Get in control!

Tell your distractions to get out of your way of your destiny. For too long that addictive behavior has slowed down growth, stunted progress, and has given false security. Don't plant in the place that you were only suppose to park.

Our Desires

Our desires really only last but for a moment. Whether your weakness is shopping, food, drugs, sex, gambling etc., it only last for a shor moment. Thou they last for a short moment, the consequences of the moment may last a lifetime. One night of fun may lead to a lifetime of expenses. One weekend of partying may lead to a lifetime of addiction. One visit to the outlet may lead to a lifetime of debt. One weekend in Atlantic City may lead to bankruptcy.

Satan knows what excites us, and attempts to lure us in the snare that he has set for us. But there is good news - Satan's traps always have wholes in them. There is always an escape route. Take it from me, be smart - think long-term and don't regret making bad choices!

"It's Not Important That We Win, It's Important That We Fight" Dr. Andrew Fowler

There are times that I feel like we are fighting a loosing battle. Sin is at its best, and seems that it is prevailing throughout our land. Morality is being attacked, children are not being nurtured, our families are being torn apart and the church has lost its focus. As one who intentionally tries to live "counter-culture," Sometimes we fight battles that we seemingly would never win. I was recently reminded that the great Dr. Andrew Fowler said during the fight against lottery, after his assistant ask what was the use of fighting against something that everyone knew would pass (lottery), his answer was, "It's not important if loose, it's important that we fight."

God needs us to be so sold out for him that we are willing to take unpopular positions against society, culture, and the status quo in order to be pleasing to God.

Getting Out of the Way

Recently, I was having a converstation with a young man, who I was ministering to with 60 days clean from crack cocaine. We talked about a lot in reference to his sobriety, and I told him if he had already done 60 days, there's nothing out here that says that he can't be clean for another 60 days. He agreed and stated so eloquently, "I know, I just need to get out of my way."

That statement seemed so profound to me. Most of my issues, problems, and troubles have come because I was in the way. God has given us the plan, the permission, and the power to walk into a destiny of success physically, financially, socially, and spiritually but too often our will supercedes God's will and we find ourselves just like this crack addict. We begin to hate who we are, hate our situation, and hate the bad choices that we made. I could go on and on, but I will begin to get out of my way and let God have His way in my life.

Gaining Ground

Sometimes it feels that we take 1 step forward only to take 4 steps backwards. We begin to get discouraged and believe that we aren't gaining ground. I have a spirtual brother who is addicted to crack cocaine and was feeling very down and discouraged the other day. The house where he stays has no water, and gas. His tags are dead on his vehicle, he owes the city for driving violations, and his family life is the pitts. He was ready to give up, and throw up his hands.

I asked him has he used, and he said no. I then asked him does he believe God is still in control? He said yes. I then got excited, and exclaimed to him that he does not see the blessing in all of this chaos. I said you just don't see it. He wanted to know what. I told him that the friend I knew last year, or 10 years ago would have smoked crack with all of this trouble going on. I told him that last year if he was in this perdicament that he would have been stealing and robbing trying to get high, and the blessing is that all of this is going on, and you have not used. Look at God. He got excited and then told me "G, this is the first summer in 28 years that I have not taken a drink or used a narcotic." I told him although it may seem that he is loosing ground, he really is gaining ground!

Before you decide that nothing is going right and that it's time to quit, make sure you do the proper evaulation of your life.

Passion

What is your passion? What is it that you would die for? What is it that you would be willing to loose everything for? If I could not preach, I think I would die. Preaching is what I was made to do. I know that I am nowhere near a great preacher, but I feel like I am most comfortable, and centered while preaching. It is the mountain-top experience that Peter experienced with Jesus, and wished would never end. Monday through Saturday are my days of uncomfortability - trying to find the place where I fit in.

Trouble Doesn't Last Always

Test and trial do come. But I have learned that this fight is not a 3 round match, but it is more like a 15 round match. I have learned that if I can hold on to the end everything will work for my good. Satan's attack comes like a roaring lion. But he is really a toothless tiger. He comes with the storm, but when you are like a tree planted by the waters, you will bend, but won't break. Trouble is a part of our development, and necessary. But trouble only last for a season!

IF ONLY MOMMA WAS HERE

Have you ever thought that your life would be totally different, or some situations would be different if certain things in your life did not happen? This thought hit me smack in my face the other day concerning my mother. I said, "if momma was here, she would know just what to say and do to make things right." So it is now up to me to live the life she taught me to live.

Sometimes we feel that we need our earthly comfort, when all we need is our heavenly comfort.

THE FEELING OF PAIN IS ACTUALLY A BLESSING

Have you ever thought how things would be if you could not feel pain? Suppose that baby who puts her hand on the hot stove could not feel the heat. Suppose the young boy who is always in trouble never felt the pain of the father's belt. Suppose while you were doing your hair you never could feel the curling iron burning your scalp. I could go on and on, but pain is an essential need to our life. Pain causes us to stop what we are doing, assess the situation, and change. Our pain makes us go to God more than we normally go to Him. Our pain makes us live a more pleasing lifestyle.

Our pain hurts, but it helps!

Stay In The Left Lane

I have learned not to rush into decision. Life moves fast, but that doesn't meant that you have to move fast. The Bible says wait on the Lord, and be of good cheer, again I say wait. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. My faith is tested to give up, to say what's the first thought to come to my mind, to take the easy way out, and to rush and make bad decisions.

So if we stay in the slow lane, then when our exit comes we will nor miss it. When we are in the slow lane, when God gives us direction, we aren't too busy to hear Him. When we are in the left lane we become more calm and alert to the will of God.

What is interesting is that when I wait, God always shows up, and works it out. THANK YOU JESUS!

Learning To Be Empty

When I am weak, that is when I am strong. God uses me best when I am empty my wants, thoughts, and feelings and allow him to pour the right spirit in me which is in Christ Jesus. This emptiness is not a good feeling. It requires humbleness, selflessness, pain, struggle, and a purpose-driven life, but it makes me a better husband, father, preacher and christian. I wish that I can always say, "Lord not my will, but thou will."

Ups & Downs

Sometimes I feel invincible, like I can move mountains, and then there are times I feel like the mountain has fallen on me and there is no way to get up. What I have come to realize is that is just how life is. We have ups, and downs, but is important not to allow our high points to raise us too high and our low points to take us too low.

Of course we all would love to live a life that never had any downs, but in order for God to take us to where we are suppose to go, we must experience trials and tribulations. The storms have made me a better preacher. The test have made me understand that God is in control, and truthfully the spiritual warefare has made me surrender my will for God's will. So in some crazy way, I guess we should thank God for the our storms.

IT'S TOO SOON TO GIVE UP

I know you feel battered, bruised and beaten down. The easy move is to flip out, go down the wrong street, and give up. The hard thing to do is to hold on, continue to do right and live as if you know the end result.

That is the problem, we don't know the end result in every trial and test, but God expects us to live like we do. He says that we are more than conquerors. He says that all things work together... He says that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but He will deliver us from them all. And so although we don't know when, where or how, we do know that we will be fine. We are encouraged that God is still in control, and that we must stand through the test, endure the storm and understand that IT IS TOO SOON TO GIVE UP!

Treasure in the Trash

I am currently going through one of, if not the hardest trial of my life. While I was in my pain, and feeling hopeless I realized that I have not been through a storm in a while (the last was two years ago when my daughter was born) and that I have been living in a position of favor since the recovery of my daughter's health. Once I realized that I too must suffer the storms and challenges of life that God makes us all go through for one reason or another, I stopped crying and started focusing my attention on him, trusting him that He knows what's best for my life, and trying to learn the necessary lessons that He is teaching.

While I am in my trash, while I am in my mess, while I am in a place that I wish no one else to be in, I found the treasure of what God wanted me to know. That gave me HOPE that if I did not go through this torture, I would not have changed for the better. I still hurt, I still feel the pain, but I see that God is still in control, and is growing me up even more in wisdom and leadership. Those who know me know that God has placed a specialness on my life, and like I am - expecting a major movement in the Lord through me (not being arrogant). But if that is true, God needed to get me ready to be more disciplined, more responsible, more conscious, more prayerful, and more faithful. This storm is my preparation for the blessing!!!

When this is over - the testimony that you will hear will have you rejoicing, and more excited about the power of Jesus!

Loosing Control

Today God said to me as clear as day, "Your job is not to fix it. Your Job is to trust me." That cleared all of my anxiety to know that God is right by my side. It gave me assurance that God was not watching my life (ride this roller coaster), but is involved in my life. As a husband, father, preacher, and business owner I realized that most of the times I am working out plans to fix problems. Most of my day is spent on coming up with ideas on how to make things better. Even my prayers at times are asking God to bless my ideas and efforts. Therefore, I realize that far too often I am trying to drive the car, and not allowing God to drive. Far too often I am busy attempting to come up with ideas to make things work smoother, but God clearly said to me, stop trying to fix it, trust me.

And what I have come to understand is that giving God total control is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. Now I am not saying that I am going to stop acting and moving in the right direction, but I see that the things I can't change, I shouldn't force it, allow God to work, and He can do what I can't do. Loosing Control to God is what Paul suggest when he says to die daily. The hard part is knowing that he will work on your behalf, but when, and how is the problem.

Either way - I have lost control

Ultimate Trust

Ultimate trust in God is not easy to obtain. Job comes to mind when I think about ultimate trust. You know the story about how he lost everything he had. Well the hard part of ultimate trust is going through the storm without any control, loosing things and people that mean the world to you, and in a state of misery pain, hurt, shame, and guilt knowing that God is still in control and will work it all out in the end for your good.



God for some reason allows us to go through terrible storms. They try our faith, shake our foundation and make us want to give up. But the truth about the truth is that I know that if we can make it through the storm there is a blessing that makes it all worth it. Sometimes we have to go down in order to come up. Sometimes we have to loose in order to win. And what is our emergency is just an ordinary day to God.

So if I can keep my head up, and trust God - you can too!

Preaching to Myself

I love to preach. If I could I would preach everyday of the week. And many times while I am preaching deliverance, faith, and victory to others, I too need the same message. I need the message not because sin is so prevalent in my life, but because that one thing that will make life easier, better, and would provide me with great happiness seems is hard to obtain.

So when I am saying:

its going to be alright - I am talking to myself too.

weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning - I am talking to myself too

hold on til your change comes - Iam talking to myself too

victory is mine - I am talking to myself too

And the list goes on and on. There was a song that one great awards by the yen-yang twins called "ITS HARD OUT HERE FOR A PIMP" Well, I realize that it is hard out here for everybody - even the preacher.

The great thing about it though is God has never let me down, and in the past, what I thought was going to be failure - God worked it out. God is in control. So if you feel down, understand that God has you in his hands and if you are faithful to Him, it will all work out for your good (there I go again preaching to you, when I'm really preaching to myself) LOL!!!

Preparation

I thank the Lord that I decided to get my Master's in Divinity. Over the past year or so I have been hit with a lot of questions, and issues from peers that I either grew up with. These issues a lot of times are issue that I don't know that I would be able to comfortably deal with had I not been academically trained (i.e. suicide, depression, divorce, AIDS issue, etc.).

I have a few preacher friends who have not gone to any school, and I wonder how they are making it. I am not at all questioning their gift/annointing, but when things are thrown your way and folks are hanging on your word for life, I think we owe it to them to be trained academically.

THE STRUGGLE

No matter how well I may have preached... No matter how many people get happy with praise and worship... No matter how many people say that the message blessed them ...

The bottomline is I still have to go home and deal with my struggle. I wonder is the purpose to keep me humble? Whatever it is - I wish God will work it out!!!

Staying Focus

Staying busy and staying focus is two different things. We may be doing something good, and noble, but is that what God wants you focused on at this moment. The work that God gives us is at times tedious, strange, and not what we want to do, but that is what we must stay focus on. Remember only what we do for Christ will last!

THE SOURCE

My Father loves to brag about his generator that he has hooked up at his home. Whenever there is a big storm and there is a power outage on his street, he stand on his porch and looks at all the other homes with no lights and talks for about 20 minutes about his generator.

I recently took my 3 boys to a self-service carwash to teach them how to wash a car (and to get them to help me wash it), and they wanted to wash the car with the CD player and music playing in the car (like we use to do it). I let them play the music, and we had a good time. We had been washing it, and vaccuming the car for about an hour. When we had finished, I went to go start the car to move it, and suddenly it was revealed to me that the CD player had drained all of the power from the battery. Here we are in a Mercedes Benz, shined up looking like fresh hundred dollar bills with no power.

What I realized is that just like that pretty car, with the shiny wheels, and the loud speakers, there are many people who look like they are all together, saying the right things, and everyone is impressed with them but the sad thing is that they have no power source. Instead we need to be tapped into the power source like the generator at my dad's house. God is that power source! When winds blow, rain falls, when storms may seem unbearable for everyone else, you life sill not change because of your source!

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT RIGHT NOW!

Today I was blessed with the opportunity lead a youth and young people's choir in Washington D.C's City Wide Revival. This was a great experience and is much appreciated. ALthough I appreciated this opportunity, and the choir was excellent, I am sitting thinking about things I would have or should have done differently. The problem is that its done and I can do nothing about it. Although things went well, people were satisfied, I know that it even could have been better.

And that is how life is. We only have one opportunity to make the best decision for our life at each moment. We have to make sure that when we reflect over decisions, and opportunities that we can say that we would not have changed hardly anything. We must remember that although everybody else looks at us and think we have it all together, we must be honest and understand that we need to slow down, make good decisions, and perform for the Lord with the best of our ability because WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE AT RIGHT NOW!

BUT YOU ARE A PREACHER!

It is funny how people say things like, "you are a preacher so it's different" or "you call yourself a preacher." People think that because God has given me a special calling that life's struggles, pain's and dilemmas don't relate to me. They think that I am suppose to be perfect, handle everything the right way, and not have the urges to sin. Realistically, life might even be harder because satan would love to destroy my witness.

Although, folks may not see me at the club, with women, having a drink, or beaten somebody down that does not mean that I don't want to do those things. I have just learned to discipline myself, and pray hard because I realize that none of those things are worth me loosing my relationship and blessings that God has in store for me.

The Movement of God

While we are in a big spiritual/political battle (if there is a difference) against the gay community and Same sex marriage, it is quite mind boggling to wonder how God will respond to the needs of His people, and His land. I don't know how God will work all this out, but I do have faith that He will. So here is my struggle with the movement of God:

1. The movement of God can not be predicted.
2. The movement of God can not be stopped.
3. The movement of God can not be contradictory.

ALSO

1. The movement of God is confusing.
2. The movement of God is problematic/confrontational.
3. The movement of God is providential.

How Soon They Forget!

On Saturday I helped to put together the rally in remembrance of the 55th Anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education. As you may can imagine, this was a very high profile event with big name people being a part of the program. Therefore I needed help from friends and fellow brothers in Christ. I needed about 20 brothers to come and to simply hold signs that read messages to the our government/schools systems that we deserve better. I was willing to give each person $25 for their time - 8:30am to 1:00pm. What was amazing to me is that I asked a brother who I recently helped get off drugs, spent a whole day and night to get out of jail, and has mentored him through his walk with Jesus, he said that $25 was not enough. Of course I was heated. I wanted to bring those things up but I didn't. I basically told him that I could not afford anything else and he shouldn't look at this as a job but more as a favor. Reluctantly he consented.

This reminded me not to look for man's rewards, but work ministry unto the Lord, and He will repay as he sees fit. It reminded me not to be surpised at folks responses when you need them. But truthfully it caught me by surprise and made me say, HOW SOON THEY FORGET!

The Spirit Of Cooperation

Church members believe that the Preacher is to carry the weight for the church. They believe that the Preacher is suppose to grow the church. They believe that the Preacher is suppose to make sure everything is perfect, while they just come to get their blessings. While there is a great responsibilty on the Preacher, the church only can be great if their is a "spirit of cooperation" and folks move from being a member to a disciple. At Holy Trinity we stopped counting our membership and started to weigh our membership because we realized that there are some there who we have to pull along the way, and there are some who are pulling their own weight. These are they who have decided to partner with the preacher in order to get the job done for the Lord.

MY DAY IN DA HOOD

On yesterday I spent the entire day in S.E. Washington talking with some of the guys I grew up with. It was interesting because before I felt they saw me as just their "boy," but today it seemed as if they saw me as their mentor, or even their discipler. I was able to discuss what the purpose of giving to the church and the pastor is for (because you know its hard for men to give their money to anybody), I talked to them about creating income/business, their bodies being a temple for God, how Jesus gave his life so we could live, and the humility involved with changing for the Lord.

It was crazy because in about one hour of talking, someone pulled out the grill, hamburgers and hotdogs came from out of nowhere, and there was a cookout with 5 brothers sitting and chillin with me (except now there was no weed, no beer, and no women). It was a great time. Then satan attempted to break up the party. Now we were posted up in one of the brother's backyard, but we heard a noise, and while we were there another guy attempted to break into the house through the window on the side of the house. Of course they jacked him up but I think my presence allowed things to end peacefully, without the brother being sent to the hospital or the morgue (back in the day he would have probably been seriously injured). Then as everything begin to calm down, two of the brothers begin to argue over a pair of $10.00 shades. They almost came to blows. I sat there and listened and then I told both of them how stupid they sound and that I just talked to them about humility. I told them how satan wanted to ruin this day. You should have seen their expression. They looked like embarrassed children.

They both immediately calmed down and then neither one of them wanted to claim the glasses. I said boy the hood hasn't changed much, but I'm glad that my "hood-credibility" is still in tack and I see that just like I was a leader out of the will of God, I am a leader in the will of God

Although I don't think that my presence with them will cause a great change in their life, I think seeds were planted and I believe that God can do anything.

The Fight is Outside Your Training Camp

I am a fan of boxing, and I love watching the pre-match training camps of fighters before going into a big fight. I notice that sometimes they seemingly work harder in their camp than they do during the match. I notice that they might go through 4 or 5 sparring partners prior to their match. I notice that they simulate the fight and go through all the emotions prior to the fihgt, but they realize that the fight is not in their training camp but the fight is in the arena.

Too many of our churches come together Sunday after Sunday and simulate all the actions of a fight, we talk and give good directions for a fight, we go through all of the emotions for the fight but when the time comes for the fight in the arena, there are too many Saints nowhere to be found. Just this past election we had a fight against gambling in Maryland. Sadly to say, we fail short of having enough saints to stop legalized gambling in the state. We are now fighting our legislators not to pass same sex marriage in the District of Columbia. Although we have strong Pastors who have decided to stand up, we have too many folks who are not showing up to do what they have been training to do. It is sad that we have books, commentaries, and notes of sermons, doctrinal beliefs, principles etc. but when the date of urgency for fighting sin, some preachers, lay leaders, and members have decided not to show up for the fight. This is not a fight for the pastors, this is a fight for the Body of Christ. Now is the time for the Saints of God to stand up and speak out against sin and satan!

Minister Or Juggler?

I have come to realize that being serious about the art of preaching, and doing real ministry is very taxing. It pulls from you in all aspects. It takes you away from your wife, your children, exercise, rest, and friends. It is almost impossible to attempt to spread yourself thin to all these necessities while also trying to be great for the Lord, but it is imperative.

As we must maintain a special relationship with God and our craft, it is essential that my wife is given attention, the children is given attention, my friends are given attention, my health is given attention and the church is given attention. Am I a preacher or a juggler.

Just today, my son had a basketball game. This whole ordeal lasted 3 hours. After the game he wanted to eat, so we went to Golden Choral. After eating had to be at church for a choir rehearsal. That lasted 2 hours. While at the church the air condition wasn't working so we had to get on the phone to make sure that it was working before Sunday School in the morning. Oh, and I promised my wife I would take her shopping for a Mother's Day outfit and dinner (don't forget that I just eat at Golden Chorale).

I would not change my life for the world but time management is of great importance. If we don't do so, we will regret it, and our love ones will hate our ministry.

The Pain of Mother's Day

My mother died when I was 17 years old while we were on vacation in Jamaica. I feel pain when I think of her and Mother's Day for m can't be over soon enough. I feel like she was here today and gone tomorrow. So while I am in church Sunday celebrating mothers, as I try to show appreciation to my wife on this special day, I hurt and can't wait for it to be over!

Do we loose?

This month we have been in a enormous fight with our legislative representatives concerning gay marriage. It was amazing that this has become such a hot topic because those politicians who ran for office the last term, we asked them would they support same-sex marriage and they all said no. But now they all supported it. As preachers we believed that the Bible prohibits such a lifestyle and we urged them not to make such a big mistake, but the did not take heed.

Many thought that we as preachers lost the fight, so the question was raised in my thoughts did we truly loose? Although this fight is not over, for the sake of this blog, did we loose, can we loose. I dare say that when on e stand on and with the Word of God, we never loose!