What Did You Say? | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

One thing I've noticed throughout my life as a born again believer is that the level of my spiritual maturity--at any given point--can be gauged by assessing how well I handle the tasks GOD places before me.  Whether it be something I read about in the Bible, heard in a sermonic message/teaching, or was prompted to do by the Holy Spirit, my reaction to the task or assignment is a great indicator of where I'm at spiritually.  The first thing I say is the best indicator because the first reaction is usually the most honest, as it pertains to my heart.

This past weekend, I ran across a photocopy of something I received years ago from a motivational email. I'd like to share it with you because words are powerful.  We casually say things without fully considering its meaning, yet the atmosphere doesn't consider our ignorance (willful or innocent).  As we speak, the atmosphere responds because that's the order of things.  Therefore, it's in our best interests as agents of atmospheric change to heighten our awareness of the words the proceed from our lips.  So here is the message:

Did is a word of achievement.
Won't is a word of rebellion.
Might is a word of mediocrity.
Can't is a word of defeat and fear.
Ought is a word of duty.
Try is a word of little faith.
Maybe is a word of procrastination.
Will is a word of courage.
Can is a word of power and self-determination.
Doing is a word of progress and fulfillment.
Done is a word of success.

It's that simple, friends. I challenge you to carefully examine your own usage of these words.  Think: "What kind of task is this word in response to?  Why do I feel the need to respond with that particular word?  How often do I use this word?"  Word usage may seem like a small, insiginificant thing; however, Bible says that the little foxes spoil the vines (Song of Solomon 2:15).  Our enemy is counting on us not to perceive such "small things" as threats to our well-being, but gone unchecked they will snatch the fruit of our labor before we ever see its full development.  Therefore, let's not allow our words to work AGAINST US when they've been designed to work FOR US.  Remember: "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles" (Proverbs 21:23).

The Order of Righteousness (Part 2) | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

As a continuation of yesterday's blog post, I'd like to focus more on paranoia.  It can be best understood as the tendency toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness and distrustfulness of others.  In order to move from one state of mind, in which we FELT everything was coming AGAINST US, into another state of mind, in which we KNOW everything is working FOR US, we must be declared righteous and, as a result of that declaration, live righteously.  Therein lies our power to triumph in every area of our lives.

Of course, this then leads me to wonder about our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ who always seem to be "under attack."  When we seek first the Kingdom (the rulership) of GOD and His righteousness (His way of doing things), it pulls everything into alignment (Matthew 6:33).  If righteousness and righteous living together produce order, then our mindset should not perceive life's situations as coming against us but as them rather working for us.  In other words, GOD only allows righteous people to face situations purposed and sent for their benefit.  Otherwise, it simply would not come our way.  Any feelings of being "under attack" are merely the result of unrighteous choices.

The Order of Righteousness | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

Two Wednesdays ago, I had the privilege of hearing Pastor Amie (Hayes) Dockery, daughter of Pastor Mike Hayes (Senior Pastor, Covenant Church | Carrollton, TX) deliver an awesome message entitled, "This One Thing I Do."  She shared so much that was relevant to my own life right now, and I could probably write at least five blog posts from the page and a half of notes I took during midweek service.  However, there was one thing in particular that really stuck with me: "We're moving from paranoia to metanoia, from everything coming against us to everything working for us."

While many of us may be familiar with the term "paranoia," let me hip you to the term "metanoia."  It means a transformative change of heart.  The word originated from the Greek word "metanoein," which means to change one's mind, to repent.  When we seek first the Kingdom (the rulership) of GOD and His righteousness (His way of doing things), it pulls everything into alignment (Matthew 6:33).  Order is established in our lives simply because we've chosen to submit ourselves to a government that is both known and regarded for being orderly--we take on the characteristics of that to which we have submitted ourselves.  By changing our minds, we tap into GOD's order; and His sense of order is so powerful that it's able to literally move us from one state of mind, in which we FELT everything was coming against us, into another state of mind, in which we KNOW everything is working for us.  Now that's powerful right there!

Tis the Season | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

On yesterday morning, a good social media acquaintance of mine, Jamil Willis, posted the following status update on Facebook:

"Thought of the Day: If you're trying to figure out the relationships that are ordained by God, look for people who are in the same season as you.  If you can find people, with whom you are already in relationship, that have the same struggles and testimonies as you, it is likely that those are the relationships God wants to grow!  Those with whom I have made covenant are in a season just like mine! Consecrate the covenant!"

There are two reasons why I was so excited to read those words: (1) I had never before looked at relationships from this perspective and (2) it was in perfect agreement with the message John Ragsdale (Pastor, The Hills Fellowship | Nashville, TN) delivered the night before at the Surge Men's Conference at Covenant Church (Carrollton, TX).  (To download the message in its entirety on iTunes, click here.) During his insightful explaination of the process of stepping into the power of the Spirit, Pastor Ragsdale mentioned how our experience of frustration is GOD's way of testing our calling to see if we will submit to the seasons of our lives.  We've become good at submitting to people and leadership, but we struggle in submitting to the seasons, especially if it's not what or where we expected to be.

In considering what both of these anointed men had to say, I realized that, in submitting to the seasons of our lives, we must also discern which fellowships have been ordained by GOD for the respective seasons.  It is this discernment that keeps us soberminded by guiding us in our awareness and knowledge of the seasons and each season's fellowships.  We need to be both clear about and sensitive towards relationships needing to be cultivated for growth, developed through resource allocation (e.g. time, energy, finances), and downgraded (or even dissolved) as the seasons change.

So what then happens when the seasons aren't submitted to?  We end up going in circles, making no progress in fulfilling our callings.  And we can't even get angry at GOD for our lack of progress.  Until we decide to submit to the seasons of our lives and adjust our relationships to the seasons, we'll continue circling the same mountains and repeatedly facing the same relationship drama.  Therefore, tis the season for careful evaluation of our relationships to ensure they are consistent with the current seasons of our lives.  If they're not in agreement with the current season, then changes must be made--and made quickly--to maintain the momentum of our journey's progress.  Otherwise, we run the risk of wasting our resources to maintain fellowships our lives' seasons have doomed to fail in their current state.

My suggestion?  Submit to the season.  Covenant with those whose seasons mirror your own. Move forward.

So Worth It | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

It's amazing how many people, particularly Christians, suffer from low self-esteem.  I vividly remember my own struggle and how hard it was to "feel" loved, valuable and appreciated.  A recent phone conversation, interestingly enough, was what brought all this back to mind.  The friend and brother with whom I was speaking was excitedly explaining how grateful he was to GOD for sending His Son to Earth to die for us because we certainly weren't worthy of this act of love.  When he said that, I thought to myself, "Even though we weren't worthy of Christ's passionate sacrifice, I'm so glad we were worth it."

Our Father recognized our worth by sending Christ to die for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).  Thanks be to GOD that He didn't wait until we recognized our own worth or even got our act together (as if any effort on our part could merit the atonement for sin).  But because His purpose prevails (or, as stated in Proverbs 19:21, His counsel stands) and is not moved by time, situations or attitudes, GOD knew our end long before the beginning (Jeremiah 1:5).  Even when we were up to our eyeballs in a mess of sin, our Father saw us sanctified and ordained THEN just as He did BEFORE the foundations of the world.  And because of the awesome staying power--Glory to GOD!--of His purpose, GOD made a public declaration through His Son's death at Calvary that we're so worth it.

Dead But Alive |The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

Last week was the fiftieth year anniversary of the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy, one of the most endearing and unforgettable elected officials in the history of this country.  I heard an interview with his daughter Caroline, during which she made a statement that really caught my attention:

"All my life I've had people tell me that my father changed their lives."

WOW!  Now that's a testimony right there.  How awesome would it be to be constantly reminded of your loved one's impact on the lives of others, even DECADES after their death?  Several things came to mind as I pondered this quote.  A life spent serving your GOD-given gift to the world not only leaves an enduring legacy in the Earth realm following your death, but it also suggests that you're still alive when people can talk about the enduring impact you made long after your physical presence has gone.

Kingdom Media Mandate | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

On Thursday, I was reminded of my calling to deal with media; and I think I'm getting a better understanding of how this passion for communication is going to be channeled to advance the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Earth realm.  Over the years, it's been challenging to get a clear picture of just how I'm going to use this skill set and passion, or rather how GOD plans to use them--after all, He created me with them.  But I must say that the journey has been more than interesting.

Well, at any rate, let me share with you what happened this week.  A good friend of mine was trying to take advantage of an opportunity to share Kingdom insight on a rather controversial topic during a well-known  nationally syndicated radio program.  The widely renowned host of the show sent out a request via social media for participants.  My friend responded because it offered a national platform to communicate a Kingdom message to a captive audience.  Although the host understood my friend's stance, he wasn't interested in pursuing this hot button topic from this perspective.  In fact, it was the host's intention to express criticism of how some ministers have handled situations pertaining to the topic.  In other words, the host had an agenda from the very beginning that contradicted the Kingdom's stance on the topic and he was not interested in introducing the Kingdom's perspective to the discussion for balance.  What most bothered me, though, was the fact that this personality, I'm sure, has a significant listenership of believers who didn't need to be exposed to his slant on the topic as well as unbelievers who were going to be intentionally denied any exposure to the Kingdom of Light's perspective.  Since I don't follow this particular media personality's work, I'm not even sure if he is a believer.  However, if he is, I can guarantee that he will have some explaining to do at the judgement.

Handling Critics & Criticism (Part 2) | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

As we continue our discussion on handling critics and criticism, let's take a look at Jesus' use of the phrase "[not] fit for the kingdom of God" in Luke 9:62 so we can all be on the same page.  Believe it or not, this phrase actually does not refer to someone being fit for salvation or going to heaven--that's far from being the case here because GOD's agenda is MUCH bigger than those two things.  Jesus is speaking of one not being "well placed for the rulership or reign of GOD."  Our Father does not reign where ANYTHING other than the mark is being regarded because our intent focus on Him and His way of doing things is the place in which He reigns.  Anytime we focus on critics and criticism, GOD is NOT RULING US at that moment.  Furthermore, we've displaced ourselves--thereby absolving the devil and his imps of any blame--because we chose to shift our focus away from the mark. We're to blame for no longer being well placed for GOD's rulership. This is why Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14: "but this one thing I do, FORGETTING those things which are BEHIND, and REACHING FORTH unto those things which are BEFORE, I press toward ..."  Paul's reference to "forgetting," according to the Greek, means "to lose out of mind" as well as "to neglect."  Taking into consideration what we discussed in the previous post about "not looking back," this creates a whole new understanding of the adage, "Out of sight, out of mind."

Handling Critics & Criticism | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

It's very interesting how everyone seems to be a critic.  Anytime anyone is DOING anything, someone ALWAYS has something to say.  We've all experienced it.  Such criticism may be directed towards one's appearance, one's past, one's performance of a task--basically, any number of things.  Truth be told, criticism hardly ever edifies and it's usually unwelcomed.  Nevertheless, it comes; and for some of us, great difficulty is encountered in the handling of our critics and their comments.  We're often offended by the words spoken and experience varying degrees of hurt depending on the nature of the relationship had with our critics.  And in the case of people like myself, the worst critic is usually the one staring back in front of a mirror near you.

The good news is that there's a profound biblical precedent for our "handling" of critcism.  For example in the Old Testament, Nehemiah didn't come down from the wall to answer his critics (Nehemiah 6:3).  He simply dismissed them, continuing to move forward in the work GOD called him to accomplish--repairing Jerusalem's torn down walls.  However, in the New Testament, I love how in his addressing of this topic, Jesus says, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). While it may appear out of context to use this scripture (if you consider Luke 9:61), the principle we need is right here. Picture a plowman digging a row in a field. There's a mark strategically placed at the end of the row for him to focus on to ensure the row he plows is straight. If the plowman takes his eyes off the mark, even for an extremely short period of time, the ox can get misguided and the row will become crooked. Therefore, in order for his work to be done correctly, the plowman must remain focused on the mark at the row's end and nothing else.

Fear of Failure | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

While getting ready this morning to tackle the day, my mind pondered fear of failure.  Now we know that GOD has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).  Therefore, all fear--aside from that of the reverential sort for GOD--is rooted in the Kingdom of Darkness.  As my pastor says, the word "fear" is best understood as the acronym "False Evidence Appearing Real."  Our adversary is strategic in his presentation of false evidence because he's an illusionist.  That's why it's not enough for us to consider what it looks, sounds or feels like.  We must consider what we believe and know--that is, what the Word of GOD says.  After all, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7); and it takes us mastering our faith walk to avoid being tricked by illusions of what appears real.

Ironically, one of our greatest fears as humans is that of failure, the illusions of which will still us INSTANTLY.  It's part of our human nature to hate to lose because we're so competitive.  And somewhere along the way, we've equated the failure of an effort on our part to the emotions associates with the pain of loss and the agony of defeat.  Just because something may not have worked out as anticipated does not mean we've lost anything or experienced defeat.  But yet we've all agonized over our lives' failures like they were the end of the world.  Far from it! Encountering failure presents us a golden opportunity to make improvements designed to increase our potential for success in the future. 

A King's Heart | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

It always amazes me what happens when I'm minding my own business. While working out at the gym this morning, I overheard a disturbing conversation between a non-Black American gentleman and a Black-American lady. He commented during their dialogue, "Today is your holiday." To be honest with you, it was like hearing a record scratch abruptly or grimacing at the sound of finger nails screeching across a chalk board. I thought to myself, "I know he DIDN'T just say, 'YOUR holiday?!'" That REALLY bothered me because Dr. King's legacy is MUCH broader than what was accomplished to help people of my own ethnic background. As Dr. King put it, the destinies of America's various ethnic groups are tied to each other because we're all citizens of the same country. The people of this great nation must understand that WE ARE ALL AMERICANS, and we should do whatever possible to ensure the maintenance of an environment of equality and justice for all. In my opinion, that alone makes us more American than any national flag, language, emblem or anthem.

Although I wouldn't consider myself a viewer of the Oprah Winfrey Show, I was very interested in seeing today's episode chronicling twenty-five years of her program's most impactful moments in the exploration of racism in America.  It was extremely inspiring because Oprah showcased the power of change and how time has a way of putting people regardless of their ethnic background in situations that bring about repentance, healing and harmony.  In my humble opinion, this is what the Body of Christ here in the USA should be about doing.  The church should be at the forefront of reconciling not the races, but THE race because there's only one--the HUMAN race.

The Opposite of Impossible | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

Life has a strange way of bringing about situations that seem impossible. I mean, things can take a turn for the worse in no time at all. And we're left wondering, "Where did THAT come from?" because what arose seems to have come from out of no where. In assessing many of these situations, it's easy to get discouraged and declare the situation to be impossible amidst our worrying. But I've got good news for you!

The only situations that are impossible are the ones we try to alleviate on our own--that is, in our own reasoning, logic, skill and ability. While there are some situations GOD has enabled us to improve, there are others that are completely out of our realm of influence. And it doesn't mean that we're lacking faith in our acknowledgement of this thing. However, what it does mean is that, while we may be unable to control the seasons of our lives, we most certainly can control how we perceive and respond to the seasons. Whether it be the death of a loved one, the sudden loss of a job through company downsizing, or maybe an act of nature that consumes all of one's belongings...whatever it is in our lives that APPEARS to be an impossible situation is exactly the opposite.

Just Seeing Things | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

This morning, I was reminded by the Holy Spirit that seeing is a function of the eyes, whereas vision is a function of the heart.  Since the heart is the seat of a man's will, it's the place from which his willpower emanates.  It's where vision (or purpose in pictures) is translated from an intangible idea (or thought) to a tangible concept (or plan) ready to be actualized.

Let's face it: HAVING a vision is just SEEING, and that's pointless.  There's nothing wrong with dreaming; but if dreams and visions are all that's had, then that's not much at all in the grand scheme of things.  Instead of having visions, we should strive to become people OF vision.  Visionary people are possessed by the "purpose in pictures" they've seen. As a matter of fact, they're so inspired by the vision that it motivates them to take action, thereby turning them into MISSIONaries.

The pictures drive them to change their whole lives--literally--to pursue what has been envisioned, and everything they do revolves around turning the pictures into a reality. They compel them to create a tangible, yet flexible plan of action outlining the steps towards the achievement of measurable goals and outcomes within specified time frames. They inspire them to communicate clearly and concisely the vision to others in charismatic ways, thereby attracting a band of enthusiastic supporters who will be loyal to the vision--first and foremost--and then the visionary.

What Do You See? | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

While reading a good friend and fellow Kingdom laborer's blog ("The Slow and Painful Death Caused By Lack of Faith"), I was reminded of the importance of HOW we see ourselves.  Ten of the twelve Israelite spies came back from their 40-day mission of surveying the Promised Land and its inhabitants with a NEGATIVE report (Numbers 13:30-32).  One of the reasons given for their poor outlook on the situation was that the Israelite spies saw themselves as grasshoppers amidst the giants of the land (Numbers 13:33).  Nevermind that the same GOD, who delivered them mightily from the hand of the Egyptians, expressed that He'd given them this territory and they only had to enter in to possess it.  Well, the majority had spoken: we are inadequate to seize what GOD has promised us.  (My heart literally fell after typing that last sentence because it represents the reality of so many people who have placed their faith in GOD for eternal salvation but can't trust Him for today.  My goodness...)

Even though Israel saw themselves as being too small and weak in stature to take on the inhabitants, herein lies the irony: Egypt enslaved the Hebrews because their growth posed a threat to the security of its own kingdom (Exodus 1:8-10).  Now isn't THAT something?!  Why YES, it most certainly is!  The Israelites were oppressed because their wiser, yet frightened enemy saw how POTENTIALLY powerful they were when they were too busy to even realize it for themselves.  Even after GOD's deliverance of His people involved plagues of mass murder and destruction, the crippling of Egypt's military and significantly spoiling the empire of its wealth, the Israelites STILL saw themselves as being inadequate.  (GOD help us TODAY!)

Preparing for Crisis | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

Throughout our lives, we've all experienced our fair share of "situations" or crises. These changes, if you will, to our routine lifestyles pose unwanted challenges because they make null and void the way we've become accustomed to doing things. I know myself to be a serious creature of habit: once I have things set exactly how I like them, the last thing I want is for change to be introduced. Ironically, the change can be for the better, but because it comes at an inconvenient time it's usually not welcomed.

What we fail to see, though, is that these situations are actually blessings in disguise. For instance: haven't we all prayed to our Father that He bless us? However, when He does and the blessing doesn't match what we had in mind, we don't recognize GOD in it all. Some of us even go so far as to pray against it, bind and rebuke it, and cast the devil out of it. As humorous as that sounds, it's at those times that we really have to check ourselves to see if we're really desiring the Father's will or our own. Admittedly, I've certainly been guilty of opposing GOD's will because it was inconsistent with my own desires.

I'm Resting | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine that was so enlightening.  You know, it always amazes me how GOD manifests Himself, even during something as simple as a phone conversation.  At any rate, the thought came up that in facing situations, particularly when people bring up our pasts, it's important to rest on the Word of GOD and what has been promised to us therein.

As we conversed, the Holy Spirit began to minister to me and focused my attention on the word "rest."  What came to mind was a picture of me fatigued and leaning against a large rock or boulder.  I noticed in this picture that all my weight was being supported by the rock because my body was too weak to support the weight it had been carrying.  The picture's message was quite clear: I don't have the strength to hold up (or uphold) the weight of my life, but the promises of GOD--like a huge boulder--can most certainly do so.

Where There's A Will | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

This past Friday, I was listening to a message by Dr. Myles Munroe in which he noted that we're still trying to figure out how a single mother can raise five kids without a man in the home and get them through college.  Immediately, I thought to myself, "Where there's a will, there's a way." However, the Holy Spirit came right behind that thought to say, "Where there's the will, GOD makes the way."

The big idea here is that there is NOTHING too hard for GOD (Genesis 18:14, Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah 32:7).  When we find ourselves in what seems to be impossible situations, we can rely on GOD to make the way for us when we will to do what pleases Him (Joshua 1:8).  In fact, confidence can be securely placed in our Father to make highways in life's deserts.  Therefore, worry and stress have no place in the lives of Heaven's citizens when we are willing to ascribe to GOD's way of doing things.

Your Gift Will | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

I have been so inspired by the AMAZING story of Ted Williams, the homeless man with the golden voice who has been all over the media the past couple of days.  If you're somehow unfamiliar with this gentleman's miraculous story, please view the video I've posted below.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Making Better Declarations | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

This morning, an interesting news segment on making better resolutions caught my attention and I immediately began taking notes on my Blackberry because I sensed something valuable was about to come into my hearing.  This brief segment packed quite a punch and I just had to share with you all how it impacted me.  However, instead of using the term "resolution," I prefer to use "declaration" because it aligns much better with the teachings of the Kingdom to which I espouse.

When setting goals, we must frame them in the first person declarative.  It's important to see and say the phrase "I will" because it creates a relationship between one's will and the goal, thereby attaching the manifestation of the end result to actions motivated by one's will.  Thus begins the process of us both thinking and visualizing the achievement of the goal as an act of our will (Proverbs 23:7).  A goal is then no longer perceived as an impossibility becoming a probability, but rather a probability becoming a reality.

Listen Here, Mountain | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

As I was meditating on the previous post ("Give Me This Mountain"), I realized that I still hadn't touched on "speaking to the mountain" (Mark 11:23).  One of the most valuable benefits of "the climb" (or the situations we face) is that, once we've climbed a particular mountain--that is, experienced situations that ultimately lead to our transformation in some area of our mind, will and emotions--we shouldn't have to climb it again.  I know that sounds elementary, but so many of us Christians have compromised our witness because our lives are spent CLIMBING mountains instead of COMMANDING them.

You see, standing on a mountain peak is representative of the deliverances we experience.  This breathtaking image is a most fitting picture of our souls' triumphs over darkness because, when we're standing at the top of a mountain, it's literally under our feet.  So everything we've been delivered from--whether it be fornication, low self-esteem, high-mindedness, whatever-- is a manifested deliverance representative of a mountain we've climbed (or the end of a series of situations undergone resulting in us conquering something within us).