The Spokesman?

Who is Hope Boy?

What kind of success is that?

So, as some of you may know I've been stepping out on faith in planning an event since around November or so. This was a stretch for me in soooo many difeerent ways, especially since I lacked in a major department: FAITH!!!!! This event would cost 1,000 dollars (of which I DID NOT HAVE!) and I was to host it in a venue of wwhich the owner never had rap music and din't want to have anything involving rap in it. 

As I took steps God opened up doors left and right, giving me favor with the owner, who allowed me to use his venue for a low price, providing flyers, artwork and a team to get the event done, and most importantly He provided the finances to pay for the event. As I grinded it out to see this event pop ff in faith I was stretched all the more, my faith grew incredibly! And not just mines, but the people close to me as well. God used what was happening in my life to catapult them into action. A lot of fruit that was being produced and it was a joy to walk through it!

Now, a few weeks before the event I started getting phone calls, people telling me that they wouldn't be able to do the event for this or that reason. People who had given me their word MONTHS before that they would do it. This was disappointing but I had to continue pushing with or without people. My boy Rick would say through the whole ordeal, "sometimes you have to be willing to look like a fool for God. If you aren't willing to look foolish for Him He can't use you" So I had made up in my mind that I was willing to do just that if need be. It was no turning back! And as time continued to close in on the date, more and more people backed out until I was the ONLY one to do it. I still proceeded just hoping and praying that others would show up, plus I would have failed if I would have folded because of it. I was determined to ride it out in faith and see it through.

Ok, so the event has come and gone people. And guess what, only one other rapper showed up that night, with about 15-20 attendees. I ended up looking like a fool for Christ, and that bothered me at first as I took my eyes down off of Him and put them on the situation. But God is good, and Is 26:3 tells us that if we keep our eyes on Him He will keep us in perfect peace. Which by the end of the night and especially the next morning I was back in effect! Anyway, we made use of the night, we celebrated Christ, lifted His name high (Njeri what up!!!???), and had a great time!

I got to learn  A LOT of stuff that night though. I got to see how un appreciative I was of the people who really supported me and who are going to ride for me through and through. You see, I was more focused on and worried about the people that wasn't there. I was even upset that the people who was there was there! I mean these weren't the people I "wanted" to be there. And God said to me, "I know. But these are the people who are for you and will support you through and through." That was dope! I would not have saw that if everyone had shown up like I wanted.

Also, I and a lot of others had been praying for the owner of the venue for months! And I visioned him hearing the gospel that night and repenting immediately. Well, that didn't happen, he heard the gospel but didn't repent that night. But God showed me something profound (especially if you know this guy!) He's all about his money, every last penny of it, but that night everything I ordered for me and my beautiful wife he didn't let me pay for it. That may seem little but certainly not for him! Also, he took me in private and started asking my advice on whether or not he should open up another shop. I was taken aback like, "I don't own a business you do! Why are you asking me?" But God said to me, "Your relationship with him as gone a step deeper and he will repent." That was enough for me to be encouraged!

We prayed for months that God would be glorified and guess what He was! It didn't turn out how I wanted it to, or thought it should. But God had his way, so I also learned that we must hold stuff loosely.

Anyway, there was more that I learned that night but I'll save that for a later date! All in All the night was a success! So much was learned that NO ONE can take away from me! So much stuff that will be applied to my next event as I continue to walk in faith! Oh yeah, I'm not stopping baby! I'm going to get it in!!!!!!!!!

The suucessful life for the christian is not measured as the world measures succes. It's measured by how obediant and yeilding you are to the Holy Spirit. And I obeyed what God told me to do and I've been changed because of it!

So, brothers and sister, let's look to trust God with the results as we step out in faith to be obediant to what He asks of us. The results are always His!

God is dope,

Israel 

Who is Dooch?

Lesson taught: Lesson learned

 Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, a few days ago I was in a convo with a brother that I've been walking with for a minute, who is currently in a raw place, he's facing a lot of difficult stuff right now and it's been a hard and bumpy road for him. As he was venting his frustration and feelings to a brother who "should" have been understanding I got frustrated and irritated with him. My mind frame was MAN UP! God put you into this situation for a reason, pull up your panties and go hard or go home! I even threw some Bible principles at him, and at that time he was like, Israel I don't want to hear that! And I had an attitude like it's the truth (which it is) you need to. Needless to say that convo ended with me feeling like he needed to get over himself and pass this stuff.

Well, it's funny how our God has a sense of humor! Lately, as I've been in a place of depletion I've been struggling, especially with carrying a heavier load being that my wife has been sick on bedrest. I've been up at 6am and down at 12am with what seems to be little to no rest in between (Atleast it feels that way!). And it's been harder with me being at work and going in a 6pm (10pm on mondays!) Well, today was a loooooong day, I was up at 7am and didn't have to be to work until around 9:30pm and I was irate over that. I was mad at the world, I just wanted my day to be OVER!

So, I was giving my wife and everyone else (including God) attitude because of the fit I was having. I went into work and was just mad! I didn't want to think about all the good, just, noble, honorable, and peaceable things. I wanted to soak in my misery. And as I was talking to God I felt him say, Ronnie was in this place the other day and you had no sympathy or understanding. And a scripture popped into my head:

Galatians 6:1

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."

And I went to it and the principle within this text humbled me! It's not that Ronnie was caught in a sin, he was just struggling with seeing 20/20, but I wasn't dealing with him in gentleness and lo and behold I find myself in his shoes 1 day later! It's a principle to deal with people in a spirit of gentleness and to watch yourself because you never know when or if you will be right where they are! Again, I was floored and I recieved that lesson from God, and at recieveng that my mood began to change and lighten up.

Although not all the way out I was progressing, when my wife texted me and asked how I was doing. So I told her I was better and I explained to her what was going on with me. So, she sent me a text back like I love you and I'm praying for you. And honestly, I didn't want to hear the "religious" stuff! I just didn't want to hear that! So I responded, ok. And she responded, "A I love you back would have been nice." So I texted her back and said to her that I was still aggy and really wasn't in the mood. And she respondd back it's ok, I understand. I have my days too.

That statement bought a smile to my face and joy to my heart! That was the best thing she could have said and she doesn't even know it! (Well, now she does! lol). But that ministered to me, more than her saying I'm praying for you. God blessed me through that! I needed and wanted understanding, not someone to beat me up with scripture or to get "spiritual" on me. And that's exactly what Ronnie needed the other day. But I got all "deep" on him.

Well, it was a lesson taught and a lesson learned! God used my junk to teach me a invaluable true. I'm thankful for tonight, and as I'm thinking now I'm reminded of another scripture from Hebrews 4:15,

" For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin"

Jesus doesn't just smack us with stuff that's too deep, he sympathizes with us and our weaknesses and gives us what we need. He didn't tell me tonight to MAN UP and pull my panties up! He ministered to me in gentleness and in a way that I could receive it. Thank You Lord for that!

So, what about you? Are you like I was to Ronnie? Always ready to beat someone with a scripture instead of going to them in gentleness and seeking to understand and/or sympathize with them? Be careful if so, because you might fall into the same snare just as I did!

Until Next Week (Lord willing)

God is Dope,

Israel

God's glory

Soooooo whats been going on lately? You've asked the right question to the right guy. First off I apologize that I've been mia for a month or so. Things got really busy and I was grinding! Yes sir, you already know!

Anyway, some of you may know (from reading previous blogs) that I have been walking on water, and since I stepped out of the boat the waves and winds got ferocious! In that we were being attacked left and right, financial blows, sickness, at the point of possibly losing our unborn baby and the list goes on. In fact, we had taken so many financial blows that we were two months behind on bills ( everything was either cut off or on the brink of it!) we had to get rid of our car, we basically lost everything! We believed that since this stuff all started happening since we started walking by faith that it was a test so I decided to not tell anyone (except my discipler and my wifes discipler- who we made promise that they wouldn't tell anyone.), we believed it was a test and since it was a test we wanted to suffer patiently and endure this trial with joy and look for God to deliver us out of it. And that He did!


One day we got a visit from a sister bearing gifts. She has two FAT white envelopes in her hand. And she then told my wife how a 19 year old boy came to the leader of the worship team asking him if he knew my wife and if she had a husband. He asked them little questions like that, and then asked if he could give them something to give us. Of course they said yes, so he gave them to 2 envelopes and suggested that we not know who it came from (even though we didn''t know him anyway!) So we got the envelopes and lol and behold it was 4,000 dollars cash between the 2! Talk about humbling! No one except our designated people knew anything! And God did what He does, PROVIDE! That was dope! God used a 19 year old whom we don't know still to this day who it was to be a blessing.


God is Dope! Anyway through this very tough time, God used it to grow people around us as they watched us suffer patiently and joyfully waiting on God. The crazy thing is, my discipler had money that he could have helped, but I refused any natural help, and he made a statement of how it took for him to exercise more faith to not give me money and watch me suffer than to give of his finances. He got to be stretched tremendously during this time, as well as others!


And it was ALL for Gods glory!


So God was glorified and that's the whole point! People were changed and stretched, they grew and got to understand things they never have before, and the best is still yet to come!!!!!!! So I'm excited and blessed at all the greatness and goodness of my Daddy who provides for me. I'm remembering a quote form Chuck Swindoll which has been truth for me, "God takes full responsibility for the life that is wholly dedicated to Him."

Is your life wholly dedicated to him? If not what you waiting for!

God is Dope,

Israel

Dooch aka HB Freestyle

Dooch "Put It On My Back"