What's In Us?

Sacrificial lamb.  In John 1, John just finished explaining who will come after him and his ministry.  He tells us plainly that He who comes after him will baptize us with the Holy Ghost.  The very next day, John recognizes Him!  He says in verse 36, "...looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, behold the Lamb of God!"  Jesus's symbolism is shown in the Old Testament when the Israelites were instructed to sacrifice and kill their most prized and precious lamb (an atonement) right before Moses led them out of Egypt.  And with the blood of that lamb, Moses's instructions were to have them smear it along the door in order to save them from death.  God was delivering the Israelites through the ministry of deliverance in Moses.  Not only were they to smear the blood along the door, but they were given order to consume the entire lamb... a lamb of the highest quality, a lamb without major defects, a lamb that was their most expensive.  How many of you know of a greater Lamb?!  Praise God!  That's a good place to say, amen.  Next, to consume means to do away with something completely; to use up.  Consume, in essence, is amalgamated into this: taking in the whole of something.  Well, that's exactly what God has called us to do.  To consume Him.  Every bit of Him.  Consume His Spirit, His Word, His Will.  Consuming is not left up to subjection, it's clear to us.  After something is consumed, what's left?  Absolutely nothing, otherwise it hasn't been consumed.  The other key is the "in" part.  Romans 8:10, "...And if Christ be in you..." Romans 8:11, "...the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you..."  Jesus is very much alive and He requires to be living in us.  Therefore, we must consume Him.    

How does this relate to teaching?  Well, ask yourself, what's in me?  I know I do, daily.  What am I consuming?  Simply stated, what's in me will come out of me.  Think about eating habits.  Don't let your mind go there with the previous sentences...  After I consume a few cookies, 2..5..10... I recognize this unhealthy act and immediately feel its effects.  Then I try to cover it up by eating "perfect" the remainder of the day or week.  That's not what God has called us to do.  It's the same thing in our lives.  I can't sin and then make it up by consuming the righteousness and the goodness of God.  It's not an act of doing more obedience than disobedience on a weighing scale.  Sin draws us away from God.  It's separation from God.  God tells us to walk not of the flesh but of the Spirit.  That's not easy; however, Paul reminds us that we're really at our strongest point when we're weak.  Why?  Because we submit our will to God's will.  It's God who is all-powerful.  God equips us, fills us, and provides for us.  We need to be obedient vehicles of His Word.  God gives us His power.  He enables the disabled.

So, what are you consuming?  Is it aligned with the Word of God?  God says He is greater in us than he that is in the world, but if we're not consuming Him, how can He really be in us?  What is in you will come out of you.  Consume the blameless, spotless, blemish-free Lamb of God - Jesus.  When you're in front of students, what's coming out of you?  Is it pride, envy, slander, etc?  Or is it love, joy, and the other fruits of the Spirit?

My God.

"There's nothing My God cannot do."  Let's be real honest with ourselves, do we believe that?  Without any sliver of doubt, without any reservation, without any hesitation - do we believe that?

I think first we need to address the pronoun in this statement.  It's a bold statement, no doubt about it, but it's a statement that takes complete ownership.  My is a possessive pronoun that signifies something we possess.  In fact, Webster's Dictionary defines my: "of or relating to me or myself especially as possessor, agent, object of an action, or familiar person."  So, by saying my what we're actually saying is that God, to us, is Someone we possess (inside), Someone who is familiar (regular conversations with), and Someone we can relate to (He lived like we live).  Before delving into this profound pronoun, my, and the connection to who God is and if we really believe this statement that we so freely use, it's denoting that we focus on the latter part first.

"... God cannot do."  My pastor always asked the same question when the bible mentioned, everything or everyone.  Pastor would ask, "what's left after everything or everyone?"  Per usual, our response in unison was, "nothing."  Well, in the same sense what is implied if there's nothing God cannot do?  It's simple.  God can do all things (Matthew 19:26).  All things, let it resonate.  God can heal you.  God can make you whole.  God can bless you in your finances, in your marriage, in your relationships, and He can give you favor.  He is a God who gives exceedingly abundantly above which we are able to ask or think to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3).  I'm partial though.  The truth of the matter is this: we don't seek, or should I say, we shouldn't seek God for what we can get from Him.  Rather, we should seek God for who He IS (Matthew 6:33).

By the way, who is He?  Now, let's go back to the dissection of my.  To preface, we know Philippians 4:13 all too well.  However, let's search for a deeper revelation.  God show us something deep here.  The New King James Version says it this way, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." There's that absolute word again! All!  Pause.  God can do all things, but now why does it say I... isn't I human?  And who is Christ?  He's the Messiah! He's Jesus!  Tye Tribbett's new releasing album is entitled, "Greater Than."  So, 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us, "... know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own."  And, 1 John 4 tells us that "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."  On our own humanly accord, we cannot do all things.  But if we have God in us, than we can do all things.  How?  Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.  Not by any works of our own, besides seeking the kingdom of God.  Here's the connection, our God who can do all things, who lives in us, called the Holy Ghost, is JESUS.  By the Faith in Jesus, and with the power of His Spirit living in us, we can do all things!  Connect it back up to my now.  My is Someone we possess (inside - Holy Ghost), Someone who is familiar (regular conversations with - we pray to One God - Jesus), and Someone we can relate to (He lived like we live - Jesus on earth).  This Someone, singular, is whom Isaiah 9:6 informs us of this with prophetic words.  Here's Isaiah: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."  Isn't it amazing that the name above all names, where every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, is Jesus Christ?  Absolutely.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that if we truly believe you live in us and gave us your power than surely we can do all things through you, LORD.  God, than surely we can believe and say, "there's nothing my God cannot do."  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen.        

Check-in

The sky is dark-gray and the head lights of oncoming vehicles inform me that my students aren't up yet.  During the 40-minute drive just before the crack of dawn, I turn on my windshield wipers on to clear the moisture built up from the prior evening.  It brings me back to my vision and the symbolism speaks volumes of how I must refocus and make my vision plain and clear and keep it at the forefront of my mind DAILY.  After singing worship music and praying the in Spirit behind the wheel, I enter into the world of HOPE High School, my new home... a place that has a real sense of urgency in the achievement race and a setting that truly demonstrates a team and a family.  With a smile on my face, as I stand in front of my 29 9th graders, I just thank God for the position He has placed me in.  Let the journey begin!

Monetary Gifts to TFA!

Jesus said it is better to give than it is to receive... here I'm referencing a financial blessing to the amazing organization, TEACH FOR AMERICA, who has jump started my career into the educational world!  Thank you TFA!  


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Vision, yet again...

Acts 26:19 - "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision."  The only way to be obedient to the heavenly vision is to give our utmost for God's highest, and this can only be done by continually and resolutely recalling the vision.  "Though it tarry, wait for it."  We cannot attain to a vision, we must live in the inspiration of it until it accomplishes itself.  I never want to get to the point of getting so practical that I forget the vision and become so distant from the taste of it from the very beginning of when it was born.  Missing the fulfillment of my vision is a disloyalty to God.  So, it is essential to practice the walk of the feet in the light of the vision.  Every footstep.  Every sixty minutes in each hour.  Every sixty seconds in each minute. 

Will you choose to be GREAT?

‎"Leaving a great legacy is not a skill-set, it is a mindset. The mindset of CHOOSING TO BE GREAT!  When you choose to be GREAT you think less about the reason why not and and you think more about the plan for HOW.  When you truly believe that you'll be GREAT you'll think less about what you don't have and you'll think more about what you must create.  When you truly believe that you will NOT FAIL then you think less about your weaknesses and you think more about what skills you need to learn and develop. When you choose to be GREAT you concern yourself less with your successes and you think more about what you can do to help others succeed." 
- Jeremy Beard '95 LA

What Role Will You Play?

In May of 2007, during my BC (Before Corps) days I would have answered the questions something like this: "I plan to become the best teacher I can be and close the achievement gap for two years and then earn my Master's in Business."

Now, February 18th, 2011 I inspirationally respond to the question from a very different point of view.  "I am the role I will play, and the role is who I am.  My life as I know it, first and foremost, is dedicated to God.  So, now I have a vision for what the rest of my life will consist of and the passion that drives me is not just my role, but it's who I am.  I can't wake up one morning and convince myself I don't want to do this anymore because then I'm not true to myself.  It's ultimately why I am designed the way I am... therefore, I don't have a choice, but again I don't need one.  I have a purpose in this life to be an educational leader and the achievement gap is my antagonist.  I am inspired and at the same time I truly replicate Geoffrey Canada's perspective when he says, 'I thought we would go down fighting for the cause.  But now I'm thinking that we could really win!  Right?!  Because this is like... this is like a new thing!' Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith and the faith He's given me is the ability to realize that, "One day every child will have his or her own right to attain an excellence education," and I'm just a soldier on the battle field living in this war and fighting for the cause!" 

If I could create a Venn Diagram it would have adjectives such as selfish, self-centered and resume-booster on one side.  On the contrary, I would have passionate, visionary and faith contrasting.  In the center, ONLY BY PURPOSEFUL CHANCE, I would have "leader."  See, what I realize is that our purpose will one day see itself through in our lives as long as we are true to ourselves and to God.  So, I propose to you all... what role will you play and how have you defined that role?