"Built to Last"

When the Lord commissioned Paul to go to Rome, which concluded his third missionary journey, Paul had already been through enough to have to deal with more problems or opposition. During his first missionary journey he was stoned and severely flogged. It was during his second missionary journey when he was stripped, beaten, and then thrown in prison. And at the outset of his third journey, rioters literally wanted Paul dead all because he shared the truth of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ. Needless to say, Paul had already endured enough to have to go through anything else while in route to Rome.

Nevertheless, while in route to Rome, the ship that Paul had traveled on ran aground and crumbled to pieces. In fact the story has it in the 28th chapter of the book of Acts that the men who could not swim drifted to the shore on the broken pieces. Similar to the men, there are times in our lives when we are literally drifting on the broken pieces of our lives. We have had heartbreaks, setbacks, and disappointments, but we have drifted in on broken pieces. In other words, we have been through some turbulent times, but we're still here. Yet, the main point I want for you to learn and to be encouraged from this story is that once Paul made it to the shore he did not let his situation change who he was.

The bibles say that the islanders came out to welcome them and to build a fire because they were wet and exhausted from the crash. But Paul, unlike the others, went right to work. Paul did not let his circumstances change who he was. He kept on serving. He kept on pressing. Why... because he had a Word. You see, before the storm altered their course and shipwrecked them, the Lord told Paul he would make it to Rome. When the Lord speaks a Word to you, your situations may change, your environment may change, but you will remain true to who you are. Paul had a Word to hold on to. And by this Word he was built to last.

Paul was made for this. He was equipped and prepared for this...

...and the Lord shows us through Paul that we too are build to last. Yes, times are challenging, but I am here to tell you that you can handle whatever happens in your life. You can and will make it through the storms and the shipwrecks of life, because the Lord has equipped you and prepared you for all seasons of life. Whether its stormy or clear skies, whether your 401k is growing or rapidly diverging, the Lord has spoken a Word in your life. And its His Word that lets us know we can handle it!

No matter where you are in life, you have been built to last!

"Stop Tripping"

Despite the enormous amount of drama that is prevailing across the globe, we, the Kingdom Citizens - Believers of the Lord Jesus who is the Christ, ought to bear witness that the happenings in this world do not dictate who we are or the faith that we have in God. Although there have been hurricanes in the Gulf, fires that have swept across wild lands, dark clouds hovering over the homes a thousands of families due to casualties of a senseless war, the market and economy has turned upset down, banks are closing, insurance agencies are folding, employment is decreasing as jobs are becoming a scarcity, and foreclosures and homelessness is at it highest... in the mist of all of this Kingdom Citizens should be encouraged to know that God still has a plan.

Unlike the Prophet Samuel, regardless of what occurrences take place in our lives we should never overlook the fact that God always has a plan. In 1 Samuel 16, God literally told Samuel to stop tripping over the fact that He was removing Saul from the throne. Saul's life had changed in an instant. And Samuel's world also came crashing in because things were happening different from the way he had thought they would be. As result of God's plan, Samuel became stagnate and spent a season grieving because he was close to Saul.

"How long will you mourn for Saul since I have rejected him.... fill your horn... be on your way", God commanded Samuel. In other words, get over it and keep moving. Rather than spending time reflecting on how things used to be and how much better things were then, get over it and keep moving forward. I'm sure those of you reading this are wondering how one can just get over a friend losing their job and/or their livelihood. Well, I feel ya'. However, according to this story, what will help us get over it is knowing that God is over it! And if God is over it, then why are we losing sleep, having nervous breakdowns, and stressing out over it?

Stop tripping! There is a reason why things are the way they are. And since God is behind the reason we should be assured in knowing that everything is going to be all right! "And we know that in all things God works... " Rm 8:28. If God is working in all things then why am I tripping.

Kingdom Minded Couples

"Condom Sense"...?

Essence Magazine has featured an article in their September 2008 edition with intentions to heighten the awareness of protected sex. The advice given is to assist cautious females who find themselves in the heat of the moment trying to deny their partner’s request not to use protection. “Just this one time”, the male says as the female almost helplessly yet cautiously tries to use common sense without killing the moment.

Four points of reference are given to help avoid throwing caution (and condoms) to the wind. If he says this, she should say that… four subsequent ways to respond in the moment for the female to protect herself without dampening the mood. With the alarming statistics for women affected by the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, I completely understand the author and editor’s intent to pro-actively address the issues at hand.

However, when it comes to your sex life verses your spiritual lifestyle, when does Christ-centeredness trump “condom sense”? Now, I know Essence is not solely targeting a biblical-based community. But should we, Kingdom Citizens, spend more time teaching and equipping the church on safe sex since we all know most folk are going to do it anyway? Or should we educate ourselves about the consequences of premarital sex, etc. etc., while encouraging abstinence or celibacy and a lifestyle that pleases God?

I guess what I'm really trying to say is... Should the church hand out condoms and/or the Cross?

What do you think? Let’s hear from you!

Kill it with Kindness

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Romans 12:20

Does your temper often get the best of you, because of what someone says or does to you? Do you find it hard refraining from exploding simply because the nerve that is next to your last nerve had been plucked? Has it been easy for others to push your buttons resulting in a few choice words expressing how you really feel? Have you ever been in a predicament where your reactions were contrary to the “new you” that you’ve grown to be? If any of this is close to what you have experienced in your lifetime, know that you are not alone. Most of us, whether we are honest with ourselves or not, will have or have already had moments where we let the moment get the best of us.

I, for one, know how frustrating it is to let something creep under your skin when you’ve done your best not to let it affect you. Yet and still it does. And before you know it your returning the very same thing that was delivered to you. This is exactly what it was designed to do. No matter what the situation, the argument, or the disagreement was the ultimate goal and objective was to get us to feed into it. And before we know it, we’ve lost our civility. We have “laid our ‘ligion down”.

If this is familiar, no need to despair. All hope is not lost. My first encouragement to you today is to know that everything does not require a response… Especially when you have yet to get your thoughts together. (Tell your neighbor “Hear this…” ) – Before you respond to whatever it is, before you “go-off”, please take time to get yourself together before you respond. Amen somebody!

Before Jesus responded to the adulterous women’s accusers in John chapter 8, He had a moment to collect Himself before He responded. You know the story, Jesus bent down and wrote in the ground, and then He responded… I like to think Jesus ignored them for second. Sometimes you have to ignore to ignorance of others and give them the benefit of the doubt. Nevertheless, He paused before He responded.

Paul also tells us the same, yet in another way. Paul reminds us not to be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Instead of proving that the strife in our lives has accomplished what it was designed to accomplish, we ought to prove it wrong. Instead of allowing the inner rage and anger take over and come out, spend more time and energy asking God to deliver you, and then leave room for God to handle it.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody (including God)… leave room for God’s wrath” (Rm 12:17,19). While God is handling it, do your best to be a blessing in the mist of whatever it is. Do your best to show that what is meant for evil, God has turned it around for your good! Instead feeding into the strife, kill it with kindness. Instead of giving it a piece of your mind, keep your mind in tack and kill it with kindness. Instead of cussing them out… smile, and tell them God Bless You and Kill it with Kindness!

Are You Full... Or Still Hungry?

I’m not mad at a certain level of celebration during worship services, especially when I know that the celebration is sincere and is followed by a substantiative “Word”; a message that will change my life rather than tickle my ear. But when the celebration is more ritual or routine and the so-called message never includes the Word… what do you do? I’m curious to know what type of Sunday mornings you have had and how they have shaped your overall worship experience - might I add and stress how has it shaped your overall relationship with Christ and with your neighbor? How have your worship experiences been? Are they more emotional, or full of life-changing substance? Do you leave feeling full in the spirit, or do you leave looking for the next place to eat? By Monday are you better prepared to face the world and the demonic presence on your job, or are you already defeated before you make it to work? Do people appear to respond to God with major worship while in worship, but their lifestyles after corporate worship provides evidence that it’s only a Sunday morning thing? "We sure had church!" ...Or did we?

How have your worship experiences been? Let’s hear from you!

-Another Wilderness Perspective by John a.k.a "The Baptist"

Eliminating the Drag

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, let us run..."
Heb. 12:1

Nike has done it again. The mammoth sports apparel corporation known around the world by its stylish "swoosh", has taken things to another new level. Several years ago Nike introduced newly designed swim gear for the Swim Team representing the United States in the Olympics. The new gear not only made them look like fish, but it also helped the team swim win its way to several gold metals. Well, if you thought the swim gear was off-the-hook, wait until the results from the Athletics (Track & Fields) Olympic team wearing the newly designed "Nike Swift System" gear this year. This new gear, for the 2008 USA Track Team, is designed to knock off 31.5% of drag from the runners arms and legs adding .02 seconds to their time. Wow! Nike has found a way to reduce the drag by redesigning and reducing the material on the uniforms.

Although Nike is cashing in, Paul had the concept to this "swift system" years ago. "Throw off everything that hinders...", he says to the Hebrews. Paul understood the importance of a makeover. This makeover is not about fashion, grooming, or a house turned into a home. Like Nike, Paul is talking about redesigning our lives to reduce the drag slowing us down while running this race call life. Nike decreased their material and cut away certain areas allowing the runner to cut through the forces of wind against them. With this vivid image in mind of the runners in their new aerodynamic wears, what are the areas in your life that prevent you to run at your top speed.

What persons, places, or things in your life need to be cut away? What's the excess material that is slowing you down? Is it the "crew", your friends who are only your friends when you have what they need? Is it the significant other or the other significant that is consistently and purposefully headed in the wrong direction insisting that you follow or it over? Is it trying to keep up with neighbors? The Jones’ have moved and still you cannot rest until you have more tangible processions than the new neighbors? And this is just the external variables that often slow us down... I have yet to even talk about the sin. The stuff that we know we’re doing that is slowing us down.

Well, this nugget is to encourage you to let go of everything that is hindering you and the sin that has entangled you. You know exactly what needs to go… we don’t need to spell it out! Just cut it off, say good-bye, ignore the calls, avoid the locations or conversations that take your mind there, and run this race with perseverance! The Lord is calling you onward. I can see Him at the finish line waiting to say well done, my good and faithful servant… Well done!