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Having just experienced my 17th Fathers Day I can say that there is no privilege greater than being chosen by God to be a parent. Does that mean its easy, NO!
Every day brings a new set of challenges, concerns, or needs that can sometimes be disconcerting. But through all of this it is always a joy to see your child smile when they have accomplished something, had a realization maybe that you aren’t such a bad guy after all, or spent some quality time investing in what they enjoy.
I am by no means a perfect Father but through Gods grace I am learning. I’m learning to love unconditionally, I’m learning to express frustration differently, and I’m learning that when a child does something that is wrong I must let them answer a question rather than me telling them how bad they were. The question being.” does that represent who I am in Jesus?”
When you put it in that perspective for them they will answer that themselves and make the necessary modifications to properly represent our Lord. Thanks Dad for raising me in a Godly home and thanks Alex for sharing with me how to father differently, to father in a life giving gracious way.
I was just reading a blog posted by Steve Sjogren and I’m going to share a bit below.
-7 Things I Wish I’d Told My Dad When I Was Younger – Confessions of a Stumbling Servant
by Steve Sjogren on Jun 16, 2012 3:42 PM
This Father’s Day has me thinking of some things I wish I’d shared with my dad a long time ago. Perhaps you too have some things you’d like to share with your dad. It may not be too late. My dad passed away years ago so this is more of an exercise in journaling, but for you there is tomorrow.

1. ”No matter how long I live, you will always be my greatest role model.”
I’ve had models for various areas of expertise come and go throughout life. Most of them have been helpful as they’ve left their mark, but at the core of all I’ve received is the deposit my dad made. He didn’t have to be the world’s best at everything. All I needed to know was that he was the greatest – period.
2. ”Deep down, I want to become like you in your best traits.”
He wasn’t perfect, but his imprint will have the greatest effect on me. I want to be like him in the ways he was strong. I want him to be proud of the person I’ve become.
3. ”Thanks for the sacrifices you made for me.”
I know my dad felt the strain of work many times. Perhaps he even wondered what he’d gotten himself into! But honestly what hard working guy who is totally honest doesn’t have that thought cross his mind occasionally.
4. ”Thanks for having me.”
Looking back it is clear to me there were a lot of decisions he made that led up to me being conceived and born. God orchestrated that but my dad cooperated. I’m grateful for his love for me before I was born.
5. ”Thanks for working hard to provide for me.”
Forty hours plus per week takes the starch out of anyone after a while. To do that for years on end requires a lot of love. No matter where your dad appears to be spiritually on the outside, keep in mind that no man can put in years, even decades, of sacrificial work for a child or a family, and not have some glimmer of spiritual life.
6. ”Thanks for being tough on me at times.”
There is a hard side to love that’s hard to see when we are young.
7. ”Sorry I spent so much time being angry at you instead of listening to you.”
This is a big one for me. It took years to gain the perspective I needed to realize that my old man was pretty smart all along. Based on conversations and reading it seems that many of us have lived as angry young people while we were home. It took getting out of the house to wake us up to our limitations and our dads’ perspective and big time wisdom.

If it is too difficult to call your dad tomorrow I’d recommend you go ahead and just tell him you love him, then do something unusual in our day – actually write him a letter by hand. It doesn’t need to be long. Share a few points – maybe lift some of the ones here. You don’t need to be original. Then see what happens. Whether he acknowledges your letter or not – many dads don’t do all that well with words – send it anyway.

If your dad is gone, write a letter anyway. You can’t send it so hold onto it for a couple of days then read it again on the third day to let it sink in. This is something sacred between you and him no one else needs to see. If the contents are something you wouldn’t mind sharing with your grandchildren file it away. If you rather not see it again, burn it. It will just be something important you expressed that was good to get out. Now move on.

I have to tell you that I am appalled at customer service in most dining establishments lately. It seems , no matter if its a small cafe or a national chain, that the servers simply do not understand that they are present to insure our experience is a good one. I was at an authentic Mexican restaurant yesterday that we have been going to for a while and they now are offering a “dollar menu” on Mondays. So we were ordering off the dollar menu and loved the service we were getting from our server, however the table adjacent to ours was doing the same and I loudly heard their server walk off and say” That’s a dollar, That’s a dollar, and That’s a dollar..Oh my God”. I began thinking to myself ” I am not certain that this young woman is in the right business.” 

You know as I am in and out of businesses across Florida I see this over and over. It really is a sad state of affairs to know that in this weak economy folks are still going out and spending their hard earned money, only to receive service that is way below par. 

There are literally thousands of talented people looking for work and yet we have to put up with people who serve us, who seem to not care about the precious job that they have. I would encourage all managers out there to strongly evaluate your employees service and if you find it to be unsatisfactory, please do something about it. I strongly recommend a book titled “QBQ” By John G Miller. Read it and see how your organization improves.

I was listening to a sermon by a very prominent Pastor this weekend and here are a few exerpts of his points.
•You can not serve your God while your agenda is still focused on your material goals.
•Selfish people do not serve.

•When are you going to step away from the dinner table, and go wash someone’s feet. (This one rings true with me as I continually watch people come to Church and “eat at the table” and then go out and do nothing to put it into action)
When Jesus knelt to wash the disciples feet , he was also washing Judas feet, the very one who would play a part in His crucifixion.

•Is there anything in your life that is bigger than you.
•Maybe it’s difficult to get people to worship in Church because they are so centered on themselves.

As I listened to this message I really took a look inside my own life and where I have had my priorities throughout the years. For most of my adult life I have been very self-absorbed and focused on success and material possessions. Over the past 24 months God has truly changed my focus and motivation in life. I have learned what a blessing it is to serve others, and God has revealed His Grace to me through these acts of humility and selflessness.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to “serve” someone less fortunate run, don’t walk and get your serve on.

— Matthew Chapter 25:(35) For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.
(36) I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,t you were doing it to me!’

As I sit here at my desk thinking over all of the activity of the last week I cant help but be in awe of the discipline and fortitude with which our Lord went through the last week of His life.
He was so stressed that as He sat in the garden awaiting the inevitable He had “sweat drops of blood”. Now I’ve had some stressful business meetings but none where I sweat drops of blood from my pores.
But knowing that Jesus was the Son Of God ,we know that there was a plan. God does everything in order, and as we look back through the annals of time I’m certain we would see notes pertaining to a beating, a beating unlike any that a normal man could survive. A beating whose stripes and the ensuing blood flow would heal every sickness or disease that the human body would be affected by through the ends of time.
We would see defamation by the mouths of the very people He was trying to rescue. And finally we would see His battered and broken body hanging on a crude and cruel old rugged wooden cross. As we see all of this there is one thing that we must realize; There was a plan for Jesus life and that was to glorify His Father in Heaven. Jesus death brought glory because it had to be done in order to break the curse that was on this world. God in love raised Jesus from the dead and He now reigns with Him in glory. Wow!
Now back to you. Your situation, trial, or circumstance most likely isn’t as pressing as being beaten and crucified, however you might feel that it’s that much. Know this and take this to heart. God has a plan for you. In His word He says..”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)”
I grew up on an island and one thing I know after walking the coastal beaches and coves is that we would find bottle corks that wash up from all over the world and would use them to create decorations and items of use..You may feel like a cork floating in the ocean with no land in sight but I assure you that you will find shore. Rest in the fact that a perfect God has a perfect plan to put your story, situation or test to a useful purpose that brings Him glory!
He has a “Plan”

Many times I wonder if we pray confidently enough or with enough understanding of how much impact prayer can have when we are specific.
I recently had a conversation with a person who had been praying very specific prayers about selling his business. He had been so detailed in his prayer that he had actually drawn out what the document would look like; including figures, terms, and signatures. Incidentally his business sold for a significant amount of money and he received every thing he had asked for in detail.
On the flip side I hear of people praying for other things, such as healing without detail or being specific and then they are shaken when the healing doesn’t come. I recently explained this to someone who recently lost a relative to cancer. The gentleman was a believer and had battled long with a prayer of healing going up to God continually. As I explained to this individual as realization came through the words I was speaking. We are Spiritual beings who happen to live here in an earth suit. God sees us not in the scope of our limitations here but in the long future that we as Christians have with Him in eternity. So in a sense this individual was given the healing he asked for when he passed on to be with Jesus, released from the bondage of this earth.
Whatever you are praying for, whether health, finance, or relationships remember to pray detailed specific prayers. Pray Big.

A dear friend of mine always ends his prayer like this,
“Thank you God for always answering my prayers”..-Pastor Alex Anderson

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NIV)

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24 NIV)

I love that confidence. Lord inasmuch as we pray ,may we pray confident, specific prayers.
Amen

Sometimes we go out with the desire to achieve the vision that we feel God has placed in us and we come up against people who will speak against that vision or may even make fun of what we feel God has for us. Stand firm and go to His Word for confirmation and support. Surround yourself with wise counselors who understand what it means to follow God.
The Bible say that Gods word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
It is not a floodlight showing the entire path in front of you, however, it is a lamp revealing the next step in front of you..
Don’t build your life for where you are but for where God is taking you.”Quit letting people’s opinions of your vision dictate your destiny”
“Stop dumbing down your destiny to fit in with people who’s opinion doesn’t matter in the Kingdom scope of life”
Stand firm and take massive action on the vision that God has put in your life.The difference between a daydreamer and a visionary is action. Visionaries act on the dream God has given them.
A few of these statements have really hit hard in my own mind and really do help when the challenges come from those around you. These come from a sermon by Steven Furtick called “Dress For The Wedding”




“Press On”


Matthew 25;40….Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to me.

Today is Adopt A Block and we had the privilege to begin our day on the 17th floor roof of the building to pray over the city. What an awesome experience to see the view and lift up the people of Los Angeles to Father before heading out to minister on the blocks.
They had approximately 400 people show to help with Adopt A Block this morning. Many were regular volunteers and many were visiting from other Churches etc.
After boarding buses to your assigned blocks we then travel to different parts of the city . Once arriving there are food provisions and personal care items distributed to people waiting for us. Then the group is broken up and a portion goes door to door offering to pray and do services for the residents. Another portion of the group plays sports with the kids.
One observation while knocking on doors is that there is no time limit to the resident visits . You may be invited in a home or they may simply visit with you on the stoop.
The neighborhood that my group was in was the birthplace of the bloods gang. It is also the largest housing project west of the Mississippi with well over 2000 dwellings. Most of the residents have no work and they are fully dependent on the Government for support.
We did meet some shining examples of determined people however who despite the odds have survived and managed to bring home some money to live on.
Today was a great day and we are able to bring back some processes and things to make our Adopt A Block even better than it already is.
We are always looking for those “hands and feet ” moments.

http://mikefoster.tv/
Last night we had service at Angelus Temple. Mike Foster spoke about our being the ” people of second chances”.
With this message brewing in our souls we head out today to work with Project Prevention; a ministry of Dream Center that works with Dept of Children and Family Services to assist families that are on the edge of falling apart. This ministry works with the case workers to build strong and healthy life giving relationships. They provide food, personal hygiene, baby items to these families to release them of that financial burden. They also visit them weekly to build relationship and trust. We spent time with Tanisha. Tanisha was a prostitute all of her life and has had ten children. When she was brought before a judge 10 years ago the judge took all of her kids ANC put them into the system( foster and ward of state group homes ). On a bus ride home one afternoon she was asked if she needed help and was given a phone number to Project Prevention at the Dream Center. Fast forward to today.. Some of Tanishas children have been adopted out by the system however she has several with her at home including a beautiful 10 month old baby boy. She has not prostituted herself or participated in drugging in over three years. She currently goes to Church at Angelus Temple which sits on Sunset right down from where she used to work the streets. She is involved in prayer groups and has a burning desire to start a ministry to women working the streets of LA. To hear this beautiful soul testify to what the Lord has done in her life…drives us to be people ” Of a second chance”
Tanishas pimp has been sentenced to 134 years in prison. Please pray for his salvation and an opportunity to experience Gods Grace.