Saturday, 5/24 - Saturday, 5/31

Hey bloggers…I’m going to post here for the whole week because I’m not taking my laptop to the Middle East. Here’s the day by day information so that you can keep up with us, and can know how to agree in prayer with us for each day…


Saturday, May 24____________________

Today is Judah’s graduation...he is graduating from Eastside High School in Covington, and the commencement exercises for his school will be held this morning at Church In The Now (the final one of three held at CITN this week). It just seems like yesterday that Debye and I were sitting at a restaurant with John and Jane Conyers, talking about how they and we were trying to have a baby, and, literally, in just a matter of days from the time of that conversation, Debye was pregnant with Judah, and Jane was pregnant with Aaron. Now it’s 2008, and Aaron graduated last night from Rockdale High School, and his commencement was also held at CITN. Back then the ministry was housed in an old, converted grocery store, and at the time we wouldn’t have even imagined that our church (then called Word of Faith Christian Center) would one day be called Church In The Now, and would sit on 43 acres on I-20. It nearly seems surreal to think that we had those babies that we talked about that night in Shoney’s restaurant, and now those babies are young men, graduating from High School in a building that, at that time, we wouldn’t have known would or even could exist. But, really, on some level, I always saw a picture of today’s events in my spirit. For years I carried an image of a church like CITN in my inner man, and then along the way, I developed an inner picture of a property that could house that ministry. I even had a picture of Judah in my spirit…long before he was born I visualized a tall, young man who looked like Debye (because I wanted her to have a family member that looked like her), with long, blond hair, who sang and played the piano under the anointing. Judah’s Senior Class voted for him to sing a song at today’s graduation, and when he does, I will see the manifestation of a picture within a picture within a picture…the young man I saw, playing a song in the building I saw, which is the home of the ministry that I saw. Amazing. After his graduation we will have lunch with the whole family, and then Debye and I have to head to the airport. Agree with us today for a safe flight.


Sunday, May 25____________________

Today I have a great word for you. Even though I left the country several hours ago, I will be ministering at CITN today through new, very cool technology. Judah will also be ministering with me, as he emcees the service, and leads worship with Bliss (the Mix’s worship band). I didn’t want to have to leave so quickly after his graduation yesterday…wanted to stay and spend the whole day with him, but it couldn’t be worked out…so it would really mean a lot to me, and would make me feel better about having to be away today, for you all to come out and support him ITB. And please don’t forget to give. The church requires a lot to function. On top of the bills, staff payroll, utilities, taxes, mortgage, insurance, etc., I need to send some support to Safehouse, and to Bishop Tommy Smith in the Philippines (I received an honorarium from speaking in Washington last week, and sent it straight to him), and we are completely underwriting the meetings in Uganda, on top of everything that needs to be taken care of here. If everyone just does their part, we’ll be OK…and that goes for the hundreds and hundreds of households who stream every week. If just all the regular streamers supported the church, we would have more than enough. So whether you are ITB or ITS today, PLEASE DO YOUR PART! And tell me what you think about the new technology. It’s going to be an awesome service! At the same time, Debye and I will be arriving in Jerusalem, and attending the orientation for the Interfaith Summit on Peace in the Middle East, and meeting the Ambassadors for Peace from Israel and Palestine. Agree with us today for a wonderful outpouring of the Spirit at CITN, for all of our financial needs to be met, and for us to have favor with the people here in the Middle East.


Monday, May 26____________________

Today we are in Jerusalem. We begin the day with Interfaith Prayer and Fellowship (the theme of the summit is “Bringing the Family of Faiths Together for Peace”). We have the first MEPI Plenary Session on Historical Perspectives. Then we will go sightseeing in the Old City of Jerusalem, visiting the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, Mount Scopus, the Western (or Wailing) Wall, Church of the Ascension of Christ, the Tomb of Mary, the house of the Upper Room, the Tomb of David, and the Basilica of the Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion. After dinner we will walk the Stations of the Cross, and visit the 700 year old home of an Ambassador for Peace in the heart of the Old City. Agree with us today for open communication and understanding.


Tuesday, May 27____________________

Today we are in Jerusalem. Once again we begin the day with Interfaith Prayer and Fellowship. Then we attend Plenary Session II – “Abrahamic Faiths: from Coexistence to One Family Under God”. After lunch we will have Plenary Session III – “Israeli Perspective and Roundtable Discussion”…Then it will be time for dinner and then we will have more fellowship with the internationals. Agree with us today for the formation of covenant, and for a manifestation of the anointing.


Wednesday, May 28____________________

Today we are in Jerusalem. Again we begin the day with Interfaith Prayer and Fellowship. After breakfast we leave for Ramallah. Once we are there, we will attend Plenary Session IV – “Palestinian Perspective and Roundtable Discussions”. Afterwards we will tour Ramallah…I WILL ALSO BE MINISTERING TONIGHT AT CITN VIA STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY!…I have a great word for you about the Fruit of the Spirit, and you’re going to love it! Agree with us today for protection as we travel in Palestine, and for open doors of ministry.


Thursday, May 29____________________

Today we are in Ramallah. As we did in Jerusalem, we begin the day with Interfaith Prayer and Fellowship. Then we attend the Closing Session: “Strategies for Peace – Non-violent Social Change.” I’ll be ministering some time today, and we’ll also be touring the Dead Sea. Agree with us today for favor on the ministry, and for the making of peace.


Friday, May 30____________________

Today we begin the day in Ramallah, and then spend some free time, sightseeing on our own with some of our pastor friends. Later in the day we leave for the airport in Tel Aviv to fly all night. Agree with us today for a safe flight.


Saturday, May 31

Today we return home! Agree with us today for a prosperous culmination of the trip.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.
(Psalms 122:6 - NKJV)

P.S. Check out the new info on the ICCC site. Go to the CITN site and under "About Us", go to "Staff and Care Pastors", and under my picture click on the link for ICCC.

W.W.J.B.?

So I'm packing for Israel/Palestine, thinking about the Ministry of Reconciliation, and how that in Ramallah I will talk about Genesis 25:9, which reveals that Isaac and Ishmael buried their the body of their father, Abraham, TOGETHER...

Meanwhile, the news is on in the background...and the top story is: John McCain is rejecting John Hagee's endorsement for President...John Hagee is retracting his endorsement of John McCain...Hagee says the Roman Catholic church is the whore of Babylon, that God used Hitler to establish the nation of Israel, and that Katrina was God's reaction to the Gay Pride Parade in New Orleans (even though He destroyed everything BUT Bourbon Street, and even though there are Gay Pride Parades in every major city in America!)...McCain rejects Hagee's statements...now the religious right is expected to reject John McCain...the coverage continues...there is talk of Rod Parsley, and how he says that Muslims are agents of the Antichrist, and of Jeremiah Wright, and of Barack Obama, and of Minister Farrakhan...but McCain says he's not like Obama because Hagee wasn't his pastor for 20 years...he says Hagee says crazy things...McCain drops Hagee...Obama drops Wright... and so it goes...

My head and heart are full of things that I want to say about the insanity of religious intolerance, and so I think W.W.J.B? (What Would Jesus Blog?), but I don't know what that would be, exactly.

Here's Hebrews 12:18-29 in The Message. This is what is in my spirit, and this post is open for interpretation, but I want you to keep your comments positive. Don't bash Hagee or McCain or Parsley or the Muslims or the Republicans or the Democrats or the Conservatives or the Liberals or the Religious Right, or Obama, or Wright or anyone else. We're going to the Middle East as Ambassadors for Peace, so I want/need to stay in an atmosphere/attitude of PEACEMAKING.

Hear the Word of the Lord...


An Unshakable Kingdom

18-21 Unlike your ancestors, you didn't come to Mount Sinai—all that volcanic blaze and earthshaking rumble—to hear God speak. The earsplitting words and soul-shaking message terrified them and they begged him to stop. When they heard the words—"If an animal touches the Mountain, it's as good as dead"—they were afraid to move. Even Moses was terrified.

22-24 No, that's not your experience at all. You've come to Mount Zion, the city where the living God resides. The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels and Christian citizens. It is the city where God is Judge, with judgments that make us just. You've come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel's—a homicide that cried out for vengeance—became a proclamation of grace.

25-27 So don't turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he's told us this quite plainly—he'll also rock the heavens: "One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern." The phrase "one last shaking" means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.

28-29 Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

Tomorrow's post will be the last one for several days (as far as I know), so post now, or forever hold your peace...

Selah!

Thursday Thoughts

First of all, there are 2 new songs on the playlist…

Service was great last night (thanks, Rev. Dennis for the review)…


Here’s what’s on my mind today…

Best memory from Dottie’s funeral on Monday: Spending time with Andrae Crouch before the service…

Worst memory: Nearly backing over Gloria Gaither and Sandi Patty as I was getting in line behind the hearse for the processional (and I’m not kidding)...



Found this on-line from a blog review of the service…

"Another moment of reconciliation was when Bishop Jim Swilley gave the obituary. Another bit of history is that Dottie went through a divorce from Buck Rambo back in 1994. When Bishop Swilley completed the recitation of the family members, he said, “I would also like to, with your permission, honor the great Buck Rambo and his wife, Mae, in the spirit of reconciliation. Selah.”

I’m glad he did that…to pretend a spouse of 40+ years never existed wouldn’t have seemed right. The spirit in which the Bishop Swilley made that gesture was perfect."

I really appreciated that...



Christina and Sofia are driving down today to be here for Judah’s graduation…can’t wait to see my grandbaby…and I think Daisson's coming home next week...

…need to get ready today for ISRAEL trip (more about that tomorrow)…

BTW, the blog will probably be suspended while we’re there, but I’m going to post a schedule so that you’ll know where we are every day and can keep us lifted up in prayer…

AYITN is a good word for today…WALK TALL (you can read it on the CITN site)…




Finally, my prayer for you today is for the restoration of your soul. I know that there is a lot going on with all of us right now, but the Holy Spirit is restoring us. We're strong...you're strong...and by His Spirit, you are emotionally stable and healthy. No matter what difficulty you may be facing, you're not going to fall apart. You're not going to lose it. You're not going to lose your mind. Put it in perspective and walk in the peace of God. The Lord is your Shepherd, and He restores your soul.

Put your hand on your computer screen, and know that I am speaking peace and strength and wholeness and restoration to you today.

Now go have a great Thursday!

BIG IDEAS!

"And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding,
and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore." (I Kings 4:29)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now by using the events of this day to help me maximize my potential in God. I will practice effective time management by refusing to waste my day by spending it in worry, fear, strife, unforgiveness, bitterness, pettiness, or human reasoning. My time is precious because I am important to God and have important things to do (". . . Redeeming the time, because the days are evil . . . " – Ephesians 5:14)!

Today I will move toward my goal by displaying a winning attitude. I will behave myself in a mature, positive manner, turning every negative situation around for good by my thought processes (". . . Run in such a way that you may win . . ." – 1 Corinthians 9:24), because attitude is everything!

Today I will maintain a manner that is proactive and upbeat, regardless of the day's events, by my ability to stay focused on the big picture. "For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal . . ." (2Corinthians 4:18). I know that things are not always as they appear to be, so I will expect everything to work out just fine for me today.

Today I will proceed toward prosperity by the process of a progressive vision. I am growing in my ability to believe for big things every day, so I will be able to believe for more tomorrow, as I see the manifestations of God's vision for my life unfold today. "Where there is no revelation [prophetic vision], the people cast off restraint . . . ." (Proverbs 29:18).

Today I will overcome by my own "come-back power" because I have resurrection life working in me. "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me" (Micah 7:8). ". . . For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again . . . " (Proverbs 24:16). I know that being knocked down does not mean that I am out of the race or that the fight is over!

Today I will prevail through positive networking (". . . two are better than one . . ." – Ecclesiastes 4:9), because I know that I am affected by the company that I keep. I will not "walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners" (Psalm 1:1), but will connect with those who are capable of creating covenant with me. "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend" (Proverbs 27:17).

Today I will win simply by my determination to stay on top! I am destined for greatness, so I will not settle for anything less today, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me dream big dreams today. In Jesus’ name, amen.


Hey CITN/cyber-CITN...I'll tell you about my trip tonight...see yesterday's article for website info for video clip of Dottie's service...

bloggers, click on the pictures to enlarge them if the copy is too small to read...

What's your BIG IDEA?

Checking In

Hey bloggers,

We're back, and I'll post something tonight after I get back from the Faith Academy graduation at CITN.

In the meantime, go to www.tennessean.com (Nashville's newspaper), and click on "Remembering Dottie".

Check back later.

Still In Nashville

Hey beautiful bloggers,

Thanks for all the great comments about Sunday. And thanks to the givers who stepped up...things are much, much better. God is good.

Today was amazing and I'll tell you all about it when we get back home. We're still in Nashville, and may not even get back tonight...I don't know...but one way or another, I definitely won't have time to write anything.

But feel free to continue to post your thoughts because I love hearing from you.

More later.

Peace.

23RD ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION (Revised)!*

You know what? We just got in from Washington and I re-read the article I started last night, and I think that it's just going to be way too long if I continue all the way through #23. I wrote 1 - 8, but I see now that to finish all that in that format would just be overwhelming for you bloggers, so here's the shortened continuation...



Today we celebrate 23 years of MIRACLES!




Today we celebrate 23 years of BALANCE!




Today we celebrate 23 years of LIBERTY!







Today we celebrate 23 years of ANOINTING!




Today we celebrate 23 years of TRUTH!




Today we celebrate 23 years of THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION!




Today we celebrate 23 years of CHANGING LIVES!




Today we celebrate 23 years of MAKING PEACE!




Today we celebrate 23 years of CREATIVITY!




Today we celebrate 23 years of ESTABLISHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD!




Today we celebrate 23 years of FAVOR!




Today we celebrate 23 years of WORSHIP!




Today we celebrate 23 years of the MANIFESTATION OF THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!



Today we celebrate 23 years of the EXALTATION OF JESUS CHRIST!



Today we celebrate 23 years of seeing HIS KINGDOM COMING, AND HIS WILL BEING DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!



Which one of these are you celebrating today?

______________________


*EXTRA - Hey, bloggers...it's after service (which was awesome, BTW), and we're about to get on the road for Nashville. I wanted you to know that something's going on with the posted messages...for some reason they're not going through my e-mail or to my Blackberry, so if you post something and don't see it here in a few minutes, don't re-send it. Go ahead and post your messages, and if the problem gets fixed while we're on the road I'll send them through. If not, you may not see them until tonight when I can get on line with my computer.

And you might want to write a word of congratulations to the people who were ordained today, especially the ones who are a part of the blog (particularly Dennis Caldwell who is a daily blogger)...and a special blessing to the House of Avatar...thank you so much...

Later