NEED AN EDGE FOR 2012? TRY YOUR FAITH!

I am so excited that we have reached the end of 2011! Like me I'm sure that you've had a year of highs and lows, successes and failures, triumphs and defeats. I appreciate you for being a reader of Bernard's Word. It is a great blessing to have you visit my website and read about the things that concerns me and that I am passionate about.

I give God praise for 2011 and some of the incredible experiences that I had this year. Some of my highlights for 2011 are:

1. In March I visited the beautiful country of Nigeria for eight days preaching and teaching in the southern region of that country.

2. In June me and group of members from the New Mine Creek Church began learning about wealth building and successful strategies about money and finance from one of the greatest financial mentors in the country William V. Thompson, president of Dynamic Financial Training.
     
3. In July I celebrating twenty years of marriage with my beautiful wife Vantoria.

4. In August my son Bernard Quincy entered his senior year in high school.

5. In August I preached at the National Primitive Baptist Convention on the eve of the election that secured  the presidency of Elder Bernard Yates.

6. In September I attended the African American Literary Awards in Harlem New York.

7. In December me and my family had an incredible Christmas vacation in Orlando Florida.

8. In October I connected with a group of writers in the John3:16 Marketing Network for a monthly prayer conference call.  

I hope that 2011 has been an incredible year for you as well. Because they type of year that you had in 2011 should be a springboard for living with a edge in 2012.

A couple of weeks I was surfing through my television and I came across the Sports show First Take. First Take is a sports show that highlights two commentator who debate their opinions about what's happening in the world of athletics. One of the debaters is the straightforward Skip Bayless (I love it when he gives it to Lebron! I can't help it!) . On this particular show the other debater was the fast talking, take no prisoners Stephen A. Smith.  Their topic of conversation was the Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. The comment that struck me was when Skip said that Tim's faith gives him an edge and that was a great part of why he was having a successful year.

I have to admit at this point that I don't watch the NFL. And I knew nothing about Tim Tebow, but Skip's comment caused me to do some reading about this quarterback who was the source of conversation on First Take. And what I learned about Tim had left me amazed once again at how God uses people who are available to Him and makes them a declaration to the world about who He is..

When Tim Tebow walks out on that field to perform as a quarterback he walks believing that God is with him. He believes that as he executes his plays and leads his teammates that the presence of God is surrounding him. And Tim believes that God speaks to him and gives him peace under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform and conform.

Skip said that Tim's faith gives him an edge. In other words Tim has an advantage because of the God that he believes in and what he believes about himself because God is operating in his life. Stephen A. Smith said that Tim's faith was a force, wow! no greater words have ever been spoken about faith. Because that what faith is, it's a force!  

When you live by faith it gives you an edge. I'm not saying that faith makes you better than others but it puts you ahead. Your faith gives you an advantage. If you have faith and operate by faith principles that's put you in the company of champions. Throughout 2011 the Holy Spirit has been saying to me that He's raising up a generation of Davids. David is the spiritual prototype of a people who have a edge because they believe God and they are willing to go into the valley and kill the giants that has created fear among the people of God. When all of Israel cowered before Goliath faith gave David an edge.

2012 is going to be a year of conquering giants because your faith is giving you an edge. Your faith will make you stand out and take hold of the opportunities that others will run from. You are going to do impossible things because you have an edge. You have a confidence that God has spoken to you and that God is with you. The Holy Spirit has set dreams and visions in your heart that you will accomplish because you have an edge.

I see you in 2012 WINNING, GAINING, POSSESSING! Declare to the giants that you have faith, you have an edge!