THE WINNER

In the early 1970’s, a 12-year-old boy from Miami dropped in on a WESTCOAST choir rehearsal at my front porch, our settling ground. When we ended one song to go into another, he said to me, “I can sing that song better than you.” I smiled and said to him, “Sing”. I think it was one of Dorothy Love Coates songs, “Holding On To My Faith”. That young fellow began to sing a song by Dorothy Love Coates and THE GOSPEL HARMONETTES:  THE WINNER (The Finishing Line).

THAT BOY SANG!! He was excellent. I invited him to sing in our concert. He was EXCELLENT. Not a doubt in his soul as he stood there, telling the gospel stories of Dorothy Love Coates with a clarity and skill that brought us all to a spiritual awakening. He was only in Sarasota for two weeks. I wish I knew who he was.

The Winner (At The Finishing Line)
Dorothy Love Coates

Two men were discussing (Oh yes!) masters, as they stood on the racetrack of time. (Oh yes!)
The sinner said, “My master is almighty.” (Oh yes!)
The Christian said, “But, He’s not as great as mine.” (Oh yes!)
(Ooh) He said, “You put your money on yours, and I’ll bet on mine. (Ah, ah!)
We’ll let the score be kept by nature and time.
And, we’ll see who comes out the winner at the finishing line.” (At the finishing line.)

The sinner said, “My master is the master of Caesar. (Oh yes!)
Who once ruled the mighty and powerful Rome.” (Oh yes!)
The Christian said, “But mine took Caesar’s life, (Oh yes!) you know;
And, every other king that sat on the throne.” (Oh yes!)
(Ooh) The sinner said, “Mine’s got a weapon that can annihilate mankind.” (Ah, ah!)
But, He said, “Mine can stop the wheel of time!
And, we’ll see who comes out the winner at the finishing line.”

The sinner said, “Listen, my master was the master of Pharaoh, (Oh yes!)
Who once kept the Hebrew children enslaved.”Oh yes!)
The Christian said, “But, Mine put Moses in (Oh yes!) Pharaoh’s own House.
And, gave him to his sister to raise.” (Oh yes!)
“But, mine hardened his heart and he didn’t set them free.” (Ah, ah!)
“Yes He did! Mine wrapped his army up in the Red Sea.
We’ll see who comes out the winner at the finishing line.”

CHORUS:
Oh, why don’t you call him? (Call, He will answer your prayer.)
Whenever you call Him, (Ooh, you’ll find Him there).
Why don’t you (call Him!) when the going gets tough?
If you’ve got Him on your side, (Ooh, AH, that’s enough!)
Now, you let them take their master (Ah, ah!).
And you stick with me and Mine.
The story will be told in God’s own time.
And we’ll see who comes out the winner.
We’ll see who comes out the winner.
We’ll see who comes out the winner at the finishing line.

WHO WALKED YOU THROUGH IT, OR IS DOING YOUR WALK THROUGH?

Please don’t think that ALL THINGS WILL WAIT until YOU voice your opinion — or until YOU are ready to do it. That is vanity.

Israel delayed crossing the Jordan River on the day God set. They remained in the wilderness 40 years. Say an AMEN to that and start marching forward.

When my students are faced with a dilemma, I ask them, “WHAT IS MY NAME?” The answer is: MR. MAKE IT HAPPEN”. The lesson that my students are to walk away with is: DR. PORTER IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS POWER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. I have the power. The name, “MAKE IT HAPPEN” is a self-designation. It is a description that comes when YOU follow through with tasks assigned to you.

I will not sit still,
While you drill on.
Whether you won’t or will
help me build;
or, if you will
hold to us with hoops of steel.
THIS IS THE DAY FOR HEALING.

KEEP GOOD CONTACTS. Believe that GOD is smart (an understatement). YOU KNOW if GOD was in the BEGINNING OF THINGS that BROUGHT YOU TOGETHER with someone else. (Check the first benefits, and residual effects.)

Those you spurn and turn from may hold the light, the help and the words of life for some day in YOUR FUTURE that you presently have no knowledge of. THERE IS NEVER A REASON TO BE NASTY.

Joseph’s brothers thought they would never again SEE or NEED Joseph. It was Joseph’s destiny to help and to save them. The Prophet Samuel tried to talk with King Saul. Saul didn’t have time for the Man of God who anointed him to be king. That attitude was Saul’s “death trap of iniquity”. YOU CANNOT LEAVE IT FOR PEOPLE TO READ. Some cannot perceive a need that is greater than their present state of being. They must hear it preached.

NOTHING SEEMS TO MATTER ENOUGH FOR YOU TO CHANGE AND TO FORSAKE ALL.

YOU ARE ALWAYS HOLDING ON TO SOMETHING. LET IT GO.

GREATNESS MUST BE PRACTICED. SETTLE for Less, you get that or less than that.