Revival Time

It’s Saturday and for the most part I’m trying my best to take a day to rest. Janice is exhausted; she has been a jewel this week, arranging meals for many of my friends who are visiting the city, gather volunteer to serve them in the spirit of excellence that we strive to do everything. As well as hosting our evangelist wife Stephanie Carter and our special guest Dr. Sheila Bailey (the wife of the late Dr. E.K. Bailey who had a great impact on my ministry) along with all of her normal responsibilities at home and at church. I’m blessed to have such a special lady by my side, she is my Queen. God did something special for her by giving her some very unsuspected one on one time with Dr. Bailey, there are some pastor’s wives who would have given anything for that, but God did it for Janice. Father, thank you for unsuspected blessing!

Our Easter Celebration was just that it was a celebration. There always seems to be an extra air of anticipation during our Easter services. I was thinking about it and think that it may be due to the amount of people who are working during our Easter’s services and our normal weekend experiences; the number almost triples to put off Easter. People volunteer they are excited and they invite their family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. My assignment was to share a message of hope for a better life. I was happy with the message for the most part but would have like to nail the invitation a little better. It’s tough because the crowd is so large and there are so many distractions during such an important time, but many gave their lives to Jesus Christ and many stepped forward to unite with the church.

We had Easter Monday off as a congregation but I had to pick up our evangelist Rev. Bryan L. Carter, Senior Pastor of the Concord Church of Dallas TX (who succeeded Dr. E.K. Bailey). Pastor Carter is a homeboy for OKC, funny thing is that I didn’t know him when he was here. God took him all the way to Dallas before we became friends over the last 4 or 5 years I’ve seen him grow and mature as a preacher and now as a pastor over one of this nation’s most influential ministries. Pastor Carter is a special person, blessed with a special wife in Stephanie – this couple is destined for great things in ministry. They are simply good people and I’m always excited by young couple working together as a team in ministry. Pastor Carter opened up our City-Wide Simultaneous Revival Tuesday morning and set the tone for the week. It was our first-time participating in the Revival and it was an honor to have our evangelist be asked to speak in a joint service. He preached all week, our congregation responded great. They connected with him from the first service, he’s a great preacher with a big heart and a humble spirit. God spoke through him and deposited some heavy stuff. Corporately we need to hear from God, it was my prayer for this revival that God would show us what we need to do for His vision to come to past in our church. God used this young man speak to us. Then our one on one time was encouraging, it’s hard to find the time with so much to accomplish in a day to carve out time but the revival afforded us a great excuse to hang out. We both seem to have needed that.

Last year during the revival the Lord placed on our hearts to be a blessing to many of my friends who come to town during the revival and my friends who bring them. So Janice and I opened our home two evening to serve dinner and have some good fellowship. This year since we participated in the revival we just served dinner at the church, the dinners were fantastic (Special thanks to Lo, Teresa, Angela & Mendel). This is a special time because many of my friends in town our schedules are so full that we only see each other in passing and the dinners give us some uninterrupted time together. My friend, Pastor Jeff Mitchell of the Tabitha Church, we started preaching together and have been friends forever, brings Pastor Kevin Willis of Riverside Church in Memphis TN and my Pastor Dr. J. A. Reed bring Pastor H B Charles of Mt. Sinai in Los Angles CA. Pastor Willis is a great preacher, I admire his preaching ability and he preaches with as much energy and anointing than anybody I’ve ever seen. Pastor Charles is a special person, in my option he is one of the greatest preacher I’ve ever heard but what makes him that is that he is one of the greatest people I know. Every year we manage to carve out a few hours in between his preaching and it’s like we talk everyday – I appreciate his friendship and every time I’m around him I want to be a better preacher and person.

Well, I’m going to try to kidnap my wife for a few hours this evening to spend some special time together and show her how much if love and cherish her.

Father, I Thank You!

WOW! I knew it had been a long time but I didn’t know that its been over two weeks since my last BLOG. Busy, Busy, Busy – is the theme of my life. I’ll start with the most important news, our third grandbaby came Friday morning. Saniyah Raye what a sweet name. Sharonda did good! Just looking at that little gift from God makes me love Him even more. Simply because He has spared me, loved me and forgiven me. I don’t deserve His grace and mercy but I thank Him for being so loving and kind to me. I’m thankful for my family: my unbelievable, talented wife, my children who I experimented on my sons are handsome and my daughters are queens and then my three babies (grandbabies) each one has stolen my heart. Father, Thank you for your gift to us Saniyah and what a gift she is!

In the morning we will have the biggest celebration of the year Resurrection Sunday! I’m learning much about leadership and one of the most important lessons is sometime you have to let go. I’ve always been afraid but I promised the Lord that when He brought people around who would care for His work as much as I do I would walk away. Well, I think He has spoken big time. It’s time for me to move to the next level of leadership. It’s going to hard but God has done His part now I’m going to do my part. Father, Thank you for what You’ve done and what You shall do in and through our church. Help me to recognize your voice and be willing to move to the next level of leadership. Spoil the plan and the tricks of the enemy, that your name may be glorified.

Earlier today we did our annual Easter outreach and I was greatly encouraged by the attendance. Not only by the number of those attending but the fact that there was more on the corner that I pastured eight years ago. With the exception of just a few – all of them are people that I’m the only Pastor they have ever had. What an exciting time we had 1,000 contacts in just over one hour. We’ve set a goal next year for 2,000 or 2,500. We prayed for Kingdom growth not just necessary our local church but that those who we contacted would come to the Kingdom.

This is day six of our spiritual journey of 40 days of fasting and prayer. God is going to do something special through this. I’m hearing stories and testimonies already. Father, bless your children as we concentrate ourselves before You; through fasting and prayer. We want more of you and less of us. Show us your way that we may please you. Amen!

The Power of Memories

I know that this seem a bit odd but I'm just getting the hang of this blogging thing by haven't gotten as fancy as other by accessing my blog through my smart phone. So tonight I'm posting two different thought but they where about two days apart.

Have you ever thought about the power of memories? How sounds, music, smells, conversations and situations instantly bring back a flood of memories. Have you ever had one of those butter cookie and it reminded you of elementary school? Memories are powerful. Have you ever been walking around and a very familiar smell captures your attention and you’ve spent the rest of the day trying to figure out why? Memories are powerful. Have you ever been surfing radio station in your car and a particular song hit your ears and the year just faded away. Memories are powerful. There are some conversations that will leave you breathless about past situations. You will began to feel the same emotion, remember everyone involved and even sometime remember things that even surprising to you. Memories are powerful.

For many their memories seem to be stuck on the bad episode of their lives. Memories of past failures, mistakes, decisions and friendship can haunt you. Memories are powerful. Bad memories will stalk you down. No matter how much you don’t want to deal with them – just like “Freddy Krugger” (Movie: Nightmare of Elm Street) during the night and during the day. How you handle memories are crucial, two scriptures come to mind Ephesians 2:10 and John 13:7: “For we are God’s masterpiece.” (Eph. 2:10a); “Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later” (John 13:7) How are we to correctly deal with our bad memories 1. Embrace the Master’s big picture; 2. Cooperate with the Master; 3. Accept the Master’s unique process and 4. Appreciate the Master’s work.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been going through the files of my life, take an inventory of sorts. Taking a look at the turns and the detours that my life has taken and I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m thanks for so many people that knowingly and unknowingly have greatly influence my life.

The Sweet Spot

Where is the sweet spot? I believe that it is somewhere in between Sweet and Sour, Hot and Cold, Pain and Peace. It’s sorter like that moment right before daybreak as you lay beneath the covers of your bed and there is a gentle rain falling outside, there is a little chill in your room (you know that because you’ve been there so many times before) but beneath the covers you are comfortable. Right then you realize that there isn’t another place you would rather be than in sweet spot of comfort in your bed.

The more I grow in my walk with my God the more I realize that praying for everything to be perfect in my life isn’t what God wants for me. I believe that what is more honoring to Him is for me to have faith enough to trust Him and desire more of Him than anything else. Romans 8: 28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It is the sweet spot that I long for. During my most chaotic, frustrating and sometime depressing days, I’m not looking for God to fix everything because I know that some things are good for me. I just want to find the sweet spot of God’s peace.