TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD

Greetings and blessings;
Missed you last week. Much has been happening. Some of you may have known Jennifer Worthams. She had begun attending TMI Atlanta. She also had visited First Baptist in Charlottesville a few times while visiting her dear friend Leonette Henderson. Jennifer lost her life a few days following a terrible car accident. A memorial service was held this past Sunday at Ebenezer Baptist (where Martin L. King Sr and Jr. once served as pastors). Her cousin is the youth pastor there. Her final resting place will be Los Angeles where she was raised. She was only 26 years old. Please pray for her family and boyfriend Billy and many others who are all grieving her passing.

A cross section of TMI leaders and members have just completed a six day (two weekends, Fri thru Sunday) strategic planning process. While there remains a few more things to finalize, the process already has proven to be well worth the effort. The process has helped in solidifying TMI's foundation and create a road map for ministry for the next one, three, five and seven years. We are grateful for Rev. Gwen Young of Virginia for her leadership in this tough but very fruitful process. I am also very grateful for all the participants for working into late hours on Fridays, as much as ten hours on Saturdays and over four hours on Sundays. Your commitment and input has been outstanding! Great fruit is already being manifested.

November 15th, this coming Sunday is when the first service in TMI's new location will be held. The site is being prepared, a dry run will happen this Wednesday, and services will begin Sunday. Not everything will be ready like decorations, window dressings, office furniture and even the podium for preaching may not arrive in time, but that's ok, we'll have church. Some decorations and furnishings will happen sooner than later and some will evolve over time. Pray that God's Glory will rest on the location and even more so, among the people who are members, yet to be members and visitors.
For now the mailing address remains: TMI-ATL, P. O. Box 38, Tyrone GA, 30290. That may change but for now that is it. Any correspondence or contributions should be sent to that address. The new church location is 1950 GA Highway 85 (not interstate 85) Suite B & C, Jonesboro, GA. 30238. You can also visit www.tmiministries.org. We are thankful for staff of the Wingate by Wyndham in Fairburn where services were previously held.
God bless each of you and may his peace, power and prosperity be yours!

TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD

Greetings all;
I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to know we can touch through technology. Knowing you are on the other end of these blogs is a blessing to me. I pray these blogs are a blessing to you. Its amazing how simple, child-like trust in God is all God really desires from us. All else flows from there. In our world and postmodern culture there doesn't seem to be much in which we can trust. Governments, banking system, employers and sometimes even friends and family will let us down. Even in many churches, where we hope to find members and leaders who genuinely love and care for one another, we find power struggles, favoritism, malice, jealousy and even hatred. The T.V. is filled with shows about violence, crime and deceit which is often applauded. Growing up in that kind of world and environment its hard to trust anyone. Over time, with that mindset....well, is it any wonder that even among those who claim to be saved many don't really even trust God. Its easy to say we trust Him because that's what Christians are expected to say, but action speaks louder than words. Can we really say we trust God if we don't spend time seeking to know Him? If few, or if any, of our decisions for church or personal life are made without prayer and seeking His wisdom, can we really say we trust Him? If we believe we are so anointed, so educated or so self sufficient that we don't need to pray and humbly ourselves before Him, are we really trusting Him? The fact that we can choose, think and have spiritual gifts and talents are only because He gave it to us, but let's not forget, He who gave it can take it away. Its impossible to be full of Him if we are full of self and God will not compete with us for who we will be filled with. It comes down to simple, desperate, dependency on God that He will honor with His presence. Just Trust God!
I mentioned last time that TMI Atlanta will be moving to its new worship location soon. The first service there will be Nov. 15th. If you believe in this ministry then pray that God will do Great things as we are fully expecting He will do. What God has already done has been amazing so we know far greater things will be done. The new location will be at 1950 & 1960 Georgia Highway 85, Jonesboro, GA. However, that may not be the mailing address. For now the mailing address remains P. O. Box 38, Tyrone, GA 30290. As you might imagine, the needs are many. Sanctuary and pulpit furniture, office furniture and office supplies are a few of the needs. If you would like to sow into TMI Atlanta you may do so by sending you gift(s) to the above P.O. Box. Please make a note with your gift that is for the needs of the new location otherwise your gift would be counted as a seed gift for the ministry at large. If you live in the Atlanta Metro area or will be visiting at some point we certainly would love to see you. Until next time may our Lord bless you in abundance by His Grace!

TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD

Greetings Saints;
Praise the Lord! TMI-ATL is on the move. After just one year we are moving into a new worship facility. The blessings of our Lord continue to be great. On November 15th the first service in the new facility will be held. This new location is over three times our current space for worship. Adjacent to the worship space will be offices and classrooms and meeting rooms. Located on GA85, it is technically in Jonesboro but very near both Fayettville and Riverdale. The ministry field is very good. As you can imagine there is much that is required to be fully up and running. The purchase of chairs, tables and pulpit furniture to name a few. In addition there will be the need for office furniture and items for a nursery/childcare. If you would like to send a gift to help us meet these and other needs you may do so by sending it to Transformation Ministries International of Atlanta or TMI-ATL. If by check please indicate in the note section that the gift is for the purchase of furniture and equipment so that the gift will not be included in with regular gifts and offerings. Know that your one time or regular gifts are not only greatly appreciated but we believe God for His promise to bless you richly for your kindness in helping us to advance the cause of Christ in this area. If you live in the Atlanta area or if you will be here on that weekend, we would love to have you come and share this great moment with us.
Remember the TMI-ATL family in your prayers and may the mighty hand of God bless you and keep you always. Look for more information in next week's blog.

TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD

Greetings and Blessings;

Recently I began a series on one of humanity's, including or especially Christians, biggest hindrances to a fulfilled life. An infectious disease that has caused the fall of so many. PRIDE.
I noted that there are perhaps three manifestations of pride. The first is the kind of pride a parent feels when their child excelled in something that they could not do before. Or the pride of a spouse when the other got the promotion. That kind of pride is fine unless the parent now feels that their child is better than any other and their child can do no wrong. Not good. The second kind of pride is the pride that causes someone to not reach out for help when they need it. Perhaps this is one of the reasons men tend to die sooner than women. Though sick, some men can't admit something may be wrong and by the time they see a doctor its too late. What's worse is when someone is having emotional or psychological concerns but won't get help for fear of others thinking they're crazy. The third pride is the pride of arrogance. When someone thinks they are superior to others, can do all things better than others, are brighter than others, are more sophisticated than others, even thinking themselves super spiritual with a false sense of humility, they are setting themselves up for a fall or worse, destruction. Pride can cause persons, families, churches, businesses and even nations to collapse under the weight of their on arrogance. Throughout Scripture we find warnings about the sin of pride. My opening text was from Daniel 4:28-37. Here King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who saw himself as all sufficient and godlike had a lesson in pride. Prophesy was given to him concerning the lesson he would soon learn. As a result of the lesson the king became insane but in the end openly praised and worship the Lord our God and humbled himself before Him. Its always better to confront our own pride issues before our Lord loves us enough to confront it for us. That may not be pleasant at all. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the Lord declares: "if my people who are called by my name would......" Then before He says .....If they would......pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, He first said " If they would humble themselves." All else follows humbling ourselves. Full of pride and little or no humility? Then their is no need to pray. I admonish you with the sermon title "Lay the Pride Aside."
God bless you all.

TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD

Greetings and Blessings,
Just a year or two ago there was widespread concern in Atlanta about a severe drought. There was talk of water rationing and there were states fighting over shrinking lake water to be used for drinking. Now as I write hundreds of roads are closed including major interstate highways, entire communities are under water and at least seven have died due to flooding. One video shows a home completely surrounded by water while burning to the ground. Just a few yards away in front of the burning home sits a fire truck.......under water. Today the flooding continues and in some areas has worsened while the sun shines bright, the sky a picturesque blue and the temperature just right. The irony of it all. Pray for those who have lost so much including loved ones and pray for those who need to get around but are trapped by so many road closings. God, abundant in grace will bring them all through.

While it is my desire to release a new posting each Tuesday, look for a special posting this coming Thursday September 24th. I want to devote that post to a topic that I believe will bless all who receive. Congrats TMI-ATL! God is so Faithful!
Until Thursday, God bless all who follow these blogs and remember "He that began a good work in you will see it to completion."

TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD

Greetings and Blessings to you all;
Purpose, new level, new season, new dimension, breakthrough, prosperity, covering, destiny: just a few of the words popularized in the last decade or so in the Christian church. All important, all good, but all too often each has become the goal in and of themselves. Many celebrate with great exuberance when these words or phrases are proclaimed. Many wait on the edge of their seats for the moment when in the sermon these words are spoken so they can leap for joy at what they just heard. Some will go home disappointed if no mention was made of at least one of these words. When there doesn't seem to be much reason to be hopeful and when there is so much uncertainty, many people will grab at anything, even a phrase, and hold on for dear life. Some desire a new dimension but are not sure what dimension they are in, or even what a dimension is. Others seek a new level but have no clue what level they are on, let alone what the next one should be. New seasons are great when you know what season it is and have gleaned from all that season has to offer before going to the next. What ever happened to "seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you." Wouldn't it just be easier and more fruitful to seek God first since He alone holds our seasons, breakthroughs, dimensions, destiny? He is our ultimate covering, while in church people will fight over who should be a covering without knowing the order and the purpose of such. Our Lord is the better way. Prayer, fasting, thanksgiving, petition, supplication........seeking Him will answer all questions. When we make churchwide or personal decisions that seem good but we have not sought God, how can we expect to reach that next level? Hebrews 11:6 tells us that: "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone that comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those that diligently seek Him." While those popularized words have their place, don't get lost in the hype. It's really not that difficult to understand, seek God with all your might and He will guide your ways.
Please continue to pray for the next worship location for TMI-ATL. Our search team is working very hard and others are praying hard, and we know that next place is soon on the way. We are grateful for a very informative finance workshop last week. Everyone was blessed. I thank Evangelist Katrina Cooks, host and presenter, Tim Young, Deputy Controller for Atlanta City Government, both members of TMI, and Emily Mowis, Senior V.P. for investments for SunTrust Banks. Great workshop.
God bless each of you and remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

TRANSFORMING YOUR WORLD

Has anyone ever paid you a compliment and you, perhaps unconsciously, rejected the compliment? For example: someone says "wow, you look like you're losing weight" and your response is something like, "well I feel fat. I need to lose a whole lot more weight." Or, someone tells you that your hair looks great but you tell them what's wrong with it. They say you sing well and you tell them how you felt like you were off. I have often been guilty of receiving a compliment badly. That was the general theme of a recent message I preached. When we reject a compliment we in essence are calling the person a liar or ill-informed. It may have taken someone a while to get the courage to compliment you and then we find some fault with the compliment. Perhaps it's because we feel uncomfortable with compliments or perhaps we don't want to appear proud or arrogant. Perhaps we know the flaws we have and just feel that if the one giving the compliment knew our flaws then they might have a different opinion. What happens then when God speaks a truth about us and that truth is a great compliment? 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that one of the great benefits of the death and resurrection of our Lord is that upon receiving Him we become the righteousness of God. Wow! We are declared by God as righteous! But when we look at our lives we don't often feel very righteous. We are all too aware of our flaws, challenges, past sins and current short-comings. Yet the Lord says we are righteous. Christ paid the price for our failings and does not hold them against us nor does He dwell on them as we do. John 16:5-11 teaches us that the Holy Spirit comes to convict the world of sin but also to convict (convince) believers of their righteous standing in Christ. We need not turn away God's truthful compliment, but rather receive it well. Why? For one, we don't want to be found guilty of calling God a liar when He declares us righteous and secondly, there are great benefits to becoming the righteousness of God. One wonderful benefit can be found in Psalm 37. "I once was young but now I'm old and I've never seen the Righteous forsaken nor their seed begging for bread." In rejecting your righteous standing with God you risk rejecting the supernatural provision of God. You and I realize that we are not yet perfect, but it is not our works or our self-righteousness that brings us in right standing with God. He has declared all our (self) righteousness is like filthy rags. But it is the blood of Jesus that makes us righteous in the sight of God. Receive human compliments with a hearty thank you. Receive God's compliment by living your new life as unto the Lord.
Pray for the people of Liberia and Sierra Leone. God is doing great things!
Blessings to you all. Hit me back with your comments.