AHEAD!!! Y'ALL HEAR ME.... L

HE WILL MEET YOU WHERE YOU ARE!!

"If ye shall ask anything in my name, I WILL DO IT". John 14:14. As we worship our Lord this Sunday morning let me share with you three things concerning the name of Jesus. 1) Fill your mind and your thoughts with the name of Jesus. Think about the limitless power with that name. 2) Have faith in the healing power of the name of Jesus. In Acts 3:16 Peter said, "The faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness". Peter was saying here is that we cannot have faith in the healing power of the name of Jesus without God helping us have the faith. 3) Release the faith that you have in the name of Jesus and send it up to God. Acts 3:16 Peter says that. Miracles come through faith. But there is something we must do with our faith. We must turn it loose to God. We must release it. The lame man stood up and walked into the house of God. My friend you ask ANYTHING HE WILL DO IT! You want proof? Well, Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night, The centurion came in the middle of the day, The leper and sinful woman appeared in the middle of the crowd, Zacchaeus appeared in the middle of a tree, Matthew had a party for him. In another words, He met the needs of the educated, the powerful, the rejected, the sick, the lonely, the wealthy. Do you realize all they had in common were empty hopes. Though they had nothing to offer, they asked for everything: a new birth, a second chance, a fresh start, a clean conscious and without exception ALL THEIR REQUESTS WERE MET. So, this Sunday morning (Palm Sunday) believe that when you pray God will reward your faith- that your prayer will be heard and answered! HE WILL MEET YOU WHERE YOU ARE!!! WHERE YOU ARE!!!

PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE!!

"God is our refuge and strength, a VERY PRESENT help in trouble". Psalms 46:1. As I was praying after hearing the news about Tornado warning in Oklahoma yesterday, this verse came to my mind. Just like Tornado, the storms of lives arrive with unnerving regularity. Often they strike without warning and linger without welcome, testing the limits of our faith and endurance. But God has given us a place of safety in the midst of our circumstances. If you are in the midst of a storm, you should remember the day HE silenced one. If you are in a terrible sickness, you should remember HIS compassion towards a leper and the woman with issue of blood. If you have concern about a child, you should remember the day HE held and blessed one. Three years ago a small bird accidentally flew into our closed patio through an open door. Attempting to find a way out , it bumped into many closed glass windows. Once when it stopped to rest, I tried to help it escape, but the frightened bird resisted. Again and again it flew at windows, insisting upon finding its own solution to the problem. Finally it became so exhausted that it gave up the struggle. Only then would it allow me to pick it up and set it free. My friend, when we find ourselves in perplexing situations how often we, like the bird, try to find our own solutions to our problems. We make one attempt after another until finally we give up and let God shows us the way out. How much better it is when we allow the Lord to help us with our problem when they first arise rather than after we have wasted so much time and effort. King Solomon wrote "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths". Proverbs: 3:5-6. My friend, I am talking to you, do you understand?

HONESTY!

"Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God..". 1 Peter 2:12. AMPV. The old-fashioned virtues of HONESTY and INTEGRITY are, all too often, missing in today's society. It's the day of "FINE PRINT", isn't it? Years ago in my Sunday school class I asked two questions: 1) If you were in a restaurant and the waitress accidentally undercharged for your dinner, would you bring that to her attention and pay or pocket the difference? 2) If you found a wallet with 500 dollars, would you contact the authorities to find the owner or would you make a deposit at the bank? Cheating is so prevalent in schools and colleges that the cheater seems almost to be normal to have that behavior. They call it "The good neighbor policy". The Greek word for honesty is "kalos" which means that which "good", "admirable", and "becoming". It also carries with it meaning of what is fair, right, honorable and of such conduct as deserves esteem. It certainly looks as if honesty is becoming less and less popular now a days. As Christians, we need to be committed to being honest. Whether we are filling out a tax form, completing a business expense account, time card, taking tests, just relating something that happened to us,and in all our activities we need to tell the truth. Living with honesty and a good conscious isn't just a religious and moral obligation. It's the only way to be able to walk with Christ in the spotlight of a watching world! It's good to be a Christian and know it, but it's better to be a Christian and show it!! TADA.

Are you anemic?

"So- because you are lukewarm- neither hot or cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth". Revelation 3:16. My friend, many people are bored to frustration. But they weren't born bored. It is a state that that we allowed to develop. Lost enthusiasm! The gusto of life and calling is gone. Like the church in Laodicia. Without enthusiasm no book is written, no church grows, no Christianity is propagated, no business flourishes, no battle is won, no ministry flourishes. "Doing just enough to survive" means you lost your enthusiasm. Are you a lukewarm Christian? Lukewarm Christians are comfortable and complacent because they have compromised their beliefs and their behavior. And they don't realize their need. They are afraid to take a stand. They say they are wholehearted for the Lord, but they are afraid to being on fire for Christ. They want to be politically correct. They do not want to be labeled as fanatics, emotionalists, or extremist. But they are enthusiastic about, sports, and life in general. Is your Christianity anemic? Yes yes, we have programs in the church to entertain. But the mission of the church is the redemption of lost souls, the winning of this world to the cause of Christ, and doing the work of God as outlined in the Bible. WE MUST NOT BE SIDETRACKED from this royal mission. Lukewarmness of us make the Lord sick. That's why he wants to spit (Spew) us out. Well, this morning the preacher and missionary in me came out!! Don't be a pew warmer satisfying our consciousness before the Lord by just attending a church. Y'ALL HEAR ME!!

A BOUT WITH DOUBT!

"Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish: so that we are not able to build the wall'. Nehemiah 4:10. My friend, "we have to persevere in the midst of our opposition". You are not a leader or a Christian with conviction if won't fight for what you believe. Opposition is bad enough when it comes from without, but it is a worse heartburn when it comes from those who are in our camp. Sometimes we have the same problem like Judah. Judah got discouraged because he lost sight of God, and kept looking on the adversaries, the weakness of burden bearers, and much rubbish that lay in the way, And having lost faith in himself, he sought to discourage others in the work, saying "we are not able to build the wall". Bro: a discouraged man is a useless man in the work of the Lord and he is a positive hindrance. When things are going good it's easy to have FAITH and not to DOUBT. But when things are not going well: sickness, Job loss, Family Crisis, Ministry Crisis, opposition and persecution, we all have a "BOUT WITH DOUBT" isn't it? In John chapter 20:25 we see a doubting Thomas. Satan loves when he can make us doubt our faith, doubt our abilities, doubt JESUS IN US. He knows the first reaction from us will be to hide away from people who care. In verses 19-22, we see other disciples not only saw the resurrected Lord, but they received the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Hey, hey, A BOUT WITH DOUBT MAKE YOU MISS OUT AND MAKE YOU A SOUR KROUT. My friend, when you have "A BOUT WITH DOUBT, DON'T POUT, BUT CHECK OUT"! Are you a Judah or Thomas? Well, what did you say? I CAN'T hear you!!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR GENERATION!!

"The Lord turn to him and said, Go in this your might, and you shall save Israel from the hand of Midian, HAVE I NOT SENT YOU?". Judges 6:14. After our conversation over the dinner table last night with a very special family, the Lord gave me these thoughts during my devotion this morning. History reveals that individuals who impacted their generations and affected the world most dramatically were those who, because of circumstance, pressure, or adversity: Challenged the tide of conventions, Stretched the boundaries of traditions, Deliberately violated the expectations of "status quo", Upset the mind of "the average", broke through the "accepted" in order to accomplish the unexpected. In another words they did something to fulfill their God-given destiny. Hey, SHATTER THE WIT OF THE NORM! Every person under the earth was born to make a difference and to add value to his/her generation. It is very unfortunate that many Christians resemble Gideon by concluding that because of their poor background they are going nowhere and they are amount to nothing. My friend, where you are is not your destination; it is just a bus stop to your destination in Christ Jesus. What does it mean to make a difference you may ask? well, it means you making a positive impact, you adding value to whatever resources God has given you, being a blessing to others, changing the world around you, being a solution and a hope giver and leaving a legacy of blessing and change when you leave the earth. Please don't leave the earth like an animal, eat- sleep-fight- Bhoom- you are gone. Look at the men and women in the Bible who impacted their generation. Joseph, David, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, Esther, Ruth are few of them. Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Abrahan Lincoln and many others. OUR LORD JESUS HAD A VISION TO SAVE HUMANITY FROM SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES- AND HE DID IT!! My friend "IMPACT YOUR GENERATION"- you are created to do JUST THAT!! Y'ALL HEAR ME? Yeah...YEAH.. GOOOOD!

MARTHA'S SYNDROME!

"But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;" Luke 10:41. My friend, Busy like a Bee? Aren't we? STOP AND TAKE A TIME OUT! Can I share something our Lord spoke to me during my devotion? The only socially acceptable answer now days to the question, "How are you?" has become, "Busy, I am so busy". "How are the kids?" "Oh you know, busy". "Mom, can you.." "No, I'm too busy". Oh well, now a days our friends are asking my wife "How's retirement treating you?". "Oh, I'm busier than ever is her answer". To which our societal chorus responds: GOOD! Really? As if being busy is a sign that life is as it should be. Busy means productive. Busy means our kids are successful. After all, we have to play a lot of sports and musical instruments to be busy. Mama's taxi taking kids to piano lessons, voice lessons, Karate, Little league soft ball, soccer practice, gymnastics etc. We have to have an important job for it to keep us busy. We have to be superhuman parent, the most devoted kind to get the society's approval. No time to spend with kids at home, no devotion, no family prayer, no time for spouses, no time for cooking a decent meal and eating together at the dinner table. Oh well, Fast Food restaurants are a blessings, isn't it? Busy, busy, busy. What if being busy is keeping us from our most important work, which is LOVING GOD and ONE ANOTHER? MARTHA'S SYNDROME! Today's reality: Big house-Small Family, More degrees-Less common sense, Advanced Medicine- poor health, Touched Moon- Neighbors unknown, High Income-Less peace of mind, High IQ-Less emotions, Good knowledge-Less wisdom, Number of Affairs- No true love, Lots of Human- Less Humanity, Yes, Costly Watches- No time. TADA. We have cluttered our lives with secular things that we feel important. But, Bro: Take an eternal view of our life! What do we fill our lives with that will last forever? Is that too much to ask? STOP, TAKE A TIME OUT NOW. NOW, Y'ALL HEAR?

Overcoming our circumstances!

"Because the Lord was with him, and which he did, the Lord made it prosper". Genesis 39:23b. My friend, the Story of Joseph in Genesis inspires me and encourages me to live beyond our circumstances and how to use our gift even in difficult times. Joseph was bound by his circumstances. But he overcame them by using his gifts. He transcended from the mundane to the miraculous, isn't he? It is easy to become engrossed in one's circumstance and lose sight of the limitless power that lies within what we have been given. It's vitally important that we all recognize how tremendously gifted we are. It is through this understanding the power of our gifts that we can escape the prison of despair. If Joseph didn't understand this he would never been released from prison and would not have prepared Egypt from the impending famine and countless lives have been lost. It would have been easy for Joseph in the moments of repeated despair to feel forgotten by God and people and he didn't soak up the opportunity to sulk. How about you my friend? Through out Joseph's story we see a phrase in the Bible "The Lord was with him". I learned three things from Chapter 39 of Genesis about our God. 1) Circumstances don't indicate God's memory (Genesis 39:21). While the exact nature of his penitentiary is not known, one thing is quite clear- Joseph was imprisoned. Bible says "God had not forgotten him and God maintained His memory. What is the best manner of His loving care? HIS PRESENCE. 2) Circumstances don't limit God's ability. (Genesis 39:23). Circumstances surprises you and me but they never surprise God. Circumstances limit us but they never limit God. Difficult circumstances you are in don't indicate that God has forgotten you or he won't rescue you or degrade your worth in your life. 3) Circumstances don't determine our usefulness. (Genesis 39:22). God can use you where you are at in a powerful way. Your usefulness is not determined by the circumstances you are in. GOD CAN USE YOU POWERFULLY! Y'ALL HEAR ME!!

GIVING TO THE LORD!

"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices GOD IS WELL PLEASED". Hebrews: 13:16. (10-16). This Sunday we are worshiping our Lord who is the source of every blessings in our life, isn't HE? The scripture calls us to worship the Lord by "the sacrifice of our body" (Roman 12:1), "by the sacrifice of praise" (Hebrews 13:15), and "by the sacrifice of substance" (Hebrews 13:16. My friend, why are you asking me "In Greek does it say tithing" or "In Hebrew does it really means tithing or 1/10th. Don't bother about studying Greek and Hebrew if you don't want to give to the Lord. Remember, God doesn't need our resources. He has all He needs. He owes everything including us. The issue is not that God needs it to do His work, but HE WANTS US TO BE OBEDIENT. He is calling us to give back to Him what He has so graciously given to us. Let me tell you why I believe in Tithing. 1) Tithing teaches us always PUT GOD FIRST in our life (Deut 14:23). 2) Tithing is a Bible DOCTRINE with CONTINUITY in the scriptures, before, during, and after Moses' Law. 3) Tithe is not mine to withhold: it BELONGS TO GOD (Leviticus 27:30). 4) Tithing is an indicator of our GENEROSITY (2 Chro:31:12). 5) I don't want God to consider me as a ROBBER (Malachi 3:8). 6) There is a Bible principle of SOWING AND REAPING (2 Corinthians 9:6). As we sow generously, we shall reap generously, both naturally and spiritually. 7) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:34). Let us worship our Lord with our substance also this Sunday. I have never heard somebody became a pauper because they have given their Tithe and Sacrificial Offering to the cause of Christ's KINGDOM! LORD YOU ARE NOT A DEBTOR TO ANYBODY...THANK YOU LORD.

USE WHAT YOU HAVE!

"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them". Romans 12:6. My friend STOP telling me you have no talents and you don't know how to serve in His kingdom. God gives each one of us a "gift", "calling", or "ability" to fulfill a purpose that serves Him, His church, mankind, and us as individuals. The best way to discover your own "gift" is to ask yourselves, "what gives you joy and excites you?". Whatever talent or gift dominates your thoughts and stimulates your energy to pursue is a good indication of what your "gift" is. By the way, don't copycat other people instead of being who He made you to be. Bro: Have you ever seen a cow or a horse stretching its neck through the fence to eat the grass on the other side when there is a huge green pasture inside the fence under its feet? Yearning for someone else is like that. GOD CAN USE WHAT YOU HAVE BUDDY. You don't believe that? Well, ) Look at Moses: Moses had was nothing until he used it for God. Was Moses' rod a lucky charm? NO. But God was able to use what Moses had to reveal His power. 2) Boy and his lunch: Boy had nothing until he gave to Jesus. Samson: What Samson had was nothing until he used it- Donkey's jaw bone turned into a powerful weapon. If God made you teacher- be a teacher. Study diligently and do your best. If he has given you gift of mercy, serve cheerfully and don't expect others to do what you do. Accept your spiritual gifts. Cultivate your capabilities. Stop comparing and enjoy being you. My ethnic friends, you don't have to have a "Pastor or Rev. in front of your name either to serve and use your talent. Y'ALL HEAR ME...YEAH..YEAH good.

AGAPE LOVE OF GOD FOR YOU!!

"And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. GOD IS LOVE...1 John 4:16. (Ampv). My friend this Sunday morning do you know the God whom you are worshiping? Only three things in the Bible are said to be the nature of God. It says, GOD IS LIGHT. GOD IS SPIRIT. AND GOD IS LOVE. He's not just loving. HE IS LOVE! Those saturated in God's love don't sell out to win the love of others. We fear rejection, so we follow the crowd. We fear not fitting in, so we take the drugs. For fear of standing out, we wear what everyone else wears. Hey, hey, do you think we need to? If we cuss less, pray more, drink less, study more...if I try harder, perhaps God will love me more? NO! OF COURSE, WE ALL NEED IMPROVEMENT AND LIVE A HOLY LIFE NOT CONFORMING TO THE WORLD, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO WOO GOD'S LOVE. I heard a story of a little boy whose sister needed a transfusion. The boy had recovered from same disease in the past and was perfect rare blood match and he was the ideal donor. The doctors asked him if he would give his blood to his sister. He hesitated and looked scary for a moment. Then He smiled and said "Sure for my sister I'd do that". When the transfusion was nearly over, he asked the Doctor "Doctor, when Do I die"? He thought by giving blood he would die. Then again, he loved her so much he would do it anyway. Isn't that what God did on the cross for us. God's love doesn't expect any return from us. AGAPE LOVE!!! How much does Jesus love you? HE SAID, "THIS MUCH" AND HE STRETCHED OUT HIS ARMS AND HE DIED. For YOU AND ME....Let's worship Him this morning, not lip service, but from the heart..OK.

TYPHOONS OF LIFE!!

"But soon afterward a violent wind [of the character of a Typhoon] called Northeaster, came bursting ..and when ship was caught and was unable to head against the wind, we gave up..letting her drift ...". Acts 27:14-15. Humm.."Facing the storm that come against your home"! Storms- they come to us all, they come suddenly and unexpectedly, come from different and often unsuspecting directions, isn't it? If you are a college student or a CEO, widow or widower, Newly wed or 50 years into marriage, one room apartment or living in a mansion, house on a 3 cent land or a 1000 acre Ranch, riding a cycle or driving a Mercedes, physically small or Mr. universe, weak and dull looking like Leah or beautiful and attractive like Rachel, unexpected storm will come. Not if but when, do you know that? My friend what do you do? Well, I am glad you asked! In Chapter 27 of Acts we get some ideas how to handle the storm. 1) Accept the wind as a part of the Lord's plan. 2) Throwout everything except those things that are precious. 3) Get alone with God. 4) Recognize your Lord's presence in all circumstances. 5) Remember and be assured of God's promises to you. Bro: YOU WILL NOT PERISH UNTIL GOD FULFILLS HIS PROMISES TO YOU. Stop blaming your spouse, children, parents, pastors, churches, your job situation, and whatever you can put blame on. God is giving you timeout man- SELAH MOMENT. You thought you and your ability, qualifications, experience, education for your success, right? GOD WILL NOT GIVE HIS GLORY TO ANYONE. PERIOD! Am I still your friend??

YOU CAN BREAK THE MOLD MAN!!

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad: for a tree is known by its fruit". Matthew 12:33. My friend, what Jesus is saying here? Jesus is saying as a tree you are in control of your fruit. You can produce the kind of fruit you want to produce, either good or bad. Until now your fruits has been bad, today you can make a decision to change it for good. Stop thinking you are a victim rather a victor in Christ Jesus. You are not stuck and is not under the control of some mysterious force that is holding you back. YOU CAN BREAK OUT AND BRING FORTH WHATEVER KIND OF LIFE YOU WANT BROTHER. Paul wrote " But He [God] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul was so confident in God's faithfulness and love, in His promises, that he was willing to go forward. Do not be afraid to venture into the unknown with a new vision. A clear vision and a set of operating values is really just a picture of what things would look like if everything was running as planned and the vision was being fulfilled in your life. Olympic athletes visualize themselves breaking a world record or pitchers dream about a perfect game or soccer player scoring a hattric. They know that power comes from having a clear mental picture of their best performance potential. My friend, understand these things: a) God has a future and a hope for you. b) Without a vision you will perish. c) Your vision is your future. d) It is up to you to change any negative vision. Now get up- On your mark, get set.....Goooooooo.

GROW MAN GROW!!

"Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,....desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may GROW by:". 1 Peter 2:1-2. My friend, do you know that "when God measures a man, He puts the tape around the heart instead of the head? There are a number of things which keep us in the barnyard of infant Christianity, when God's highest purpose for us is to grow to flying maturity. It's important to grow and grow up. Most of us are concerned about growing up, aren't we? I heard a story about a young mother who is a medical doctor was taking her four year old daughter to preschool in their car. She left her stethoscope on the seat where her daughter can reach it. She noticed her child was quite interested in the stethoscope and was playing with it. Mother thought "could it be that my daughter will grow up to follow my footsteps"? Just then her thoughts were interrupted as her daughter spoke into the stethoscope and said "Welcome to McDonalds, may I take your order please". Well, I wonder whether our God is disappointed at us like this! TADA. Putting aside denotes the image of taking off a garment in order to put another on. Lay aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking! My friend this may help you which helped me in my spiritual life. Let's look at the word GROWTH in this acrostic: G- Go to God in prayer daily (John 15:7). R- Read God's Word daily (Acts 17:11). O- Obey God moment by moment (John 14:1). W- Witness for Christ by your life and your words (Matthew 4:19). T- Trust God for every details of your life (1 Peter 5:7). H- Holy Spirit- Allow God to control and empower your daily life (Galatians: 16-17, Acts 1:8). Well, try this next 90 days, if it doesn't work, I need to prescribe you strong medicine to change your heart; that is "How to be born again"! You get it?

YOU ARE UNIQUE!!!

"...for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works..". Psalms 139:14. My friend, God never makes Junks! I know the devil is playing a trick on you now a days. "Good for nothing", "I am a total failure", "Nothing good will happen to me ever"- Is he whispering this to you daily? You are unique. There is nobody else in the world like you. There never will be. Do you know that? When God made you He broke the mold. You won't find two people in the whole world who have same footprint or fingerprint or voice print. Why did God make you different from every person who's ever lived. Because He wants you to know how special you are, how much you matter to God. It is destructive to compare with others. Why? Because we are all unique creatures of God with our own personality, strengths and weaknesses. It is extremely healthy to emulate positive characteristics that others may possess and it is actually Godly to learn from others and listen to them. Family members may share some of your personality traits or habits but they are still not you honey! Isn't that so beautiful thing! Just like every snow flake is unique so are we. Do you know that every single baby is a brand-new idea from the mind of God. No one can duplicate your life, scan history of your replica; you won't find it. No box of "backup yous" sit in God's workshop. You are not one of many bricks in Mason pile or the bolt in mechanics tool box. YOU ARE IT! And if you aren't you, we don't get you. THE WORLD MISSES YOU. The Bible clearly says that you are purposefully, personally and orderly planned and designed by God. His loving hand made you exactly the way you are. You are you because God wanted you to be. Your uniqueness is what God wants you to offer to the world child of God. Now get up and rise like an eagle and fly. Sing friend sing: "I am a friend of God /// He made me His friend".

MATURITY!!

"I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts". Psalms 119:100. My friend, people automatically assume that the gray-headed senior citizen is mature and the energetic adolescent is immature. In the Christian life, there is no such thing as quickie quality or microwave maturity. God is not in a hurry and He does not rush the development of our Christian life. Maturation is described as "the emergence of personal and behavior characteristics through growth process". The Psalmist indicates (119:100) that a youth is able to have a greater degree of understanding than the elders by meditating on the Word of God and following its instruction. This is why in some ethnic churches while the adults are fighting, arguing, and drumming up for positions, the young people walks away shaking their head saying "When this people will grow up"? A mature person is too big to act little- a child acts little because he is immature. A mature person doesn't enjoy feeling that he has been mistreated. A child does. A mature person doesn't have to have his way about everything. But a child says- " If you don't play my way, I'll pick up my toys and go home or to the other neighbors house" (or leave the church). A mature person doesn't have to head the list and be first in every thing. But a child that doesn't get to be first will often pout. A mature person is flexible and adaptable. But a child finds it difficult to change his plans. Well, did I describe you? The best place to find help in maturing is the Bible. It talks about growing. It makes responsible people and gives them a whole new concept of living. GROW UP MAN GROW UP, DID YOU HEAR?

IF I PERISH, I PERISH!

"..and will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and IF I PERISH, I PERISH". Esther 4:16b. My friend, are you in a "ROCK AND HARD PLACE situation? Doesn't know what to do? Hit a brick wall? I've been there and felt it!! At that time, the Holy Spirit reminded me this phrase I learned in my Sunday School years! The decree of the king went forth and the result was same- mourning, weeping, and fasting. One particular day all Jews will die. Interestingly, initially Queen Esther didn't know how bad the problem was. We see at the start of the chapter Mordecai (type of Holy Spirit) grieved. He wore sack cloths and ashes for Haman (the fleshly nature) was controlling and influencing the decrees in the kingdom for his own wicked schemes. When Haman controls the kingdom the result is hatred, jealousy, and death. When Esther won't act to carry out Mordecai's instruction then his ability to help in this situation is quenched. Don't quench the Holy Spirit! Esther finally took a huge step of faith but one she is resolved to do. She said "IF I PERISH, I PERISH" against all odds. THE DECISION OF A LIFE TIME! Perhaps this wasn't a spiritual decision so much as a sorting out her option. She was going to die in eleven months anyway. Her words came down to me in a powerful way in my situation. I realized that "If we cooperate with God Almighty and that we be available to Him, He can use us wherever He has placed us in any situation we face in His SOVEREIGN POWER- HE WILL COME THROUGH. In Esther's situations and our situations whatever may be: 1) God's sovereignty explains what we alone cannot fathoms. 2) God's sovereignty encircles even those who don't know Him. 3) God's sovereignty encourages us in difficult situations 4) God's sovereignty exempts no one from personal decisions. Bro: if you want to get out of your Jam (rock and hard place situation), MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS LISTENING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT! Y'ALL HEAR ME!!

YOKE IS EASY AND BURDEN IS LIGHT!

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light". Matthew 11:30. After many years of ministry, dealing with people and my experiences, I often asked the Lord- Really Lord, the YOKE is easy and the BURDEN is light? Oh right?? MY LORD gently spoke to me, can I share? I realized the Christian life is never effortless. We were never promised a painless or perfect or a free ride life. He told us the burden would be light. I am running as fast I can, only to stay in the same place. THE TREAD MILL SYNDROME! Anything we do on our own, by ourselves, is bound to be more difficult than if we rely on the energy of God. His strength is boundless, resources are limitless, and it is available to us for asking. When we are filled with Holy Spirit and allow the the Spirit to be the one in control, and the effort is fueled by the Almighty, I found that "MAN, I AM ON CRUISE CONTROL. In Exodus Moses felt that he was trapped, with the full weight of Israel on his shoulders alone, and he harbored and expressed the thought of dying. I've been there and done it. NO, OH YOU PIOUS ALL TOGETHER YOU! What we should do when things and people are overwhelming? Moses asked for help from God. My friend, contrary to my thinking Lord told me to develop "do good mentality". When people are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good any way. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed any way. Honest and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank any way. The good you do today will be gone tomorrow- Ha you tell me that- Do good anyway. The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with smallest mind. Hey Hey THINK BIG ANYWAY! We are just like Moses, he could not see beyond his own problems, the confines of the desert, and another day of existence. He saw only earthly misery until he looked up and God rained heavenly plan and food on him. Does this help you my friend this Sunday morning? Yes, yes, HE IS LORD // HE HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD AND HE IS LORD

Happy Valentine's day!!

"That ye love one another, as I have loved you". John 15:12. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! I hope none of you husbands or boyfriends forgot about it. A pastor friend of mine said, " I asked my wife what she wanted for valentine's day. She said, "NOTHING". I guess I will find out later today if she was telling the truth". George Bernard Shaw summed up these words " When two people are under the influence of most violent, most insane, most delusive and most transient of passions, they are required, in the presence of a preacher and a congregation, to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal and exhausting condition continuously until death do them part". Oh well!! When we study we realize there are 1300 different interpretations of the meaning of love by poets, philosophers, and authors. No wonder the world is confused. But the concept of love was changed by Christ. By dieing on the cross He revealed a love that flows from God, who is love. He offered a love for which we are completely unworthy. He turned the tables on love, showering unworthy and unloving people with pure, unending love. Limiting mutual love with a Bouquet of flower, Box of Chocolate, Chocolate covered Strawberries, a diamond jewelry, or a Dinner is not what really is all about. Go ahead and enjoy it. Don't fight if somebody forgets either. The question is how you develop and nurture a love worth giving on Valentine's and EVERY DAY! Tada. The answer is found in John's Gospel 15:9-17. 1) Receive His love: Receiving the love of Jesus and living in His love everyday, is the first and most essential step in having a love worth giving (Valentine love). 2) Reciprocate His love: It is one thing to say, "Jesus loves me". It's whole other thing to say, "I love Jesus". Can you say that? Is your love for Him reflected in how you live your life and love towards your love of your life? 3) Recycle your love: Jesus said, :My command is this: "Love each other as I have loved you". This commandment knocks the walls of any definition that would limit the scope and intensity of love. Have a happy valentine's day and everyday,

TRANSITIONS! TRANSITIONS!

"Moses my servant is dead: now therefore arise, go over this Jordan...unto the land Which I do give to them..Joshua 1:2. A good friend of mine is now in a transition stage in the ministry. As I was praying for this wonderful family, good Lord brought me in to this portion. Well, if we are honest with ourselves, many transitions in life are painful and fearful. Many faces of transitions are there like: The Mid-life Crisis, The empty Nest Syndrome, New job, New Boss, New House, resigning from pastorate and going as missionary, New Child, getting out of abusive relationships, and death. But some transitions are exciting, like:Graduations, getting married, and retirements. In the Old Testament, we see some awesome transitions like: From Elijah to Elisha, From Saul to David, From David to Solomon, and From Moses to Joshua. In the story of Moses to Joshua, we see how God prepared Joshua for the transition. Joshua was told to REVIEW what happened in the past. In Joshua Chapter 1, we see: Verse 3: "As I said unto Moses", Verse 5: "As I was with Moses, I will be with you". In another words, God was saying to him "You've been a first-hand witness to what I have done to Moses and you saw what I can do. My friend, most of us are in the threshold of transition in our life, REMEMBER HOW GOD HAS HELPED US IN THE PAST. I know there has been some experiences of heartache, hurt, tragedies and uncertainties. Remember we too have been at the red sea, enemy has been right on our heels, the walls were right in front of us, and we see only giants and mountains, even MANNA stopped. Right? I have a message for you Bro: "WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR YOU IN THE PAST, HE WILL DO IT AGAIN"! No need to fear Buddy, GOD who has helped us in the past, He will help us in the future. PERIOD!!!

ARE YOU A GOSSIPER OR GOSSIPEE?

"And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy bodies, speaking things which they ought not". 1 Timothy 5:13. Hello, good morning, "have you heard? Don't tell I told you," BUT'..I wreck churches, and separate Christians, make innocent people and pastors cry on their pillows, I spawn suspicion and generate grief. I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing, I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cruel and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face. I 'm nobody's friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it's never the same. I topple governments and ruin marriages. I destroy carriers and cause heartache and sleepless nights. Who am I you may ask? I am GOSSIP. Now a days I love to talk on cell phones and like to send emails. Years ago I was teaching in a Sunday School of intelligent teenagers. I asked them to define gossip. One said, "It's quietly going after a person behind his or her back". Another one said, "It's an effort to build one up by lowering another". A third replied, "it's a secretive pastime for some that others have to pay for". Fourth one said, " It's telling something bad on another that usually begins with, 'They say'. Smart kids, aren't they! There are two classes of people in the world: GOSSIPERS and GOSSIPEES. Hey hey, which one are you? The talebearers are large in numbers but short on respectability. Remember "If they gossip to you, they will gossip about you too". STOP IT!! Did you hear me, STOP IT, I MEAN STOP IT!!!!

ARE YOU LIKE WHITEWASHED TOMBS?

"For ye are like unto whited Sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness". Matthews: 23:27. Yes, yes, if we are not careful we can cover up what's there..wear a Christian tee shirt, carry our Bible, smile like everything great, and talk a good game about our walk with the Lord. But deep inside the ugly old us with its old habits are..waiting to be revealed the moment life gets messy..We can become a modern-day Pharisee who focuses on the white wash..and ignores the dirty stuffs underneath. In Matthew 23, we see Jesus hated the way the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees preached but did not practice. They performed "all their deeds to be seen by others", they delighted to have their spiritual eminence recognized and rewarded, they practiced legalism while allowing loopholes that rationalized cherished sin, they did everything appear righteous while doing nothing to be righteous, and they made a show of the Bible while doing virtually nothing to obey it. Sadly "it sounds like my church"! Isn't it? Then again if we are honest, we would lament "It sounds like my heart". We are living in an appearance-driven society focusing on looks and out ward portrayal instead of our spiritual condition. How can we stop it? Follow Jesus' example. 1) He specialized in ministering to the broken, the forgotten, the lost and lonely. 2) Never forget that while you are a Christian, you will struggle in certain area. 3) Ask God to reveal behavior patterns that are appearance oriented instead of heart-oriented. 4) Surround yourself with transparent people who lift you when you fall and encourage you to be real. I KNOW THIS IS HARD TO SWALLOW BUT GOD WANTS ME TO POST IT.