clarkortiz

My father and I were crying on top of one of the Twin towers.  Holding each other and crying while over 500 tourist walked around us looking over the edge and enjoying the view.

A Father-Son moment

It was a beautiful day in New York City.  My father had taken my brother, Carlos Jr and me to the top of the twin towers.  The hundreds of tourist were enjoying the view on top of the tall buildings.  They could see Conneticut, New Jersey and Long Island.  As they looked at the view, our eyes were afixed on the second tower with all the TV antennas, microwaves and cables.

My dad looked at me and said some words that I thought I would never have to live.  He said, “Son, There is nothing more important to what the Lord would have for us to do then what the Lord would want us to do that has to do with these towers”.  He continued, “It doesn’t matter how many TV stations we own or networks we have around the world that what the Lord has for us to do with these two towers.” (what faith because I was 15 years old and we didn’t have our own TV station for another 4 years)

He then said, “If I die before I see what it is He has for us to do, would you pick up the mantel and run with it?”  What a question to ask a 15 year old son.  My dad was only 20 years older then me so he would have been 35 years old.  What a young age to be talking about death.  I responded, “Dad, your not going to die.”  He said, “Just tell me, will you take up the mantel if I die.”  and then he began to cry.

When I say him cry I began to follow his lead…I cried like I never cried before. I told him, “YES!” We both held each other without even thinking about who would be around us or who would be watching this 15 year old son hugging his 35 year old father.

Life Expectations

For all these years we thought the Lord would have us build a TV station in New York City.  We had pictures of the towers in our bedrooms, living rooms and offices.  WE were expecting to have a station in the city.  But, there was something greater that the Lord had in mind.

On August 5th 2001 I received a call that my father was found in his office dead.  A 57 year old man, who had just received a medical exam stating that he was fine was now found in his office desk the Saturday evening not breathing.  The paramedics worked on him for over 45 minutes and the hospital then worked on him even longer to no avial.  The patriarch, visionary of the ministry and my best friend had passed away.  A weight fell on my shoulders.  The verbal commitment that I had made on the towers fell on my shoulders.

The Fateful Day – 9/11

I was siting in my living room drinking my morning coffee while watching Fox and Friends on TV.  When they stopped the program and said, “This just in, one of the Twin Towers where hit by a plane”.  I rushed to my office 10 minutes away to see the second plane flying into the building all LIVE on the Television.

There was a security in my heart that everything was going to be ok.  I prayed for every soul in the building knowing that any one of those buildings could have had over 50,000 people working and doing business.  I prayed that they would be safe and that many if not all could escape the terroristic acts of that day.  Then suddenly, the first building came down.  I fell to the floor remembering of our covenant.  Then saw the second fall….

The rest of the day was spent in shear agony, tears, pain and a hurt that to this day I can not explain.  What about the covenant?  I’m I done with the ministry?  Was it a lie?  Were we wrong?

God is an attention grabber….

I asked the Lord that He needed to give me guidance and answer these questions.  At 7 pm that night He spoke into my spirit what would become my life ambition.  This is why I do so much with so little.  Why I’ve made dicisions to leave the Valley when I did.  To build iPoint Television and to teach my children to study and go to school.  There is a greater mission then just building a TV station.

For years, that message of the mantel would keep my eyes fixed on those buildings.  Needed to capture my attention to pay a price that I would normally not want to pay.  Watch my life and see where we go with this ministry.  Notice how different we can be but how effective we can reach the world with such little.

I will post another blog that will highlight what I saw in a blink of an eye:

The Goal:

1.  Reuniting the children of Abraham

2.  Uniting His Kingdom

3.  Restructuring the Kingdom Economy

4.  Strengthening His People

You can follow me on Facebook.com/ClarkOrtiz or twitter @ClarkOrtiz

www.ClarkOrtiz.com

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on your creator.  You’ll be changed from the inside out.  Romans 12:2 (Message Bible)

“This is your life and it’s ending one minute at a time.”  – Movie ‘Fight Club’

As we grow older we find a more urgency for meaning.  What good is it to live if we just take and never give back to our society.  Many would judge others verses judging themselves and our own actions.

Let’s consider the Locust: These are species that can breed rapidly under suitable conditions and subsequently become gregarious and migratory. They from bands as nymphs and swarms as adults—both of which can travel great distances, rapidly stripping fields and greatly damaging crops.

Many lives today are consisting of the same definition as a Locust. The take and add NO value.  We should live our lives not looking at our own condition but looking to how we can add to the condition of humanity.  We may want to judge the actions of God and His desire to give His son for us but ultimately it is up to us to accept or deny.

The purpose of receiving Him into our lives would be to add character to us and quality to humanity. We were made in His image for His pleasure but the goal would be to sow into our lives to reap in our time and that others could reap where we have sown.

My Fathers example.

My late father, Carlos Ortiz, had a great statement he lived by. When ever I asked what he was doing he would say, “Spending your inheritance”.  My response was the same. “Just give me what you can put in my head and my heart. I’ll figure it all out later.”

He and I worked hand-in-hand. I would always say that I was the son that would say, “Ok” when he asked me to do something. It’s not to say that I did everything he asked but I would end up doing it eventually.  He taught me character, community building and the truth behind the ‘Golden Rule’ (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you).

When we focus on putting into other, the good that we do, will eventually be placed back in us.  It is not always the easiest thing to do but it is the best thing to do.

From him I learned the power to give that I focus on giving everything that I have that I have worked hard to receive. I never give anything away that did not cost me something.  I figured if I received it for free then it wasn’t a value to sow into someone elses life.  This would be typically called “Regifting”.  I’ve given of great value, TV stations, Equipment, my time, Churches, etc.  All costing me something.

Have I received in measure what I have given? The answer is unequivocally, YES!.  And even in a greater scale.  I’ve given and I’ve received.  Receiving is best but the giving releases the receiving.  Consider breathing…We work to inhale but exhaling is automatic.  It is the same with receiving.  We work to receive but the giving should be automatic.

Many churches in the past have taught that we need to give and work to give and then the receiving is automatic but I have experienced the opposite.  It is hard to receive. Sometimes pride gets in the way.  Sometimes we leave the location our receiving was to come in and we miss our blessing.  I find giving easy because it only take obedience.  Receiving takes a strategy.  God speaks to us about a business plan. He tells us to call a person.  He encourages us to make a phone call.  But, then pride, jealousy, envy sometimes gets in the way and we don’t do as He says.

Missed Opportunities

Faith is like a formula.  It takes ACTION + TIME + LOCATION = RECEIVING.  The bible tells us that ‘Faith without works (action) is dead (or fruitless)” it also says, ‘Let patience (time) have her perfect work’ then it says ‘in due season (location) you will receive.  This formula will work every time if it is based on HIS will.

Time and time again, we would ask the Lord for direction before we ask Him for an item.  What is His will. This is the principle item in regards to receiving.  Notice all the steps to receiving.   This is why I say receiving is harder the giving.  If receiving for you is easy you should check your glut level.  This is how a locust lives.  He looks only to where he can take and never give back.  We should work to receive by seeking those places to deposit our hard-earned time, money, items, etc.

Seek where He would have you receive and work to position yourself for the sole purpose of putting back into society.  Give back by way of fixing someone’s yard, help fix something that is broken in the home, help someone who needs a car.  Help someone find a job. Whatever you can do, do it with excellence and character.  Watch how when you receive, giving becomes easier.

Now remember, It is your faith that pleases God.

visit www.ClarkOrtiz.com for more information about the ministry. You can connect with Clark Ortiz via Facebook.com/clarkortiz or twitter @ClarkOrtiz