I was going to write a post about prayer and then I ran across this dramatic image. The woman is displaying a pose that is all too common today , in the photo she seems to be holding her heart in worry. fear and hopelessness that can lead to depression.

Your body language, posture, mood or even actions can dictate the what you walk into and the outcome of your future. Don’t grab your heart and hold your head down when faced with challenges in Life. Look up and raise your hands in prayer and praise to your Heavenly Father. As you lift your head and hands you are telling your Body, Mind and Spirit that you are going up and not down. The present is bright and the future is even brighter through Christ who strengthens us.

I do not care what you are currently facing, with the power of Prayer and Praise through Christ the situation and outcome can change in a split second. As believers we can and will be victorious in this and every season to come by putting our Faith in Christ ….

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

While watching a Special PBS News Report on how the economy is affecting the Venture Capital Scene in Silicone Valley … the Startup Entrepreneurs said ….

We are “Extremely Optimistic” …. that we will make it through these tough times.

The Tech Industry makes up a big part of the American Economy and as one news reporter said and we are the world leaders in that sector. On the other hand, Christians should be proclaiming the same and more because we have the power of God through Faith behind us and we have the ability to make it through through these tough times  ….. If only we believe.

Why is silicone valley so optimistic and Christians are calling into the prayer centers in fear as if the world was coming to an end.

Where is our Faith in Faith? ….. not to mention God.

Motivational Speakers, Infomercials , Shop at Home Networks and more all sing the tune of optimism. I hear the Body of Christ in worry, doubt and unbelief. Not all granted but too many, especially considering we do have the corner on Faith, Hope and Prosperity through Christ.

Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

We all need to step back from negativity where it be on the news, through friends, family or even in casual conversation. We need to guard our Ears, Heart and Spirits from negative influences and  energy.

The next time we hear the News would not it be wonderful to hear ……

Live at Six, a Group of Christians Believers Proclaim ….  A National Week of Optimism, Hope and Faith

That is the real story of the day ….

We all know the rest of the phrase. Even some of us may Google it to find the origin or even search the Scriptures looking for the passage ……

This is one of the most important blogs I have ever posted. The first draft was lost after my computer crashed at 7:23 pm and the Dow fell 778 points. But I am recovering from both and moving on.

If it was ever a time to pray and trust God, the time is now. There is no reason for any of us to panic, worry or be in fear. As long as we walk in integrity, pray , read God’s Word, pay our tithes and offerings … We will be OK. I remember hearing Joyce Meyers a mighty woman of faith say that when she becomes overwhelmed, she goes into her secret hiding place and repeats Psalm 91.

Usually I take pride in writing original content, but today I feel God saying to cut and paste His Word.

Psalm 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

Do not panic … continue to pursue your Dreams and Goals …

It is just a page in the book of life , It is not over   … This too shall pass …

God has used my wallet to test my faith over the years. It first started in Dallas, Texas when i was a Journalist. I would always leave my wallet somewhere. On top of my car, at McDonald’s and an assortment of public places. It usually happened when I had my year old daughter in a car seat in one hand and my camera bag in the other. I would reach home only to find that my wallet was missing.

This same scenario happened to me at least six times and the outcome was always the same. I would realize that my wallet was missing after arriving home, I then would immediately sit in a comfortable chair and thank God for having someone finding it and giving me a call. After totally relaxing by faith and knowing all would be well, I would wait for the phone to ring  and it would.

The person would call and say “Hello Cedric Thompson …. I found your wallet”. I became so relaxed by Faith with my trust in the Lord that every time it happened I would reach home,  get my favorite drink, sit in my comfortable chair and confess out loud …. that the phone would ring shortly with the  person who found my wallet on the line.

People do not not try this at home! …. In my case, God has used this method to build my faith.

This relax and trust in God principle is applicable to any circumstance or situation. No matter what you are faced with …. think the best, relax and know that God will bring you through victoriously by faith every time.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. That’s right ….. all things ….. not some …. but all.

Your victory depends on how you react … are you like Peter in the boat with Jesus during the storm.

These wallet recovery testimonies happened in Dallas, Texas in the late eighties when my faith was at an all time high. Let’s fast forward twenty years later to Atlanta, even better yet this past Sunday. I missed placed my wallet with $400 cash , credit cards and many sizable checks. At first when i realized it was gone at 2 am at a 24 hour Walgreen’s, after assisting a friend with in a ministry engagement. At first I was calm, saying to myself that it could be worse. The more I looked  in my car, briefcase I became more anxious and I began to paint many “Negative Scenarios” in my mind.

That is the part that the enemy wants us to dwell on and believe. Ninety Nine percent of the time, the negative scenarios that cross your mind are not true and will not manifest. I began to believe that I left my wallet on the floor of the car after leaving a fast food restaurant before the meeting and I knew it for fact. After that so called revelation, I  began to create an assortment of negative scenarios.

The bellman at the Ritz Carlton took it from the floor of my car ….. some one at the meeting broke into my car and took it ….. a security guard at the college who was near my car after i dropped my buddy off, took it. It then escalated so that I could not deal with the cash being lost and my credit cards were gone in addition to the checks had to be replaced, it just got worse.

Where was the faith that I had twenty years earlier? Has God changed since then? Is it the economy that bad where people are desperate and will steal? How about a bellman at the Ritz Carlton who have been on the job for close to ten years ….. is he a thief?

I prayed that morning after being up all night and the Spirit prompted me to call all possible locations where my wallet could be.No one responded with the answer that I wanted to hear. I just knew I placed my wallet on the floor of my car after leaving the fast food establishment. I cold even picture the scenario in  my mind as clear as day. I still called the fast food restaurant just in case, but they were closed. I left all contact information on the voicemail as a formality, not expect any results …. I knew someone stole it, out of my car. Even if it was found the person would surely steal the cash!

I returned home at noon after being up all night fretting over my wallet and the phone rang. I had earlier put the contact numbers and names in my phone earlier. To my surprise the caller ID displayed the name of the fast food restaurant. I was afraid to answer, for fear of getting a …. I am sorry sir we found no wallet.I let the call go to voicemail and took  care of a chore.

I then experienced a calm feeling come over me and I felt like heard the Spirit of the Lord say that …

I have the all power through Christ to expect to hear good news and not an evil report. My faith instantly rose and I expected to hear someone say on the line …. Mr Thompson we found your wallet.

I checked my voicemail only to hear the Manager Fred voice say to call him back. When I did he said “Mr Thompson we found your wallet and we  know that everything is in it”. I began to thank him profusely, he said I will be here until 8pm and you can come in to pick it up. I had been up all night and was in desperate need of sleep. Can I trust him to hold the wallet and not take the cash? Did someone else find it taking out the cash only leaving the credit cards? There goes those negative scenarios again. I just had to put my wallet , cash and the manager in God’s hands and go lay down to rest.

After getting my rest I began to drive to the restaurant to pick up my wallet.I began to praise God in a torrential rain storm, knowing that it too shall pass …. learning the greatest lesson of Faith in twenty years. I arrived not to  find Fred but a suspicious looking Assistant Manager. She went back to get the wallet and negativity try to come over me saying ….. she took some of the money or will try to after going in the back. I rebuked the thought. When she handed me the wallet. I could no see the cash only my credit cards, after opening up the wallet section I was Blessed to see that all of the cash was there untouched, just as the manager said.

I offered to give the assistant manager a cash reward to pass on to Fred, she said ….oh no sir …. he would never receive it.

That day i said to my wife I have to write about it in my blog and live by it.

No matter what happens in life or what we may be faced with it says in the word:

All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Let me add that not only will thing work together for good but to expect a “Good Report” … not an evil one.

As we obey God’s commandments, live a righteous life, give tithes and offering we should not fear anything or any outcome and only expect to receive ”Good Report”. Our imagination, fear, doubt and unbelief accelerated by the enemy will produce lies, negative outcomes and worse.

God has used the simple parable of a lost wallet to teach me to expect the best outcome, if I have given my best …. to rest and relax in Him because he has everything in the palm of His hand…

He says in His Word to:

Cast your burden on the LORD, and he shall sustain you: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

With everything going on today do not fear anything. Not the economy, job loss, gas prices and not even foreclosure ….. “He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved”.

I know what the other headlines say but it is not true. Bernie Mac is not _ _ _ _ he has made his transition to a another form of Life and Purpose. I read the reports the other day from Mac’s Publicist stating that the rumors were not true. Bernie was alive and expected to make a full recovery they said. After reading that article online and having prior knowledge of his previous bout with pneumonia, i felt an urge to pray and didn’t, i forgot and that is totally unacceptable. When ever you feel the Spirit nudging you to pray for someone stop and do it. No matter the who the person is, their stature in society, the situation nor circumstance …. Pray and it will make a difference.

If I would have prayed for Bernie Mac would he still be here. I doubt it, but there was a need to be met by Prayer and I was called along with others to take action. We may never know why God will ask us to stand in the gap for others in Prayer. All we need to do is be obedient. It could be for his family, wife of many years, for a peaceful transition from this life to a greater one.

Yes, Bernie Mac has started a “New Life” at 50 and his Legacy has just begun. Many of us African American Fathers will miss his wisdom on how to be a loving Husband, caring Adoptive Parent and an overall great human being.I loved watching the show and would be brought to tears during some of the touching episodes. Bernie challenged me to be a better father, husband and to be proud of being a Black Man in America. I was devastated when my wife told me in the car after arriving at home saturday evening that he died that morning. All I could think of after the initial shock was, that I did not pray for him.

I will say a prayer now for his wife of many years, his grandmother who poured into him wisdom and the many Fathers, Mothers and Children that were touched by his life. I pray that we will never forget his wisdom, love for family and that million dollar smile. We will miss you Bernie Mac, but never forget you. We celebrate you in your “New Life” and pray that you will smile upon us from heaven.

PS: Bernie I an sorry that I forgot to pray for you ….. but can you pray for me?  

I really need it ….. I need to be a better husband, father and overall person …… Thank You

Today God brought confirmation to what he has been revealing to me latley in reference to Transition and Change trough Pastor Rob Parsley of World Harvest Church. I was really moved as I watched him speak on 2008 being “The Year of Transition and Change”. He also spoke of the significance of 08-08-08 and the Eight representing Infinite Blessings.  He we are in a Age of  “Prophetic Signs” and God is using that to get His Plan and Instructions to us.

Pastor Parsley has just completed and launched His Digital HD TV Production Facility in addition to investing in to His “World Harvest Bible College” which is growing by leaps and bounds equipping our Future Leaders. This is just a part of what God is calling for through ”Transition and Change”  …. equipping the current the future generations to carry the Gospel. 

 We must embrace Intelligence in all areas …. Education, Science and Math to understand the Gospel and deliver it to an ever changing world. No more old school  …. “anti - education mindsets” in the Church said Pastor Parsley, everyone must be equipped regardless of age. It is never too late to advance your Education.

To end the Powerfully Annointed Telecast, Pastor Parsley showed a clip of His Landmark message from the 2008 Reformation Generation Student Conference – Up In Lights!

He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. (Luke 1:17)

This Powerful Message is available on DVD by clicking the link below. I ordered one and I highly recommend it.

https://orders.rodparsley.com/Order_First.aspx?ostr=8YpdFvJ%2f%2fCo%3d

Recently God revealed to me a Tunnel - Portal, a “Place Symbolic of Transition” and the Church would have to go through it in order to Survive, Prosper and be Repositioned for the Future.

I wrote these unedited notes found below after getting the Revelation:

Transitioning and Re- Positioning ….

Those who support the digital transitioning and re positioning of the Gospel to win souls….

Will themselves be Transitioned and Repositioned in the earth realm to prosper in the current and Future economy.

We must not just have the Word but also Prophetic and  Empowering Components.

God gave that to me at the end of June. I always archive my thoughts and revelations on paper or in a word doc on my computer in order to reflect and get the mind of God. I felt God saying for starters we needed to Change and Transition the way we Assemble and Deliver the Gospel. Some may say it’s due to the Troubled Economy and the price of Gas the reason why we need to change the way we assemble. People might have to make a decision between attending Midweek Bible Class and saving gas for the rest of the work week. That may be truth but not fact. The fact is God is changing the way we do things to be Relevant for the now and be positioned for the Future.

I believe God is gently forcing us to make the Transition to Assemble Virtually via the Internet, Conference Calls and  other alternative methods. In the Corporate World many Companies have released their employees to tele-commute (work virtually) from home and have even seen an increase in productivity and it also lessens the carbon blueprint (pollution). I felt God was saying that the Pastors would release the congregation to be able to fellowship virtually from their homes, but God is not releasing them from their Spiritual, Moral and Financial Accountability to the Church.

We live in an Information - Content Driven Age that is delivered primarily through Technology. The Church in some cases is operating in the “Horse and Buggy Age” compared to the world.

God invented Technology and every application associated to it … he expects use to utilize it …. he created it for the Church to deliver Christian Content. He did not intend it to be used to host Pornography and other negative information. We have been slow to embrace Technology, so he is getting us out of our comfort zones and almost forcing us to use it.

Through Technology our Information and Content can be digitally archived and distributed. That means Sermons, Lessons and The Arts can be captured in Print, Audio and Video and Broadcasted live or delivered On Demand. With these components in place the Mid Week Prayer Meeting could be held virtually and the parishioners could attend in the comfort of their home as a family.

They can even Interact Live via the  Chat Room.In addition the Lesson or Message can be downloaded and archived for for future studies. The parishioners also have the opportunity to celebrate God with their Tithes and Offerings.

The Virtual Weekday Meeting reduces the carbon blue print, saves money but also encourages family gatherings and fellowship in the home. It can even promote a healthy lifestyle by the family enjoying home cooked meals versus eating fast food. In most cases many members of the same household are driving different cars (more gas), not eating dinner at home and may not all assemble at the house of the Lord …..  You know things always have a tendency to come up when it is time to make it to the House of the Lord !!!

To be continued ….

I want to personally thank all of my Corporate and Ministry Clients for your support throughout the years.

The recent launching of the New GovernorCedric.com is one of the many Media upgrades taking place in our organization. We are being proactive to join the ever growing presence of Social Media on the web today. The addition of  Blogs, Podcasts and Streaming Video Content are all forthcoming.

You are currently reading the first in a series of Informative and Resourceful Blogs that we are launching. God’s Source.com is coming soon. It is a Resource Blog Portal, created to be a one stop shot for everything needed for Economic and Spiritual Empowerment. It will feature both Corporate and Faith Based solution providers that all share a common thread, which is integrity.

In addition, there will be a section dedicated to Motivational Speakers and Lecturers showcasing their talents via Audio and Video Content. Our motto always is to “Empower and Give Back”. That being said, the Speaker - Lecture Advertising fee structure will be based on a sliding scale or free of charge for certain circumstances.

Peace always,

Governor Cedric