DAY 12: FASTING WILL FIX IT! (Part 1)

Day 12 (3-4-12) Fasting Will Fix It! Part 1

Bible Reading: Isaiah 58: 1-12

Fake Christianity is powerless to make a difference and change the world!  The prophets railed against a false faith that said the right words but did the wrong things.

Isaiah 58 is God’s challenge to people who change their eating habits to be seen rather that to establish justice for the poor and the needy.  This chapter is God’s word for people that want success and prosperity for themselves instead of giving power and prosperity to the people!

God shows us the power and priorities of a liberating faith:  loose the bonds of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens, let the oppressed go free,break every yoke and share your food with the hungry.  This kind of faith makes the people of God builders of the old waste places, repairers of the breach and restorers of streets to dwell in (Isaiah 58:6-7,12).

The purpose of eating or fasting for God is to stir up the gift of God that is within you so that God equips you and your faith community to fix broken people and communities!  This is the liberating lifestyle that God has equipped you and with and is empowering you for!

Affirmation:  I have chosen to live God’s liberating lifestyle! I will set the oppressed free! I will work for affordable health care and education.  I will work to provide homes for the  homeless and food for the hungry!

Prayer:  O God, teach me how to organize my faith community to become an advocate for the least, the lost and the left out!  In Jesus Name, Amen!

Day 7 (2-28-12) HOW WINNERS MAKE IT THROUGH THE WILDERNESS? Part 3

Day 7 (2-28-12) How Winners Make It Through The Wilderness? Part 3

Bible Reading Luke 4: 9-13

God’s adversary is a strategic thinker!  When you use a strategy to defeat him once, he will try and use that same strategy against you!  Jesus used “it is written” to win in the wilderness twice.  This time the enemy of God’s purpose, attacked Jesus’s divine identity again and  added “for it is written”(Luke 4: 9-11).  Jesus flipped the scripture on him and used Deuteronomy 6:16 to establish that believers don’t have to test God because we faith in His Word!

Affirmation:  When I find myself in difficult circumstances, I will trust God!

Prayer: Today, I take my burdens to the Lord and leave them there!  Because I trust and never doubt, He will surely bring me out! Amen

Day 1: Sacrifice Is The Cost of Discipleship!

Day 2 (2-23-12) —-Sacrifice Is The Cost of Discipleship!

Bible Reading:  Matthew 16: 24-6, Luke 14:33, John 8:31-2

Self-denial is the sacrifice that leads to self-development!  When I deny my false self, I develop my true self!

Self-denial is the price tag (sacrifice), that God requires for success!

Self-denial is God’s pre-requisite for activating the presence, power, purpose and priorities of God in my life!

Affirmation: Today, I will deny myself so I can develop my God given potential and purpose!

Prayer:  Lord, I surrender all so that I can be all that you created me to be!

Day 3 (2-24-12)- Self-Denial + Self-Discipline=Success

Day 3 (2-24-12)- Self-Denial + Self-Discipline=Success

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Peter 1:2-11 God has given me a liberating life equation that equips me for success!

Self-Denial + Self-Discipline=Success! When I learn how to discipline my body and develop the biblical principle of self control, I partake of the divine nature of Jesus Christ, escape from the corruption of the world system and position myself for supernatural success.

The purpose of these 40 Days of Sacrifice is to equip me to overcome the obstacles to my success and live in the promise of God’s overflow opportunities (Psalm 23).

Affirmation: I will make the sacrifice of self-denial, develop the life-style of self-discipline, learn the lessons of self-control and develop the habits of super successful people!

Prayer: Lord, without you I can do nothing, with you I can achieve the impossible! Amen!

Day 2: Sacrifice Is The Cost of Discipleship!

Day 2 (2-23-12) —-Sacrifice Is The Cost of Discipleship!

Bible Reading:  Matthew 16: 24-6, Luke 14:33, John 8:31-2

Self-denial is the sacrifice that leads to self-development!  When I deny my false self, I develop my true self!

Self-denial is the price tag (sacrifice), that God requires for success!

Self-denial is God’s pre-requisite for activating the presence, power, purpose and priorities of God in my life!

Affirmation: Today, I will deny myself so I can develop my God given potential and purpose!

Prayer:  Lord, I surrender all so that I can be all that you created me to be!

40 DAY DEVOTIONALS- DAY 1- SACRIFICE SETS ME UP FOR SUCCESS

Day 1 (2-22-12)  Sacrifice Sets Me Up For Success

Bible Reading: Romans 12: 1-2, Psalm 40:6-8, Hebrews 10:5-10

God wants me to present my body as a living sacrifice!

I am called to die to my self-will and live according to God’s will!

I am called to overcome the impulse to conform to the world system and be transformed by God’s Word System!

God’s call to sacrifice is God setting me up to be a problem solver and lead a successful  life (Philippians 2:5-11).

Affirmation:  I have the mind of Christ that is leading me from sacrifice to success!

Prayer: Lord, transform my mind so I can think and be like Jesus!

40 DAY DEVOTIONALS- DAY 1- SACRIFICE SETS ME UP FOR SUCCESS

Hello Bethel Family,

Over the next 40 days, from Ashe Wednesday to Palm Sunday,  I will be posting 40 devotionals. I hope that you join me on this journey. I am believing that as a result of your cooperation your family, faith and finances, will experience and overflow of God’s blessings.

Day 1 (2-22-12)  Sacrifice Sets Me Up For Success

Bible Reading: Romans 12: 1-2, Psalm 40:6-8, Hebrews 10:5-10

God wants me to present my body as a living sacrifice!

I am called to die to my self-will and live according to God’s will!

I am called to overcome the impulse to conform to the world system and be transformed by God’s Word System!

God’s call to sacrifice is God setting me up to be a problem solver and lead a successful  life (Philippians 2:5-11).

Affirmation:  I have the mind of Christ that is leading me from sacrifice to success!

Prayer: Lord, transform my mind so I can think and be like Jesus!

It’s Time To Excel and Expand

I am in Columbia, SC teaching and preaching at The Meeting Place. The Pastor is Bishop Elect Eric Freeman and God is doing a great work in this great Southern city.

The theme of the revival is Strectured For Increase! As I prepared for our two nights together, it hit me that the world system is brainwashing people to live and think decrease; but the Word of God system is calling us to excel and expand———–INCREASE!

What 3 things do you need today to start your journey into increase? Increase starts with changing the way you think, you talk and the way you manage you talent and treasure! Increase is waiting on you?

It’s Business!

In Zack O’ Malley’s new book on how the rapper, Jay-Z,moved from the streets to become a Forbes featured business icon, O’Malley quotes Jay-Z as saying: ” I am not a businessman, I am a business, man.”. In the recent uproar about whether the NFL 2011 rookie class going or not going, to shake hands with Commissioner Goodell, the 1 thing that is being lost is that this is all about business.

ESPN and the corporate sponsored sports networks and shows care little about these young men’s dreams and sacrifices. they really care about the ratings and money that will be lost if the rookies and their families don’t show up. Don’t forget, once the photo-op is up they will be locked out with the rest of their teammates by the same Commissioner who represents the owners! It’s a business and for ESPN and the other networks to act like they really care about the rookies and their parents is hypocrisy of the highest order!

In our daily life, we must remember tat we were born to be about our Fathers (God’s) business! We must develop disciplined habits that will help us handle the business called life. Life is a business! Go and handle your business. Be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth. If you make the sacrifice, God will reward you with supernatural success.

Moment of Clarity: Part3: Entertainment Is Not Empowerment!

I am deeply concerned that the many of us have mistaken entertainment for empowerment. Politics, news and even many faith communities have become overwhelmed by the overwhelming need to entertain. This addiction to entertainment has created a weak and powerless people. Jesus was not an entertainer, he gave power to the people. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Ida Wells Barnett were not entertainers, they lived and died to give power to the people. Entertainment is important at the right time and place. Empowerment is essential right now!