I'm Not a Servant to Crisis

It's true that if you can't actively see something other than your present circumstance all you'll ever get is what you see. Some people say, "Well, I have to think about my circumstances. I have to think my way out of them!" And I would say yes, you have a point there. We have to be strategic when we're thinking about the problems of life. However, when that thought process gives way to worry then you've just stepped over into thinking about something you can't do anything about. There's a fine balance.

When I start playing the servant to worry in any form I've just become a workhorse. Thoughts are options, they're not mandates. I don't have to think on everything that comes through my mind. In fact, I make it a job to stand like a soldier and actively choose the positive. Why? Because I don't work for circumstances. Circumstances work for me. They're there to purify me, clarify my walk, and teach me a thing or two about who I am. Not who I think I am, who I truly am. Circumstances are only an opportunity to grow or give up. What's it gonna be?

Our responses to crisis and worry define us in a way that is integral to our making headway in this life. And if there's one thing I know about life, it doesn't often stay exactly the same. There's always something new to tackle. Always something new to learn. And, if I can encourage you to do one thing today I'll say, don't think about things that make you feel insecure. It takes the praise right out of you and there's just no need for that. I love you! Tune into TOP for our live services and get this Word first-hand!

Is It All About You?

Have you ever noticed that when you internalize you become very self-centered? How can you help it? You're the only one you're listening to! I know how that feels. It's the result of only looking at where you're at. That simple habit and an unwillingness to break it, can be devastating to a life.

Over the last few days I've been so encouraged by the people who have signed on to my Facebook Fan Page and posted their thoughts. They're telling me about what they're looking at and how far they can see. It reminds me that the human spirit is amazingly resilient. We can track and survive like a stealth animal. But we have a weakness we need to be aware of. If we have enough rope on a bad day, a bad month, a bad year filled with some discouragement, some hopelessness, we can lose our way. How much time have we lost? We have to look up, and look out. Because when you get down to it, it's really our only choice. Why? Because my question to a person that's stuck in a circular mindset is always gonna be, "Why get upset behind something you can't change." Look up. Look out. And change your perspective. That's the first step.

What Are You Looking At?

I've gotten a lot of great response from people about what I preached on Sunday. Well, in all truth, it was a continuation of what I started on Wednesday night. I hope you caught it. I pointed out our options as believers and more than a few of you were listening.

Every day we make a decision to either stay right where we're at, or to move forward. And the decision we make usually depends on what we're looking at. Are we focused on the lack in front of us, or the supply just beyond us? Because in truth, that supply is not so far beyond us that we can't get to it. Supply is often just far enough that we have to reach for it. Reaching is a good thing, if we'll only get the courage to do it.

Some of us want quite a bit out of life but we aren't convinced we'll get it. To engage in more than the status quo, you have to keep a positive mindset that engages in new things purely for the sake of determination. To remain useful to ourselves and others it takes that kind of ongoing effort. It takes a mindset that says, "Where I'm at is not where I'm staying. I refuse to stay here." Do you say that to yourself? In what small and very active way do you encourage yourself to see more for your life? King David said he encouraged himself in the Lord. To me that says that He saw something beyond his current circumstances. I think he was onto something...

Bishop! Wow!

Hey everybody! What a whirlwind two weeks we've had! It's official, I've been consecrated a Bishop. A part of me wondered if this time would actually come. Not because I sought it out, waited for it, wished for it. In fact, it was quite the opposite. For a long time I wasn't sure I wanted this responsibility. To pastor a group of believers is one thing, to witness to unbelievers everywhere I go is a joy, but to carry the title of a Bishop is another thing entirely. To be honest, I thought of it as an honor I wasn't sure I was up to. I thought, "Is this something I can really handle?" Obviously it is, it's here and for a week now, I've walked in it. I'm astounded at how people are responding to me in a different way. I've heard from so many all over this country with new interest in my ministry. Favor has come to TOP. Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts. We're doing the best we can with this new dimension of ministry. Let me know how you're feeling about our transition. I really love to hear from all of you!

Let's Talk Real Talk!

I started thinking about how the church can become more relevant in the world we live in. I thought, "What can I do today to be more relevant?" That's when I thought of this blog. I'd love for this to be a forum where we can discuss pressing issues in society, the church and humanity at large. Will you do that with me? Will you post your thoughts and feelings and let others talk to you about them? Ask yourself if you're willing to view the world from different perspectives. Personally, I think it's the only way to stay relevant.

So, let me get the ball rolling! What are your thoughts about religion? What does that word or, that idea mean to you personally?

Write me!!! Get involved!!!

What an incredible time we had at the Focus Conference in Atlanta! Bishop Eddie L. Long hosted pastors and their support staff from all around the country for three powerful days of instruction. As you can see, my staff is smiling just as big as I am. Pictured with me from left to right is Shannon Butler, Walter Freeman, Sherma Felix, Hayden Oliver, Charlotte Hall, and David Luckey. This is the staff that I recently ordained as lead ministers at TOP. They're beaming for a reason! We had just celebrated Walter's birthday and had fun doing it, too. It was great to be together.

I feel so refreshed in my spirit! Without a doubt we were invigorated with a fresh Word about reaching the world with greater intention than ever before. It's time to get out of our box in every area of life and push toward a new challenge. How can we call ourselves the church and not reach out to people who are in need? And when I say need, I don't just mean spiritual need, I mean daily physical and very practical need. I encourage you to start reaching out to those who need something as simple as a meal. It all starts in our own backyard. Ask yourself what practical things you can do to affect someone's life today. It's through our consistent and practical actions that people will listen to our message of Christ's love. The Bible says that it's God's goodness that draws us to Him. Be good to someone today, practically.

Business

Why doesn't the work dwindle if I'm busy all day every day? Have you ever noticed that the more you do, the more you need to do? What is that? Sometimes I call it being productive. Other times I call it tiring. But there's one thing I always call it - it's an honor! Remember the days when you didn't know what you were gonna do next? Or maybe, that's the spot you're in now! If you are, just put one foot in front of the other and do everything you can in the moment you're in! You'll get the benefits if you don't give up.

After a busy week dealing with TOP issues, issues on my new book that's due to be released next year, and issues with my new album, I'm all three! I'm productive and tired and honored all at the same time. You all keep me in mind as I preach four times over the next three days. Tonight I'll be at a church nearby, tomorrow night I'll preach at TOP's Arlington location, and then I'll preach in two services on Sunday! After I finish it's off to Atlanta for Bishop Long's Focus Conference. I'm looking forward to the next few busy days! Keep me in your prayers that I'll be rested enough to bring a powerful word of encouragement everywhere I go! Be well and know I'm thinking of you too!

A Quiet Heaven

Does it ever seem to you like God gets real quiet sometimes? Have you ever wondered why? There's really no one right answer to that question. Every situation is different. However when you've done all you can do to pray, believe, and stand your ground, it takes great faith to continue on when God seems quiet. Although I know it's wonderful when a prayer is answered; when you hear yourself say, "God, even when I can't trace you I still believe you" that's when you know there's real progress. You might be saying, "Oh great, Pastor. Maturity is exactly what I wanted!" I understand! I know that's not ultimately what you prayed for. However with every prayer, with every muttered request or boisterous appeal, there's an underlying contingency plan. God has the option to use that open door to teach you something that will go further than the answer you're asking for. God is strategic and rest assured, He has all of us in process. So, occupy yourself with gladness and focus on the work of believing. And then go one further and get used to it! It's the believer's job.

Gratitude

Gratitude is one of the most beautiful things I can think of. By extension, the lack of it is glaring. I remember asking God years ago, "Why aren't things better for me?" I went on to ask, no let me correct that, I adamantly informed God of what was missing in my life. Yes I had a car and it was a Cadillac. However, my car was one of those five-milers. It went about five miles then quit. But it was clean and it was a Cadillac! It's only fault was it just wouldn't run very well. I demanded that God give me the answer immediately as to why, among other things, I had to drive such an unreliable car. It was about that time that He reminded me that I was indeed driving a car of my own. That couldn't be said by some folks looking for a ride to the grocery store, the doctor, school, and work that day. My perspective shifted. Thankfully, what happened that day has stuck with me my entire life. God never wanted me to forget His answer; the answer He gave me despite my arrogant tone. He said, "Why would I give you more when you're not grateful for what you have?"

How many times do we step all over the things that he have just because they don't measure up in our mind as enough? Exactly what is "enough?" And who said "enough" was enough? That answer is subjective however I know this, there's nothing so inappropriate as an ungrateful believer. Those two words plainly contradict each other. Try to envision an ungrateful believer. You can't do it because one doesn't exist. If you're actively in pursuit of believing you can't be ungrateful. Believing, by definition, includes identifying the miracles found in every day life. It survives by being focused on the miraculous ordinary.

Can you take a moment to identify the miraculous in your ordinary? Your ordinary car, your ordinary job, your ordinary meals, family, friends, bank account, vacation plans, college dreams for your children, health, and memories that make your life story what it is? I think you get the picture. I know I do. Why? Because in spite of opportunities to the contrary I never allowed gratitude to leave me. I purposed to make God's answer stick. Allow that to go deep in your spirit and remember, if some "thing" defines you, you've lost your identity.

Transition

Transition is unavoidable. It can also be extremely painful emotionally. When I think of transition I think of when my children were born. Some of my wife’s most painful labor was when the baby was in transition. Our children were positioning themselves to be born and that was painful for my wife. But no matter how intense it was, the overwhelming joy that followed could not be compared. Birthing a new season in your life is kind of like that. But brace yourself! Life’s transitions take a while.

I encourage you to reach back and get everything you've been through and use it in your now. This race is not for the swiftest. It's for the ones that will endure the transitions. Just hang in there! You're about to win on a new level. This race is yours so just stay strong. Just keep praising, keep reading, keep praying, and do like the old folks used to say - "run on and see what the end's gonna be."

Relationship

If you think about it, everything in life is about relationship. It runs true even in simple momentary interactions like conversations with a waiter, a bank teller, or a parking attendant. An open heart and and open mind toward people in general is not only good for our testimony, it's good for our well-being. So what does that have to do with God?

The practice of accepting and loving people for who they are encourages us to "take God out of the box." Much like we do with people, often times we try to make God into what we want Him to be. By our actions, we try to tell God who He is. We tell Him what He needs to do, and how He needs to do it. We may not mean to however, when we really scrutinize our motivations we can see that sometimes we're not in faith when it comes to Him; we're in presumption.

God is exactly as He is. He is not as we want Him to be. Is God currently "in a box" where you've placed Him? If so, think about this, a box allows you to have the idea that you have some control over the contents but, it also has extreme limits. When it comes to God, neither idea is a good approach. And as long as you keep Him in that box, you're there too. Don't live a limited life. Enjoy God and be open to all that He is. I love you! Have a great day in Him!

Genesis - Bible in 90 Days!

This was our first Wednesday night discussing The Bible in 90 Days challenge at TOP! It’s a lot to read I know but, it’s an hour a day to accomplish what many Christians find to be an integral part of their walk with God. I think it’s important to know what we believe. This is a very good place to familiarize yourself with that on a deeper level. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll join us.

This week we talked about the theme of Genesis. The theme includes the loss of God’s presence because of man’s disobedience and His effort to re-establish it. Chapters 1-11 discusses the advance of sin as God saw that the thoughts and intents of man’s hearts were wicked. That’s never more apparent than when men decided to rely on their own ideas to re-establish contact. In their minds they believed they could build a tower so high that the gods could descend out of heaven to talk with them face to face. This thought process shows that sin had caused a distorted view. A wrong concept of God had perverted men’s reasoning. As we know, their idea didn’t work. And, in Chapters 12-50 we see God initiating His plan to reveal himself to people that were truly in pursuit of His presence. This is where we see Abraham’s entrance.

Many of us associate circumcision with Abraham. Thinking about circumcision I asked God why He initiated something as severe. His answer surprised me. He said, “Because I knew every day, every man would touch the covenant. I knew they would be very familiar with that part of their body. And I knew that anyone else who touched that part of their body would also be very familiar. In a similar way a man knows his own body, I wanted him to know me.”

God isn’t trying to hide from you. Just how intimately do you want to know God? Enough to be so familiar with His provision, His covenant, that you accept it as you do your own body? Is it so present on your mind that you purpose to make it a necessary part of your daily life? My prayer is that it is and that your life is the proof.

Is God our Audience?

"Do you think God sits in a box seat?" the Message Bible asks us that question in Matthew 6. Sometimes I think we try to impress God like we impress one another. But you know what I've realized? He's not impressed. Why? Because He already loves us. We don't have to prove anything to Him to be loved. So why do we do it? Why do we try to impress Him? I think it's because we don't consciously realize that our Father's nature is unobtrusive. Think about it, every time He answers our prayers He's a gentleman, He's relational, and He's loving as well as confident in our love for Him. Because we're human, I think we often forget to take on His same demeanor. We'd do well to change our perspective and ask ourselves much the same question the Message Bible asked of us. Why wouldn't we need to have His same attitude when we go to Him in prayer? We were created for his fellowship and friends who fellowship speak the same language. They've already "impressed" each other. He appreciates being approached like a friend just like you do. I encourage us to step away from the methods and motions of prayer. There's just so much more to this relationship with God than that. I hope you'll join us in reading the Bible in 90 days! When you do remember the scripture, "Your words were found and I ate them..." from Jeremiah 15.16. Approach your reading like it's a conversation with God. Quite literally, it will become your spiritual and relational daily bread.

Knock, Knock, Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Have you ever heard of a "tryin' prayer?" It's the one that never gets much done. We're in hot pursuit of the "determined prayer!" It's the one that's fully purged of false pretense. It's also the one that gets a desired answer! For too long so many of us have approached God in a way that's apathetic. "Well, I'll try this God but, I'm just not sure if it's your will so..." can you imagine if you were God? Would you answer such an uncommitted prayer? I wouldn't. Or what about this approach, "God, I've done everything I'm supposed to do and I've been a Christian for years now and I deserve this answer and I deserve it now!" Have you ever noticed that's about the time the Heavens fall silent? God desires that we approach Him with the humility of a child and the tenacity of a bulldog. He understands that sometimes we're flawed in our approach out of ignorance. But when we have understanding, He also knows we've been given the Blood, the Word, and the Name and we have a right to ask, and ask, and ask again for what we have His direction on. Sometimes that takes tremendous determination and tenacity. But when we're equipped with a Word from God we're up to the challenge. Knock, knock, and knock again with an attitude of humble perseverance. Be like the friend in need at midnight in Luke 11 and don't let up until you get an answer. I challenge you!

For an entire behind the scenes virtual photo album of the commercial shoot visit my Facebook Fan Page. When you visit, you'll also find an album highlighting my recent photo shoot in Venice, California for my upcoming "Best Of..." album. The album's due to drop in the spring of this year. Tell me what you think! Post your comments. I'd really like to know your thoughts about our first commercial and the upcoming album!

In this photo part of my crew and I are celebrating their inventive camera rig. Normally, a hood-mounted camera is very costly to rent for a day. But, that wasn't the case here because my crew thought outside the box! They made a rig of their own with supplies from the local hardware store. Then, they went one further! They also made one to capture the hubcap and tire as the car moved down the street. It's too bad that footage never made it into the commercial. We got some absolutely phenomenal shots. The crew from left to right is Jess Krodel, and father and son Jeremy and Ward Heid. Jeremy owns Big Creek Productions in Colorado and was our lead camera man and editor. Ward and his wife Gene, not pictured here but who also helped us tremendously on the shoot, go to TOP.

Getting the "perfect" shot can really take some time! I must have walked around the side of this vehicle ten times before we felt we got want we needed. We were trying to capture my reflection on the side of the car. That may not sound difficult but, if you'll notice throughout the commercial, reflections happen very often. And each one is as different as they are intentional. I think it really adds another level to the commercial's quality. I had a great crew!

We had an exciting month of October at TOP! Not only did we celebrate our 9th anniversary but we did it with our first commercial shoot! Myself and five crew members gathered in and around Fort Worth, TX to shoot the "mini movie" that you now see as the opening of this website. In this picture Jess Krodel, one of our talented camera operators, sets up an exterior shot of what appears to be my home. Actually, it's the home of a TOP member who allowed us to use it for this project.

What a great weekend! Arlington was great... we will advertise more in the area... Sunday morning was off the chain! 30+ joined TOP!!! Really great! Praise and worship was great all weekend and I felt like God really spoke a Word about transitions! I would love to hear your thoughts about the power and struggle of making changes... transitions. Any thoughts?

Walk Into the Water

When Moses got ready to cross the Red Sea he held up his staff over the water at the Word of the Lord and the waters parted. However, it was different for Joshua. When Joshua got ready to cross the Jordan the Word of the Lord to him was to start walking into the water! Arlington, I am walking into the water at the Word of the Lord! Sometimes things aren't going to be like you want them when you first start but, if you have the Word of the Lord... start walking!!!! I have the Word of the Lord backing me up in what I am about to do and all I can say is here I come! What is it that God has given you? Has He given you a Word that you have on "pause" because you're waiting on everything to be perfect before you start? Ask yourself a question. Could it be that He is waiting on your feet to hit the water?