Shooting is about to begin on my latest movie, Jumping the Broom. I’ll share all of the details in a future entry, but for now here’s an exclusive, behind-the-scenes photo from last night’s cast dinner.
Standing (L to R):
Angela Bassett, Elizabeth Hunter (writer,producer), Pooch Hall, Loretta Devine, Glendon Palmer (producer), Julie Bowen, Gary Dourdan, Romeo Miller, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Meagan Good, Tasha Smith, Curtis Wallace, Paula Patton, Tracey Edmunds (producer), Laz Alonzo, Mike Epps, Harrison Wallace
Kneeling (L to R):
Robin Thicke, Salim Akil (director), Devon Franklin (Sony Pictures)
I will be posting these sneak peeks as we film, so stay tuned for future updates!
I can’t believe it’s already June and the year is half over. Wow! Time really does fly. Now that school is out and the weather is nice, I’m sure many of you are thinking of some summer activities that you can partake of with your family. Family time is especially important considering that so many parents spend a great deal of time working. At the same time, children not only have school, but many are involved in after school programs and extracurricular activities, leaving little to no time left to take pleasure in loved ones. If you’re ready to spend some enjoyable time with your family, but you’re tapped out of ideas, or maybe you’re short on time or you’re closely monitoring your discretionary income, I’ve come across a few economical pastimes to keep you and your entire family entertained. I’ve also got some exciting news that I’m just dying to tell you, but before I get to that, let me share with you a few inexpensive activities that you and your family can indulge in:
Experience Nature: If you enjoy the natural world, encourage your family to venture outdoors and go bicycling, hiking or camping. If you’d rather take in the environment at home, plant a vegetable or flower garden in your own back yard and watch it grow.
Enjoy the Water: Take advantage of water activities. Go for a family swim at your community pool; spend an afternoon at the beach, or go fishing. You’ll find the water not only refreshing, but relaxing. Just remember to take water safety precautions.
Take In Culture: Contact your city’s visitor’s bureau and find out what sights and attractions are available for tourists. Check out the museum, aquarium, zoo, amusement parks, and other places that draw tourists. Leisure Pursuits: Consider picking up a hobby. If you enjoy drawing, painting or other activities, encourage your family to participate together. Don’t be afraid to try something new, like photography. Encourage your family to take pictures that will depict their summer. Have them compile the photos at the end of the summer to illustrate their adventures!
Entertainment: Enjoy outdoor family concerts, musicals, plays or an evening of family movies. You can rent a movie at home or catch a show at the local theater. I have found that you can’t go wrong with a good movie! Speaking of movie nights, my wife and I had the opportunity to attend a private movie screening of The Karate Kid starring Will Smith’s son, Jaden and Jackie Chan. We took our ministry partners and staff to the screening, and let me tell you, they really had a good time. After the screening, my special guests had a chance to participate in Q & A with Will, Jaden and Jackie who were surprise guests at the screening. (Check out the pictures below…) They exchanged dialogue with the audience, which was a real treat. The movie made the Kung Fu moves look so easy, I thought I would get up and try a few kicks myself. Let’s just say I quickly realized that I’d better leave those moves up to Jaden! After you see the movie, I would like you to share your thoughts with me. Since we’re on the subject of the Big Screen, I’ve been eager to tell you that I am also working on a new movie called, Jumping the Broom. The movie will start filming next month in Nova Scotia, Canada and will be in theaters everywhere next Spring. We are assembling a phenomenal ensemble cast and I will be back soon to share more details.
Now that I’ve shared what’s on my mind, I want you to write me and share your thoughts about the importance of families coming together. Also, I want you to check back in with me on my blog and I will periodically update you on the making of my movie.
Until next time,
Bishop Jakes
**(Family Activity Sources: Ezine Articles; The Homemaker; About.com; gocitykids.com)
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: for He maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and His mands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. (Job 5:17-19)
Listen for God’s hammering in the spirit. It appears that He is not there, but He is.
Perhaps you’ve said, “Where is the move of God that I used to experience? Why am I going through these fiery trials?” God is there with you even now. He is operating in a different realm.
I know so well how hard it is to trust Him when you can’t trace Him! But that’s exactly what He wants you to do—He wants you to trust Him. It may seem that everybody is passing you right now. Avoid measuring yourself against other people. God knows when the time is right. His methods may seem crude and His teachings laborious, but His results will be simply breathtaking. Without scams and games, without trickery or politics, God will accomplish a supernatural miracle because you trusted Him while He worked in the invisible realm.
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:4)
And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And He laid His hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God…. And when He had said these things, all His adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. (Luke 13:12-13, 17)
Praise is contagious. Those who saw Jesus heal the infirm woman were caught up in praise as well. The Church also must join in praise when the broken are healed. Those who missed the great blessing that day were those who decided to argue about religion.
Christ unleashed power in the infirm woman that day. He healed her body and gave her the strength of character to keep a proper attitude. The woman who is broken today will find power unleashed within her too, when she responds to the call and brings her wounds to the Great Physician.
But now, O Lord, Thou art our father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand. (Isaiah 64:8)
Where is the God who sent an earthquake into the valley of dry bones and put them together? (See Ezekiel 37.) Or where is the God of the clay, who remolds the broken places and mends the jagged edge? (See Isaiah 64:8.) The God we seek is never far away. The issue is not so much His presence as it is my perception. Many times deliverance doesn’t cost God one action. Deliverance comes when my mind accepts His timing and purpose in my life.
In my hours of crisis, many times I found myself searching for the place of rest rather than for the answer. If I can find God, my needs become insignificant in the light of His presence. What is a problem if God is there? Do you realize the power of God’s presence? I hear many people speak about the acts of God, but have you ever considered the mere presence of God?
He doesn’t have to do anything but be there, and it is over!
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou comest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)
Salvation as it relates to destiny is the God-given power to become what God has eternally decreed you were before the foundation of the world. Grace is God’s divine enablement to accomplish predestined purpose. When the Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee…” (2 Cor. 12:9), His power was not intimidated by Paul’s circumstances.
You are empowered by God to accomplish goals that transcend human limitations! It is important that each person God uses realizes that they are able to accomplish what others cannot only because God gives them the grace to do so. Problems are not really problems to a person who has the grace to serve in a particular area.
The excellency of our gifts is of God and not of us. He doesn’t need nearly as much of our contribution as we think He does. So it is God who works out our internal destinies. He gives us the power to become who we are eternally and internally.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV)
God has given you power over the enemy! He has given you the power to abort the seeds of failure. Pull down those things that have taken a strong hold in your life. If you don’t pull them down, they will refuse to relinquish their grip. It will take an act of your will and God’s power to stop the spiritual unborn from manifesting in your life. God will not do it without you—but He will do it through you.
The greatest freedom you have is the freedom to change your mind. Repentance is when the mind decides to overthrow the government that controlled it in the past. As long as these other things reign in your life, they are sitting on the throne. If they are on the throne, then Christ is on the Cross. Put Christ on the throne and your past on the Cross.
…If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)
In this verse to the Philippians, Paul teaches thought modification. He taught that if we exercise the discipline of thought modification, we can produce internal or intrinsic excellence. The phrase, “if there be any virtue,” suggest that if there is to be any intrinsic excellence, we must modify our thoughts to think on the things he mentioned first.
The term virtue refers to intrinsic excellence. That means people who are filled with excellence achieve that excellence by the thoughts they have about themselves and about the world around them.
Thoughts are powerful. They feed the seeds of greatness that are in the womb of our minds. They also can nurse the negative insecurities that limit us and exempt us from greatness, “for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he …” (Prov. 23:7)
There is a virtue that comes from tranquil, peaceful thoughts that build positive character in the heart. As a rule, people who are cynical and vicious tend to be unsuccessful. If they are successful, they don’t really feel their success because their cynicism robs them them the sweet taste of reward.
For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalms 30:5)
David said that if we could hold out, joy comes in the morning. The bad news is, everybody has a bad night at one time or another. The good news is there will be a morning after. Allow the joy of the morning light to push away any unwanted patterns, curses, or fears that stop you from achieving your goal.
So let the hungry mouth of failure’s offspring meet the dry beast of a Christian who has determined to overcome the past. In order for these embryos of destruction to survive, they must be fed. They feed on the fears and insecurities of people who haven’t declared their liberty.
Once you realize that you are the source from which it draws its milk, you regain control. Feed what you want to live and starve what you want to die! Why not think positively until every negative thing that is a result of dead issues turns blue and releases its grip on your home and your destiny? It’s your mind.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:18)
You want the inheritance of your earthly father to pass on to you. So, why should you sit there and be in need when your heavenly Father has left you everything? Your Father is rich, and He left everything to you. However, you will not get your inheritance until you ask for it. Demand what your Father left you. That degree, that promotion, that financial breakthrough has your name on it!
The power to get wealth is in your tongue. You shall have whatever you say. If you keep sitting around murmuring, groaning, and complaining, you use your tongue against yourself. Open your mouth and speak something good about yourself. Speak deliverance and power. You are not defeated.
When you start speaking correctly, God will give you what you say. Say what you want. God willed you something. Your Father left you an inheritance!
