Why Am I Not in the Clique?

Why Am I Not in the Clique? I remember a quote by the late Bishop G. E. Patterson where he alluded to the fact that after his deliverance from sin, his next greatest deliverance was his deliverance from people and their opinions! Isn't it amazing that the opinions of people have kept so many of us bound, or has left so many of us to perform at levels which are so far beneath the levels that God intended for us.One of the most debilitating scourges that the enemy has ever released from the pits of Hell has been the emergence of cliques of all kinds.

Cliques are by definition, a small exclusive group of people. How many of us have longed to no avail to gain the approval of one of these exclusive sets, or networks of the “right folks”? Why in God’s name are there so many cliques in the day in which we now live? Why in the name of everything that is Holy would there even be cliques amongst those that profess membership in the Kingdom of God? Isn’t it amazing that some of us can never seem to gain admittance to many of these exclusive sets of individuals, despite many of our best efforts to do so?

Does this make us less than, or does our non-admittance assure us of failure? I have found myself on many occasions to be on the outside looking in when it comes to admittance to this clique, or that clique of what appeared to be the right group of people. Yet in hindsight, I can truly admit that I am so glad that my key never seemed to quit fit the locks of admittance established by these different cliques. If one is to soar to heights that are beyond comprehension does one need the help of exclusive sets, or groups of people?

Have we taken the it’s not what you know, it’s who you know thing much too far? Can one achieve true success without belonging to the right group of folks? Doesn’t God know that these people can help me get ahead? When one puts too much stock into gaining admittance to one of these groups, one must take a long look at oneself. How many of these groups have put one dime into one’s pocket? Would these groups even help pick you up if they saw you knocked down? Greatness is rarely accomplished by those who run in cliques.

Throughout the Holy Writ, God called men and women to perform exploits, but he rarely called cliques of people. Can one truly stand out when one is determined to run with, or pal around with cliques? Is the destiny that God has predetermined for each of us dependent on those folks taking us in? Why does the talking stop when one walks by? Why does one hear whispers after one walks by this group of people? Why does one never get an invite to the events of these powerful folks? Why is one always on the outside looking in? Can’t they just let me in on their inside jokes for once? Can’t they invite me out to eat with them just this once?

I stand for all that have asked these many questions over the years! We must learn to follow the beat of a different drum, and never let the opinions and whims of others make us feel less than. You have to learn to love yourself, and learn to keep your head held high even when you can't seem to get the thumbs up of others. Most of those that join cliques that exclude others are not the type of people that we should long to associate with any way. When the doors of the clique are slammed in your face move on, that is not where God would have you to be. You should never push to be amongst those who would only tolerate, and never celebrate you! Could these groups of folks see greatness in you that you don't see yourself? God has invested so much into the individual that he made you to be. Never negate the greatness that God has called you to, by running after people!

Respectfully Submitted,

Pastor Stephen F. Smith

The F stands for Free From Cliques!

Are You Living the Life of Your Dreams?

Are You Living the Life of Your Dreams? Would the child that you were be pleased with the person that you are now? At the end of any year, one will always seem to find the time for a little reflection, introspection,contemplation, and personal inspection.

There always seems to be a period at the end of any year were one will gauge the current status of one's efforts. Many of us remember the grand dreams that we all had in the days of our youth. If one were to enter nearly any elementary school and ask the students of that school what there dreams are, one would quickly hear some of the grandest dreams, aspirations, and hopes that one would ever care to hear. What happens to the dreams of men and women once they get older? Why do so many choose to live a life of settling for the average, settling for the mundane, and settling for the commonplace? Didn't God create us all in his image, and after his likeness?

Why are the dreams of our youth so foreign to us? Life is often hard, and the various paths that we have all traveled have not been loaded with flowery beds of ease. The pains of life have caused so many of us to give up on the dreams of our youth. Why so? We serve a God that can do so far beyond even our wildest dream. Is our vision of our God much too small when we only ask him for the ordinary, and the commonplace? Depression makes its greatest push when one loses the ability to dream big dreams. The pains of life and the bumps and bruises that come with it are tough, but one must never lose the ability to dream! Losing the ability to dream relegates one to the memories of days gone by. Why should our greatest days be those of days gone by?

I present to you a literal mirror to look at one that made in the image and after the likeness of God! In that mirror is the reflection of one that was fearfully and wondrously made! Looking in this literal mirror once again, and grasp the image of one that is the apple of God's Eye! Why are we settling when the God of the Heavens and the Earth has invested so much in each of us? Has life's bitter pills caused us to lose a hold on the sheer greatness that resides on the inside of each of us. My brother and my sister let's choose to recapture the sparkle in our eyes that the dreams of our youth used to produce. Very few of us can say that we are at the absolute zenith, the sheer apogee, and the highest nadir of accomplishment! Even if you name is a household name, there is still more that you should shoot for.

The enemy of our souls must be ecstatic that so many of the ranks of men and women on this planet have chose to just get by! Many of us have let a little pain, a little disappointment, and a lot of failure dash many of the dreams of our youth. Let's take a long hard look at the pains that we have suffered on our travels through life. Why should these pains be compounded by allowing these pains to negate the great dreams that God has given us all? The death of a dream often leads one into the Halls of Depression quicker than anything. What reason does one have to have pep in one's step, when one does not see anything to shoot for? Yes I know it hurts, but we must reach beyond the hurt and reach for all that God has intended for us to reach for! I stand with you in prayer that the dreams of your youth would be rekindled and the spark and vigor that you once possessed would be restored!

Can't we once again reach for the stars? Can't we once again imagine seeing our name in lights? God created you for greatness! God created you to make a difference in this world? God created you to be a Game Changer! God didn't create you to be ordinary, even if you are surrounded by ordinary circumstances! God has invested so much in you that you should never shy away from the game of life! Should we regret negating all of the great possibilities that we could have achieved because of fear? Should a bump or two on the road of life keep us from reaching for more? Why are we waving the white flag of surrender so soon? Shouldn't we enjoy life to the full until our last breath? Let's cut the cords of the commonplace, the average, and the ordinary and dream again. Let's once again pursue the life of our dreams! You deserve to have the very best that this life offers. Let's not ruin our acquisition of some of life's finer things by refusing to dream! I will see you at the top!

Respectfully Submitted,
Pastor Stephen F. Smith
www.stephenfsmith.org

Deangelo Williams is Becoming the Rage of the NFL!

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2009 Will Be the Year of Forward Progress!

Pastor Stephen F. Smith gives this prophetic word that 2009 Will Be the Year of Forward Progress!

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www.preachsteve.com
www.preachsteve.com

God is Calling You From Average Thinking!

Pastor Stephen F. Smith preaches that God is Calling Every Believer Away From Average Thinking!

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www.preachstephen.com
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Watch Street View’s New Look on Google Maps!

Watch Street View’s New Look on Google Maps! Go to Google Maps: http://maps.google.com. Check out the new experience of Street View on Google Maps. Learn the new ways to enter Street View, look at our full screen mode, navigate through driving directions, and more.

Street View is a feature of Google Maps that allows you to quickly and easily view and navigate high-resolution, 360 degree street level images of various cities around the world.

Memphis,Tennnessee is now available!,

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This guy is going to be an All-Star in his first season!

Have We Grown This Cold?

Walmart Shoppers Stomp Employee to Death, and Keep Right on Shopping! A Wal-Mart worker died after being trampled when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island store Friday morning, police and witnesses said. The 34-year-old employee, a temporary maintenance worker, tried to hold back the unruly crowds just after the Valley Stream store opened at 5 a.m. Witnesses said the surging throngs of shoppers knocked the man down. He fell and was stepped on. As he gasped for air, shoppers ran over and around him. When the shoppers were told that someone was seriously injured and that Walmart had to close, the shoppers refused to leave and kept right on shopping! "

This is horrible! This illustrates how the hearts of men and women have grown cold!

Derrick Rose Will Be an All-Star as a Rookie!

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