A few things that I am believing God for:
1. The next Prayer Initiative is in Joliet, on Saturday, October 1st at 9 am. Looking for a great turnout and for God to show out big time!
2. Praying for our next few initiatives to be indoors, considering the midwest weather is going to change 
3. Looking to bridge the gap between races in Joliet. The passion of Christ is for ALL people.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:8-10
Bad situations and circumstances can happen to anyone. We all have the ability to screw something up. When we do mess up, Satan is usually right there on the scene to make sure that we feel guilt, shame, and embarrassment.
He wants us to feel so bad that we believe that even God would want nothing to do with us.
When Adam and Eve sinned, one of the first things that they did was run and hide from God.
One of the greatest things about God is that when you miss the mark, He doesn’t want you to hide from Him.
In fact, God’s love for you will cause Him to go looking for you.
Even though God has a large family, He still considers you to be valuable enough to look for you.
And when He finds you he throws a party.
Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you for finding me. I am so glad that your love and grace go beyond all of the things that I did wrong and rescued me from my mess. Thank you for forgiving me and cleaning me up. I am coming to understand the power of your love. I also accept the responsibility to share this love with others.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
“Complaining doesn’t do anything but make your throat sore”
Many of us can see what the problems in our society.
We even experience some issues ourselves.
Unfortunately, most of us only moan and groan from the sidelines of life.
We yell and scream from the comforts of our couch.
What we really need to do is have our hearts broken by the things that we see.
And then we need to put the love of God into action.
Not just words and prayers.
We need to risk everything we have to reach everywhere people are, even if it’s just one.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
(Proverbs 31:8-9)
We need to let God’s love flow freely through us and touch those who need Him.
So, I encourage you to get off the sidelines and make a difference.
What has God NOT done for us to share a smile with someone?
Have we forgotten where we would be if the Lord wasn’t on our side?
Don’t be afraid to risk your reputation by reaching into the gutter to pull someone out.
Don’t let the devil make you feel ashamed of your past and keep you from altering someone’s future.
God has given you a clean slate and the green light to witness to those who think that there is no hope.
God is calling your name to put you in the game.
Don’t ignore Him.
Share His love. Make someone’s day.
You just might make history.
We are having our next Prayer Initiative on Saturday, October 1st at 9 a.m.
This event will take place on the corner of 4th Avenue and Chicago Street in Joliet. We will be praying against the violence and crime that still affects our city.
We know that it is up to the body of Christ to make a difference by praying and by actively making changes in our communities.
Change is not about 1 particular race or ethnic group.
Change is not about the personal agenda of a pastor or church leader.
God has given each one of us the ability to make things different in our world.
I am looking forward to making a huge impact on the streets of Joliet and let people know that
Jesus is Lord to the glory of God.
I have been thinking about the young guys and the young ladies who don’t fit in the mold of the traditional church.
The ones with the tats and the braids.
The ones with the nose rings and the bad pasts.
They have been searching for hope, healing, and peace.
They also are looking for love, compassion, and acceptance.
They are tired of being judged and sometimes condemned for the way they look.
What is the answer from the church?
What will we say to those who cry out for help? Will we try to make them look like us instead of Christ?
In Psalm 72, Solomon is asking God to help him to lead the people.
Verse 12 says, “For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.”
Our response should be to reach out to everyone, regardless of race, sex, or lifestyle, with the love of God.
It shouldn’t matter to us who they are or what they have done.
What should matter is that each of them is a child of God and that He loves them dearly.
We are preparing to launch a church in our city.
It will be a church that is prepared to minister to people exactly where they are.
No barriers of religious traditions and mindsets.
Reach the broken and connect them to Christ.
Here are a few things that I am believing God for:
The last few days I have been contemplating what it means to launch a church.
The responsibility of being a Pastor.
To care for others needs and lead them into a growing relationship with God.
It’s frightening and humbling.
People have been shunned, embarrassed, and even killed by Christians.
Many have a jaded view of what the church is supposed to be about.
Can’t say that I blame them though.
Some of us have grossly misrepresented our God.
In my lifetime, I want to show God in the best light possible.
I’m not perfect but He is.
My city is no different from many other cities in America.
We have our share of crime, homelessness, and poverty.
Our schools could be doing better and the housing market is pretty rough.
Plenty of people are unemployed.
Also, our city is known as the “City of Champions”.
We have plenty of trophies around here to prove that.
We are also known as the “Crossroads of America” because Joliet is located where Interstates 55 and 80 meet.
We have a diverse population and distinctive cultural communities.
Things aren’t all bad but they could be better.
God is looking for His people to take more responsibility for what happens in the communities that they live in.
He wants to be a part of our every day lives.
I look forward to sharing in the near future about all of the things that God is doing in my city.
I believe that the church should be the most wonderful people on earth.
We should be the most loving, forgiving, empowering people
Our main objective should be to build the Kingdom of God.
It should not be about denominational dominance or racial preference.
How can you be in the majority if you are not on God’s side?
Now is the time to lay down selfishness.
It gets in the way of us really receiving from God because it squeezes all of His love out of us.
This journey is not singular. It is not just me, myself and I.
There is a need for body of Christ to WAKE UP!
The time is NOW for love!
The time is NOW for grace!
The time is NOW for power!
Thank God for another great weekend.
Our Prayer Initiative at Joliet West and Joliet Central High Schools were awesome.
God met us in the parking lot at West and revealed the seriousness of things that happen in the school.
We prayed for the students, the teacher, and the administrators.
We prayed for peace in the hallways and an increase in test scores.
We prayed against violence and homosexuality, amongst other things.
And then it rained.
We then headed down to Central (my old school) and prayed in the midst of the rain showers.
God showed me how He wants to cleanse the hallways and classrooms of the school to bring a renewal.
I am thankful to all who came out and look forward to our next Initiative.
Stay tuned.