In 1990 rapper LL Cool J released a song called ‘Mama said Knock You Out’ (one of the coolest rap jams ever!). The lyrics open with, “Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years…” before launching into a forceful diatribe about explosions, competition, and knocking the opposition senseless at Grandmother’s behest.

Unlike LL Cool J when it comes to marriage relationships, we do need of a comeback. Because of busyness, bad choices or a host of other realities, many relationships are in need of reconstruction and restoration.

Here are 5 components to get back on track:

• Get Jesus -It is amazing how much we need God and how little time we spend with the God that we need. The best thing any husband or wife can do for their marriage is to strengthen their relationship with Jesus. Jesus is the only One that can ultimately save. We must make room for Jesus to speak into our life and our relationships. We can make Him the foundation of our marriage by making Him the foundation of our own life.

• Get a Grip: At the genesis of every marriage, there was a spark that started it all. Unfortunately, this spark can easily be neglected and forgotten with the day-to-day challenges of life. It is important that we contend and hold on to that initial spark and press into God’s promises for our marriage.

• Get Real: Breakthrough can never come if we don’t deal with the issues in our own life. It’s not just our spouse. It’s us.  But when we honestly allow the Lord to deal with our heart, He releases destiny over our life and relationship.

• Get to Work: Marriage involves God, but also includes another person. The comeback won’t occur if we don’t communicate and work to solve problems with the spouse that we are committed to. Divine providence requires human action. Start praying together on a daily basis. Adjusting your weekly schedule to spend meaning time investing in each other. Speaking to a marriage coach or counselor, get in a couples group centered on healthy marriage.

• Get After the Goal: Even if things are presently difficult, they don’t have to stay that way. Many a messy marriage has comeback and knocked the enemies of their relationship out. When a husband and wife encounter God, and honestly encounter each other, a backdrop is created to form a brand new reality. We may have had a rough start (or middle), but through Jesus we can have an awesome finish.

Whether in business, sports, or marriage, every comeback begins by first believing one is possible. Without this faith, we can never muster enough energy to even try.

Yes, a comeback is possible. Yes, the task seems daunting. No, we can’t do it in our own power and strength. The good news is, we don’t have to. Jesus is here to help us.

Yes, you CAN call it a Comeback.

Question: What are some of your suggestions for staging a ‘Comeback’? 

Notes From “Real Talk: The Relationship Rope”: 

Genesis 2:20-25

New International Version (NIV)

20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

   But for Adam[a] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[b] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib[c] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

 23 The man said,

   “This is now bone of my bones 
   and flesh of my flesh; 
she shall be called ‘woman,’ 
   for she was taken out of man.”

 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

New International Version (NIV)

 12 Though one may be overpowered,

   two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Everywhere we look there is some discussion about love, marriage, relationships, romance, etc. Our culture has this an incredible fascination with relationships. From Will and Jada, Brad and Angelina, Kris and Kim; websites like Match.com, Single.net, E-Harmony, Christian Singles Mingle, Black People Meet.com, (there are even dating websites for kids!) we are constantly bombarded with information about relationships.

To take it even further shows like the Bachelor/Bachelorette, Basketball wives, Love and Hip Hop, not to mention classics like Flava of Love and Rock of Love. And if that all sounds crazy..it is!!!!

But this isn’t just a new phenomenon.  Think back to the old classics like:

• The Dating Game
• Love Connection
• The Newlywed Game

But with all the reality shows, the magazines, news articles, blogs, dating and celeb gossip sites, movies, self help books we are still getting it wrong!!!!!!!

So what can we do?

We must go back to the source and consult the creator and orginator of human relationships: God Himself.

In this message, ‘The Relationship Rope” I talk about about life, love, and what God says about relationships.

In this video I talk about:

• The first wedding and marriage in the bible and how it is a blue-print for us today. 
• The ‘Relationship Rope’.
• The Six Keys for a Successful Relationship.
• How to effectively get a snake out of your house and become a hero. 
• How seeing a worm in distress spoke to me about my life. 

Question: What are your thoughts on relationships in general? How does the ‘Relationship Rope’ speak to you in your current reality? 

You and I can do very little about going viral. Yes, I heard about the dude on Youtube with a gazillion page views. The reality TV actress making seven figures. The record setting music artist arriving at the Grammys with the Pope as her date.

I know.

It’s so easy to get caught up in this never-ending theater of the absurd.

Because of the absurd’s success, many of us have it made our chief aim to get noticed. Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!

Check out MY video! See MY acting skills! Listen to MY insane vocal talents!

In this rabid desire to be noticed, we’ve forgotten to first be notable.

When a song is terrible, raising the decibels doesn’t help.

It makes what’s bad even worse.

I’m beginning to realize that going viral, being wider, isn’t really my responsibility.

That’s God’s responsibility.

God platforms. God promotes. God ‘viralizes’ (and yes, I do realize I just made that word up!).

My responsibility is to go deeper. To honor Him with excellence. To cultivate the gifts, talents, and abilities He’s placed in my life.

To be notable in my craft, and noble in my stewardship of it.

I can make me deep.

But only God can make me wide.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

                                                                                                                                                                                         -1 Peter 5:6

Question: Is there any area in your life where God is calling you to go deep, and you are striving to go wide?

We all want the right product. But we don’t always want to submit to the right process.

I love baked goods. Cookies, cakes, pies, you name it.

But I hate cooking.

It’s too hard, I’m a terrible cook, and cooking takes too long.

One time I tried my hand at a batch of oatmeal cookies (my family wasn’t home to help me and Dad wanted cookies!). I threw the ingredients together quickly (unknowingly putting baking soda in the bowl instead of baking powder) and tossed them in the oven.

I couldn’t wait to taste the sweet warm, brown sugary circles of sunshine.

When the oven buzzer finally rang, I snatched the cookies out of the oven and sunk my teeth into one. Beside being extremely hot, they were extremely disgusting. The baking powder made them bitter, and looked lumpy and weird (they weren’t mixed very well!).

I tried my best to eat around the bitterness, but it was completely impossible. The minute you thought things were fine, the cookie would turn, filling your taste buds with ear watering bitterness.

It was horrible.

Though I really wanted cookies, they were so bad I couldn’t eat them.

Because I wouldn’t submit to the process, I didn’t receive the right product.

Everything in life worth having requires a process. Leadership, marriage, family, education, etc.

Even God Himself.

He has a process for everything.

There is a right way and a wrong way to engage His process. When we do our own thing, go our own way, make up the rules as we go along…we are engaging incorrectly.

It leaves us frustrated and unsatisfied.

But when we are humble, hardworking, and teachable (among other things); we are properly submitting ourselves to the process of God.

Right process = Right product.

Right process = Right product.

Right process = Right product.

No shortcuts.

If we want the right stuff, we must do things the right way.

That’s just the way it is.

Every year on February 14^th, roses are given, chocolates are eaten, and candlelight dinners are enjoyed. Though gifts and moments like these can be special, the truest love endures, perserves, and lasts long after Valentines Day cards have been misplaced and forgotten.

The good news is, every day can be Valentine’s Day if your marriage relationship is rooted in Jesus. Here are six ingredients that help make a successful marriage and that for every day (at least most of them!), to be Valentine’s Day:

• Unity: Every marriage needs a unified vision and a commitment to it. This means being on the same page, having each other’s back, and fighting for God’s best for your marriage relationship.

• Intimacy: I am surprised by the number of passionless marriages that exist. Though committed to the cause, the fire has mostly gone out. Intimacy speaks of having a energized sexual relationship and a physical attraction, but it means so much more. Intimacy is giving your spouse the green light to look into your soul, and vice versa.  It means being open  physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

• Honor: Giving honor to someone is to give them praise and the highest esteem. We honor our spouse by celebrating their strengths and protecting their weaknesses both publically and privately.

• Defense: In the culture that we live in, there are multiplied enemies of a winning marriage. We must protect our family and future from intruders in many of forms,  whether busyness, outside temptation, or the pressures of day to day life.

• Offense: Unfortunately, things happen. When our defensive position has been compromised, we must go on the offensive. This means removing the “intruders” and every work of evil that comes to destroy what God has built.

• Roots: The most important thing in every marriage relationship is the quality of its roots. Roots create a foundation in which a marriage grows.  Any successful marriage must be strongly rooted in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. When properly rooted, a marriage can withstand attacks, assaults, and the test of time with love, grace and peace.

Please remember, love is more than a feeling. Love is an action word. Love is choosing and deciding to love when love seems to the be the furthest thing in your mind. Quoting the words of the minister who married my wife and I, “..when you don’t know what to do…love one another.” 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Question: What are your thoughts about how to make, ‘every day Valentine’s Day’?

Hello Usher Team!

The following is a simple three step online training for the Renaissance Usher Team. The purpose is to help you understand what is expected from you as a member of the Renaissance Usher Team:

• Read through this training document and post any questions on the Blog response below: CLICK HERE

• Take a few minutes and watch this training video as I walk through the Usher Team Details:

• Please fill out this form so I know that you have completed this training:

[contact-form-7]

Notes from “Living Generously’:

Genesis 45:1-11

New International Version (NIV)

Genesis 45

Joseph Makes Himself Known

 1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a]

 8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. 9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’

 Genesis 45:16-18

New International Version (NIV)

 16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan, 18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’

Proverbs 11:25

New International Version (NIV)

 25 A generous person will prosper; 
   whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Generosity is a foundational principle of the kingdom of God and unlocks the nature of God Himself. He gave all His wealth to redeem us. When true generosity is seen,  whether it’s forgiving a debt, gifting a house, or some other weighty act of generosity, it touches our heart. A lump forms in our throat,  and eyes well with tears. Generosity releases the presence of God. One of the most incredible acts of generosity I witnessed in my life involved my mother. I watched her give to a person in need, and what I saw marked my life forever (watch the video below to hear the story).

In Genesis 45, Joseph performs one of the most generous acts in scripture. His generous offering altered the atmosphere and changed futures for generations.

What Joseph did, didn’t just touch those listed in the bible. His offering touched you. His gift preserved a promise and built a bridge to the Messiah.

In the same way, our generosity changes lives and transforms futures.

• Families are restored.
• Marriages are strengthened.
• Teenagers get exposed to the Presence of Jesus.
• Children find Jesus’ plan for them.
• Addicts are freed from bondage.

Question: But what if we didn’t? What if we didn’t give? What if we weren’t generous?

Similar to George Bailey in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, imagine a world where the followers of Christ wouldn’t offer their resources to further God’s mission.

• Lives not restored.
• Marriages not strengthened.
• Teenagers not touched by Jesus.
• Children not given the story of Jesus.
• Hungry people not fed.
• Prayers not prayed.
• Communities not helped.
• Missionaries not sent.

Think of all the people that would have been affected by the goodness of Jesus that were connected to the people that wouldn’t be.

As followers of Jesus WE MUST be committed to Kingdom Generosity.

To live the generous life that Jesus desires us to live, we must have:

>FAITH

>CONFIDENCE

>SURRENDERED HEART TO GOD’S PLAN.

Story of the ‘UnBaptized Arm’:

Ivan the Great was the tsar of all of Russia during the Fifteenth Century. He brought together the warring tribes into one vast empire–the Soviet Union. As a fighting man he was courageous. As a general he was brilliant. He drove out the Tartars and established peace across the nation.

However, Ivan was so busy waging his campaigns that he did not have a family. His friends and advisers were quite concerned.

They reminded him that there was no heir to the throne, and should anything happen to him the union would shatter into chaos. “You must take a wife who can bear you a son.” The busy soldier statesman said to them that he did not have the time to search for a bride, but if they would find a suitable one, he would marry her.

The counselors and advisers searched the capitals of Europe to find an appropriate wife for the great tsar. And find her, they did.

They reported to Ivan of the beautiful dark eyed daughter of the King of Greece. She was young, brilliant, and charming. He agreed to marry her sight unseen.

The King of Greece was delighted. It would align Greece in a favorable way with the emerging giant of the north. But there had to be one condition, “He cannot marry my daughter unless he becomes a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.” Ivan’s response, “I will do it!”

So, a priest was dispatched to Moscow to instruct Ivan in Orthodox doctrine. Ivan was a quick student and learned the catechism in record time.

Arrangements were concluded, and the tsar made his way to Athens accompanied by 500 of his crack troops–his personal palace guard. 

He was to be baptized into the Orthodox Church by immersion, as was the custom of the Eastern Church. His soldiers, ever loyal, asked to be baptized also. The Patriarch of the Church assigned 500 priests to give the soldiers a one-on-one catechism crash course. The soldiers, all 500 of them, were to be immersed in one mass baptism. Crowds gathered from all over Greece. 

What a sight that must have been, 500 priests and 500 soldiers, a thousand people, walking into the blue Mediterranean.

The priests were dressed in black robes and tall black hats, the official dress of the Orthodox Church. The soldiers wore their battle uniforms with of all their regalia–ribbons of valor, medals of courage. And their weapons of battle. 

Suddenly, there was a problem. The Church prohibited professional soldiers from being members; they would have to give up their commitment to bloodshed. They could not be killers and church members too. 



After a hasty round of diplomacy, the problem was solved quite simply. As the words were spoken and the priests began to baptize them, each soldier reached to his side and withdrew his sword. Lifting it high overhead, every soldier was totally immersed-everything baptized except his fighting arm and sword. 

That is a true historical fact. The unbaptized arm. What a powerful picture of Christianity today.

Question: Is there any area in your life that is ‘unbaptized’? Have you ‘baptized’ your money?

Treasure Island: Generosity

When we give to God we change Forever.

The following is a simple three step online training for the Renaissance Prayer Team. The purpose is to help you understand what is expected from you as a member of the Renaissance Prayer Team:

• Read through this training document and post any questions on the Blog response below: CLICK HERE

• Take a few minutes and watch this training video as I walk through the Prayer Team Details

• Please fill out this form so I know that you have completed this training:

[contact-form-7]

Who do you have? Giants or Patriots?

Beyond that, what has God been speaking to you as a result of the Treasure Island series? How has God blessed your life? Where has he challenged you?

I want to hear from you.

Send me an email, comment below to let me know what God is doing in your life.

God Bless You, and on with the Renaissance !