The Price of Sonship

As we prepare to enter into this next Season of Judgment, let us remember the objective of salvation. The objective of salvation is to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8). God did not send His Only Begotten Son to die for our sins just so we could go to Heaven after we die. The reason Jesus died for our sins is so that the original purpose of the Father from the beginning could be restored (Genesis 1). Once the relationship between God and humanity was restored, then the Original Plan could go back into effect. Satan has been effective in blinding the minds of the world, and many Christians as well, to the reality that our lives are literally supposed to revolve around the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

With this thought, we want to keep in mind that it's not enough for us simply to remain "children of God." God wants us to mature into Sonship (Galatians 4). Divine Sonship is not about gender, it's about an Office. Divine Sonship in Christ is not about whether you're male or female, it's about Maturity in the Lord (Galatians 3). However, what we must realize in order to fulfill this spiritual aspiration is that there is a Price to Sonship. There's a reason why a lot of Christians in the contemporary, mainstream church, particularly ministers, do not achieve the Level of Sonship. There's a Price to pay for it. And if you're not willing to pay the price, then spiritually you are relegated to the status of a child. You never Graduate to the Calling and Office of Sonship. This is one of the reasons why the Witness of the Church (at least in America) is so weak and powerless. We're content to remain spiritual babies! No more saints. God is ready for a Mature Church; a church that's ready to walk in the Manifestation of the Sons of God (Romans 8).

In the 19th chapter of the Gospel of John, the Jews said as they were preparing to crucify Christ, "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die , because He made Himself the Son of God." I believe that this law is still in effect, and that it's not just restricted to Hebrew law but is in fact a universal law. When a person proceeds to commit to the process of allowing the Holy Spirit to make them a son of God, he or she is thereby sentenced to die. Why is this the case? Because the carnal mind is enmity with God (Romans 8). 

One of the things that the church is going to have to realize if we're going to be effective in ushering in the Kingdom of God is that the world hates God. I know that may sound extreme, but it's the truth. A person who has not confessed Jesus Christ as their Personal Lord and Savior, has abiding in them a hatred of God for which they're not even aware of. 

Now mind you, there are some people that God has appointed unto salvation that have not yet confessed Jesus as Lord (Acts 13). But there are others who may be some of the nicest, most moral people you've ever met in your life. But the problem is, they will not submit to the Divine Will of God. When a believer in Christ submits to the Sanctification process orchestrated by the Holy Ghost for the reproduction of the Son of God within your being, you thereby become a candidate for death. This is why a lot of preachers run from this Call, because they're not yet ready to lay down their very lives for the Lord.

But Saints, there's a Glory that is associated with the Price of Sonship that the mainstream church has yet to tap into. There's a Realm in Christ and in the Spirit that will make you long to leave this world (Philippians 1). When we as the Body of Christ regain this Witness, we will again be used by God to turn the world upside down (Acts 17). People will again ask the most significant question, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16). God is ready to Release His Sons and Daughters into the earth for Kingdom Transformation. But the question is, are you willing to Pay the Price?

Not Better, But Covered

As we prepare for the judgment of God that is about to hit this nation, we want to understand how God deals, particularly with His people, during a season of Divine Judgment. Let us remember, this judgment will not be arbitrary. America has literally slapped God in the Face by legislating same-sex marriage for the nation of America. 

The demon of perversion is running wild. Commercials now are promoting same-sex couples like they're natural (notice I didn't say "normal"). The bank I do business with was promoting June as Gay Pride Month (I'll subsequently be pulling my money out of that bank very shortly). Bruce Jenner has allowed Satan to use him and further confuse America, claiming he's really a woman when God made him a man. God is not pleased! So Divine Judgment is ready to fall. But as strange as this might sound, this might be the greatest time for the elect. Notice I didn't say the church. Notice I didn't say Christians or believers. I said the elect. 

There are some people who profess Christ that are more pro-gay than some folks that don't even know Jesus in the pardon of their sins. So at this point it's not simply about your salvific status or religious affiliation, it's about your obedience to God and being in alignment with His Divine Will.

When you study the Book of Exodus, this is a book that demonstrates God's pattern when executing national judgment. The judgment of Egypt was set (Exodus 12). God gave the Egyptians and Pharoah time to repent. When they refused, God devastated their country. But what happened to the people of God? According to the Scriptures, they experienced deliverance and prosperity (Exodus 12). The point I want to stress is that when God releases His blessing upon His elect, while simultaneously releasing judgment upon this lost and confused nation, don't be surprised. It is the way of God. 

But understand, we won't receive the blessing in the midst of judgment because we're better, we'll experience the blessing because we're "covered." If you know the Passover story, God told Moses to instruct the children of Israel to cover their homes with the blood of a lamb (Exodus 12). I like the way one preacher described it. He said during this time historically, the Israelites didn't know anything about "Passover." They didn't know this was going to be an annual feast unto God to celebrate their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. All they knew was that the Prophet of God told them to put blood on their doorposts and stay inside and they would be safe. 

Saints, hear me, as the pending judgment of God gets closer to our nation, in order for you to be covered and to stay covered, it will be imperative that you learn to follow prophetic instruction. If a man or woman of God tells you to do, "Thus saith the Lord," do it! A lot of times, when God gives a prophetic word, it doesn't always make sense in the natural, and doesn't always register with the rational mind. Don't worry about that. Just do what the prophet tells you to do. You need to hear me on this. Some believers are too smart for their own good. Let me say it again: Do...what the prophet...tells you to do. I can't make it any plainer than that. 

The Bible says, "Believe the Lord thy God, so shall ye be established. Believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper" (2Chronicles 20). It's time to follow prophetic instruction. And just for the record, a "preached word" is not synonymous with a prophetic word. A prophetic word is not just a word given under "spiritual inspiration" or the anointing, it's Thus saith the Lord. It's God actually talking giving specific instruction.

We have to stay covered, saints. As strange as it may sound, these may very well be some of the best days the elect has ever experienced. It's going to be some very, very difficult days for our nation. But not for the elect; not because we're better, but because we'll be covered.

Let the Judgment Begin!

It's a sad day in the United States of America. On Friday, June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States of America legalized Same-Sex Marriage in this nation. The President, Barack Obama, followed the decision by congratulating the Court, saying that this was a "victory for America."

Saints, it's not a day of victory for this country, it's a day of mourning. Believe me when I tell you, The Father is grieved. The Lord loves America; but He loves her too much to watch her systematically and sociologically go to hell. The Father is ready to intervene. He's ready to turn the hearts of America back to Him. And how does He plan to do this? Judgment.

America has had time to repent. Remember, this is not a recent phenomenon. Even though the Supreme Court ruling was issued on Friday, this national legislation has been in the works for some time. One of the keys to this law getting passed is when the Supreme Court just two years ago in 2013, ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act that President Clinton made law (I believe) in 1996 was unconstitutional. This in fact stated that marriage could no longer be defined strictly as a relationship between a man and a woman. The gay rights proponents' thought that the States would take care of nationwide legislation for same-sex marriage. When the Lord answered the prayers of the righteous and did not allow that legislation to go through last year in 2014, that's when it was ultimately decided that the Supreme Court would have to make it national.


Saints, let me share with you that you need to get prepared for the greatest judgment of God this country has ever witnessed. If you think God is going to sit idly by and watch the nation He founded make a mockery of the sacred institution that He ordained between a man and a woman only, you're sadly mistaken. The judgment will be swift and sudden, and there won't be ANYTHING ANYBODY CAN DO ABOUT IT!  Not the President, not the Supreme Court, not the Congress, not Wall Street, not the banks, not the corporations, not the international community, nobody! And you wanna know why? Because it will be of God!

I won't take the time to describe the nature of the judgment that's about to hit this nation like a whirlwind (at least not right now), but I will say this; the people of God need to pray.

I received a prophetic word last year in which the Lord said that when He brings judgment upon America, if the people of God would pray, He would have mercy. Saints, believe me, mercy's going to be needed in the days to come like never before. If you think Hurricane Katrina was bad in 2005, if you think Hurricane Sandy was bad in 2012, if you think the flood that hit Detroit last year was rough; I'm trying to tell you, you ain't seen nothing yet! You can't literally slap God in His Face and not expect Him to take action. 

Let's make sure we're praying for our country because based upon the actions of our leaders today, let the judgment begin!

Missing The Glory

I recently received a report of a young man who claimed to have a vision of Jesus. As he was sharing his experience online, he adamantly stated a disclaimer for people who read his testimony not to "beat him up" per se, based upon his perspective about his vision of Jesus. He went on to say that when he saw Jesus he was not impressed. 

At first I thought it was amusing because he knew once he said that people were going to jump on him. I mean, how can you not be impressed with Jesus? But the Scriptures clearly state in Isaiah 53, "and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him." If we be honest, there are a lot of saints that are not "impressed" with Jesus. 

Yes, we love Him because He died for our sins. But in terms of being truly in love with Him, being obsessed with Him, absolutely adoring Him, having our world literally revolve around Him...we're not Impressed. I believe that a large reason why a great portion of the contemporary church is not "impressed" and hopelessly in love with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is because we're missing His Glory. There is a Glory that God possesses that He manifests in His Son that, when you witness It, there's nothing else in this universe that you desire. However, because a lot of the mainstream church has not experienced the Glory of God, at the end of the day, no mater how pious and sanctimonious we come off as being, we're really not that impressed with the Lord.

The Glory of God is the manifest presence of God. There are only two individuals according to Scripture, that inherently possessed and experienced the Glory of God; Adam and Jesus Christ (the Last Adam, 1 Corinthians 15). The Bible says in Romans chapter 3, "all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God." The logical conclusion here is that if you haven't sinned, then you haven't fallen short of God's Glory. 

Adam was created sinless, and of course Jesus was born sinless. So these two men inherently experienced the Glory of God. When Jesus took Peter, James and John up the Mount of Tranfiguration, there He showed them His Glory in a way that none of His disciples had witnessed (Matthew 17). When Jesus performed His first Miracle in the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of John, the scripture says, "this beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory."

If the church is going to be all that God has called and ordained her to be, it is imperative that we get a glimpse of The Glory of God. The only way this will happen is if we learn to press into His presence. We can no longer be satisfied with a superficial, religious association with God that we call Christianity. God wants ALL of our heart, ALL of our soul, ALL of our mind, and ALL of our strength (Luke 10). If we don't make this commitment, then we will have the same witness as John chapter 1, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." Let's make sure that we are not guilty of missing The Glory of God.

Hidden in Christ

Do you remember that game "Hide and Go-Seek," where one person would be "it" and everybody would find some place to hide? Well, if your hiding place was not sufficient, you would be tagged and you would become "it."

Saints, we're living in a day we need to start hiding. A more spiritual way to describe this would be to "find a covering." The direction that America is headed, if you're going to survive, literally, you're going to have to be covered. The American economy could collapse literally at any moment. You're going to need to be financially covered (hidden). Remember the Recession of 2008? The federal government is the epitome of dysfunction. When the economy collapses and the government has no money to pay subsidies and welfare and other government programs that we take for granted, you're going to have to be covered. And now we know, given the sad course of events that took place in South Carolina, that even going to church is not safe. You have to be covered!

The covering that's required to move forward in 2015 and beyond is Christ Jesus. Colossians chapter 3 says that we "are dead, and your life is hid in Christ in God". There are a lot of us that are "in Christ," but there's only one problem, we're not "hidden in Him." Now, theologically you may say that is impossible, and if you want to be strictly doctrinal you may be correct. But if you look at the text, the prerequisite for being hidden in Christ is death to self. Then the text proceeds to describe what that death looks like by referring to "mortification of the deeds of the body."

Saints, there are too many of us as believers that have not learned to die to self. And as a result, it's leaving us exposed. Exposed spiritually, exposed financially, exposed relationally, exposed physically and exposed emotionally. These are treacherous times; and Satan hasn't gotten off his job, which is to steal, kill and destroy you (John 10). We must learn to be Hidden in Christ if we're going to survive the perils of the days to come.

In order to effectively be hidden in Christ, you have to commit to operating in a "self-less identity." Too many of us are too full of ourselves. Full of what we think, full of how we feel, full of what seems right to us. This is not the will of God. God is not looking for a self-centered people, He's looking for a Christ-centered people. You can't be both, you must make a choice. Just because you're moral and righteous doesn't necessarily mean you've learned to be selfless. Just look at the Pharisees who crucified Christ. When you've become self-less your posture has consistently become, "not my will, but THY WILL BE DONE" (Luke 22). 

As we allow the Holy Spirit to bring us to this point, we begin to discover that we're no longer preoccupied with our "selves," we're focused and obsessed with the Person of Christ. All we want is Him. All we want to do is the Master's will. We won't care about consequences, we won't care about sacrifice, we won't care about image, we won't care about results; all we'll care about is Jesus. 

Once we mature to this mind-set, nothing in the earth realm can touch us. Economic Recession? Fine, I'm Hidden in Christ. Political Unrest? Fine, I'm Hidden in Christ. Terrorist Attacks? Fine, I'm Hidden in Christ. No Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper! (Isaiah 54). And Saints, even if we have to die (like the saints in South Carolina), it's still fine because of what Jesus said to Martha in the 12th chapter of the Gospel of John, "I Am the Resurrection, and the Life." Therefore, whether on earth or in Heaven, secular circumstances can't affect my state of being, because I'm always hidden in Christ.

A Stubborn Spirit

We must not be stubborn as mules.
We must submit our stubborn spirits
to God.

One of the things that I believe is grieving the heart of the Father and the Son is the stubbornness of His people. Too many believers that genuinely love the Lord are restricting their spiritual growth and progress in Christ because they refuse to release and relinquish that spirit of stubbornness. 

This is not pleasing to God. There are areas in all of our lives that require our complete submission and surrender to God. If we do not release this spirit of stubbornness and learn how to completely yield to the Divine will of God for our lives, we're going to miss the blessing that God has prepared for us as His people.

One of the areas for which a stubborn spirit manifests itself is a lack of obedience. The Bible is clear when it says that "all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God" (Romans 3). So we're not talking about a state of sinlessness. What we're talking about is being obedient to the revealed will of God for our lives. 

There are things that God has told some of us to do, and we still haven't done it! And not only have we "not" done it, we "won't" do it. This is not of God. This is a Stubborn Spirit. When God tells you to do something, the appropriate response is "Yes Sir." All this hemming and hawing, and "I don't want to do it"....stop that! As a child of God your responsibility is to be obedient to the will of the Father! End of discussion. Any posture or disposition contrary to that is a stubborn spirit. Now you may have challenges "executing" the Divine Will of God for your life. God has Grace for that (Ephesians 2). But when you make up your mind that you "ain't" gonna do what God tells you to do, that is a Stubborn Spirit and commensurate with Witchcraft (1Samuel 15).

Another area for which a spirit of stubbornness manifests itself is a lack of submission to spiritual leadership. God has placed Spiritual Leadership in place for a reason. It represents the Divine Order and Government of God (Ephesians 4). Therefore, when you refuse to follow the leadership that God has "Sovereignly placed you under", then you're rebelling against the Order of God and demonstrating a stubborn spirit. There's too much rebellion in the Body of Christ. People just want to do their own thing, in the church! This is not the will of God. You don't do your own thing on your job, do you? Well if you do, you certainly shouldn't be doing it in the House of God. People say, "well, I don't agree with the pastor". Your job's not to agree, your job is to submit! (Hebrews 13). "Well what if they're wrong?" Then have enough faith in God to get'em right. But know your place and stay in your lane. We must learn to honor the Leadership that God has given to us rather than to continue to resist it. This is the manifestation of a Stubborn Spirit.

The last area of stubbornness that I'm witnessing in the Body of Christ is the unwillingness to admit when we're wrong. Saints, all of us make mistakes, ALL OF US. None of us get it right 100% of the time. So, be humble enough to admit that you might be wrong. Have a spirit and a posture that is "open" to correction. There are some people that love instruction but hate correction. They love to learn, but hate to be told "they're wrong." Saints, this spirit is not of God. Develop a posture that says you're open to be corrected, even when you think you're right. This way, when God does send you a word that might be "contrary" to your spirit, you won't be so swift to just write it off; but because you know there's a "possibility" that you could be wrong, you might be more apt to consider that what you're receiving is right.

We need deliverance, Saints. There are places God is ready to take us that, to our natural senses and limited spiritual experience, is going to seem wrong. We've got to grow out of this. We've got to make sure that we're open to the "new" that God wants to introduce us to. We have to ensure that we're no longer bound by a stubborn spirit.

Living Your Life On Purpose

I was talking to a Prophet of God the other day, and that person shared with me a word that the Lord had given to the Prophet  for His people: "Live Your Life On Purpose." This word struck me, because there are too many people, including the people of God, that are going about life aimlessly without any set goals, without any established ambitions, without any specific dreams and aspirations. They're just wandering in life. This is not the will of God. 

The problem with being a "wanderer" in life is that you begin to settle for whatever life brings to you because you don't have a standard by which to measure your expectations in life, therefore you don't have any expectations from Life. Once again, this is not the will of God. God has plans for every individual that walks this earth, particularly His born-again children. But there is a path that must be traveled in order to reach God's Divine destination for our lives. Therefore, we must be intent upon living our lives on purpose. 

One area that we must be more deliberate and on purpose about is knowledge. TV, radio and the Internet have really made people lazy when it comes to developing their minds. I still agree with the slogan of the United Negro College Fund, "A Mind is a terrible thing to waste." We can't afford to just "listen to anything." We can't afford to just "watch anything." We have to watch and screen what we watch and listen to on purpose. We need to get back to reading. Not just reading the Word of God, but just reading in general instead of just always watching television or surfing the net. 

The Scripture says, "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4). There is a lot of material that can be edifying to the mind and soul if we take the time to think on it and process it. Currently, I am not watching ESPN. I love sports, but I am boycotting this network. Why? Because I'm not going to invest the time of my mind watching a network that celebrates and promotes social perversion. ESPN is awarding Bruce Jenner the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage because he came out as a transgender. This is an abomination to God! Therefore, any thing they have to report I have no desire to watch. That's On Purpose!

Another area we have to be more deliberate and intentional in is our relationships. Not everybody can be your friend, including your family members. Not everybody can be close to you, including other Christians and church members. There's a reason why God told Abraham to leave his family in order to answer his call (Genesis 12). There's a reason why, when Jesus was going to do something specifically out of the norm, that out of the 12 Disciples He would only choose Peter, James and John (Matthew 17, Mark 14). If you're looking to get in a relationship, you can't just "hook up" with somebody because they're attractive, or even if they're saved. There has to be purpose behind the relationships we establish, Divine Purpose. Also keep in mind, some relationships that may have worked 5 to 10 years ago or longer, may not be fruitful and conducive to where God is taking you now. Some relationships do expire in terms of God's season for your life.

The last thing we need to be intentional about is what we eat. The body is the Temple of the Lord (1Corinthians 6). Some of us are filling the residence of God with too much junk. We can no longer afford to just eat what "tastes good" or what is commonly called these days "feel good" food. We have to begin to mature in the area of our diet and learn to eat, not so much what 's good to us but what's good for us. 

There is a lot of work that we're going to be called to do in the days to come, and our bodies are going to have to have a sufficient level of energy to do it. We won't be fit to do the work of God if our body is sick because of our negligence and lack of physiological responsibility. 

Saints, it's time to do some self-inventory, examine ourselves and make sure that we're exercising the necessary discipline to live our lives on purpose.

The Kingdom Takeover

I was reading a book by the Apostle Rick Joyner a few months ago entitled, The Final Quest. In the book, he described one of his visits to Heaven where he had a chance to speak with the Lord Jesus. In his conversation with the Lord, he shared something the Lord said to him that really struck me. The Lord said, and I paraphrase, "when I come to a situation, I don't come to take sides, I come to take over."

Saints, that's what time it is in the Kingdom of God. It's time for a Kingdom Takeover. We need to understand, as soldiers in the Army of the Lord, we're not being called to compromise, we're not being called to fit in. We're being called to rule! We are Kings and Priests in the Lord Jesus Christ! (Revelation 5).

In appropriating this belief properly, we have to learn to draw the distinction between the "priestly realm" and the "kingly realm." The priestly realm is the realm dealing primarily with the House of God. If you look at the ministry of the Levitical priesthood in the Old Testament, you'll find that they never went out to war. This was not their role. Their role was to administer the sacrifices unto God on behalf of the people of God. The various sacrifices that God commanded the Israelites to administer in order to keep in good standing with Jehovah (The Book of Leviticus). 

The application of this principle today would be the contemporary House of God, or what we typically describe as the Church. Believers meet weekly to "go to church" and assemble with one another in worship in "the House of God." There's nothing wrong with this of course; but we need to understand that the Kingdom of God is not established by the activity in the House. In many major cities there are churches (Houses of God) on nearly every corner. Yet the community and the neighborhoods remain pretty much the same. Why? Because the priestly realm has not been designed by God to usher in and facilitate a "Kingdom Move." People want to get frustrated with the "non-effectiveness" of the church, without realizing how the church, in terms of the local congregation, has actually been set up to function. You don't put a Chevrolet Malibu in an Indy 500 race!

Then you have the kingly realm, which is the realm that is responsible for the actual advancement of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven. When you look at the Kingly Ministry in the Old Testament, you find the different kings of Israel, starting with King David. The kings were responsible for going to war.  The kings went to battle. David, operating under the kingly anointing received from the prophet Samuel (1Samuel 16), defeated Goliath in battle (1Samuel 17). Kings didn't work in the House like the priests, they went to war. And the wars didn't take place in the House of God, they took place on the battlefield  The battlefield of today is the world. And the battles that have to be fought can't be fought in the church, they have to be fought in the battlefield of the world. There are still some Goliaths that have to be defeated. Goliaths like same-sex marriage, gender mis-identity, racism, sexism, materialism, greed, poverty, oppression and more. These battles aren't going to be fought by "the pastors", they have to be fought by the kings!

Where are the kings that God is ready to use to usher in His Kingdom? Can I tell you, they may be in the church but they're not staying in the church.  Before David was anointed King of Israel he was shepherding his daddy's sheep (1Samuel 16). In other words, he was a pastor. But when God was ready to establish and advance His Kingdom, he called David from "the priestly realm" and established him in the "kingly realm." Make sure saints that you're allowing the Holy Spirit to nurture the Kingdom calling that He has ordained for you so that you can be a part of the Kingdom Takeover.

Fighting the Real War

As we continue to mourn for the community of Charleston, South Carolina and the members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church, we want to further examine some of the dynamics that sponsored this horrible and tragic event. 

The young man who committed the crime, was quoted that his objective in the shooting was to start a race war. What this lets us know is that racism is alive and well in the United States of America. And we can be honest; a lot of this "manifest prejudice" is spurred on by the fact that we have an African-American serving as President of the United States. However, with all of this being said, isn't it interesting that the young man would choose a "black church" to incite the race war?

This is not a coincidence. I'm still inclined to believe that, for the most part, the most segregated hour in church is 11 a.m. on Sunday morning. Yes, we have our megachurches that are extremely multicultural. But by and large, when you attend a church or visit a congregation, it's going to be "predominantly" one color. This is not the will of God. We've got to get out of this mind-set of "the black church" or "the white church." Even other ethnic groups have picked it up; the "Hispanic church," the "Korean church." None of this is the will of God. As a matter of fact, when you read the Bible, churches were not identified based upon racial composition, they were identified based upon geographical location. So regardless of the ethnic makeup of an area or region, the church should be identified based upon where it's located. However, rather than the church serving as a force and a witness to "change" the racial divide in America, whether we are conscious of it or not, we serve a large part of helping to sponsor and facilitate it.

If the church doesn't repent (I'm not even talking about the nation) we're going to experience more and more tragedies of this nature. The Kingdom Movement that God is ready to release into the earth cannot and will not be based upon ethnicity and color. It will be based upon faith in God and love for the Lord. That's why Paul made it clear that there is no Jew or Greek in Christ (Colossians 3). That's also true for black and white. God's not looking at color in His Son, He's looking at the heart.

One of the primary areas where this has to shift is with those in ministerial leadership. If you are a pastor or a minister of the Gospel (which includes apostles, prophets, evangelists and teachers), then it is incumbent upon you to let the Holy Spirit breathe to break this yoke and mindset. Isn't it interesting that at the Bible study where the nine people were killed that no one white was there? I've been in plenty of Bible studies where the thought of someone of Caucasian descent being absent wasn't even an issue. This has got to change. But not from the vantage point of reaching out for "more white people" or different ethnic groups, but letting the Holy Spirit lead regardless of the racial demographic. The focus now has to be need. The church has to focus on the hurt, the pain and the needs of ALL PEOPLE, regardless of their race or ethnic background.

We can talk about gun control, we can talk about the Confederate flag, and all of these are legitimate issues. But remember, we wrestle not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6). The real war are the strongholds of divisiveness, prejudice and racism that still prevail in the Body of Christ. Let's allow the Holy Spirit to renew our thinking so that we will be available to fight the real war.

Where was God?

Nine people were shot at the historic Emanuel African
Methodist Episcopal Church on June 22, 2015, in
Charleston, South Carolina by a 21-year-old man. 

We mourn for the city of Charleston, South Carolina, and the families that lost their loved ones in the senseless shooting that took nine lives in the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Our prayers go up for that community and that congregation as they seek to find healing and solace in yet another shooting tragedy in our country. 

To hear how this event transpired is saddening as well as frightening. One can come up with all types of explanations as to why a tragic event like this would transpire and take the lives of, once again, innocent victims. However, what intrigues me (if you will) about this event is the location in which it happened. This shooting did not take place in the streets of a major city while an annual marathon was taking place. This shooting didn't take place in a school, where children and students were victimized. This shooting didn't take place in a mall or a movie theater; it took place in a church! 

So, the question I want to raise today is, "Where was God?" If the church is the House of God, and it is, and the members are the people of God, which they are, then why would God allow such a dastardly deed to take place in His House and amongst His people?

Saints, this is the question that needs to be raised, for such a time as this. Remember that nothing takes place in the earth realm without the divine permission of God (Job 1). Therefore, even though He may not have sponsored it, He definitely allowed it. 

So why would God allow nine innocent church members to get murdered in the House of God? Of course I can't answer that question definitively, but I would like to look at a few dynamics to which could help sponsor and facilitate such a tragic event in the House of God:

One of the things that we have to begin to realize on a more conscious level is that Satan does reside in the church. He, of course, is not the head of the church, that's the role of Christ (Colossians 1). Nor is he the leader of the church, that is the role of the Holy Spirit (John 16). Yet Satan's presence does exist in the church. With this being the case, whether we want to admit it or not, there is demonic activity transpiring in a lot of our congregations. When you have unchecked and unrestrained Satanic activity transpiring in the church, tragic events like these are able to happen.

The next thing I want to examine, and please hear me with an open mind and an open heart, is the type of church in which the shooting occured. Emanuel A.M.E Church was one of the oldest African-American churches in the country. Having served as the pastor of a historic African-American congregation, I'm well acquainted with the amount of "tradition" that is present in a congregation with that type of historic status. Sometimes, a historic congregation can take more pride in their status and prestige than they do the movement of the Spirit. When this happens, the presence of God is actually forced out of the church. Let me say this again: when a historic congregation takes more pride in its status and prestige than it does the movement of the Holy Spirit, the presence of God is actually forced out of the church. I'm not saying this is what necessarily happened in this instance; but I am saying it is a possibility. 

When historic congregations get intoxicated by their status and prestige, tradition and protocol take over, not the will of God. Saints, this is demonic! Yes, I said it. Churches that are more pressed about their status and tradition and protocol more so than the Divine will of God and the movement of His Holy Spirit are being demonically influenced. We have to get out of the mind set that only people who vomit, roll on the floor and turn their necks 360 degrees are the only people being demonically influenced. What type of spirit do you think was ruling the Pharisees, the ones that crucified Christ?

Lastly saints, when the demonic spirit of tradition and status takes over a church, and the Movement of the Holy Spirit is suppressed and quenched, the ultimate result is the Judgment of God. The Bible clearly states that judgment starts in the House of God (1Peter 4). If this country doesn't repent, America will experience one of the greatest signs of judgment this nation has ever experienced. 

But what we're missing is that before God judges this nation, He's going to judge His church. I'm not saying this is what exactly transpired in this tragedy in South Carolina. But what I will say definitely is that, if nothing else, this tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to the Body of Christ. Not to be on watch for estranged Caucasian men that sit in the back of your church. Not to be scared to go to "Wednesday night Bible study." No. To wake up and understand that the God we claim to serve is not playing! Remember, HE ALLOWED THIS TRAGEDY. None of what I'm saying is an indictment on the Emanuel A.M.E Church of Charleston, South Carolina, nor the members thereof. But when we ask the question, "Where was God?," maybe His Presence was no longer allowed there.

Guilty by Association

One of the things that we want to keep in mind about the God we serve is that God is actively looking for friends. God the Father wants friends in the earth. Believe it or not, God doesn't have a lot of friends. This is because a lot of people, including many Christians, do not qualify for friendship with God. Part of the reason why a lot of born-again, children of God are disqualified from Divine Friendship is because they are guilty by association. The association of many people, including Christians, keeps them from becoming friends with God. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10). So regardless of your anointing or your calling, if you're guilty by association, you are disqualified from friendship with God.

The scripture says in the Book of James that friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4). Some of us are too "chummy" with the world to be the friend of God. The first epistle of John lays out what the friendship of the world looks like: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1John 2). If you are associating with these things, then yes, you may be saved; but you are not the friend of God. There are plenty of parents who have children with whom they're not friends. God the Father is no different with His children.

The other association that can hinder us from being friends with God is our family. Abraham, the only person in scripture who was specifically identified as the friend of God (James 2), was called by God to leave his family and kindred (Genesis 12). If he had refused to do this, he wouldn't have qualified to be the friend of God. As much as we love our family, a lot of times their mindset is diametrically opposed to what it is that God has called us to do. 

Because the calling that God has placed on our lives is primarily between us and God, a lot of times family members just don't understand. However, this doesn't keep them from expressing their opinion, and many instances, their ignorance. If you're going to be a friend of God, you're not going to have time to "negotiate" between what your family thinks and what God has commanded. Even if it doesn't require a legitimate physical or geographical shift, at some level there has to be a separation between us and our family if they don't possess the spiritual capacity and discernment to receive what it is that God is calling us to do.

The last area that is required for friendship with God is sacrifice. If you're not willing to deny yourself, if you're not willing to surrender, if you're not willing to sacrifice, you can't be a friend of God. That's why Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, "not My will, but Thy Will be done" (Luke 22). At some point, if you're going to be the friend of God, the Father's going to command you to do something that will go against the very fiber of your nature and being. However, if you're God's friend, you'll be obedient. Obedience is a prerequisite to Divine Friendship, regardless of the circumstances. God is calling all of us to Divine Friendship. Don't be disqualified because you're found to be guilty by association.

The Joy of the Lord

Many of us have heard the scripture, "the joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8). We've also heard the scripture, "in His Presence there is fulness of joy" (Psalm 16). These are all wonderful scriptures, and very, very true. However, a lot of times when we're speaking of the Joy of the Lord, we're talking about how that joy will serve us and bless us. This too is applicable, but we want to view the Joy of the Lord from a different perspective. Let's view the Joy of the Lord in terms of what's going to actually give "the Lord" Joy. The Joy of the Lord is just that, HIS JOY. And what we should want to do, as His children, is give the Father as much Joy as we possibly can. What can we do to give Joy to the Father? What can we do to actually make Jesus happy?

One of the things that brings joy to the Lord is Worship and Praise. The Scriptures say, "make a Joyful Noise unto the Lord" (Psalm 100). Everyday, as the people of God, we ought to take time to give God joy by just Worshiping Him. Don't wait till just Sunday morning. Don't wait for the choir and praise team. Give God praise during the week!. Just as you read your Daily Devotional and read your daily scriptures, you need to be giving God daily praise. Be deliberate and intentional about this. Remember what Jesus said, the Father is "seeking" people to worship Him (John 4). Why? Because it gives Him Joy.

Another thing that brings joy to God is humility. This is something that needs to be stressed more in the Body of Christ. God loves Humility. If you want to get on God's "good side", just learn to be Humble. That's why Fasting is so important, because it "humbles the soul" (Psalm 35). The first Beattitude that Jesus describes in Matthew chapter 5 has to do with humility, "blessed are the poor in spirit". Jesus describes Himself as being meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11), which is the essence of humility. There are too many Christians that are filled with pride and arrogance and conceit. This is not the will of God. And more importantly, it's not the character of God. When Jesus came to Jerusalem prior to His Crucifixion, He rode on a donkey as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to accentuate the Humility of His reign. He was born in a manger as a King, to demonstrate the humility of His Mission.

The last thing that gives God joy is the Suffering of His saints. It's rare that I hear sermons about Christians being called to suffer, but it is the Word of God (1Peter 2). Isaiah 53 says that it pleased the Father to bruise His Son. God the Father received joy out of the Crucifixion of His Son. Now, to us, that sounds perverted and twisted. But remember what the Father said, "His Ways are not our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts" (Isaiah 55). Whether we can comprehend it or not, that should not determine whether or not we receive it spiritually. If it's in the Word, then it's Truth!  Our challenge then is to accept it by faith and allow the Holy Spirit to breathe on our hearts so that we may be renewed in the spirit of our mind (Ephesians 4). We've got to stop restricting our spiritual growth to what we can "understand" cognitively. We walk by faith, not by rationale. 

I was talking to a Prophet of God not too long ago and that person had a discussion with God about the inordinate amount of suffering that the Prophet was personally experiencing. The Prophet shared with me that the Father responded to a prayer about the suffering by simply saying, "My Son suffered." But we're not called to suffer just for suffering's sake. We're called to suffer because it represents the joy of the Lord.

Good, but not Godly

One of the things that I believe about a lot of Americans is that they fit the description of the old saying "they're just good people". There are a lot of "good people" in America. People that are relatively honest. People that believe in making an honest day's pay. People that believe in people treating fairly and with respect. People that believe in taking care of their families and honoring their communities and country. Just "good people". However, the challenge that I'm also finding with a lot of Americans is that even though we have a lot of people in this nation that are "good", we don't necessarily have a lot of people that are "godly".
There is a distinct difference between being "socially good" and "spiritually godly". Many Americans have mastered the social graces of operating in American culture. But we have failed miserably in embracing the principles and precepts that lead to godly living that pleases God. This is why you can have an American President who, for all intents and purposes, would be considered a "good guy" or a "good man", who at the same time publicly condones same-sex marriage before the entire nation. This is why you can have a major sports network that is full of employees that would be considered "good people", give an award to a man who is confused about gender identity. These things would not be happening if America was more of a godly nation.
Part of this cultural phenomenon has to do with the witness of the church. One of the problems with many Christians is that we actually think that we are good. Jesus makes it very clear when He was talking to the rich, young ruler, "there is none good but God" (Mark 10). So the witness of the church needs to be, we ain't no good. Yes saints, we have no goodness apart from God. So no matter how moral you are, how disciplined you are, how holy you are, JESUS SAYS, if you ain't God, you ain't good. This is an important concept to embrace because we begin to project a spirit of "self-righteousness" when we become infatuated and impressed with our own brand of goodness. This is not of God. Rejoice strictly and solely in the Righteousness of Christ on behalf of our sins (Romans 5).
On the other hand, another problem with the witness of the church is that we don't have a strong enough witness of godliness. When a person is walking in godliness, the understanding is that the Spirit of Christ is now manifesting Himself through our spirit and personality. It's not our godliness, it's the Lord's. But He has to have willing and available vessels to work through. That's why the scripture says that it's the will of God for us to be Sanctified (1Thessalonians 4). That's why the Bible says that Jesus died to redeem us from iniquity (Titus 2). Saints, as members of the Body of Christ, we can no longer continue to delve in the works of the flesh. We must learn to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5). We must establish a witness to the world that shows that the works we do for Christ are not about our goodness, they are about His godliness working through us.

No Pain, No Gain

"No pain, no gain."

We live in a very pain-aversive society. Everyone wants to be successful, but at little cost as possible. Affluence and upward mobility is signified by how much of a convenient lifestyle one can afford. Even though there's nothing wrong with experiencing some of the comforts and amenities of life, a lifestyle of ease and comfort is not the will of God. 

God has called us to a lifestyle of self-denial. Jesus has called us to be His disciples and to bear our cross (Matthew 16). However, even though God has made it clear what He's looking for out of His saints, many Christians are seeking the "path of least resistance". When we begin to encounter opposition and resistance we begin to cry out like Jesus, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me" (Matthew 27). A lot of us go through this experience because we have yet to realize the truth of "no pain, no gain".

In the Book of James, the Scripture admonishes us to "be afflicted and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness" (James 4). This goes against the idea that God just wants us to "be happy." Yes, the Father wants us to enjoy life, but there comes a time in our development where He Divinely sponsors our going through adverse circumstances. He wants us to cry, he wants us to mourn, He wants us to be afflicted. Why? Because no pain, no gain. This Christian journey is about being conformed to the Image of Christ (Romans 8). The Bible says that Christ learned obedience by the things which He suffered (Hebrews 5). There are some lessons that the Father will teach us that can only be learned in the classroom of trial and suffering.

Paul said in the 12th chapter of 2 Corinthians that he gloried and took pleasure in his infirmities. To the natural mind, this sounds crazy. But to the spiritual mind it should not. Paul goes on to elaborate that when God has him enduring infirmities, that's when the power of Christ is resting upon him. 

Saints, if we want to experience the power of God, we must be willing to submit to the infirmities and struggles that are sponsored by God. Let me say it again. If we want to experience the power of God, we must be willing to submit to the infirmities and struggles sponsored by God. Remember, Jesus' crucifixion may have been carried out by man and satanically inspired, but it was Divinely Designed before the foundation of the world (Acts 2). The Scripture says that it pleased the Father to bruise the Son (Isaiah 53). Jesus only died because God wanted Him to. And rest assured saints, whatever struggles, trials, persecutions, hardships, heartaches, heartbreaks, suffering, struggles, etc. that you're going through, it's all divinely allowed (Romans 8). 

So, quit complaining and whining and wimpering; look for the power! Look for the edification and the spiritual education that God has hidden in the midst of your pain and in the midst of your struggles. If you understand that it's all working for your good and that God is allowing this trial to test you and develop you, then you'll submit to the wisdom of the saying, "no pain, no gain."

Handling the Favor of God

I recently received a prophetic word where the Lord said to tell His people to "prepare for the Latter Rain.".As we've been saying for some time now, God is ready to do a work that's going to release the Blessings of the Kingdom of God in the earth realm. When this happens, those who have been faithful to the Lord during this Season are going to be literally "overtaken" with blessings (Deuteronomy 28). This sounds like a wonderful thing (and it is), but when God blesses you in a supernatural way, there's a great responsibility in knowing how to Handle the Favor of God.

Most of us, I would dare to say, are probably used to having to struggle. We've grown accustomed to "making ends meet" when it comes to our finances. Many of us have probably adjusted to being sick. We've learned to "live with" the aches and pains of disease and discomfort. Let me say for the record, none of this is the will of God. Jesus made it clear that He came that we might have life, and life more abundantly (John 10). 

So, in order to properly receive the blessings of God, there has to be change in mind-set. A lot of us have become "conditioned" to our circumstances. Therefore, initially, as much as we will thank God for the miracle blessings, there will be a part of us that won't know how to receive it. Begin to pray on this even now. Ask God to prepare your heart and mind for abundance. The things that you've been praying to the Lord about "for years," ask the Father to "renew your mind" so that you will be in a place to embrace and receive the Blessings He has in store for you; not operate in a subtle spirit of resistance.

The next thing that we have to be prepared for in handling the favor of God are the detractors, or in more popular vernacular, "the haters". There are going to be people that, when God releases His Supernatural Favor upon your life, are not going to be happy for you. In fact, they're going to be down right mad! Because the question they're going to be asking is, why not me? What makes "them" so special? That's not a question that you have to waste time trying to answer. God is Sovereign, and He blesses whom He wants to bless (Romans 9). The scripture says very clearly, "be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6). The sum total of a person's life is contingent upon the decisions one makes in life. Different decisions produce different results. You don't have to apologize for the sacrifices of faith that you have demonstrated over the years that, at God's appointed time, He saw fit to honor and reward. Pray for your enemies and be kind to them, but keep it moving.

The last area that we want to address in handling the favor of God is the aspect of humility. There's something about the human nature that once God begins to lift us up, we have a tendency to forget about Him (Deuteronomy 8). God forbid! Just the thought of that grieves my heart. But it happens. And it happens to well-intentioned and sincere children of God. We must guard our hearts against subtle arrogance and pride. When God decides to release His Supernatural Favor upon your life, make sure to maintain or obtain a spirit of humility. It is humility that leads to honor (Proverbs 18). Pray now that God will bless you with an humble spirit. Even if you think you're already humble, pray to be even more so; because when these overwhelming blessings take place in your life, it's going to challenge you in a way for which you've never experienced before. 

Prepare to go on a fast; for fasting humbles the soul (Psalm 35). God gives grace to the humble (James 4), and we're going to need His Grace if we're going to properly handle the favor of God.

Let's Get Busy!

Some of you may remember the "Late Night Show" with Arsenio Hall from the 1990s (not the one from this century). After Arsenio Hal would do his opening monologue, he would always say, "Let's...get...busy!" Saints, that's what time it is for the church. It's time for us to get busy about our Heavenly Father's business !(Luke 2). 

I'd like to say that there are a lot of churches that are busy. The only problem is that they're not busy tending to the Father's business and the advancement and building of the Kingdom of God. The reason we know this is the case is because a tree is known by the fruit that it bears (Luke 6). If more churches were busy tending to the Father's business, we'd see more Kingdom fruit in the earth.

One of the areas for which the church needs to get busy is learning how to rest in the Lord. The Scripture says in Hebrews chapter 4 that we are to "labor to enter into that rest." Yes, we are to labor in ministry, but there's a labor that God is calling us to that will supersede the ministry work we do and will translate into Kingdom work and Kingdom manifestation. Remember the scene where Jesus was with the sisters Mary and Martha? The Bible says that Martha was busy serving, and complained that her sister wasn't helping her. But Jesus responded, "one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part" (Luke 10). Saints, it is necessary that we learn to make a priority of resting in the Lord and communing with Him. 

One of the problems with a lot of us as preachers is that we've become professional ministers. Serving the Lord has become more of a vocation than it is a relational calling. Wrong! This is not the will of the Lord. The Lord wants us to spend time with Him. He wants us to commune with Him. He wants us to worship Him and to praise Him. Not just in church, but when we're alone. If you apply the 5 Love Languages to our relationship with God, He wants quality time. And Saints, it takes work. You have to labor. You have to sacrifice. You have to be diligent about entering His rest.

Then Saints, we have to get busy about bearing our cross. Where is the message of sacrifice and suffering? The Scripture says that any person who will live godly "shall" suffer persecution (2Timothy 3). So if there's not a lot of persecution in the church, does it suggest that there's also not enough godliness? Jesus made it clear, any person who would be His disciple must bear their cross (Matthew 16). We must get busy about identifying what it is that God is calling us to die for in the name of building His Kingdom. The Apostle Peter said that we have been called to suffer (1Peter 2). We must get busy about answering this call.

I received a prophetic word yesterday, where the Lord said to tell His people to prepare for the" latter rain." Saints, we're almost there. The Kingdom move that has been anticipated since the beginning of this century is about to be released in the earth. Miracles, signs and wonders will be abundant. Financial prosperity will be overflowing. Souls will be saved and hearts and minds renewed. Needless to say, there will be a lot of work to do, so let's get busy in preparation for the next move of God!

The Call to Kingship

One of the callings in the church that doesn't get enough attention is the call to kingship. There's a lot of focus on being called to preach, the call to pastor, the call to teach, even the call to prophecy, but there's not enough focus on the call to being a king. The Bible says in Revelation chapters 1 and 5 that God has made us kings and priests. In order for us to be adequately prepared and function properly in the Kingdom movement that God is releasing in the earth, it is important that we understand the nature of our call to kingship.

When we go back to the Book of Exodus, the Scripture says that God described the children of Israel as "a kingdom of priests" (Exodus 19). Generally, when we think of the children of Israel, we think of a group of disobedient people that God had to rescue out of Egyptian bondage and put up with through their wilderness wanderings. Even though this is true to a very large extent, it doesn't represent who God ordained them to be. This identification that God places upon His people in Exodus 19, is right before His Divine visitation and the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. What a lot of people miss in regards to the Ten Commandments is that it wasn't just about "a set of rules" for the children of Israel to live by. It was the establishing of God's Kingdom amongst His Redeemed people. It was the Inauguration of the Kingdom of God! And what God had ordained for the Israelites was for them to serve as kings (a kingdom of priests) in the establishment of His Kingdom heading into the Promised Land. However, needless to say, they failed to answer this call.

God has extended this same call to the church in this present day and hour. When Pilate asked Jesus was He the King of the Jews, Jesus responded by saying, "to this end was I born" (John 18). And saints, the reason we've been "born again" is to serve as kings under Jesus Christ. That's why He is the King of kings (Revelation 19). Every born again believer has been called to a Ministry of Kingship. But just like in the natural, it's something you have to "inherit." The son of a king doesn't just "become" the king, he must inherit his father's throne. He has "the right" to the throne because he "is" a son, he's an heir; but the prince must still inherit the throne and authority of his father the king. This becomes a challenge for many Christians because the scripture says in Galatians chapter 4 that "the heir as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of al." As a child of God, you can't walk into the ministry of kingship operating in a state of spiritual immaturity.

Saints, the power that God has given us, associated with the manifestation of His Kingdom is beyond measure. The authority and dominion that has been reserved for the children of God is beyond belief. But God's not calling babies, still weaning on milk, to walk in the ministry of kingship. It's time that we grow up, take off the spiritual bibs and diapers, and mature into the men and women of God that the Lord is calling us to be; so that we may aptly and appropriately answer the call to kingship.

The Masterpiece of God

From Michelangelo's Masterpiece:
"The Creation of Adam"

Most of us understand that the God we serve is the Creator. The Bible clearly shows in the first two chapters of Genesis that God created the heavens and the earth. But one of the things that we often lose sight of is that God's Creative Power is not restricted to the Beginning. The God we worship is still serving in His role as Creator. I've heard people make the statement, God's not making any new land. Says who? Don't restrict the creativity of God to the first chapter of the Bible. He's still making things out of nothing. That's what He does!

But let us not forget the masterpiece of God. The masterpiece of all of God's creation are humans (male and female). The reason why humans are the masterpiece of God's creation is because we are the only aspect of His creation that were made in His Image and after His Likeness (Genesis 1). So as human beings, we represent the Masterpiece of God. Now one would think that the masterpiece of humanity has been ruined because of the entrance of sin into the human race. Au contraire, Saints. As a matter of fact, quite the opposite. Believe it or not, the fall of the human race gave God a chance to show how great of a Creator He really is. It's one thing to make something out of nothing. It's another thing to take something that's marred and broken, "without form and void" (Genesis 1), and then turn "that" into a masterpiece. That's what Salvation is all about.

When God sent His only begotten Son to save the world from sin, He also used Him to demonstrate what His Masterpiece of Creation is supposed to look like. We've often miss in Christianity that every born-again believer is supposed to manifest the Witness of Jesus Christ (Romans 8). Jesus is not so much the masterpiece, as much as He is the Model of the Masterpiece. He didn't have to be made, He always was. With that understanding, our whole ambition for living should be to imitate and emulate the Model of the Masterpiece that Jesus demonstrated while on earth.

The Bible says that "we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2). God is still creating in us. He's actually creating the Model of the Masterpiece within us, so that we can be witnesses and manifestations of the Model of the Masterpiece, which of course is Christ Jesus. But here's the mystery saints, the manifestation of the masterpiece isn't restricted to the earthly and temporal realm. One of the things that undermines the witness of the church is that we think too much in finite terms and earthly dimensions. 

Remember, the masterpiece of God (His human creation) wasn't made for time, we were made for Eternity. And also remember, our source is not Earth, our Source is Heaven. That's why Jesus repeatedly said, "my Kingdom is not of this world" (John 18). Saints, it's time that we honor the Father, submit to the craftsmanship of the Holy Spirit, and allow Christ to be formed in us as the Masterpiece of God.

A Sense of Urgency

The Church lacks a sense of urgency.

One of my gravest concerns for the mainstream church is our apathy and indifference towards the things of God and the signs of the times. There are things happening in this nation that ought to have the people of God outraged. 

This whole situation with Bruce Jenner and the gender-identity crisis grieves my heart; but not more than it grieves the Heart of God. I recently received a report that ESPN plans to award Bruce Jenner for his courage in this issue. If this report is true and ESPN follows through with this, I will have to subsequently boycott them and not watch their network anymore. I can't support a company that openly supports and celebrates perversion and confusion. But where is the voice of the church? Why don't we hear more spiritual leaders in America rising up with the authority and influence that God has providentially given them, and speak out on issues like these that we know grieve the Heart of the Father? It's because the church lacks a sense of urgency. 

We, too, have fallen victim to the dormant spiritual slumber that has affected and infected this nation. We too, even though our souls are covered by the Blood of Jesus, have allowed the Evil One to blind our minds to the truth and the urgency of the hour (2 Corinthians 4). Saints, let me make this as clear as I can; if something doesn't happen to turn America around, you're going to see this country in a shape that you've never witnessed before. 

A prophet of God made a declaration at the end of 2011, stating that God had told him to put together a 15,000 member Prayer Force to turn around the judgments that were set for America.

We can no longer afford to be laid back in our faith. We can no longer afford to "go with the flow." We can no longer sit idly by and think that we can't make a difference. Yes we can! We not only can make a difference we must make a difference. I challenge every believer who witnesses this blog to renew your commitment and devotion to the Lord. 

As we prepare to move into the Summer Season, let the Holy Spirit lead you and guide you in the paths that God has ordained for your life. Those areas in which you know you are weak and are out of the Divine Will of God for your life, seek God for a spirit of repentance and conversion, that God will renew you in the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4). Seek to become an even more devoted disciple of Christ. Stretch yourself even the more to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8). I make this exhortation, Saints, because the hour is late. Play time is over. We must now approach this season with a sense of urgency.

The Reality of the Resurrection

Photo courtesy of Dr. Ashraf Fekry via Flickr

What if I told you that you didn't have to die? That's what Jesus said in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Saint John. Any man that believeth in Him will never die. The key to this promise that Jesus gave to the believer is the understanding of the reality of the resurrection. 

Even though the resurrection is an event that we generally celebrate once a year, the reality of the resurrection is not supposed to be restricted to the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The reality of the resurrection is supposed to be a weapon that arms our faith, that is supported and strengthened by He who is the Resurrection, Jesus the Christ.

What is the reality of the resurrection? The reality of the resurrection is the fact that anything and anyone that is united with God through Christ cannot die, period. God is Life, and human beings were never designed to live or exist apart from our Creator, who is God. Therefore, had sin (separation from God) never come into the human equation, death would not even be a topic of discussion for human beings (just ask the angels). The blessing is that God sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins so that we would never have to die. Remember, the wages of sin (not just the transgression of God's Divine Law, but separation from Him) is death. Jesus paid that price with the shedding of His Blood on Calvary's Cross. So, the way the New Covenant works, through faith in the redemptive work of Christ, our sins are forgiven, the debt of sin is paid, and as a result we don't have to die.

Many of us already know these basic doctrinal beliefs of the Christian faith. So why are a lot of Christians still afraid to die or at least apprehensive at best? It is because we don't fully understand what Jesus purchased for us in dying for our sins and redeeming our souls back to God. When Jesus died, He didn't just abolish death, He gave us the gift of Eternal Life (John 3). Once again, most of us already know this. But the problem is, we don't possess a firm enough grasp on what Eternal Life is. Eternal Life is not just what you'll experience in Heaven "after you die." That's how most Christians think of it. Wrong. Eternal Life is the essence of the life of God that allows you not to die. Can I say it again? Eternal Life is the essence of the Life of God that allows you not to die. Therefore, the more you've grasped the Life of God, i.e. Eternal Life, the more you understand from a conscious standpoint your inability to die in Christ.

Saints, the Resurrection is Real. But it's not just an "after-life" phenomenon. The more we grasp internally the Eternal Life of Christ in our conscious, temporal reality, the more we'll believe what Jesus said, that we'll never die.

Where Do You Want to Be Great?

I believe that God has deposited within every individual an innate desire to be great. Sometimes certain environmental conditions can preclude people from realizing their full Divine potential, but nevertheless, the seed of greatness is within them. I believe this because I am convinced that God has endowed every human being with certain gifts that were designed to be used to His Glory before the foundation of the world was laid. The challenge, however, is to whose glory are these gifts going to be used? And that question can be addressed by asking, "Where do you want to be great?"

God has no problem with us striving for greatness. As I mentioned earlier, God put greatness within every one of us. But things get distorted when that greatness is not used to the Glory of God. So, when the question is raised, "where do you want to be great?" the choices are earth or heaven. People I don't think, fully yet realize that Heaven is a true, geographical location. Just like the planets Mars and Pluto and Saturn are real, heaven is real. The catch is heaven is an eternal place, the Earth (at least in its present form) is temporal. So do you want earthly greatness or heavenly greatness?

The greatness of this world is fleeting and temporal. It doesn't last. People spend, literally, a lifetime trying to be great and trying to be successful; only to see it end within the span of a century (which is nothing compared to eternity). When reaching for earthly greatness, the objective is to be applauded by men. The reason we know this is the case is because the greatness of the earth is defined by men. So in order to achieve it, you have to fit into the design and values of the men who have defined it. This is not of God. Earthly greatness revolves around self-centeredness and self-promotion. These too, are not of God. Yes, there may be momentary pleasures and scintillating thrills; but once again, it doesn't last.
But the Greatness of Heaven is Eternal. It is not defined by man, it is defined by God. 

God determines who's great in heaven. And what people don't understand, including in the church, is that if you achieve heavenly greatness, that greatness will be manifested in the earth realm. Jesus defined the greatness of Heaven by stating that he who is the greatest among you is the servant of all (Matthew 23). If you notice, even in the church, those who have the highest positions are expected to receive the greatest deference or service. This is not the culture of the Kingdom and the greatness of heaven. That's why Jesus made it clear when He said that He didn't come to earth to be served but to serve (Mark 10). What would it be like if instead of getting the highest salary at the church the pastor received the lowest? What would it be like if instead of the ministers at the head table we were in the back of the banquet hall? I'm not making suggestions, I'm describing how some of the protocol that we've established in the church runs counter to the spirit of greatness that has been established in heaven.

Saints, as we prepare for this next move of God, all of us, we have to get off our high horses and pull out the water and basin (John 13). It's time for us to put on the mantle of humility. It's time for us to aspire to the greatness of heaven and become the servant of all.