Reflection Upon 2011 and the Blueprint for 2012

On this past Saturday, we said Goodbye to 2011, and said Hello to 2012. From the Beginning to the End of 2011, I can say that this year has been a great year filled with many changes, challenges, and learned lessons on endurance, patience, listening to the voice of God, and being a servant for him. During the course of year, personally I have been through the storm and the rain, and i've had heartache and pain, but 2011, my theme and commitment to God was to say, Yes Lord. 

I can recall making some untimely and unwise decisions after going through a stage of depression, desolation, and rejection, because of some people in my life and some other situations. During this past year, I never seen nor thought, I would have heard some people talk about me and say where my ministry was going. I was told that people didn't take me serious, because I was acclaimed to be someone that floated into the wind and was tossed too and fro and didn't have anywhere to stand. 

However, when I walk into any church, any pulpit, or any place, I have seen the hand of God use me to minister to people, save souls, and his word has changed atmospheres and done a wonder in people's life.  I vent during this reflection, because I personally have been hurt by some of my brothers in the ministry this year, because of lies, rumors,  jealousy, and stupidity. But God has allowed me to move forward and beyond this mediocrity to say that in 2011, Satan almost got me, but God through the encouragement of family, people, church members, my Dad, my mentors and uncles in the ministry, brothers in the ministry, and the testimonies of my ministry through people, has allowed me to not let these odds or obscurities get me down, but to get up and let the world know that Jesus Lives and Jesus Saves!

However, my commitment for 2012 is to continue to find that inner peace in my spirit and renew my joy so I can walk better into the due season of my life.  During the course of 2011, I felt my preaching getting better, tougher, and more bolder in his word. I have preached more this year than I did and I thank God that every year, he increases my territory and gives me the strength and boldness of a bullock to proclaim his Gospel.

I thank the Lord that he has utilized my mind to be a Theological Preacher. Though I have not a degree in theological studies, but my application of the word of God is the study of God in his word. I did just what my Father in the Ministry said that a preacher must do and that is to, "Look in the Text, Leap in the Text, and Live in the Text." For the 39 Preaching Engagements that I have preached this year, and have seen 10 souls come to Christ by Christian Experience and as Candidates for Baptism, I can truly consider that the Lord has blessed the fruit of the labor and did just what he asked me to do as a willing vessel.

Also, I thank the Lord that he has allowed me to stand as a Minister to the People. Through this year, when I was hurting and bleeding inwardly, through my pain, there were some people in diverse places that needed ministering to. I felt like Jeremiah, not wanting to say anything, thinking it was the end of the world, however, in the middle of that, God allowed me to minister to someone going through a situation, getting in a situation, and stopping a situation from happening. Then, to also perform my first marriage as a co-officiant; and also, to officiate two funerals, to be the pulpit conductors at four churches during the absences of the pastor and to be the preacher/pulpit conductor for one sunday of a church that is vacant and without a pastor, and to allow my gifts of administration, music, and the other gifts that the Lord has blessed me with to be utilized for the edification, education, and evangelization of the saints and sinners. 

Yes, in retrospect, it was a good year with some bumps and bruises, and I thank God for saying Yes to his will and way and rising with his redemptive power to rise and spread the gospel. I thank God also that he has put older and seasoned preachers who knows the in's and out's of ministry in my pathway. Also to allow me to see 2012, and be the best that I can be.

Moreover, my Mission for 2012, is to be a better preacher/teacher of the gospel, also, I look with a spirit of expectation as to what God is going to do in this new year. As Paul said to the Church @ Corinth, "Eyes have not seen, nor has an ear heard, what has entered into the heart of man what God has in store for you." (1 Cor. 2:9) During the course of this year, I seek to win more souls this year and to also seek way to edify the body of Christ. 

I close my blog to say that this year is a year of Order! I pray that during this year, we will all submit to the order of God and his ordained leadership that he has placed as the Overseer over our souls and to watch the hand of God as he moves into the church and the world. To God Be the Glory!

The Stress of the Pastor from the Observation of a Young Preacher

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NASB)

As I write this first blog  after beingin a season of transition and a season of toiling within the last five or six months, Transitioning into the assignment and mission that has been destined for my life and ministry. Toiling into the word of God day and night to preach a message that will change and inspire lives to reach the mark in which the Lord has called and destined them to achieve and attain. Within these six months, there has been an attack on the body of Christ due to the imperfections of our spiritual leaders, inadequate leaders, and leaders that are inferior of other ministers who have a thriving and productive ministry and many other situations that falls into that category.

 

As a Bible Preacher/Teacher, my desire and call of God is to preach and teach in season and out of season. Even in this Seven Year Journey of Ministry, I have come into contact with several stressful situations (even though I'm not in a pastoral role) that has caused me to have partial health problems and work myself to the point of exhaustion and fatigue. Recently, in the body of Christ, we lost one of our beloved Pastors, Dr. Zachery Tims. He was an excellent leader and gifted pastor/teacher who ministered to all in the world and around this country. His death was unknown, however, there were many given accusations of his death, which caused people to speculate and tear down his character as a pastor.

The point that I am trying and attempting to convey is that Pastors/Ministers are humans with human limitations. Pastors goes through heartaches and pains like we are. However, it is a burden on the pastor's heart when he has so much on his plate. The pastor spends several hours of day in preparation for Sunday's Message in Meditation. To prepare a sermon that demonstrates the Observation, Interpretation, Explanation, and Application of the Appointed Text for Sunday Morning. Then, the Pastor visits the sick, the bereaved, and members within his flock. The Pastor counsels members that are going through phases and situations in their lives. At any given time of the day or night, the Pastor's job is always busy which takes him away from his marriage and his family. Many situations arise to the point in which causes the pastor to goes into stress and pressure, which causes a burn out, break down, or even death.

The Pastor needs rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation on a monthly and weekly basis. Pastors has so many heavy burdens upon their plate. God called a man of life and a not a man of death. We have been given a charge and credence from the Lord, to take care of our pastors. We must not put burdens on our pastors, because we need them to feed us with a word from on high. I thank God for my Pastor, the Reverend Emanuel Foster, who rightly divides the word of truth and daily ministers to my spirit. In conclusion, let us help our pastors by adding less burdens of stress and limits upon them.

 

 

 

 

I Need A Word - The Importance of Being Fed!

I haven't wrote a blog in a long time and I decided to write today on an issue that is on my heart.

Matthew 4:4

But he answered and said, It is written, Man Shall not live by Bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

I am a living witness that we have seen so much going on with the state of our economy, the situations going on in Japan and Libya, the gas and oil prices, and so much going on in our personal and every day lives. Though we see so many things in our lives, we need a word from the Lord. God's word will feed you when you get hungry and give you what you stand in a need of.

As I was meditating upon the word during this lenten season, I reflect upon the story of when Jesus Christ was fasting and praying in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights and he began to encounter some demonic temptations from Satan, but through all of this temptation, Jesus fought Satan with the word of God. As we look at the situations going on in our lives, I have discovered that we have go through the wilderness in order to get where we need to go.

Even while we are in the wildernes and Satan tries to tempts us, we must fight him off with a Word! All it takes is one word. The Word is what you need during these tough and trying times. During this Lenten Season, a lot of us have wondered with strong tenacity, how am I going to make it? What can I do to get to where God desireth me to be?

The answer to these two questions is simply......Get into the Book. For the Bible declares, "That his word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my pathway." The Word of God never leads or teaches us wrong. As you get fed the word of God, you also must be careful as to where you are getting fed at. I can admit that it is a sad day and time when people are looking for inspiration more than they are looking for information.

It grieves my heart to see so many people go to concerts and churches where preachers have this "Have it your way" Doctrine and getting fed off of inspiration. The Message is not in the gravy, but the Message is in the Meat and Vegetables. In other words, you need to get fed from someone who will rightly divide the word of truth by feeding you the word that was exposed. I am glad to be a preacher of the gospel, my main purpose is to save souls and lead them to Christ.

As I conclude this message upon this blog, It is a wonderful thing to be fed the word of God! It is wonderful when you have a Pastor that really cuts the word righteously and not deliberately give his personal interpretation.

Solid Biblical Preaching - What Is It?

We are living in a day and time, where true and relevant preaching is not being heard in the pulpit or aired on television. Many people today are compromising the word of God and taking the word of God out of its content and its context. However, as a young minister of the gospel, I stand on the true relavancy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Word of God is not broken, nor does it need to be fixed, however it needs to be feed, and if the well has ran dry and the bread is not on the table, then you will need to go somewhere where you can be taught the rightly divided word.

Solid Biblical Preaching is preaching that stands on the solid foundation of the word of God, that is rightly divided upon the exposition of its true meaning, exegesis, and context. The word of God is designed to be a two-way sword, it will cut inside of you or outside of you. The word of God is designed to convict you and chastise you in the way of your errors, and teach you how to be connected to God more and committed to him in his way and his plan for your life.

Many pastors have compromised the word of God with this word-faith doctrine that if you speak things into existence that they are bound to happen, many scriptural references have been taking out of context, and preachers does not preach on sin, because they do not want to offend people. During the discussion of this blog, I want to vent out and say that as pastors and preachers of the gospel will have been call to Expose the Gospel to people. If the word hurts you and you get upset, its purpose is designed to convict and change your life and grow you in areas in which you need to grow and develop you.

We as Pastors and Preachers have been chosen and called to give a quality and effective word that will save lives and transform them to make a difference. People sadly are looking for ways where they will find an easy way to be blessed and not be held accountable. However, if a pastor is rightly divided the word, and he is watching out for your soul, you should be thankful for the accountability. Let us not fail in our preaching and make Jesus look bad. God is not a servant, we are his servants. Whatsoever we do for Jesus, let it be real. The point and the main scripture of this blog is Second Timothy 4 and verse 2, which says to Preach the Word, in season and out of season, but in order to that we have to study to show ourselves approved as a workman that needth not to be ashamed, but rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

I Stand on the True Biblical Principles of the Word! If God Said It, He meant just what he said! I will not change! I am a Black Baptist Preacher, and I am not ashamed to say it! Churches should not grow off of our inspiration and innovation, but off of the Inspiration and Indwelling of his Word! Everytime I get in the pulpit, I ask God to let me be able to preach what he wants me to preach and my purpose and aim is to bless someone and encourage someone. From what I said, it will change someone's life, help them to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ, and answer the call or destiny upon their life. To Conclude this discussion, let us stand on what God says, what he will do, and what we have to do in waiting. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine all own understanding in all that ways acknowledge him and he will direct you path.

Failure and Falling Falls Into Place!

I have discovered along this journey of life, that failing and falling goes hand and hand. Failing simply refers to the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. Falling is simply dropping oneself to a lower or less erect position. I've discovered that God has to allow us to fail in many of our endeavors and accomplishments, in order to fall down on our knees and get low, in order to hear from him, in what he desires for us to do.  

Paul went through the rough sides of his ministry, he has been in shipwrecks, beating with many stripes, persecuted, and abandoned. Through all of these things, Paul admits to us that even though he has gone through it, God is able to get him out of.  He focuses on even though this has happened to me, I got hope.  

The Sincerity of a Preacher is to admit that he have failed! It is through these times of failing, that we learn how to fall down on our knees, and get back up hitting the ground running. We all have fallen into the hype of self-sufficiency , however, God gives us that needed ingredient that tells us that we need to Look to the savior who is the source of all of our blessings and he will send you the help u need. The psalmist simply says that, I will left up mine eyes until the hills from whence cometh my help, all of my help comes from the Lord. (Psalms 121:1)

Failure is not an option, it is the pre-requisite for getting to the next level of prayer! I was in the car this morning, I asked myself out of loud what did I do to fail or why did I deserve this? My aunt reminded me that this things that we go through are only temporary, and through the temporary stage, we must let go and let God. As I close this blog, I can recall and reflect on my grandfather's ministry, and he was always serious about everything and one of the traits that I adopted from him was taking everything serious and keeping going. My biggest regret in my life right now is that I hate that I couldn't balance myself from the beginning. I am thankful to be balancing myself now, if I would've then, then I truly would be reflective.

Through our frustrations of failure, let us not continue in failing, let us fall down upon our knees and listen to the voice of God. Every situation we go through, it's not designed for our limitations, but they are designed for our revelation to the destination of our elevation. For those who are general readers of this blog, this is one that is designed to minister to the heart of someone who have been distressed and perplexed.

The Spirit on Onesiphorus - Sowing Into The Man of God

2 Timothy 1:16-18; 4:19

 After sitting down at a Pastor's Appreciation on yesterday and listening to a pastoral message last year preached on "The Spirit of Onesiphorus." It gave me confirmation to one day say something about this subject.  There is a blessing into sowing into the man of God. It doesn't matter if you support him financially, physically, or spiritually, as long as you sow into him. You never know what the Pastor/Preacher goes through. All Onesiphorus did was simply ministered to Paul and refreshed him, because of his contribution to Paul's ministry, Paul asked the Lord to bless him and towards of end of chapter 4, he and his family was saluted.

Along this 6 year journey of ministry, I have been depressed and discouraged, but God would send someone to encourage me. I have been broke and God would send someone to put something in my hand during a fellowship moment or at random. Because these people have sowed into me, God is going to richly bless them. The little things that you do, are all big things in his eyesight. It is a sad day in Negro Churches get selfish in blessing the man of God. Some say that he doesn't deserve anything or this, however, if u want to blessed you need to pay your tithes and offerings to God, and sow into God's man and you will see a greater result. 

Pastors and Preachers labor all week trying to get together a message for Sunday Morning Worship Services, get together the Bible Study Lesson for the middle of the week, pray, commune, and visit the sick and those who are shut-in, consoling and comforting loved-ones who have been stricken with grief, counseling those people who are either getting married or those people whose marriages are struck with problems that takes God to get them out of, to administrate the affairs of the church making sure that all is well within the church, all of these along with many other duties and responsibilities are what a pastor have to do. However, because you sow into their ministry, it lets them know that you care, you're concerned, and that you're going to be a blessing unto him.

My grandmother was Methodist, and her mother and father had a farm in Pigeon Creek, Alabama. Every 1st and 3rd Sunday, after service at Oakey Streak Church, they brought the Pastor back to the house for Sunday Dinner. The reason why they were able to make it through the hard times of that day was because they sowed into the Pastor twice a week, by preparing a meal for him. 

As I conclude this periscope on this narrative blog, we must have the Spirit of Onesiphorus. Whenever we see the need, we got to do it. As I was reminded by a man who got up to pay tribute to his Pastor, "I don't say what can I do for my pastor! I just get up and do what needs to be done." If all of us can have that same motive and agenda, things will be greater and better. My Prayer is that we will all have this spirit to sow into the men of God as they sow into us the word. Whatever you have to offer to the man of God, you give it to him and watch what God do on your behalf.

I Believe and Know That Jesus was an Expository Preacher

Luke 24:7

"He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself!"

In the words of my spiritual father, Dr. Quinton E. Hammonds, "Preaching is what bring you out of the world, and teaching is what brings the world out of you." Preaching is simply proclaiming the word about Jesus Christ. As I was taking time for devotion, I discovered that Jesus truly was an expository preacher. Expository Preaching is simply getting into what the text says, and getting all of its developmental features from the text as well. When Jesus expounded upon the scripture, he broke it down and told them what thus saith the Lord. He didn't go off of his interpretation, he expounded straight from the Old Testament, talking about Moses and the prophet and what they had to say about himself. 

This really blessed me because the word was talking about the word. In the Greek, there is Logos which is the Living Word. Grapho which is the Written Word also in the same word we get Graphe which means holy writ. Jesus did not give a personal interpretation of himself, he went deep into scriptures and broke it down what he meant.  

The main purpose and point in which I wish to convey is that the word needs to be rightly divided. Topical and Textual Preaching is killing the church. People are looking for self-sufficient satisfying messages than spiritual sufficient messages that will cut you down and build you back up spiritually. The word of God is a two way sword, it can cut in you and out of you. I was called old fashioned for some of my views and for my preaching style. When I first started preaching six years ago, my perception of preaching was to shout the crowd and to save them. However, the older and maturer that I've gotten in ministry, I've learned that shouting the crowd is not the goal, but changing lives, encouraging people who have gone through, and saving someone's soul from eternal damnation.

When Jesus had told these 2 men all of these things, the rationale is that their hearts were burning, because they heard the word that was spoken. In conclusion, after the word of God, rightly divided something ought to have burning inside of you in which causes you to get saved, witness, do the will of God destined for your life, and being transformed by the word of God. I want to encourage you my brothers and my sisters in the ministry and in Christ, to have an ear attentive to what is said, let the Lord minister to you. Preachers, its best to rightly do something than to take an easy way out. Study to show yourself approved as a workman that needth not be ashamed, but rightly divide the word of truth.