Jesus speaks of a house divided in Matthew 12:25, where His focus is on the spiritual state of man. When His presence appears among a people, mindsets are changed and the habits of the heart shift to a different direction. Jesus Christ, our High Priest, empathizes with our emotional frame, even though He does not condone the outward expressions that result from our past wounds and injuries. The Spirit of Christ within the Church is not a judgmental spirit that merely looks at acts on the part of a people, but He addresses the root of the problem. If there is ever to be a revival in African American communities it definitely will not be as a result of Conservative Christians who stand against abortion, gay rights, or other controversial topics. Even though these issues are serious and damaging in our pursuit to establish and maintain a civil society, divisive rhetoric does not remedy anything. The question that remains is what do you stand for? Where are my White Conservative brethren on the issues that are currently dividing the Nation? The Siamese twins of civility are righteousness and justice. Righteousness cannot be right without justice and justice cannot be just…
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Most people in America have a general knowledge of biblical truths. They have been exposed to the Word of God and believe that it is superior to other books written. The sacred text still rises above other ancient writings as a reference point to living life. Yet there is this increasing tide of facts borne out of experiences competing with what one ought to believe and what they think they know. The dichotomy between experiences and historical truths has caused a strain in modern society. The attempt to maintain their status as Christians but at the same time to be in step with the modern world puts pressure on the Truth and often distorts it to fit into the methodologies of today. The overruling question today is “how can I be myself and be a Christian” pervades as the most provocative challenge of our day and times. It leads to compromise as futile attempts are made to reconcile these two opposites. The truth demands change. It exposes the defects within one’s character by presenting a standard that is superior to this life and all of its faulty misinterpretations. You cannot be an authentic Christian without first realizing your need for…
- August 1, 2014
“If you hear My voice and abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, you will know the truth, and the truth will give you freedom.” (The Voice) The liberating power of truth exposes the false pretenses under which many people live their lives. They don’t know it, but the systems that people have relied upon are doomed to fail. These systems are constantly being modified to accommodate the latest craze, while in the process, pushing the truth further into a corner. Their problem is, however, that truth will not quietly retreat and allow them to have their own way. It cries out in protest against humanity’s self-government of independence from its Creator. Today’s battle is against the constraints that restrain the vices with tentacles that extend further than what the uninformed can rationalize. Who would consider that today’s idea of freedoms will result in tomorrow consequences of bondage? In an isolated room of free expression, the heart translates every experience into law. Likewise, those who have been victimized have now taken their pain and institutionalized it. Truth is silenced by the noise of entertainment where subsequently, the mind is in a receptive mode rather than an active mode…
- July 1, 2014
The greatest issue facing our culture today is one of authority. Who gives the orders that people are compelled to obey? The need for and the problems with government have remained an age-old crisis, however, when the right person or people are in charge, a harmonious and peaceful state of being exists. Conversely, when the wrong person or people are in charge, the results are chaotic and confusing. The authority to lead is delegated by those who either appoint or submit to leadership. Delegated authority may evolve into absolute authority when left unchecked, thus causing laws and practices to shift in the direction of the whims and moods of the individual. The adage is true that “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Yet in spite of the downfalls of corrupted government and despots with no regard for the future of the people, someone has to lead. But the leader is delegated with both the authority and responsibility to lead responsively. Responsive leadership denotes leadership that is responsive to needs, but at the same time, is established upon the standard of truth. You cannot draw a straight line using a crooked ruler. Society as a whole has lost its moral…
- June 9, 2014
The beauty of creation is that God allows us to participate in His continuing work. He alone can make something out of nothing and preserve it in order for future generations to gain a profitable return. But He allows those things that originated from Him to pass through a vehicle of delivery. The attachment to and love for what has become an extension of the person is inseparable. Think about it…God made woman for purpose of procreation. The continuance and expansion of creation has been given to her charge. Without her, life would end at the death of what currently exists. Things die during the winter season and life appears to be suspended. But when springtime comes, new life begins to bud in places of lifelessness. The barren womb rejoices over the pregnancy of hope while latent potential is developed as the process continues in the secrecy of the hidden place of the womb. Only God could have thought of such a grand idea and purpose as to place so magnificent a wonder in His creation. The complexity of the process may be studied and examined but never completely figured out. The personalities of two distinct individuals merged into one…
- May 6, 2014
Unless there is death, there can be no resurrection. The things that remain alive within us determine the course of our lives along with God’s plan for the life that He gives. The natural tendency of each person is to get whatever he can for himself and live his life unto himself. Selfishness is hard to explain, but easy to practice because self-centeredness is deeply ingrained within the nature of fallen man. We do not know why we do the things that we do, and often are unaware that we are doing it. Ask a person what he thinks of himself and he will speak of his good intentions. Compare his assessment to God’s standard and the defects in his character are exposed. Although you were created for a purpose far greater than you realize, what is accepted as normal competes with God’s original plan. It casts a shadow over the potential of your life and reduces living to merely settling for basic needs and meeting unrestrained passions. Sin is defined as “missing the mark.” It is not just the act, but the life that is bent in the wrong direction. The tendency to rebel against God is deeply ingrained…
- April 1, 2014
Seasons change, conditions are changing, and people will change. The world is in a constant state of motion. Life is a linear move towards a future state of being. Yes, we are changing, but the question is what are we becoming? Some would like to believe that they are making progress, while the mental attitudes of those who see themselves as progressives constantly pump themselves up with positive affirmations. Even though words do in fact have power, the truth will set you free. Constantly saying a thing is not the exercise of faith. Faith must involve seeing the right path on which your life must travel. Then by faith, you must continually seek God’s direction to avoid veering from that course. Change presents the challenge to travel down the path of least resistance and it can be so subtle that it may happen unnoticed. This is not the same environment of the previous decade. Decisions have been made that influenced the mindsets of society as a whole, and now, it has become more difficult to express the values you once held dear. If you for a moment are more concerned about the majority opinion rather than maintaining a commitment for…
- March 11, 2014
This month, I will turn 65 years of age. This would be a fearful thing if there was no future beyond this life when we reach the twilight of our years. The intrigue of what may exist on the other side leaves many bewildered and worried. There is a spark of eternity that exists within each life that reminds the individual of expectations beyond our current experiences. It takes too much effort to drown out the conscience which reminds us of the truest meaning of life. That is life’s biggest struggle—silencing the inner reminders that ought to be given the greatest attention. When the self is the primary objective for living, what happens when you are alerted to the awareness that those hours are rapidly slipping away? Some try to revert back to their second childhood or adolescence. Unfortunately, the nostalgia of the past becomes the time warp where they try to recapture their lives. That person will eventually die the death of a fool. Solomon’s assessment of life was a simplistic approach with a focus on immediate returns. He assessed life as “vanity of vanity, all is vanity.” Life was really the smoke of smoke, giving an appearance of…
- February 7, 2014
Matthew 13:30 – “Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, ‘First, gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” This year, there will be a distinct definition between where God is and where He is not, and who is He is and who He is not. One of the most popular songs of 2013 was Blurred Lines. The video, featuring Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke, highlighted raunchy gyrations and simulated sexual scenarios to the playful lyrics that suggested the exploitation of women. Yet the rhythm is so catchy that most did not even take the time to listen to the words because of the mesmerizing beat and melody. The question that many fail to ask is does dancing to suggestive music affect behavior? Most certainly…Even though the video may have been censored, its popularity soared and many young women wanted to twerk and tried to emulate that behavior in everyday life. As for Cyrus and Thicke, they both attribute the activity in the video as having a little fun and being themselves. Some may highlight this as…
- January 1, 2014
“Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!”James 1:22 (The Message) The application of biblical principles is the fuel for a revelation. A revolution is necessary when the direction of government, education, the economy, entertainment, and religion is on a collision course with the will of God. The alteration in reasoning allows room for the majority to intellectually argue their point in defense of error. Even when godlessness makes sense and explanations for foolish decisions make one appear to be wise, the end result remains the same; what is believed is fatal. Therefore, a revolution is needed today in order to rescue our generation from self-destruction. Although the potency and power of God is contained within the simple truths spoken, that power can only be released when the principles are applied. All truth is God’s truth. Truth is not always the way it appears because much of what is in process has yet to be fully revealed. Truth abides when it possesses the ability to survive the contrary winds that attempt to contradict it. Truth outlasts…
- May 21, 2013