Encouraged by God's Word

Archive for November, 2008

Hello Family,

What are you good at? What is that one thing that you really enjoy doing? Is it singing? Is it drawing? What about photography? Do you communicate well with others? Do you have a passion to serve people? Are you a great organizer?

I love young people. My wife and I have three children and I can hang out with them all day. Sometimes we watch a little television or a movie together. We talk about school, their friends, or some of their extracurricular activities. Sometimes we just joke and laugh at each other. I just really enjoy hanging with my kids.

In my career I work with youth and have been doing it for the past 14 years. I love sharing information with youth based on my experiences or the knowledge I have. I enjoy it when a young person asks for my advice and they apply what I’ve shared with them.

At church I’ve been a part of our mentoring program for three years and this year I’ve had the privilege of mentoring my friend’s nephew.

I like working with youth because they are so alive and so real. You know exactly what you get when you work with them. They’re not fake and they usually don’t try to be more than what they are. What you see is what you get.

Regardless of what I do in life, I will always be involved in working with youth because that is my calling. I know it and that is what others have told me many times before. That is what concerns me the most. That is what I’m passionate about.

What is your calling? What are you passionate about?

Ephesians 4:1 says I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.

Are you walking in the divine influence for your life

or are you just sliding along? Did you line up your educational path based on your calling? Did you pick your career based on your calling or was it something else?

Beloved, I asked you are you walking worthy of the calling with which you were called? Are you following God’s plan for your life? Are you using the gifts and talents God has given you to build His kingdom?

I’m an example of how God can bless others by doing what He has called me to do. You see on Friday, April 25, 2008 I started sending out emails to a group of folks on my email list and God has used those messages every Friday to minister to a lot of people. I would never imagine in a million years that the words I wrote would have the effect on folks that it has had and I can tell you based on feedback and comments I get from people, I know this thing is real. I know this is what I was called to do!

Put me in the pulpit and you’ll get a hot mess. Ask me to teach Sunday school and the kids will come out more confused than when they first walked in. But ask me to put it on paper and add some of my personality to it, I can do that no problem because that’s what I’m called to do.

What are you called to do? Find out what it is, get it done, and make it happen for the glory of God.

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!

Hello Friends,

Now a day you hear a lot about “Going Green” and the environment. There is air pollution, water pollution, ice caps melting, the use of natural resources, hybrid and electric cars, global warming, recycle and reuse, and environmentally safe cleaning products. You name it, it’s out there.

And what about those solar panels people had on the roof top of their houses back in the 70’s? Would that be considered a “Going Green Throwback?”

Another way people are going green is by switching to an organic lifestyle. People are conscious about eating food that is free from pesticides, hormones, additives or preservatives. Just good old fashioned home grown, straight out of the ground healthy food.

Gardening and planting seeds to grow organic foods to eat healthy is great but we must also be careful of the other type of seeds we plant.

What type of seeds are those you ask

?

I’m talking about the seeds you plant in the garden of your life? Are you planting seeds of ungodly thoughts? Seeds of bad habits? Seeds of destructive behavior? Seeds of laziness? Seeds of dishonesty?

And who’s watering those seeds? Is it your spouse? Your parents? Your friends? Your neighbors? Your classmates? Your colleagues at work?

1 Corinthians 3:6 says I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

Everything we do must align with God’s word. We must always plant those seeds of righteousness and expect growth (a blessing) from God.

If we plant seeds of sin and there is someone who is there to support (water) that seed, God will not bless it. But if we plant seeds of righteousness and someone supports us, God will give us the blessing (increase).

Regardless of what we do and how we do it, it means nothing unless God blesses it. It will not become greater or multiply or increase.

So the next time you decide to plant something you need to do two things. First, make sure it is something that is loving, pleasant, caring, supportive or considerate of others.

Second, allow God to bless it. Be patient. Don’t get too involved in the situation that you get in the way. His fertilization process sometimes takes longer than we expect but in the end the roots are grounded in solid ground so your blessing will stand the test of time.

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!

Hello Friends,

Today I’m feeling good because this was a good week.

Last weekend my son’s football team advanced in the playoffs. I attended my homecoming at Hampton University which we refer to as “Our Home by the Sea”. Also my favori

te sports team the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Washington Redskins 23-6 on Monday Night Football.

And the icing on the cake, BARACK WON! I must admit I never thought in my lifetime I would see a black man as the President of the United States of America.

I feel good. I feel empowered. I feel invincible! I feel unstoppable! Regardless of who you voted for, if you live in this country, you were a part of history.

When the results came in and it was evident that Barack, oh I’m sorry, I mean President (elect) Obama had won, I had to talk to someone who would really make this historical event special. I called my grandmother.

You see I didn’t think it would happen but now that it has happened, I’m not that surprised but I had to speak to someone who had lived before, during and after the Civil Rights movement. Someone who lived during a time when black folks were treated as second class citizens and didn’t have a fraction of the opportunities we have today. I needed to be connected to living history!

Although this is a monumental event, there is an event that will always be at the top of the charts when it comes to history. This event is the epitome of historical events. This event is HIStory of the resurrection.

1 Peter 1:3 says Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (NIV)

Some time ago there was One who rose from the dead with all power in His hand and that is something that will never be outdone. Because He rose, we can rise to any occasion no matter what the obstacles are. There is new birth and hope through the resurrection of Christ.

There were many who talked about and mocked Him. They brought false charges against Him. There was even one who was in His camp who betrayed Him. He didn’t have the popular vote and the polls were not in His favor.

But because of God’s great mercy and the power of the resurrection, we are able to make a CHANGE in our lives.

So regardless of what the polls say and regardless of the count of the ballots, He wins! He is crowned the king of kings and the lord of lords.

And because of HIStory, believers in Christ are winners also.

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!

Hello Friends,

How many times have we worked hard in order to get a promotion? Or how about the times we focused on getting that pay increase?

What about having that position of importance and power? I know, for you it is the title; Mr. or Ms. Big Shot Gonna Tell Everybody What to Do!

There are a lot of people out there who would do ANYTHING to get ahead in life.

They will get in good with the manager and become a “Yes Man (or Woman)” and not think for themselves. They will attach themselves to the supervisor and become flunkies. Or they would lie, cheat and deceive in order to give the appearance of being the most successful person on the team.

People do scandalous things to get ahead. Some people will even “sell their soul” just to make it to the top.

What stupid, unscrupulous, immoral thing have you done just to make a name for yourself? Have you sold out?

James 4:10 says Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

The Word says that we should humble ourselves which means it is not about us. Humbling ourselves requires that we are not proud, haughty, arrogant or assertive.

It is and always will be about God. We need to step out of the spotlight and instead, let our light shine.

Too many times we look to man for our promotions when in reality promotions come from above. We don’t need to be out front and seen in order to get ahead.

It is not rare for someone to be diligent at what they do and from out of no where, they are recognized for the work they have done and receive some form of compensation be it a promotion or pay increase. This actually happened to me before.

When you go about your daily task, do you do your work to be recognized and seen or do you do it for the greater good? Who are you trying to impress?

Regardless of what you do, you may think no one is watching but our Father who sees all has his eye on you the whole time.

Be Encouraged and Have a Great Day!