Excited to announce that my new book “CARRYING GREATNESS” is scheduled to be released early next year! So honored that Sheila Walsh – speaker with “WOMEN OF FAITH” and my buddy, Dave Sterrett of “I AM SECOND” both agreed to write endorsements for the book. Go God!

One of the early chapters in the book, I share about Elizabeth and Mary both pregnant with baby boys named with a “J.” One is John and other is Jesus. One is a Baptist in the making and other is Savior for the taking. Both women in their womb are carrying boys whom will grow up to men whom God will use to change the world. Talk about “Boys to Men” these were the originals!

Both women knew intimately the pain of isolation and rejection. These sisters in Christ would certainly be keynote speakers at future “Women of Faith” events. They knew faith, fear but favor all rolled into one and found their Heavenly Father faithful. Their test today became their TESTimony tomorrow! One was too old to get pregnant and the other was too young. One tried for decades while married and couldn’t produce and the other not married, never tried and did get pregnant! Both women were “carrying greatness” and Mary was the first to carry the Gospel. In those first nine months and a year or two after His birth, she didn’t just carry greatness or the Gospel but God! Elizabeth and Mary were cousins and when the younger (Mary) came to visit the Bible notes something spectacular happened. Picture two women with protruding bellies and when Mary walked in the room and spoke the baby (John) in Elizabeth’s belly jumped! Why?

In courtrooms across America on a daily basis (regardless if one is a plantiff or defendant. Attorney or jury, a baliff or janitor) two words are uttered when the one wearing a robe walks in “ALL RISE.” Out of respect, everyone stands for the judge adorning the robe. The reason that John jumped, the baby bounced and lad lept because when Mary walked in he (John) not even birthed knew that Jesus was both in the womb and the room! He couldn’t help but STAND up when God was in the house. Soon and very soon, we will all stand before the Righteous Judge wearing the Royal Robe and we will fall at His feet and give an account and worship, The Great I AM. #AllRise

I submit to you that John knew Jesus before He was even born! John LEPT for Him before birth, LIVED for Him in life and LOVED Him even in death. As we enter this Season, I am reminded that Christmas is a HOLY DAY more than a holiday. Christmas brought God to man but Easter bought and brought man to God. The Bible says: “We are BOUGHT with a price.” Yes, John died serving Jesus but Jesus died to save John, you and me. John had a mission but Jesus is the Messiah! John had a message but Jesus IS The Message and John was a man of God but Jesus is the God Man. John promoted Jesus and Jesus promoted John. Jesus said: “Born of a woman, I tell you none was greater than John.”

The moment Christ crawled out of the crib He was crawling to the cross. Jesus taught us how to live but we because of our sin taught Him how to die. The Babe in Bethlehem’s barn was born to die. The word “mas” = more and truly we need MORE of Christ this CHRISTmas. Yes, the Wise Men brought gifts but John knew true prosperity was being in His Presence.

What I love about John is two fold 1) He knew his role. He was a messenger delivering the Messiah’s mail. He was to point The Way but never pretended to be the answer. If the disciples drove around in a Honda “all in one accord” than John was a Toyota because he was the “Forerunner” to Jesus! John lived and died sharing wherever, whenever and to whomever would listen that Christ is our only hope to Heaven. Today, he would have preached to presidents and prisoners, from Hollywood to homeless and to white collar, blue collar and those with “ring around the collar.” He preached with power above and an urgency below and saw scores come to saving faith in Christ. 2) I love that John never got over God.

The video below is an excerpt of my message that I had the privilege to preach at First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach, Florida mentioning this very topic. What an honor it was to preach last month for Pastor Jeff Overton for their “Harvest Sunday.” Over half the church responded to the altar call weeping with a burden to get right with God, see souls saved and ask God to heal families and our Country. Plus, we saw FIFTEEN souls graduate from Hell to Heaven! It never gets old seeing souls saved.

Over a dozen years ago, my daughter, Hannah Grace (now a teen) but strapped in her car seat as a toddler was asked, “What does your Daddy do for a living?” As long as I live, I will never forget her answer. She said without hesitation: “Daddy preaches the cross.” WOW! May I never cease to preach Christ’s crib, cross and coming again! The mouth of babes. My college buddy, Clayton King is teaching pastor at NewSpring in South Carolina and he said recently: “The cross is not a decoration but a declaration.” POWERFUL!

This Christmas pause and ask yourself 1) Have you received Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life? If not, confess your sin and ask the Lord in a silent prayer to forgive you and invite Him in your heart to take control. He is not a way to Heaven but The Way, The Truth and The Life.  2) If you are a born again Christian ponder this question, have you honestly got over God? John didn’t and may we not either.  God bless and Merry CHRISTmas.