Monday, August 8, 2011

Thank You Brooklyn Tabernacle



One of my most memorable moments in life was when a pastor friend of mine took me on a trip from Ohio, to the Brooklyn Tabernacle!  I had no idea it would be a life-changing moment.  We went to experience their Tuesday Night Prayer Meeting!  All I can say is WOW and PRAISE THE LORD!

Pastor Jim Cymbala led with his elders and deacons, and wife leading Praise & Worship!  But the the incredible thing was the people!  Since my friend knew the Assistant Pastor, we got in early for the 7pm Prayer Service.  However, it was simply amazing to see 2000 people lined up outside the beautiful, converted theater, at 5pm...FOR PRAYER!!..AMAZING!!!

And pray we did!  All 3000 who wound up attending!  Simply, and unashamedly pouring out their hearts to God!  I was blessed to sit in the front, and also amazingly, sitting next to me was one of my heroes in the faith...Pastor Warren Wiersbe!!  He wasn't there to preach on Sunday, He was simply there because he knows the Brooklyn Tabernacle is a place of committed prayer!

This year a couple in our church blessed me and our other Pastor to go to the Moody Pastor's Conference in Chicago.  Pastor Cymbala was a featured speaker. The end of his message turned into an incredible prayer session for the hundreds of pastors in attendance, which reminded me so much of my time in Brooklyn!

At our church, we say Prayer is not Important...Prayer is Essential!  Brooklyn Tabernacle is a living testimony of that statement. 

So I say THANK YOU to the Brooklyn Tabernacle, Pastor Cymbala, and their wonderful choir, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.  Only God knows the heavenly rewards that awaits them, for all the lives they have touched with the Word, Songs of Praise, and most importantly PRAYER!

May God compel us all to honor Him with Prayer as the essential ingredient of our lives and churches today!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Staying Up in a Down Economy

Smile by Kirk Franklin





















Home in Orlando
Yvette and Ron

Yvette
Me, Lauren, Ilen, Tanya


Jasmine
Jon with the game winner!
Jenifer & David
Yvette & AJ
John & Alice Harris (Mom & Dad)

Looking at these pictures and listening to this song make me SMILE!  Tough times actually demands a heart that smiles.  God is in control and that too should make you smile!  So why don't you just try it...right now!  I guarantee at least for a moment...you will feel better!

  1. Turn off the news media. Turn off the TV. Turn off the radio. They are no longer reporting on the problem; they are the problem. The relentless torrent of bad news only makes people—including you—more discouraged and less confident about the future.
  2. Connect with God. You were not created to function without a connection to God. He is the ultimate encouragement. Trying to navigate life without him is like trying to ride a motorcycle without starting the engine. You can do it, but it only works downhill. Unfortunately, a lot of life is uphill. The way I connect is by reading a passage from the Bible and praying on my commute to work.
  3. Hang around positive people. This sounds harsh, but you cannot afford to be around negative people—especially those that refuse to change. The problem is that these people are highly infectious. And their disease is deadly. If you don’t avoid them, you will become like them. Instead, intentionally seek out and befriend positive people. Their attitude is contagious, too.
  4. Exercise regularly. This is one of the most important things you can do to keep your spirit up. It’s hard to feel good about life when you feel badly about yourself. When I exercise, I always feel a little proud of myself (in a good sense). I think, I took initiative. I was proactive. Life is full of possibilities! The release of endorphin’s also has a measurable, positive impact on your brain and on your thinking.
  5. Get more rest. It’s almost impossible to stay upbeat if you are tired. You can’t light up a room if your batteries are drained. Therefore, it is important to know exactly how much rest you need and make it a priority. If you are like me, I often confuse discouragement with being weary. But it’s amazing how much brighter things look after a good night’s sleep!
  6. GO TO CHURCH. When I get discouraged, I am tempted to isolate myself and retreat from the world. But this is exactly the opposite of what I need to do. All of us need a caring community of people who will love us for who we are, not what we do. We also need to be reminded that there is a purpose to our lives and to our circumstances. Nothing is happening by accident. It is all intended for our good. Church provides both of these opportunities.
by Michael Hyatt

If you do these 6 things consistently, you will keep a smile on your face and just may put a smile on the faces of someone you love and care about!  Let's all SMILE!

Monday, August 1, 2011

7 Key to Joy in the Journey #7
















Psalm 34:1-8
 1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
         His praise shall continually be in my mouth.


 2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
         The humble shall hear of it and be glad.  



3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
         And let us exalt His name together.  

  
 
4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me,
         And delivered me from all my fears.


 5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
         And their faces were not ashamed.


6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,
         And saved him out of all his troubles.


 7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,
         And delivers them.
        
 8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
         Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!



1. PRAISE the LORD……..…because He is Worthy! vs 1

2. BOAST IN THE LORD… because He is in Control! vs 2

3. LIFT UP THE NAME OF THE LORD… …because He is GREAT! vs. 3

4. PRAY TO THE LORD… …because He Calms our Fears! vs. 4

5. LOOK TO THE LORD… …because HE will bring Joy! vs. 5

6. CRY OUT TO THE LORD...because He will Deliver You! vs. 6

7. TRUST IN THE LORD… Because He Brings Contentment! vs. 8

More than anything…God wants His children to trust Him.  Just as you layed down last night and trusted your bed to hold you and give you a restful night’s sleep, God wants you to trust Him even more, because of who He is, and undeniable fact that He loves you.  For the believer there are tremendous benefits in trusting the Lord.  Jeremiah, speaking for God, told the people of Israel these words in Jeremiah 17:5-8
 

This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who depends on flesh for his strength
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
he will not see prosperity when it comes.
He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."




As the journey of life continues, by trusting God we will learn the secret of contentment. 

Pain can’t take it away
     Trouble can’t turn to sorrow
            Discouragement fades into the background of divine contentment.


As you wait patiently on the Lord, He will renew your strength.  And with that renewed strength, you will soar through the difficult times, and enjoy the life God planned for you since before the foundation of the world.  The choice is yours…you can fight it, or choose to fly like eagles on the power of the wind, empowered by the Holy Spirit, through all of life’s challenges.  When the flight of life finally lands at our ultimate destination…you’ll be so glad you decided to enjoy the ride,
when you see His face at the gate.  

Joy comes when you discover that there is nobody greater than JESUS!!

Vashawn Mitchell - Nobody Greater