Walk The Line

I was up late Sunday night watching cable after running around all weekend at one industry event after another and a full day of church on Sunday. I came home ate and passed out for a few hours and now I was up for the night. I caught up on all the football scores watched the second half of the Patriots- Chargers game and eventually ended up watching a movie on HBO called, ‘Walk The Line.’ It was a movie on the life of singer Johnny Cash.
Watching the movie especially about the early part of his career, driving from city to city with other stars of the era, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and June Carter, reminded me of when I first got in the game.
Doin shows in all kinds of small joints, goin from city to city with other new artists. Even when Johnny Cash performed at Folsom maximum security prison reminded me when we performed in the Brooklyn House Of Detention. It was part of new a new trial program of bringing entertainment to the jails.
At first I started to reminisce about the days on the road, the shows, the stage, the crowd screaming your name and rapping along with you word for word, every word of your song. I saw groups who came after us and even a few we helped get started go on to make much more news and become much more famous and I used to try to figure out why.
While watching Walk The Line seeing Johnny Cash trouble with drugs, how he almost died a few times, how he lost his family made me realize a lot of things. There was a good chance that had we actually blew up to the real big star, while I would be loved by millions, what my life could have been.
I really didn’t have much stability in my life and was running wild. I kinda rebelled from the church. And there is a real good chance I could have been one of the young stars with more money than sense.
It made me realize how God had other plans for me, how God was protecting me from myself, because had He let me have what I was really after, I probably wouldn’t be the person I am today and be just another black celebrity we read about in trouble with drugs, alcohol and much more. Before I gave my life to Christ as an adult like 7-8 years ago, God was watching over me and protecting me. It reminded me of something I heard years before, that God watches over babies and fools. Well I was way too old to be considered a baby but was most certainly a fool. Like I have written many times I am so glad God’s still hears a sinner’s prayers.
How many times does God not give us what we want for our own good.

Father God, thank you for doing what it best in my life when I don’t always agree. Thank you for not putting more on me than I can handle. Thank you for still hearing a sinner’s pray, and please continue to order my step and guide my path in your words!
In the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ, the savior.
AMEN!

Hearing The Sermon Again- part 2

A few months ago I wrote about Hearing The Sermon Again, see: http://ajsdailydevotions.blogspot.com/2007/04/hearing-sermon-again.html
I’m reminded of this entry after goin to Decatur AME Zion Church, this past Friday night to support my pastor who was preaching the opening service of the District Conference. My pastor, Dr. George D. Crenshaw, preached on the topic, God Is Up To Something, the supporting scripture was Jeremiah 29:4-11(read it at your leisure, when you get a chance). He preached this very sermon on Sunday, July 8th at our church, Shaw Temple AME Zion Church. I heard the sermon twice that day, both at the 8 and 11am services, took the CD home to listen to it, to check the quality of the CD and determine what we could do to continue to make the CDs better.
I listened to the service at least 2 more times because I loved the message but it wasn’t until this past Friday night when pastor preached it again, at the District Conference did I really hear the message in the sermon. I don’t know if he preached it any different, if the spirit was moving through him more that evening or what, but Friday evening the message moved me in a way it hadn’t the previous 5 times or so I had listened to it.
While Gods words were coming out my pastors mouth, all I could do was look up and say, “God, I hear you,” because I knew He was talking directly to me. The message moved me so much that if I hadn’t already given my life to Christ I would have that night. After the service I went up to the alter during the pray and just thanked God for hitting me with the word again and that I didn’t have to go years before hearing it again and for it to sink in.
I discussed this with a few family members and friends from church and saw that I am not alone. Some of them shared with me they often need to hear the sermon again and again before they really get it fully or to hear something important the missed the first few times. I felt better that it wasn’t just me and had to share it with you all on this blog, today.
My question to you is how many times does God give you a word that you don’t fully receive or fully hear the first time? How many times do you have to “Hear The Sermon Again,” before you get the message.
Isn’t it amazing how God works and how he will feed you in repetition to make sure His word for you is received?

Thank you Lord for not holding it against me for not getting it the first few time and giving me another opportunity to
Hear The Sermon Again.
Please continue to guide my path and order my steps in your word.
In the name of you Son,
Jesus Christ,
AMEN!

Free from Condemnation

from the TODAY'S WORD by Joel & Victoria Osteen

enjoy...

-AJW

Today's Scripture
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit” (Romans 8:1 AMP).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are free from condemnation! Is there something that you feel guilty about? If you have repented, the Bible says He takes your sin and throws it as far as the east is from the west. He casts your sins into the sea of forgetfulness. God actually chooses to forget your sins! That means your sins are completely removed. In fact, they aren’t even yours anymore. Don’t let the enemy dig up your past or try to make you feel guilty for something that happened a long time ago, or even yesterday. The enemy is called the “accuser of the brethren”, and he works overtime to bring you down with false accusations. Be confident that God doesn’t remember your past. You are free from condemnation through the blood of Jesus Christ. The next time the enemy brings up your past, declare that you are free from condemnation in Jesus’ Name!

A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for setting me free in Jesus! Thank You for forgiveness. Thank You washing me clean and making me new today. I receive your grace and mercy so that I can be a vessel used by You today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Word of Wisdom - September 5th 2007

here is today's
Rev Run's Words Of Wisdom

Good morning.

To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee.
God is Love
Rev Run

Dreams and Visions

“Be confident of this. He who began a good work in you will continue to perform it until it’s perfectly complete” (Philippians 1:6)

Do you have dreams that just haven’t fully manifested themselves yet? Is there something you can see yourself doing but are not sure you have what it takes? Do you wonder what your purpose is or is there a something God is calling you to do, that you are unsure of?

For me, the gift God has given me with the gift of encouraging, uplifting and inspiring others thru writing. Its more than just a gift but a calling. God has been calling me to do this for years but I have been running from it. As soon as I started God has given me the vision of inspirational books, movies and screenplays mixing my love for hip-hop and biblical elements and scripture to reach our youth who are not in church. I hesitated saying I don’t know any publishers or literary agents, so I passed it off as just a dream. Well know your dreams are vision from God. If he has given you the vision He will give you the provision.

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7)

Your imagination is extremely powerful. God created you as a visual being. Choosing the right images in your mind's eye is important because your life will move in the direction of your thoughts. The way you see yourself in your mind's eye, over time, will drop down into your heart and become your reality. If you can see it you can achieve it.
What is it that you are dreaming of? Is God calling you to do something but you are uncertain of it or if you have what it takes to do it? Know this: God is a God of completion.
He wants to finish what He’s started in your life. No matter how long you’ve been praying, don’t let the enemy tempt you into thinking that it’s never going to happen. Be encouraged today because God is called the Author and the Finisher of your faith.

Father God, I come to You today and submit every area of my mind and heart to You. Search my heart and show me what images I need to change in my mind. Thank You for equipping me with everything I need to live a life pleasing to You. Thank you Father God for blessing me with vision, and the provision to make it happen.
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

Landscaping

I am doin a massive landscaping job for a coworker of my wife. I planted several plants, some of them flourished from the beginning and some seem to die or showed very little signs of life. I was discouraged at first because I gave the same care to all the plants. They all got the miracle grown soil, the root stimulator and the other stuff required to give each plant the best chance to grow. Because of the heat I watered each plant thoroughly a few time a day, especially the plants and shrubs planted that day So this past Friday morning, I started looking at them and decided to individually examine each plant, pull off any dead leaves and any parts that were growing.
While doin this to each plant individually, I thought about what God must face as he nurtures each and everyone of us. We all are born the same but some of us flourish in life and our Christian walk quicker than others. You ever see your brothers, sisters, cousins, classmates or co workers, having more success than you. You even see even those younger than you having more success and wonder why we are struggling so much more.
I am reminded of a story of two plants. A landscaper planted two plants one day and the first one started to grow and flourish right away and the second showed no sign of life. Day after day the landscaper tended to both plants evenly, so much so others started to question why he hadn’t just given up on the second plant since it was showing no signs of life. But the man tended to both plants the same. Year two the first plant came right back up and flourished while the second plant again showed no signs of life. Again he tended to both plants the same. Again everyone questioned why was he still wasting his time on the second plant, it was visibly dead, he do better just planting another one, but the man never gave up. Year three the first plant as usual cam back up just it had the previous 2 years with very little help, but the second plant shot up out the ground. It eventually outgrew and outlived the first plant and grew to about 10 feet tall into a strong tree. Everyone was surprised and asked the man how did he know it would grow, He explained since the second plant would be much bigger, it had to take longer for it roots to grow deeper so it could sustain it height.
I realized after watching many of my peers and people I put on go much further and past me in their careers while I struggled. They weren’t better writers or more talented but my roots needed more time to grow deeper in the ground. Aren’t you glad never gives up on any of us, even when we are still living outside of His word. He tends to us just as he does others that seem to be growing faster than us, and like the landscaper he continues to tend to us when everyone else has given up on us. I am often amazed how God reveals Himself and His visions for our lives in everyday things like planting and tending to plants. We just have to look for it, he speaks to us in many ways.
Are you seeing others growing faster and becoming more successful or better with the ladies than you? We have different task to do, some take very little preparation while other takes much more. Do you roots need more time to grow deeper than others because of what God has for you? Are your seeing the signs or hearing His voice in your everyday walk. No matter what the case know God has work for all of us to do, some is bigger some is smaller and if we let Him, He will provide us with all the preparation n carrying out the task. He is an awesome God, we just need to let Him have His way and do what’s necessary to fulfill our dreams, answer our prayers and get us ready for what it is He has for each of us to do!!!!