Ecclesiastes 10:10

since a dull ax requires great strength sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.

Ever felt like a hamster on a wheel in someone’s cage? Life can be like that. You run harder and faster and yet it seems like you’re going nowhere. Perhaps at some time you’ve been afforded an opportunity and in your heart of hearts you see yourself failing because the task at hand far exceeds your capacity.

Thank God for teachers, instructors, coaches, and, most of all, pastors. It’s amazing to me how often we devalue such great gifts. Ephesians refers to them as such. Here is someone whose role and purposes is to watch over, instruct, and care for us. So that we grow to become fruitful and productive in every area of life for the benefit of the kingdom.

Yet so many times I have seen people handcuff this relationship and not give access to them as to hurt themselves and their families.

Our western independent upbringing handicaps us from the full counsel of God’s divine order.

CLC has a great Pastor and I consider myself blessed!

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Uncle Irving died last week.

Now to most people, that means nothing, and even to myself it is a distant event 1400 miles away, but let me tell you about this forgotten man.

Irving was he brother of my Grandmother, and married Aunty Agnes. My wife and I learned a little about these two when we were invited to dinner at their house once about 7 years ago, and I regret it was the only real conversation we had with them. We rang the doorbell and she answered the door, a lovely hostess, the perfect Jewish/ Italian grandma, pinching cheeks and filling stomachs. Walking into the house it was hard not to laugh; they were in their seventies I think, yet all I can recall is the white sofas and the red heart shaped cushions all over the place- they were still very much in love, and they talked about Jesus constantly.

Agnes told us of how they married right before Irv was sent to the Pacific during world war II, she described with absolute sincerity and emotion the terror of their wedding night, as she was a virgin and had never slept with a man. Tiffany and I laughed at her stories and she did too, a bit, but you could tell she was genuine.

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1 Corinthians 4:20

For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God’s power.

Growing up in Chicago during the Michael Jordan Era, I learned a valuable lesson. I was one who played basketball daily, and in the neighborhood I lived, competition was staunch. When you got next, you wanted to win because getting back on the court was not guaranteed. So you tried to pick guys that you know could ball so you could hold the court.

Occasionally it would happen that you’d end up picking some guy who looked the part. You know right shoe’s’ shorts wristband, jersey, could talk the game, only to find out later that kid had no game….Bummer.

The Kingdom of God operates the same way. I don’t want to be caught with the guy who has the T.V and radio Program, the bible seminary degree, but not enough power to blow the fuzz off a peach….

Give me the guy who’s gone through some stuff and is still serving Christ.

I remember sitting in a restaurant once with an older gentlemen, and he was sharing with me how his teenage son who was suffering depression years ago committed suicide and how it forever changed him. He had disciplined his son and sent him to his room only to find him later strangled. It drove him to Christ. Now when he spoke of Christ his mercy and Grace, there was a sense of the Holy Ghost that could convert the hardest of hearts. He came through not bitter but better. That’s the Kingdom I know

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Mark 16:20

and the disciples went everywhere and preached and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.

What a thought! That the Lord of all,would be supporting and backing your efforts. Why? Simply because you put yourself in a position to preach this gospel. They did not wait for a sign in order to begin preaching( Heralding/ proclaiming), but instead they opened their mouths to share and the signs followed.

Have you ever asked yourself why signs don’t manifest in your life? What is coming out of your mouth? Not only in Church or around other Christians for you see it says they went everywhere and preached. In other words their confession was consistent. Not blab and grab! The thought being that what is in you will come out of you!

2009 will be the greatest year of my life to date.

Since October 1, that has been my confession. I am determined to preach everywhere and anywhere. So that it will be said of me the Lord is working with him!

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Isaiah 11: 1

Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot- yes’ a new branch bearing fruit from the old root.

I heard the most incredible testimony the other day. A survivor of the senseless atrocity that took place in Rwanda! This women had seen her husband and children killed by a man who had been a neighbor for many years. Now found her self having to move forward and rebuild her life.

She stated that she saw no other way to move forward then through the wonder working power of restoration in forgiveness that she received from her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She organized a Community dinner. Well aware that there would be people from both sides of the spectrum there.

She set the example by forgiving and eating with the man who had taken her family.

How often I have seen Christ take a root that someone would call hopeless dead and worthless and spring forth something all together wonderful.

No matter how bad it seems or how hopeless, Make room for Christ and see the salvation of our Lord!

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