We had an exceptional worship encounter at KHC yesterday. The Spirit of God was evident through song, giving, and the ministry of the Word. We were blessed to minister from the subject "I'm Anointed for This", dealing with the David being anointed king.
If you watch the text, it seems that David's family didn't have a very high opinion of him. A prophet was coming to their house (at this time the visit of a prophet was a big deal) and everyone was invited to the feast.... except David. David was left to tend to the sheep. Yet in this sequence of events, we discover that it didn't really matter what the family thought of David - it only mattered what God thought of him! The Bible says that the anointing oil would not flow until David was in his right spot. Glory to God!!!!
This is a liberating Word, because too many of us stress ourselves out trying to convince other people that we belong.... that we matter..... that they should like us. Yet the story of David highlights the fact that our destinies cannot be thwarted because of the opinions of people - what God has for us is for us regardless of what others think or say.
Here is my challenge to you - move out of the shadow of the opinions and criticisms of others. Strive to dwell under the shadow of the Almighty God who will elevate you (or demote you) according to His own good pleasure. Don't spend your life trying to please people....... strive to please God!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Get Ready!
Up above my head I hear music in the air;
Up above my head there's a melody so bright;
And fair I can hear when I'm all alone;
Even in those times when I feel all hope is gone;
Up above my head I hear joybells ringing;
Up above my head I hear angels singing.
There must be a God somewhere... There must be a God somewhere.
These are the lyrics from an old hymn, remade in the 1990's by Kirk Franklin. It is a song that reverberates in my spirit at this precise moment.
Indeed, this is a historic moment in our nation's history. It is rightly historical for African Americans. And it is a sign for believers who are pressing toward the mark and seeking to fulfill the call that God has placed on their life.
A black man, with a weird name, and very little time on the national political stage was just sworn in as the President of the United States of America. This man was the proverbial underdog, whom most - including black folks - thought would never succeed. Though the Lord had been preparing him for this moment for years behind the scenes, this man appeared to come out of nowhere! LOL!
My friends, as it is in the natural, so it is in the spirit! I can sense God about to do some awesome things in the midst of his people! The old guard (i.e. old paradigms, old leadership, and old methods) is transitioning out and God is raising up some young lions who will appear to come out of nowhere! Yet, if you ask these chosen people, they will tell you that they endured a lot of pain, discouragement, setbacks, disappointments, and sleepless nights.... yet through it all, God has matured them, built them up, and prepared them for their moment when God takes them from the background to the forefront! Hallelujah!!!!!!
In our current church climate, we are guilty of throwing out "church lingo" just to appear deep, without really understanding what we are saying. Now, everyone is "kingdom", when the reality is that they still do the same things they did when they were just religious and churchy. We say "we're going to another level", while at the same time failing to realize that if we do what we've always done, we will get what we've always got. And we call people who are gifted "anointed", when they are really just talented.
Anointing is not butterflies in your stomach..... it is not being able to lay hands on folks and watching them be "slain in the Spirit"..... it is not necessarily having the house "go up" after a great sermon. No, the anointing is the result of a process that God has allowed you to go through, that prepares you for a movement or happening that God manifests in your life. My friends, anointing is when preparation meets opportunity! David's anointing was the result of all of the preparation that God allowed him to go through while tending sheep - these would be the same experiences that David would look back on as he encountered life's challenges.
With this understanding of anointing, the question that must be answered is "Are You Ready for What God is About to Do in Your Life?" The older I get, the more cognizant I am of time, because time is the most valuable resource we have. Too many of us are wasting time on meaningless relationships that are going nowhere fast...... we waste too much time doing things that go against God's Word and hinders us from being everything God has ordained....... we waste time in bed, on the phone, fighting worthless battles, and impressing people we don't like anyway! It's time to prepare for our moment. And anybody or anything that does not fit into God's plan for our life has to go!
In a football game, points are scored because football players successfully run plays meant to get the football from one end of the field to the other. Plays require that key players are in the right spot on the field to receive the ball at the right time. If the player gets to the spot too quickly or not quickly enough, they miss their moment and fail to advance. We must strive to get to our spot in the time that God has given us so that we can score.
I know this has gotten a bit long....... but are you ready for what God is about to do in your life?
Up above my head there's a melody so bright;
And fair I can hear when I'm all alone;
Even in those times when I feel all hope is gone;
Up above my head I hear joybells ringing;
Up above my head I hear angels singing.
There must be a God somewhere... There must be a God somewhere.
These are the lyrics from an old hymn, remade in the 1990's by Kirk Franklin. It is a song that reverberates in my spirit at this precise moment.
Indeed, this is a historic moment in our nation's history. It is rightly historical for African Americans. And it is a sign for believers who are pressing toward the mark and seeking to fulfill the call that God has placed on their life.
A black man, with a weird name, and very little time on the national political stage was just sworn in as the President of the United States of America. This man was the proverbial underdog, whom most - including black folks - thought would never succeed. Though the Lord had been preparing him for this moment for years behind the scenes, this man appeared to come out of nowhere! LOL!
My friends, as it is in the natural, so it is in the spirit! I can sense God about to do some awesome things in the midst of his people! The old guard (i.e. old paradigms, old leadership, and old methods) is transitioning out and God is raising up some young lions who will appear to come out of nowhere! Yet, if you ask these chosen people, they will tell you that they endured a lot of pain, discouragement, setbacks, disappointments, and sleepless nights.... yet through it all, God has matured them, built them up, and prepared them for their moment when God takes them from the background to the forefront! Hallelujah!!!!!!
In our current church climate, we are guilty of throwing out "church lingo" just to appear deep, without really understanding what we are saying. Now, everyone is "kingdom", when the reality is that they still do the same things they did when they were just religious and churchy. We say "we're going to another level", while at the same time failing to realize that if we do what we've always done, we will get what we've always got. And we call people who are gifted "anointed", when they are really just talented.
Anointing is not butterflies in your stomach..... it is not being able to lay hands on folks and watching them be "slain in the Spirit"..... it is not necessarily having the house "go up" after a great sermon. No, the anointing is the result of a process that God has allowed you to go through, that prepares you for a movement or happening that God manifests in your life. My friends, anointing is when preparation meets opportunity! David's anointing was the result of all of the preparation that God allowed him to go through while tending sheep - these would be the same experiences that David would look back on as he encountered life's challenges.
With this understanding of anointing, the question that must be answered is "Are You Ready for What God is About to Do in Your Life?" The older I get, the more cognizant I am of time, because time is the most valuable resource we have. Too many of us are wasting time on meaningless relationships that are going nowhere fast...... we waste too much time doing things that go against God's Word and hinders us from being everything God has ordained....... we waste time in bed, on the phone, fighting worthless battles, and impressing people we don't like anyway! It's time to prepare for our moment. And anybody or anything that does not fit into God's plan for our life has to go!
In a football game, points are scored because football players successfully run plays meant to get the football from one end of the field to the other. Plays require that key players are in the right spot on the field to receive the ball at the right time. If the player gets to the spot too quickly or not quickly enough, they miss their moment and fail to advance. We must strive to get to our spot in the time that God has given us so that we can score.
I know this has gotten a bit long....... but are you ready for what God is about to do in your life?
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Know Thier Role
Greetings, everyone! In preparing to minister the Word of God this Sunday, I had an awesome thought....... Our greatest commodity is not money.... or time - it is PEOPLE!
If you don't believe me, check out the Tom Hanks movie Castaway. When the main character was stuck on that island, it did not matter how much money he had in the bank. Or what his social status was. The sad reality is that he almost died because of a lack of relationship. This point was amplified by the fact that his life was saved by an imaginary friend - a volleyball with a happy face drawn on it!
May is the month in which we celebrate Mother's Day - the holiday we set aside to honor our mothers. Moms are a great example of how God places key people into our lives to motivate, encourage, mentor, and even correct us. These special relationships - or "God Connections" - are what God uses to develop us and prepare us for destiny.
Though it is different for each individual, your God connections might include your spouse, parents, pastor, elementary school teacher, a coach, neighbor, or even your enemy. They all are on divine assignment to push you to your next level. So many times, we take these key people for granted, but we must learn to appreciate them and praise God for them, for without them life would be empty. B-Blessed!!!
Pastor Morris
If you don't believe me, check out the Tom Hanks movie Castaway. When the main character was stuck on that island, it did not matter how much money he had in the bank. Or what his social status was. The sad reality is that he almost died because of a lack of relationship. This point was amplified by the fact that his life was saved by an imaginary friend - a volleyball with a happy face drawn on it!
May is the month in which we celebrate Mother's Day - the holiday we set aside to honor our mothers. Moms are a great example of how God places key people into our lives to motivate, encourage, mentor, and even correct us. These special relationships - or "God Connections" - are what God uses to develop us and prepare us for destiny.
Though it is different for each individual, your God connections might include your spouse, parents, pastor, elementary school teacher, a coach, neighbor, or even your enemy. They all are on divine assignment to push you to your next level. So many times, we take these key people for granted, but we must learn to appreciate them and praise God for them, for without them life would be empty. B-Blessed!!!
Pastor Morris
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Welcome....
Just last week, God spoke something very profound to me. He said, "Welcome to the Next Dimension".
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Greetings from Atlanta, GA! - Day 2
My wife and I are currently in Atlanta, GA attending the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International Conference. We are expecting an awesome time of fellowship, relaxation, and Word.
We arrived in Atlanta yesterday and I attended several leadership meetings. Today was a time for me and Stacie to spend together. We found a soul food joint that served "chittlins" (yummy) and we checked out the Georgia Aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world! Stacie got to touch a shark...... and of course I was too scared (smile).
This evening, we also had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowships' Bishop's Consecration. This is a ceremonial event where those candidates for promotion to "Bishop" is officially and publicly elevated. Bishop is the highest official office in the New Testament Church. The ceremony was absolutely breathtaking and I was in awe of the splendor and majesty of it. Our very own Kansas/Missouri State Bishop Courtney A. Jones was consecrated during the service. He says hello to all of you back home.
During the service, I began to get a little misty eyed when I thought about the fact that God would select a flawed vessel to declare and protect a flawless Gospel. Many times we praise God for what He "brought us from", but I thank God for having mercy on me and still anointing and using me in spite of "what I'm still in". To God be the glory! I'll talk to you tomorrow........
B-Blessed!!!!
We arrived in Atlanta yesterday and I attended several leadership meetings. Today was a time for me and Stacie to spend together. We found a soul food joint that served "chittlins" (yummy) and we checked out the Georgia Aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world! Stacie got to touch a shark...... and of course I was too scared (smile).
This evening, we also had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowships' Bishop's Consecration. This is a ceremonial event where those candidates for promotion to "Bishop" is officially and publicly elevated. Bishop is the highest official office in the New Testament Church. The ceremony was absolutely breathtaking and I was in awe of the splendor and majesty of it. Our very own Kansas/Missouri State Bishop Courtney A. Jones was consecrated during the service. He says hello to all of you back home.
During the service, I began to get a little misty eyed when I thought about the fact that God would select a flawed vessel to declare and protect a flawless Gospel. Many times we praise God for what He "brought us from", but I thank God for having mercy on me and still anointing and using me in spite of "what I'm still in". To God be the glory! I'll talk to you tomorrow........
B-Blessed!!!!
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