Florida & Louisiana all in one day…

Hey guys! I’m typing this entry while sitting on the floor in my in-law’s living room. My wife and I just finished a very productive revival in Port St Lucie with Pastor Chris Meehan and his precious family. God REALLY moved strong in all three services. It all started Saturday Night. This was my first “tent revival meeting” and let me be the first to tell you that I was STEAMING HOT as the temperature was 92. It was ridiculous! LOL – I preached a message entitled: “I’m Still Growing” and talked about how we constantly grow in Christ even when the enemy tries to fool us. The trials that we face will never grow bigger than the God we serve. Really, it was a great experience for me.

Sunday brought a brand new day and a brand new level during the morning and evening services. God again, met us in a powerful way. My wife was used mightily in the altars while praying with women who have been dealing with spiritual warfare and strongholds. We ministered on the subject: “The Day of Restoration” and the Lord interrupted my message within 15 minutes of preaching. (I did NOT mind) God was POWERFUL in the morning service.

Even more so, the evening service was filled with HIGH energy and great anointing. We spoke again, but this time on the subject: “Change the Atmosphere” and we dealt with the woman with the Alabaster Box. The great people of the Open Door Apostolic Church tapped in and did what we encouraged … they changed the atmosphere. It was yet another POWERFUL move of God. This time I was able to finished my sermon. =)

While preaching in Florida we also had the chance to meet my new nephew, Aden. What a cute baby! He’s absolutely adorable! Welcome to the family boy!

Finally, we left from Orlando and flew back into Memphis today. When we arrived in Memphis, our students met us at the airport and from there began our journey to Shreveport, LA. Seeing that North American Youth Congress starts the same day our public school systems begin, we are not able to attend this year. So, in exchange … we came to Shreveport. There is a total of 13 people (not including the in-laws +3) staying in a 3 bedroom 2 bath house. CRAZY!

We are preaching for Pastor Jerry Dean tomorrow night and then heading to Tioga for Louisiana District Camp-meeting. This is the first time I’ve ever attended a camp in this powerful district. I’m expecting GREAT THINGS to happen. We will attend the District Camp Foreign Missions Service in which Pastor Dean will be preaching on Thursday Night. Friday will allow us to be at the Mangun’s church in Alexandria. This District hosts a Youth Convention during the Thursday & Friday Nights of Camp-meeting. It’s a very cool deal and I’m very excited to hear Pastor Aaron Soto preach during Friday’s Service.

So … the moral of this entry —- WE ARE BUSY THIS SUMMER! Literally traveling from Florida to Louisiana in one day! What a trip! …. Pray for us that our reVerb students will grow and gain much wisdom and encounter God in a powerful, life changing way.

Blessings …..

In Case You Need a Laugh…

I share two very FUNNY videos from YouTube. These are bound to make you laugh out loud and might even cause a pain in your gut from laughing. Hope you enjoy!

#1 – Scarlett Takes a Tumble

2 – Charlie Bit my Finger …  Again!

Leadership…

I’ve been reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and this makes it the third time through. EVERYTIME I read it, I find something else that pops out and grabs my attention. Here are a few notes I took while on the plane yesterday heading to Florida.

The battle of Gettysburg was fought during the first 3 days of July 1836.

General Meade could’ve attacked Lee, an opposing enemy but choose to let him live by his mercy.

Lincoln, instead of sending the letter he wrote chewing Meade up and down, he kept it and questioned his motives and thought about the feelings and future of this man who was under his leadership. By keeping the letter Lincoln found a way to relieve frustration on paper instead of on the person.

Sometimes it’s best to analyze the situation before attacking it.

Theodore Roosevelt said when he was President he would often times lean back in his chair while facing a perplexing problem and would look at Lincoln’s picture asking the question, “What would Lincoln do if he were here in my shoes? How would he solve this problem?”

Confucius said: “Don’t complain about the snow on your neighbors roof when your doorstep is unclean.”

Look at yourself and change you before you try to change others….

When dealing with others, let us remember we are not dealing with creators of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.

Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain – and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.

PERSONAL NOTE: I think we all could use a little bit of Lincoln in our leadership skills! The next time we find ourselves being quick to judge, act, or respond … perhaps we should look at Lincoln’s picture and ask the question, “What would Lincoln do if he were in this position? How would he handle the situation?” — We  must be compassionate instead of be full of condemnation.

The Garden of Eden

In Bill Davis’ book “The Gates of Hell & The Prevailing Church” – you will find an amazing introduction to the Garden of Eden. I used this for part of a lesson I taught to reVerb at the binning of the year and I would like to relay some of this information to you.

The first man, Adam, had a great place in the Garden of Eden. Opportunity, beauty, and life. A God-given place. And that place could have been forever. Nevertheless, Adam and Even violated the rules! Maybe rules do matter. Maybe they are not there to be broken. And the first ground rules of the Garden are still in effect:

Genesis 3:1
1.    Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden.

He has thundered His word to all generations. And to every man, the issues are still the same. “Yea, hath God said…” The words were formed into a question by Satan to Adam and Eve. And by going down 2 verses we see something interesting.

Genesis 3:3
3.    Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die.

Clear, direct, and to the point, and yet to these two people it was NOT quite clear enough to be honored. Hell’s Gates prevail against us when we stop listening to God. The first rule of Eden was clear: “Listen to God.” And this rule has not been revoked!

From Genesis to Revelation, the position is clear … “Ye hath God said…”

Revelation 2:7
7.    He that hath and ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

God planted a garden eastward in Eden. God created a perfect and beautiful environment for man. A garden of fruit, trees, and a river flowing out from the garden dividing into four rivers. A garden full of animals, birds, and life all around. And man was place there with full control and authority. And God was pleased for Adam and Eve to enjoy the world He created. He wanted them to enjoy a world dominated by His presence, sustained by His Word. A world full of His gifts and blessings. A world that He (God) was comfortable to dwell in. A world He and man could mutually enjoy and walk together in. A place well designed by a God if infinite wisdom and power and love. What a place for man!

In Eden, God came and walked in the cool or the breeze of the day. He came to talk, walk, and visit and to enjoy His creation. He desired to enjoy both man and His garden. But the gates of Hell were opened and an intruder eased into the garden. The dark shadow of Hell stretched across the world of Adam and Eve.

The big question is why? What caused the problem? Why or how were the first people so vulnerable? Such easy victims? Why did they allow the gates of Hell to prevail? Why does anyone all Hell’s gates to prevail? Why does anyone want the negative, the sad, and the miserable consequences of disobedience? “God said” – “Satan said.” Two voices, two forces were present, but the presence of Satan was not the major problem. The garden with the tree in the midst and the limits set on it were not the problem. The garden was not in jeopardy nor was it at fault. It was all about choices. It was ALWAYS about choices.

Isaiah 33:6
6.    And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation.

One may know what to do but lack the wisdom. Too choose is wisdom placed into action. Knowledge is what we know. Knowledge comes easy through study and teaching. But wisdom, well, that is different all by itself. True wisdom, heavenly wisdom comes from God.

James 1:5
5.    If any man of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

CONCLUSION: If there has ever been a time for us to reflect on the Garden of Eden and analyze today’s world, one must admit we need more wisdom. Wisdom to make the right choices, wisdom to choose the right paths, wisdom in raising children, wisdom in building a strong home, and wisdom with our relationship with Jesus Christ!

A Moment to Pray…

Just pause for a moment and read the following remarks of C.S. Lewis:

The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.

Ladies and Gentlemen: There’s one thing we must never forget and that is PRAYER!

The bible says clearly:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chorincles 7:14

We are in a CRUCIAL moment of time in america. We all have busy schedules, tasks to complete, the “honey do list” that waits for us once we step foot into our homes after a long day’s work. But I wonder if we have left any room for God on our calendars? I am reminded of a story a buddy gave to me some time ago. Here’s that story:

Many years ago, a wealthy businessman from London charted a bus to carry a bus load of inner city children to the coast to see the ocean. Many of these children had never left the city and most had never seen the ocean. After spending the entire day running up and down the beaches, they boarded the bus to return home. As the businessman went through the bus speaking to the various children, when he reached the back of the bus he noticed a boy sitting all alone with a wistful look on his face. And in the boy’s dirty hands was a bottle half-filled with water from the ocean. The businessman pointed to the bottle and asked, “What are you going to do with that?” The boy said he a going to take it to his mother because she had never seen the ocean. The man thought for a moment, and then asked the question, “Why is the bottle only half full?” And without a moments hesitation, the boy said “Because I left room for the tide to come!”

Go ahead! Make your plans… Accomplish your goals… Impact the present… Reach for the future…

But in doing all of this, make youre you leave some room for God to dwell! We need God in America again! We must leave a frame of time in our daily schedules to PRAY! We must keep a moment to pray for our families, pray for our lost loved ones, pray for our children, pray for our cities and communities, pray for churches, pray for our pastors and leaders, pray for our government officials, pray for our school systems … Come Apostolics! What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his soul? NOTHING is more important than taking a moment to PRAY!

Hello WordPress …

I would like to begin this post with an announcement that I’m so happy to express! I am now, officially, a full time staff member of Lighthouse Church in the greatest city on the planet. That’s right … Jackson, TN. The pastor of this church is Rev Donald Lance. Might I add, he’s an amazing man of God! In May 2008, we accepted a part time position as Student Pastor and in September took the music department as well as continuing student ministry. In June we revamped the student ministry here in and is now know as reVerb Student Ministries. As the past 13 months have come and gone, my wife and I have seen incredible growth in our church, our students, as well as our personal lives. We’ve experienced good times and bad times. In all, we are confident that we are right in the middle of God’s Will and we are ready to accept any challenge that may come to us.

January 31, 2009 played host to our first annual student conference called ‘theMOVE’ with over 450 students gathering for an encounter with Jesus Christ! God moved and He has allowed us to continue moving forward into the blessings of His Kingdom! February 12, 2009 brought us to Texas Bible College where we had the wonderful opportunity of preaching to the great students of this INCREDIBLE college. The Lord met us there and we experienced a deep move of God during the altar call. We’ve started hosting student worship services called ‘theGATHERING’ on the first Friday Night of each month and every service has been impacting, life changing, and motivating, to say the least. Our next event will be June 30 – July 4 as our students will travel to Bossier City, LA and also Tioga, LA. — As you can tell, we’ve been VERY busy around here!

Finally, I would like to update everyone on the status of our new church building currently under construction. If you are not aware of the storm that came through Jackson. I highly recommend you reading the information by clicking HERE. Enjoy some pictures of our church progress!

In conclusion, I would like to say that I will try my very best to update this blog as much as possible. I desire to use this as a source in reaching this generation of young people, the previous generation, and hope to tap into the future! We are living in the greatest hour of the church. Let’s continue having revival in the name of Jesus Christ! Blessings …….