3 Days Until the Encounter

Expectation and anticipation are beginning to mount. It began Sunday with our morning worship services. I encourage you all to add the cd “The Perfect Recipe” to your collection. Using the story of Ruth we discovered how seemingly random and haphazard events were the perfect recipe for Ruth’s redemption. Many young people have told me they have downloaded this one into their ipods. (technology is amazing!) During our evening service, Bishop David Foster preached a message entitled “A More Excellent Way” in which he discussed the approach to God through the tabernacle and how Jesus has provided a more excellent way.

This Friday night has been set aside by God before the foundation of the earth to be a night of fellowship, learning, and intimate fellowship with the presence of the Lord. In “A Walk through the Tabernacle” we will journey from the outer court, through the inner court, beyond the veil into the most holy place. There are specific moments that you never forget in your spiritual walk and this evening will be one of them. This evening will provide us with an opportunity to reprioritize our lives, placing God in 1st position where He belongs. When God is placed in proper perspective our entire life can be repositioned for greatness where God will get all of the glory. With all of the calamity in our world it is quite apparent that the return of Jesus more immanent than ever. God says, 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 14 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. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. (okay this is deep I am in my hotel in Maine, and as I am typing, a gospel program that I have never seen entitled Hope for America, just flashed the same scripture on television while I am typing it, God you are ridiculous!!!)

See you this Friday at 10pm! Come with a spirit of expectation, bibles, notebooks, and hunger for God. Matthew 5:6 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Things happen when people get together with the sole purpose and intention of bombarding the presence of God. Okay I got to get back to studying for Friday!

Thursday Night

Thursday Night was the night that held great significance for me as a child. I would come home finish my homework, and wait with great anticipation for 8pm to arrive, because then the Cosby Show would come on. That show was simply phenomenal! I could get into the social implications and how culturally significant it was for America to see a powerful black family with a doctor and lawyer which contradicted historical images that were portrayed. The fact is I wasn’t thinking about all that back then, I was just laughing! “I brought you in this world, I can take you out!” “Denise you messed up my Gordon Gartrelle!” After the Cosby show, A Different World came on, and this was my first look into what college life could be like. When Dwayne Wayne interrupted Whitley’s marriage to Byron was one if not the best moments in television history. As I got older, I switched my Thursday Night viewership to Fox. I would watch Martin, (again if I were doing a seminar, I would acknowledge how subliminally America accepted an unmarried couple living together, but again, back then I wasn’t thinking about all of that, it was just funny) After Martin, of course Living Single would come on and my Thursday’s again were complete. For that hour of time I could escape the world on Thursday Night.

I have to admit, I am quite nostalgic. I watch Martin on TV One and have the DVD Sets. I watch the Cosby show on TV Land and also have the box sets. When I watch it now, I reflect on the hope and optimism I had as a child when I watched these shows. I notice how my life in many ways doesn’t match the life I dreamed as a child. With that said, on some levels it exceeds what I could have expected as well. I am working on paying homage to both positive and negative aspects of life, but I digress.

Yesterday was Thursday night, and it wasn’t television that provided my escape but rather, my 3 Fathers. My heavenly Father God and I were in communion as I prepared for my message for this Sunday dealing with Ruth. God is the ultimate Father, He affirms me when I do right like He did Jesus, when He said, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." He corrects me and most of all He loves me. He blessed me with the greatest natural father.

Then my natural father called, just to check in on me. I love my dad, and the greatest compliment I have ever been given is, you are just like your father. He is kind, compassionate, and the personification of love. After I spoke at the Alpha Phi Alpha Men’s breakfast, I had a renewed appreciation for my dad. My heart was heavy last night, and disappointed, but when I talked to my father, everything felt alright. He ended the conversation by telling me I can always talk to him no matter what, He sounded like my heavenly Father who said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

I then received a call from my spiritual father, Pastor Woods. Honestly God gave me men after His own heart. I was able to talk to Pastor Woods, and the moment I heard his voice I felt peace in my spirit. I shared with him, my feelings, my frustrations, and my fears and he listened to me, and felt my burden, and then helped put things in perspective. I always tell people, don’t heal me until you feel me, and Pastor did just that.

So last night I wasn’t with the Huxtable family, not with Martin and Gina, but with my 3 Fathers, and felt empowered, renewed and revived. I am who I am, because they are who they are. I want to in reference to God, my dad, and my Pastor, exemplify attributes from them that allow me to testify like Jesus did, if you have seen me then you have seen the Father. My prayer is that everyone will experience the love of a Father on many if not all of these levels at some time in their life.