Always On Top... Always Win

Good afternoon,
I've realized that I don't always write in my blog. Well not on a consistent basis anyway. I would like to though. I guess I let life take me away sometimes. Sometimes I feel like maybe I shouldn't write about what I go through or my trials and test because, well, nobody wants anybody to know that they struggle or have struggled. What I've found out is that, we are not here to live our lives for ourselves. Our lives should be dedicated to helping others. Our lives should be lived for the next person. So that leaves me to today's topic. Always coming out on top and always  winning. I must say, as I logged on to begin writing this post, I only did it because I actually did come out on top, again, and I felt good but the Lord stopped me and showed me that inconsistency that I've showed in writing my blog and the timeline in which I do write. I only write when things work out. And trust me, they never work out because of anything that I do. As a matter of fact, if my life was based on me reaping everything that I've sewed, I'd be miserable, broke and homeless. So I thank God that everything worked out again.
I just want to share with you, the fact that no matter what happens in your life; getting fired, losing your fiancee, missing opportunity for advancement, God always allows you to get things right and brings you out on top when you love him. What people don't realize is that you love God and still mess up sometimes. But it isn't God's desire to have to punish us! People always preach that. "God seen you, that's why it didn't work" or "God knows how you're living, you need to get your life together so God can bless you." First off, God blesses who he wants to bless when he wants to do it. He can bless the crack head, the drug dealer, the person committing white collar crimes, the CEO stealing money from the company and he can bless the faithful saint. He has no respect of person. People have tried so hard to make it seem like if you mess up one time, everything that God had coming for you is annihilated due to that one screw up. Maybe held up, but not burned up. Secondly, God's desire to use you is much greater than his desire to loose you. So God's interest in much more into seeing us succeed and overcome than it is to see us damned to Hell.
I hope that I've freed you of some mental chains holding you down thinking that God wants to curse you and make you feel that if you mess up that its over for you. Live Life!! And let your fidelity to God be your driving addiction to life. Let the love of Christ dwell in you and be a light unto others on their journey as well.
As always, "If you Know it's Wrong, Don't Do It. If you Think Its Wrong, Don't Do It. If you see the Light, Walk Therein, and If you Can't Do it in Heaven, Don't Do It on Earth." - Pastor Roderick L. Hennings

Am I supposed to....

Am I supposed to care?

Am I supposed to worry about how my words effect you?

Am I supposed to care how my decisions tailor your life?

Most people in this world would answer no. But me, for some reason my heart still lies where most people have replaced it with an ice box. I'm trying to keep the blood flowing through and to it but with each ignorant remark and cold shoulder, I feel my blood stream slowing down. Think I care?...

I do. But it's hard when everyone else around you doesn't. Where do you go for guidance when mediocrity is pulling you from behind, greatness and success fills your eyes with cloudy scales and ignorance beyond measure that nalls at your very ambition stands boldly in front of you?

My answer, close your eyes and fight until what you see in the clouds of your mind... Greatness. Success. Becomes what you see when you open them again.

When did we take the "w" out of we and flip it? I never recall "me" being the pronounciation for we. Maybe that's why my heart still pumps love. Not shoulder shrugs.

As always, If you think it's wrong, Dont Do It!, If you know it's wrong, Dont Do It!, Where you see the light, Walk Therein, If you can't do it in Heaven, Dont Do It On Earth! - Pastor Roderick L. Hennings

BE HUMBLE... BUT WATCH WHAT YOU SAY!

I really hope that I can relay this post to you, the way that I experienced it. This is detrimental to us achieving what we believe. I'll start with the scenario that lead me to writing this.

I believe God for greater! Currently, I work a 9-5 and play basketball for the Buffalo Stampede at night. I've started an internship shadowing an owner, to learn the ins and outs of business first hand. God has already moved in my life and blessed me tremendously. I am just aspiring for better. Living under the teachings of Kingdom principles. What I've learned in this process is that, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOU NEXT LEVEL TO COME, TO BE LIVING ON YOUR NEXT LEVEL. SN: I could definitely preach off of that ha ha. But yes, you definitely can live according to how you believe you will be living in the future, right now! So that's what I do. Practice and maintain stewardship in any and everything that I do because the Bible says that if you're faithful over a few things, He'll make you ruler over many. I also DRESS according to where I believe I'll be, right now. So picture me working my 9-5, believing God for better, clean, studious, in a shirt, tie, slacks, shoes, and some days a blazer. People think I'm arrogant, people think I'm crazy, some people actually understand the principle. I've gotten compliments, criticized and even praised for the stewardship. Here's where the title of this post comes in....
I walked up to two co-workers as I had to ask one a job related question. They started going in about my attire. "Man you just look like, 'This is my status in life and I wont come down,' look at your watch Greg. Dude, I'm intimidated standing next to you!" - Now with what I previously wrote, you'd think my response would have been something like, "well you know I just believe God for more and I think I'll be blessed for going about my every day task in this manner." Something simple, enlightening and not to deep. NO! What did I say? "Yea I'm dressed like this and sit at a desk all day..." OMG DUDE... God spoke immediately to me and said GREG! You are killing it! Totally contradictory to what's in my heart, mind and soul. And so I thought about it... Why did I reply in that manner when I know I live by principles that are totally opposite. Is it possible that I really don't believe in what I am trying to live? Yes that's possible, but highly unlikely. I am sold out to what I believe in. Well if that's not the case, then could it be that I am trying to be humble about the way that I live and believe and over did it? Yes... That's possible and quite probable, that me wanting to be humble and being humble at heart, excuse my language, overdid my humbleness to the point where I cancelled out the very goal that I am aspiring to achieve through faith. Wow...

So are you saying don't be humble? No, not at all.. The moral here is that, it is necessary to be humble. But when you being humble contradicts your very thought process and action of faith, you must stop and think and recognize what comes out of your mouth as you are being humble and assertive at the same time. The word says that you are snared by the words of YOUR mouth. So people can say what they want, but if you come out of your mouth downplaying what you are doing for Christ and through faith then what you are doing will die because you will kill it with the very words that come out of your mouth.

Such a great lesson learned :-)

As always, "If you think its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you know its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you can't do it in Heaven, Don't Do it on Earth!, And where you see the light, Walk Therein!" - Pastor Roderick L. Hennings

SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!

I'm not trying to be rude or ignorant. And excuse me if I'm coming off as intrusive. But aren't you tired of hearing people try and tell you what you can and can not do? Aren't you tired of people thinking that they have the ability to speak for you? Aren't you tired of people trying to set their own perceived limitations on your life? Trying to put a cap on your success! Thinking that they can decide what you should and should not be doing.....

It's time to speak up!!! Time to rid yourself of others expectations and limitations. Time to go beyond the paralyzing and capsulizing words of the people whom you've surrounded yourself with and break loose into the liberality of your own imagination and inquiries of your mind.

So I dare you...

I double dog dare you...

To SPEAK FOR YOURSELF! And when somebody tries to speak down to you, limit you according to only what they can perceive and think of, tell them to SPEAK FOR YOURSELF! HA HA

And I hope your living this...

"If you think it's wrong, Don't Do It!, If you know it's wrong, Don't Do It!, If you can't do it in Heaven, Don't Do it on Earth!, and Where you see the light, Walk Therein!" - Pastor Roderick L. Hennings

WAS IT THE CIRCUMSTANCES?!

What kind of determination do you have? That would allow you to quit due to the vicissitudes of life? What kind of determination is that?! I never heard of the sort. What kind of character do you have, that would allow you to walk away from what you started?! What kind of mental toughness is this that you SAY you have? Please enlighten me!

We all want to be conquerors without having to OVERCOME anything. We want to wear the armor, but not fight in the battle. What causes this? So you quit on what you wanted to be life. You quit on that dream that felt so real. You quit on your goals and aspirations. You decided to play it safe! What was it?!

Was it the circumstances?..

Was it the whispers? Was it the tough, lean season? Was it the mental burden? All these things come with the process of becoming great. As we say being put through the fire. I heard Bishop T.D. Jakes say "We want the bright light, but can't take the heat. The heat comes with the bright light. You ever get close to a bright light? Its Hot! The brighter the light, the hotter the heat!" Come on ladies and gentlemen, this is the pure, unadulterated truth.

Don't let your circumstances determine your actions. You've got to stick with it. Shed yourself of some people if you have to so that the only influence in your life is God. Don't remind yourself of the circumstances, remind yourself of God's promises and he wont lead you in the wrong direction. Its guaranteed.

Until next time...

"If you think its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you know its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you cant do it in Heaven, Don't Do it on Earth!, And where you see the light, Walk Therein!" - Pastor Roderick L. Hennings

I'M HEARING THINGS...

Mannnnnn I think I'm hearing things! I'm definitely not crazy and my elevator DOES reach the top floor, but I'm telling you.... I'M HEARING THINGS.

I'm hearing people talk. I'm hearing positive confessions. I'm hearing negative slurs. I'm hearing people apologizing and the sound of the knife they're using to stab you in the back with cut deeper! I'm hearing hope. I'm hearing Love. I'm hearing conquerors scream at the top of their lungs in victory. I'm hearing cries. Sighs of discouragement. I'm hearing the heavy breathing of hard work and the dripping of sweat from fighting Life ALL DAY. Only to take a nap and get back at it when the sun rises. I hear Son's rising! I hear souls flying. I hear friendship. I hear the murmuring of despise. I TOLD YOU.... I'M HEARING THINGS

I hear the Lord speak. I hear my words tweaked. Meaning I say what I mean, but what I mean never comes out as what I say. Its complicated, I know.

So I said all of this, for you to see in the same light that shines upon me. So you can see through these eyes of mine.... Have you ever been speaking with someone, having a normal conversation and they say something that triggers something inside of you that you just needed to hear? And here's the crazy part. You didn't even know that you needed to hear it. It could've been one word or the whole conversation. But what they said seemed like they turned on a light switch in your soul! Maybe I'm crazy and in my own world but hey.. THIS ISSSS MY BLOG :-) .

Seriously though, listening in life is extremely important. You never know what you might hear that could change your life. It could be one word. One phrase. That can lead to one day, that will change the remainder of your days here on earth. I know the way I speak is out-of-the-box. But then again, who created the Box in which I must think. I don't recall.

Anyway..

As always.. "If you think its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you know its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you can't do it in Heaven, Don't Do It on Earth!, And where you see the light, Walk Therein!" - Pastor Roderick L. Hennings

What's On your mind

May I submit to you the question... What is on your mind? Because you see, what is on your mind will determine what you do, what you say, what you act upon and what you respond to. I'm not trying to sound preachy or mimic any body's thoughts, ideals or revelations. This is more of a mirage of a collection of words heard and experiences from even my own path of life that I am gingerly walking as I type.

I've come to discover that what ever has been on my mind has become what I react or respond with when faced with the problems and obstacles of life. When I ask "What is on your mind," think more of the question than to just dwell on positive confessions. Because lets face it and be honest with ourselves, when the money is tight and bills keep piling up, you don't know if you'll even have enough gas money to get to work to make the money and you have a whole week til your next paycheck, groceries are scarce with a fierce appetite, positive confession might not even surface. But it is in those times that what you believe God to be, a way maker, a provider, someone who helps you keep your very sanity, that you will begin to find out whats REALLY on your mind. Because when your focus is God, you can be homeless with being a Home Owner on your mind. You can be broke with the Forbes list on your mind. And please, don't get it twisted. Having a relationship with God is much more than materialistic reaping, but its the mindset that's the focus. Having the right mind will cause you to display somewhat of a grit, the ability to move forward one step at a time when faced with the depressing vicissitudes of life.

I know that this is not a spiritual blog.... wait... this MY BLOG right?! I don't have to be politically correct :-)... The Bible says in Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS.

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." ENOUGH SAID...

SO TELL ME... WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?!

And as always.. "If you think its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you know its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you cant do it in Heaven, Don't Do It on Earth! And where you see the light, Walk Therein!" - Pastor Roderick L. Hennings

I know something...

Here I go!! Sounding more crazy than what I appear. But I'm telling you, I know something! Something great is on the brink of happening. Do you believe that if you can concieve something in your mind, that you will recieve it?! Man I do.

What's your focus?

Ask yourself a legitimate question. What is my focus? I make this statement and propose this question because what I've been finding out in life is that we can be goal driven while having the attention span of a six year old. What I mean by that is, we are constantly setting goals for ourselves. Spiritual goals, physical goals, career goals, etc. But in pursuing those goals, we get side tracked by unforseen obstacles. And we are easily persuaded by these obstacles. Ready to give up on a freshly set goal.

So I purpose the question to you, what is your focus? This is a question that you need to remind yourself of daily! It's easy to loose focus and come up with a new plan or a new idea. But then again, that's the mindset of a loser. If something persuades you enought to go after it, then I say it's worth is three times what you value it as. What do you think being driven consist of?!! A motivation that drives you through pain, disgust, disappointment, and agony and causes you not to rest until you reach your goal. I have a quote that I created, "those who quit, doubted from the beginning." I honestly believe this. Because if you believed in your heart something to be true, how could you EVER give up on it?!

Well I hope I leave you tonight, thinking about your focus. Because we need it to make it!

And again :-)

"If you think it's wrong, Dont Do It! If you know it's wrong, Dont Do It! If you can't do it in heaven, Dont Do It On Earth! And where you see the light, Walk Therein!"

Taking my hands off of the wheel

Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am proud to announce that the game that I play, the game which I once played out of sheer desire, love and passion, I now play because its the WILL OF GOD for my life.

Today, I am speaking from the present. I think I'll be writing in such a tense from now on. A journal of sorts. I usually write in past tense, having looked back at the most recent past events and drawing a conclusion of the lessons learned. But as my favorite Jazz/R&B artist Jill Scott says...."But not now!"

I'm excited today. Excited because I have practice tonight. Excited because I have a game tomorrow. My second game of the season. I am excited because for once in my life, I can feel the hand of God on my life. Its not overwhelming, neither is it an embarrassment. God keeps me steady in life. Steadily working to fulfil his will for my life and steady in my thinking. Steady in my actions and steady in my speech. He's shown me that faith is more than just a positive confession. Its become something much more. A lifestyle.

Last night, I was at practice. This being only my second week back in the gym from a 10 month journey, I've been a combination of nervous, anxious, determined, and hesitant. Basically, a mess! But last night, man last night was awesome. I'm at practice, just letting another practice go by. And all of a sudden, one of my new teammates decided to pick me up full court. Now I been playing against a high level of competition my whole career, but along with my time off, the competition that I've faced at the point guard position in practice hasn't been that stiff. I catch the ball, square up, and this dude's in my face. I mean reaching for the ball, fouling, moving his feet. Just ready to Go!. Without even thinking, I jabbed right and went left just to relieve myself of the pressure. Next thing you know, I'm over half court calling a play but this guy is still harassing me. At that point my instincts took over. Before I knew it, I was at the top of the key shooting a pull up jump shot. I knocked down the shot and came to. I almost started crying. I mean mid-practice. I'm tearing up. Its been so long since instinct has taken over like that and I've just balled. I'm sure something in comparison to quitting drugs cold turkey and out of the blue taking a hit. All I could do was Thank God. After practice, I looked at myself through the mirror and said, "God, I'm taking my hands off the wheel." I said that because after having that on court experience I seen what God was showing me. What I have in store for you is already inside of you. But only I know how to get to it. So let me drive. So I'm letting him drive! God is definitely in control in my life.

You may think I'm crazy. But I know, I'M DRIVEN! :-)

Until next time,

"If you think its wrong, Don't Do It!, If you know its wrong, Don't Do It!, Where you see the light, Walk Therein!, And if you cant do it in Heaven, Don't Do It On Earth!" - Pastor Roderick L. Hennings