Category Archives: Personal

Please, Take Me Home With You

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For all of you who read my blog, come to Tabernacle of Praise (TOP) on Sundays, subscribe to my posts via email or RSS,

THANK YOU!!

You are why I write, speak, and keep up a continuing presence at the library (Looking for more stuff to bring you! They may let me haunt the place when I’m dead. Who knows?). But I do have a problem.

I can’t get enough of you! 

So, I’ve decided that I want to go home with you. Yup, I’m inviting myself over, and I hope you’ve got plenty of food in the fridge…

Well, it’s not as bad as all that. Our media team (whom we affectionately call “Shock and Awe”) has been recording the teaching series at TOP. I have compressed them to MP3 files and uploaded them to TOP’s public iDisk. Now, you can download these MP3′s to your computer or any MP3 player and take me home with you!

Here’s how. First, go to the iDisk website at https://public.me.com/topinc. Once you’re there, select the audio teaching you wish to download and then click the download button. It’s that simple!

TOP iDisk Public Folder

Here is a screen shot in case a visual will be of assistance. As you can see, we have last year’s Advent series on our Identity in Christ already uploaded and ready for you. Don’t miss out on this landmark teaching! If you don’t understand anything else about God or the Bible, you have to get this. It’s all yours, for FREE!

So, there you have it. You can take me home with you, I can spend more time with you sharing what I’ve gleaned from the Holy Spirit, and you don’t even have to feed me. Pretty cool, huh?

Go to the website today, and discover who you are in our Messiah, Jesus!

Never Say Never

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It was Charles Dickens who once wrote, “Never say never.” Boy, was he right.

Last month, I wrote a post saying goodbye to all of you, my dear readers. In it I shared how my writing life is expanding and deepening and how with all of my current responsibilities, I simply couldn’t find the time to hop on the keyboard and bang out a blog post.

Well, I’ve changed my mind.

 Over the holidays, several close friends expressed their disappointment in my decision to cool down my contribution to the blogosphere. This was super encouraging to me. I didn’t even know they were readers! This interaction with the people who read my words and like them (at least some of them) was the shot in the arm I needed to consider writing posts again. My readers are important to me, and I love hearing from you all!

The time excuses I gave in my last post are still valid, and I’ll have to manage my time more now then ever. But after getting through last quarter’s TREMENDOUS work load at college, I think I can do it. This quarter I have a class that is much more relaxed on the requirements, albeit it is no less challenging. To be honest, I hope to bring what I’m learning in class to you so you can get in on all the cool stuff going on in academia.

Don’t worry, though…

Everything I bring to this blog, whether from my classes, personal readings and musings; or other bloggers and thought leaders, will be written with you first in mind. I want to write posts that will inform you, inspire you, and empower you to make a difference in our world!

Please feel free to get in on the conversation at any time by adding a comment below. I love hearing from you!

So–as far as my last post goes–I take it all back! This is going to be a great year, and I’m happy to be a part of your spiritual journey.

To the journey!!

Fare Thee Well, Dear Reader

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With a sad heart I must inform you, dear reader, that this will be the last post of this blog. If you’ve followed my posts for any length, you’ll know that this year I have written less and less. This is mainly due to the other writing projects I’m currently engaged in.

At the moment, I’m working towards my theology degree at The King’s University and Seminary in Van Nuys, CA as an online student. The program I signed up for is a particularly difficult concentration and as such, I’m writing more than ever, but in another field. Each week I’m writing academic papers for my Messianic Jewish Studies program. It is an exciting and challenging perspective on the greatest love of my life–the Bible.

Another thrilling project on my desk is the writing of an epic stage play. To date, I’ve not written a full length drama, and so this is a daunting task involving a good amount of research with a lot of trial and error.

As always, I’m constantly writing sermons. This Advent season, we are teaching on the believers identification with Jesus the Messiah. In other words, because He came to earth and identified with our humanity, we can now identify with His divinity. This is the miracle of the Incarnation!

It has been a wonderful journey and a thoughtful discussion between you and I. Thank you for all the times you’ve encouraged, taught, and shaped my thinking! God bless you, dear reader.

 

Death of a Friend

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Ana, Gabriel and I went to the funeral of Damaris Myers last night. Calling hours were from 1-3 pm and 5-7 pm yesterday. The service began at 7 pm and went to 9 pm.

The room was packed with friends and family, about 100 or more. Many more had already been to the calling hours earlier that day. Damaris was a woman who knew how to make friends. There were at least three churches represented.

Rabbi William Hallbrook officiated. Damaris’ sons Damion and Derwin began by sharing beautiful eulogies of their mother. The dance team of Sar Shalom Messianic Congregation performed two dances. I shared a brief eulogy while trying to hold back tears. Rabbi ended the ceremony with the Shema and the blowing of the shofar.

I could truly feel the presence and the love of God in the room. He was there giving weight to the ceremony that honored the life of one of His servants. May Damaris be remembered for the loving woman that she was and may her legacy continue years beyond her life. Amen.

Six Flag Sanctuary

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Today is Sunday. For the first time in a long time, I will not be in church.

Sunday is loaded with meaning for me, a pastor. Sunday is full of hugs, kisses, smiles, songs, dances, music, miracles, prayers, and words (I’m the one contributing the majority of those words, I’m sure!). Surrounded by the love and spirit of a community of believers, church is a thoroughly inspiring event for me. Today, I will be spending the day in an all together different place–Six Flags Over Texas.

Somehow, I feel just as inspired. Surrounded by the love and spirit of family, Six Flags is a truly moving experience. Today will be full of hugs, kisses, smiles, songs, dances, music, miracles, prayers, and words (of which I’ll contribute the majority, I’m sure.). How could church and Six Flags be so closely meaningful? Perhaps it is family that is the link.

Church is a family joining each other to enjoy a feast with their Father. Six Flags today is a family joining each other to enjoy a feast with their Father as well. We will share His love with each other without hesitation or fear.

Mexican or American–it doesn’t matter. We are family, and that is enough to procure miracles, inspire songs, and birth love.