WATCH YOUR WORDS - Thursday, May 1, 2008
On the plane yesterday I sat under an amazing conviction as the Lord challenged me to become a better steward of my words.  Led to James 3:9, I was asked the question, “John, if you love me so much why is it that your conversations, as it relates to others, are not always reflected of it”.  I was shown in the Word this transforming revelation of how, with the tongue that honors God, that same tongue dishonors those God has created in his own likeness.  Wow, that means that my positive speech about God (we call it worship) is negated by negative speech about what God loves and chooses to create in his own likeness.  In essence for all my God talk, I adversely affect it by employing negative and menacing words and comments about my family, my friends, and yes, even my enemies.
It was a tough revelation to swallow, because it called me to greater accountability in an area that sometimes seems so out of control.

 For many of us, we find that our tongue has way too much authority.  Our tongue attacks with no regard.  Our tongue questions the integrity of others with no sense of discipline.  Our tongue destroys and looks around like “who me”.  God who loves us so is thus, deeply bothered that we can and would be so causal and callous with our words.  Family is offended, friends are wounded, and enemies are strangely confirmed, because we fail to discipline ourselves in this area.

God is calling us to have a greater respect for him by having a more disciplined approach to how we speak of those we are in relationship with. 

Boy what a plane ride.  I felt so bad and yet at the same time so grateful that God would love me enough to call me into greater accountability.  So as your spiritual father I call you into the same accountability.  As you read the devotional verses today ask yourself, "Am I living out the will of God through my conversations?". Ask God, "Am I properly framing my words so as to worship him, while I talk to and or about others?"  Ask God, "Are my words giving life or taking life away?"  It is time to watch your words. Read Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:29; James 3:1-10

LIFE IS NOT A REHEARSAL - Friday, May 2, 2008
Recently I had a conversation with a mentor who made an incredible statement to me.  During a causal conversation he said to me, “John get the most out of life, because it is not a rehearsal, this is the real thing”.  Man that leaped out at me last night as I faced about 25 men and women, ages 35-49, who are presently attending the five-week Empowerment Sessions.  It was a revealing moment as I looked in the faces of persons who are really in the middle of life.  Facing the prospect of retirement and yet being called by God to still aggressively live each day. Our age group is in the middle.  The urgency connected to this stage is even greater, because we know that we have only one shot at this.
I write this today, because I believe that each of us must fully and completely embrace this.  We only have one shot at this life.  Thus, the advice of Paul in Ephesians 5:15-17 makes sense to me.  He encourages us to make good use of time, and as I reread that this morning I understood that one of the precious things given to me by God is time.  Within the context of time I have all I need.  The person who lives conscious of time’s limits and value will engage in healthy and meaningful behavior.  They will actively pursue God’s will and will guard their space.  I feel very strongly this morning that each of you who confess Jesus Christ must live with the weight of this revelation.  This is not a rehearsal this is the real thing.  This day is a one shot deal.  What are you called to do in this day that will honor God, bless others, and benefit you?  We only have one shot, because this is not a rehearsal.
Here is my advice:
1.  Take authority over your day and direct your energy toward what accomplishes your purpose.
2.  Enjoy those you love, because one day they may be gone.
3.  Finally, center your life on the only one who knows everything about you, God.

Remember this is not a rehearsal, this is the real thing.
Read Ecclesiastes 11:4; Luke 19:1-10

A NECESSARY TRIP - Monday, May 5, 2008
I am learning that some experiences, though you are given an initial reason for them, have other purposes in the end.  This weekend the First Family and I traveled to Toronto, Canada to minister at Harvest Worship Centre, pastored by Kevin and Pam Begley.  As usual, it was an amazing experience and the impact this time was greater for me than ever before.  At the close of the experience, they declared the Word of the Lord to us.  Not just to me, but to Melissa, Alexis, and to the Saint Paul family.  Once again God spoke corporately to our house.  He did this once before when I preached for Bishop Steven Banks in Newport News.  As the Word of Lord went forth I found myself overwhelmed that God would be so clear.  I listened attentively as God declared his desire for all I am connected to. It was in that moment that I understood that some moments and some things are necessary for your next level.  God in his deep, uninhibited love for us must orchestrate moments that propel us to new places; if nowhere else but in our consciousness.  Where God wants to take you, there must be necessary moments.
In these moments God does the following:

1.  He shares his heart with you regarding your destiny.
2.  He provides direction or instruction of what your next step or steps are.
3.  He offers healing so you can move forward without the obstruction of pain.
4.  Finally, He confirms who you are so you can walk confidently into the next place.

The key to these necessary moments is that you are able to discern them and fully embrace them.  God is not afraid of creating them for you; he just wants you to fully experience them so they are not needed again.  For out of the moment, he now wants you to go forth with unrelenting confidence, living with such passion until all things come to pass for you.  God trusts you with vision and revelation!!  So you need necessary moments to keep you in the right vein.  Please take advantage of these moments.  They can happen in worship, on your job, at home, in the car, or in another city while thinking you are there for another reason.
God, thank you for necessary moments.  I am better because of them.
Read I Samuel 16:1-13; Luke 2:22-38

CAN I HAVE MY MIND BACK PLEASE - Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Yesterday, while traveling back from Toronto, I engaged in an awesome study of the mind.  Reading through the book, “Ordering Your Private World” by Gordon MacDonald, I found myself intrigued by his chapter on developing the mind.  He stated that the biggest hindrance to an orderly, organized private or inner world is a lack of passion when it comes to developing the mind.  Immediately, I began to read passages about the mind in the Word of God.  The connection I saw was, for me, life changing.  The mind is where the will of God is known and embraced.  As I give permission to the Holy Spirit to transform my mind (Ephesians 1:13-20), I become exposed to who God is and what God has uniquely created me for, through and for Jesus Christ.  My mind then, opens up to God at new and exciting places (Romans 12:1-3), and I begin to walk in such a new, fresh, and renewed place with God.  My mind then houses thoughts that usher in peace and tranquility (Philippians 4:7-8) into my space. Thus, granting me the strength to face all things victoriously.

The goal of the enemy is to stifle my desire to nurture my mind through reading, listening, and reflecting.  He wants me to live in a mental world of negative thoughts, which produces negative behavior.  This in turn, disconnects me from Divine presence, and I totally miss all that God has called me to be through Jesus Christ.  I am weakened and ultimately defeated, because my mind is either undeveloped or so cluttered until the word of God cannot positively affect it.  As I thought through this it became apparent to me that for all that I desire, nothing is fully and truly possible until I get my mind back.  Now I am referring to the mind of Christ according to Philippians 2:1-11.  The mind of Christ allows us to fully please the Father by living out the spirit and nature of Christ.  It is about selflessness, submission, humility, obedience, and promotion without ego.

God so desires us to live in a healthy place, and it is in the mind where we do this.  In Romans 1:17ff, you see what happens when the mind is corrupted and you see God’s response to it.  He releases constraint and allows the corrupted mind to experience whatever it desires.  The ultimate end is evil and death.

My advice is this:  Take time to feed your mind daily until your thoughts line up with God.  Be careful what you read, who you talk to, and what you allow into your space.  This season of your life is tied to your mind and its purity.  So ask the Lord can you have your mind back!!!!  Have an awesome day of healthy, holy, healing thoughts.  See you tonight. The Refreshing Hour is going to be unreal.

Read Colossians 1:9-10

WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO PLANT TODAY? - Wednesday, May 7, 2008
This is such an awesome question.  What are you planning to plant today?  Notice I did not say what are you planting today, but what are you planning to plant today.  I believe that God has granted us the authority and the ability to determine what we will plant today.  Planting is about the intentional release of that which produces what we desire.  Planting is powerful, because each of us has the ability to decide what we believe will bring to pass what we believe is God’s outcome.  Our belief then in what God has ordained for us is key.  If I believe God has ordained great relationships for me, I then plant what produces great relationships.  I cannot then haphazardly treat people any way and expect to receive my harvest of great relationships.  No, I desire a certain quality of relationship and so I intentionally do certain things to produce that quality.  Planting then empowers me, because I am so intentional in my behavior.

Can I encourage you today to synchronize your planting with God’s standard?  Can I encourage you to decide that this day you will do what produces what you desire?  This is a perfect day to live out God’s standard for you by doing intentional things.  No more wanting it to get better, you direct your day and your life according to what God says is possible.  And last I checked, all things are possible. 

Plant until it changes and then change because you planted.  God is causing new growth and fresh opportunities.  This day is going to bless you because within it is the chance to do awesome things by intentionally behaving and giving according to God’s revealed standard for your life.  As Nike says, “Just Do It”. Read Eccle. 11:4; Gal. 6:7-10

TRUST GOD TODAY - Thursday, May 8, 2008
I woke up this morning in another hotel room, slightly drained from another awesome night of ministry at another church and I heard the words, “Trust God Today”.  Immediately, I asked the question, "Fot what?". Yet at the end it was clear; just Trust God Today.  This was God’s way of centering me to have the kind of day God wants me to have.  A lot of times we wake up and we are so distracted by the morning routine that we do not center ourselves appropriately.  “Trusting God today” was not a warning that something was coming, but rather a reminder of how to productively handle every day.  This is such an important declaration for men and women of faith.  Trusting God is foundational to everything we claim is God’s will for us.  We wake up everyday and we begin, but I want to encourage you to begin each day with the simple declaration, “I'll Trust God Today”. 
How then do we strengthen our trust or confidence in God?  It is simple!!

1.  Read the Word of God consistently so that your faith will be perfected or matured.
2.  Develop a morning routine that includes reflection, journaling, and prayer.
3.  Take a faith break midday and reenergize your faith with a quiet moment with God.
4.  End the day with a time of cleansing worship; recentering in God.

Listen sons and daughters, each day brings its challenges.  The only way to victoriously win, you must Trust God Today.  Love you and see you this weekend. Read Proverbs 3:5-5; Romans 10:17; James 1:19-25

A PASTOR'S BIRTHDAY PRAYER - Friday, May 9, 2008
Wow, I am 44 today.  That is amazing to me!  As I look back over my journey, I am overwhelmed at the grace and the favor of God.  It has been something.  From a stuttering little boy to a family man, Pastor of a leading church, and a preacher of some note, my journey is a statement of God.  As I sit in my office writing this (such an interesting story to tell) I am reminded of the times when I wondered if I would and could make it.  Oh the moments in life when all seemed lost and I wanted to walk away.  Yet despite all of it, God has been amazing and his faithfulness is abounding.

My story is one of God doing with little, more than anyone could imagine.  So on this day I am so grateful.  A lot of people have asked me what am I doing today or what do I want for my birthday?  What is so interesting is that all I want to do is spend it quietly.  Dinner is cool, but for the most part just being.  No pressure on anyone’s part to perform, for I am already living in the overflow. 

My desire today is to see those I love happy and full of life.  The perfect gift today rests in seeing who I love enjoy their life to the fullest.  I am so blessed of a man and I have more than I deserve.  The gift now is that my family, my church family, and my friends are completely at peace.  So I want to encourage you today.

Here is my encouragement for the day.  Take time each day to look at the grace allocation of God in your life and celebrate it.  Know that right now you are blessed beyond measure.  Do not allow the stress or the stressors of life to overtake you.  Stay focused on the blessings of God and the incredible way He is ordering your steps.  Know that all things are under his control, and simply enjoy the journey.

I so want the best for all of you, and so my prayer is that God will give to you all that you are created for.  I pray that you will see his mercy and experience his loving kindness in your weak times.  I pray that you will enjoy those by whom he has wedded to your heart and you to theirs.  I pray that you will live in the fullness of your gifts and your passion will open new doors.  Most importantly I pray that you will not miss the season of promotion.  This is my birthday wish for you.  You do this, and I have my greatest gift.
Read my favorite verses:  Psalms 32:8; Romans 8:28: Philippians 4:13

IT ALL WORKS OUT - Monday, May 12, 2008
Sorry it has taken me so long to write today.  It has been quite a morning.  To make a long story short, I could not get online again this morning so my plan was to go to the church.  In the process of the getting ready, I could not find my keys.  This in turn required me to reorder a key, rent a car, and come to church.  As I write you I am again sitting in my office.  Now that seems like, man what a tough morning, but in actuality it has been great.  I finally have the word for Saturday in Dallas.  I got a chance to spend some quiet time.  The rental car is a vintage Shelby Mustang (Pastor Cotton is dying, he loves Mustangs).  I am able to come to the church and complete my work so in the end it is a great day.

What comes to mind right now is Romans 8:28.  It is true that it all works out.  If you have the right attitude and understand that all things can be worked through, in the end it all works out.  We as believers sometimes become so frustrated and so disgusted with a situation until we lose our sense of spiritual balance.  We begin to talk negatively, and before long we are the moment we are in.  I have learned the hard way that my day is really in my hands.  There are times things happen I cannot control or I even attribute it to things like misplacing your keys.  But I have learned not to panic. Just quietly look at the situation and make the necessary decisions connected to the moment.  Know that God has given you the resources and strength to successfully deal with it.  So guess what, it is manageable and with God it all works out. 

Listen today could have been much tougher.  I could have asked why me and I how could I be so careless?  Yet in the end, I can replace keys, but I cannot replace the moments I spend complaining.  So I choose to be thankful that I can afford a new key and that today I get to drive a vintage Shelby Mustang.  Didn’t ask for it, was offered to me at a major discount.  Today simply proves it all works out.  So enjoy the rest of the day and I promise we will be up and on schedule tomorrow.  Love you all and see you Tuesday.
P.S.  Did you pray at 5:30 a.m.?  Need my fam!! Read I Peter 5:6-8

DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU BETTER - Tuesday, May 13, 2008
I am incredibly blessed, because God keeps making sure that I am a better person.  This morning while lying in bed I began to thank God for the privilege of writing the daily devotionals.  The reason why is because I am a better person because of them.  The daily devotionals are requiring of me more, and each day I am growing.  Each morning I have to rise early, and hear the voice of God freshly.  The fact that I have to hear God daily has challenged me to develop a clearer ear.  I can’t write yesterday’s thoughts!!  This has pushed me in a very positive way to grow as a person.

Secondly, it has greatly aided in improving my writing skills.  Though I consider myself a decent writer, I am so much better because of writing the devotionals.  Writing is an important piece to the makeup of a preacher, because it helps him/her accomplish the task of communicating the Gospel in clearer terms.  I find this so important, because my commitment to be a good communicator is enhanced by the writing of the daily devotional.

In essence, the call of God to write these devotionals has made me a better person.  I want to encourage the same for you.  Ask God to give you “things to do” that makes you a better person.  What is powerful is that just the execution of it daily improves and enhances your life.  With no real intent on your part; requiring of yourself to be accountable to healthy practices can’t help but make you a better person.  This is key, because each day you determine the kind of day and the kind of person you want to be.  By doing the right things daily you grow and develop.  It is amazing how God works to shape us.  My sons and daughters you want to be a better person.  You want to show growth and progress each day of your life.  You want to exhibit behavior and conduct that speaks of integrity and righteousness.  You want to be a good person!!!!

So each day do something that makes you better.  I am not sure what that is for you, but for me it is writing the daily devotional.  God, thank you for loving me enough to require of me each day something that makes me better, bolder, and stronger.  Enjoy your day and join me in being better today!! Read Psalms 119:97-104; Philippians 3:10-17

IT IS POSSIBLE - Wedesday, May 14, 2008
I sit here preparing for one of the most significant moments in my life and I keep hearing God say to me through this moment, “John it is so possible”.  What does that mean?  It can mean several things, but what I keep hearing is that God is capable of taking you places and allowing you to experience things that seem and may be beyond you.  It is exciting to know that we serve a God who makes it so possible.

Some of you reading this devotional may feel that you are in over your head.  You may feel like success and promotion are beyond you, but I am a testimony that it is so possible.  No limits when God takes charge of your life.  No constraints when you humbly yield to the will of God and allow him to become Lord of your day.  It is so important that you understand that life is meant to be lived victoriously.  It is meant to be experienced and no matter how it looks today, God has already ordained every step to his glory.  It is so possible!!!

Can I encourage you to not become discourage when you face new challenges or new obstacles?  See them as a door for God to walk you through.  Know that God is working all things for your good and if you will just trust him... Man, what he is capable of doing with and through you.  Face this day with such confidence!  Just know God is going to be God!  Just know all things are as according to his purpose!  Just Know!

Personally I am looking forward to the rest of my life.  The challenges have only made me stronger.  I am so excited about your life as well.  Things are lining up for you.  God has so constructed your life that nothing will be withheld from you.  You are going to be amazed that God is so faithful and so consistent.  Get excited, because it is so possible. Read Deuteronomy 7:1-11; Philippians 4:13

I DARE YOU - Thursday, May 15, 2008
Last night I saw vision revealed.  I was privileged to preach at the Sanctuary at Kingdom Square, Pastor Anthony Maclin.  As I sat looking at the outcome of vision in the form of their new worship and educational facility, I was both encouraged and challenged.  Encouraged, because I can honestly say that I was a part of Pastor Maclin’s vision development.  As his friend, he shared with me some of the process of this awesome dream.  To see it said to me, wow, God is awesome.  

But I was also challenged because I heard God saying, “I Dare You”. I dare you to first dream beyond your present situation.  I dare you to believe that all things are possible.  I dare you to be talked into faith at another level. 

I kept hearing God say, "I Dare You!!"

Here is the challenge; can you be talked into pursuing dreams and visions that transcend you and your present resources?  Can you be enticed to live  with purpose that births critics and requires allies?  I saw in Pastor Maclin as a man of vision and courage last night.  I saw his passion for his dream and the boldness needed to do the bigger thing.  And I heard God say, "I dare you".

My sons and daughters, it is so important that each of you be challenged to be the person you are called to be.  It is so important that you refuse to be paralyzed by fear of the unknown and that you go aggressively after the life God has called you to.  Wow, what a great opportunity God has given to some of you to live in pure, undefiled faith.  The kind of faith that creates favor and draws to you the miraculous power of God.  What an honor to be trusted by God. 

Today fear nothing but inactivity.  Today decide that you will live fully in the power of faith and vision.  Today, allow God to dare you into purpose.  Today be willing to trust that all things are possible.  In essence, God says, “I Dare You”. Read Jeremiah 29:11; Philippians 3:10-14

FINALLY HERE - Friday, May 16, 2008
After weeks, the day has come for me to board a plane and head to Dallas, Texas.  I must admit I am finally nervous, but definitely not intimidated.  I go to this moment confident that this is the will of God.  That confidence is grounded in God and his call upon my life.  No fear!!  The nervousness is simply a human response to a moment that is yet to come.  Yes failure is a possibility, but God has me and so I go in confidence.  I go after God in this moment and with no apprehension do I board a plane.  Nervous, but not intimidated.

I want you, my sons and daughters, to learn from my journey.  Here are some lessons that have shaped my process for being here.  These lessons are a part of guiding me through some painful times.  Yet in the end, the pain has produced a deep sense of greatness. 

1. Live with humility and watch God move you beyond your present.
2. Work on relationships, for they are the conduits of promotion.
3. Read until it sticks.
4. Call yourself to accountability daily.  Allow the Holy Spirit to deal with you honestly.
5. Discern your niche and perfect it.
6. Go forward and experience God’s favor.  Failure is not an excuse for quitting.
7. Finally, develop a relationship with Jesus Christ that empowers you to enjoy life.

I so want you all to live in the fullness of your dreams.  I want you to know how awesome it is to walk in the “all of that”.  Thank you for loving me and helping me become the man I am today.  Every one of you is a part of my journey!!  See you Sunday with a great report.  Got a feeling!
Read Psalms 32:8; Romans 8:37; Philippians 4:13
(These are important verses to me)

NEW SEASON - Monday, May 19, 2008
So this is how a new season looks?  I woke up this morning in a different place. It is a place I have never been before.  It is a place where the weight of God’s call is greater than ever.  Please understand that this weekend was the door to the new season.  The fact God would trust me with this moment is for me awesome.  Yet I believe that while that served as the door, the new season is more than just the door.  It is a deep sense of accountability to another level of ministry.  It is God’s will being made clearer, and there is no way to return to a lesser place.  It is about God trusting me and now understanding that that kind of trust is greater than anything I could have ever imagined.  It is about God!!!

Here's what is so incredible. There are those of you reading this today who are in a new place as well.  You are under the weight of God’s hand and there is no place of return.  God has placed enormous weight on your life and you wake up everyday feeling it.  He has you in a different place.  You wake up each day knowing that in this day God requires more of you.  Wow, others seem to get away with things, but you cannot.  Others seem more comfortable with certain behavior, yet you don’t. God’s hand is upon your life and this season is of such demand until you have no choice but to rise to the occasion. 
So what does a new season look like?

1. Doors lead to seasons of exposure and opportunity. 
   Each door demands greater maturity and humility to productively manage it.
2. Relationships are tied to assignment more than ever. 
   Being relationally healthy is key.
3. You see your preparation now in the form of performance. 
   All that you have endured now manifests itself in on a public stage.
4. Finally, your prayer and worship life becomes even more important, because that is what holds you.  In essence, you need God like never before.

So welcome to a new season!!  No fear and definitely no looking back!!
Read Genesis 19: 12-29; 2 Kings 7:3-4; Luke 9:51

AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM - Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Yesterday, my family and I went to eat dinner with a friend who came in to spend some time with me. While at dinner, the conversation turned to a text message that Alexis received from one of our leading youth, Brother Lester Ruiz.  At 5:30 a.m. he sends a text message that reads, “Today, be a trailblazer, win souls for Jesus”.  When Alexis shared this with me, something within me leaped.  I said wow here is a teenager first hearing my sermon so clearly and then applying it.  I found myself intrigued by his willingness to encourage his peers to live the Word and then it hit me, “living the Word is about encouraging others to live it as well”.  It is about loving others enough to want them to live with a deeper sense of accountability.

How often do you encourage others to live the Word of God?  How many times are you on the other end of the text or conversation, than on the front end?  How many moments has God created for you to challenge your fellow brothers and sisters to walk the Word and you failed to?  What is so amazing is that God does not create moments in the Word for us to simply experience it. God creates moments in the Word for us to become an extension of the Word spoken or read.

In the end, he wants us to live the Word out and to encourage others to do the same!!  God has saved us to be conduits for his Word in the earth and our passion for obedience must take priority over so many other things.  We are blessed to have the Word of God!  We are blessed to have preachers who stand to declare the Word of God!  We are blessed to have teachers who expound on the Word of God!!

So why not step up today and encourage someone to live out the Word of God!  Let’s not allow Lester to be the only one who has figured out that encouraging others to obey the Word of God is an awesome thing. Read Luke 6:46-49; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; James 1:19-26

THE COURAGE TO BE - Wednesday, May 21, 2008
God has created you uniquely.  You are made first in the image of God and then you are constructed by God with a unique DNA!  No one has your exact fingerprint, and no one your exact personality makeup.  You are wonderfully made and you reflect the diversity of God.  Thus, you are called to be you!  Yet it takes courage to be you!!  The fact that you may be rejected by others and the fact that others may attempt to control who you are, means you must fully embrace God’s image of you.  This requires courage. 

The courage to be, then is about the full embrace of who God has created you to be.  It is about selling out to that unique image and believing that God knows best.  Man what an awesome call!  To be you means to trust the way God has created you, and to trust what God has created you to do.  This requires courage!!  Courage is about forging ahead despite challenges, and believing through the evidence of your actions that to be anyone else is ultimate failure.

My encouragement today is to do the following:

1.  Invest significant time in prayer about whom God has created you to be.
2.  Spend time journaling about your prayer time.  Write what you hear.
3.  Sit with people you trust and wrestle with what you hear.
4.  Find healthy and creative ways to live out this image. 

So have the courage to be.  No negotiation and no compromise.  Be the awesome, passionate, vibrant, vision focused, Christ submitted person you are called to be.  God will honor you for being you.  No fear just confidence!  Love you and have an awesome and unique day.
Read Psalms 27:1-14; Mark 2:1-12

TRANSITION CAN BE TOUGH - Thursday, May 22, 2008
Last evening, I entered an interesting context.  I was asked by a dear friend to minister at church during what has been a difficult transition for both him and the congregation.  He is preparing to leave to assume another work and, this wonderful congregation that he started is really in transition.  He is an excellent leader who is doing all he can to insure that the congregation remains vibrant and focused.  Once service was over, while sitting in the car returning home, I began to look closely at this process of transition.  Transitions are challenging, because they require of us the highest level of maturity.  What is interesting is that no one ever goes to the next level without a transitionary stage.  And what is even more interesting is that if the transition is mismanaged, you can end up missing your next level.  Case in point, the children of Israel coming out of Egypt.  Because they did not manage well the wilderness, they were required by God to stay 40 years in transition.

Transition then is about moving gracefully and wonderfully through the unknown territory to the known destination called vision.  As you progress through that stage you must be willing to do the right things with the right attitude.  Let me offer how to handle transitions.

1.  Fully embrace where God is taking you no matter what the cost is.
2.  Discipline your emotions and govern them by destiny.
3.  Make sure that all negative memories that can lead to unforgiveness is addressed in this stage.
4.  Intensify your prayer and journaling life.  Hearing God is your greatest ally.
5.  Stay vested in your destination, not in your process.
6.  Finally, connect only to people who can speak to God’s purpose in your life.

Transitions are a part of the process of greatness.  Never underestimate the value of transitions and know that God only completes promotion when transition is handled well.  Remember your next season when you are taken through the wilderness of transition.  Manage well, for this to shall pass.
Read I Kings 5:1-6; Luke 11:24-26

MAKE IT SIMPLE - Friday, May 23, 2008
Life is a joy and it is meant to be experienced!  Life is a gift from God and only God can honor a life!  Because life is from God and is a gift, only those who fully embrace God through obedience can have full life.  Now here is what is powerful, life in order to be awesome must be lived simple.  By simple I mean, clearly defined priorities where no matter what happens, you know who you are and where you are.

 The biggest mistake many of us make is that we clutter our lives with so many issues and so many unnecessary relationships.  We allow things to be that only frustrate the grace of God in us, and causes us to feel incredibly overwhelmed.  This feeling of being overwhelmed greatly affects our sense of being.  God then must release us to a season of sanctification where we are uncluttered and refocused on the priorities he sets for us.  In essence, God makes our lives simple so we can fully enjoy the life given.

I write this today because maybe someone reading this is tired of the clutter and the confusion of your life.  Maybe you have reached a place where you want more, but can't seem to get there.  Well my advice is, look for the simple in your life and protect it.  Know that God has called you to an awesome and extraordinary life and only your willingness to do the right things can and will produce it.  In the end, life can only be enjoyed if you make it simple.  So make it simple and watch God make it fun.

Have a great holiday weekend. Read Matthew 6:25-34

ONLY FORWARD - Monday, May 26, 2008
Yesterday was an interesting moment for me.  It was one of those rare moments in ministry when I was more of a receiver of the Word than a communicator of it.  The sermon about Lot’s wife really challenged me personally and professionally.  The premise of the sermon was that God has called us to go after life, and so looking back is not an option.  The goal of course is to move beyond the past into the future, achieving the will of God.

I heard God in this moment pushing me to another level, requiring of me something that truly is life changing.  Looking back is never an option and because it is never option, we must go aggressively after purpose.  I write to you today to challenge you to join me in aggressively pursuing God’s purpose.  No more entertainment of what is archaic and outdated for your life.  Attitudes, tendencies, appetites, relationships, whatever it is that God no longer wants in your life.  You must understand that you are obligated to God for completing your journey well.  It means that you are called to do life well and never give up or give in.  Fighting through negative seasons or negative relationships is a challenge, but you are required by God to do so.  You are expected by God to never allow them to stop you from growing and developing, so never look back.  God loves you so much that he gives you new days and fresh opportunities.  He allows you to see what is possible and to experience each day as ordained.

So today is a great day to look forward ONLY!  God is before you, so go after him.  God will allow you to go after life, but you must decide I will never look back. 

Have a restful day and enjoy the sun!! Read Genesis 19:14-26; Philippians 3:14

CALM AS THE FAMILY BEACH - Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Yesterday my family, some of our members, and I went to Huguenot Beach for a time of relaxation.  It was, to say the least, wonderful.  As I sat there enjoying a beautiful May Day in Florida, I was drawn to the calm of the beach.  I sat and notice that not once did the water move beyond a ripple.  The side we were on was called the family beach.  It was so calm and so quiet.  I found myself slightly envious of the waters.  For in them were no restlessness and no anxiety.  The waters simply existed and nothing could make it behave differently on this beautiful May Day.

The world we live in is very restless and filled with great anxiety.  People are hustling from place to place with no rest or peace of mind.  Unlike the waters on the family beach at Huguenot Park, many of us are busy for no reason. We are tired and drained, because we feel the daily pressure to perform.  At the end of the day, we are done!  The equanimity of the waters said to me that God does not want for us to live under the weight of life, overwhelmed and consumed.  Rather that God wants us to enjoy the beauty of all he has created, living free from undue stress and unnecessary pain.  For many of us, life is no longer fun. 

So how do we live like the waters?  Today read Philippians 4:6-8. 
Notice what it calls us to do.

1.  Pray
2.  Think good thoughts
3.  Worship

I know for many of us, that seems to simple but it works.  It is time to live calm and peaceful.  Too much stress can kill you!!  Be blessed and enjoy the day! Read John 16:33

WHY NOT ME? - Wednesday, May 28, 2008
This is a great question.  This is the question asked by anyone who has seen material or personal success in others.  I have even asked this question looking at others, not necessarily out of the spirit of envy, but out of a personal desire to be all I can be.  I believe this is not a bad question as long as you have the passionate desire and personal tenacity to go after God’s will.  In this day and time, passive Christians are ineffective. You have to believe God has more for you.  You have to believe that God has a life for you that energize you daily.  You have to believe that all things are possible and that others' journeys are not greater than yours.

I simply want to challenge you to embrace the greater opportunity and believe that God has it for you.  Yes you, it can happen.  Yes you, it will happen!  Yes you, it is God’s will that it happens.  So go after it and believe that you are worth all that God has ordained!  So the new question is why is it taking me so long?  STOP WAITING!  Live life to the fullest and believe it can be you!! Read Psalms 1:1-5

YOU CAN IMPACT YOUR DAY - Thursday, May 29, 2008
There are two words, when partnered, whose impact is so amazing that it is immediately felt.  These two words form a unique ministry team.  They are “Thank You”.  It is amazing watching the results when “Thank You” is sincerely uttered.  For these two words can turn a tense moment into a pleasurable one.  They are capable of transforming frowns into smiles.  “Thank You” changes your context almost immediately, because out of it comes the spirit of gratitude and appreciation. 

I have come to understand the power of “Thank You” and in that I have come to value it.  “Thank You” serves as the foundation to our personal and corporate worship.  It allows us to move beyond a selfish moment into an acknowledged moment of obvious appreciation.  I cannot deny the challenge at times to utter it.  When life is complicated by failure and frustration, “Thank You” is tough.  When life is invaded by pain and insufficiency, “Thank You” seems so difficult to say.  Yet when declared out of a sincere heart, “Thank You” empowers us to see the good in every moment.

You may say, “Pastor why do you believe this?”  I believe this because I have seen this simple declaration turn a situation.  As powerful as “I’m Sorry” is, “Thank You” is just as powerful.  Finding the humility to express to others how appreciative you are even for the simplest acts, makes an incredible statement about you as a person.  It exposes the purity and genuineness of your heart and allows you to move beyond the place of disconnection from others.  How amazed you will be when you begin each day with “Thank You” to God and then throughout the course of the day, find both time and opportunity to share it.  This is a perfect day to use the ministry of “Thank You”.  So use it and be amazed at how it affects you and those by whom you share it with.  Love you all, and have an awesome day. Read Psalms 34:1-4; Philippians 4:7-8

CAN'T WAIT, I'M SO EXCITED - Friday, May 30, 2008
Every morning Angel, the first dog, wakes up and runs to the patio doors.  She sits there anticipating when the doors will open and she can run outside.  She sits as well waiting to be fed.  When the food is prepared and placed in her food tray, she eats gleefully.  I thought about this as it relates to the Word of God and believers.  Each of us who claim that we love God should be just as excited and just as hungry as Angel.  What does this mean?  It means that on Sunday the tray (preaching) will be filled with the food (Word of God) and you get a chance to eat.  Eating has to do with hearing the Word of God, and then looking for ways to apply it.  It has to do with desiring the Word and taking advantage of every opportunity God provides for us to hear the Word of God.  It is so important in this season of your life that you sit with great anticipation as it relates to the Word of God.  You need to be hungry, and that means you can’t wait to hear what God has to say. 
This is important because only through the Word of God can:

1.  Your faith grow
2.  You come to fully know the will of God for your life
3.  You understand God’s expectations for you
4.  You confidently declare God’s thoughts into the earth

The Word of God then must become your passion, and as one of my favorite professors, Dr. Jerome Ross would say to us each Friday when I was a student at Virginia Union, “Sunday is coming, and gotta preach”.  Sunday is coming so get ready to grow.  Have an awesome weekend!!!  Love you!
Read Mark 4:1-20; James 1:19-26

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