God’s objective is to make us both safe and secure. Uncertainties leave the majority in a state of flux and wonder fearful of the future. “What if” questions often plague the mind with the unending possibilities of disastrous occurrences.They restrict the activity of those who would otherwise move in a proactive direction facing the needs of today and resolving them. Many who were chosen for such a time as this, are too busy worrying rather than engaging in a process of clear and productive thinking. Productive thinking requires one to process information leading to a conclusion. Without it, one is caught up into circular thinking which leads to the same place where the journey first began. Too many are going around in circles rather than progressing towards an end that could produce a permanent resolve to what most people worry about. The first thing to consider is that none of the occurrences in life are merely random. God is a God of order who arranges circumstances and conditions for the ultimate good of those who love Him, and oversees and intercepts the decisions made by those who despise Him. He is not an absentee God, but is aware of the…
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We can learn much from our past. When used rightly, it can either become the stepping stone to a bright and glorious future or an inescapable prison void of any windows and doors. When the history of a people is rehearsed, it is not a matter of stirring up old wounds, but if the wound has not completely healed, it may lead to an infection. Infections have the tendency of affecting other parts of the body rather than remaining confined to the area that once experienced pain. To remember the past is not to relive the trauma that our ancestors had to endure, but to revisit it with an eye on the divine providence of God while working to bring us to His expected end. The infectious sin of discrimination has led to an out of control pursuit of rights that crosses ethical lines established by God. When humanity is not respected, disrespect erupts towards God through the guise of a vigilant but misinformed Church not knowing what or how to defend, protect, destroy or eliminate. The presentation of a schizophrenic God who defends a select group of people at the expense of others who are considered less than human…
- February 1, 2013
The fulfillment of a prophecy and a longstanding plea are directed towards the Church on behalf of the world. Out of necessity, culture must be transformed if God is ever to be glorified among those who profess to be called by His name. As the world develops a full expression of hostility towards God and any symbolic representation of Him, our light must shine brighter in this darkened environment. As a result of this troubling condition, the attempts to either silence or compromise our witness are expressed as an acceptable alternative. While many have bought into the lie that authentic faith in the one true and living God is too narrow and confining, we must stand firm to our convictions. Yes, it is true that we must seek out unconventional ways to convey and proclaim our message, but we must not allow our creativity to overrule our primary intent. God seeks those who choose to fully participate with Him as agents of change in a hostile world that is void of spiritual understanding. This is not a part-time job for part-time Christians; the nominal Christian is already defeated by default. If none see both the need for change and the…
- January 1, 2013
Should sin be criminalized or legalized? What choices are left to this, our generation, when there are no absolutes? There are two opposing sides; both being partly wrong but blind to why the others side may disagree with the other’s interpretation of what is right. That is the political scene in America, where the existing party lines produce rapid racial and class polarization that blames the opposing side for the perpetuation of perplexing problem that fuel national disunity. But from heaven’s view, it is the absence, neglect, or misinterpretation of a standard that results in the world experiencing judgment. Humanity either takes things too far by becoming pharisaical without the element of love for humankind, or thinking that love ignores and gives permission to transgress all boundaries. Thus, sin is either legalized or criminalized. The silence of God in regards to our nation’s dilemma is His judgment against her. We experience calamitous actions, but cannot hear His voice giving clear direction in the midst of this nation’s greatest challenges. First sin must be identified if redemption is ever to occur. That responsibility rests upon the shoulders of the standard-bearers, the Church. The Bible mentions that “A house divided against itself…
- December 11, 2012
Hebrews 13:15-16 “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Although our lips possess the potential of bearing good fruit, deep within our souls lies the memory of a life much different than that to which we are accustomed. We were not there, but God’s original intention for all of humanity is yet the yearning that continues to create a crisis that resides deep within. Even though we do not see it around us, the tensions continue to surmount within us. We are not condemned to merely regurgitate the information made available that gives expression to the ideals of our current environment. Nor are we sentenced to the fate of saying what is right while the heart remains divorced from truth and words becoming nothing but meaningless flattery. There is a truth that exists outside of our familiar references. It appears to be so strange to our system that it must pierce the darkness of the soul, causing a reaction to all that we once held true. Then it can penetrate the heart with a reality of the wrongness of our reasoning based…
- November 13, 2012
In the rush towards an end that would be rewarding, the necessary progressive steps in pursuit of the intended endeavor are often ignored. This is why so many live incomplete lives, even when they may appear to be successful in the eyes of others. They merely project an impression that is void of substance and content which can be transferred to the next generation. One dimensional living in pursuit of happiness is a counterfeit joy that leads to deep depression. When the party ends and the people are not there to sing the praises or accolades of the person who lives for the applause of men, he wonders if his life really matters. The reason for the mood swing is not that the person is bipolar, but rather, the root cause is that the real purpose for life remains unknown. Life has been reduced to the projection of an impressive image to which many others aspire. Their pursuit would only lead them to the same emptiness experienced by the one they admire. Life is not the experience of feeding on the desserts that appease the appetites of the immature. Children do not know what is best for them, for they…
- September 6, 2012
Fatherhood is a significant role for the development of a child. He is not only useful in the process of reproduction, but in the forging of character of each child by the male influence in his or her life. In order to stop the child from becoming aimless and out of control, the offspring must be launched from a platform of stability. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, 85% of children in society today exhibiting behavior disorders come from fatherless homes. Moreover, 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions, and boys with confused gender identities are from fatherless environments. Without the protective role of a father, an entire generation of insecure children will grow up into insecure adults. Their fears will be expressed through both extreme passivity and aggressive violence, lacking the necessary balance of emotions for self-control. The role of fatherhood is not innately known by men with children. If the son looks to how he was raised, the past model is duplicated while leaving a marred image of the original for the next generation to follow. Is it possible to understand what fatherhood was meant to be? One must reference the Father of fathers in order to…
- June 18, 2012
Grandiose ideas, however tall, are unfulfilled among a people who lack the means of fully expressing them. How many dreams are frustrated due to visionaries abandoning the cause? The future generation inherited the mantle and received the call by God to guarantee a continuum of progress. However, somebody dropped the ball for a distraction, leaving their children with the task of having to decide what they believe is best. The origin of the dream has roots that extend deeper than a few preceding generations. It was the original idea of God for mankind. He allows some to get a glimpse of what He knows in this present age placing them in the category of revolutionaries. Although the zeal for righteousness burns deep within their souls, if there are no bodies to act upon their words, theirs would become a dream deferred for another time. God so loved His creation of man as to view him as the extension of His own thoughts and ideas. He gave Adam the ability to name every animal He created by a scientific description. Thus man was to rule over His creation, giving further expression of God’s thoughts. But when the body refuses to cooperate…
- April 13, 2012
“We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 (The Message Paraphrase) God brings an end to the grandiose ideas and plans put into action that do not generate from Him. Many may even have the semblance of permanency, but their success is short lived. The seed of destruction and ruin is deeply embedded in its core because it did not originate from the Originator. Even though He will not allow a mere human to elevate his purpose above His own, many continue their pursuits because of their God-given abilities to reason. Instead of using it to seek deeper levels of knowledge regarding Him, they foolishly explore the contradictions of faulty reasoning to strengthen their resolve that they do not need Him. We live between the tensions of self-determination and perpetual dependency. Many are telling us that we can make it if we only believe in ourselves, while Jesus reminds us in His Word, “without Me, you can do nothing.” Who are we to believe, when the popularized opinion is most palatable and God seems to be archaic and out of touch with our personal life’s experiences? Often the conclusion is to give Him an honorable…
- March 13, 2012
The Church during the times of revival has always been on the cutting edge of reform and restoration of the truth. When men would demoralize and dehumanize their brethren for the sake of economic expedience or adopt a position of superiority over others, it was the Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that would challenge corrupt systems of discrimination and division. Revered Pastor and abolitionist Charles Finney believed his duty was to abolish slavery and accept former slaves as fellow members of a kindred body of believers. Although many people may have given attention to his message on revival of religion, they fail to examine the effects of a genuine move of God that challenges religious systems to reexamine their hearts and be purged of the roots of racism underneath the surface of their outward expressions of piety. It will not be the world nor political or civic institutions that will provide the impetus for change. It will be the influence of a people that have returned to the foundation of biblical faith who believe that Jesus is the answer to every question and the solution to every problem. In recent years, Jesus Christ were conveniently attached…
- February 10, 2012