I WiSh.....

1. I wish the words "To Be Continued" were barred from all of our favorite TV shows. The only exemption would be if the program to be continued was immediately following it.

2. I wish driving while texting and using social media were outlawed in every state. People were stupid before Facebook. They're just stupider and more emotionally numb now.

3. I wish our children can turn on "children's programming" and not be influenced to become arrogant, snobbish, hateful monsters.

4. I wish James Dolan would sell the New York Knicks and retire to Afghanistan. He isn't Donald Sterling but I want him gone just the same.

5. I wish the well didn't have to run dry before people realized how good that water really is.

6. I wish Saturday Night Live would just give up the ghost. You're fortunate to see two good sketches per episode. These sketch writers don't get good comedy.

7. I wish gardening was a pre-requisite in all city schools. It could be life changing.

8. I wish all "mean girls" were forced to live in a compound with no mirrors, no makeup, no cell phones or computers, and no television channels except National Geographic, BBC World News, HGTV, the Food Network, and infomercials from UNICEF and World Hunger Relief.

9. I wish the New York Football Giants can win one more Super Bowl for Eli. Having him tied with Peyton doesn't sit right with me.

10. I wish big business can't so easily displace and destroy so many lives for the sake of the dollar.

11. I wish we could bottle the enthusiasm and jubilation of a child and force hateful old people to drink it so their lives won't be totally lost.

12. I wish the Marvel Universe could hang around forever but once they kill off the originals like Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man, who's really going to care about it then?

13. I wish the Church awakened to the reality that prayer and anointing, not programs and big signs, changes things.

14. I wish I could fly.....not with my arms but on a plane back to New York....a little homesick. Flying with my arms is ridiculous.

15. I wish people would be more respectful and reverent than to take the premise of God's love and use it as an occasion to hate and abuse.

16. I wish politicians were not allowed to have social media accounts then I could imagine that they are intelligent, thoughtful, and have dignity rather than reading a post or tweet and eliminate all doubt.

17. I wish everyone would continue to dream big and reach for the intangible rather than settle for the limitations of the tangible.

18. I wish I could go to a New York Mets game at Citi Field and not get injured. It seems to be a thing around there this year.

19. I wish I didn't have to give up steak and chili and burgers.....The struggle is real.....yeah, real hard.

20. I wish participation awards were exchanged for hard work and dedication. Most of the sports stars you cheer and root so hard for will agree that adversity made them better.

21. I wish love was the premise by which we engage others, build relationships, and live privately and publicly.

22. I wish Manimal was never made into a TV series.

23. I wish neighbors would care more about the communities they live in and protect them like they used to.

24. I wish more libraries and bookstores would open up rather than close down.

25. I wish my grandchildren will out live me and not have to fear that their lives will be taken, just because they're African American.

It StaRTs WiTH a sEEd

I grew up in a place that many called the "Ghetto".

I grew up in a place that was considered a "jungle". (What that made me I don't know!)

I grew up in a place that was considered dangerous and often for very good reasons.

Now I have my own home for the second time. I have a beautiful wife and beautiful children and a small army of bright, intelligent grandchildren full of promise.

I have a very good job that allows me to do some things I used to only dream about way back then. 

I have more blessings than I can count and even with all that said, I realize that as much as I had to look over my shoulder on the streets growing up, I have to pause often even now, in the security of my office building....or in the very busy local Wal-Mart.....or within the confines of my local ministry....or even on a plane or a cruise ship. You name it. At any time, our entire lives can change dramatically.

I remember where I was and what I was doing when my heart stopped beating on September 11, 2001. I was on my job with tears in my eyes, staring at a television screen, wondering all kinds of things all in a dynamic, frenzied flurry of emotions. Why did I leave my hometown? Was it worth it? What if I was still living there and I got the job I applied for in that very same building? Was any of my family and many friends in the building at that moment everything went wrong? Is my mother alive?

The questions were dizzying and I felt nauseous. I don't believe I did an ounce of work after I slunk away from that monitor. All I could do was cry and attempt to make phone calls and think horrible thoughts that tormented me for days after the fact. My mother was supposed to be in the WTC that morning for an appointment but she cancelled it days prior. That was good news for her but my heart was heavy for so many others. I chose one of the most horrific moments in my history to make a point. The man or men in that plane that conceived such an evil plan have something in common with many people in our world right now that are shooting up politicians in Alexandria, Virginia, mass murdering fellow employees at a UPS facility in San Francisco, and murdering little children and faculty in a little elementary school in Sandy Hook (despite what some people say). If you dare to dig deep enough, you may find more commonalities even closer to home. Everything that we see fully developed into something vicious, heartless, and ugly all started with a single seed. 

Before I say this, please understand that this is not an examination into these horrific events. Even as a minister of the Gospel, I cannot provide insight into the hows and whys of these life changing events from either the perspective of the innocent, the guilty, or the bystanders that view this from a distance. I am just posing some questions to ponder because at this point, we really need to.

I am truly concerned about how much we can see in our world and become casual about what we see in our homes. We have become desensitized and I believe it has grown much worse since the last time I said that. Our children can be bullies and tormentors of other little children and we can justify it as just "kids being kids". Our sons can rape young college students and a parent can shrug it off as just "boys being boys". Now we have grown men and women who want to burn a whole country to the ground that they were perhaps blessed to live in, compared to some other alternatives. And every single one of those circumstances started with a seed. I have real questions about what the future holds for our youngest. They will likely bear the weight of all the missed opportunities, failed parenting, and in many cases, acts of willful blindness. I listen to my grandchildren being shunned because their classmates sit and play and eat away from them because their parents teach them they can't play with "brown people". They are threatened with "going to jail" or being "burned with fire", or with death. Threats made by little children and teenagers in some cases. My mother was adamant about me going to Catholic school for my elementary and intermediate school years because she thought it would be safer for me. Ha! Now look!

It took me years to understand why Scripture uses so many analogies from an agricultural standpoint but it is the heart and viewpoint of God. Imagine if we all thought like this BEFORE we committed acts or BEFORE we allowed an influence into our lives or BEFORE we made a major decision or BEFORE we gave into an inclination. How different might our lives and perhaps our world be. We can't play with matches and then sit back and marvel at how our world is set on fire! If we plant and water a seed (which can be as simple as a thought, a desire, or an inclination), and continue to give attention to it, it is going to grow. The question is will we like what comes forth. I'm getting the impression that it doesn't matter what's happening in the world until it begins to affect "their" world. That's becoming the reality of the world we ALL live in.

A quick, funny (in my wife's opinion - I'm not laughing) story: We have been cultivating a small garden in the backyard. We have everything from string beans to lettuce to the unstoppable collard greens (growing all year round through torturous weather conditions) to kale to green peppers. We have nearly twenty different plants and a half dozen different herbs growing back there but the biggest monster and bully of the garden is the tomatoes. I would guess they are the beefsteak variety. We planted a little seed (literally) but neither my wife or I realized that there were multiple plants in each seed. I still can't explain that very well. Needless to say, we have more than a dozen separate stalks with multiple, huge tomatoes growing. I don't eat those tomatoes much at all so we have a problem. The point is that we just planted very little and unbeknownst to us, it has outgrown everything else and has overtaken the rest of the garden. It was probably the smallest seeds we planted and the smallest amount but it has overrun everything else and has taken the spotlight away from the other plantings. The tomatoes are out of control. It goes without saying that we are not planting those again next year. We didn't expect it. We couldn't control it. We can either let them grow or uproot them so they can't.

If one would dare to take one of these infamous figures in our nation's history and peel back the layers of their life from now back to their childhood. You know what you'd likely find? A very methodically laid groundwork for who they have become today but a beginning similar to our own and generations before and since. "Normal" households with loving parents. Tragedy. Financial problems. Seed. Poverty. Lack. Neglect from a parent. Seed. Bullying. Rejection. Keeping secrets from your family. Bad influences in the neighborhood. Seed. Anger, self loathing, isolation. Water. Brooding over the unfairness. Why did he have to die? It should've been me. Water. Kids will be kids. They're just children. They'll outgrow it. She asked for it. She wanted it. Water. I agree with you. You should do something about this! Water. Oh, she was just playing! She wouldn't hurt a fly! Water. It's not fair! It's their fault! Water. They rejected you and turned their backs on you! Water. They laughed at you and mocked you. They think they're better than you! Water. If it wasn't for "them", this would be a better place and you would have a better life! You wouldn't have lost your loved one. Water. You would be wealthy but now you have nothing! Water. They must pay. They are the enemy! Water. Water. Water.

Whatever comes next but it all starts with a single seed. A seed that we are all susceptible to have "planted in our garden". None of us are exempt. Maybe your life doesn't resemble any of these things and you have had a marvelous upbringing, with all the pomp and circumstance that comes with it. Maybe you have it all figured out and generations after you will glean from your wisdom and your formula for success. The rest of us are in a daily struggle where our gardens are susceptible to seeding and watering, and of course, a harvest.

What kind of harvest do you want in your garden? Ponder this seriously. Protect your garden vigorously. 

RanDoM tHOuGHts iN tHE mAnCaVE

Hi guys,

Today is one of those days where we spent almost all of the morning in corporate worship in our ministry and we have praised, danced, sang, and heard an incredible message that is primed for the time that we are in. Excellent.

But the week before was exhausting and that is the nicest word that I could come up with. I needed the rest of this day to just...well....do nothing. That is not what is actually happening but come enough. I thought this evening would be a great time to share some random thoughts. I am strongly considering making this a regular piece once or twice a month. (I'd love your opinions on that idea too. Thanks!)

So.....welcome to my mind! (This is the part where you turn away if squeamish or you have anything more important to do!)

1. Honestly speaking, the NBA has turned into something that I can't stomach. The so called diehards will likely lambast me for this thought but I don't care. The current product might still be making money but it sucks....Not one of them can honestly say the NBA Finals (or even this year's playoffs for that matter) was remotely interesting. Unless their team plays in Oakland.
2. I am learning to enjoy my writing and my posts even if people are not reading as much as I had hoped. My little world isn't half bad.
3. I am really missing the NFL. A station that has the smarts to show reruns of old games all Sunday long will really have a massive viewership. All these other sports are just placeholders. 
   
4. I am really ready to find out who the murderous A.D. is on Pretty Little Liars. I have invested a lot of time in this murder mystery and I deserve to be satisfied. I'm not feeling good about it with only three episodes left before the big reveal. (I'm a sucker for murder mysteries.)
5. When I talk to my friends from my hometown, I am really conflicted about my allegiances in New York sports. My mother would tell you in a heartbeat that you are supposed to root for all New York teams and that is how she raised us. Some of my buddies think I made the wrong choice in picking one over the other. What is the right answer? Hmm...
   
   
6. I am over the top excited about the upcoming Marvel movie, "The Black Panther". It comes out next year. It's not a "Black" thing for the record but it will have Black people in the movie in leading and supporting roles. Hope that's ok.  😏
7. Man, do I miss home! I am wishing I can get a slice right now. And a beef patty. And a knish. And some White Castle. Oh yeah, I miss my mom too.
8. I hear it a lot around the water cooler and in some other circles that people think the 45th President of the United States is going to be impeached out of office. I got to ask this. What makes you think that? What precedent makes you think this is a viable possibility?
9. Does the news channels want us to pay attention to the actual weather news or to the female meteorologists? There is literally no way to do both.
10. How many times can you watch your favorite movie before you get sick of it? I don't mean you  "Tombstone". I'm asking for a friend. 
    
11. I'm reminded every Sunday how people view and understand commitment and how easy it is to use the name of Jesus Christ when it's publicly convenient but find it absent in our private lives. I think people really don't think He's coming back anytime soon. 
12. Matcha Tea was one of the best choices I have made this year.
13. More than a year ago, I was hammering out my first book. Now I'm sitting here waiting for my first book to be republished and I've already finished my second book with preliminary plans for my third. So, yeah, I'm bored. 
    
14. I am wondering how I would react if the Michigan Wolverines actually won the National Championship. I watched them allow a team they should have beaten (Ohio State) to win and it almost gave me a coronary so I could only imagine what a title win does to me.
    
    
15. The racial divide in America will never be repaired as long as people are still uncomfortable hearing how racist they are. It might sound like I am talking about Bill Maher but there are so many other examples a lot closer to home. 
16. My wife spends more time in the ManCave than I do.
17. Can a 27-33 team comeback to win a World Series? Beats me.
18. I'm developing a love for gardening. It has nothing to do with fresh lettuce, carrots, big beef tomatoes, kale, collard greens, tarragon, green peppers, rosemary, garlic, thyme, cilantro, parsley, string beans, cherry tomatoes, and green onions that I don't have to pay ridiculous prices for.
19. Charleston is known nationally for its friendliness. So the people of Charleston are friendly to everyone, no matter where they come from or how they look, correct?

20. I seriously question if I will see a New York Knicks championship in my lifetime. That would be epic bad if not.
21. I wonder if anybody even enjoy reading these pieces. I know I do.

WhEn NiGHt CoMes...

"I must do the work of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is approaching, when no one can work." (John 9:4 International Standard Version)

I love this verse as it consistently and effectively serves to ground me and give me that old kick in the pants reminder that we don't have time to lollygag and twiddle our thumbs. If you are a believer, if you are not a believer but are evaluating your life choices, or if you flat out don't care to change any aspect of your life and you intend to go out in whatever shape your soul has found itself in, we all have one thing in common: Time will determine if our works were worth it in the end.



This commentary on this powerful scripture fragment is equally as profound.

"Our life is our day, in which it concerns us to do the work of the day. We must be busy, and not waste day-time; it will be time to rest when our day is done, for it is but a day. The approach of death should quicken us to improve all our opportunities of doing and getting good. What good we have an opportunity to do, we should do quickly. And he that will never do a good work till there is nothing to be objected against, will leave many a good work for ever undone..." (Matthew Henry Commentary on John 9:4)

Throughout this blog piece, I compiled some of my favorite social media posts that speak to this same idea with the hopes that it will make you think about where you are and about where we are. Honestly, we can watch the news and hear and see the signs of our time and never even flinch.We have become desensitized and our hearts have grown cold. We don't run into the prayer closets anymore because they're filled with shoes and handbags. We don't hasten to get into the house of the Lord because we really need to have our java and bran muffin. We have gotten to the place where we hear the cries of injustice and see the suffering of others and we won't bat an eye or lift a finger. It's happening to us and around us and we are painfully, spiritually unconscious. Let this next passage marinate..

"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:1-4 KJV)

We are dealing with spiritual blindness and on a broad scale, it is not improving. People wag their finger at snicker at the idea of salvation and the judgment of God. They casually dismiss their health plans, chucking them away on a whim. They expose themselves and their loved ones without a care. There is literally nothing sacred. Catchphrases like "YOLO" and "You gotta die of something." have become the new normal. Our souls need more than just chicken soup. We need divine healing and a reorientation or we face peril on an epic level and set into motion damaging ripple effects towards generations to come.




I've shared some of my old posts in hopes they might inspire you. It's time to re-evaluate our life plan and think more solemnly about where we are and where want to be when our earthly account is permanently closed.

"We’ll have to fight for the good that we want. Want to see a stronger marriage? Healthier communication? Life-giving leadership? Harmony, joy, peace, reconciliation? A full heart? Justice? We’ll have to fight for them."


The weapons are there. Now we just need the will to fight. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

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You can't help "save" those trapped in worldliness when you are afflicted by the same disease. Get free first then help someone else do it." (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

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Can you reach heaven by jumping higher? That's just as ridiculous as you're trying to get there by simply being a good person. (Romans 8:1-8)

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That awkward moment when you realize you have been putting all of your "valuables" into a bag filled with holes. (Haggai 1:6)

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If your RELATIONSHIPS (with God, friends, family, spouses) don't challenge you to grow beyond your comfort zone, humble you unto tangible change, and teach you to treat others like you want to be treated, THEN YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!

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For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:25-26)

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ALMOST doesn't count. MAYBE doesn't make it. HOPE SO doesn't hold water. KINDA doesn't cut it. Either you're saved or you're not : Don't die wondering! (I John 4:7-21)

⇩

If there is any doubt about where you are but you honestly know where you would like to be, please join us in praying this simple prayer of salvation. If you pray this sincerely and believe it, and cling to strong people of faith and an effective local ministry, you would have made a quality and life changing decision. Thank you so much for reading this piece and for listening. God bless you!!

"Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I turn away from my sins that have separated me from you. I am truly sorry and I ask you to forgive me. I believe that Jesus Christ was born, died on a cross for my sins and was raised again in all power and I was raised with Him. I invite Him to be Lord of my life and to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. I accept the Holy Spirit as my comforter and consolation and proof that I belong to God. I want to do your will and love and serve you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen."

wHaT iS LovE?

Love is a four letter word.
But when it's spoken to you, it builds you up. It should never tear you down.

Love makes you want to fly higher than you have before.
And still always have room in one's heart to fly with a partner.

Love takes a bag of lemons that you had to grudgingly sacrifice your last dime to buy and lovingly make gallons of lemonade that you give away to others for free. (Hint: This is not about juice!)

Love puts the dagger into the hands of a friend and trusts them never to use it on you.

Love doesn't withhold its affections until it's convenient. It's always a great time to love while you are still able to.

Love gives your only and your best even when you know the "receivers" will probably not appreciate your gift.

Love takes a lump of coal and squeezes out a beautiful diamond.
It does so without waiting for a "Thank You" or some sign of approval. Love just does it without condition.

Love always perseveres when it's easier to quit, keeps hoping that the truth prevails, protects without hesitation, and has no file cabinet for dirty deeds done against it.

Love covers a multitude of sinful deeds. It doesn't lie or cover up for the sinner but it loves the sinner without conditions for that affection.

Love is the only eraser for indelible ink when written on one's heart.

Love is seeing that you may not be at fault this time but you've been wrong plenty of times. That makes you reach into your bag of grace to share with someone else.

Love is authentic when it mirrors God's words, God's character, and God's example.

Love is not afraid to fail. Love will lay down everything that one calls valuable or indispensable just to save a friend.

Love allows frequent excursions into the chambers of your heart, asking every visitor to keep what they see confidential and trusting them to do so.

Love is an old song that reminds you of you first believed when you need it most in your life. It is a sure shield when you are under attack from fiery darts and the warmest blanket on the coldest of nights.

Love willfully does for others what one would want done for them.

Love does good towards one's enemies, without any expectation of a return or a reward, remembering that the reward for this comes later.

Love does not fail....EVER.

cOnFeSsIoNs Of A sPoRtS jUnKiE

I confess that...when my wife talks to me when a football game is on, I don't hear everything she says.

I confess that...I can smell freshly cut grass and it takes me back in time to my first trip to a Major League baseball game.

I confess that...I have called out sick on MLB Opening Day. (Spoiler alert: I wasn't really ill)

I confess that...I used to sleep with a basketball in my bed.

I confess that...I'd watch a sport I don't even like just because it's sports.

I confess that...I'm addicted to fantasy football and am currently in rehab. Now I only play in three leagues instead of twelve. See, I'm getting better! 

I confess that...when I do watch a female tennis match, it's not just to hear them yell when they hit the ball.

I confess that...while the fans and the announcers are quiet during a golf match, I wanted to jump up and yell. I'm very competitive.

I confess that...I would want to see the NFL 12 months a year, showing no regard for player safety.

I confess that...I am still mourning the death of the NBA (1946-2013)

I confess that...I automatically drive faster when I hear sports broadcast on the radio.

I confess that...I do say "our" and "my" team and the word "we" excessively when I don't play for, own a team, nor am I on the Board of Directors for any professional team.

I confess that...an all sports network really sounds great to me as long as it's not ESPN.

I confess that...the day after the Super Bowl shouldn't be a holiday. That's just flat out ridiculous. Every Monday should be a holiday!

I confess that...I get mad when someone says sports are dumb and pointless. They clearly don't get sports are important in so many countries. It's dumb and pointless to try and explain it to them.

I confess that...hot dogs do taste better at sporting events.

I confess that...a life without sports in it is a life missing something amazing!

I confess that...I can life without sports but I just don't want to.

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)