So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2: 6-8

Pardon me on getting this message out so late. First I want to send a sincere apology to all of the teachers I have ever had. I am sorry for talking in your class while you were trying to teach, running in the halls, not handing in my homework and anything else I may have done to upset you. I am so beat and tired today that it is not even funny. I spent most of the day grading papers and working with my students, the highlight was that I got to take one to lunch for being an exceptional student and answering a series of questions correctly. Call it bribery, call it what you want but I need peace and happiness in the class room!

Sorry for the rant, I had all intention to stick with Peter for today’s verse but I found this verse and it spoke to me so I decided to share this instead. It is a common message that we stay and remain faithful to God’s word and his teachings but I appreciated being reminded of others deceptive philosophies. The tongue can be very manipulative and our minds tend to clutch at things that sound appealing to us. Many have done terrible things because they were manipulated into believing what they were doing was right or justified.

So in today’s world with the advent of the internet and some of the most charismatic speakers around people are constantly looking for something to align themselves with. We all are whether we would like to believe it or not. It’s easy to believe that if presented with something that seems out of touch with our upbringing we would reject it. But we all know this is not the case. So today I think of this word as a sign of warning. Beware of all that glitters for it is not gold, and be careful of slick tongues that may attempt to bring you down a path that is neither beneficial to you or in line with the teachings of our Creator. Peace and Grace be unto you!

The eyes of the wise person see through you.

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Psalm 34: 15-20

Heaven!!!!!!! Talking bout heaven right here on earth. Stairway to heaven!!! Come on get ya shower sing on. You didn’t know I was in select chorus did you! Yessir, I was supposed to get the solo in 7th grade but they felt bad for another student. Alright I may be stretching the truth but I think I was supposed to get a solo. But here I am singing this oldie but goodie sending out this late message. Today’s C is the counselor. Often when we think of counselors we imagine that someone has a problem, that things are bad. However it may just be that a second opinion can make a world of difference.

None of us are meant to live this life alone and I am thankful for those in my life who I would call a counselor. Whether they are listening while I vent during tough times or just opening my eyes to something even greater during good times these people are essential because they help us grow. We get counsel from the Lord through prayer. His counsel may not come through your SPEAKERBOXX however it may come in the form of other people who were sent to guide you a certain way. It may come through a gut feeling or what have you. The point is the Lord is our redeemer, our ever present counselor. In fact I have found myself at times shying away from counsel because I was scared of what it would bring. All that does is cause more confusion within my spirit. I am thankful for the counselors in my life, as I’m sure you are too. Peace and Grace be unto you!

To be without a friend is to be poor indeed.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6        “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord “and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the Lord “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23: 23-24

Anybody remember that episode from the Cosby’s when Cliff screams out CHALLENGE!!!!! I just remember the challenge part, I really don’t remember the rest of the episode but today’s C is the Challenger. Another component of the 5 C’s, but this one keeps us on our toes. We all have dreams, goals and aspirations. Sometimes there are people in our lives who are already reaching some of the goals we wish to obtain or they know our goals and they continuously check up on us to make sure we are doing what we need to do. When I think of a challenger I think of a close brother of mine CT. The man just graduated with his MBA, has a great job traveling the country and he is continuously meeting new heights. Not only am I able to watch him soar and quite frankly do his thing but he is also the one who is always pushing me to achieve my own goals. When I was in undergrad it was annoying because I was slacking on my potential so at that point he was my challenger and confronter. But today I respect it because his challenges make me rise to the occasion.

Of course God challenges us, he challenges us everyday. In fact I believe that when we are going through our most troubling times, he is challenging us. Challenging us to remain faithful to his existence and principles even though we can not see him. The above scripture is a challenge to me, words to make me better. We have a choice to be of the flesh or of the spirit, to be of the word or of the world. To see those who are spiritually minded and live in peace is a challenge, a goal for us to reach. And since God is everywhere he is always challenging us and he sees when we rise to the occasion when we are slacking. Today let’s e thankful for the challengers in our lives, life’s like a competition, lets win this race. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.

We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busy bodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 2 Thessalonians 3: 11 - 15

Point of clarity because a few people got at me yesterday. I was not saying that V Cape The legend does not go to church, I was saying he doesn’t call much. Negative minds, LOL! But that leads us right into today’s C. The Confronter! The Confronter is a very crucial person in our lives because they hold mirrors up to our actions. They hold these mirrors and they are not afraid to tell us what it is that we are doing wrong in our lives. We all need a reality check and we all need someone who is not overly critical however they are not afraid to be brutally honest with us about our short comings. My moms is my Confronter. And when she goes in, man it could be over the phone, in person either way she is going to speak her mind. But it’s with love and it is only because our Confronters see our true potential and wish to see us reach that goal.

Clearly our creator is our Confronter as well. In fact since he knows everything that we have done and how we are going to play it out. He holds possibly the largest mirror up before us. You can fool everyone but it is impossible to fool God. In the above scripture he is confronting us on being idle.  He tells others to not even associate with us because of our actions, so that we know that what we are doing is not approved of. But notice the love he speaks with. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. Those words right there show that we have been confronted, we know right from wrong and if we continue to act in such a way we shall be ignored. But not hated, we should be warned as a brother because we are family and our Confronter only wants the best for us. If that makes sense. Take time in understanding the Confronter in your life, they are only there because they want to make you better. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Dreams do come true. First by prayer, second by determination, and third by education with action.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. Isaiah 40: 1-2

So I’m walking in the mall yesterday strolling along, when V Cape the Legend calls. Ironically, I had missed church that morning but V Cape was calling me to tell me about his experience at church. Now this doesn’t happen too often so he had me all ears because I feel it is a necessity that as men we continue to grow each other. So V Cape was excited about what he had heard in Church; he said the Pastor spoke about the 5 C’s or five types of people who are beneficial to our growth. They are the Challenger, Confronter, Counselor, Comforter and Celebrator. He began to tell me about the sermon and it sounded amazing. I told him I would weave in some way shape or form these 5 C’s into the pardon me this week. I felt good when I got off the phone with him because even though I had failed to go to worship earlier in the day we both gained something from his experience.

Well when I went looking for a scripture this morning I was led to Isaiah chapter 40 which is the chapter that speaks of the comfort for God’s people. So comfort is the theme of today. That person who comforts you in your time of need, or weakness. When I think of comfort, I think of it being synonymous with faith, the person who comforts us holds our trust. We believe in their words because they will not steer us wrong. As God was comforting his people in the above scripture he is letting them know that their struggling is over, there time has come and they will receive the Lord’s grace. Comfort is like the warm blanket that rests upon your shoulders as you look out the window into the storm that is ravaging your neighborhood. The blanket comforts you because it keeps you warm, that warmth lets you know that this storm will be over but until then here is your comfort. You shall not be cold, for you are being protected. We must be thankful for not only the comforting person that is in our lives but we must pay homage to our Almighty Creator who always comforts us. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Unless you call out, who will open the door.

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17: 5-8

Last night I was reflecting on the man I was a year and a half ago. To the naked eye not much has changed, but inside I know there is a difference. I have always had a relationship with God but that did not mean that I was working towards building a better relationship with God. I was like, I’ll stay right here where it’s comfortable, I’ll get real into the word when I get old like my grandparents. Thankfully the Lord threw some situations my way that made me realize that our connection had to get better and that we needed to be constantly working on our relationship. So I feel like this verse represents me in some ways. Not that I did not trust in the Lord, that I did not have confidence in him but maybe I was guilty of not trying to get closer to God.

Now I strive to have a better understanding of the word and how it relates to my life. Not just my life but the lives of those around me, I strive to understand how their worlds and my world have collided and what work God wants us to do together. A few months ago I was emailing Kevin Powell and I wasn’t really getting any responses. At first I was like, you know this guy is busy so it’s all good. But after a few times I became angered because I felt that I had something valuable to offer the efforts he is working on not only in Brooklyn but around the country. Well last night I had the opportunity to have a two hour conversation with the man. Someone who inspires me through his words, through his writings and definitely through our conversation. When the conversation was over all I could do was thank God. All I had wanted was an email response but now I was blessed with a memorable and enlightening conversation. Only God could make something like that possible, so I look forward to building my relationship with the Lord and working for him because it is clear that he keeps his children in his favor. Peace and Grace be unto you!

CHANGE THE WAY A MAN VIEWS THINGS AND THE MAN CHANGES HIS WORLD.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6: 10-11

Ok so I’m not having a bad day, just one of those days where things are not working out like I would like them to. The stars are not aligned so to speak. I felt myself becoming overwhelmed in the nonsense and I decided to be late to my next meeting and write this message. It’s not a real meeting more like us going over stuff we already know, so they can miss me for 10 minutes so I can get my head right. Put on the full armor of God, I dig it, because the Lord will protect us. Right now as I type these words and today’s dramas are stressing me two things come to mind. 1. It could be way worst, trust me I know. 2. I think about the experience i had last night with my students and I am excited about what I will be able to teach them.

Stress is the devil’s best friend. It makes your blood pressure rise, you become irritated. You start worrying. While in church the Pastor said if you’re going to pray, don’t worry. If you’re going to worry, don’t pray. Great words on Sunday morning but everyday it is a struggle to remember the good that you have been taught to make it practical. So today even though I would like to blow my lid a little bit and I might just end up doing that. I am thankful that I can take a few seconds out of my day and remember that I have been taught a better way. That I do have options and that if I allow the Lord to strengthen me , then there’s no fuzzy wuzzy obstacle that I can’t overcome. FUZZY WUZZY, you liked that didn’t you, well it made me smile. Peace and Grace be unto you!

No matter how the long the winter, the spring is sure to follow.

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, Psalms 34:11-12

This is officially the latest Pardon me message in the history of messages. I had the longest day ever and I was constantly on the go so I had no time to write. Around 4pm I was like this is ridiculous, am I ever going to get a chance to write today I thought to myself. Then I thought about where I was going and I realized that something that would happen later on in the day would inspire this message. And what more than our children and their beautiful, innocent faces teach us about inspiration and the hope of great things to come.

I will be teaching these 32 students for the next 5 weeks and if tonight was any indication of what my summer will look like then I can expect an engaging life changing experience. I immediately thought of finding a scripture that deals with our children for they represent our futures. And hopefully the wisdom we have gained over the years can help guide them on the right path and away from some of the mistakes we have made. There were a variety of students there from various backgrounds but as I reflect; no matter who each of us pray to, God brought us together. He brought me to teach them something, and from their youthfulness he wants me to gain something from them. I am more than willing and more than ready; hopefully we all as God’s children will learn the lesson from above and see many good days. Peace and Grace be unto you!

No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, and disciplined.

“You fathers - if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” Luke 11:11-13

Still no wallet, and the nerve of the conductor today. The man looked me straight in the eye and was like “so what”, pay up. Hands me some paper where he charges me $16 for a one way and makes me sign over my information. Now I could have given him false information, its not like I have my license (lol) but I didn’t I obliged and here I am still venting about the lost wallet. On another note I think a common theme throughout the Bible is understanding how diligently the Lord works for those who relish in his word and follow his commands. So that part of today’s message is obvious but the part that stood out to me is how we know how to give good gifts.

What good gifts, of course I know how to buy my mom plants, that always makes her smile. Or diamonds, you can’t lose when you buy Momma Mack diamonds but what about intangible gifts. A simple nice gesture is a gift, a gift of kindness. How is it that so many people are looking to receive but lack the willingness to give. With Father’s Day around the corner I am thinking how can I repay my father, what gift can I give him. Nothing could repay him for the many lessons, the roof over my head, the food in the refrigerator. But maybe just letting him know how appreciative I am of his time could be a gift, a gift of gratitude. I want to receive all of the blessings the Lord has for me but I recognize that I too must be a giver. Enjoy this Father’s Day weekend and give a little you never know what you might get back. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Adversity causes some people to break down and many to break records.