cHuRcH CLoThES

Ladies and gentlemen, it's almost opening morning. Time to put on a show to rival all shows before. Get out your Sunday best! Dress to impress! Make them haters jealous! All eyes on you! It's show time! It's time to go to church! Get your church clothes on! It's time to shine!

I'm being facetious. I am annoyed and perturbed that a sacred day has become a spectacle.

The big picture is clear: The world is waiting for the Church to step up. Not in affairs of the State or the Government but as representatives of the character of the Father in the earth. Lifestyle. Conduct. Character. Prayer Life. Speech. Relationship. Integrity. Holiness. These simply relegated to catchphrases nowadays. Somewhere "we" got sidetracked. All "we" care about is appearances. And that's exactly what doesn't matter. Whether you wear a silk suit or a burlap sack, God's eyes are not on your fashion choices. Every Sunday, we may dress for success but what are we striving to be successful at?

"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (I Samuel 16:7 KJV)




What's the state of affairs in the Church? Religious leaders support political candidates and stand up publicly as advisors because it enhances their professional portfolios and benefits them personally and perhaps, financially. Preachers and ministers calling themselves to the office, decreeing things to be good when the Word of God says they're evil, having direct knowledge of a leader's sin but rather than correcting and restoring them, they advise them to shake it off and get back to work. (True story) Its "leaders" have zero prayer life and they love the praise and adoration that comes with the position. More volunteers than you count but few that possess a servant’s heart. Fasting is what their personal trainers recommend so they can get into their bikinis for the summer, not the biblical kind we talk about. They disrobe and expose themselves at the height of a worship service, or physically strike fellow parishioners that they don't like and blame it on being under the influence of the Holy Spirit. But at least they look good....





Do you believe in accountability in your church leadership? How many visions do you have in your church at current? Is there a hierarchy or a code of conduct in your ministry? Have the aesthetics, the audio-visuals, color scheme, smoke, and the mood lighting more important than the invitation of the Spirit of God and the Word of God presented with an anointing that compels people to come to Christ? Slowly and subtly, souls are barreling down a path of destruction and sadly, very few seem to notice or care. And much of the responsibility falls in the lap of the church.

But the church I was referring to prior only cares about appearances, how the organization looks, how the people within it looks, how big the church and its campuses are, how attractive the sign or marquee is, and how much monetary giving is taken up every week. There is a Church that differs though. This Church isn't relegated to a building with a roof and a mortgage. This Church can't be bought. This Church doesn't vote out ministers who don't preach favorable, happy-feeling messages that don't challenge anyone spiritually but does increase giving. This Church doesn't blackball, prostitute, blackmail, bribe, and collude, understanding it would bring shame to the legacy of the Church and even endanger spiritual lives. This Church is about the Father's Business and not big business.

There are a people worldwide that still believe and know the Church is still being assembled in expectation of the Master's return. (John 11:52) To them, it is as serious as life and death and it is their purpose for being here. He's coming back for HIS Church. I'm 99.9999999999999% positive that He's not referring to YOUR church. The mirror might say you look fine but what does God say? (Colossians 3:12-14)

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:11-14)

pArT tImE LoVeR

Husband or wife, Boyfriend or girlfriend, raise your hand if you feel that having your significant other on a limited or part time basis is acceptable. In practically every case, you have given and sacrificed something that you might not be able to retrieve. But you entrusted it to the one that you vowed to love. In love, there is a point of no return. Once you love like this, you are never again the same. You are drastically and radically changed. You find yourself doing things you have never done and thinking about things that you have never done. You are a different person. You say words that you never said before. You have made sacrifices that you never thought you would have the heart to make for another person. You dream bigger and broader than you ever have when you were single and unattached. But now, your heart beats for another person. Can you feel that? They call that passion. You'll do most anything for that special someone. Depending on the depth, height, and width of that love, you might even die for that special someone.

There is a song that we love to sing in our worship service. "How He Loves" by David Crowder. I'm going to share some of the lyrics later on just to enhance the point of this blog. Hopefully, it will help some.




I am grieved today. I can't imagine how the Lord feels about this. I am grieved about something that you probably don't even care about anymore. It's normal to you now. You might simply be desensitized and see it as a small matter. Or you justify this because, in the back of your mind, maybe you agree a little. Quite frankly, the people who claim to be the Lord have forsaken the Church (and I'm not talking about the building). And I believe they have turned away from God Himself and they don't even realize it. I'll explain.

At this point, it's widespread and you don't see it because you don't want to. All around us, believers (presumably) have been relegated to part time status in ministry. My example isn't great for comparison but I was in a ministry for more than 10 years and even the idea of taking my family on vacation or taking a weekend off was frowned upon and subjected me and mines to a public rebuke and scorn. I served in nearly every function in the church with my role growing every month seemingly. I am not intimating that one should commit themselves to a local ministry like this because the cost I paid is not one I would wish on my worst enemy. I say that with all seriousness.

But tell me what your lives as believers would look like if the Father only provided some of His love. What happens if he was a part time lover? What if He couldn't be relied upon to be committed or to be faithful? What if when you needed Him the most, He was simply consumed with other stuff and didn't have time and then forgot that you had a need? God's not like that but that sure resembles us at times. I think we truly have the wrong idea about who God is and we take Him for granted. We can be faithful to our wives and loving parents and still be considered unfaithful to our calling. We can't get an "E" for effort there. At some point, God has to come first. (Luke 9:57-62)

It is unfathomable to me that some see the local ministry as an appendage. Wake up one Sunday and feel like shopping or going to the beach or going to see a movie or anything but...Do we really think we are serving God wholeheartedly when part of our heart carries a lack of disdain for what He is doing through the local church? You'll find and we have personally that changing ministries rarely solves the problem. People that see fellowship and faithfulness to a local ministry as casual and not worthy of a commitment usually carry that same dysfunction with them elsewhere. This is a heart issue.

Have you abandoned your first love? (Revelation 2:4) Have you escaped the defilements of this world and then returned back to them? (2 Peter 2:20-22) It might be time to examine where you are and do some soul searching. (2 Corinthians 13:5) This is a place that you do not want to be. (2 Timothy 3:5) God will not be mocked and He is aware of what is going on in our hearts. (Hebrews 10:26-31) Have you laid down your cross? (Matthew 10:38-39)

We need to seriously and deliberately re-examine three questions regarding our service to the Lord.

1- What is the reason we started serving God and within the Church in the first place?

2- What is the purpose of why you are here on Earth as a believer?

3- Were / Are you considered faithful?

God has loved us with a love that we can never repay. It was undying, unfailing, and unconditional. Is this how we truly attempt to repay Him? Serving him one or two days a week is a drudgery? We say we love God but we don't care about the community He wants to see set free? C'mon, people! Quit lying to us and yourselves. You're giving the adversary a place to hide in your life and wreak havoc! Be honest and make a decision. MYTH KILLER: If you are on the fence, that is not indifference. You have decided to not do what you are indifferent about so you have already decided! (Joshua 24:15)


He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions
Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us, how He loves us all

And we are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking

And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way

"How He Loves" ~ David Crowder (Songwriters: John Mark Mc Millan)

Published by INTEGRITY'S HOSANNA! MUSIC (in part)


Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

WhO's tHe BoSS?

Here's a dichotomy that might blow your mind and change your life!

My favorite Psalm in the world starts like this.

“The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Psalms 24:1 KJV

But then later in scripture, this pops up: 

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 KJV

So wait! Everything in the world belongs to God but the adversary is the "God of this world"

Don't worry! This isn't confusing at all. It, along with other supporting passages simply teaches us that because of sin, man was undone and the enemy was given authority in the earth but then.......

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.” Job 1:6 KJV

So Satan needs to present himself before the Lord to ask for stuff? Interesting. And then drink this in....

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 KJV

What I'm drinking in is the power can only be given by the one that actually has it. The enemy in your life has authority but the ultimate power rests with the Creator who still has the final say in everything that happens in your life and in your world. Upon Him is where your worship belongs. Have a blessed day! 

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 12:1-2 KJV

BaCk To yOuR FiRsT LoVe

Do you remember your first love?

Can you remember the date? The time? The circumstances that led up to it? 

Do you remember what you saw? What you heard? Do you remember how it made you feel right at that moment?

I am almost positive that nearly every reader already has an image in their head. The memories are starting to flood back. They are likely thinking about and reminiscing on everything but what this blog post is actually about. Everything from a drama to a movie presentation to a t-shirt has a take on what "first love" is all about. Pick a cliche. There are plenty to choose from. 

Add this to the list: First love is not always true love. Let's start there.

I know and have known many women that felt true love was measured by how many carats were in the diamond? I know some that measured it by the abundance of gifts given and their individual and collective expense. I only know of one that felt true love was worthy of sacrificing their ultimate best for a people who might never appreciate those gifts or love the Giver back in return but still gave it anyway.

Check out this passage from Revelation 2:4 (ESV) where Paul is sharing the revelation God gave to the church of Ephesus. 

"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first."

There is context for this statement but at its core, this is a strong rebuke from God Himself stating that the people, or His church, started off loving him with a fervency that translated into effective works for Him, only to fall back, causing a direct and marked change in their relationship position. They weren't "there" like they first were. They no longer loved God the way they started off loving Him. Raise your hand if you know someone in a relationship that started off with courting, gift giving, affection public and private, and poetic words flowing on the regular and now they are struggling to find that same passion and essentially tolerate each other. I think either spouse or significant other in that relationship has some condemning words of their own.

I can't begin to imagine what it feels like for a Father to give His best gift, His only son, knowing what He would have to endure. We watch the movie depictions and turn our heads. The most graphic version I can recall was "The Passion of The Christ" and I remember my reaction. I slumped down in my chair, held my stomach, covered my keep from vomiting and shaking my head so much that I had a sore neck. It was brutal and vivid and gory and gut-wrenching. That display of brutality and cruelty was done with me in mind at a time when I couldn't care any less. I wonder how many generations before me felt the same way. I don't know any of my friends or family that will offer up their infant child in the same scenario. Sacrifices come on a daily basis in different shapes and sizes and still we balk because we don't want to lose or give or put ourselves at any semblance of a disadvantage. I'm grateful that Jesus Christ didn't think like that when the centurions came to arrest Him. Or when He could have summoned a legion of angelic force while He hung on the cross but He refrained. The long and short of it is our love has limitations. Our love has stipulations. Our love has points of contention. Our love has fine print. Our love has lines that we will not cross. His love was the greatest example of unconditional.  

Do you remember your first encounter with God? Do you remember the awe and the inability to speak or reason? Do you remember the pure joy that welled up inside you and overwhelmed you? I remember mines. I remember the date. August 25th, 1996. I remember the time of day. Do you remember yours? With all of my dalliances with the Master, it was the first time I fell headlong in love with the One that waited for me while I prostituted myself for much lesser versions of Him. My life was radically changed and everything got turned upside down. I have had slip and falls and stumbles but I kept reaching for the only stable thing I've ever known: my love relationship with God Almighty. I don't understand everything. I don't get all the answers I want. I don't get all my prayers answered. I even feel like I am getting the short end sometimes but the one thing I know for sure is that He loves me and it's a love so big that I can't begin to repay the debt. There is literally nothing that I can do. It was paid for a man that didn't deserve it AT ALL and all I can do is serve and love my way on the path to redemption knowing that I will never achieve it. His shed blood paid it all for me and my children and my grandchildren and yours too.

"And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (I John 4:10 BSB)

That God gave His best because He saw you as valuable, worthy, special, unique, well-designed, and precious in His sight. He loves you fiercely and tirelessly. Loving Him back is the least we can do. This is the biblical personification of first love in the Scriptures and it is one of the most beautiful that I've ever read. I would love to hear your "first love" story if you would like to share it in the comment section. I can't wait to hear them. Thanks for reading.

"We love because He first loved us." (I John 4:19 NASB)

LoVe tHY NeiGhBoR

How is it possible to love a culture, celebrate it, take days off from work during it, dress yourselves and your children up in the flamboyant colors of it, as well as gorge yourself on the culinary delights from these but in the next breath, loath and refuse to support the people that gave birth to this culture?

Apparently not only is it possible but it's also acceptable. Really?

My short answer is the people that do this are not much different than a pimp. My wife cringed at the idea of me using that word in this piece but c'mon! That's almost exactly what this is and I believe the comparison will bear out.

Firstly, a "pimp" at its core is someone that takes advantage of another person with the intent of profiting from that person with no regard for that person's well being. A more informal definition is one who persistently self promotes or makes something more extravagant to draw attention to itself to appear impressive. Honestly, they both apply and despite the common perception in urban communities, this is nothing to be proud of or to strive after.

I was reminded of this during the much celebrated Cinco de Mayo. When asked what I had planned for the weekend and I responded "nothing", I was treated with multiple lectures on why I I needed to have a drink to celebrate this auspicious occasion. These lectures came with 1/4 vitriol, 1/2 disdain, and 1/2 contempt. Ever since I was a little fella, I loved to ask questions. Guess not much has changed because my question was "Do you know what you are celebrating?" This isn't like my loaded questions about holidays such as Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, and Halloween for example. People of Mexican heritage who are in touch with their history have much to celebrate to commemorate that day. My question was for those unconnected to that who wanted to inform me of why I should be having a drink. Almost everyone to a man was unable to answer my simple question. My goal isn't to enlighten you about May 5th and what it means or should mean to you. I'm baffled as are many as to how so many of us are easily able to celebrate days like these where we invite these cultures into our lives and are so easily able to forsake and even denigrate the people who brought these brilliant and colorful cultures to life. It's become natural. Easy. And deplorable.

Look around you, guys. The hate flowing towards the Mexican people (just one example) is off the charts as of late and the political climate only cause the already present flames to blaze into an inferno. Add the African-American and Middle-Eastern people to the mix and you have a polarizing and inflammatory situation. History has shown that American culture as we now know it has been shaped by the Native Americans, Latin Americans, Asian Americans, and African Americans just to name a few. Just speaking from a cultural standpoint, how enticing does that culture sound without any of the flavors and textures and colors that the aforementioned cultures provide? Let's get real. It might be kind of bland. We have such a rich culture because of all these people who birthed all this richness and inventiveness and flavor. There is no doubt at all here. We are what makes America great! The people that say certain cultures and peoples are not needed have likely already benefited from the stripping of said people's cultures and enjoy the benefits of said stripping or they're related to someone who has. Have you ever sat down and talked to anyone whose culture, land, and inheritance was stripped from them by force? You should try it. Very enlightening.

It is a blatant disrespect, in my humble opinion, to prostitute (in some cases) and capitalize financially off of cultures that you don't add to or have taken no part in birthing and have the audacity to go out of your way to disgrace or hate on the people from which that culture comes. It almost feels like a crime is being committed but only the victims seem to notice it. Maybe it's because they are weak, have lesser means, or their voice is not significant enough to be heard in today's societal makeup. It just feels wrong and it most definitely looks wrong too.

Fact: Did you know that most of the opposers of people of other cultures crossing into our borders are descendants of people who did exactly that generations ago? The hypocrisy is thick.

What is your honest first feeling when you hear someone of a different culture being disrespected in the media, on social network, or perhaps even live and in person? To note that we are an entitled generation is understated in this blog but we, even myself, are beneficiaries of many different cultural experiences. I am a combination of American, African, Native American, Bajan, and Panamanian that I am aware of so far. I have grown up in the melting pot of New York City where I have eaten foods from more cultures and countries than I can remember. I was literally raised with a healthy respect and admiration for immigrants and for people of different nationalities, from Latin Americans to Irish-Americans to Russian-Americans to Lithuanian-Americans. I sat in their homes, talked to the patriarchs of their households, chilled out in their restaurants, and were friends with their children. I don't know what they thought of me personally but I thank the good Lord for my upbringing in the Big Apple. It has changed and enhanced my life and changed my life and the way I raised my kids and grand kids. Knowing the history of a culture doesn't hurt but loving the people as fellow humans is just...well...human.

Raise your hand if you would be cool with someone coming over to your house that you own, sit at your table and eat the food you bought and prepared with your own hands, they clear their plate and even have seconds and thirds, and then proceed to curse the ground you walk on and demand that you get out of their country immediately. Take your time. I'll wait....

Fact of the matter is we are living in a virtual and literal melting pot. Each individual and cultural "ingredient" makes the stew awesome! In essence and at its core, we are neighbors. The golden rule commands us to "love our neighbors like we love ourselves." So.....we must really hate ourselves then huh?

Master, which is the great commandment in the law?Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

mARvel At ThiS!

Some of my friends think this is foolishness.

Some of my friends don't understand what makes this so incredible.

Some of my friends won't even explore this out of curiosity.

Some of my friends totally get why this is the best thing going in movies today.

I probably need some new friends. LOL. 


If you grew up a comic book fan, or even a fan of cartoons, how is it possible that you don't appreciate the top shelf franchise of Marvel movies (with a few exceptions---HINT: if you don't see a picture or a reference to it here, that means I don't hold it in high regard...or I ran out of room--wink wink).

The storylines are tight and very well told. The action is enough to make you jump out of your seat. It has become the premier movie experience. Stop trying to compare it to the Notebook! That's not what this is! This is cinema movie magic if you will. 

The franchise has done what most movie franchises have been unable to accomplish. They have mastered the delicate mix of tapping into every emotion in the spectrum. Anger when a loathed villain fells your favorite character. Sadness when a classic hero is killed. Jubilation when the heroes rise through adversity and overcome the tyranny of their enemies and save the world. And nothing but non stop action and twists and turns in the middle of it all. And if you don't remember some of the now classic lines in this franchise, you were probably looking at your smartphone instead of the movie screen. 

Aside from all the obvious high points that make some of my friends look at me like I got two heads, there's another point that I'd be remiss if I ignored. These movies have somehow managed to remind us of happier times in our childhood. 

Even if unintended, it helps me recall to the forefront my inner youth. Simpler times I guess. Times where I thought I could do anything and I was invincible. Perhaps misguided but honestly, the movies just make you feel good and they're flat out entertaining.

Thor. Doctor Strange. The X-Men. The Incredible Hulk. Captain America. Loki. Hawkeye. Black Widow. Anything? 

If you only watched the PowderPuff girls and Josie and the Pussycats, then this will be lost on you but if not, you have to retain fond memories of The Amazing Spider Man. Captain Marvel. Iron Man. The Fantastic Four (just ignore the movie franchise). Ant Man. Daredevil. Guardians of the Galaxy (I am Groot!)

I did my best to convince you that the Marvel movie franchise is worth giving it a shot. 


Here is a short list of the upcoming films in the franchise for your consideration:

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - May 5th, 2017
Spiderman: Homecoming - July 7th, 2017
Thor: Ragnarok - November 3rd, 2017
Black Panther - February 16th, 2018
And Avengers: Infinity War (Parts 1 and 2) - May 4th, 2018

It's common for the moviemakers to retread boring and overly used premises into sequel after sequel but it's rare to have some fresh storytelling and be action packed at the same time. There are some movie franchises that originate from cartoons and comic books (no names mentioned) that try to do this well but they pale in comparison to this. They do it very well. Enjoy the experience!

LeADerSHip SiGnS

It's becoming increasingly easy to look at a train wreck of a life of another person and say "That would never be me!", "I know better!", or "They're so stupid."

Everybody makes mistakes. You might even know someone who has a "D.T.A." policy. (Don't Trust Anybody)

Perhaps some of your friends don't make the same mistake twice. They're quick and efficient learners. We ignore the stop and yield signs in life if it serves our purposes or satisfies our desires. But we do so to our own peril.

Do you consider yourself a leader?

How important is it to you to be liked by everyone on your job?

How important is it to you to be liked by everyone on your job when you're in management?

Pick a place. Your office. Your church. Your small business. Your non-profit organization. As well as we know this to be gospel, it's amazing how we keep falling into the same bad habit. I did the same recently and now I pay a price. I still have the receipt to prove it. If you try to be friends with your employees, you will fail. A good friend reminded me recently of an old saying: "Familiarity breeds contempt."

This is basically defined to suggest "extensive knowledge of or close association with someone or something leads to a loss of respect for them or it." You know so much about a person through acquaintance that it limits your ability to see them objectively and you are unable to receive anything of value from them. You are closed off from the idea that they can either lead, influence, or encourage you and you might not even realize it.




I'm learning this the hard way! If any of you are undergoing a culture shift, you are going to find that your hands will be raw and you will shed blood breaking away at the fallow ground of old, ineffective foundations and models. You can take that shovel and pound away at that rock hard ground as hard as you can and you might make some progress. But it's not easy and it will cost you. Before you can build something solid and lasting, you have to rid yourself of the old, ineffective stuff that prevents and hinders new growth. And rest assured, people will loath you from coming in and trying to "mess up" their sweet arrangement. They will rail against you, demean you, oppose you publicly, attempt to undermine you privately, and perhaps they'll attempt to gain access to you.

You entertain at your house twice a month. Does this make leading the same people easier or harder?

You have 1,000 friends on Facebook. Does this augment or diminish your ability to lead some of these people if you needed to?

If you're relational like I am, the task is even harder. You want to entertain, go to the movies, and do fun things with your employees or people you lead in organization but once you cross that line, you find that something strange happens. They become accustomed to you. They know you by your first name. They know about your family situation. They know the condition of your home. They know your weaknesses. They know the spots that hurt and what happens when those spots are touched. Jesus taught us about transparency and what opening your heart up to others looks and feels like. There is a great cost to doing so. As a leader, it's one thing to be relational but it's another to bear it all outside of trusted circles. Those circles are usually replete with persons who specifically understand your specific struggle or are connected to you in a significant way.

What's the point of that? Let's use Jesus as an example and what better one can we find? He had hundreds of disciples that He taught and instructed on land and sea, in the brightest of days to the darkest of nights. He had many admirers, aficionados, and followers that left their homes and their families, and their chosen trades used to support their households. And still with all the crowds that followed him everywhere he went and that he fed with natural and spiritual food, he still only kept three disciples around him at nearly every turn: Peter, James, and John. I don't know why but it was clear this was his inner circle. He had a choice of hundreds and thousands but he only chose three to personally witness some of the greatest miracles ever done.

Leadership can be a lonely place especially when it's being done efficiently. If you have hundreds of friends, everyone is comfortable with the road you're leading them on, and they're all happy with you, you're doing leadership wrong. Regardless of what you're willing to accept, there are just some places as a leader you will never be able to go.

tHe MaN uPsTaiRS

There are few terms that I am annoyed by than this one. It literally is supposed to be a humorous name for God. The man upstairs.
I'll get past this minor annoyance to convey a more important part. I wrote a chapter in my upcoming book about a similar idea that the way we live directly affects our view of God. Sounds simple enough to understand but it seems difficult for us to separate when it's crunch time. 

I laugh when I hear the phrase because growing up between a rock and a hard place allowed me the unenviable opportunity to see how people treat one another. It is still prevalent right here in "hospitable" South Carolina. It is appalling and amazing how we fail in the area of human decency. We treat our fellow man like trash, like animals, or perhaps like nothing at all. So for me, the far out thinker that I can often be, I'm thinking if we see Jesus Christ as the "man upstairs", how does our treatment of him look in the face of all the social messiness around us?
Do you believe with all honesty that you treat your fellow man with the respect and honor they deserve?
If not, then how far of a stretch is it that perhaps "the man upstairs" feels that and is perhaps displeased with your treatment of your fellow human compatriots? Is it beyond the realm of possibility that perhaps that reminds him of the savage scourging of the cat o'nine tails on his back, or the crown of thorns viciously jammed into his skull, or the spikes hammered into his hands and feet?
Can it, at least, be a little bit possible that with every time we offend and brutalize our fellow man, we offend the "man" upstairs who didn't die for one (as sweet and wholesome as you might be) but He died for all.

We have a tendency in our humanness to view God as like us and of course, intentional or not, subject to our carnal whims. We can decide when He deserves praise, or when He needs to leap into action when we think it necessary to pray. We assume that He should answer every prayer and we determine how He feels about people that we don't particularly care for. We treat Him like ... well, a man!

Deities in times past have committed unconscionable acts and have, in effect, helped tarnish what the Creator looks like in our eyes. Before I leave those to their view of the "man that lives up the stairs", let me briefly share how differently I see Him.

1. God cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2)
2. God doesn't think the way we do and his intellect and understanding does not resemble ours in the slightest. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
3. God is upright and just in His decisions. He doesn't make mistakes. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
4. God is beyond our earthly efforts to figure Him out. (Romans 11:33)
5. God is not wishy washy and unstable. (James 1:17)
6. God is Holy and unlike any other. (I Samuel 2:2)

We fAll DoWn

There's a song that says "We fall down but we get up! The saint is just a sinner who fell down but got up!"

The one scripture passage that best describes this for me is found in Proverbs 24:16 "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief."

Several commentaries point to this verse to describe believers who are not temporary in their opinions or like those that turn their faith on and off like a faucet. They are fully persuaded in what they stand for, all the time knowing that they are thoroughly unrighteous and it's only because of the blood of Jesus Christ that they have any righteousness at all to speak of.




These types may fall into temptation and affliction but they wholly rely on the Lord to bring them out of every one. They don't continue to lie down in and wallow in the mess they fall into. Using the imagery of a pig in slop is appropriate for this scenario. They are not trying to escape the pig pen and get clean. They are content with remaining in it and devouring whatever is in it to be had.

The imagery of a traveler falling on his way to an important destination is also appropriate. They may fall down and hurt themselves in their stumbling but they continue to get up after each fall and also continue towards their intended destination.

These kinds are not exempt from persecution and attacks of many kinds. They are not insulated against worldly losses and are not wholly unaffected by the things that can touch our lives. They feel the same pains and the same angst. They cry out in the midnight hour. They feel helplessness and often face doubts. The difference is they get back up and continue to walk.

If nothing else, this is meant to encourage you to keep going, keep fighting, keep pressing into, and keep believing by faith. This is not over!





“Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholds him with his hand” (Psalms 37:24)

Is iT yOUr TimE?

Is it your time?  

You're thinking about the ominous specter of death. That's not where I would like you to focus today. However, if focusing on that makes you appreciate the little moments that matter most and evaluate how you use the precious opportunity you've been given then so be it.

I'm thinking more along the lines of the things that we clamor after. Without the guidance and wisdom that we need, we often live out of sequence and see things out of focus. We are suffering from a spiritual imbalance. When we ask, we often ask with bad motives. Sometimes we don't ask at all-- we just expect or we just take or steal what we think we deserve. It's impossible to count how many lives have been destroyed by lust. It always seems like we want what we cannot have. That's likely because we don't believe that we are special and valued and that there is a specific, tailor made destiny just for us. No one can take it. It is yours and it awaits you. It's all in the timing.

Do you think you are better suited to be promoted to supervisor than the person they actually chose?

Do you think you would make a better team leader than the person actually teaching the class?

Does seeing your friend with the cutest little baby make you want one of your own?

Does riding in your bestie's new Mustang make you want to buy one even if your finances don't permit it at this time?

Can you see yourself doing a better job of leading than the leader already instituted? You'd be surprised at the thoughts that lurk in our minds when it comes to this kind of stuff. I know a lady (not know but I know) that believes she is the true, ordained wife of a popular international minister. He is already married but for her, that's besides the point. She wants what is not hers. Doing so continually has many unenviable results. The most important is that she forfeits what is really hers that is better and more suited for her. A perfect fit that she may never get the chance to see come to fruition.

Have you ever pondered if you used the time that you have been given effectively?

Did you miss your opportunity?

Has that life-changing moment passed you by?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says 'For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."


But then when the disciples asked Jesus in Acts Chapter 1:6-7 about the timing of his restoration of the Kingdom, his response was so, "It is not for you to know the times and seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority."

Whoa! It sounds to me that there is a timing that is specific for us but it is not for us to know before time and rests in the Lord's hands only. That could include your promotion, your breakthrough, your exodus out of a bad situation, and your next level.

Broken down into bite sized pieces, it's ridiculous to long for what someone else has when there is something incredible paved and tailor made just for you specifically. 

This is just a little encouragement that whatever you have been longing for, that has to this day escaped you, is still in play. 

It may not come when you want it but it's always right on time.

WorKs wiTHouT FaiTH

Dear Church Worker,

Can you serve in His church and not have a relationship with Him?

Is it possible to do all of the duties but not truly possess His heart for His people?

In theory and sometimes in practice, this is a novel idea to serve faithfully in a ministry environment. So what's the problem? We were all that worker who tried to be diligent in our duties. First one in, last one out, right? That's what would please the Lord that sees everything, correct? Heck, it would even please the Pastor, whose attention we want to have also, huh? One problem with this novel idea. The church worker is serving in the building during operational hours. When the building is closed, the "church" worker's duties are concluded until the doors open again. If your church is open on Sunday from 8am to 12 noon, the church worker, in theory, works the same hours with maybe a few small exceptions. When the doors are closed and locked up for the week, the church worker has no further duties to perform besides the occasional cutting of the grass, sweeping of the floor, some repairs and miscellaneous needs that may crop up during the week, if the church worker is involved in these at all. Sounds good again in theory but the church worker is working for the wrong church.






Huh? I am not talking about River of Everlasting Flowing Eternal Life Baptist Church or Seven Thousand Reasons Protestant Church or Too Much Holiness A.M.E. It's never meant to be about the name of your church, the denomination, or how big the congregation is. This is always about the Body Of Christ. I tell folks anytime I have the opportunity. As great as your church may very well be, every face in that audience, on your left, or right, in front, or in back, don't all represent the Body Of Christ. They just go to your church. The Body of Christ is scattered (very important word) all across the world. Almost like secret agents speckled in different ministries or perhaps, not involved with any organized ministry. They may be doing street ministry in the urban areas or doing mobile Sunday Schools, or missionary work in a third or fourth world country. There's a good chance many of the people you sit with every week are there for reasons that you are not aware of. They may be doing reconnaissance work to decide where they want to be centrally located, they may be there because they're infatuated with one of the parishioners, they may be looking for a place where they can net a job as a musician, or they may believe "God" told them they were to marry the already married Senior Pastor. There are some motives less and perhaps even more sinister. You never know who sits among you but it's wisdom to know why you are there.

That's like my mother used to say, "where the rubber meets the road".




I have been in several ministries where church workers or servant leaders become so territorial with their duties that they inadvertently or in some extreme cases, or by specific design, force people out of the church. In basic terms, they may push a parishioner out of the building but they lack the power to force them out of the "church". They can only keep you at bay from the local gathering with cliquish attitudes, divisive power plays, misuse of power and authority, and other such tactics. They may not be members at Social Club 57 Fellowship Church but they are connected to the Church as long as they are connected with the Christ that is the sole reason for His Church to begin with.

It's sad and often goes unseen by the leaders of the church. It is the epitome of the "throwing a rock and hiding one's hand" kind of philosophy. Workers in the church feel entitled to a territory, or area of ministry, or a place at the table with the senior leadership, a position that makes them feel wanted and valued and "special". They hurt people. they destroy relationships, and they portray a warped and twisted version of what Acts Chapter 2 teaches us. They will do what they think is best and not be led by the Spirit. On top of all that, they're unable to receive instruction from anyone except the "object of their undying affection and obedience". Spoiler alert! I should be referring to Jesus Christ but I'm not. Their eyes on fixed on man! Particularly, those men that have the ability to elevate them at some point in time. This is the hope of some of these "workers". Their hearts are in the wrong place and they do more damage to others and their own spiritual position than they do good with all of their good deeds. Like the Lord told Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7, "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."




Honestly, what other service truly matters? I love the words of Paul in Romans 12:1-2 in this context: "I beg you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

A living sacrifice. I love that. Get up on that altar all by yourself. You're not guilted, coerced, or sedated into doing this. You go of your own volition. You lay your own life down and trust the wielder of the blade. Spoiler alert! That's also not the Senior Pastor. That responsibility belongs to God as well.

It won't be long before we all see what manner of work we've been doing all this time. The work that matters is the work that most people don't see.

"Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." (I Corinthians 3:12-13)

oLD ScHooL, New sChOoL

You don't have to be a fan of the NBA to appreciate this . Several months back, there was a dispute between legendary Hall Of Famer and current TV commentator Charles Barkley and current player and arguably the greatest player in the game today and maybe of all time, Lebron James.

This is one of those disputes that I will leave up to you to dig through the online articles on but essentially and at its core, it is an epic battle of old versus new. The grizzled veteran who played in a different era but was unable to achieve the ultimate goal of garnering an NBA championship going head to head against the new guard and a player still firmly entrenched in fiery debates as to who is the greatest player in this era and of all time. What are they debating about? It sounds personal but it essentially boils down to two people who believe their way is best and right. One thinks their approach is best for the league -- the other believes their approach is best for him personally.

This could very well be the oldest battle in the history of the world. It never dies. It never fades from the discussion. It is always present because there is always a changing of the guard. Presidents end their tenure and new ones step into the spotlight. Kings die and their sons succeed them on the throne. Emperors, through anarchy and espionage, and unseated through murder and their enemy take hold of the empire. The story is as ancient as any other ever written or known to man.

The older set believes that their way worked for generations and it still can work today had it not been for the intervention or the "interloping" of free thinking, new ideas, or innovation. It just messed up the way we live and what worked!

The newer generation believe the antiquated view are outdated and ineffective. There needs to be positive steps towards change to stave off certain death, whether it's the death of rational thinking, invention, or even quite simply the death of a generation or species.

Which one is correct? Whose idea is better? 

What makes the old way better than the new? Or vice versa? Honestly, there is always going to be hatin'. Where there is no meaningful communication is where there is true turmoil. That extends beyond just two superstars (former and current) that happen to be multi-millionaires. It extends to those who fight for racial supremacy, technology trends, music in general, but particularly the hip hop genre, politicians with agendas, the automobile industry, television, cinema, and the entertainment industry and even as basic as the generation gap where the son is unwilling to accept the father's way of approaching life, career, family, and personal goals. The "old" will always believe that the way they did it was the best method. The "new" will feel that there is always a better way to do old stuff.

What side do you sit on in this internal debate? Do you think a combination of both views are necessary for future success? Do you like that there is already a blueprint in place that works so why change it? Do you believe the future relies on innovation and more "free" thinking? 

You might think this doesn't affect you but would you, at least, consider the thought that if you attempt to carry your new stuff in an old bag, you can run the risk of losing both. Just a thought. 

ThaNk YoUs

Over recent years, I've become a huge proponent of appreciating those in my life. Essentially, I want to give my flowers to the living. I'm almost 100% positive the living will appreciate it.

There's a saying (not old I guess) that people are in your life for one of three reasons : 1) A reason, 2) A season, or 3) A lifetime.

I've met all of the above. In almost every single case, each individual was unclear of which category they fell into. I realized after years of heartbreak, being tricked and cheated, and just losing valuable moments, that it wasn't my job to explain to these people where they specifically fit. Even if I wanted something God didn't want for me, the crux was that I needed to know where they were prioritized in my life. If they get it wrong, they'll figure it out. If you get it wrong, you lose out!

But in all those learning experiences, I'm embracing my need for gratitude. I believe in saying THANK YOU so here goes....

So THANK YOU to all the Judas that took my kindness for weakness. I still give love freely because GOD gave it to me the same way.

THANK YOU to the Calebs who saw the bigness of what God had for us and believed it was possible when everyone else said it's too big.

THANK YOU to the Aarons and Hurs that kept my arms up when I was too weak to keep going and I would've lost the battle if I tried to fight alone.

THANK YOU to all the Mordecais that use their position and influence to further the Kingdom of God even in the face of adversity and persecution.

THANK YOU to all the Sauls whose goal in life was to see me fall. Eventually, you'll see that I've been more of a friend than you deserve and the real enemy is you.

THANK YOU to all the Jethros that through wisdom helped bring stability and sound leadership strategy to businesses, government, and to the church.

THANK YOU to all the Labans who have cheated and used deceit so they can get more. I will be judged for why I gave. You will be judged for why you took. I'll take my chances.

THANK YOU to all the Aquilas and Priscillas that do the work of the ministry and carry significant weight but garner little, if any, recognition.

THANK YOU to all the Jabez's who are only known for their prayers. That matters more than most anything else.

THANK YOU to all the Johnathans that love me without condition even when everything around says otherwise! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!


THANK YOU for being you. I'm a stronger, better man because of you.